ReeseRyan

Baby Be Mine Goes Live + Playing with Temptation Cover Reveal

January 23, 2017 by ReeseRyan

I’ve got so much good news to share with y’all. Seriously! After three years of writing, planning, and plotting that didn’t include a single book release, this year I’m coming at you with seven releases.

Yes, I said SEVEN.

Check out the graphic below and stay tuned for news of an eighth, super-secret project I’m working on as we speak.

First up…

Baby Be Mine is Now Live

Baby Be Mine, a free, serial novelette, begins TODAY on Harlequin’s Extras site. One chapter of the serial will drop each weekday for four weeks. So go back daily for the latest installment of the story through February 17^th.

Here’s the story:

When Mitchell Johnston returns to Pleasure Cove for the holidays, he finally gives in to his long-held passion for Monique James–his best friend’s flirtatious little sister. But after their memorable night together, they’re torn apart by the revelation of secrets and lies. Will the unexpected consequences of their night together finally lead them to the love they’ve been longing for?

Read it online here now and come back tomorrow for the next chapter. And if you like the story, don’t forget to vote at the bottom of the page.

Playing with Temptation Cover Reveal

I know Pleasure Cove Book #1 hasn’t launched yet, but Book #2 is already on deck and available for pre-order. Here’s the cover for Playing with Temptation, Book #2 in my Pleasure Cove series.

Here’s the story:

When compromising video of a star wide receiver goes viral he must rely on his ex, a savvy media consultant, to help him repair his reputation and secure his last big contract, but keeping their relationship strictly business will be more difficult than either of them imagined.

Pre-order your copy here.

2017 Publication Schedule

Share Your Review of
Playing by the Rules

Have you downloaded your copy of Playing by the Rules? If you enjoyed Hunter and Merrie’s story, please consider sharing a review on your favorite platform—Amazon, iTunes, B&N, Kobo or Goodreads—to help other readers find their story.

Pre-order Playing with Desire

We’re on the countdown! Playing with Desire hits bookstore shelves on February 21^st. Buying an electronic version? Pre-order your copy now. It’ll be delivered on my birthday, March 1^st.

Lastly, stay tuned for news of the Playing with Desire Facebook & Twitter launch parties, including a chance to win some great prizes.

Happy reading!

Claim Your Advance Copy of PLAYING BY THE RULES

December 28, 2016 by ReeseRyan

via GIPHY

So things for me have been a little crazy. (I know I’ve been saying that all year, but it’s true. Really.) Despite another minor surgery and a few other issues, there has been a lot for me to celebrate in a year that has otherwise been sucky for so many reasons. (RIP George Michael and Carrie Fisher.) Since I inked the four book and holiday novella contract with Harlequin Kimani Romance this past spring, I’ve been offered a few additional opportunities with them. News I’ll be announcing to my VIP Readers soon.

I’ve been busy with my Pleasure Cove series with Kimani–debuting on bookstore shelves on February 21, 2017, my London-based novella series Playing by the Rules and a new short story I’ll share more about soon. However, I’m peeking my head out of my writing cave for another helping of holiday cake and to tell you that at long last, I’m delivering on my promise to give all of my VIP Readers a complimentary copy of Playing by the Rules Book 1.

Not currently a VIP Reader? No worries. Claim your free, advance copy of Playing by the Rules and join my VIP Reader list in one simple step over at instaFreebie.

Your advance copy of Playing by the Rules will be available now through January 8th, then it goes on sale at online booksellers on Tuesday, January 10th.

About Playing by the Rules

When Meredith Jane encounters her ex’s elder brother at a saucy Valentine’s Day party for singles, the last thing she expects is to spend “seven minutes in heaven” with him or to discover that he has deep feelings for her.

Hunter Westbrook adored Merrie long before his competitive younger brother asked her out. Now that Merrie’s relationship with his brother has ended, he faces the hardest decision of his life. Will he risk his relationship with his brother and jeopardize the future of their family’s luxury resort empire by pursuing the woman he loves? Or will he suffer in silence to keep peace in the family and risk losing her forever?

Merrie discovers a startling truth: She’s been with the wrong brother all along. But as one of the few women on the management team at her firm, she can ill afford to get caught up in the gossip and scandal sure to come if she chooses to be with Hunter. Nor does she wish to hurt Liam’s family or disappoint her own.

