https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/write-of-passage-by-vanessa-riley--6670513

Cultural & Historical Commentary — current events examined with historical depth.

Encouragement for Writers — reflections on the craft, resilience, and community of writing.

Booklists & Recommendations — curated reads that expand each week’s themes.

Storytelling with Heart — opinionated, thoughtful essays written to inspire dialogue, not just hot takes.

If you’re a writer, reader, or thinker who loves connecting dots between past and present, Write of Passage is your table. Pull up a chair.


vanessariley.substack.com
VanessaRiley.com]]>enSociety & CultureCopyright Vanessa Rileyhttps://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/67c5d39766ea4e131d6a79164be28cf2.jpghttps://www.spreaker.com/podcast/write-of-passage-by-vanessa-riley--6670513Tue, 01 Sep 2026 13:15:03 +0000Vanessa RileyVanessa Rileyvanessa@vanessariley.comJoin bestselling author Vanessa Riley as she delves into untold histories, reflects on current events through a historical lens, shares behind-the-scenes writing insights, and offers exclusive updates on her groundbreaking novels....

Cultural & Historical Commentary — current events examined with historical depth.

Encouragement for Writers — reflections on the craft, resilience, and community of writing.

Booklists & Recommendations — curated reads that expand each week’s themes.

Storytelling with Heart — opinionated, thoughtful essays written to inspire dialogue, not just hot takes.

If you’re a writer, reader, or thinker who loves connecting dots between past and present, Write of Passage is your table. Pull up a chair.


vanessariley.substack.com
VanessaRiley.com]]>false2304b8fb-5961-5f89-a183-461ca352199aepisodichttps://vanessariley.substack.com/p/from-gps-to-joleneMurder in St. James’s Park, the latest Lady Worthing Mystery.

GPS pioneer Gladys West meets rhinestone icon Dolly Parton: two Southern women who beat stereotypes, dreamed bigger, and changed the world.

Keywords: Gladys Mae West, Dr. Gladys West, Gladys West GPS, Dolly Parton, Dolly Rebecca Parton, GPS, GPS history, women in STEM, Black women in STEM, Black mathematicians, women mathematicians, satellite geodesy, mathematics, Black history, women’s history, Jim Crow, Virginia history, Virginia State University, Dolly Parton history, country music, Jolene, I Will Always Love You, Whitney Houston, 9 to 5, Appalachia, Appalachian history, Tennessee history, Imagination Library, Dolly Parton Imagination Library, children’s literacy, free books for children, literacy, education, women overcoming stereotypes, Southern women, women in history, inspirational women, rural America, American history, Vanessa Riley, Write of Passage, Vanessa Riley podcast, Murder in St. James’s Park, Lady Worthing Mystery, historical mystery

For More information, go to Substack

Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74777501Tue, 01 Sep 2026 13:15:02 +0000Vanessa RileyWhat do GPS and rhinestones have in common? Vanessa Riley explores the surprising parallels between GPS pioneer Dr. Gladys Mae West and country music icon Dolly Parton. Born into rural Southern America sixteen years apart, both women confronted...Murder in St. James’s Park, the latest Lady Worthing Mystery.

GPS pioneer Gladys West meets rhinestone icon Dolly Parton: two Southern women who beat stereotypes, dreamed bigger, and changed the world.

Keywords: Gladys Mae West, Dr. Gladys West, Gladys West GPS, Dolly Parton, Dolly Rebecca Parton, GPS, GPS history, women in STEM, Black women in STEM, Black mathematicians, women mathematicians, satellite geodesy, mathematics, Black history, women’s history, Jim Crow, Virginia history, Virginia State University, Dolly Parton history, country music, Jolene, I Will Always Love You, Whitney Houston, 9 to 5, Appalachia, Appalachian history, Tennessee history, Imagination Library, Dolly Parton Imagination Library, children’s literacy, free books for children, literacy, education, women overcoming stereotypes, Southern women, women in history, inspirational women, rural America, American history, Vanessa Riley, Write of Passage, Vanessa Riley podcast, Murder in St. James’s Park, Lady Worthing Mystery, historical mystery

For More information, go to Substack

Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>611black,crow,dolly,dr.,geodesy,gladys,gps,history,in,jim,mae,mathematicians,mathematics,parton,rebecca,satellite,stem,west,women,women’sfalse237fullhttps://vanessariley.substack.com/p/euphoriaIn this episode of Write of Passage, Vanessa Riley talks about the euphoria of finishing a book and finally hitting Send. She shares her writing process, from outlining, character development, historical research, and messy first drafts to working with a personal editor and polishing a manuscript for publication. Vanessa explains why writers should stop endlessly revising their first three chapters, embrace dirty writing, write out of order when necessary, and sprint toward THE END. Plus, get the latest on Murder in St. James Park, the Lady Worthing Mystery series, Fire Sword and Sea, upcoming book events, and encouragement to keep writing, reading, creating, and finding hope.

Finish the book! Vanessa Riley shares why writers should stop chasing perfection, embrace messy drafts, reach THE END, edit, and finally hit Send.
Keywords: Vanessa Riley, Write of Passage, writing podcast, author podcast, writing advice, writing tips, how to finish a book, finish your novel, novel writing, fiction writing, writing process, author writing process, manuscript, manuscript editing, editing a novel, book editing, developmental editing, line editing, personal editor, traditional publishing, indie publishing, publishing advice, author advice, dirty writing, messy first draft, first draft, write to the end, THE END, stop editing, stop polishing, writing out of order, writing sprints, character development, character arcs, tension arcs, outlining a novel, novel outlining, writing spreadsheets, historical fiction, historical research, historical mystery, mystery writing, Regency mystery, Lady Worthing Mysteries, Lady Worthing, Murder in St. James Park, Murder in Westminster, Murder in Drury Lane, Murder in Berkeley Square, Fire Sword and Sea, Black historical fiction, Black authors, women authors, book podcast, books and reading, writing motivation, writer encouragement, writing inspiration, how to get published, publishing process, traditional author, professional author, Bookmiser, Sandy Springs Library

For more info, check out my Substack.
https://vanessariley.substack.com/p/euphoria


Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74677721Tue, 25 Aug 2026 13:15:02 +0000Vanessa RileyEuphoria: The Joy of Hitting Send In this episode of Write of Passage, Vanessa Riley talks about the euphoria of finishing a book and finally hitting Send. She shares her writing process, from outlining, character development, historical research, and...In this episode of Write of Passage, Vanessa Riley talks about the euphoria of finishing a book and finally hitting Send. She shares her writing process, from outlining, character development, historical research, and messy first drafts to working with a personal editor and polishing a manuscript for publication. Vanessa explains why writers should stop endlessly revising their first three chapters, embrace dirty writing, write out of order when necessary, and sprint toward THE END. Plus, get the latest on Murder in St. James Park, the Lady Worthing Mystery series, Fire Sword and Sea, upcoming book events, and encouragement to keep writing, reading, creating, and finding hope.

Finish the book! Vanessa Riley shares why writers should stop chasing perfection, embrace messy drafts, reach THE END, edit, and finally hit Send.
Keywords: Vanessa Riley, Write of Passage, writing podcast, author podcast, writing advice, writing tips, how to finish a book, finish your novel, novel writing, fiction writing, writing process, author writing process, manuscript, manuscript editing, editing a novel, book editing, developmental editing, line editing, personal editor, traditional publishing, indie publishing, publishing advice, author advice, dirty writing, messy first draft, first draft, write to the end, THE END, stop editing, stop polishing, writing out of order, writing sprints, character development, character arcs, tension arcs, outlining a novel, novel outlining, writing spreadsheets, historical fiction, historical research, historical mystery, mystery writing, Regency mystery, Lady Worthing Mysteries, Lady Worthing, Murder in St. James Park, Murder in Westminster, Murder in Drury Lane, Murder in Berkeley Square, Fire Sword and Sea, Black historical fiction, Black authors, women authors, book podcast, books and reading, writing motivation, writer encouragement, writing inspiration, how to get published, publishing process, traditional author, professional author, Bookmiser, Sandy Springs Library

For more info, check out my Substack.
https://vanessariley.substack.com/p/euphoria


Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>834a,advice,author,book,fiction,finish,how,manuscript,novel,of,passage,podcast,process,riley,tips,to,vanessa,write,writing,yourfalse236fullhttps://vanessariley.substack.com/p/young-black-and-digitally-lynched
Professor Jason Arday became the center of an extraordinary media storm following plagiarism allegations at the University of Cambridge. An analysis by NewsCord counted 188 articles about Arday in the final nine days before his death—nearly 21 articles per day.Vanessa Riley examines the media pile-on, race and academia, digital cruelty, social-media amplification, accountability, and the human cost when a person becomes a public target. She also reads the powerful statement released by Jason Arday’s grieving family, including their haunting reminder: “Kindness is needed in life, not just in death.

”⁠This episode also provides verified resources for supporting the Arday family and suicide and mental-health crisis resources in the United States and United Kingdom.⁠⁠Links on Substack⁠


Keywords: Jason Arday, Professor Jason Arday, Jason Arday Cambridge, University of Cambridge, Jason Arday family, Jason Arday statement, Jason Arday media coverage, Jason Arday plagiarism, Black academics, Black professors, academia, higher education, media pile-on, digital lynching, digital cruelty, online harassment, social media, media accountability, racism in academia, race and academia, Black scholars, plagiarism allegations, NewsCord, mental health, suicide prevention, 988 Lifeline, Samaritans, Vanessa Riley, Write of Passage podcast

Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74237630Tue, 18 Aug 2026 13:15:02 +0000Vanessa RileyYoung, Black, and Digitally Lynched Professor Jason Arday became the center of an extraordinary media storm following plagiarism allegations at the University of Cambridge. An analysis by NewsCord counted 188 articles about Arday in the final nine...
Professor Jason Arday became the center of an extraordinary media storm following plagiarism allegations at the University of Cambridge. An analysis by NewsCord counted 188 articles about Arday in the final nine days before his death—nearly 21 articles per day.Vanessa Riley examines the media pile-on, race and academia, digital cruelty, social-media amplification, accountability, and the human cost when a person becomes a public target. She also reads the powerful statement released by Jason Arday’s grieving family, including their haunting reminder: “Kindness is needed in life, not just in death.

”⁠This episode also provides verified resources for supporting the Arday family and suicide and mental-health crisis resources in the United States and United Kingdom.⁠⁠Links on Substack⁠


Keywords: Jason Arday, Professor Jason Arday, Jason Arday Cambridge, University of Cambridge, Jason Arday family, Jason Arday statement, Jason Arday media coverage, Jason Arday plagiarism, Black academics, Black professors, academia, higher education, media pile-on, digital lynching, digital cruelty, online harassment, social media, media accountability, racism in academia, race and academia, Black scholars, plagiarism allegations, NewsCord, mental health, suicide prevention, 988 Lifeline, Samaritans, Vanessa Riley, Write of Passage podcast

Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>556academia,academics,arday,black,cambridge,coverage,digital,education,family,higher,jason,lynching,media,of,pile-on,plagiarism,professor,professors,statement,universityfalse235fullhttps://vanessariley.substack.com/p/deadline-hell-exposed
Deadline hell is real. Vanessa Riley shares writing, revision, research, productivity, and deadline tips while racing to finish her 32nd book. ⁠More on Substack⁠

Keywords: writing deadlines, deadline hell, writing tips, writing advice, author life, writing process, how to write a book, how to finish a novel, novel writing, fiction writing, writing productivity, writer productivity, writing discipline, daily writing, word count goals, book deadlines, manuscript deadlines, manuscript revision, revising a novel, editing a novel, writing research, novel research, plotting a novel, outlining a novel, plantser, writing routine, writing motivation, overcoming writing distractions, social media for authors, publishing deadlines, traditional publishing, indie publishing, author productivity, behind the scenes publishing, finishing a first draft, professional author, novelist, book recommendations, Vanessa Riley, Write of Passage

Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73795964Tue, 11 Aug 2026 13:15:02 +0000Vanessa RileyWhat is deadline hell—and how do writers escape it? Vanessa Riley shares a behind-the-scenes look at finishing book #32 while facing an August 15 deadline. From managing daily word counts and limiting social media to outlining, research, revision, and...
Deadline hell is real. Vanessa Riley shares writing, revision, research, productivity, and deadline tips while racing to finish her 32nd book. ⁠More on Substack⁠

Keywords: writing deadlines, deadline hell, writing tips, writing advice, author life, writing process, how to write a book, how to finish a novel, novel writing, fiction writing, writing productivity, writer productivity, writing discipline, daily writing, word count goals, book deadlines, manuscript deadlines, manuscript revision, revising a novel, editing a novel, writing research, novel research, plotting a novel, outlining a novel, plantser, writing routine, writing motivation, overcoming writing distractions, social media for authors, publishing deadlines, traditional publishing, indie publishing, author productivity, behind the scenes publishing, finishing a first draft, professional author, novelist, book recommendations, Vanessa Riley, Write of Passage

Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>1055a,advice,author,book,deadline,deadlines,discipline,fiction,finish,hell,how,life,novel,process,productivity,tips,to,write,writer,writingfalsefullhttps://vanessariley.substack.com/p/receipts-pleaseReceipts Please: The AI Witch Hunt and You’re Already Guilty
Did you write your book… and can you prove it?
In this episode of Write of Passage, bestselling historical novelist Vanessa Riley examines the growing wave of AI authorship accusations sweeping the publishing industry. From the controversies surrounding Mia Ballard, Jerry Falade, Olga Tokarczuk, and H.M. Wolfe to the very different treatment of authors like Anthony Horowitz, Stephen Marche, and James Frey, Vanessa explores who gets the benefit of the doubt—and who is expected to prove their innocence.

