• African American

    Read the interracial romance My Way to You by Lyndell Williams @laylawriteslove #RLFblog #UrbanRomance

    Read the interracial romance My Way to You by Lyndell Williams @laylawriteslove #RLFblog #UrbanRomance  Lyndell Williams, welcome back to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. We’re excited to find out more about your book. Please tell us about My Way to You.

    My Way to You by Lyndell Williams

    One amazing year has passed, and readers continue to connect with Simon and Regina, the steamy couple in my first novel My Way to You.

    As their clandestine romance evolves, Simon and Regina fall deeper in love. Making sure that things stay between them becomes progressively impossible, and neither knows how much longer they can keep Marcus in the dark and the world at bay.

    I introduced RLF readers to readers last December. Simon risks his friendship with Regina’s brother Marcus by being with her. Regina, a social justice blogger, may lose her bread and butter by dating an Asian man and angering some of her followers.

    I chose the amazing digital artist Taria Reed for the book’s cover. She is known for her quality work and specializing in diverse covers that include interracial couples. Before Taria created the My Way to You cover, all of my energies finding images depicting and an Asian man and Black woman produced nothing. I also had a tough time finding an artist with the expertise to convey Simon and Regina’s passions and desperate need to shut the world away. Then a friend recommended her, and she created a work of art that showed exactly what I wanted.

    People absolutely judge books by their covers, especially me. I shared my concept with her, and she delivered in spades. The Simon and Regina on the outside reflect the dynamic couple on the inside, drawing readers into their powerful story.

    So, let’s celebrate the My Way to You Bookiversary. Check out the new cover. Enter a giveaway on my site for a chance to win an author’s swag bag.

    Where to buy My Way to You

    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Lyndell–Williams/e/B07FQTMRCG
    Layla Writes Love (signed copies) https://laylawriteslove.com/merch/

    Lyndell Williams Social Media

    A bestselling author and award-winning writer, Lyndell Williams (Layla Abdullah-Poulos) holds a B.A. in Historical Studies and Literature, M.A. in Liberal Studies, and an AC in Women and Gender Studies. She is an adjunct instructor as well as an anti-racism and gender equity advocate. She is the senior New York trainer for the Muslim Anti-Racism collaborative.
    Williams is a cultural critic with a background in literary criticism specializing in romance. She has been published in peer-review journals and presented at national conferences about Muslim and interracial romance fiction as well as racism, sexism and the Black Muslim experience.
    Website https://laylawriteslove.com/
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/laylawriteslove/
    Twitter https://twitter.com/laylawriteslove
    Instagram https://www.instagram.com/laylawriteslove/
    YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWpN2YTkr9cGO9Z7-AB8xNw
    Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/laylawriteslove
    Amazon http://amazon.com/author/laylawriteslove
    Podcast https://soundcloud.com/laylawriteslove

     

  • African American

    Read the urban romance My Way to You by Lyndell Williams @laylawriteslove #RLFblog #UrbanRomance #interracialromance

    Read the urban romance My Way to You by Lyndell Williams @laylawriteslove #RLFblog #UrbanRomance #interracialromanceLyndell Williams, welcome back to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. We’re excited to find out more about your book. Please tell us about My Way to You.

    My Way to You by Lyndell Williams

    One amazing year has passed, and readers continue to connect with Simon and Regina, the steamy couple in my first novel My Way to You.

    As their clandestine romance evolves, Simon and Regina fall deeper in love. Making sure that things stay between them becomes progressively impossible, and neither knows how much longer they can keep Marcus in the dark and the world at bay.

    I introduced RLF readers to readers last December. Simon risks his friendship with Regina’s brother Marcus by being with her. Regina, a social justice blogger, may lose her bread and butter by dating an Asian man and angering some of her followers.

    I chose the amazing digital artist Taria Reed for the book’s cover. She is known for her quality work and specializing in diverse covers that include interracial couples. Before Taria created the My Way to You cover, all of my energies finding images depicting and an Asian man and Black woman produced nothing. I also had a tough time finding an artist with the expertise to convey Simon and Regina’s passions and desperate need to shut the world away. Then a friend recommended her, and she created a work of art that showed exactly what I wanted.

