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Colorful characters. Sinfully sweet romance.

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All Posts

F is for Fusion (or How to Make Beautiful Music) #AtoZChallenge

April 6, 2013 by ReeseRyan

Fusion–the melding of disparate elements– has always appealed to me. There is fusion cuisine which blends traditional foods from varying cultures to invent a tasty new dish foods, and fusion music which blends differing styles or genre to make a new one.

There is something about marrying two seemingly opposing genres that seems so wrong, and yet when it is done well, the result is a harmonious pairing of two conflicting musical styles. Latin jazz. Hip hip and rock. World fusion. Rock and classical music. When one can make such a pairing work it seems effortless. Like magic. Here’s an example of this type of fusion:  Lindsey Stirling is a violinist, however she incorporates a decidedly rock and roll edge in her style, and then throws in some dance, just because she can. The combination is pure magic.

As a reader and film viewer, I sometimes enjoy a film that blends two seemingly opposing genres with good effect. For instance, I enjoyed the movie Timer which blended science-fiction and a romantic dramedy (which in itself is a fusion of sorts).

 

What is your take on fusion cuisine and fusion music genres? Is there a book or movie you like that does a particularly good job of blending two genres?

Filed Under: A to Z Challenge, All Posts, Blog Events Tagged With: #AtoZchallenge, Crystallize, dubstep, Lindsey Stirling, Reese Ryan, violin

D is for Determination #AtoZChallenge #BasketballTrickShotKid

April 4, 2013 by ReeseRyan

TitusBasketballThe video of this amazing little basketball prodigy, Titus,  completely blew my mind. First I wondered if this was a series of camera tricks. When I realized it wasn’t, I wanted to scout this kid for my hometown Cleveland Cavaliers.

Titus is adorable, but he also reminds me of four important ingredients to success. Determination. Passion. Fun. The Right Team.

Determination

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines determination as, “Firm of fixed intention to achieve a desired end.” There’s no doubt that Titus is determined to reach his goal. This determination drives him forward. There’s no way the kid makes these crazy good shots without the hours of practice–which we don’t see— where the ball just won’t go in the basket. It’s on those days our determination to achieve our goals carries us through.

Passion

It’s not hard to spot the difference between an athlete that’s just dialing it in or working for a paycheck versus one who is fired up, completely consumed by her passion for her sport. We see this same difference in people we meet throughout our day–from the barista that made our double tall latte this morning to our doctor or child’s teacher. Having that same passion in our work and allowing it to fuel us on both good days and bad results in an end product that we can be proud of, and that end users–like readers–will truly enjoy.

Fun

It’s pretty obvious that little Titus is getting a kick of shooting the basket. We don’t see stage parents dragging the kid somewhere he doesn’t want to go, or threatening him if he doesn’t try one more time. Rather, we see the pure fun he’s having. He loves what he’s doing and he’s having a ball.

If we’re not careful, even our dream job can become a chore (ask any writer). So making it fun, and keeping it fun contributes to a better overall experience, and again has an impact on our final output.

The Right Team

Little Titus loves playing basketball, and his parents and siblings cheer him on fervently, and happily assist in doing what they can to help him get better. We don’t see his parents complaining because he wants to throw the ball one more time, or his siblings sulking in the corner because Titus is in the spotlight…yet again. Instead, they are there supporting him time and again, and show genuine elation each time he makes another basket.

Having the right people around us makes all the difference as we forge toward our goals. There will be some people in our lives who will always point out the negative or respond to good news with a telling “Hmm…” Distancing ourselves from those people physically isn’t always an option, however we can learn to minimize the impact we allow them to have in our lives and on our psyche. More importantly, we must find people who are supportive of our dreams and gravitate toward them.

Sometimes the right team is built piece by piece. The right coach here. The right trainer there. Then sometimes we’re lucky enough to find an entire group of supportive people–like the right critique group or writers’ association. When we find supportive people who are a joy to be around, and who want to see us achieve our goals as much as we want to see them achieve theirs things don’t get much better than that.

What goals are you determined to reach? What are you most passionate about? How have you built the right team?

Photo above captured from video below.

