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#WeNeedDiverseRomance

The Thick of Things by J.L. Campbell

March 21, 2018 by ReeseRyan

The Thick of Things by J.L. Campbell

The Thick of Things By JL Campbell

Synopsis

GENRE: women’s fiction with romantic elements, contemporary romance

BLURB: Life has a way of going awry when you least expect it, and Khalila Skyers learns this lesson the hard way. In one devastating blow after another, she loses her cozy existence. Then Douglas Blythe overtakes her life like a flood, and she’s not equipped to deal with an attraction that seems forbidden and overwhelming. But her body and heart want what they want, and leave her wondering if she ever knew herself at all.

Douglas is determined to help Khalila move beyond her obsession with the past and reach for love a second time. No matter how long it takes. No matter the distance. He’s going to prove he’s worth the risk.

Buy Links

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Thick-Things-Media-Res-Book-ebook/dp/B07B7B8JY2

B & N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-thick-of-things-jl-campbell/1128105800?ean=2940159080509

iBooks: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book//the-thick-of-things/id1353238245?l=en&mt=11&at=

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-thick-of-things

Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/Thick-Things-Media-Res-Book-ebook/dp/B07B7B8JY2

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thick-Things-Media-Res-Book-ebook/dp/B07B7B8JY2

 

Excerpt – The Thick of Things

I was a little of everything—embarrassed, confused, speechless. How could he be so sure I was what he wanted? No matter what he thought, I had too much going on to be adding a relationship to the list.

 

“What are you afraid of, Khalila?”

 

My name on his tongue was a caress that scattered my thoughts.

 

“It’s not that I’m afraid of anything.” I pulled my hand out of his and drank the rest of the water while gathering my thoughts.

“My divorce isn’t final yet and…” My mind settled on Amir, who I didn’t want to think about now. Softly, I sighed. “It’s too early to be thinking about a relationship with anybody.”

 

“We’ve gone way past the point of thinking about what’s happening between us. I’m not asking you to marry me, but I’m interested in you.” His voice softened and I had to concentrate to hear his words. “Give me the chance to show you that what we did wasn’t only about sex.”

 

I didn’t know what to say, so I held my silence.

 

His gaze was analytical and he didn’t seem to expect a response. The longer he looked at me, the more my heart rate accelerated. It was ridiculous that at my age any man could get this kind of response from me.

 

“I hope that wasn’t all it was for you,” he said.

 

It took me a few seconds to catch up with him, but I didn’t answer. I was too busy trying not to squirm at the image of him on top of me in his bed.

 

After reading his watch, Douglas smiled. Why, I didn’t know, but it was a genuine gesture that made me want to respond in the same way.

 

“Are you ready?” he asked.

 

Nodding, I got out of my seat.

 

Douglas didn’t crowd me, but let me walk ahead of him. As I wove through the tables, I greeted a few members of the working team, who would also be leaving the hotel today.

 

Once we were out of the restaurant, Douglas touched my arm and directed me toward the elevator.

 

“Aren’t you leaving today?” I asked.

 

“Yes, I’m just making sure you get to where you’re going.”

 

Putting a smile in my voice, I said, “I’m not likely to get lost on my way upstairs.”

 

“I didn’t think so.” He laughed and eased both hands into the pockets of his shorts. “I’m simply doing what any decent man would do.”

 

My cheeky grin conveyed gratefulness and understanding. “Carry on, then.”

 

He nodded and in silence, we walked to the elevator. When it was a few floors away, he faced me. “I want to ask one favor of you.”

 

“What’s that?”

 

“Answer your phone when I call, okay?”

 

He stepped in close, kissed my cheek and then brushed his lips across mine.

 

I sucked in my breath and opened my mouth, wanting more of him, but he stepped back.

 

The elevator opened and he urged me forward with a gentle hand to my back.

 

I walked inside, asking myself what kind of game Douglas was playing. Why would he start something he couldn’t finish, not to mention leave me hot and bothered?

 

As the doors closed, our gazes locked and I swore that man knew exactly what he was doing and the state he’d left me in.

Filed Under: Get to Know Authors, Get to Know Multicultural Authors, Release Party Tagged With: #ownvoices, #WeNeedDiverseRomance, Book Release, Garden Avenue Press, J.L. Campbell, POC Authors, The Thick of Things

Playing with Desire Release Date

August 26, 2016 by ReeseRyan

Playing with Desire, the first book in the Pleasure Cove series, published by Harlequin Kimani Romance, goes on sale everywhere.

