Watching

Rilzy Adams + Beach Reads + Adventures in Wilmington

June 9, 2023 by ReeseRyan

In Case You Missed It: Check out my chat with Rilzy Adams

I thoroughly enjoyed my recent chat with readers and Rilzy Adams—author of GO DEEP. It was such an honest, authentic conversation. She talked about how she got started writing, the challenges she’s faced, what she wishes she’d known at the outset of her career, and the issues she still struggles with as a creative.

I felt seen as an author dealing with many of the same struggles. Rilzy shared some invaluable insight, and we learned a lot from our conversation with her. Two of her comments stuck with me. The first was: “My worst day as an author is better than my best day as a lawyer.” That was a truly powerful statement, and it reminded me of how fortunate I am to do what I love. But my favorite quote of the evening was: “Discipline breeds motivation, not the other way around.” As an adult with ADHD who often struggles with productivity, I felt that DEEP.

Catch the replay of my chat with Rilzy Adams by clicking the graphic above or by clicking here.

Here’s What I’ve Been Doing

I spent a few days exploring Wilmington—the town Rett & Sin take a road trip to in RETURN TO HUMMINGBIRD WAY. We passed the Farmer’s Market where Sin encounters her ex, and we planned to go to The Copper Penny—where Rett and Sin had dinner followed by an unexpected kiss. But we didn’t make it there. I look forward to returning to Wilmington, NC soon. So I’ll be sure to visit both sites next time.

And while I didn’t make it to the Farmer’s Market or The Copper Penny, our hotel was on the boardwalk (pictured above), and we got to visit both Wrightsville and Kure Beach. We had a fantastic time, and it was a much-needed trip. I look forward to venturing there again soon.

What’s on your agenda for this summer? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below.

Get Return to Hummingbird Way now!

Here’s What I’ve Been Reading

While I was at the beach, I snuck in some reading. I’m reading Against the Currant a cozy mystery by Olivia Matthews. The protagonist’s family opens a bakery that specializes in making Caribbean treats like currant rolls, despite a rival baker threatening to shut them down because he considers this new bakery to be a threat to his business. The heroine is typically pretty low-key and doesn’t like confrontation. But she and her family have invested so much into this bakery, they can’t stand to see it fail. She stands up to the bully baker and they get into a very public argument. So when the cantankerous bakery owner—who had no shortage of enemies—ends up dead, guess who becomes the number one suspect in the awful man’s murder? Yep, you guessed it. Our mild-mannered protagonist must clear her name if she hopes to stay out of jail and protect her family’s investment in the new bakery.

If you enjoy cozy mysteries, fun family dynamics, and Caribbean culture, you’ll enjoy this story.

What are you reading right now? Tell me in the comments below.

Here’s What I’ve Been Watching

https://youtu.be/O0JG6V-12ac

I’ve been watching lots of fun shows lately. If you’ve ever heard me talk about what I love, you probably already know I love a good mystery show. But lately, I’ve been on kind of a spy kick, too. I just got finished watching two great shows: THE NIGHT AGENT on Netflix and THE CITADEL on Amazon Prime. If you’re into Mission Impossible or The Bourne Identity, you’ll love both of these shows. What shows are you watching? Tell me in the comments below.

New Releases & Book Deals from Author Friends

His enemy’s little sister is the only person with the power to undo him.

Nothing rattles stone-cold FBI Agent Kai Roman. Not chasing down ruthless criminals. Not the grief of losing his wife years ago. Not even inadvertently being caught in the middle of a bank robbery.

Except Camila Garza is right beside him when danger strikes, and suddenly he’s the only person who can protect the off-limits beauty. No matter how much her older brother hates him.

And no matter how much he secretly wants her.

Camila knows she should hate Roman. He’s made it clear he doesn’t like her—or possibly anyone—one bit. But when they have to go on the run to save their lives, she begins to see past his icy exterior to the man who would do anything to keep her safe.

Including risk it all.

****

The Agent is the sixth and last standalone in the Intelligence Unit series, set in the shared world of Remington. Full of edge-of-your-seat action and scorching romance, this adversary’s little sister, grumpy hero, lovers on the run from danger romance will have you swooning and sweating. No cheating, no cliffhangers, all hard-fought HEA.

Flirting With Danger is a FREE short, sexy prequel to the full-length standalone, The Agent. It contains loads of banter, scorching heat, and ends in a cliffhanger that leads to the novel. Detective Kai Roman first appears in The Guardian. This prequel contains spoilers to that title.