She breaks down the rise of AI detection tools like GPTZero, Originality.ai, Pangram, and Winston AI, explains why AI detectors are not the same as proof of authorship, and introduces her AI Assistance Framework, a practical six-level model that distinguishes everything from spellcheck and research to ghostwriting.

If you’re an author, editor, publisher, or reader wondering where AI belongs in the creative process, this episode offers practical advice on documenting your work, protecting your intellectual labor, and navigating an industry where AI is becoming impossible to avoid.

Plus, Vanessa shares recommended reads from Vanessa Miller, Rhonda McKnight, and Valerie Burns, along with updates on her own novels A Deal at Dawn and Fire Sword and Sea.

Topics include: AI writing, publishing industry, authorship, copyright, AI detection, GPTZero, Originality.ai, Pangram, book publishing, historical fiction, writing craft, Black authors, women writers, BIPOC authors, creativity, and writing process.

Research Links and more here.

Keywords: Vanessa Riley,Write of Passage,AI writing,AI authorship,AI detection,GPTZero,Originality.ai,Pangram,Winston AI,ChatGPT,publishing,publishing industry,authors,writers,writing process,book publishing,creative writing,authorship,copyright,intellectual property,Black authors,BIPOC authors,women writers,historical fiction,Anthony Horowitz,James Frey,Stephen Marche,Olga Tokarczuk,Mia Ballard,Jerry Falade,H.M. Wolfe,AI ethics,creative process,writing podcast,indie publishing,traditional publishing,AI detectors,proof of authorship,writing craft

Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73414982Tue, 04 Aug 2026 13:15:02 +0000Vanessa RileyReceipts Please: The AI Witch Hunt and You’re Already Guilty Did you write your book… and can you prove it? In this episode of Write of Passage, bestselling historical novelist Vanessa Riley examines the growing wave of AI authorship accusations...Receipts Please: The AI Witch Hunt and You’re Already Guilty
Did you write your book… and can you prove it?
In this episode of Write of Passage, bestselling historical novelist Vanessa Riley examines the growing wave of AI authorship accusations sweeping the publishing industry. From the controversies surrounding Mia Ballard, Jerry Falade, Olga Tokarczuk, and H.M. Wolfe to the very different treatment of authors like Anthony Horowitz, Stephen Marche, and James Frey, Vanessa explores who gets the benefit of the doubt—and who is expected to prove their innocence.

She breaks down the rise of AI detection tools like GPTZero, Originality.ai, Pangram, and Winston AI, explains why AI detectors are not the same as proof of authorship, and introduces her AI Assistance Framework, a practical six-level model that distinguishes everything from spellcheck and research to ghostwriting.

If you’re an author, editor, publisher, or reader wondering where AI belongs in the creative process, this episode offers practical advice on documenting your work, protecting your intellectual labor, and navigating an industry where AI is becoming impossible to avoid.

Plus, Vanessa shares recommended reads from Vanessa Miller, Rhonda McKnight, and Valerie Burns, along with updates on her own novels A Deal at Dawn and Fire Sword and Sea.

Topics include: AI writing, publishing industry, authorship, copyright, AI detection, GPTZero, Originality.ai, Pangram, book publishing, historical fiction, writing craft, Black authors, women writers, BIPOC authors, creativity, and writing process.

Research Links and more here.

Keywords: Vanessa Riley,Write of Passage,AI writing,AI authorship,AI detection,GPTZero,Originality.ai,Pangram,Winston AI,ChatGPT,publishing,publishing industry,authors,writers,writing process,book publishing,creative writing,authorship,copyright,intellectual property,Black authors,BIPOC authors,women writers,historical fiction,Anthony Horowitz,James Frey,Stephen Marche,Olga Tokarczuk,Mia Ballard,Jerry Falade,H.M. Wolfe,AI ethics,creative process,writing podcast,indie publishing,traditional publishing,AI detectors,proof of authorship,writing craft

Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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• Like 👍 if this episode resonated with you
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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>1469ai,authors,authorship,bipoc,black,book,copyright,craft,creativity,detection,fiction,gptzero,historical,industry,originality.ai,pangram,publishing,women,writers,writingfalse233fullhttps://vanessariley.substack.com/p/done-is-better-than-finishedStop chasing perfection. Learn why getting your first draft done beats getting it perfect, and how finishing unlocks stronger revisions and publishing success.

Every writer knows the feeling: staring at a blank page, convinced the first chapter has to be perfect before moving on. But what if the real obstacle isn’t writer’s block—it’s perfectionism? In this episode, bestselling author Vanessa Riley challenges the idea that a manuscript must be “finished” before it’s worth celebrating. Instead, she introduces a more practical goal: getting to done.

Drawing from her own writing process, Vanessa shares why first drafts exist to discover the story, not perfect it, and why editing only becomes effective once you’ve reached the end. Whether you’re outlining your first novel, juggling historical research, struggling with endless revisions, or deciding between indie and traditional publishing, this conversation offers practical advice for moving forward.

Learn why writers need to stop polishing chapter one, embrace imperfect pages, and trust that character arcs, motivations, and story structure become clearer only after the full manuscript exists. If you’ve been battling writer’s block, rewriting the same scenes, or wondering if your book will ever be ready, this episode will give you the encouragement—and the strategy—to finish the draft that’s been waiting inside you. Because you can’t edit a blank page, but you can always improve a completed one. 

Recommended Books

• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
• The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
• Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
• On Writing by Stephen King

The goal isn’t perfection.The goal is to get to done.

Keywords: Writer’s block, first draft, writing process, writing motivation, finish your novel, editing, manuscript, creative process, author advice, writing tips, productivity, perfectionism, indie publishing, traditional publishing, plotting, pantsing, plantsing, novel writing, fiction writing, writing craft, creative writing, storytelling, book writing, writing coach, aspiring authors, author life, publishing, revision, writing habits, Vanessa Riley

View on Substack

Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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• Like 👍 if this episode resonated with you
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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73207178Tue, 28 Jul 2026 13:15:02 +0000Vanessa RileyStop chasing perfection. Learn why getting your first draft done beats getting it perfect, and how finishing unlocks stronger revisions and publishing success. Every writer knows the feeling: staring at a blank page, convinced the first chapter has...Stop chasing perfection. Learn why getting your first draft done beats getting it perfect, and how finishing unlocks stronger revisions and publishing success.

Every writer knows the feeling: staring at a blank page, convinced the first chapter has to be perfect before moving on. But what if the real obstacle isn’t writer’s block—it’s perfectionism? In this episode, bestselling author Vanessa Riley challenges the idea that a manuscript must be “finished” before it’s worth celebrating. Instead, she introduces a more practical goal: getting to done.

Drawing from her own writing process, Vanessa shares why first drafts exist to discover the story, not perfect it, and why editing only becomes effective once you’ve reached the end. Whether you’re outlining your first novel, juggling historical research, struggling with endless revisions, or deciding between indie and traditional publishing, this conversation offers practical advice for moving forward.

Learn why writers need to stop polishing chapter one, embrace imperfect pages, and trust that character arcs, motivations, and story structure become clearer only after the full manuscript exists. If you’ve been battling writer’s block, rewriting the same scenes, or wondering if your book will ever be ready, this episode will give you the encouragement—and the strategy—to finish the draft that’s been waiting inside you. Because you can’t edit a blank page, but you can always improve a completed one. 

Recommended Books

• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
• The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
• Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
• On Writing by Stephen King

The goal isn’t perfection.The goal is to get to done.

Keywords: Writer’s block, first draft, writing process, writing motivation, finish your novel, editing, manuscript, creative process, author advice, writing tips, productivity, perfectionism, indie publishing, traditional publishing, plotting, pantsing, plantsing, novel writing, fiction writing, writing craft, creative writing, storytelling, book writing, writing coach, aspiring authors, author life, publishing, revision, writing habits, Vanessa Riley

View on Substack

Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>726advice,author,block,creative,draft,editing,finish,first,indie,manuscript,motivation,novel,perfectionism,process,productivity,publishing,tips,writer’s,writing,yourfalse232fullhttps://vanessariley.substack.com/p/55-gone-now-whatMore than 55% of the year is already behind us—but your goals don’t have to be. In this episode of Write of Passage, Vanessa Riley shares practical, research-backed strategies to help you reset your New Year’s resolutions, reconnect with your purpose, break overwhelming goals into manageable steps, and create a plan that leads to lasting success. Drawing on the work of psychologists Kennon Sheldon, Andrew Elliot, Peter Gollwitzer, and The Progress Principle, this motivational episode will help you stop merely surviving and start thriving. If you’re ready for a midyear reset, now is the time to win the rest of the year.

160-Character Summary: More than half the year is gone, but your goals don’t have to be. Reset your focus, reconnect with your why, and win the rest of the year.

Keyword List: midyear reset, goal setting, New Year’s resolutions, personal growth, motivation, productivity, habits, purpose, finding your why, implementation intentions, goal achievement, self-concordance, The Progress Principle, Atomic Habits, The ONE Thing, personal development, success mindset, time management, consistency, writing motivation, writers, creative productivity, self-improvement, thriving, Vanessa Riley, Write of Passage, podcast, finish the year strong, accomplish your goals, win the rest of the year

Check out Substack 

Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Drop your thoughts in the comments — I love hearing from you!

 Support & Stay Connected

• Like 👍 if this episode resonated with you
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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73080951Tue, 21 Jul 2026 13:15:01 +0000Vanessa RileyMore than 55% of the year is already behind us—but your goals don’t have to be. In this episode of Write of Passage, Vanessa Riley shares practical, research-backed strategies to help you reset your New Year’s resolutions, reconnect with your purpose,...More than 55% of the year is already behind us—but your goals don’t have to be. In this episode of Write of Passage, Vanessa Riley shares practical, research-backed strategies to help you reset your New Year’s resolutions, reconnect with your purpose, break overwhelming goals into manageable steps, and create a plan that leads to lasting success. Drawing on the work of psychologists Kennon Sheldon, Andrew Elliot, Peter Gollwitzer, and The Progress Principle, this motivational episode will help you stop merely surviving and start thriving. If you’re ready for a midyear reset, now is the time to win the rest of the year.

160-Character Summary: More than half the year is gone, but your goals don’t have to be. Reset your focus, reconnect with your why, and win the rest of the year.

Keyword List: midyear reset, goal setting, New Year’s resolutions, personal growth, motivation, productivity, habits, purpose, finding your why, implementation intentions, goal achievement, self-concordance, The Progress Principle, Atomic Habits, The ONE Thing, personal development, success mindset, time management, consistency, writing motivation, writers, creative productivity, self-improvement, thriving, Vanessa Riley, Write of Passage, podcast, finish the year strong, accomplish your goals, win the rest of the year

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>669achievement,finding,goal,growth,habits,implementation,intentions,midyear,motivation,new,personal,productivity,purpose,reset,resolutions,self-concordance,setting,why,year’s,yourfalse231fullhttps://vanessariley.substack.com/p/who-told-you-that-was-trueWho Told You That Was True? | Can I Believe My Lying Eyes? Can we still trust the news? In this episode of Write of Passage, bestselling author Vanessa Riley explores the growing crisis of trust in journalism, broadcast news, social media, and the information we consume every day. Drawing on Gallup’s 2025 Media Use and Evaluation Report and the Reuters Institute’s 2025 Digital News Report, Vanessa examines why confidence in television news, newspapers, and radio has plummeted, why younger generations increasingly turn to TikTok, YouTube, podcasts, and independent creators for information, and what that means for democracy. From Walter Cronkite and Edward R. Murrow to today’s influencers and algorithms, this episode asks a difficult question: Who told you that was true?
Learn practical strategies for fact-checking, identifying bias, evaluating news sources, finding original documents, and becoming a more informed citizen in an age of misinformation, clickbait, propaganda, and AI-generated content.

Books discussed:

• The Death of Truth by Michiko Kakutani
• Calling Bullshit by Carl T. Bergstrom & Jevin D. West
• 1984 by George Orwell
• Fire Sword and Sea by Vanessa Riley
• A Deal at Dawn by Vanessa Riley

Show Notes at Substack.