Filed Under: A to Z Challenge, All Posts, Blog Events, Share the Journey Tagged With: #AtoZchallenge, commitment, dedication, passion, Titus, Trick Shot Video, writer, writing

C is for Character #AtoZChallenge

April 3, 2013 by ReeseRyan

skyfall-wp1-1024As an avid reader, a film fan, and a writer, I’m obsessed with quirky and interesting characters. More specifically, I am drawn to deeply damaged characters whose occupation and actions reflect their past experiences.

Situations in life are rarely black and white. The same is true of people. Heroes often have a dark side, or an ugly past. Villains often have some redeemable qualities, or a past history that provides insight into their character.

I prefer my heroes rough and a bit gritty, and my villains with a vulnerability that allows me to feel some compassion for, or insight into them. Skyfall, the most recent film in the James Bond franchise provides both.

Daniel Craig portrays Bond with a raw vulnerability that we haven’t seen before. I’m a long-time fan of the franchise. Yet I much prefer my Bond bleeding and broken, than polished and nearly perfect.

Dame Judi Dench’s character, M, is a heroine in the Bond movies, but in this film we see glaring fissures in her character, and their tragic consequences.

javier-bardem-skyfall-posterSilva, the villain brilliantly portrayed by an ultra creepy Javier Bardem, is a complicated mess of a human being who manages to be irredeemably wicked, yet deserving of compassion.

Each of these characters reminds us that the line between good and evil is rarely delineated with an electrified fence. Sometimes the line is barely visible. We don’t realize we’ve crossed it until we’re on the other side. What classifies us as being in one camp or the other is whether we choose to return to the other side.

It’s no secret that I love deliciously-flawed characters. Such intricate, layered characters escalate the level of another important C, conflict. With each character waging a war internally, it’s no surprise that Bond and Silva are embroiled in an external conflict of epic proportions, leaving carnage in their wake.

What about you? Are you a purist who prefers a knight in a shining armor–hold the chinks? Or do you like your heroes and heroines with a hardened edge?

Filed Under: A to Z Challenge, All Posts, Blog Events, Movies, Pop Culture, Watching, What I'm... Tagged With: #AtoZchallenge, character, Daniel Craig, heroes, heroines, James Bond, Javier Bardem, Judi Dench, Skyfall

A is for Action #AtoZChallenge

April 1, 2013 by ReeseRyan

Because I am a very remiss blogger, I figured that the A to Z blog challenge would be just the thing to get me into a rhythm, doing what good little bloggers do. Not to mention that the entire concept brings back fond memories of one of my all-time fave programs, Sesame Street. So today, A is for Action.

No matter how big or small our dreams are, nothing gets done without action. Common sense, no? So why do we so often find ourselves dreaming big, but doing very little to bring those dreams to fruition?

Woman Stretching Before WorkoutI’ve been an avid reader who loved stories for as long as I can remember. But when I read Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice, I knew I’d found the thing I wanted to do for the rest of my life–craft story of strong, witty women, the men they love, and their supporting cast of characters. It was fabulous to have this big dream in my little head. Making it happen, that was a different story.

Back then it wasn’t the writing itself that was the issue, it was the action of putting myself out there, and the possibility of being rejected.

Fast-forward nearly twenty years. I renewed my dream of being a fiction writer. The action I struggled with then was completing a novel. I had several partial manuscripts, including a couple of ambitious affairs featuring ensemble casts. However, it took me several years to get it together and finish one of those stories. That action prompted me to complete two others in a relatively short time. But that was only the beginning.

I’ve had to continually force myself beyond my comfort zone in order to advance toward my goal of being published. Taking writing craft classes. Joining a critique group. Attending local writer events. Submitting queries to agents and publishers. Volunteering in my local RWA chapter. Each action helped me move forward. At first it felt like I was inching along, but later it felt like leaps and bounds.

My debut novel, Making the First Move, will be published this summer by Carina Press. But the number of actions required of soon-to-be published authors (and multi-published authors) is no less. Instead, the added responsibilities of building a platform, guest blogging, and finding ways to connect with your audience are added to the mix of plotting, writing, revising, submitting, etc. So I’ll keep moving forward, remember that each action is bringing me closer to my ultimate goal.