For maximum enjoyment, recommended reading order is

1. The Guardian 2. Flirting With Danger 3. The Agent

Flirting With Danger

She’s the only woman who can bring him to his knees.

FBI Agent Kai Roman’s nickname is The Iceman.
He doesn’t do emotions, and after losing his wife in a tragic accident five years ago, he definitely doesn’t do anything as dangerous as love.

Impulsively flirting with his enemy’s little sister? That he does.
He just didn’t expect Camila to flirt back—or to want her so much.

But when the radio silence after their one night of wanting
ends in the two of them being caught in a bank robbery,
Roman finds himself having to protect the one woman he can’t have…

🌊 🏖 Craving a beachy escape? Joanne Rock has a great deal on her 3-book box set of sexy romantic suspense titles– all in memorable beach settings from Puerto Rico to Coronado ☀. Pick up the To the Rescue collection for just 99¢ while the deal lasts ~ https://books2read.com/rescuebox

Have You Read RETURN TO HUMMINGBIRD WAY

Have you read Sin & Rett’s enemies-to-lovers, high-school hate-crushes turned co-wedding planners and renovation collaborators story, RETURN TO HUMMINGBIRD WAY? If not, click the graphic above or click here to grab your copy and take your next adventure to Holly Grove Island. If you have, I’d love it if you would leave your honest review at your favorite review site(s) like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Google Play, or Goodreads. Your honest review helps more readers find the book. 😘

Until next time!

Reese Ryan. Colorful characters. Sinfully sweet romance.

Here’s Why There’s a Nod to LITTLE WOMEN in Each Story I Write

March 17, 2018 by ReeseRyan

☆☆☆Which March sister are you most like?☆☆☆

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!

Saying Good-bye to How I Met Your Mother #HIMYMFarewell

March 31, 2014 by ReeseRyan

Today I’m over at Sulia’s Romance Chanel, where I blog five days each week, saying good-bye to the long-running sitcom, How I Met Your Mother.

I’m a late-comer to the show. I only started watching it a few years ago. Thanks to syndication I was able to catch up pretty quickly and it soon became my favorite sitcom.

There are so many episodes of the show that make me break out into laughter when I think about them:

The Pineapple Incident

Spoiler Alert

Swarley

The Stinsons

Dowisetrepla

Intervention

How I Met Everyone Else

The cast that created the characters we’ve come to consider as friends said a lovely good-bye and thank you to their fans. Check out the good-bye video below.

If you’re a fan of the show, who is your favorite character? Which episodes make the list of your favorites?

#HIMYMFarewell

5 Ways Introverts Can Succeed Without Forcing Themselves to Become Extroverts

November 15, 2013 by ReeseRyan

You probably won’t find this shocking, but I’m a bona fide introvert.

Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking

Many writers are. The quiet, solitary nature of writing appeals to introverts.

I have often referred to myself as an introvert masquerading as an extrovert. The feeling that, as an introvert, I must conform to a more extroverted personality in order to succeed, is a belief that many introverts hold.

Yet, it simply isn’t true.

As introverts, we have strengths which we can leverage. We need to recognize this and stop feeling guilty and apologetic about our natural temperament.

Recently, I’ve seen some pretty awesome info online about introverts. There was this enlightening, thoughtful post that dispels ten myths about introverts. For instance, we don’t dislike people and don’t always want to be alone. However, we draw our energy from within and need some quiet downtime to recharge our batteries. When we’re not allowed that–or are made to feel guilty about it–we can turn into a Ms. Cranky Pants of a magnitude you never, ever want to witness.

Trust me on that.

On the other hand, give us a little fair warning about a social event and some time to recharge before and after the event, and we can be the life of the party. You won’t be able to shut me us up.

Then there was this awesomesauce post on Buzz Feed about 27 Problems Only Introverts understand, which is hilarious, mostly because it’s also quite true.

Today I finally got a chance to watch a video by the funny, insightful and always inspiring, Marie Forleo, over on MarieTV. Networking for Introverts with Susan Cain. I love Marie’s videos! She shares information, encouragement and resources that help entrepreneurs make money and live a life they love. The advice and observations she shares are usually applicable to creative professionals, too.

Susan Cain is the author of the award-winning book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. This video discussion between Susan and Marie highlights five fantastic tips to help introverts cope in a world where they seldom feel appreciated. Not to mention the comfort that comes from knowing you aren’t alone (or an anti-social freak). The video is lengthy at a little over 20 minutes. However, it’s well worth it for introverts and the people who love them, but who don’t always get them.

