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The paperback edition of Murder in Westminster came out today!!!

This series features Lady Worthing, an amateur detective, scandals, and murder.

Murder in Drury Lane comes out Oct. 23!

Remember red bows for Sickle Cell Awareness.
And Get ready for Mystery Season.
Murder in Drury Lane is the next up in the Lady Worthing Series.
And if you love a deal.

The Bittersweet Bride is on sale for .99 cents.
#SickleCellAwareness #WarriorsUnite #TogetherStronger
#books #historical #vanessarileyhere #islandqueen #blackhistory
#vanessariley #sisterhood #blackgirlmagic #womenempowerment #tbr #tbrpile #historicalfiction #vanessarileybooks #writing #islandqueen #queenofexiles #historicalmystery #mystery #womensfiction #sistermotherwarrior #bookstagram #vanessarileyauthor #historicalfiction #community #fashion ...

First Conference of Fall 🍁🍂

Smell the pumpkin. Wear the plaid. Renew yourself by investing in your writing life.

Here I am in blue plaid at the
Broadleaf Writers conference.

This year it was held in Decatur, GA, at the library.

Love Decatur, and I love writers trying to improve their craft. Broadleaf is a wonderful organization that helps writers at all stages of their careers.

I was on two panels.
Devil in the Details: Researching for Authenticity
With panelists: Beverly J. Armento (memoir), Jeff Clemmons (nonfiction), Vanessa Riley (fiction), and Moderator Benji Carr.

Taking it In Using Feedback to Strengthen Your Story, with the same panelists: Beverly J. Armento, Jeff Clemmons, Vanessa Riley, and Benji Carr.
We discussed editors, feedback, critique groups, Beta readers, and more.

Lots of agents were there looking for clients including @michellelindorice who flew in for the event.

All writers check out Broadleaf and other fall learning opportunities.

Please remember Red Bows for Sickle Cell Awareness Month. Links in bio.

#SickleCellAwareness #WarriorsUnite #TogetherStronger
#books #historical #vanessarileyhere #islandqueen #blackhistory
#vanessariley #sisterhood #blackgirlmagic #rejection #womenempowerment #historicalfiction #writinginspiration #writercommunity #vanessarileybooks #writing #historicalmystery #mystery #womensfiction #sistermotherwarrior #bookstagram #vanessarileyauthor #historicalfiction #community #fashion ...

I tried something old and made a new…

I saw a newscaster rocking ringlet curls, and I wanted to try.

This is a hairstyle that I used to wear when I was younger, newly married, and had much thicker hair. (Wedding photo -Weren’t we just babes. Hubby was the photographer today.)

PS: How many significant others thought you cut your hair when you wear curls?

No cutting, but after failing with no heat tries, my stylist @altashairwellness did this. Love Alta.

So when it’s throwback Thursday, I’m debuting this new-old look and showcasing my new-previously released books.

Island Queen (GMA Buzz Pick)
Sister Mother Warrior (Georgia’s literary fiction of the year)
Queen of Exiles (The View Lit Pick by Sunny)

Remember red bows for Sickle Cell Awareness.

And Get ready for Mystery Season. Murder in Drury Lane is the next up in the Lady Worthing Series. The AJC featured me in Monday’s paper (link in bio) pictured at Bouchercon. And The Heat Seekers Magazine has a lovely column about me and Sister Mother Warrior. Do notice the fuller hair from yesteryear. 😭

Those are the jokes, the highlights, and my wish for everyone to try something new.

#SickleCellAwareness #WarriorsUnite #TogetherStronger
#books #historical #vanessarileyhere #islandqueen #blackhistory
#vanessariley #sisterhood #blackgirlmagic #womenempowerment #tbr #tbrpile #historicalfiction #vanessarileybooks #writing #islandqueen #queenofexiles #historicalmystery #mystery #womensfiction #sistermotherwarrior #bookstagram #vanessarileyauthor #historicalfiction #community #hairstyles #curlyhair #blackhair ...