Hunter and Merrie have spent their entire lives playing by other people’s rules. In a society where perception is everything, is true love worth risking everything they’ve worked so hard for?

Claim your free advance copy of Playing by the Rules in your preferred format today.

Connecting with My Tribe of Fellow Writers and Readers

September 17, 2016 by ReeseRyan

**Lasheera Lee, Beverly Jenkins and Reese Ryan**

Writing is the perfect job for an introvert. Even one like me who often masquerades as an extrovert. Still, it is beneficial to get out in the world, meet new people, travel to new places and enjoy new experiences. All of which provide ideas for new stories.

Reese Ryan — **Goofing off at Girls Night**

Then, of course, there is the pure joy of connecting with your tribe–fellow writers and readers. Last weekend, I had the chance to do just that courtesy of Women and Words Impacting the Community–a fabulous reader event put on by Read You Later’s Lasheera Lee.

**Women and Words organizer Lasheera Lee and author Reese Ryan**

**Christian fiction authors Summer Kinnard, Jacquelin Thomas, Michelle Stimpson and Cassandra Durham**

**Historical authors Beverly Jenkins and Katharine Ashe**

There were too many fabulous authors in attendance to name them all. However, the list of authors included fellow Kimani authors Nicki Night, Deborah Mello, Cheris Hodges and Kianna Alexander; Christian authors Jacquelin Thomas, Summer Kinnard, Cassandra Durham and Michelle Stimpson; Samantha Chase and historical authors Katharine Ashe and Beverly Jenkins.

**North Carolina authors Samantha Chase and Reese Ryan**

**Kimani Romance authors Reese Ryan and Deborah Mello**

I got to meet authors I’ve been a big fan of and was dying to meet like Beverly Jenkins (who I sat next to at Girls Night) and Deborah Mello. I also got to reconnect with some of my favorite authors like Kianna Alexander, Cheris Hodges, Iris Bolling, Summer Kinnard and Katharine Ashe. I had the privilege of meeting some wonderful readers and aspiring authors who I look forward to connecting with again.

**Author and television show producer, Iris Bolling**

North Carolina authors Reese Ryan and Summer Kinnard — **At Girls Night with fellow North Carolina author Summer Kinnard**

If you missed this fabulous event, don’t worry, this was the sixth event Lasheera has done and she plans to do another. Connect with her on Facebook for a heads up on the next event. It was an energizing event that reminded me why the community of readers and writers are my people.

Happy reading,

PS: I know it looks like I took Ms. Bev hostage and forced her to take that picture, but I didn’t. I swear! (Okay, kinda sorta, but she was a great sport about it.)

Say It With a T-Shirt

September 12, 2016 by ReeseRyan

I’m in an awesome writers group that posts writing challenges each month. Members share how much they intend to write during the week, 2-week or 1-month period to follow and how they plan to reward themselves.

I’d like to make my reward something yummy (like an entire pineapple upside down cake), but that won’t help my other cause, which is getting healthier by working out daily courtesy of DailyBurn.com. So this time I opted to go with something I’ve always wanted but hadn’t gotten around to getting: graphic T-shirts.

Why haven’t I purchased them before? One: for a long time it was rare to find one that wasn’t designed for anyone whose shape was more eraser than pencil. Second: When you did find one, the price was more than this ~~penny pincher~~ frugal person was willing to pay.

Enter the age of do-it-yourself T-shirt websites.

Now you can find T-shirts for everyone that support any cause or share just about any sentiment. It’s also super easy to make your own. I created a to-buy list of graphic tees I wanted and I’m rewarding myself with one or two whenever I hit a new goal or deadline. When I turned in Book #2 of my upcoming Pleasure Cove series with Harlequin Kimani Romance, I bought myself the following two graphic tees:

SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP

Fell in love with this shirt the instant I saw it. It’s perfect for those moments when:

I don’t feel like working out.
I’m working out but I feel like I can’t do one more squat/pushup/crunch/plank move, etc.
I should be writing or revising, but I’m not (like now)
I am procrastinating about doing what I need to do, preferring to do just about anything else (seriously…like now)

I chose purple because…Prince…and the purple and green are a throw back to Lou Ferrigno’s Incredible Hulk with those crazy purple pants and his you-done-made-me-mad-now green skin. Makes me feel slightly invincible and like I could do a split in heels while playing a guitar. I’m just sayin’.