Playing with Desire by Reese Ryan -- Pleasure Cove Book #1

Tagged With: #WeHaveDiverseRomance, #WeNeedDiverseRomance, African American romance, black romance, book release dates, BWWM, Harlequin Kimani Romance, Playing with Desire, Pleasure Cove, Reese Ryan

Playing with Desire in Stores

August 26, 2016 by ReeseRyan

Playing with Desire, the first book in the Pleasure Cove series, published by Harlequin Kimani Romance, hits stores on February 21, 2017.

Playing with Desire by Reese Ryan -- Pleasure Cove Book #1

Tagged With: #WeNeedDiverseRomance, African American romance, black romance, Book Release, BWWM romance, Harlequin Kimani Romance, Playing with Desire, Reese Ryan

Playing with Temptation Release

August 26, 2016 by ReeseRyan

Playing with Temptation, Book #2 in the Pleasure Cove series published by Harlequin Kimani Romance, goes on sale everywhere.

PLAYING WITH TEMPTATION by Reese Ryan

 

Tagged With: #WeHave, #WeNeedDiverseRomance, African American romance, black romance, Book Release, Harlequin Kimani Romance, Playing with Temptation, Pleasure Cove, Reese Ryan

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.

RoslynHolcomb

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.

Gee Whiz, It's Christmas by Roslyn Hardy Holcomb and Lisa G. Riley.

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.

Reese Ryan. Colorful characters. Sinfully sweet romance.

Filed Under: #WeNeedDiverseBooks, #WeNeedDiverseRomance, All Posts, Diversity, Get to Know Authors, Get to Know Multicultural Authors Tagged With: #WeNeedDiverseBooks, #WeNeedDiverseRomance, Get to Know Multicultural Authors, Roslyn Hardy Holcomb

Get to Know @Ursula_Renee author of A Bookie’s Odds

October 20, 2015 by ReeseRyan

I was excited when Ursula Renee accepted my open offer to stop by the blog and chat. I read her story Sweet Jazz while doing some research for a historical series I was in the midst of writing nearly a year ago. Sweet Jazz is about an interracial couple working in a jazz club with a “Coloreds Only” policy during the Harlem Renaissance. I became an instant fan of her delicious writing voice and juicy characters. Now, let’s talk to Ursula and find out more about latest release, A Bookie’s Odds.

UrsulaRenee

Welcome, Ursula. Please tell readers three things we should know about you.

Thank you for having me here today.

For starters, I love to cook and I transfer that love to my novels. In Sweet Jazz, Cass proves she can cook as well as she sings, while the men in A Bookie’s Odds prove they know their way around a stove.

Another thing readers should know is that I enjoy music. My favorite is Alternative, yet, on a particularly stressful day, I find Goth soothing. When I write, I play music based on the time period the story is set and my characters’ preference.

Finally, I believe everyone should follow her dreams. Do not sit back and wish you did something…go out there and do it.

First, I have to tell you that I loved Sweet Jazz. It’s an engaging story with two strong characters, both of whom I loved. Tell us a little about that story and what prompted you to write it.

Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it.

Sweet Jazz, which is set in 1938, explores the difficulties Randy Jones faces when he not only breaks the color barrier at The Big House, but falls for Cass, who is reluctant to open her heart after a past hurt.

After remembering several incidents that occurred when I was in an interracial relationship, I decided to explore the challenges Randy would have if he decided to break the color barrier.

BookiesOdds

Your recent release is A Bookie’s Odds. Give us a quick rundown of the story.

Because she looked beyond the surface and befriended a girl, Georgia Mae Collins grew up under the protection of the Santiano family. But, after a series of tragedies, Nicholas has to protect her from herself as well as his growing feelings for her.

What makes your hero and heroine, Nicholas Santiano and Georgia Mae Collins right for each other? 

Nicholas understands Georgia’s desire to follow her dreams and is willing to help her achieve her goals. And, though they do not always see eye to eye on the best way to deal with a problem, Georgia will always be there to comfort Nicholas.

What should we expect from Ursula Renee in the near future?

I am currently working on a historical romance set in 1856 that will explore two families’ fight to maintain their homes that are being threatened by eminent domain.