For the folks that wear glasses…

Have you ever lost the main ones and had to use the backups?
Ever have all the backups be a little too Jazzy for prime time?
Yes, that’s me.
Which would you choose: Green, white, or Red?

Pictures Vanessa on the porch holding the paperback version of Murder in Westminster and an ARC of Murder in Drury Lane.

Remember Red Bows: Sickle Cell Anemia Awareness Month. Check out the links in my bio to learn more about the three organizations doing research, developing treatments, and delivering hope.

American Sickle Cell Anemia Association says 1 out of 365 African American babies are born with the disease, and 1 in 12 have the trait. That’s way too high.

#SickleCellAwareness #WarriorsUnite #TogetherStronger
#books #historical #vanessarileyhere #islandqueen #blackhistory
#vanessariley #sisterhood #blackgirlmagic #womenempowerment #tbr #tbrpile #historicalfiction #vanessarileybooks #writing #islandqueen #queenofexiles #historicalmystery #mystery #womensfiction #ladyworthing #bookstagram #vanessarileyauthor #historicalfiction #community #fashion #eyeglasses ...

It’s thundering outside, so I thought I’d shoot today in my office. In between books, I do clean it. Progress: You can now see the corner.

I’m holding the paperback edition of Murder in Westminster and the arc of the upcoming Murder in Drury Lane.

If you haven’t tried my mysteries, please do: history, drama, and good old-fashioned intrigue in a whodunit led by amateur sleuth Lady Worthing. 

Now let me show you my shelves. You can see Queen of Exiles, books I’ve read this year, as well as what’s on my to-be-read pile.

With the pile of arcs behind me, I will have to do some giveaways.

Hint: my upcoming newsletter will have details on giveaways, etc.

Remember Red Bows: Sickle Cell Anemia Awareness Month. Check out the links in my bio to learn more about the three organizations doing research, developing treatments, and delivering hope.

#SickleCellAwareness #WarriorsUnite #TogetherStronger
#books #historical #vanessarileyhere #islandqueen #blackhistory
#vanessariley #sisterhood #blackgirlmagic #womenempowerment #tbr #tbrpile #historicalfiction #vanessarileybooks #writing #islandqueen #queenofexiles #historicalmystery #mystery #womensfiction #sistermotherwarrior #bookstagram #vanessarileyauthor #historicalfiction #community ...

Love deleted scenes?

I wrote one from a prince’s perspective of one enchanted evening with a Chance encounter with a Queen. The short story ran last weekend in the UK’s Daily Express Saturday Magazine and Sunday People.

I’ve attached screenshots.
And it’s still September—red bows for Sickle Cell Anemia Awareness Month.

Check my bio or feed to support organizations looking for a cure and better treatments.

#SickleCellAwareness #WarriorsUnite #TogetherStronger
#books #historical #vanessarileyhere #islandqueen #blackhistory
#vanessariley #sisterhood #blackgirlmagic #womenempowerment #tbr #tbrpile #historicalfiction #vanessarileybooks #writing #islandqueen #queenofexiles #sistermotherwarrior #bookstagram #vanessarileyauthor #historicalfiction #community #sundaypeopleuk ...

Double shout out: the red bow and the gold circle.
Sister Mother Warrior, the book that won me Georgia’s literary fiction author of the year, was just reviewed in the Southern Literary Review magazine:

“Vanessa Riley offers a stunning picture of Haiti's history and founding through the eyes of several key women in her novel, Sister Mother Warrior.”

The link is included in my bio. Love that gold circle.

And it is still Sickle Cell Anemia Awareness Month. We wear red bows to remember those who are still suffering, as well as the many scientists and doctors who are trying to find better treatments and a long-awaited cure.

Sickle Cell is an ancient disease that has affected the Riley family and dear friends. Like Tay-Sachs, Sickle Cell is a recessive genetic disorder that anyone can contract but primarily targets Black people worldwide.

These three organizations are leading the charge for treatments and cures:

The American Sickle Cell Anemia Association:
https://ascaa.org/

The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America:
https://www.sicklecelldisease.org/

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital—Sickle Cell program:
https://www.stjude.org/treatment/disease/sickle-cell-disease.html

Links in Bio!