A LITTLE HOOD, A LITTLE HIPPIE

Anyone who knows me well knows that though I grew up in the hood, I have always been very much a hippie. So, as noted in the conversation with my husband (see below), it would be more accurate to say a little hood, a lot hippie. And as if I didn’t love this shirt enough for the graphic, the fabric is so soft. I could live in this thing. I’m thinking of belting it and wearing it as a dress. Just kidding! (Or am I?)

Anyhoo…my husband, whose obsession with Aldo shoes is one of the many reasons I lovingly refer to him as GQ Jones, and I had the following conversation this morning:

GQ Jones: Can we change that to A Little Hood, A Lot Hippie? *smirks*

Me: You do know this refers to a flower child, philosophical hippie, not someone with a lot of hips?

GQ Jones: You do know I’m not the only one who is going to be confused about that.

Me: *shrugs* Either way, A Little Hood, A Lot Hippie still applies. If someone makes that shirt, I’ll definitely buy it.

Okay, time for me to get back to work so I can earn my next graphic tee.

How do you reward yourself for a job well done? Or are you more of the just-shut-up-and-do-it type who doesn’t worry about rewarding yourself? (If so, I wanna be you, but I’m totally okay with the fact that I never will be.)

Happy Reading!

Reese Ryan. Colorful characters. Sinfully sweet romance.

Tangling with Timelines

September 9, 2016 by ReeseRyan

During my recent Labor Day Weekend #readergiveaway I asked readers to share how they spent their summer and invited them to pose questions about my new Pleasure Cove series. I enjoyed connecting with my VIP Readers and hearing about their road trips, reading challenges and time spent with children or grandchildren.

Readers posed lots of fun questions, which I’ll be answering during brief vlogs here on Mindful Banter. VIP Reader Mary Goodman asked: What is the best part about writing a series? I’m working on the proposal for Book #3 of my Pleasure Cove series, so today seemed like an appropriate time to answer that question. Under two deadlines and looking more than a little scrappy today, I’ll skip the video (for your sake and mine) and answer the question in today’s blog post.

The best part about writing a series is that the world I’ve built is familiar to me and so are many of the characters. Most of the action in the Pleasure Cove series takes place…you guessed it…in my fictional beach town Pleasure Cove, North Carolina. I know the landscape of the town: the best seafood restaurant, the dive jazz club, the coffee shop and the newly refurbished concert hall. The series revolves around a few key families. Those characters are as familiar as old friends and gotta-love-em relatives. I know a lot about these characters before I begin drafting their stories. Sometimes, even before I realize that they’ll ever have a story of their own.

What drives me crazy when writing a series can be summed up in one word: timeline.

Keeping the timeline straight over the course of several books in a series (and related series) can be challenging–particularly if you don’t establish the timeline right from the start. I’m one of those dreaded procrastinators who drags my feet when it comes to doing things I don’t particularly enjoy. I often find myself revisiting the timeline when I’m forced to–like today. So, as I fiddle with another timeline app, I’ve come to the conclusion that I should probably purchase one.

So my questions to you are: As a reader, what timeline issues drive you crazy in a story? To writers, what method do you use to keep track of the timeline of your story or series?

Happy reading!

Timeline: Minutes courtesy of Bertalan Szuros. Some rights reserved.
Timeline photo courtesy of Luigi Mengato. Some rights reserved.

And the winner of my Labor Day Weekend #ReaderGiveaway is…

September 7, 2016 by ReeseRyan

Hi All,

For those of you in the United States, hope you had a fabulous Labor Day weekend!

The past few months have been pretty crazy for me with lots of writing, revisions and travel. It was nice to have a weekend where I got some relaxation in and time with my family. However, I managed to sneak some work in, too.

One of the things I enjoyed doing this weekend was picking out the journal and colorful pen set, pictured above, that will go to the contest winner of my Labor Day weekend giveaway along with a $25 gift certificate. Since I’m a journal and pen junkie, I couldn’t resist getting a set of each for myself. 🙂

Now, with no further ado, I give you the winner of the Reese Ryan 2016 Labor Day weekend #ReaderGiveaway: Sherri Hollister.

Congratulations to Sherri, who is also a writer. This journal is chock-full with creative inspiration and encouraging sayings. I know you’re going to love it, Sherri!

If you didn’t win this time, no worries. These journals were so awesome, I bought out the entire stock and I’ll be giving them out quarterly to my awesome, patient VIP readers whom I adore. So look for another opportunity to win during the fourth quarter giveaway in late October or early November.