Sounds intriguing! To connect with Ursula Renee, follow her on social media at the sites listed below:
Website: UrsulaRenee.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ursularenee.author
Twitter: @Ursula_Renee

Get your copy of A Bookie’s Odds at one of the links below: 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | The Wild Rose Press

Filed Under: #WeNeedDiverseBooks, #WeNeedDiverseRomance, Diversity, Get to Know Authors, Get to Know Multicultural Authors Tagged With: #WeHaveDiverseRomance, #WeNeedDiverseRomance, A Bookie's Odds, Historical Romance, multicultural authors, Sweet Jazz, Ursula Renee

Get to Know Tia Kelly, author of Baby Love

October 6, 2015 by ReeseRyan

This week we get to know Tia Kelly, author of Baby Love.

Baby Love by Tia Kelly

Welcome, Tia! Thank you for chatting with us today. Please tell readers three things we should know about Tia Kelly.

Wow, that’s a tough one. I have three loves (in addition to writing and reading): faith, family and food! I think everything I do, write or read somehow ties into those three things.

The cover of your latest release, Baby Love, is gorgeous. Tell us about the premise of your story.

Thank you! Baby Love is about a guy that truly enjoys his bachelor status until a woman shows up on his doorstep claiming he is the father of her child. She disappears and in the process of tracking the mother down so he can return the baby, he meets Brandi.

Here’s the blurb:

The son of an NBA legend, Trent Scott was born a catch and groomed since birth to know it. Little fazes him, including the mystery woman that appears on his doorstep with a baby in tow… even when she claims Trent is the father before disappearing. Until he can prove otherwise and find the delusional woman, he’s stuck caring for a kid he knows can’t be his… or is it?

Brandi Avery is ready to start the next chapter of her life. After coming to the rescue of a frazzled (and extremely attractive) stranger with an adorable (yet obviously upset) baby, she can’t help but fall for Trent Scott… which wouldn’t be so bad if she could convince him to feel the same way about her.

How would you describe Trent Scott, the hero of Baby Love?

Trent first appeared (very briefly) in my novel, Playing for Love and later in Taste for Love. He is the Paige Scott’s half-brother and the two of them didn’t have the best relationship thanks to their father. Their father was an NBA legend that probably made more history creating children through extra marital affairs than during his career playing basketball. The story opens up with Trent dealing with the fallout of his father’s infidelities and he goes through a process where he realizes he doesn’t want to continue down the same path.

Tell us about Brandi Avery, the heroine of Baby Love. What makes her right for Trent and willing to take a chance on him, despite his complicated situation?

I think the cool thing about Brandi and Trent’s relationship is that it just feels right. There’s nothing other than good old-fashioned friendship and chemistry building up between them. Her patience and immediate bond with London also helped them along. Brandi’s also successful and she’s learning from her professional role. In order to reach that place, she doesn’t have time or energy for drama – something she has come to realize when she meets Trent – therefore she wouldn’t entertain that even if it comes in the form of a tall handsome stranger with an adorable baby. Knowing Trent is also trying to eliminate stress from his life as well, they complement each other that way. Also, if she sensed that from him, Brandi wouldn’t have given him a second glance. These are simply two people that want better and encourage each other to be better.

What can we expect from Tia Kelly in the near future?

I have a few projects in the works. One upcoming project is called Chasing Moments and I’m very excited about it. That one is about a young woman named Chase Ryan. She is a confirmed party girl that has it all… and she wants the world to know it. After making her way through all the hotspots and parties across town, Chase is used to waking up the morning after with no recollection of the night before. Until she wakes up one day with a thin memory about her entire life and all she can do is chase the moments she left behind hoping to figure out her own story.

Thank you for having me!

Connect with Tia online or on social media and grab your own copy of Baby Love by using the links below:

Website:      www.tiawithapen.com

Social Media:

FACEBOOK – https://www.facebook.com/authortiakelly

TWITTER – https://twitter.com/tiawithapen

INSTAGRAM – https://instagram.com/tiawithapen/

GOODREADS – https://www.goodreads.com/tiakelly

PINTEREST – https://www.pinterest.com/tiawithapen/

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1eBcAB6

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1H71f3x

Filed Under: #WeNeedDiverseBooks, #WeNeedDiverseRomance, All Posts, Diversity, Get to Know Authors, Get to Know Multicultural Authors Tagged With: #WeNeedDiverseRomance, African American authors, Baby Love, Get to Know Multicultural Authors, Tia Kelly

Get to Know Shelly Ellis, author of Best Kept Secrets

September 22, 2015 by ReeseRyan

Today I’m excited to play host to the blog tour for Best Kept Secrets, the lastest release by author Shelly Ellis.  Shelly is an author I admire and have gotten to know a little via Twitter over the past couple of years. So it was fun to get to know her better and talk more about her latest release.