    People absolutely judge books by their covers, especially me. I shared my concept with her, and she delivered in spades. The Simon and Regina on the outside reflect the dynamic couple on the inside, drawing readers into their powerful story.

    So, let’s celebrate the My Way to You Bookiversary. Check out the new cover. Enter a giveaway on my site for a chance to win an author’s swag bag.

    Where to buy My Way to You

    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Lyndell–Williams/e/B07FQTMRCG
    Layla Writes Love (signed copies) https://laylawriteslove.com/merch/

    Lyndell Williams Social Media

    A bestselling author and award-winning writer, Lyndell Williams (Layla Abdullah-Poulos) holds a B.A. in Historical Studies and Literature, M.A. in Liberal Studies, and an AC in Women and Gender Studies. She is an adjunct instructor as well as an anti-racism and gender equity advocate. She is the senior New York trainer for the Muslim Anti-Racism collaborative.
    Williams is a cultural critic with a background in literary criticism specializing in romance. She has been published in peer-review journals and presented at national conferences about Muslim and interracial romance fiction as well as racism, sexism and the Black Muslim experience.
    Website https://laylawriteslove.com/
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/laylawriteslove/
    Twitter https://twitter.com/laylawriteslove
    Instagram https://www.instagram.com/laylawriteslove/
    YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWpN2YTkr9cGO9Z7-AB8xNw
    Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/laylawriteslove
    Amazon http://amazon.com/author/laylawriteslove
    Podcast https://soundcloud.com/laylawriteslove

     

  • African American,  Do It Write

    Do It Write: Where Lyndell Williams writes @laylawriteslove #RLFblog #contemporaryromance

    Do It Write: Where Lyndell Williams writes @laylawriteslove #RLFblog #contemporaryromanceLyndell Williams, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Before we talk about your office, please tell us about your latest book.

    My Way to You by Lyndell Williams

    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
    Lawyer Simon Young is smart, confident, and adept at keeping things with women casual–until he meets his best friend Marcus’s sister, Regina. Immediately intrigued by Regina’s beauty, Simon becomes increasingly enthralled and ultimately risks his friendship to have her for himself.
    Social justice writer and activist Regina Kent is usually cautious and savvy. Yet, unable to resist her attraction to the handsome Simon, she plunges into a torrid affair, knowing that she chances angering big brother and her less tolerant followers, many of whom will not accept that one of their most popular pro-Black bloggers is dating an Asian man.
    As their clandestine romance evolves, Simon and Regina fall deeper in love. Making sure that things stay between them becomes progressively impossible, and neither knows how much longer they can keep Marcus in the dark and the world at bay.
    How long have you been writing?
    I’ve been writing in varying capacities since I started writing for my college newsletter. Once I got bit with the writing bug, I expanded into writing for online publications as well as writing essays for a literary journal, books, and peer-reviewed articles.
    This year, I had several short stories published in collections and published my first novel.
    What was your first published book?
    My Way to You is my first novel. It is an interracial romance about an Asian American lawyer who falls in love with an African American pro-Black blogger. They have to learn to comfort each other as each encounters levels of racial microaggressions from society. They also have to worry about her big brother finding out, who would not appreciate his best friend and little sister dating.
    Tell us about your writing space or home office.
    My writing space is in a corner of my bedroom in our family’s cozy cape. I bought one of those affordable big box store tables and a swivel chair to stake my claim. The table hosts my laptop (pc of course) with an attached keyboard and second monitor. My writing demand requires an ability to work from multiple screens.
    I also have a wonderful lamp I got from my daughter as a gift. It has multiple settings, which is great when I’m trying to work at 4 a.m. while my husband sleeps.
    Anything special about your space?
    My space is also “mommy central.” Because I try to get writing done during a day packed with mothering 6 kids and homeschooling as well as communicating with colleagues and students, I have a bunch of non-writing supplies, such as combs and brushes to do my little one’s hair and moisturizing butter to keep everyone’s skin smooth.
    What do you love most about that area?
    It’s where the magic happens. There is something about being there that helps trigger my creativity. I can get work done in other places. I’ve written chapters and articles on my cell phone, but nothing gets as ready to write as sitting at my desk with a cup of coffee.
    What would like to change about your home office?
    Do It Write: Where Lyndell Williams writes @laylawriteslove #RLFblog #contemporaryromanceI would like for it to be an actual office with a lock and guard dog sitting outside. One of the biggest challenges in having a corner and not an office is blocking out the world, especially a tenacious pack of kids determined to make your writing time theirs.
    I think one of the things I most need is a full space with my books and research. I’m eyeing my oldest son’s bedroom. When he’s finished with college, he’s gonna have to spread his wings so I can get my office.
    If money was no object, what would your home office look like?
    It wouldn’t be a matter of what but who. I so need an assistant. My scheduling skills are so out of whack, and I need someone to help me keep an organized content calendar for the multiple blogs I manage and manage my time to get semester grading done, progress in writing my next book and contribute to the list of projects I’m committed to completing.
    My home office would like a regular one because I would have an assistant with a desk.
    How do you juggle writing and family?
    I don’t know how to juggle. I drop a bunch of balls all of the time. Fortunately, I have a great husband who makes sure I get out of my chair and spend some time with the family. He’s also awesome at picking up the slack at home despite working 90 hours a week himself.
    If I find myself with an immediate deadline, I can count on him to help out around the house so I can keep those keys clicking. It’s extremely important. I couldn’t do any of my work if he didn’t.
    What’s the last book about writing that you read?
    That would be the Associated Press Stylebook. I kid you not. I write a lot of online articles, so I need that by my side.
    I also get into friendly skirmishes with fellow writers about things like the Oxford comma, so I use it for ammunition.
    What book or books about writing do you recommend for new authors?
    The Best Punctuation Book, Period is pretty great. The author, June Casagrande has a lot of great books on writing.
    What do you like to read for relaxation?
    I enjoy reading other romance authors. I’ve become hooked on Black women romance authors like Twyla Turner, Love Journey, Reana Malori and Aubree Pynn. They introduce readers to some culturally-specific romance and explore some topics and corners from which other romance authors might not.
    Do you have an author newsletter?