I’ll be answering some of the excellent reader questions I received during the contest via video right here on the blog. So, be sure to subscribe to my blog (6th block down in right sidebar) to stay tuned to the latest shenanigans and/or connect with me on Instagram or Facebook.

Now, this girl has a proposal to write for Book #3 in my Pleasure Cove series and an indie project to edit. Stay tuned for more info on the series and my coming indie release.

Namaste,

Final Day of Labor Day Weekend Giveaway Contest

September 5, 2016 by ReeseRyan

Today is the last day to enter my Labor Day Weekend giveaway exclusively for my VIP Readers. I’m giving away a lovely journal, a set of colorful pens and a $25 gift card from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes or Starbucks–winner’s choice. If you’re not a VIP Reader already, entry is easy peasy.

Step one: Join my VIP Reader mailing list. (See the box on the top of the right sidebar.)
Step two, email me and tell me how you spent your summer.
For a bonus entry, ask me a question about my new Pleasure Cove series or March 2017 release PLAYING WITH DESIRE.

Please note: This contest is open internationally. However, only the digital gift card will be sent to winners outside of the United States. The physical items will only be shipped within the United States or Canada.

It’s been great connecting with all of you and hearing about how you spent your summer. Readers have posed some excellent questions which I can’t wait to answer in future vlogs, right here on this blog, so stay tuned.

Good luck on your entry and Happy Labor Day!

Her Kind of Man by Elle Wright — Launch Day

April 27, 2016 by ReeseRyan

Happy Launch Day to fellow author Elle Wright! Check out Book #3 in Elle’s Edge of Scandal series…Her Kind of Man. Get the skinny on Elle’s latest book, find out where to grab a copy, check out an excerpt and enter her contest for your chance to win the entire series. The contest widget is below.

ABOUT HER KIND OF MAN

When Mr. Right is oh so wrong

I’ll never let you go . . . Allina had always dreamed of hearing those words. But when her fiancé, Isaac, utters them, it isn’t a promise-it’s a threat. Scared and confused, with only moments before the wedding, Allina knows what she must do. Forget walking down the aisle; it’s time to run. Back to Michigan. Back to Kent.

Kent has loved Allina for longer than he can remember. Out of respect for their friendship, he’s never crossed the line, but when she turns up on his doorstep wearing her torn, tearstained wedding gown, the fire inside him ignites. He’ll do whatever it takes to make Allina feel safe-like the beautiful, desirable woman she is. But as Kent and Allina grow closer, and their passion pushes deeper, it’s clear that something bigger than a botched wedding still lingers between them . . .

Amazon: http://amzn.to/26jAjfW

B&N: http://bit.ly/1WhdTHF

iBooks: http://apple.co/23NY7Kh

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1r4fZz5

IndieBound: http://bit.ly/1WhecSK

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1SAyxCY

ABOUT ELLE WRIGHT

Born and raised in Southeast Michigan near Ann Arbor, Elle learned the importance of reading from her mother. It was also her mother who, later on in her life, gave Elle her first romance novel: Indigo by Beverly Jenkins. From that moment on, Elle became a fan of Ms. Jenkins for life and a lover of all things romance. An old journal she wrote back in college became her first book (which she still wants to publish one day).

Website: http://bit.ly/1WhehWo

Facebook: http://bit.ly/23NYAvS

Twitter: http://bit.ly/1XMDHtU

ABOUT FOREVER

Website: http://bit.ly/247MdaF

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1ROTBj0

Twitter: http://bit.ly/1Vdc9Pk

Instagram: http://bit.ly/1U8DN0M

Pinterest: http://bit.ly/25IQt20

HER KIND OF MAN by Elle Wright

Forever / On Sale: April 26, 2016

HER KIND OF MAN Excerpt

Allina got up and carried her dishes over to the sink. She turned on the faucet and filled up the basin with water. “I’m going to clean up and get ready to go to the store.”

He finished up his plate and joined her at the sink. Not thinking, he dropped his mug into the dishwater, splashing the soapy water on Allina. She screeched and stumbled back. He reached for her, sensing she was getting ready to fall. Instead of preventing her fall, she ended up pulling him with her and they both landed on the floor, her on her back and him on his side.

“Ouch,” she groaned from her where she lay on the tile. “That hurt.” She wiped her face and pushed her hair back, leaving a few suds on her face.