What are some of your dreams or goals? What actions are you taking to achieve them? Please share in the comments.

Filed Under: A to Z Challenge, All Posts, Blog Events Tagged With: #AtoZchallenge, action, aspiring author, Carina Press, Contemporary Romance, Making the First Move, publishing, Reese Ryan

#AtoZChallenge Index

March 31, 2013 by ReeseRyan

A is for Action

B is for Blogging

C is for Character

D – Determination

E – Ebert and Elementary

F – Fusion

G – Goals

H – Hindsight

I – Ice, Ice Baby

J – Journal

K- Kevin Hayden Band

L – Love

M – Making the First Move

N – New Adult

O – Opportunities for Authors (or the Upside of Self-Publishing)

P – Pentameter

Q – Question Everything

R – Reduce, Recycle, Reuse

S – Side Effects

T – The Timer

U – Unafriad

V- Villains

W – The Words

X – The X Factor

Y – Yellow

Z – Zoos and Aquariums

Filed Under: A to Z Challenge, All Posts, Blog Events Tagged With: #AtoZchallenge

Music Monday 1 – Love is Complicated

March 25, 2013 by ReeseRyan

I’ve been watching on the sidelines for a few weeks and today I was inspired to jump onto the Music Monday Blog Hop hosted by Meg at the Book Asylum. Music Monday is a blog hop that showcases songs which remind us of specific books.

Music Mondays @TheBookAsylum

The inspiration for my first Monday Music pick struck when I heard Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated” while riding in the car the other day. I still love this song, and haven’t been able to get it out of my head for the past three days.

Complicated – Avril Lavigne

Makes me think of . . .

Private Passions (Private, #4)

One More Day (The Alexanders, #1)

I love me some Mary J. And while this isn’t my fave Mary J. Blige song, I think she expresses a sentiment with which many can identify in “Mr. Wrong.”

Mr. Wrong – Mary J. Blige

Makes me think of . . .

Private Paradise (Private, #2)
Private Pleasures (Private, #3)

So Music Monday #1 has revealed my current Jami Alden addiction. The woman has sexy contemporary romance on a string. Seriously.

So What About You?

Do either of these songs make you think of a specific book? Or do any of these books make you think of other songs? I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below.

Filed Under: All Posts, Blog Events, Music Monday Blog Hop, Reading, What I'm... Tagged With: Avril Lavigne, Complicated, Contemporary Romance, Jami Alden, Mary J. Blige, Minx Malone, Mr. Wrong, Music Monday, One More Day, Private Paradise, Private Passions, Private Pleasures, Reese Ryan, sexy, smart, smexy

Video of the Week: Hot Soldiers Sing Call Me Maybe

February 22, 2013 by ReeseRyan

A super hot troop of soldiers in Afghanistan does their own rendition of “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepson (a song I love unabashedly). Be warned: Belly laughs and fanning oneself will likely ensue.

Been having a rough week? Things will be looking up for the next three minutes, at a bare minimum.

You’re welcome.

Filed Under: All Posts, Music, Pop Culture, Share the Journey Tagged With: afghanistan, call me maybe, carly rae jepson, funny videos, soldiers

Phenomenal Woman – That’s Me

February 21, 2013 by ReeseRyan

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

~ Sam Levenson

Beauty of a Woman BlogFestI’ll admit with a bowed head that I haven’t given as much attention to poetry, as a genre, as I should. Yet there are a few poems that were so inspiring that they’ve stayed with me and I often draw strength from them. One such poem is the powerful ode to women written by Maya Angelou, “Phenomenal Woman.” It is a gorgeous, lyrical poem that celebrates what makes a woman truly beautiful. When I heard about the Beauty of a Woman Blogfest, via writer Misty Dietz, I knew I had to be part of it.

The Beauty of a Woman Blogfest, hosted by August McLaughlin, is designed to celebrate our vastly diverse definitions of  what makes a woman beautiful. The blogfest is inspired by a poem by Sam Levenson of the same name, with which I wasn’t familiar, but is now among my favorites. My focus for this post is Levenson’s words above.