Best Kept Secrets author, Shelly Ellis

Shelly, thanks for visiting with us today. Tell us three things we should know about you.

Revelation 1: I’m a socially awkward introvert. It has its downside, speaking in front of audiences makes me freak out but the upside is that I’m a natural born observer. I like to watch people and walk around places and just get a feel for them. I don’t feel the need to interact and am perfectly comfortable with sitting on the sidelines. You learn a lot about people and places being that way and you can use it in your writing.

Revelation 2: I have eclectic taste from books to music. One week I can be deep in a horror novel and the next week I’ll pick up funny women’s fiction. I love 90s HipHop like Pharcyde but have been a fan of Bjork since college. I refuse to limit my tastes.

Revelation 3: Before I decided to become a writer, I flirted with the idea of becoming an artist. I paint on occasion as a stress reliever. My paintings are around my house. I’ve done them for friends and family too at their request.

Tell us a little about what genre(s) you write and what we should expect from a Shelly Ellis story.

I write primarily romance and women’s fiction FOR NOW. But I might expand in the future. If you’re reading a Shelly Ellis book expect lots of drama, some snark, some humor, and a multicultural cast of characters.

Your new release, Best Kept Secrets, is the first installment in your Chesterton Scandal series. Tell us a little about the series.

Best Kept Secrets by Shelly Ellis

The series is set in the fictional town of Chesterton, Virginia, and it’s about the wealthy Murdoch family—Evan, Terrence, and Paulette—which is both admired and envied in their small town.

There is lots of drama in Best Kept Secrets. Shady business deals. Scandalous affairs. Tell us more about the Murdoch family and the entanglements they find themselves in.

At the beginning of the novel the former patriarch, George Murdoch, is deceased and now his eldest son, Evan, is taking over the family business and is now considered the leader in the family. We follow his tribulations in his marriage to his alcoholic wife, Charisse, and his feelings for his best friend, Leila. We also see the secrets and drama that his little sister Paulette is going through. It’s basically a night-time soap. My editor was like, shoot for something like Scandal, and that’s what I did.

What’s next in the Chesterton Scandal series and are you working on any other projects that we should expect in the near future?

The next book in the series is called Bed of Lies and it comes out in April 2016. It continues many of the storylines from the previous book but also introduces some new ones and new characters. I had a lot of fun with it. I also get to explore Terrence Murdoch as a character a lot more in this novel than I did in Best Kept Secrets. He goes through a lot and evolves. It was rewarding to take him on his journey.

I have other projects in the pipeline but nothing I can really talk about now. I hope I can share more about them in the future.

Get to know Shelly Ellis better, grab your own copy of Shelly’s latest release, and enter the $25 Barnes and Noble Gift Card raffle contest using the info below:

Shelly Ellis $25 Barnes & Noble Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Summary

Between the fall-out from his father’s latest shady business dealings and his wife Charisse’s alcoholism, Evan Murdoch has his hands full. But he should be most concerned about the scandalous affair Charisse is having right under his nose–with his half-brother. Evan’s being pushed to the edge, and no one knows that better than Leila Hawkins…

Leila is back in Chesterton, divorced, penniless, and desperate enough to do anything to save her mother’s home from foreclosure–including turning to Evan, her former best friend. But Evan isn’t interested in friendship. Instead he makes Leila a shocking indecent proposal…

Meanwhile, Evan’s newlywed sister, Paulette, wants to be the perfect wife. But a blackmailing bad boy ex has reappeared in her life–and he’s threatening to reveal her most painful secret…

The scandals just won’t quit–and for everyone involved, desire, betrayal, and lies are all in a day’s work…

Buy the Book

Amazon: http://amzn.com/1617733997

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/best-kept-secrets-shelly-ellis/1120843660?ean=9781617733994