Keywords:
journalism, news, media bias, fake news, misinformation, disinformation, trust in media, Gallup 2025, Reuters Institute, broadcast news, Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow, Gwen Ifill, Peter Jennings, Barbara Walters, TikTok news, social media news, NPR, democracy, propaganda, algorithms, AI, artificial intelligence, fact checking, verification, media literacy, truth, bias, political polarization, newspapers, television news, podcasts, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, journalism ethics, current events, Write of Passage, Vanessa Riley, historical research, critical thinking, news sources, media trust, information literacy


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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72962660Tue, 14 Jul 2026 13:15:02 +0000Vanessa RileyWho Told You That Was True? | Can I Believe My Lying Eyes? Can we still trust the news? In this episode of Write of Passage, bestselling author Vanessa Riley explores the growing crisis of trust in journalism, broadcast news, social media, and the...Who Told You That Was True? | Can I Believe My Lying Eyes? Can we still trust the news? In this episode of Write of Passage, bestselling author Vanessa Riley explores the growing crisis of trust in journalism, broadcast news, social media, and the information we consume every day. Drawing on Gallup’s 2025 Media Use and Evaluation Report and the Reuters Institute’s 2025 Digital News Report, Vanessa examines why confidence in television news, newspapers, and radio has plummeted, why younger generations increasingly turn to TikTok, YouTube, podcasts, and independent creators for information, and what that means for democracy. From Walter Cronkite and Edward R. Murrow to today’s influencers and algorithms, this episode asks a difficult question: Who told you that was true?
Learn practical strategies for fact-checking, identifying bias, evaluating news sources, finding original documents, and becoming a more informed citizen in an age of misinformation, clickbait, propaganda, and AI-generated content.

Books discussed:

• The Death of Truth by Michiko Kakutani
• Calling Bullshit by Carl T. Bergstrom & Jevin D. West
• 1984 by George Orwell
• Fire Sword and Sea by Vanessa Riley
• A Deal at Dawn by Vanessa Riley

Show Notes at Substack.

Keywords:
journalism, news, media bias, fake news, misinformation, disinformation, trust in media, Gallup 2025, Reuters Institute, broadcast news, Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow, Gwen Ifill, Peter Jennings, Barbara Walters, TikTok news, social media news, NPR, democracy, propaganda, algorithms, AI, artificial intelligence, fact checking, verification, media literacy, truth, bias, political polarization, newspapers, television news, podcasts, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, journalism ethics, current events, Write of Passage, Vanessa Riley, historical research, critical thinking, news sources, media trust, information literacy


Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>10452025,bias,broadcast,(comma-delimited) journalism,cronkite,disinformation,edward,fake,gallup,in,institute,media,misinformation,murrow,news,reuters,trust,walterfalse230fullhttps://vanessariley.substack.com/p/making-sure-they-get-homeMaking Sure They Get Home explores the true meaning of Southern hospitality beyond sweet tea and barbecue. Vanessa Riley reflects on Fourth of July traditions, community, grief, neighborliness, and hosting a Regency-inspired tea party for the release of A Deal at Dawn. Plus, book recommendations including The Cooking Gene, High on the Hog, and An Infinite Love Story.

Southern hospitality is more than sweet tea. Vanessa Riley reflects on community, grief, A Deal at Dawn, and books that nourish hope.

Keywords: Southern hospitality, Fourth of July, community, neighborliness, Vanessa Riley, A Deal at Dawn, Regency romance, historical fiction, tea party, Southern cooking, Southern culture, Black history, African American history, book recommendations, The Cooking Gene, Michael W. Twitty, High on the Hog, Jessica B. Harris, An Infinite Love Story, Chanel Clayton, books, reading, book podcast, author podcast, writing, Write of Passage, Eagle Eye Book Shop, Barnes & Noble, book launch, food history, hospitality, memoir, storytelling

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Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72849675Tue, 07 Jul 2026 13:15:02 +0000Vanessa RileyMaking Sure They Get Home explores the true meaning of Southern hospitality beyond sweet tea and barbecue. Vanessa Riley reflects on Fourth of July traditions, community, grief, neighborliness, and hosting a Regency-inspired tea party for the release...Making Sure They Get Home explores the true meaning of Southern hospitality beyond sweet tea and barbecue. Vanessa Riley reflects on Fourth of July traditions, community, grief, neighborliness, and hosting a Regency-inspired tea party for the release of A Deal at Dawn. Plus, book recommendations including The Cooking Gene, High on the Hog, and An Infinite Love Story.

Southern hospitality is more than sweet tea. Vanessa Riley reflects on community, grief, A Deal at Dawn, and books that nourish hope.

Keywords: Southern hospitality, Fourth of July, community, neighborliness, Vanessa Riley, A Deal at Dawn, Regency romance, historical fiction, tea party, Southern cooking, Southern culture, Black history, African American history, book recommendations, The Cooking Gene, Michael W. Twitty, High on the Hog, Jessica B. Harris, An Infinite Love Story, Chanel Clayton, books, reading, book podcast, author podcast, writing, Write of Passage, Eagle Eye Book Shop, Barnes & Noble, book launch, food history, hospitality, memoir, storytelling

Find out more on Substack


Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>707a,at,community,cooking,dawn,deal,fiction,fourth,historical,hospitality,july,neighborliness,of,party,regency,riley,romance,southern,tea,vanessafalse229fullhttps://vanessariley.substack.com/p/access-isnt-permissionAccess Isn’t Permission
When does fandom become entitlement? In this episode of Write of Passage, bestselling author Vanessa Riley explores the hidden cost of parasocial relationships, author privacy, and doxxing in the age of social media. Using the recent conversation surrounding romance author Kennedy Ryan’s pen name as a starting point, Vanessa examines why revealing someone’s private identity—even when it’s publicly discoverable—can erode trust between creators and their audiences.
She discusses the boundaries every artist needs to create safely, why readers and fans benefit when authors feel protected, and how internet culture often confuses access with permission. Vanessa also reflects on the release of her 30th novel, A Deal at Dawn, sharing the deeply personal inspiration behind her Betting Against the Duke series, its exploration of sickle cell disease, chronic illness, forgiveness, and the enduring power of love.
If you’ve ever wondered where the line is between admiration and intrusion, this conversation is for you.

Topics: parasocial relationships, doxxing, author life, Kennedy Ryan, pen names, privacy, romance novels, writing life, book community, reader culture, boundaries, creativity, sickle cell disease, historical romance, A Deal at Dawn, Vanessa Riley.

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72752554Tue, 30 Jun 2026 13:15:02 +0000Vanessa RileyAccess Isn’t Permission When does fandom become entitlement? In this episode of Write of Passage, bestselling author Vanessa Riley explores the hidden cost of parasocial relationships, author privacy, and doxxing in the age of social media. Using the...Access Isn’t Permission
When does fandom become entitlement? In this episode of Write of Passage, bestselling author Vanessa Riley explores the hidden cost of parasocial relationships, author privacy, and doxxing in the age of social media. Using the recent conversation surrounding romance author Kennedy Ryan’s pen name as a starting point, Vanessa examines why revealing someone’s private identity—even when it’s publicly discoverable—can erode trust between creators and their audiences.
She discusses the boundaries every artist needs to create safely, why readers and fans benefit when authors feel protected, and how internet culture often confuses access with permission. Vanessa also reflects on the release of her 30th novel, A Deal at Dawn, sharing the deeply personal inspiration behind her Betting Against the Duke series, its exploration of sickle cell disease, chronic illness, forgiveness, and the enduring power of love.
If you’ve ever wondered where the line is between admiration and intrusion, this conversation is for you.

Topics: parasocial relationships, doxxing, author life, Kennedy Ryan, pen names, privacy, romance novels, writing life, book community, reader culture, boundaries, creativity, sickle cell disease, historical romance, A Deal at Dawn, Vanessa Riley.

Learn more at Substack

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Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>938a,at,author,dawn,deal,doxxing,kennedy,names,of,parasocial,passage,pen,privacy,pseudonym,relationships,riley,ryan,score,vanessa,writefalse228fullhttps://vanessariley.substack.com/p/three-lessons-about-joy-and-messesWrite of Passage, bestselling historical fiction author Vanessa Riley explores three lessons about joy and messes through a girls’ trip to Nantucket, an unexpected adventure at New York’s iconic TWA Hotel, and a collapsed bookcase that forced her to rethink her writing office, creative workspace, and future goals. Discover how to find gratitude in delays, purpose in disruption, and peace in life’s unexpected detours. If you’re navigating change, decluttering your life, rebuilding after setbacks, pursuing creativity, or seeking work-life balance as a writer, entrepreneur, or creative professional, this episode offers practical wisdom on making room for what’s next. Plus, book recommendations including The Midnight Library, Silver Sparrow, The Light We Carry, and A Deal at Dawn.

Short Summary: A girls’ trip, a canceled flight, and a fallen bookcase reveal three lessons about joy, resilience, creativity, and making room for what’s next.

Keywords writing life, creative living, author podcast, Vanessa Riley, Write of Passage, joy and messes, resilience, personal growth, life lessons, Nantucket, mother daughter trip, TWA Hotel, JFK Airport, creativity, writing career, author office, decluttering books, book collecting, life transitions, finding joy, gratitude, overcoming setbacks, unexpected adventures, time management, creative workspace, historical fiction author, work life balance, inspiration for writers, personal development, book recommendations, The Midnight Library, Silver Sparrow, The Light We Carry, A Deal at Dawn, women writers, creative process, making room for what’s next, life purpose, embracing change, podcast for readers and writers

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72643670Tue, 23 Jun 2026 13:15:02 +0000Vanessa RileyIn this episode of Write of Passage, bestselling historical fiction author Vanessa Riley explores three lessons about joy and messes through a girls’ trip to Nantucket, an unexpected adventure at New York’s iconic TWA Hotel, and a collapsed bookcase...Write of Passage, bestselling historical fiction author Vanessa Riley explores three lessons about joy and messes through a girls’ trip to Nantucket, an unexpected adventure at New York’s iconic TWA Hotel, and a collapsed bookcase that forced her to rethink her writing office, creative workspace, and future goals. Discover how to find gratitude in delays, purpose in disruption, and peace in life’s unexpected detours. If you’re navigating change, decluttering your life, rebuilding after setbacks, pursuing creativity, or seeking work-life balance as a writer, entrepreneur, or creative professional, this episode offers practical wisdom on making room for what’s next. Plus, book recommendations including The Midnight Library, Silver Sparrow, The Light We Carry, and A Deal at Dawn.

Short Summary: A girls’ trip, a canceled flight, and a fallen bookcase reveal three lessons about joy, resilience, creativity, and making room for what’s next.

Keywords writing life, creative living, author podcast, Vanessa Riley, Write of Passage, joy and messes, resilience, personal growth, life lessons, Nantucket, mother daughter trip, TWA Hotel, JFK Airport, creativity, writing career, author office, decluttering books, book collecting, life transitions, finding joy, gratitude, overcoming setbacks, unexpected adventures, time management, creative workspace, historical fiction author, work life balance, inspiration for writers, personal development, book recommendations, The Midnight Library, Silver Sparrow, The Light We Carry, A Deal at Dawn, women writers, creative process, making room for what’s next, life purpose, embracing change, podcast for readers and writers

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Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>669and,author,creative,growth,joy,lessons,life,living,messes,mother,nantucket,of,passage,personal,podcast,resilience,riley,vanessa,write,writingfalsefullhttps://open.substack.com/pub/vanessariley/p/the-writers-greatest-gift?r=3jz1c&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Vanessa and Dawn TrippHello, friends. I’m Vanessa Riley, coming to you from beautiful Nantucket. Join me as I explore the Nantucket Book Festival, meet fellow storytellers, and share the magic behind Fire Sword and Sea. Welcome to the journey.


Please come back next week for more Write of Passage!


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Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72542467Tue, 16 Jun 2026 13:15:02 +0000Vanessa RileyHello, friends. I’m Vanessa Riley, and this week I’m coming to you from beautiful Nantucket. Join me for this conversation with bestselling author Dawn Tripp at the Nantucket Book Festival. Our conversation, two fellow storytellers, we talk about the...

Vanessa and Dawn TrippHello, friends. I’m Vanessa Riley, coming to you from beautiful Nantucket. Join me as I explore the Nantucket Book Festival, meet fellow storytellers, and share the magic behind Fire Sword and Sea. Welcome to the journey.


Please come back next week for more Write of Passage!


