Reese Ryan Romance

Colorful characters. Sinfully sweet romance.

Reading

Interview w/ THE IMPACT OF YOU Author Kendall Ryan

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One of the things I am constantly impressed with is the generosity of fellow members of the writing community. The competition to get our books noticed grows tougher as an increasing number of books hit virtual bookshelves each day. This phenomenon is both a pro and con of the ongoing self-publishing/digital publishing revolution.

KendallRyanYou’d think that writers would become territorial, stake their claim, and sabotage fellow writers. Well, it happens. But such instances are quite rare. Instead the majority of writers are willing to reach down and extend aspiring and new writers a hand. They share their knowledge, wisdom, and hard-learned strategies. And they often do so without expecting a thing in return.

The explosion of digital and social media has also shortened the space between authors and their readers. Some authors don’t like this change. The majority have embraced it. This is particularly true of indie authors.

Rising indie author Kendall Ryan embodies both concepts. I met Kendall online after I posted a glowing tweet about her book Make Me Yours which I absolutely adored. This led to an interview which I did for All Things Girl and then a second interview for The Contemporary Romance Café that went live today.

The success Kendall is experiencing is no lucky break or happy coincidence. The woman has a serious work ethic that would put lots of corporate workers (and CEOs) to shame. She generously shares her knowledge and experience as an indie author in these interviews. Kendall is also graciously connects with her fans. Any author can learn a lot from what she has to say.

Join me over at the Contemporary Romance Café for a chat with Kendall Ryan.

Why I Write Smart, Strong Heroines with a Side of Family Drama

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Pride-and-Prejudice-1995-ScreencaptureAs writers, 99.9% of us are also avid readers. Each of us has favorite authors whose work inspires us and in some way influences our own writing.

There are several authors I’m quite fond of. Judy Blume, Pearl Cleage, Jane Green, and Benilde Little to name a few. But my very favorite author is Jane Austen–primarily because of my deep and abiding love for Pride and Prejudice with its heroine, Elizabeth Bennet.

This month we’re discussing our favorite literary characters over at the Contemporary Romance Café. Today I’m chatting about my two favorite heroines and the impact those stories have had on the novels I write and the characters who populate them.

Grab a cup of coffee and join me for a chat over at the Contemporary Romance Café. While you’re there, don’t forget to enter to win a print copy of one the books in guest author M. Malone’s The Alexanders series.

Photo credit: Still from A&E’s miniseries Pride and Prejudice. 

In-depth Interview with Indie Author M. Malone

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One More Day by Minx MaloneOutside of writing fiction, one of the things I enjoy most is doing author interviews. First, there’s the excitement of getting to know authors whose work and accomplishments I personally admire. Then there is the thrill of introducing readers to an author they might not have read otherwise. As a reader I’m interested in their characters, stories, and what inspired them. As a novelist I sit as a student at the feet of masters, hoping to glean some knowledge that I can use in my own work and career. My recent interview with Minx Malone is no exception.

As an author of contemporary romance featuring multicultural characters that don’t quite fit into the typical “check here” box, I’m a huge fan of Minx Malone. Recently I had a chance to get the skinny on her current contemporary romance series–The Alexanders–and a chance to ask this hugely successful indie author about the inspiration for her stories and why going indie was right for her. She also gave us a glimpse into what she has planned for the future, and her writing process.

Join me over at the Contemporary Romance Café for an in-depth chat over coffee with indie publishing rock star, M. Malone.

N is for New Adult

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TheEdgeofNeverbyJARedmerskiNew adult is a trend in fiction that has caught fire in the past year or so. The first new adult romance I read was J.A. Redmerski’s book, The Edge of Never. I absolutely loved the story of Camryn and Andrew and am eagerly awaiting the release of The Edge of Always which will be told primarily from Andrew’s point of view.

But, what is new adult? Even many writers are still asking this question. Many have said it’s simple YA with sex. Not true. New adult fiction targets college-age readers and has a heroine about the same age, while the hero is sometimes a little older. The books deal with very adult themes and the sensuality level gets pretty hot. In fact, many could be categorized as erotic romance. The genre also doesn’t hold to the more rigid restrictions of romance. Many opt for a happy-for-now (HFN) ending, rather than a happily ever after (HEA) one. Also, since many of these top new adult authors published their books as indies, they aren’t bound by many of the rules that publishers and editors often impose on writers. Many writers–and obviously readers–find this refreshing.

Below is a video from Nightline in which Juju Chang talks to new adult fiction fans, and three new adult indie authors who’ve made a huge splash in publishing, including Colleen Hoover, the author of Slammed.

Have you read new adult? What do you think of the trend? Is it here to stay? Who are your favorite new adult authors?

Music Monday 1 – Love is Complicated

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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.