If you donate or have a personal journey with Sickle Cell, let me know. I will choose someone from my socials or my newsletter list to receive this set of books (historical fiction, women’s fiction, and romance), each about brave women and men fighting for something bigger than themselves.

Celebrate the warriors who fight this battle every day. Share this post. Together, we can make a difference. 🌟💪 Remember Red Bows for September!

#SickleCellAwareness #WarriorsUnite #TogetherStronger
#books #historical #vanessarileyhere #islandqueen #blackhistory
#vanessariley #sisterhood #blackgirlmagic #womenempowerment #tbr #tbrpile #historicalfiction #vanessarileybooks #writing #islandqueen #queenofexiles #sistermotherwarrior #vanessarileyauthor #historicalfiction #community #southernlitreview #southernliteraryreview ...

Let's Talk About Blood 🩸

Vanessa here, trying to raise attention for
Sickle Cell Anemia. September is Sickle Cell Anemia Awareness Month.

Sickle Cell is an ancient disease that has affected the Riley family and dear friends. Like Tay-Sachs, Sickle Cell is a recessive genetic disorder that anyone can contract but primarily targets Black people worldwide.

These three organizations are leading the charge for treatments and cures:

The American Sickle Cell Anemia Association:
https://ascaa.org/

The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America:
https://www.sicklecelldisease.org/

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital—Sickle Cell program:
https://www.stjude.org/treatment/disease/sickle-cell-disease.html

Links in Bio!

If you donate or have a personal journey with Sickle Cell, let me know. I will choose someone from my socials or my newsletter list to receive this set of books (historical fiction, women’s fiction, and romance), each about brave women and men fighting for something bigger than themselves.

Celebrate the warriors who fight this battle every day. Share this post. Together, we can make a difference. 🌟💪 Remember Red Bows for September!

#SickleCellAwareness #WarriorsUnite #TogetherStronger
#books #historical #vanessarileyhere #islandqueen #blackhistory
#vanessariley #sisterhood #blackgirlmagic #womenempowerment #tbr #tbrpile #historicalfiction #vanessarileybooks #writing #islandqueen #queenofexiles #sistermotherwarrior #bookstagram #vanessarileyauthor #historicalfiction #dukeladybaby #community ...

My first large conference since 2019 is in the books. The 23rd Bouchercon conference in San Diego was a blast. With over 1000 attendees, this meet up of mystery folk – – readers, writers, both, etc. – – was terrific.

Got to Introduce Lady Worthing, the time she lives, and the rewards and challenges of being an 1806 Amateur Sleuth in London, on  my panels:

Historical heroines: solving crime in a different time, with Kelly, Stanley, Frances McNamara, Richard Kirstie, Susanna Caulkins, and I dug into the heart of capturing a female protagonist in a time where women’s options were limited and must use soft power to investigate.

The past is a foreign country: writing historical fiction outside the continental US, with Anjili, Babbar, Kelly Oliver, Nina Wachsman, Ovidia Yu, Scott Kikkawa, and I addressed the opportunity to address culture and politics in settings that might be unfamiliar to readers.

Meeting friends, new and old:

I cheered on Anthony Award Winners, Wanda M. Morris (@wandamowrites ) and Kellye Garrett (@kellyekell )who won for their books Like A Sister and Any Where You Run.

It was fun mingling with Mystery Thriller Royalty: Hanging with Mystery-Thiller Writer Royalty:

S.A. Cosby, Kate Carlisle, Hank Phillippi Ryan, and more!!!

Great to see Robin Bradford (living her best book life) and my Cally uncles!!!!

Getting to meet mystery readers was priceless! The Kensington signing was a fun mad house!!

Many thanks to Christopher Huang (he always knew what was going on) and CWOC for prepping me for the conference.

Lastly, I blinged out my badge with old RWA pins and new RFW (Regency Fiction Writers) pins and brought my fashion to the joint from colorful jumpsuits to blinged sneakers.