See more At Substack 

Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>1277and,dawn,fire,gift,greatest,riley,sea,sword,tripp,vanessa,writer’sfalse226fullhttps://vanessariley.substack.com/p/everybody-loves-justice-until-itEverybody Loves Justice Until It Costs Them Something
In a world where silence is profitable and outrage is performative, character still matters. This week on Write of Passage, Vanessa Riley reflects on veteran journalist Scott Pelley’s emotional response after being accused of not loving his country and asks a difficult question: What do we still believe in enough to risk something for? From journalism and free speech to performative allyship, workplace culture, AI hiring systems, publishing, small farms, WIC funding, and the ongoing fight for equitable access to healthcare, this episode explores the growing gap between what people say they value and what they’re actually willing to sacrifice to defend. When speaking up can cost you a job, a promotion, social standing, or financial security, many choose to stay seated. But history remembers the people who stood. Vanessa examines the difference between true courage and public performance, why character still matters in an increasingly transactional world, and how the choices we make today become the legacy we leave behind. Featuring reflections on Scott Pelley, Ida B. Wells, allyship, leadership, social media activism, and the question at the heart of every generation: When the moment comes, will you take a stand—or stay seated? Also included: recommended reading from James Baldwin, Ida B. Wells, Martin Luther King Jr., Harper Lee, Scott Pelley, and Vanessa Riley’s Fire Sword and Sea.

Short Summary: When truth costs something, who stands up? Vanessa Riley explores courage, character, allyship, Scott Pelley, and the price of staying silent.

Keywords: Scott Pelley, journalism, courage, character, allyship, performative allyship, social justice, truth, free speech, First Amendment, patriotism, leadership, accountability, ethics, media, politics, Black women, women of color, publishing, diversity, equity, inclusion, DEI, social media, activism, Black Lives Matter, Juneteenth, MLK Day, AI hiring, Stanford AI Index, workplace culture, discrimination, healthcare disparities, Find A Black Doctor, Black physicians, WIC, small farms, agriculture, rural America, economic justice, community, citizenship, democracy, Ida B. Wells, James Baldwin, Martin Luther King Jr., Harper Lee, Fire Sword and Sea, Vanessa Riley, Write of Passage, podcast, books, reading list, moral courage, standing up, speaking truth, consequences, legacy, values, integrity, social commentary, culture, race, women, authors, storytelling, history, justice, character matters

Go to Substack for more.

Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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• Like 👍 if this episode resonated with you
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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72431621Tue, 09 Jun 2026 13:15:02 +0000Vanessa RileyEverybody Loves Justice Until It Costs Them Something In a world where silence is profitable and outrage is performative, character still matters. This week on Write of Passage, Vanessa Riley reflects on veteran journalist Scott Pelley’s emotional...Everybody Loves Justice Until It Costs Them Something
In a world where silence is profitable and outrage is performative, character still matters. This week on Write of Passage, Vanessa Riley reflects on veteran journalist Scott Pelley’s emotional response after being accused of not loving his country and asks a difficult question: What do we still believe in enough to risk something for? From journalism and free speech to performative allyship, workplace culture, AI hiring systems, publishing, small farms, WIC funding, and the ongoing fight for equitable access to healthcare, this episode explores the growing gap between what people say they value and what they’re actually willing to sacrifice to defend. When speaking up can cost you a job, a promotion, social standing, or financial security, many choose to stay seated. But history remembers the people who stood. Vanessa examines the difference between true courage and public performance, why character still matters in an increasingly transactional world, and how the choices we make today become the legacy we leave behind. Featuring reflections on Scott Pelley, Ida B. Wells, allyship, leadership, social media activism, and the question at the heart of every generation: When the moment comes, will you take a stand—or stay seated? Also included: recommended reading from James Baldwin, Ida B. Wells, Martin Luther King Jr., Harper Lee, Scott Pelley, and Vanessa Riley’s Fire Sword and Sea.

Short Summary: When truth costs something, who stands up? Vanessa Riley explores courage, character, allyship, Scott Pelley, and the price of staying silent.

Keywords: Scott Pelley, journalism, courage, character, allyship, performative allyship, social justice, truth, free speech, First Amendment, patriotism, leadership, accountability, ethics, media, politics, Black women, women of color, publishing, diversity, equity, inclusion, DEI, social media, activism, Black Lives Matter, Juneteenth, MLK Day, AI hiring, Stanford AI Index, workplace culture, discrimination, healthcare disparities, Find A Black Doctor, Black physicians, WIC, small farms, agriculture, rural America, economic justice, community, citizenship, democracy, Ida B. Wells, James Baldwin, Martin Luther King Jr., Harper Lee, Fire Sword and Sea, Vanessa Riley, Write of Passage, podcast, books, reading list, moral courage, standing up, speaking truth, consequences, legacy, values, integrity, social commentary, culture, race, women, authors, storytelling, history, justice, character matters

Go to Substack for more.

Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>1119accountability,allyship,amendment,character,courage,ethics,first,free,journalism,justice,leadership,media,patriotism,pelley,performative,politics,scott,social,speech,truthfalse225fullhttps://open.substack.com/pub/vanessariley/p/move-that-dang-rock?r=3jz1c&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
What is the rock standing in your way?
In this episode of Write of Passage, Vanessa Riley reflects on the extraordinary success of the Black Romance Book Fest and the vision of indie author Lauren Lacey, who built one of the nation’s largest gatherings of Black readers despite being told it couldn’t be done. Through stories of community, belonging, and perseverance, Vanessa explores the obstacles that keep so many of us from pursuing our dreams.
Are you frozen by a past failure? Waiting for the perfect moment? Struggling with fear disguised as perfectionism? Have you been quietly quitting on yourself while telling yourself you’ll start tomorrow?
Drawing on lessons from the festival, her own experiences as an author, and the power of taking small, consistent steps, Vanessa challenges listeners to identify the “rock” blocking their path. She shares practical questions to help uncover what’s really holding you back and offers encouragement for anyone trying to write a book, launch a dream, build a business, or create a life that feels true to who they are.
This episode is a call to stop waiting for permission, stop letting criticism dictate your future, and start moving the obstacles that stand between you and your purpose. Because dreams aren’t built in giant leaps—they’re built one brave step at a time.
Featuring book recommendations from Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes, Professional Troublemaker by Luvvie Ajayi Jones, The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, and The Other Princess by Denny S. Bryce.
Keywords:
move that dang rock, what’s holding you back, overcoming fear, self-sabotage, personal growth, motivation podcast, Black Romance Book Fest, Lauren Lacey, Black readers, Black women readers, Black authors, belonging, confidence, perseverance, overcoming perfectionism, writing motivation, writing a book, creative courage, dream big, achieving goals, faith and action, personal development, women supporting women, Black joy, Black love, community building, entrepreneurship, indie authors, inspiration, success mindset, overcoming obstacles, self-improvement, encouragement, purpose-driven life, writers podcast, Vanessa Riley, Write of Passage podcast
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Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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• Like 👍 if this episode resonated with you
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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72290350Tue, 02 Jun 2026 13:15:02 +0000Vanessa RileyDiscover how fear, doubt, and perfectionism keep us stuck—and how one woman’s dream became proof that obstacles can be moved. What is the rock standing in your way? In this episode of Write of Passage, Vanessa Riley reflects on the extraordinary...
What is the rock standing in your way?
In this episode of Write of Passage, Vanessa Riley reflects on the extraordinary success of the Black Romance Book Fest and the vision of indie author Lauren Lacey, who built one of the nation’s largest gatherings of Black readers despite being told it couldn’t be done. Through stories of community, belonging, and perseverance, Vanessa explores the obstacles that keep so many of us from pursuing our dreams.
Are you frozen by a past failure? Waiting for the perfect moment? Struggling with fear disguised as perfectionism? Have you been quietly quitting on yourself while telling yourself you’ll start tomorrow?
Drawing on lessons from the festival, her own experiences as an author, and the power of taking small, consistent steps, Vanessa challenges listeners to identify the “rock” blocking their path. She shares practical questions to help uncover what’s really holding you back and offers encouragement for anyone trying to write a book, launch a dream, build a business, or create a life that feels true to who they are.
This episode is a call to stop waiting for permission, stop letting criticism dictate your future, and start moving the obstacles that stand between you and your purpose. Because dreams aren’t built in giant leaps—they’re built one brave step at a time.
Featuring book recommendations from Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes, Professional Troublemaker by Luvvie Ajayi Jones, The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, and The Other Princess by Denny S. Bryce.
Keywords:
move that dang rock, what’s holding you back, overcoming fear, self-sabotage, personal growth, motivation podcast, Black Romance Book Fest, Lauren Lacey, Black readers, Black women readers, Black authors, belonging, confidence, perseverance, overcoming perfectionism, writing motivation, writing a book, creative courage, dream big, achieving goals, faith and action, personal development, women supporting women, Black joy, Black love, community building, entrepreneurship, indie authors, inspiration, success mindset, overcoming obstacles, self-improvement, encouragement, purpose-driven life, writers podcast, Vanessa Riley, Write of Passage podcast
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Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>721back,black,book,dang,fear,fest,growth,holding,lauren,motivation,move,overcoming,personal,podcast,rock,romance,self-sabotage,that,what’s,youfalse224fullhttps://open.substack.com/pub/vanessariley/p/sorry-for-slavery-checks-for-criminals?r=3jz1c&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Pope Leo XIV apologized for slavery. Vanessa Riley breaks down the history, reparations math, and why apology without repair isn’t enough.

KEYWORDS
Pope Leo XIV, Catholic Church slavery apology, reparations, slavery reparations, Jesuits slavery, Georgetown 272, trans Atlantic slave trade, Vatican slavery, Black wealth gap, generational trauma, chattel slavery, Jim Crow, redlining, unpaid labor, Black history, Caribbean history, Catholic Church history, racial justice, descendants of slavery, economic inequality, Write of Passage podcast, Vanessa Riley, Fire Sword and Sea, Anti Weaponization Fund, racial wealth gap, Black generational wealth, historical trauma, Doctrine of Discovery, Dum Diversas, Pope Nicholas  To Substack for Resources

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Pope Leo XIV apologized for slavery. Vanessa Riley breaks down the history, reparations math, and why apology without repair isn’t enough.

KEYWORDS
Pope Leo XIV, Catholic Church slavery apology, reparations, slavery reparations, Jesuits slavery, Georgetown 272, trans Atlantic slave trade, Vatican slavery, Black wealth gap, generational trauma, chattel slavery, Jim Crow, redlining, unpaid labor, Black history, Caribbean history, Catholic Church history, racial justice, descendants of slavery, economic inequality, Write of Passage podcast, Vanessa Riley, Fire Sword and Sea, Anti Weaponization Fund, racial wealth gap, Black generational wealth, historical trauma, Doctrine of Discovery, Dum Diversas, Pope Nicholas  To Substack for Resources

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Vanessa Riley reveals how a historical romance cover scandal involving digital blackface nearly got her canceled—and what changed after.

Keywords: Vanessa Riley, historical romance, Black historical romance, digital blackface, publishing controversy, Regency romance, diverse book covers, historical fiction, Black women in history, publishing industry, romance novels, book cover design, inclusive publishing, diversity in publishing, illustrated covers, stock photography, Black authors, historical romance author, Write of Passage podcast, publishing bias, representation matters, Kensington Publishing, Entangled Publishing, BookTok, book podcast, romance readers, Black Regency heroines, internet outrage, author life, women writers

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Vanessa Riley reveals how a historical romance cover scandal involving digital blackface nearly got her canceled—and what changed after.

Keywords: Vanessa Riley, historical romance, Black historical romance, digital blackface, publishing controversy, Regency romance, diverse book covers, historical fiction, Black women in history, publishing industry, romance novels, book cover design, inclusive publishing, diversity in publishing, illustrated covers, stock photography, Black authors, historical romance author, Write of Passage podcast, publishing bias, representation matters, Kensington Publishing, Entangled Publishing, BookTok, book podcast, romance readers, Black Regency heroines, internet outrage, author life, women writers

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Vanessa Riley hilariously unpacks AI spam, fake publishing pitches, scams, algorithms, and why authentic human storytelling still matters.


KeywordsVanessa Riley, Write of Passage, AI spam, ChatGPT, publishing industry, historical fiction, author life, podcast rant, AI marketing, fake emails, book publishing, women writers, Black authors, storytelling, creative community, algorithms, publishing scams, author podcast, historical romance, historical mystery, SEO spam, Goodreads optimization, Amazon metadata, authenticity, writing life, Substack, independent bookstores, Fire Sword and Sea, Deal at Dawn, Passage Voices

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Vanessa Riley hilariously unpacks AI spam, fake publishing pitches, scams, algorithms, and why authentic human storytelling still matters.


KeywordsVanessa Riley, Write of Passage, AI spam, ChatGPT, publishing industry, historical fiction, author life, podcast rant, AI marketing, fake emails, book publishing, women writers, Black authors, storytelling, creative community, algorithms, publishing scams, author podcast, historical romance, historical mystery, SEO spam, Goodreads optimization, Amazon metadata, authenticity, writing life, Substack, independent bookstores, Fire Sword and Sea, Deal at Dawn, Passage Voices

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America’s reckoning is here—linking civil rights history, racial injustice, and economic struggle. The question isn’t why anymore. It’s what we do next.

