Colorful characters. Sinfully sweet romance.
For the past two years I’ve been pondering the development of either an author podcast of YouTube channel. I decided to go with Door #2, and now feels like the right time to feel the fear and do it anyway. So I’ve posted the first video and the channel is here: https://bit.ly/ReeseRyanChannel.
You can watch the video below. Look forward to fun content and collaborations with some of my favorite authors who are likely some of your favorite authors, too.
Little Women, the enduring coming-of-age story penned by Louisa May Alcott in 1869, is the book that had the second biggest impact on me as a writer. (Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen is the first.) The lasting impact of these stories is evident in my tendency to weave family drama, deep emotion, and unconventional heroines into every story I write. So needless to say, I’m here for Masterpiece’s new adaptation of Little Women for the small screen. The first episode will air on Sunday, May 13th at 8PM Eastern. I’d better stock up on Kleenex® first.
As for which of the March sisters I feel the most kinship with…the answer would be all of them. I’m a writer with a wild imagination like Jo, empathetic like Beth, sensible and laid back like Meg, and sometimes a little bratty like Amy.
How about you? Which March sister are you most like?
Thank you to historical romance author Maya Rodale for inspiring this post!
Got questions about my latest release Savannah’s Secrets or my Pleasure Cove Series? Bring them tonight!
Topics up for discussion include:
At 8:30 PM Eastern, listen via your computer, tablet, or cell phone here or call into 845-277-9218, if you’d like to ask questions live.
If you can’t join us live, feel free to listen to the playback at your convenience. Just click here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/diamondsworld/2018/03/17/diamonds-world-presents-reese-ryan.
Catch you tonight!
Hello Dear Reader!
Tomorrow is the big day. Savannah’s Secrets will finally be available from retailers tomorrow, March 1st, which also happens to be this writer’s birthday. This release kicks off my new Bourbon Brothers series with Harlequin Desire. The series will follow the romantic adventures of the five Abbott siblings who are heirs to a Tennessee bourbon empire.
I’m so excited for you to meet the Abbott Family and the titular character Savannah Carlisle. Here’s a summary of the story:
Falling for the boss, or taking him down?
Savannah Carlisle had the perfect plan. By infiltrating the Abbott family’s Tennessee bourbon empire as their events manager, she’d be one step closer to claiming half of the business they stole from her grandfather. Now she’s not so sure. Because sexy Blake Abbott, heir to it all, is simply intoxicating. He’s supposed to be the enemy. But after one long, stormy weekend, she’s pregnant with his child…
Pre-order or purchase Savannah’s Secrets from your favorite retailer here.
Be sure to join me tomorrow for the release party happening on Thursday, March 1st from 4 – 9 PM Eastern. Just pop in whenever you can, interact with the ten romance authors, including special guest author Brenda Jackson, to win giveaways, talk books and be treated to some fun excerpts. Reserve your spot at the party here.
See you tomorrow!
Last night I chatted with Stephanie Phillips of Stephanie’s Book Reports Book Blog about just about everything under the sun. We talked about my Pleasure Cove series, my upcoming Harlequin Desire Bourbon Brothers series, the Secrets of the A-List serial project I was part of with eleven other Harlequin authors, some of the behind-the-scenes info on locations that are used in the series I’ve written, and so much more.
Topics for conversation included: the Biltmore Estate, Charleston, BBQ, Bourbon. the Louvre, the Cleveland Museum of Art, tulips, bourbon, Scotch, and Jack Daniels sauce. I’m not even kidding. And that isn’t even a complete list. LOL. Watching it is like hanging out with two fellow book lovers who talk about books, travel, liquor, and a host of other things.
Do you have a question that didn’t get answered? Feel free to post it below and I’m happy to answer it.
Check out Stephanie’s blog here or join her Facebook readers group here.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.)
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 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!
The Playing with Bad Boys series has a new name and a new publisher.
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.
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
Over the past few months I’ve been adding small challenges to my daily routine. Getting the newsletter out to my VIP Readers at least once per month. Blogging here at least once per week. Daily yoga. Each challenge has gone well. Though, in the words of Missy Elliot, Nobody’s Perfect.
I don’t always execute my challenges perfectly. Still, taking them on has helped me up my game. I may not do yoga every day, but I’m doing it at least every other day. A marked improvement from the slug status I held before.
Recently I added walking three times a week to my list. Due the the unusual week of rain we’re having here in North Carolina, that one is off to a rocky start. But I expect to hit the trail again soon. In the meantime, I’m adding a challenge I’ve been wanting to introduce to my routine for several years…daily journaling.
I’ve been wanting to do this for awhile, and I’ve started and stopped several times over the years. However, I’m ready to give it a serious try again. And why not? We’re a mere two days from entering the final quarter of 2015. This is the time of year I begin looking to the year ahead, setting goals and establishing a plan of action. Keeping a journal will help me do just that and keep track of how well I am implementing those plans.
One goal I have for this final quarter and for the year ahead is to be a more prolific writer who doesn’t make readers wait so long for the next book. (Bad author!) I’ll begin tackling that goal with the release of my serial novella in November. However, I plan to sustain that goal for at least the next two years. I believe that having a plan to write something daily, even if it’s just a small journal entry, will help me do just that.
So I’m going to approach this as I initially approached the yoga. With a 30-day journaling challenge. Something that feels doable and not so intimidating. For an added push, I’m going to join Lisa Sonora’s #30DayJournal challenge. However, I also found some fun prompts on Pinterest that range from fun and relaxed to serious and introspective. A couple of those are pictured above and below.
What about you? Do you journal now? Have you kept a journal in the past? Let me know in the comments. And if you’ve been meaning to get back to journaling (or to try it for the first time), I’d love to have your company on the journey.
Namaste,
Keeping today’s post sweet and simple. The novella is coming along nicely, thanks in large part to the fact that I planned most of the scenes out in advance.
Note to self: ALWAYS PLOT THE STORY OUT IN ADVANCE.
The encouragement and camaraderie of my local Romance Writers of America chapter has also been a huge part of my constant productivity this month. Incorporating yoga into my routine several times a week has also been quite helpful. I especially enjoy the energizing morning sequences. I just discovered a new one today, posted below.
Now the question is, will this story end up anywhere close to the 20,000 words I’d planned originally, or will it be closer to 40,000 words? We’ll see. But I’m betting on 30-40K at this point.
I can’t wait to reveal the cover and book title to my VIP Readers next month. 🙂
Meanwhile, I’ll keep chugging along on this story while the plot and scenes for Book #2 in the series begin to materialize. My goal is to finish writing the first draft of the novella by October 1st. So there will be lots of energizing morning yoga routines in my future.
Namaste,