Looking forward to Bouchercon 24, next year!

#books #historical #vanessarileyhere #ladyworthing #islandqueen #blackhistory
#vanessariley #sisterhood #blackgirlmagic #womenempowerment #tbr #tbrpile #historicalfiction #vanessarileybooks #writing #murderinwestminster #murderindrurylane #bookstagram #vanessarileyauthor #mysterybooks #mysterythriller #mystery #bouchercon ...

Can we say San Diego humidity is different than Atlanta’s?

Starting day two of Bouchercon, but here’s a quick recap of my first National Mystery Conference experience.

Don’t mind the yacht—research.

But here’s a recap of the first day. 
Crowds. Over 1000 attendees. Everyone seems nice and excited about being here and the mystery / thriller genre.

I saw people I knew from Romancelandia or Historical Novel Society scene, but I did feel a little awkward, like a new kid on the block — but that is exhilarating. How often do we get to be in new spaces?

Highlights:
Deana Raybourn won a Barry Award.
Wanda Morris was a Social Justice and Thiller Mystery Panel.

I finally joined Sisters in Crime @sincnational . If you know, you know. And hung out with CWOC.

If you are here, stop by, especially the Kensington Saturday suite. Warwicks @warwicksbooks is here carrying my books.

#books #historical #vanessarileyhere #ladyworthing #islandqueen #blackhistory
#vanessariley #sisterhood #blackgirlmagic #womenempowerment #tbr #tbrpile #historicalfiction #vanessarileybooks #writing #murderinwestminster #murderindrurylane #bookstagram #vanessarileyauthor #mysterybooks #mysterythriller #mystery ...

I’m getting ready to fly to San Diego for the Bouchercon Conference. It’s my first mystery conference, so I’m excited and a little nervous.

So many mystery writers will be there, all at the top of their game. 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙏🏾❤️

Look for the Kensington Signing. I’m at 2:30 p.m. PST on Saturday.

I will have a few Arcs of Murder in Drury Lane. So, if you are a Lady Worthing Fan, find me.

If you haven’t met Lady Worthing: she’s a cheese-loving puzzler. She has a crew of friends and family that help her navigate the challenging streets of Regency London. She’s a leader, a girl’s girl, and loves the theater as much as she loves solving a murder mystery.

#books #historical #vanessarileyhere #ladyworthing #islandqueen #blackhistory
#vanessariley #sisterhood #blackgirlmagic #womenempowerment #tbr #tbrpile #historicalfiction #vanessarileybooks #writing #murderinwestminster #murderindrurylane #bookstagram #mystery #murdermystery #vanessarileyauthor ...

🔍📚 GIVEAWAY ALERT: Murder in Westminster -Book 1📚🔍

Calling all mystery lovers and historical fiction fans! 🕵️‍♀️🎭 Exciting news: Rush to the Goodreads and take your chance at 100 copies giveaway of "Murder in Westminster "! 📖✨

🔎 Dive into the heart of Regency London's intrigue with Lady Worthing. The secrets are deep. The stakes are high for this gripping murder mystery.

Set against the backdrop of the captivating Drury Lane theatre, get ready for drama, suspense, and unexpected twists.

📚 Don't miss your chance to get your hands on a copy before it's even released! To enter:

Click the link in my bio to access the Goodreads giveaway page.
Tap the "Enter Giveaway" button.
Keep those fingers crossed, and stay tuned for the announcement of 100 lucky winners.
🎁 Plus, every winner will receive an exclusive bookplate signed by me, Vanessa Riley, to make this copy even more special.

🗓️ Hurry, the giveaway ends soon, so make sure to enter today for your chance to uncover the mysteries of "Murder in Drury Lane." Happy reading, detectives! 🕵️‍♂️🔦

PS: Murder in Drury Lane is up on @netgalley too

#MurderInDruryLane #BookGiveaway #MysteryNovel #HistoricalFiction
#books #historical #vanessarileyhere #murderinwestminster #ladyworthibg #queenofexiles #islandqueen #blackhistory
#vanessariley #sisterhood #blackgirlmagic #womenempowerment #tbr #tbrpile #vanessarileybooks #writing #queenlouise #bookstagram #vanessarileyauthor ...