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25739781-best-kept-secrets

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/best-kept-secrets-11

Indie Bound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781617733994

Get Social with Shelly

Website: ShellyEllisBooks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Shelly-Ellis-554332437931239/timeline/

Twitter: @EllisRomance

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6464591.Shelly_Ellis

Filed Under: #WeNeedDiverseBooks, #WeNeedDiverseRomance, Diversity, Get to Know Authors, Get to Know Multicultural Authors Tagged With: #WeNeedDiverseBooks, #WeNeedDiverseRomance, African American authors, Best Kept Secrets, multicultural authors, Shelly Ellis

Get to Know Vanessa Riley Author of Multicultural Christian Regency

September 1, 2015 by ReeseRyan

Christian regency author Vanessa Riley.

Our guest today is Vanessa Riley. Welcome, Vanessa! For readers unfamiliar with you, tell us three things we should know about you.

Reese, first I want thank you for having me here. “Three things,” she says tapping her finger on the table.

  1. I’m an old fashion nerd girl trapped in our modern society. In addition to knowing how to write robust software programs, I can knit, crotchet, and cook, but don’t tell my husband. He might want regular meals.
  2. I love Bible stories. Haven’t quite figured out how to allude to an ark or turning people into pillars of salt in a novel yet, but I just might.
  3. I love, love all things about the Regency Genre, and romance novels of the era by Jane Austen to Georgette Heyer. I have even made from scratch my own authentic 1800’s gown and wore it to a conference.

You write Christian Regency romance. When did you first become fascinated with the regency era? When did you decide that you wanted to write in this genre?

You remember that one assignment in high school where we had to read Pride and Prejudice. Well, for me, Jane Austen’s work was like a light bulb turning on in my head. The language, the strict sense of how people had to act and speak, it made a deep impression upon me. From that point on I read as much as I could and did all kinds of research. I had to know everything about the Regency era. From 1805 to 1830, England lead the world in culture and social issues. Slavery ended there without a single shot, thirty years before our American Civil War. The more I learned, the more I had to know, and it influenced my writing voice. My hope is to use my novels to bring this incredible society to readers in ways they have never seen before.

Unmasked Heart by Vanessa Riley

Regency definitely isn’t the first genre that comes to mind when I think of diversity. LOL. I love that you’re showing us a different side of the era. Tell us a little about the types of heroines you write about in this time period.

Unfortunately, it is rare to see a diverse cast in most Regencies. There were over 10,000 Blacks and a large Jewish population living in London during the Regency, but one couldn’t tell that from most Regency novels on the shelves of your local bookstore. It is my goal to change that perception. My heroines are strong women, but because of societal norms on the proper roles for women, they are trapped. It takes dire circumstances to shake off their shackles and it will take their faith to guide them to becoming a better person and to that wonderful happily-ever-after.

Your biracial regency romance Unmasked Heart has a very intriguing premise. Tell us a little about the story and its heroine, Gaia Telfair.

Gaia is a meek girl with a great love for her family. particularly her mentally-stunted brother. Though she has tried hard to earn her father’s love, she has accepted he will always treat her differently. He remains distant, his love always out of her reach. Now that Gaia is of age to marry, he tells her she cannot. She is to be a servant to her brother and to be grateful [for] the position. That is the day her world changes forever. Gaia isn’t the genteel daughter of a gentleman, but the product of an adulterous affair between Gaia’s late mother and an African.

This isn’t modern times. Back then the economics that you were born into set your life. Born a servant, die a servant. Affairs for women created horrible scandals and having mixed raced-children was taboo. The hint of scandal could doom you and all your relations to be ostracized.  Genteel women weren’t even to associate with male servants or confide in any man who was not a father or husband. So Gaia now finds herself caught in between worlds, not quite a respectable daughter, but not a servant either. Learning to love herself within an identity of a black woman is the key to her healing from all the lies that have shaped her world.

The Bargain by Vanessa Riley.

Last week you released the third episode of your serial The Bargain. What can we expect in the ongoing saga of Precious Jewell?

Precious Jewell has to figure out how to make a life in Port Elizabeth, a place filled with danger and freedom. Her willful spirit gets her and Lord Welling into more trouble. This episode has a secrets exposed theme, so you will learn more about all the characters of The Bargain, be introduced to the powerful Xhosa warriors, and experience a couple of who’s the daddy moments.

What can we expect next from you, Vanessa?