    Where to buy My Way to You

    Amazon https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07K3PZXHY/

    Lyndell Williams Social Media

    Blog https://laylawriteslove.com/
    Twitter https://twitter.com/laylawriteslove
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/laylawriteslove/
    Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/abdullahpoulos/
    Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/laylawriteslove
    Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/author/laylawriteslove

     

  • Free Book Friday

    Christmas Vows by Livia Quinn @LiviaQuinn #FreeBookFriday #RLFblog #Read

    Christmas Vows by Livia Quinn @LiviaQuinn #FreeBookFriday #RLFblog #ReadIt’s #FreeBook Friday on RLFblog! Join us for a collection of free reads and downloads. All genres and heat levels. This week’s featured book is Christmas Vows by Livia Quinn. Bookmark this site so you don’t miss a thing.

    Welcome to FreeBook Friday

    Each week, you’ll find free books to download and read. Some are straight up giveaways, some Kindle Unlimited, others are Kindle Select, and some are free with newsletter sign up. Always a mix of genres and heat levels. These free deals may be limited in time, so please be sure to check prices before clicking the final buy button.

    When you sign up for a newsletter, you are signing up ONLY for that author’s newsletter, not a list of authors who will all then email you. You can unsubscribe at any time, however, please do not mark these emails as spam. When you sign up, you give your permission for the author to email you. Thank you, and enjoy the books!

    Christmas Vows by Livia Quinn

    Love isn’t the only thing that happens when you least expect it.
    Delilah and Luc and Samantha and Jed are looking forward to their special day, a double Christmas wedding at the Calloway Farm with their friends and family in attendance. And Beau and Maddie are expecting their baby. Great news, right? But after the women go missing with a storm approaching, and a desperate soldier threatens everyone, the men in their lives scramble to make sure Maddie’s delivery and the wedding come off as planned.
    More than a Christmas novel. Stuff just happens in Rainbow Bayou at Christmas time (hint: weddings, births, kidnappings, and second chance reunions. . .) A continuing theme of overcoming whatever challenges life throws in your path.
    Download your free book: https://books2read.com/ChristmasVows
    Free on KindleUnlimited