Are you an introvert or an extrovert? What challenges have you faced either being an introvert or in dealing with people who are? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments below.

Photo of Susan Cain courtesy of the American Library Association. Some rights reserved.

X is for X Factor (that unidentifiable trait that makes someone truly special)

April 27, 2013 by ReeseRyan

You already know I love storytelling, books, movies, music, and singer/songwriters. But I’m also quite fond of dancing. (Said with a jazz hands finger flourish like the lady in the State Farm/Aaron Rodgers commercial here.)

I’ve always fancied myself a crazy good dancer with mad skills. (I also refer to myself in my head as Princess and imagine that I have minions who wait upon me. But the two aren’t related. Or, are they?)

So, the other day it had gotten too late to go for a walk and I was determined to get my thirty minutes of exercise in. Rather than go to the community gym, I opted to pull out the Kindle Fire HD, slip on the Bluetooth headset and dance my way to fitness.

I turned on JT’s 20/20 Experience and started dancing. And dancing. And dancing some more. Before I realized it, thirty minutes turned into an hour. My knees didn’t much appreciate the pivots, turns, and imagined ballerina moves. But the rest of me felt exhilarated, every muscle singing (or groaning), thanking me for not giving into the comfy couch or my not-so-comfy computer chair.

The next day I told my young adult son, Chef Boy RD, that I was going to dance again. He–who had tried his valiant best to videotape my AWESOME moves from around the corner the previous day–rubbed his hands together and smiled with glee.

“This is gonna get tons of hits on YouTube.”

Of course, I did what any other mother would do. I reminded him that he’d have to find somewhere else to live if it did. He then proceeded to mimic my dance moves from the day before in something that looked less crazy good and instead was just…crazy. (Imagine a hip-hop dance contest consisting only of people who normally move around with walkers. Yeah…it looked something like that.)

The next day my husband–GQ Jones–commended me for working out after he ~~flaked on me~~ was too tired to go walking with me the previous night.

“I worked out for an hour,” I said proudly.

He smiled at me the way people often do right before they pat you on your head…when you’re five. “Babe, you were dancing for like six hours. You danced through two basketball games. And every time I came into the room you were doing the same move. But it’s good you worked out. I’m proud of you.”

So perhaps I don’t have have mad dance kills; instead I’ve gone slightly mad. Whatever. They’re kind of the same. And at least I worked out.

Maybe I don’t have the X Factor, that unknown, truly amazing thing. At least not where my dancing is concerned. But Marquese Scott, a brilliant dancer who’s been featured in iRobot, Peugeot, and One Coke ® commercials, and on Ellen definitely does. One of his dance videos is posted below. You can view more dance videos and commercials on his YouTube channel here.

What writers, musicians, actors, or dancers have that X Factor? How would you define what makes them so special?

Photo above is a still from the State Farm commercial on YouTube. Visit link above.

W is for The Words (The Movie)

April 26, 2013 by ReeseRyan

The Words is a complex, layered tale. A story within a story within a story. I admit that the ending left me confused with more questions than answers. Still, I enjoyed the ride just the same.

Bradley Cooper plays Rory a writer who is struggling to make his mark in the literary world. He’s newly married, in debt to his father who has been supporting his habit as a writer, and forced to take a corporate job. When his wife, Dora, played by Zoe Saldana, buys him a lovely, old leather satchel during their honeymoon in Paris, he discovers a manuscript inside. It’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever read and he decides to type the entire story, in the hopes that it will inspire his own work. When Dora discovers the manuscript on his computer and mistakes it for his work, Rory doesn’t have the courage to tell her the truth. It is the first false step down a rocky path of lies and deception.

This is one of those films people seem to love or hate. Some critics have proclaimed it ambitious or preachy. But I loved it, and I thought Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Jeremy Irons, Ben Barnes, Nora Arnezeder were quite brilliant. I found the third storyline with Dennis Quaid and Olivia Wilde distracting and confusing. However, I loved the first two threads enough to overlook the third.

Did you see The Words? If so, what did you think of it? Do you like books and movies that incorporate clever, ambitious story elements as this one does? If so, which one is your favorite?

Publicity photo from The Words.

V is for Villain (Best Movie Villains of All Time)

April 25, 2013 by ReeseRyan

What would the heroes we love–James Bond, Ethan Hunt, Sherlock Holmes, and James West (YES, I said James West) be without the villains who made them shine–Goldfinger, Owen Davies, Professor Moriarity, and Dr. Loveless?