The girls are out in New York City.

My best girl and I decided to take on New York.

Well, I was here for the Writer’s Digest Conference. The conference was amazing. It was great to share publishing techniques, writing, styles, and writing team archetypes – – who’s on your writing team– – with a group of eager soon-to-be novelists.
It was great to see my buddies, my agent, and the sites.

We had an amazing time at the Ripped Bodice and the Strand Bookstore, but the next images I’m showing are simply pure tourist/writer fun.

Elle celebrated her faux prom at the Russian Tea Room. We had breakfast at Tiffany’s. We ate pizza at Pazza Norte with Bookstagrammers. We enjoyed Central Park and The Met.

And as you can see, we dazzled with mini fashion looks because what else do you do in New York.

#books #historical #vanessarileyhere #queenofexiles #islandqueen #blackhistory
#vanessariley #sisterhood #blackgirlmagic #womenempowerment #tbr #tbrpile #historicalfiction #vanessarileybooks #writing #queenlouise #bookstagram #vanessarileyauthor #fashion #newyorkcity #prom ...

On behalf of Romance Bookstore Day, I’m giving a little shoulder at the newest location of the Ripped Bodice Bookstore. All the beautiful journey films did not lie. Ripped Bodice is gorgeous. Congrats to all. I signed copies of the Rogues and Remarkable Women Series.

I also stopped into the Strand. This is a huge bookstore. Wide selection. And now they have autographed copies of Queen of Exiles and Murder in Westminster. The Stand is amazing!!!

So stop into a bookstore today, and check out panels.

Enjoy Love today!!!

#books #historical #vanessarileyhere #queenofexiles #islandqueen #blackhistory
#vanessariley #sisterhood #blackgirlmagic #womenempowerment #tbr #tbrpile #historicalfiction #vanessarileybooks #writing #queenlouise #bookstagram #vanessarileyauthor
#dukeladybaby #earlgirltoddler #ladyworthing #murderinwestminster
#indiebookstore #bookstoreromanceday ...

Can we break Instagram with this beauty? Cover Reveal for A Gamble at Sunset, the 1st in a new series, Betting on the Duke. Coming March 2024! #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalRomance

For those who read Queen of Exiles, you know where the lore of the Russian Princesses comes from!! (If not, Read Queen of Exiles!)

Today’s Gannibal’s line can be traced to Queen Elizabeth.

This series explores that and other ancient myths in a mix of fun, foolishness, and gambling on the greatest cure-alls, a thing called love.

You will love this series of love lost and found.

#books #historical #vanessarileyhere #queenofexiles #islandqueen #blackhistory
#vanessariley #sisterhood #blackgirlmagic #womenempowerment #tbr #tbrpile #historicalfiction #vanessarileybooks #writing #queenlouise #bookstagram #vanessarileyauthor
#romance #romancebooks #historicalromance #regency ...

After 27 years, you’d think he’d be okay with me driving. Nope, not in a car, train, or boat.

Happy Anniversary to my love, the reason I love writing about military men. Frank is my hero.

It’s not easy living with an author. I’m sure Frank might be a little concerned with my internet searches on tortures or the time the books on poisons came. But you stuck with me. And you’re alive. 😂

We have 27 years of laughs, surprises, a little drama, and some memorable cries, but you are my guy! I’m here for the 27+

Here are a few picks of how we started and where we are now.

PS: his humor and the way Frank is with the kids are the models for King Henry in Queen of Exiles and Earl, Daniel in The Girl, and a Toddler, and Thomas in Island Queen.

#books #historical #vanessarileyhere #queenofexiles #islandqueen #blackhistory
#vanessariley #blackgirlmagic #earlgirltoddler #womenempowerment #tbr #tbrpile #historicalfiction #vanessarileybooks #writing #queenlouise #bookstagram #vanessarileyauthor #happyanniversary #marriage #marriagegoals ...