The last episode of The Bargain releases in November. Can Precious and Lord Welling stop the next massacre? Will two stubborn hearts find the courage to love regardless of the consequences?

My next full length novel will release on January 1st Unveiled Love which is the next book in the Challenge of the Soul Series. Expect more romance and faith-filled encounters within this series, where men and women have to decide who they are and what they want before fate or clandestine forces ruin everything.

Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to get to know you!

It is my pleasure to spend time here. Please have me back.

Connect with Vanessa at her website, ChristianRegency.com, Facebook or @VanessaRiley on Twitter.  Purchase your copy of Unmasked Heart or The Bargain by clicking the book covers.

Are you an author who’d like to be featured in my Get to Know series? Make your request here.

Filed Under: #WeNeedDiverseBooks, #WeNeedDiverseRomance, All Posts, Diversity, Get to Know Authors, Get to Know Multicultural Authors Tagged With: #WeNeedDiverseBooks, #WeNeedDiverseRomance, Christian Regency, Get to Know Multicultural Authors, The Bargain, Unmasked Heart, Vanessa Riley

Get to Know Erin Ashley Tanner author of Dirty Little Secrets

August 4, 2015 by ReeseRyan

Today we get to know author Erin Ashley Tanner who shares her love of all things Marilyn Monroe, reveals the book that made her want to be a writer, and lets us in on her Dirty Little Secrets.

Author Erin Ashley Tanner

Welcome, Erin. Tell us three things we might be surprised to learn about you.

  • I am an amateur genealogist who traced both sides of my family tree. My dad’s to the early 1800’s and my mothers to white ancestors from Massachusetts in 1798.
  • I am an avid collector of Marilyn Monroe and The Little Mermaid items.
  • I’m a little bit of everything: Black, Irish, Middle Eastern and Native American.

With such a diverse genealogy, that must be fun. Like solving a great mystery. In which genre(s) do you write?

I’m a multi-genre author. I started off writing paranormal or urban fantasy romance. Currently I’m writing contemporary romance with heavy suspense but I want to try my hand at a little of everything in the future.

What book(s) made you want to become a storyteller?

The novel that made me want to become a storyteller was Jackie Collins’ Dangerous Kiss. At the time I read it, it was the most recent of her Lucky Santangelo series and I fell completely in love with it. I loved her writing style. It was an engaging read. I loved the plethora of characters she had from all races and backgrounds, but most of all I loved that she had written a kick ass heroine that took no mess from anyone.

Seems like that love of kick-ass heroines has filtered into your stories. Congrats on Dirty Little Secrets, your recent release with Samhain. Tell us about the premise of your story and its kick-ass heroine.

Dirty Little Secrets by Erin Ashley Tanner

The premise behind Dirty Little Secrets is that we meet this beautiful young widow, Ava Hill, who is doing like most women these days, trying to build her own legacy and raising her child. But Ava’s had a rough go of life. Her husband Joseph, was a mob boss who recently died. There is an interesting backstory of how they met, but I won’t spoil that. Now Ava finds herself really free to live her own life and then her comes Dominic Sambarino who claims to be Joseph’s son and he wants his share of everything Joseph left behind. Naturally he and Ava are at odds. She actually attacks him with a baseball bat when they first meet. So you have this two strong personalities going at one another, and we all know where there’s smoke there is fire. The way this two come together is pretty interesting. Needless to say they both soon find themselves having to work together to face their pasts when secrets are revealed.

What was your favorite (or least favorite) scene to write in the book?

My favorite scene in the book to write was the bathroom scene on the yacht. The sexual tension really flowed and when they came together, talk about hot.

What can we expect from you in the near future?

Well at the current moment I’m working on a contemporary romance series with stronger mafia ties and revising a possibly historical romance to send to my agent. I also have another novel with Samhain called Devious Little Lies that will be releasing next year so stay tuned.

Thank you for being with us, Erin. We wish you many sales!

Reese Ryan. Colorful characters. Sinfully sweet romance.

Filed Under: #WeNeedDiverseBooks, #WeNeedDiverseRomance, All Posts, Diversity, Get to Know Authors, Get to Know Multicultural Authors Tagged With: #WeNeedDiverseBooks, #WeNeedDiverseRomance, Dirty Little Secrets, diversity, Erin Ashley Tanner, Get to Know Series, multicultural authors, Reese Ryan, romantic suspense, Samhain

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