He chuckled. “That was . . . clumsy.”

She laughed then. “It was crazy. How did I fall? There was no water on the floor.” She pointed at him. “It was your fault.”

He grabbed her finger. “It was not my fault you can’t stay on your feet.”

She flicked some remaining soap on him. It was a running joke with their crew. Syd was dramatic, Cali had no filter, and Allina was clumsy as hell. It didn’t matter where they were or what they were doing, Allina always seemed to get hurt.

Before he knew it, they were both laughing in earnest. She turned to him. “I needed this.”

He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “Glad I could help. I’ve never met anyone who is more accident-prone than you.”

She grinned, her eyes gleaming. “Hey. Don’t say that.”

He stood up and held out a hand to her. When she placed her tiny palm in his, he pulled her to her feet.

Brushing off her clothes, she murmured, “My body is al- ready sore from that run. Now my back is throbbing.”

“Maybe you should go lie down for a little bit before we go to the store,” he suggested. “I have a heating pad some- where if you need it.”

She waved him off. “I’m good.” Peering up at him, she smiled again. A wide grin. “I need to keep moving.”

Kent observed her. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes dancing and he found himself inching closer to her. A piece of her hair was stuck to her forehead and he pushed it to the back.

“I must look crazy,” she said, smoothing a hand over her hair.

One of the things Kent found so attractive about Allina was her sultry, deep voice. She talked like she was singing a lullaby. It was low, even, and sexy as hell. And what made it even better was she had no idea it could have an effect on a man.

As if he had no power or control to stop himself, he leaned closer. She peered up at him and froze. Instead of retreating, she stayed where she was, her eyes on his.

The air changed in that instant. He brushed her cheek with his thumb and she gasped. Their noses were almost touching. He knew he should step back, walk away, but he couldn’t. His body had a mind of its own.

His nose bumped into hers. Her breath still smelled like the honey from her tea. It was warm against his skin. He wanted to kiss her, more in that moment than ever before. Then her lips brushed against his. It wasn’t a full-on kiss, but enough to make him want more. He framed her face with his hands and kissed the corner of her mouth, enjoying her sharp intake of breath. She squeezed his biceps, her nails digging into the sensitive skin.

“Kent,” she whispered. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Do you want me to?” he asked, unable to keep his eyes off her mouth. It was amazing how one simple touch had opened up the box that labeled them “very close friends.” He imagined how it would feel to really taste her, to feel her tongue against his, to touch her the way he wanted.

But then where would that leave them? Confused and awkward around each other? Allina wasn’t just any woman. He couldn’t do her first and ask the hard questions later, be- cause she deserved better than that. They had never really talked about sex with each other before, but knowing her the way he did, he figured she was careful about who and what she did. Being with her, or even kissing her, was a game changer. But, damn-it, I want to.

Sighing, he stepped back. He scratched his head. “I’m sorry. This isn’t right. We better get going.”

Then he left her standing there in the kitchen.

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Breaking News from Reese Ryan: A New Publishing Deal

March 11, 2016 by ReeseRyan

The Playing with Bad Boys series has a new name and a new publisher.

A new publishing deal requires a celebratory mug of tea. — **Celebratory mug of tea, anyone?**

First, let me apologize for being missing in action the past few months. This year has been full of health challenges and there are plans for surgery ahead, but there was some really exciting news, too.

Along the way to indie publish my planned Playing with Bad Boys series, I got an offer for a traditional publishing deal I just couldn’t refuse. So the series is getting a new name which I shared exclusively with my VIP Readers earlier today.

Hop on over to Hot M.A.M.A. Land to get details on why I’ve been Secret Squirrel the past few months , how this unexpected publishing deal came to be and when you can expect to see the first book in the series at your local bookstore.

But before you go, I’m inviting you to a fun reader event I’ll be participating in this fall.

Kianna Alexander’s Fall into Romance Reader Event at Disney World

Don’t miss an exciting reader event hosted by a fellow Hot M.A.M.A. and Kimani Romance author. Kianna Alexander’s Fall Into Romance reader event is going to be a ton of fun. Join me, Kianna, Cheris Hodges, Piper Huguley, Deborah Fletcher Mello, Farrah Rochon, K.M. Jackson, Te’ Russ, Synithia Williams, Lena Hart, Kaia Danielle and Siera London for fun in sunny Florida as we celebrate romance written by and about women of color.