    Tears of the Queen by Bethany Drake

    Tears of the Queen by Bethany Drake #FreeBookFriday #ReadAlicia loves working with gems but she’s not so great with people. When Maximilian requests her help to search for the Tears of the Queen she wants to say no. Those precious stones are nothing more than a legend and she doesn’t want to go on a wild goose chase.
    Max needs Alicia’s help and time is of the essence. He isn’t the only one looking for the Tears and if they fall into the wrong hands, humanity could be enslaved.
    Their first meeting is like mixing oil with water. They are strong, opinionated, driven and they both think they are right. The chemistry is instantaneous, a surprise to them both, and they discover that work might not be the only thing they have in common. The only problem is Max has a very big secret that he doesn’t want to share…
    Publisher’s Note: This steamy shifter romance contains elements of fantasy, action and adventure and power exchange.
    Download your free book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KGHNYD5/
    Free on KindleUnlimited

    The Mighty Finn by Holly Bargo

    The Mighty Finn by Holly Bargo #FreeBookFriday #ReadBoy meets girl.
    Author Charlotte Forsythe is determined not to be a victim again. Her Great Dane, Finn, makes sure of it. While vacationing with Finn in San Diego, Charlotte meets Navy SEAL Eric Outerbach. It doesn’t go well. Eric begs forgiveness.
    Boy and girl become friends.
    They make a long distance friendship work through texts and phone calls. The film rights to two of Charlotte’s books are sold and she heads back out to California to supervise the conversion of written content to the silver screen. And the friendship’s not so long distance after all.
    Boy and girl fall in love.
    How could she not fall in love with a handsome, sexy warrior like Eric? How could he not love a woman as gentle and forgiving as Charlotte?
    A guardian’s duty ends.
    Finn is mighty, but old. It’s time to pass on the duties of love and protection to someone else.
    Download your free book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00X8YFTN8
    Free on KindleUnlimited

    My Way to You by Lyndell WilliamsMy Way to You by Lyndell Williams #FreeBookFriday #Read

    Lawyer Simon Young is smart, confident, and adept at keeping things with women casual–until he meets his best friend Marcus’s sister, Regina. Immediately intrigued by Regina’s beauty, Simon becomes increasingly enthralled and ultimately risks his friendship to have her for himself.
    Social justice writer and activist Regina Kent is usually cautious and savvy. Yet, unable to resist her attraction to the handsome Simon, she plunges into a torrid affair, knowing that she chances angering big brother and her less tolerant followers, many of whom will not accept that one of their most popular pro-Black bloggers is dating an Asian man.
    As their clandestine romance evolves, Simon and Regina fall deeper in love. Making sure that things stay between them becomes progressively impossible, and neither knows how much longer they can keep Marcus in the dark and the world at bay.
    Download your free book: https://www.amazon.com/LyndellWilliams/e/B07FQTMRCG
    Free on KindleUnlimited

    Chaos, Illustrated Quotes of Pietas by Kayelle Allen

    Illustrated Book
    As king of the immortal Ultras, Pietas ap Lorectic rules his people with an iron fist and a heart of stone. Or so he would have you believe. The man behind the myth is a scientist, deep thinker, brilliant strategist, and passionate lover. He has shared his thoughts on chaos with few. This book is a collection of quotes on the concept by the man known to other immortals as the Bringer of Chaos.
    Thirty beautifully illustrated quotes.
    You’ll get 3 other free books plus other exclusive content for members only.
    Download your free book: https://kayelleallen.com/reader-groups
    (requires newsletter sign up)

    Cover model for Chaos: Nik Nitsvetov (courtesy of DepositPhotos.com)

    Bookmark this site and come back for more great books!

     

  • Book Release,  Interracial

    My Way to You by Lyndell Williams @laylawriteslove #RLFblog #NewRelease #contemporaryromance

    My Way to You by Lyndell Williams @laylawriteslove #RLFblog #NewRelease #contemporaryromanceLyndell Williams, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about your book.