Keywords: civil rights, racial justice, racial terror, American history, Voting Rights Act, systemic racism, inequality, economic crisis, social justice, Black history, civil rights movement, activism, democracy, politics, cultural commentary, reckoning, privilege, accountability, podcast, social issues

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America’s reckoning is here—linking civil rights history, racial injustice, and economic struggle. The question isn’t why anymore. It’s what we do next.

Keywords: civil rights, racial justice, racial terror, American history, Voting Rights Act, systemic racism, inequality, economic crisis, social justice, Black history, civil rights movement, activism, democracy, politics, cultural commentary, reckoning, privilege, accountability, podcast, social issues

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Keywords: misinformation, deepfakes, media manipulation, truth, digital age, AI ethics, political distrust, Meghan Markle controversy, celebrity culture, Megan Thee Stallion, Klay Thompson, fake news, social media, perception, bias, democracy, journalism, technology, cultural critique

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Keywords: misinformation, deepfakes, media manipulation, truth, digital age, AI ethics, political distrust, Meghan Markle controversy, celebrity culture, Megan Thee Stallion, Klay Thompson, fake news, social media, perception, bias, democracy, journalism, technology, cultural critique

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160-Character Summary
A call to action on domestic violence and maternal health crises impacting Black women—demanding accountability, protection, and change.

 Keywords:
Black women, domestic violence, maternal mortality, intimate partner violence, Black maternal health, systemic racism, accountability, patriarchy, women’s safety, pregnancy risk, CDC statistics, community accountability, Black families, survival, advocacy

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160-Character Summary
A call to action on domestic violence and maternal health crises impacting Black women—demanding accountability, protection, and change.

 Keywords:
Black women, domestic violence, maternal mortality, intimate partner violence, Black maternal health, systemic racism, accountability, patriarchy, women’s safety, pregnancy risk, CDC statistics, community accountability, Black families, survival, advocacy

Resources available on Substack

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Keywords:workaholic, romcom, romantic comedy, Tuscany, travel vibes, soft life, joy, self care, stepping outside comfort zone, movie review, Black love, representation, Detroit, theater experience, unplugging, slow living, lifestyle, creativity, writing life, author podcast, book recommendations, contemporary romance, fake dating, friends to lovers, second chances, storytelling, humor, escapism

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Keywords:workaholic, romcom, romantic comedy, Tuscany, travel vibes, soft life, joy, self care, stepping outside comfort zone, movie review, Black love, representation, Detroit, theater experience, unplugging, slow living, lifestyle, creativity, writing life, author podcast, book recommendations, contemporary romance, fake dating, friends to lovers, second chances, storytelling, humor, escapism

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An essay on social media lies, misinformation, and lost integrity—exploring how truth is fading and why honesty still matters in a curated digital world.

Keywords: misinformation, social media lies, truth and integrity, digital culture, fake news, AI and deception, authenticity, online identity, viral rumors, influencer culture, truth vs lies, media literacy, modern society, honesty, curated reality, self worth, internet culture, political lies, storytelling, essay podcast

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An essay on social media lies, misinformation, and lost integrity—exploring how truth is fading and why honesty still matters in a curated digital world.

Keywords: misinformation, social media lies, truth and integrity, digital culture, fake news, AI and deception, authenticity, online identity, viral rumors, influencer culture, truth vs lies, media literacy, modern society, honesty, curated reality, self worth, internet culture, political lies, storytelling, essay podcast

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Writers were the original gig workers. Now AI, censorship, and chaos are changing the game. Can authors survive what comes next?

SEO Keywords: gig economy, writers life, freelance writers, AI and publishing, authors and AI, writing career, future of writing, publishing industry changes, independent authors, book publishing trends, content creators, creative economy, AI writing tools, authors rights, storytelling, writing podcast, writing advice, author platform, digital publishing, creative work

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Writers were the original gig workers. Now AI, censorship, and chaos are changing the game. Can authors survive what comes next?

SEO Keywords: gig economy, writers life, freelance writers, AI and publishing, authors and AI, writing career, future of writing, publishing industry changes, independent authors, book publishing trends, content creators, creative economy, AI writing tools, authors rights, storytelling, writing podcast, writing advice, author platform, digital publishing, creative work

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Blending personal loss with sharp cultural and political reflection, this episode examines rising gas prices, economic strain, and the human consequences of global conflict—while questioning the gap between what people believed they were choosing and the reality unfolding around them. 

Through it all, Riley explores the role of storytelling as both escape and resistance, and why creating, reading, and preserving truth matters now more than ever.This is a conversation about dignity, resilience, and the necessity of art in times of crisis—and a reminder that even in a world on fire, stories help us endure, understand, and imagine something better.

Keywords:
writing life, author podcast, Vanessa Riley, storytelling, compartmentalization, grief and loss, war impact, military families, current events, gas prices, economy concerns, political reflection, book culture, reading life, creative process, trauma and resilience, social commentary, history and storytelling, women’s voices, Baltimore bookstores, libraries, Tayari Jones, Kin novel, Kate Quinn, Amy DuBois Barnett, Megan Devine, writing through crisis

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Blending personal loss with sharp cultural and political reflection, this episode examines rising gas prices, economic strain, and the human consequences of global conflict—while questioning the gap between what people believed they were choosing and the reality unfolding around them. 

Through it all, Riley explores the role of storytelling as both escape and resistance, and why creating, reading, and preserving truth matters now more than ever.This is a conversation about dignity, resilience, and the necessity of art in times of crisis—and a reminder that even in a world on fire, stories help us endure, understand, and imagine something better.

Keywords:
writing life, author podcast, Vanessa Riley, storytelling, compartmentalization, grief and loss, war impact, military families, current events, gas prices, economy concerns, political reflection, book culture, reading life, creative process, trauma and resilience, social commentary, history and storytelling, women’s voices, Baltimore bookstores, libraries, Tayari Jones, Kin novel, Kate Quinn, Amy DuBois Barnett, Megan Devine, writing through crisis

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Why do toxic posts go viral? Vanessa Riley explores social media addiction, vicarious living, and the danger of the “vicious keyboard.”

Keywords: Vanessa Riley, Write of Passage podcast, social media toxicity, online harassment, keyboard warriors, viral posts, internet culture, digital ethics, vicarious living, storytelling and human nature, Fire Sword and Sea, Jacquotte Delahaye, authors talking writing, social media addiction, online bullying, cancel culture, internet psychology, writing craft, book podcast, author commentary, Mahogany Books event, Baltimore author events

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Why do toxic posts go viral? Vanessa Riley explores social media addiction, vicarious living, and the danger of the “vicious keyboard.”

Keywords: Vanessa Riley, Write of Passage podcast, social media toxicity, online harassment, keyboard warriors, viral posts, internet culture, digital ethics, vicarious living, storytelling and human nature, Fire Sword and Sea, Jacquotte Delahaye, authors talking writing, social media addiction, online bullying, cancel culture, internet psychology, writing craft, book podcast, author commentary, Mahogany Books event, Baltimore author events

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Keywords:
Black artists, creative resistance, art and politics, LeBron James, Laura Ingraham, shut up and dribble, Black writers, censorship, cultural criticism, race and identity, artistic voice, social justice, political art, Black history, power and performance

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Keywords:
Black artists, creative resistance, art and politics, LeBron James, Laura Ingraham, shut up and dribble, Black writers, censorship, cultural criticism, race and identity, artistic voice, social justice, political art, Black history, power and performance

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Keywords: editing, media ethics, writing life, author craft, journalism, broadcast controversy, accountability, social media culture, intent vs impact, creative responsibility, publishing, revision process, empathy, public discourse, storytelling power

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Keywords: editing, media ethics, writing life, author craft, journalism, broadcast controversy, accountability, social media culture, intent vs impact, creative responsibility, publishing, revision process, empathy, public discourse, storytelling power

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When doors slam and paranoia creeps in, how do you stay whole? A personal reflection on persecution, boundaries, and choosing wisdom over revenge.

Keywords: persecution, paranoia, workplace conflict, systemic bias, self-preservation, boundaries, holy anger, emotional resilience, professional reputation, exit strategy, leadership growth, personal development, integrity, mental health, navigating conflict, women and anger, Type A personality, documentation strategy, podcast essay, Write of Passage

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When doors slam and paranoia creeps in, how do you stay whole? A personal reflection on persecution, boundaries, and choosing wisdom over revenge.

Keywords: persecution, paranoia, workplace conflict, systemic bias, self-preservation, boundaries, holy anger, emotional resilience, professional reputation, exit strategy, leadership growth, personal development, integrity, mental health, navigating conflict, women and anger, Type A personality, documentation strategy, podcast essay, Write of Passage

For more details, go to Substack.

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Keywords:
Bad Bunny, Super Bowl LX, Super Bowl halftime show, trust fall, hands reaching up, hope in America, cultural unity, Puerto Rican culture, Latinx representation, American identity, collective trust

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Keywords:
Bad Bunny, Super Bowl LX, Super Bowl halftime show, trust fall, hands reaching up, hope in America, cultural unity, Puerto Rican culture, Latinx representation, American identity, collective trust

Episode Notes & Extras 


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Keywords: betrayal, trust, healing from betrayal, surviving betrayal, forgiveness and anger, trauma recovery, trust after betrayal, emotional healing, marginalized voices, betrayal trauma, Fire Sword and Sea, Jacquotte Delahaye, pirate fiction, women pirates, historical fiction, personal essay, grief and trust, boundaries and forgiveness, leadership and betrayal, scars of betrayal, recovery after betrayal

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Keywords: betrayal, trust, healing from betrayal, surviving betrayal, forgiveness and anger, trauma recovery, trust after betrayal, emotional healing, marginalized voices, betrayal trauma, Fire Sword and Sea, Jacquotte Delahaye, pirate fiction, women pirates, historical fiction, personal essay, grief and trust, boundaries and forgiveness, leadership and betrayal, scars of betrayal, recovery after betrayal

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Ask for it at your library. Join the tour. Read their truth.

Keywords:
Fire Sword and Sea, Vanessa Riley, Caribbean women pirates, Black pirates, historical fiction podcast, women and resistance, piracy history, 1600s Caribbean, Mughal Empire history, Spain gold empire, integrated pirate crews, feminist historical fiction, Write of Passage podcast, book release week, censorship in publishing, women choosing freedom, libraries and resistance, Black women in history

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Ask for it at your library. Join the tour. Read their truth.

Keywords:
Fire Sword and Sea, Vanessa Riley, Caribbean women pirates, Black pirates, historical fiction podcast, women and resistance, piracy history, 1600s Caribbean, Mughal Empire history, Spain gold empire, integrated pirate crews, feminist historical fiction, Write of Passage podcast, book release week, censorship in publishing, women choosing freedom, libraries and resistance, Black women in history

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Key Words:
reading is resistance, Black literature, literary activism, banned books, intellectual freedom, cultural inheritance, Write of Passage, Vanessa Riley, Between the Book and Me, Black authors, reading culture, algorithms and control, storytelling as survival, book banning, literacy and power, Caribbean history, Fire Sword and Sea, poetry and prose, social commentary, modern media critique

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Key Words:
reading is resistance, Black literature, literary activism, banned books, intellectual freedom, cultural inheritance, Write of Passage, Vanessa Riley, Between the Book and Me, Black authors, reading culture, algorithms and control, storytelling as survival, book banning, literacy and power, Caribbean history, Fire Sword and Sea, poetry and prose, social commentary, modern media critique

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Key Words:
ASCENT, Black women writers, publishing industry, DEI backlash, historical fiction, Black women pirates, Regency era diversity, creative resilience, feminine power, leadership in chaos, storytelling as resistance, Octavia Butler legacy, Harriet Tubman leadership, faith and craft, author life essay, literary activism, writing through adversity, women choosing ambition

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Key Words:
ASCENT, Black women writers, publishing industry, DEI backlash, historical fiction, Black women pirates, Regency era diversity, creative resilience, feminine power, leadership in chaos, storytelling as resistance, Octavia Butler legacy, Harriet Tubman leadership, faith and craft, author life essay, literary activism, writing through adversity, women choosing ambition

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Keywords:
storytelling, historical fiction, Write of Passage podcast, Vanessa Riley, fiction and truth, marginalized history, Black women writers, Caribbean women pirates, Fire Sword and Sea, publishing industry, cultural memory, narrative resistance, women storytellers, sickle cell anemia in fiction, season two premiere, writers podcast, creative courage, banned stories, literary activism, books and history, author reflections

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Keywords:
storytelling, historical fiction, Write of Passage podcast, Vanessa Riley, fiction and truth, marginalized history, Black women writers, Caribbean women pirates, Fire Sword and Sea, publishing industry, cultural memory, narrative resistance, women storytellers, sickle cell anemia in fiction, season two premiere, writers podcast, creative courage, banned stories, literary activism, books and history, author reflections

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Keywords: Vanessa Riley, Write of Passage, personal essay podcast, creative nonfiction, historical fiction author, Black women writers, storytelling, writing life, creative discipline, author reflections, season finale podcast, writing community, Substack writers, vulnerability in writing, American culture, women of color stories, literary podcast, author podcast, creative resilience, Season Two preview