Join us October 20-24th at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Orlando in Lake Buena Vista for a great reader event celebrating diversity in romance. Plus, there will be plenty of time to get your Disney on. Learn more about this event by visiting the Kianna Alexander Fall into Romance Facebook page. Reserve your spot at the event here.

We’re going to Disney World, y’all! Woo hoo!

Secret Squirrel Over and Out

Get to Know author @RoslynHolcomb

December 1, 2015 by ReeseRyan

Today Atlanta author Roslyn Hardy Holcomb stops by for a chat. She’s sharing the inspiration behind her small town series (yes, it’s based on a real town) and her series featuring a group of female assassins working in exotic locales and stories prompted by international headlines.

You’re a small town girl now living in Atlanta. How does your small town upbringing impact the characters and settings in your stories?

Being a from a somewhat provincial area has had tremendous impact on my stories. My first book was set in a place called Maple Fork, which is a HIGHLY fictionalized version of my own hometown of Gadsden, Alabama. Like Maple Fork, Gadsden is in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, and is bisected by the Coosa River. Dark Star, which is a Rock Star sequel, has a climactic scene at a major landmark, Noccalula Falls. I did a question and answer session at the local library when it was first released and the readers had a lot of fun telling me about the sites they recognized, and speculating on who some of the characters “actually” were. (All the characters are fictional, BTW, but it made for an interesting afternoon!)

I deliberately chose to set many of my books in small towns because I love the dynamic it brings. Busybody neighbors, being related to everybody for miles around. It’s fun, and can be silly at times, but character development is one of my favorite things about writing, so I love it.

I laughed when I read your bio about loving rock music and how that made you an “oddity” growing up, because I was also an “oddball” due to my eclectic musical palate. Tell us how it inspired your first book, Rock Star.

When you grow up black in blue collar town and all the other girls worship the Jackson 5 and you’ve got posters of Robert Plant, yeah, you tend to stand out a bit. Over the years, I’ve met lots of other black “rocker chicks,” and wanted to write a book for us. I wanted the rock star to write a song for his love, because most of us black rocker chicks have never had the thrill of imagining ourselves as Lady D’Arbanville or Layla. (Please don’t mention Brown Sugar, yuk).

You recently released another book in your Pussycat Death Squad. Give us a brief overview of the series and what inspired it.

The Pussycat Death Squad is a series about a squad of women who’ve trained all their lives to be bodyguards for a North African strongman. Now they’ve escaped and provide their lethal services around the world. I was inspired by a picture I saw years ago of the late Libyan leader, Colonel Qadaffi, and his all-female Amazonian Guard. Allegedly, they took a vow of chastity and had to be beautiful. With a set-up like that the first book practically wrote itself. Drop in a hot alpha Marine and stir. In something of an homage to the old Harlequin romances I read as a kid, I try to set the stories in exotic locales. Those books introduced me to a world far from my hometown. Back in the day it was called “armchair traveling,” and it’s still fun.

The Lion in Russia’s oligarch hero has wound up on the wrong side of the Russian president who sounds suspiciously like Vladimir Putin. So yes, these stories are definitely “ripped from headlines.” The most recent story, Pussycat in Peril is a return to Laritrea which has fallen into a highly-factionalized civil war, much like Libya, the country it’s based on. The next one, Diamonds on the River, will take place in Ghana mainly because I love the way NPR correspondent Ofeibea Quist-Arcton says “Accra.” Listen to her sometimes, her voice is AMAZING.

What can we expect from you in coming months?

My current work in progress is a Christmas series with my writing partner, Lisa G. Riley, called Christmas at House and Home. The leads grew up in foster care together, working in the family restaurant, House and Home. Though it’s set in Atlanta, there’s a definite small-town vibe in that these kids grew up in a multicultural suburban enclave so tightly enmeshed they developed their own language. The series was inspired by my experiences as a social worker, and also my joy in discovering the dining experience that is Buford Highway in Chamblee Georgia. The whole street is lined with international cuisine and one evening my husband and I were scarfing down Korean barbecue and listening to the owner of the place talking to his employees in a Spanish/Korean mash-up we quickly dubbed Sporean. Though I often complain about the Babylonian Exile that is my life in Atlanta, I do love the level of diversity to be found here.

*****

Thank you for visiting with us Roslyn! I have friends who live in Atlanta. Next time I visit I want some of that Korean barbecue. 🙂 Visit Roslyn online and check out her latest releases here.