    My Way to You by Lyndell Williams

    Genre contemporary romance

    Book heat level (based on movie ratings):

    Lawyer Simon Young is smart, confident, and adept at keeping things with women casual—until he meets his best friend Marcus’s sister, Regina. Immediately intrigued by Regina’s beauty, Simon becomes increasingly enthralled and ultimately risks his friendship to have her for himself.
    Social justice writer and activist Regina Kent is usually cautious and savvy. Yet, unable to resist her attraction to the handsome Simon, she plunges into a torrid affair, knowing that she chances angering big brother and her less tolerant followers, many of whom will not accept that one of their most popular pro-Black bloggers is dating an Asian man.
    As their clandestine romance evolves, Simon and Regina fall deeper in love. Making sure that things stay between them becomes progressively impossible, and neither knows how much longer they can keep Marcus in the dark and the world at bay.
    Why did you write this book?

    I had a few reasons for writing My Way to You, the primary one being that I wanted to write a romance centering what I gleaned as the increasing lines of solidarity between Blacks and Asians in the country. I also wanted to highlight the growing Black Woman-Asian Man (BWAM) subculture, where members of two social groups deemed less desirable are learning to appreciate each other as love matches.
    Black women and Asian men have to tackle with a contrived lack of appeal stemming from stereotypes masculinizing one and feminizing the other. My Way to You and other romances centering BWAM love interests pushes back against that and offers representation for couples in similar relationships as well as interracial couples in general.
    What is your favorite genre to read?
    Oh, romance, romance, and then—romance. I became hooked on it as a teenager and never looked back. When I was presented with a choice of genre to study for my master’s thesis, I selected romance. I think the genre is integral to revealing and influencing how people navigate a quintessential human emotion eros love.
    Who is your favorite character from fiction (not including your own)?
    My favorite fictional character is Sofia in The Color Purple by Alice Walker. She’s an amazingly-strong character that shows the layers of racism and sexism that Black American women encounter from Black men as well as White men and women.
    Sofia constantly fights against people’s attempts to degrade and dehumanize her. She paid for her quest for dignity and humanity with her physical well-being and liberty, which is also in jeopardy for real Black women daring to do the same. Even though she was crushed by society, her spirit wasn’t. Her raising like a phoenix from the ashes after years of torment is the profoundest moment in literary history.
    What are you working on at the moment?
    I have a couple of projects that require different styles of writing. I am working on Sweet Love, Bitter Fruit, book two of the Brothers in Law romance series. The story features Marcus and Toni from My Way to You (book one) and their struggles to keep their perfect marriage from falling apart.
    I am also writing an essay about African American Muslim romance to be added to an anthology on American Muslim popular culture as well as a short story for an American Muslim story collection. Although it can be demanding, I love the different directions my writing takes me.
    What books will we see from you in coming months?
    I plan to have books two and three of the Brothers in Law series ready for readers to dive into.
    Hopefully, readers will get to enjoy Sweet Love, Bitter Fruit in early 2019. After that, there will be Building on Broken Dreams (book three), my first Muslim romance in the series. It features a steamy interracial couple—Adam Kane and Maryam Avery—as they build a beautiful life together that is threatened to be torn down by Maryam’s past.

    Where to buy My Way to You

    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/LyndellWilliams/e/B07FQTMRCG
    Layla Writes Love (signed copies) https://laylawriteslove.com/merch/

    Lyndell Williams Social Media

    Lyndell Williams (Layla Abdullah-Poulos) has a B.A. in Historical Studies and Literature, M.A. in Liberal Studies, and an AC in Women and Gender Studies. She presently teaches history as an adjunct instructor.
    Williams a cultural critic with a background in literary criticism specializing in romance. She is the managing editor of the NbA Muslims blog on Patheos and a cultural contributor for Radio Islam USA.
    Blog https://laylawriteslove.com/
    Twitter https://twitter.com/laylawriteslove
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/laylawriteslove
    Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/abdullahpoulos/lyndellwilliamsauthor/
    Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/laylawriteslove
    Amazon Author Page http://amazon.com/author/laylawriteslove
    Instagram https://www.instagram.com/laylawriteslove