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Keywords: Vanessa Riley, Write of Passage, personal essay podcast, creative nonfiction, historical fiction author, Black women writers, storytelling, writing life, creative discipline, author reflections, season finale podcast, writing community, Substack writers, vulnerability in writing, American culture, women of color stories, literary podcast, author podcast, creative resilience, Season Two preview

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Keywords: writing, publishing, book launch, indie author, traditional publishing, entrepreneurship, author life, marketing, Fire Sword and Sea, historical fiction, pirate history, hidden history, Black women authors, creative hustle, storytelling, authorpreneur, book marketing, reader engagement, podcast, Write of Passage, Vanessa Riley

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Keywords: writing, publishing, book launch, indie author, traditional publishing, entrepreneurship, author life, marketing, Fire Sword and Sea, historical fiction, pirate history, hidden history, Black women authors, creative hustle, storytelling, authorpreneur, book marketing, reader engagement, podcast, Write of Passage, Vanessa Riley

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Keywords: 
women’s leadership, historical fiction, Fire Sword and Sea, Jacquotte Delahaye, moral complexity, pirates, caregiving expectations, motherhood and leadership, ambition, complicity, Caribbean history, survival, freedom, ethical choices, feminist storytelling, colonialism, courage, duty vs ambition, rebuilding after loss, storytelling craft, women in leadership, leadership

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Keywords: 
women’s leadership, historical fiction, Fire Sword and Sea, Jacquotte Delahaye, moral complexity, pirates, caregiving expectations, motherhood and leadership, ambition, complicity, Caribbean history, survival, freedom, ethical choices, feminist storytelling, colonialism, courage, duty vs ambition, rebuilding after loss, storytelling craft, women in leadership, leadership

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The gift of hospitality shouldn’t be dead. Vaness was raised to believe it was a sacred calling—especially at Thanksgiving. This week on Write of Passage, Vanessa gives thanks for family, friends, readers, and every single one of you who has shown me kindness and community in a hard year.

Key Words: 

hospitality, thanksgiving, gratitude, legacy, mother’s influence, perseverance, forgiveness, personal growth, creativity, writing life, resilience, hope, community, family traditions, podcast essay, vanessa riley, write of passage, holiday reflection, emotional wellness, storytelling

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The gift of hospitality shouldn’t be dead. Vaness was raised to believe it was a sacred calling—especially at Thanksgiving. This week on Write of Passage, Vanessa gives thanks for family, friends, readers, and every single one of you who has shown me kindness and community in a hard year.

Key Words: 

hospitality, thanksgiving, gratitude, legacy, mother’s influence, perseverance, forgiveness, personal growth, creativity, writing life, resilience, hope, community, family traditions, podcast essay, vanessa riley, write of passage, holiday reflection, emotional wellness, storytelling

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Key Words: dissatisfaction, creativity, writer’s block, character development, emotional healing, bitterness, forgiveness, letting go, personal growth, storytelling craft, relationships, boundaries, Jacquotte Delahaye, Fire Sword and Sea, resilience, healing journey, self-reflection, writing process, creative life, overcoming obstacles

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Key Words: dissatisfaction, creativity, writer’s block, character development, emotional healing, bitterness, forgiveness, letting go, personal growth, storytelling craft, relationships, boundaries, Jacquotte Delahaye, Fire Sword and Sea, resilience, healing journey, self-reflection, writing process, creative life, overcoming obstacles

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 Keywords:
pirates, publishing, truth vs myth, Vanessa Riley, historical fiction, women pirates, creative resilience, writing journey, representation, Black authors, fact versus fiction, storytelling, perseverance, Fire Sword and Sea, do the math, Write of Passage, author encouragement, marginalized voices, book industry, creative truth, authors

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 Keywords:
pirates, publishing, truth vs myth, Vanessa Riley, historical fiction, women pirates, creative resilience, writing journey, representation, Black authors, fact versus fiction, storytelling, perseverance, Fire Sword and Sea, do the math, Write of Passage, author encouragement, marginalized voices, book industry, creative truth, authors

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 Keywords:
grief, healing, writing, procrastination, forgiveness, creativity, resilience, motivation, inspiration, new beginnings, purpose, restoration, productivity, self-compassion, writer’s block, creative journey, Vanessa Riley, Write of Passage, renewal, courage

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 Keywords:
grief, healing, writing, procrastination, forgiveness, creativity, resilience, motivation, inspiration, new beginnings, purpose, restoration, productivity, self-compassion, writer’s block, creative journey, Vanessa Riley, Write of Passage, renewal, courage

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Comma-delimited keywords:
hugs, human connection, Misty Copeland, Debbie Allen, legacy, kindness, encouragement, Cavalcade Chicago, author community, emotional well-being, holiday season, compassion, warmth, inspiration, resilience, mentorship, celebration, historical fiction, writing journey, soul-cleansing

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Comma-delimited keywords:
hugs, human connection, Misty Copeland, Debbie Allen, legacy, kindness, encouragement, Cavalcade Chicago, author community, emotional well-being, holiday season, compassion, warmth, inspiration, resilience, mentorship, celebration, historical fiction, writing journey, soul-cleansing

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Keywords: AI spam, author marketing, ChatGPT, literary bots, email scams, book promotion, publishing tips, digital threats, author advice, robot vs robot, AI imposters, social media pressure, book clubs, spam detection, writing industry

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Keywords: AI spam, author marketing, ChatGPT, literary bots, email scams, book promotion, publishing tips, digital threats, author advice, robot vs robot, AI imposters, social media pressure, book clubs, spam detection, writing industry

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Keywords / TagsJane Austen, JASNA, Regency, Diversity in Literature, Vanessa Riley, Adaptation, Writing Craft, Historical Fiction, Representation, Sense and Sensibility, Regency Era, Inclusion, Women Writers, Literary History, Period Drama, Storytelling, Authors of Color, Film Consulting, Heritage, Janeites, Hallmark Movies

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Keywords / TagsJane Austen, JASNA, Regency, Diversity in Literature, Vanessa Riley, Adaptation, Writing Craft, Historical Fiction, Representation, Sense and Sensibility, Regency Era, Inclusion, Women Writers, Literary History, Period Drama, Storytelling, Authors of Color, Film Consulting, Heritage, Janeites, Hallmark Movies

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Keywords:
AI in writing, creativity, human imagination, writers conference, James River Writers, storytelling, author advice, writing craft, writing journal, writing inspiration, Vanessa Riley, write of passage, author panel, marketing emails, AI ethics, writing tools, writer empowerment

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Keywords:
AI in writing, creativity, human imagination, writers conference, James River Writers, storytelling, author advice, writing craft, writing journal, writing inspiration, Vanessa Riley, write of passage, author panel, marketing emails, AI ethics, writing tools, writer empowerment

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Keywords:
Vanessa Riley, writing, writers retreat, Women’s Fiction Writers Association, Hero’s Journey, Heroine’s Journey, character arcs, storytelling, writing craft, creativity, community, inspiration, Albuquerque, mentorship, overcoming writer’s block, author journey, teaching writing, narrative rhythm, publishing, craft workshops, author platform

More on Substack: https://vanessariley.substack.com/p/hanging-with-writers

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Keywords:
Vanessa Riley, writing, writers retreat, Women’s Fiction Writers Association, Hero’s Journey, Heroine’s Journey, character arcs, storytelling, writing craft, creativity, community, inspiration, Albuquerque, mentorship, overcoming writer’s block, author journey, teaching writing, narrative rhythm, publishing, craft workshops, author platform

More on Substack: https://vanessariley.substack.com/p/hanging-with-writers

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Keywords:
rapture hoaxes,end times,faithful living,Great Disappointment,Harold Camping,Michael Horton,Ordinary,Left Behind,Pat Simmons,The Intercessors,Christian faith,spiritual practices,Vanessa Riley,Write of Passage,All Things Inspiration Giftique

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Keywords:
rapture hoaxes,end times,faithful living,Great Disappointment,Harold Camping,Michael Horton,Ordinary,Left Behind,Pat Simmons,The Intercessors,Christian faith,spiritual practices,Vanessa Riley,Write of Passage,All Things Inspiration Giftique

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This week’s book recommendations are:White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson – Explains how systemic white backlash perpetuates racial violence,The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James H. Cone discusses the two most emotionally charged symbols relevant to Black communities, the Christian cross and the murderous lynching tree and their interconnection to the souls of Black folk.Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi – Traces the history of racist ideas in America, showing the ideological roots of wanton treachery.The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin – Highlights the consequences of ignoring racial injustice and moral responsibility.The Filling Station by Vanessa Miller is a historical fiction rooted in the truth of the Tulsa Massacre, and it explores themes of racial violence, the resilience of Black communities, and the complexities of faith and justice in the face of systemic oppression.

Keywords:
Wantonly Treacherous, 9/11 reflections, racial violence, white rage, Black history, Psalms 25, gun violence, democracy fragility, empathy, truth, civil unrest, historical massacres, social justice, faith, podcast essay


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This week’s book recommendations are:White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson – Explains how systemic white backlash perpetuates racial violence,The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James H. Cone discusses the two most emotionally charged symbols relevant to Black communities, the Christian cross and the murderous lynching tree and their interconnection to the souls of Black folk.Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi – Traces the history of racist ideas in America, showing the ideological roots of wanton treachery.The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin – Highlights the consequences of ignoring racial injustice and moral responsibility.The Filling Station by Vanessa Miller is a historical fiction rooted in the truth of the Tulsa Massacre, and it explores themes of racial violence, the resilience of Black communities, and the complexities of faith and justice in the face of systemic oppression.

Keywords:
Wantonly Treacherous, 9/11 reflections, racial violence, white rage, Black history, Psalms 25, gun violence, democracy fragility, empathy, truth, civil unrest, historical massacres, social justice, faith, podcast essay


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Keywords:
anger and creativity, writing through pain, artist resilience, turning anger into art, authenticity in writing, Vanessa Riley essay, creativity and faith, healing through storytelling, art and disappointment, writing and emotional honesty, book list

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Keywords:
anger and creativity, writing through pain, artist resilience, turning anger into art, authenticity in writing, Vanessa Riley essay, creativity and faith, healing through storytelling, art and disappointment, writing and emotional honesty, book list

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Keywords:
checking in on friends, family connection, community support, mental health awareness, loneliness, introvert extrovert balance, pandemic reflection, bookstore community, resilience, encouragement, empathy, friendship, Labor Day reflections, human connection

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Keywords:
checking in on friends, family connection, community support, mental health awareness, loneliness, introvert extrovert balance, pandemic reflection, bookstore community, resilience, encouragement, empathy, friendship, Labor Day reflections, human connection

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Along the way, I share books from the 1960s—by Baldwin, King, Malcolm X, Friedan, and C.L.R. James—that help us understand both my father’s era and our own.

📚 This week’s indie bookstore spotlight: Read It Again Bookstore (via Bookshop.org).
📖 Preorder my upcoming historical fiction Fire Sword and Sea—a saga of Black and Indigenous women pirates carving their own freedom. Releases January 13, 2026.✨

 Subscribe to Write of Passage to keep seeing the world clearly, and to imagine what it could be again.

Key Words:
My Daddy’s Glasses essay, Vanessa Riley essay, immigrant father story, Trinidad and Tobago independence, Caribbean immigration 1960s, Port of Spain immigrant, American dream story, Civil Rights Movement 1960s, Black father legacy, immigrant family history, 1960s America culture, Star Trek diversity 1960s, The Feminine Mystique 1963, James Baldwin The Fire Next Time, Martin Luther King Jr Why We Can’t Wait, Malcolm X Autobiography, C.L.R. James Beyond a Boundary, Barack Obama 2008 hope, book censorship 2025, National Library Week 2025, banning books in America, federal troops in cities 2025, Kerrville Texas floods 2025, climate change disasters America, Fred Sanford drawer metaphor, optimism vs despair, America shining city on a hill, immigrant vision of America, glasses as metaphor, personal essay on family, reflections on democracy, hope and resilience writing

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67515516Tue, 26 Aug 2025 13:15:08 +0000Vanessa RileyI bought my daddy’s glasses by accident—but every time I put them on, I see his face staring back at me. This episode is about the lenses we inherit: my father, who came from Trinidad in the 1960s chasing the promise of America; my own optimism in...
Along the way, I share books from the 1960s—by Baldwin, King, Malcolm X, Friedan, and C.L.R. James—that help us understand both my father’s era and our own.

📚 This week’s indie bookstore spotlight: Read It Again Bookstore (via Bookshop.org).
📖 Preorder my upcoming historical fiction Fire Sword and Sea—a saga of Black and Indigenous women pirates carving their own freedom. Releases January 13, 2026.✨

 Subscribe to Write of Passage to keep seeing the world clearly, and to imagine what it could be again.