The video below is one of countless lists compiled of the greatest movie villains of all time. Many of my choices were on the list, including Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men (that was a seriously creepy, weird film), Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes in Misery (I grab my knee caps every time I think of her), Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz, Daniel Day-Lewis as Bill the Butcher Cutting in Gangs of New York, and Heath Ledger as The Joker in The Dark Knight.

There are a few I’d add to the list. Javier Bardem–proving he is a masterful at portraying complicated, creepy villains–for his role as Silva in the most recent James Bond film, Skyfall. Daniel Day-Lewis for his role as Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood (I don’t care if he was the protagonist, that guy was definitely a villain). Sean Penn as Mickey Cohen in Gangster Squad (Shivering, just thinking about the opening scene). Leonardo Dicaprio as Calvin Candie in Django Unchained.

Who are your favorite villains of all time? Why do we love to hate them?

Publicity photo from Django Unchained.

T is for Timer (The Movie)

April 23, 2013 by ReeseRyan

I saw a review for the movie, Timer, on another blogger’s site several months ago. (Sorry! I can’t remember who it was.) She included the trailer, below. Immediately I was intrigued. A rom-com with a touch of science fiction and angsty characters? I was hooked. So I added the movie to my Blockbuster queue and forgot about it.

Then it arrived. My husband gave me the usual “Not another chick flick” eyeroll. But I was excited. More excited than I’d been about the arrival of a movie in awhile. I put it on the speaker next to the TV and went about my day, figuring I’d watch it over the weekend. Only that was three or four weekends ago.

So finally, after a little pouting from GQ because I was hogging up the Blockbuster movie queue with my unwatchable girly flicks (my words, not his) I decided to watch the movie. And I wasn’t disappointed.

The story of smart, anxious orthodontist Ooma (Emma Caufield) and her family was sweet, funny, and made me think. How would we approach life differently if life, love, or success came with a guarantee?

I have a thing for movies that examine alternate realities, like Butterfly Effect and Sliding Doors. And while this movie didn’t follow alternate possibilities, I couldn’t help but think in terms of them the entire time.

In addition to an interesting plot the movie is filled with deliciously flawed characters who make all degrees of questionable choices. Yet, we know enough about them to understand their behavior and still care about them.

The movie didn’t end the way I hoped, but that was okay. Because Ooma’s actions were in line with her character and I could understand the decision she didn’t make.

The story made me laugh, cry, and think. Most of all, it made me a little envious. I want to tell stories like that.

Have you seen the movie? If so, what did you think? What kind of stories do you enjoy reading, watching, or spinning?

Note: This post originally appeared on my old blog, Mindful Banter.

S is for Side Effects (The Movie)

April 22, 2013 by ReeseRyan

I adore this movie, probably my favorite film of the year thus far. It is an enigma wrapped in a puzzle, stuffed with yummy goodness.

Side Effects is a provocative psychological thriller featuring Rooney Mara and Channing Tatum as Emily and Martin Taylor, a couple who has the world at their feet, until Martin is busted for insider trading. He does a stint in prison and they lose everything. Emily suffers with debilitating depression because of this and is still having difficulty adjusting when Martin comes home from prison.

Dr. Jonathan Banks (Jude Law) begins treating Emily when she ends up in the emergency room after running her car full-speed into a cement wall. After a consult with her former psychiatrist, Dr. Victoria Siebert (Catherine Zeta-Jones), and at Emily’s urging, Dr. Banks prescribes the drug Ablixa–a drug that has an unexpected side effect.

We watch Martin and Emily’s world dissolve, but the fallout from the tragic results of Ablixa’s side effects also sends Dr. Bank’s world crashing to the ground. His judgment called into question, he soon becomes a pariah in the medical community. When he simply can’t let it go, he too loses everything and refuses to give in until he discovers exactly what went wrong.

I loved this movie upside down and inside out. Rooney Mara and Jude Law play their characters brilliantly and the story is magnificent. The only thing I didn’t like was a rather painful scene near the end which I found nauseating, mostly because it seemed like one of the two characters involved was painfully uncomfortable with it. But, my lips are sealed until you’ve seen it.

The movie turned out not to be what I expected, it was so much better. Definitely giving this one two thumbs up. Have you seen it? I’d love to know what you thought of it. If you haven’t seen it–do. As soon as you possibly can.

C is for Character #AtoZChallenge

April 3, 2013 by ReeseRyan

As 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.

Silva, 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?