We can all appreciate the outer beauty of a woman who is pleasing to the eye because she meets the “traditional” standard of beauty. However, while people are drawn to a pretty face, it isn’t enough to make them hang around. Rather, it is a beauty that resides much deeper within that draws us to people and makes us want to stick to them, love them, and support them. A beauty of spirit.

I’ve been fortunate to know many amazing women in my life who are truly, and deeply beautiful. Women who offer to hop a plane and support me through an emotional crisis, even when doing so creates a hardship for her. Women who don’t except my dutiful responses to tough questions, and support me even when they don’t like my honest answer. Women who see what is truly amazing about me, even when I’ve lost sight of it myself.

That is what makes a woman–a girlfriend, a sister, a mother, a fellow writer–truly beautiful.

Having such beautiful women in my life makes me a better person, one who wants to support other women in the same way. So thank you to all of the phenomenal women in my life, and to those who support women everywhere.

As for Maya Angelou’s poem, “Phenomenal Woman,” no-one could render her words quite like the woman herself. Enjoy!

Filed Under: All Posts, Blog Events, BlogFests, Share the Journey Tagged With: August McLaughlin, Beauty of a Woman BlogFest, Maya Angelou, Misty Dietz, Phenomenal Woman, Reese Ryan, Sam Levenson

This is Your Brain. This is Your Brain on Love.

February 20, 2013 by ReeseRyan

Photo courtesy of Phillipe Leroyer. Some rights reserved.
Photo courtesy of Phillipe Leroyer. Some rights reserved.

A few years ago I took a couple of online writing classes that I found simply fascinating. I took Writing Body Language and Dialogue Cues Like a Psychologist taught by the Margie Lawson and Sex On The Page: Understanding And Crafting Great Sexual Tension taught by Mary Buckham.

Both classes taught me a lot about the messages we convey without words and how to translate that into my stories. What I find even more fascinating is the physiology and psychology that causes our predictable reactions to certain situations. The video below explains what is happening behind the scenes regarding our body’s physiological response to lust and love.

Ever been so madly and deeply in love that your friends and family thought you’d lost it? Well, you kind of did. This is your brain. Now this is your brain on…love.

What do you think? Do you believe the science laid out here behind lust and love?

Filed Under: All Posts, Publishing Industry, Share the Journey

Missed Last Night’s Big Music Award Show? No worries.

February 11, 2013 by ReeseRyan

So maybe you missed the Grammys last night. I’m a huge music fan, but I nearly bypassed the show myself. With a few notable exceptions, most of the music award shows of late have descended into mega freak shows that make me feel like I’ve wasted three perfectly good hours of my life that I’ll never get back. Truthfully, last night’s show left me disappointed, despite a few highlights.

First let’s address the much talked about ‘wardrobe advisory’ memo on appropriate dress for the Grammys, issued by CBS. The memo had a two-fold effect. It scared some folks into dressing like their great, great grandmothers.

Source: music.msn.com via Reese on Pinterest

 

A few of the usual suspects considered it a challenge to their creativity as artists.

Source: nydailynews.com via Reese on Pinterest

Source: music.msn.com via Reese on Pinterest

Source: usmagazine.com via Reese on Pinterest

 

Fortunately, quite a few musicians found a happy medium.

Source: wonderwall.msn.com via Reese on Pinterest

Source: nydailynews.com via Reese on Pinterest

Source: nydailynews.com via Reese on Pinterest

 

Then there were the performances. Quite a few left me scratching my head, thinking WTF? A very few were simply magic. Everyone else fell somewhere in between. A few of my favorite performances:

Miguel


Miguel Adorn Live at the 2013 grammy’s by f1533382024

Ed Sheeran (my favorite 2013 Grammy discovery) & Elton John

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Ed Sheeran,

Maroon 5 and Alicia Keys

Overdrive News Feature
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Alicia Keys,

Justin Timberlake & Jay-Z (yes, I know many people hated it, I’m not one of them).


Video Justin Timberlake feat Jay-Z performs… by dm_5118ca9ddce82

Extra note: Justin is a marketing genius. He was featured in two commercials immediately following his performance; one for his CD at Target, the other for Bud Light Platinum. Well done, Justin.

Did you watch the 2013 Grammys? What were the lowlights and highlights of the show for you?

Filed Under: All Posts, Music, Pop Culture

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