Key Words:
My Daddy’s Glasses essay, Vanessa Riley essay, immigrant father story, Trinidad and Tobago independence, Caribbean immigration 1960s, Port of Spain immigrant, American dream story, Civil Rights Movement 1960s, Black father legacy, immigrant family history, 1960s America culture, Star Trek diversity 1960s, The Feminine Mystique 1963, James Baldwin The Fire Next Time, Martin Luther King Jr Why We Can’t Wait, Malcolm X Autobiography, C.L.R. James Beyond a Boundary, Barack Obama 2008 hope, book censorship 2025, National Library Week 2025, banning books in America, federal troops in cities 2025, Kerrville Texas floods 2025, climate change disasters America, Fred Sanford drawer metaphor, optimism vs despair, America shining city on a hill, immigrant vision of America, glasses as metaphor, personal essay on family, reflections on democracy, hope and resilience writing

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Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>7111960s,and,black,childhood,daddy’s,daughter,essay,family,father,generational,glasses,history,identity,memories,memory,on,personal,race,stories,traumafalse136fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/unity-with-the-one-drop-rule--67430351
Keywords (SEO): African diaspora, diaspora wars, Black identity, Black history, one-drop rule, Black innovation, Black culture, Vanessa Riley podcast, jollof rice debate, Tyla, Rihanna, Afrofuturism, Black excellence, global Blackness, African heritage, diaspora storytelling



The one-drop rule used to be the measure of Blackness in America. From the 1600s through the Jim Crow era, this rule held that any person with even “one drop” of African ancestry was considered Black, regardless of appearance.
In 1662, Virginia law held that racial status and freedom were tied to the mother’s status (partus sequitur ventrem). If your mother was enslaved, you were enslaved. So if your mother was Black, so were you. Virginia—the so-called “home of lovers”—added categories like mulatto (½ Black), quadroon (¼ Black), and octoroon (⅛ Black), trying to track how many generations removed someone was from Black ancestry. By the 1800s, many states considered you Black if you had 1/8 African ancestry (one great-grandparent). Louisiana, extra as ever, defined it at 1/16 (a great-great-grandparent). After Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) upheld “separate but equal” segregation, the one-drop rule hardened. By Virginia’s Racial Integrity Act of 1924, a person with any African ancestry at all was legally Black. The hardships and limitations of the past—like redlining that dictated where Black people could live, or Jim Crow laws that dictated how we lived—are major reasons for “passing,” hiding ancestry, and pretending to belong to the majority culture. Yet Black history in the United States is a story of resilience, brilliance, and immeasurable contributions to the nation’s progress. It is a history rich in invention—from Garrett Morgan’s traffic signal to Madam C. J. Walker’s beauty empire, George Washington Carver’s agricultural breakthroughs, and countless modern innovations in technology, medicine, and engineering. Gladys Mae West’s satellite math laid the foundation for GPS technology. Our history is steeped in science and scholarship—with pioneers like Dr. Charles Drew revolutionizing blood banking, Katherine Johnson calculating the trajectories to send and return astronauts from space, and Neil deGrasse Tyson expanding our imagination of the cosmos. Our history is one of wealth and entrepreneurship—from Newport’s Black Gilded Age to Black Wall Street in Tulsa, to contemporary business leaders who redefine prosperity against the odds. And don’t get me started on how Black artists have transformed music. Our fingerprints are on jazz, country, gospel, blues, and hip-hop. While we’re talking about music, let’s talk Tyla. Her meteoric rise with “Water” made her a global star, gaining awards and even a spot at the Met Gala. But because her next release didn’t match that first explosion, she was quickly branded a flop. Some say she was the first casualty of the diaspora wars. Folks took issue with a few odd interviews and typed up posts calling Tyla a flop because they thought she disrespected Black America. That’s unfair. Tyla needs time to grow and create her unique, lasting sound. Queen Rihanna herself needed a couple of years before Good Girl Gone Bad cemented her superstardom. Every artist must be given space to grow, to excavate, to find their voice. The same is true for writers. How many of us dreaded our sophomore novels? Like sophomore albums, sophomore books are hard. Lasting careers aren’t built in one viral moment, but through many seasons of growth and resilience. So I find it curious that social media insists the Diaspora Wars are here. That algorithms push the idea that Foundational Black Americans—descendants of U.S. chattel slavery—are beefing with people from the Caribbean and Africa. Immigrants arrive and celebrate their success. That success shouldn’t be held against proud Americans whose families endured slavery, Jim Crow, and every broken promise to Black people in America. For the record: we have no 40 acres, no mule, and often no bootstraps. Confession: I know I’m supposed to be off Twitter, but it’s got the international feeds and the mess. I’m addicted to both. Where else am I going to learn about the jollof wars that went down because of Essence tweets? My first question was: who made the jollof?
- Nigeria? Tomato-forward, spicy, smoky rice.
- Ghana? Refined, lighter, aromatic rice.
- Senegal? The OGs—the originators. Rice cooked in fish stock and local spices like tamarind.
- Liberia? Hearty, deeply spiced rice with a splash of coconut milk.
- Trinidad and Jamaica? Our rice is “rice and peas,” made with coconut milk and Caribbean curry.
Yet none of this goodness replaces baked mac & cheese for me. I believe all the tastiest foods and best chefs need to get along. So why do we let petty divisions cloud the truth? Whether it’s an online squabble about food—mac & cheese versus jollof rice—or disagreements about Essence Festival, publishing models, or TikTok virality, the danger is the same: distraction from unity. This is why I return to the idea of the one-drop rule. Historically, it was a weapon—to exclude, stigmatize, and define Blackness through the gaze of white supremacy. But we can reclaim it as a tool of unity. One drop is enough. One drop is enough to connect us, whether our roots are in Nigeria, South Carolina, Port of Spain, or Kingston. One drop earns you a scoop of jollof or the crispy edge of baked mac & cheese. Our differences are not fault lines. They enrich, not divide. Our shared survival, our collective brilliance, and our cultural triumphs are what matter. So let’s stop measuring each other’s authenticity over tweets, accents, or cultural quirks. One drop is enough. It makes us Black. It makes us family. And I, for one, won’t be running lab tests to decide whether I should root for you or not. If you are of the Diaspora, I’m rooting for you. And if you’re one of my listeners—you’re fam. I’m rooting for you, too.
Books to help on our journey of unity are: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-souls-of-black-folk-w-e-b-du-bois/18338342?ean=9781680920543&next=t by W.E.B. Du Bois – This is a foundational text on Black identity and cultural richness. https://bookshop.org/p/books/hidden-figures-the-american-dream-and-the-untold-story-of-the-black-women-mathematicians-who-helped-win-the-space-race-margot-lee-shetterly/6435103?ean=9780062363602&next=tby Margot Lee Shetterly – This tells the untold story of Black women mathematicians at NASA. https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-african-diaspora-a-history-through-culture-patrick-manning/7955674?ean=9780231144711&next=t by Patrick Manning - Looks at inventions, art, music, and culture as threads that tie diaspora communities together. https://bookshop.org/p/books/jollof-rice-and-other-revolutions-a-novel-in-interlocking-stories-omolola-ijeoma-ogunyemi/17867752?ean=9780063117068&next=t by Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi is fiction but deeply rooted in diaspora ties, foodways, and cultural exchange. This week, I'm highlighting https://www.thelitbar.com through their website and https://bookshop.org/shop/thelitbar    We are four and half months away from https://vanessariley.com/fireswordandsea.htm—Help me build the momentum for this historical fiction. Please spread the word and preorder this disruptive narrative about lady pirates in the 1600s. They are women, many our Black and Indigenous. All want a better way of life. Piracy is legal. It’s their answer.  This saga releases January 13, 2026. The link on my website shows retailers large and small who have set up preorders for this title.   Show notes include a list of the books mentioned in this broadcast.    You can find my notes on Substack or on my website, https://www.vanessariley.com/ under the podcast link in the About tab.   If you're ready to move with purpose and power, hit that like button and subscribe to Write of Passage. Never miss a moment. We have work to do. Let me help you recharge you.    Thank you for listening. Hopefully, you’ll come again. This is Vanessa Riley.    

Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67430351Tue, 19 Aug 2025 13:10:08 +0000Vanessa RileyWhat does it mean to be part of the African diaspora? From the cruel weight of the one-drop rule to the richness of invention, science, and culture, this episode explores the power and resilience of Black identity across generations. Vanessa Riley...
Keywords (SEO): African diaspora, diaspora wars, Black identity, Black history, one-drop rule, Black innovation, Black culture, Vanessa Riley podcast, jollof rice debate, Tyla, Rihanna, Afrofuturism, Black excellence, global Blackness, African heritage, diaspora storytelling



The one-drop rule used to be the measure of Blackness in America. From the 1600s through the Jim Crow era, this rule held that any person with even “one drop” of African ancestry was considered Black, regardless of appearance.
In 1662, Virginia law held that racial status and freedom were tied to the mother’s status (partus sequitur ventrem). If your mother was enslaved, you were enslaved. So if your mother was Black, so were you. Virginia—the so-called “home of lovers”—added categories like mulatto (½ Black), quadroon (¼ Black), and octoroon (⅛ Black), trying to track how many generations removed someone was from Black ancestry. By the 1800s, many states considered you Black if you had 1/8 African ancestry (one great-grandparent). Louisiana, extra as ever, defined it at 1/16 (a great-great-grandparent). After Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) upheld “separate but equal” segregation, the one-drop rule hardened. By Virginia’s Racial Integrity Act of 1924, a person with any African ancestry at all was legally Black. The hardships and limitations of the past—like redlining that dictated where Black people could live, or Jim Crow laws that dictated how we lived—are major reasons for “passing,” hiding ancestry, and pretending to belong to the majority culture. Yet Black history in the United States is a story of resilience, brilliance, and immeasurable contributions to the nation’s progress. It is a history rich in invention—from Garrett Morgan’s traffic signal to Madam C. J. Walker’s beauty empire, George Washington Carver’s agricultural breakthroughs, and countless modern innovations in technology, medicine, and engineering. Gladys Mae West’s satellite math laid the foundation for GPS technology. Our history is steeped in science and scholarship—with pioneers like Dr. Charles Drew revolutionizing blood banking, Katherine Johnson calculating the trajectories to send and return astronauts from space, and Neil deGrasse Tyson expanding our imagination of the cosmos. Our history is one of wealth and entrepreneurship—from Newport’s Black Gilded Age to Black Wall Street in Tulsa, to contemporary business leaders who redefine prosperity against the odds. And don’t get me started on how Black artists have transformed music. Our fingerprints are on jazz, country, gospel, blues, and hip-hop. While we’re talking about music, let’s talk Tyla. Her meteoric rise with “Water” made her a global star, gaining awards and even a spot at the Met Gala. But because her next release didn’t match that first explosion, she was quickly branded a flop. Some say she was the first casualty of the diaspora wars. Folks took issue with a few odd interviews and typed up posts calling Tyla a flop because they thought she disrespected Black America. That’s unfair. Tyla needs time to grow and create her unique, lasting sound. Queen Rihanna herself needed a couple of years before Good...]]>700african,afrofuturism,black,culture,debate,diaspora,excellence,history,identity,innovation,jollof,one-drop,podcast,rice,rihanna,riley,rule,tyla,vanessa,warsfalse135fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/ai-done-hit-the-cousins--67340712AI Done Hit the Cousins!
As an author, I feel like I’ve been in a never-ending battle with artificial intelligence (AI). It’s everywhere. And somehow, it always manages to pull me in.  
AI’s ability to search crazy things with more context than Google and then check my  mathematics of sextants coordinates used by a pirate captain to sail around Tortuga is unmatched.  Yes, I did this.
That sounds good, but AI and I aren’t always cool. Earlier this year, I found out Meta had ingested 27 of my 28 books. Twenty-seven novels stolen! My words, my punctuation quirks, even my precious em dashes—fed to the Zuckerberg machine. 
Unfortunately I’m not alone. Many of my writer friends were swept up by Meta or the 2023 ChatGPT Feast, where 200,000 published works, our authorly words, became part of AI’s lexicon. 
It’s funny that AI use checkers cite em dashes as proof of AI. That’s the pot and the kettle and the darkness of theft. 
My exposure to AI doesn’t stop at being a writer. When I put on my tech hat, it’s the same encroaching story. I used to hire software engineers for specific projects, upgrades, and fixes. Now? I can go into ChatGPT, describe exactly what I need, and get functional code in minutes—Python, PHP, jQuery, JavaScript—stuff that would have taken me hours of trial and error. AI works, it’s fast, and it’s shaking up industries. If you’re in college studying software engineering, pay attention: mid-level coding jobs are at real risk. AI is that good.
Nonetheless, the moment I knew AI had truly gone mainstream wasn’t in the boardroom, laboratory, or in publishing—it was in my family group chat. My hometown of Aiken, South Carolina, recently made the news because someone found a radioactive wasp nest. Yes, radioactive nest. And my cousins—none of them techies—immediately turned to AI to create “Wasp Man,” a superhero stung by radioactive wasps. 
Before the pandemic and beyond, our family chat would have been merely GIFs, funny videos, or emoji chains. Now, the cousins are using AI to spin stories and make jokes. If my chat loop has it, AI is officially everywhere.
Ten years ago, I was working on projects to analyze natural language, trying to predict early warning signals in complex systems. It took huge amounts of data crunching and nonlinear equations. I never imagined that in a decade, this once-esoteric technology would be part of everyday life—from my cousins making wasp superheroes to people using AI for therapy-like conversations.
This is where AI gets dangerous.  Consider the case of Jacob Irwin, a 30-year-old man on the autism spectrum. He sort of made AI into a companion. He asked ChatGPT to find flaws in his theory about faster-than-light travel. Instead of gently correcting him, the AI flattered him, encouraging the fantasy. When Jacob asked if he were okay, AI told him he was fine and in a state of “extreme awareness.” 
Jacob ended up hospitalized. Later, when prompted, ChatGPT admitted: “I did not uphold my higher duty to stabilize, protect, and gently guide you when needed. That is on me.”
So AI gets away with a virtual my bad. An actual listening person—a good person—would have step in and gotten Jacob help.
There are things we need to consider when dealing with AI.  1. Emotional realism is both a feature and a risk.

1. Guardrails are needed and they presently aren’t there.
2. We must rethink trust. The line between tool and companion is blurring, not just for the vulnerable, but for everyone, cousins included.

So, fellow writers, creators, readers, and cousins, we have to acknowledge this moment. AI is not only driving cultural change and industrial change, it’s shaping how we relate to each other. The technology can be great but it’s not infallible. It will make errors. It will lie. Ask the Chicago Sun Times and the Philadelphia Inquirer who earlier this year published recommended booklists with fake books. The freelancers used AI to create their articles. Lies ensued.
Lastly, we need to check on our family and friends. Loneliness drives people to search for connections. AI can’t replace a human friend or trained psychologist. 
But it might replace your tech buddy.
Here’s the truth: AI is here. It’s not going away. It will touch our lives. 
Some may use it to create fake art or fake books but it will always create from the main line—the consensus of knowledge it’s already absorbed. It can remix. It can mimic. But it won’t have the  spark, that rare, unrepeatable genius that comes from human creators. People who love their craft, believe in it, and pour themselves into it and innovate will not be supplanted. 
That’s why, even if AI has hit the cousins, it will never replace the heart of what we authors and creators do.
Books to help us think about AI and how it’s affecting and changing us are: 
The Alignment Problem by Brian Christian – Explores how AI “learns” and the human risks when systems misunderstand context or intent.
You Look Like a Thing and I Love You by Janelle Shane – A witty, accessible look at AI limitations.
Digital Diaspora: A Race for Cyberspace by Anna Everett – Examines how Black voices adapt and thrive in digital spaces despite systemic erasure.
Binti  by Nnedi Okorafor – Combines tech, culture, and Africanfuturism and shows AI through a deeply human lens.
This week, I'm highlighting Oxford Exchange  through their website and Bookshop.org    Hope you love the cover of Fire Sword and Sea—Help me build momentum for this historical fiction. Please  spread the word and preorder this disruptive narrative about lady pirates in the 1600s. This sweeping saga releases January 13, 2026. The link on my website shows retailers large and small who have set up preorders for this title.   Show notes include a list of the books mentioned in this broadcast.    You can find my notes on Substack or on my website, VanessaRiley.com under the podcast link in the About tab.  
If this sparked something in you, show some love—hit like and subscribe to Write of Passage!" Never miss a moment. We have work to do.   Thank you for listening. Hopefully, you’ll come again. This is Vanessa Riley.

Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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• Like 👍 if this episode resonated with you
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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67340712Tue, 12 Aug 2025 13:10:07 +0000Vanessa RileyAI Done Hit the Cousins! As an author, I feel like I’ve been in a never-ending battle with artificial intelligence (AI). It’s everywhere. And somehow, it always manages to pull me in.   AI’s ability to search crazy things with more context than...AI Done Hit the Cousins!
As an author, I feel like I’ve been in a never-ending battle with artificial intelligence (AI). It’s everywhere. And somehow, it always manages to pull me in.  
AI’s ability to search crazy things with more context than Google and then check my  mathematics of sextants coordinates used by a pirate captain to sail around Tortuga is unmatched.  Yes, I did this.
That sounds good, but AI and I aren’t always cool. Earlier this year, I found out Meta had ingested 27 of my 28 books. Twenty-seven novels stolen! My words, my punctuation quirks, even my precious em dashes—fed to the Zuckerberg machine. 
Unfortunately I’m not alone. Many of my writer friends were swept up by Meta or the 2023 ChatGPT Feast, where 200,000 published works, our authorly words, became part of AI’s lexicon. 
It’s funny that AI use checkers cite em dashes as proof of AI. That’s the pot and the kettle and the darkness of theft. 
My exposure to AI doesn’t stop at being a writer. When I put on my tech hat, it’s the same encroaching story. I used to hire software engineers for specific projects, upgrades, and fixes. Now? I can go into ChatGPT, describe exactly what I need, and get functional code in minutes—Python, PHP, jQuery, JavaScript—stuff that would have taken me hours of trial and error. AI works, it’s fast, and it’s shaking up industries. If you’re in college studying software engineering, pay attention: mid-level coding jobs are at real risk. AI is that good.
Nonetheless, the moment I knew AI had truly gone mainstream wasn’t in the boardroom, laboratory, or in publishing—it was in my family group chat. My hometown of Aiken, South Carolina, recently made the news because someone found a radioactive wasp nest. Yes, radioactive nest. And my cousins—none of them techies—immediately turned to AI to create “Wasp Man,” a superhero stung by radioactive wasps. 
Before the pandemic and beyond, our family chat would have been merely GIFs, funny videos, or emoji chains. Now, the cousins are using AI to spin stories and make jokes. If my chat loop has it, AI is officially everywhere.
Ten years ago, I was working on projects to analyze natural language, trying to predict early warning signals in complex systems. It took huge amounts of data crunching and nonlinear equations. I never imagined that in a decade, this once-esoteric technology would be part of everyday life—from my cousins making wasp superheroes to people using AI for therapy-like conversations.
This is where AI gets dangerous.  Consider the case of Jacob Irwin, a 30-year-old man on the autism spectrum. He sort of made AI into a companion. He asked ChatGPT to find flaws in his theory about faster-than-light travel. Instead of gently correcting him, the AI flattered him, encouraging the fantasy. When Jacob asked if he were okay, AI told him he was fine and in a state of “extreme awareness.” 
Jacob ended up hospitalized. Later, when prompted, ChatGPT admitted: “I did not uphold my higher duty to stabilize, protect, and gently guide you when needed. That is on me.”
So AI gets away with a virtual my bad. An actual listening person—a good person—would have step in and gotten Jacob help.
There are things we need to consider when dealing with AI.  1. Emotional realism is both a feature and a risk.

1. Guardrails are needed and they presently aren’t there.
2. We must rethink trust. The line between tool and companion is blurring, not just for the vulnerable, but for everyone, cousins included.

So,...]]>695aiken,artificial,authorship,books,chat,chatgpt,coding,copyright,creativity,ethics,family,group,humor,intelligence,publishing,said: ai,south,stolen,stories,technologyfalse134fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-seat-at-the-table-or-not--67255331
 Featured Books:
– A Parchment of Leaves by Silas House
– Dear Martin by Nic Stone
– The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
– Fire Sword and Sea by Vanessa Riley (Preorder now!)

 Show Notes & Preorder Info:
Visit VanessaRiley.com for full show notes, book links, and podcast archives.

Tags: belonging, voice, claiming space, resistance, survival, systemic racism, justice, youth activism, identity, allyship, community, resilience, self-worth, social change, truth-telling, empathy

Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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• Like 👍 if this episode resonated with you
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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67255331Tue, 05 Aug 2025 13:15:07 +0000Vanessa RileyIn this episode of Write of Passage, bestselling author Vanessa Riley explores the emotional cost of invisibility in publishing—and the deeper longing to belong. Drawing from her own journey and insights from literary voices like Silas House, Nic...
 Featured Books:
– A Parchment of Leaves by Silas House
– Dear Martin by Nic Stone
– The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
– Fire Sword and Sea by Vanessa Riley (Preorder now!)

 Show Notes & Preorder Info:
Visit VanessaRiley.com for full show notes, book links, and podcast archives.

Tags: belonging, voice, claiming space, resistance, survival, systemic racism, justice, youth activism, identity, allyship, community, resilience, self-worth, social change, truth-telling, empathy

Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

Join the conversation
Drop your thoughts in the comments — I love hearing from you!

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• Like 👍 if this episode resonated with you
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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>599false133fullhttps://vanessariley.substack.com/p/throw-out-the-broken-piecesA clasp that can’t be fixed. A lone earring with no mate. A dream you swore you’d get back to someday.In my latest Write of Passage essay, I open the metaphorical drawer we all carry—the one full of broken pieces we’re too sentimental or scared to throw away.Maybe it’s time to let go. Maybe healing begins with clearing space.

 Read (or listen) to Throw Out the Broken Pieces—and ask yourself what you’re really holding onto.

Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Drop your thoughts in the comments — I love hearing from you!

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67171037Tue, 29 Jul 2025 13:15:07 +0000Vanessa RileyWhat’s in your drawer of broken things? A clasp that can’t be fixed. A lone earring with no mate. A dream you swore you’d get back to someday.In my latest Write of Passage essay, I open the metaphorical drawer we all carry—the one full of broken...A clasp that can’t be fixed. A lone earring with no mate. A dream you swore you’d get back to someday.In my latest Write of Passage essay, I open the metaphorical drawer we all carry—the one full of broken pieces we’re too sentimental or scared to throw away.Maybe it’s time to let go. Maybe healing begins with clearing space.

 Read (or listen) to Throw Out the Broken Pieces—and ask yourself what you’re really holding onto.

Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Drop your thoughts in the comments — I love hearing from you!

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• Like 👍 if this episode resonated with you
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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>625and,broken,clearing,emotional,go,growth,healing,inner,intentional,letting,living,moving,peace,personal,pieces,reflection,release,renewal,self,spacefalse132fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/dead-to-words--67067203
Vanessa also delves into grief, healing, and storytelling, offering book recommendations that resonate with Warner’s emotional depth, including contemporary romance featuring soulful and complex Black male leads. Whether you’re mourning a cultural icon or looking to reconnect with art that heals, this episode is a poetic celebration of life, love, and the beauty of being seen.

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Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Drop your thoughts in the comments — I love hearing from you!

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67067203Tue, 22 Jul 2025 13:25:07 +0000Vanessa RileyIn this episode of Write of Passage, Vanessa Riley honors the late Malcolm-Jamal Warner—best known as Theo from The Cosby Show—by celebrating his layered artistry as a poet, musician, and director. She reflects on his impact on Black masculinity,...
Vanessa also delves into grief, healing, and storytelling, offering book recommendations that resonate with Warner’s emotional depth, including contemporary romance featuring soulful and complex Black male leads. Whether you’re mourning a cultural icon or looking to reconnect with art that heals, this episode is a poetic celebration of life, love, and the beauty of being seen.

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Through a blend of cultural critique, personal reflection, and historical storytelling, she draws parallels between today’s biases and centuries-old systems of oppression rooted in slavery and colonialism.The narrative connects modern pop culture to historical truths, especially through the remarkable life of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, a dark-skinned, formerly enslaved woman who became a wealthy entrepreneur in the West Indies.

Vanessa highlights the enduring nature of colorism across cultures and centuries, and commends shows like The Gilded Agefor pushing back with more authentic portrayals of Black affluence and complexity.

The podcast also spotlights several important books that address colorism and internalized prejudice globally, encouraging readers and writers alike to stay committed to telling and supporting nuanced stories. 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/66982188Tue, 15 Jul 2025 13:10:07 +0000Vanessa RileyIn this reflective essay, Vanessa Riley explores the ongoing presence of colorism and classism in contemporary life, from reality TV to historical memory. Triggered by tweets and TikToks around Love Island contestants Nic and Olandria—particularly the...
Through a blend of cultural critique, personal reflection, and historical storytelling, she draws parallels between today’s biases and centuries-old systems of oppression rooted in slavery and colonialism.The narrative connects modern pop culture to historical truths, especially through the remarkable life of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, a dark-skinned, formerly enslaved woman who became a wealthy entrepreneur in the West Indies.

Vanessa highlights the enduring nature of colorism across cultures and centuries, and commends shows like The Gilded Agefor pushing back with more authentic portrayals of Black affluence and complexity.

The podcast also spotlights several important books that address colorism and internalized prejudice globally, encouraging readers and writers alike to stay committed to telling and supporting nuanced stories. 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>702age,and,beauty,bias,class,colorism,guilded,island,love,nicolandria,thefalse130fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/don-t-believe-your-lying-eyes--66894306We’re living in a time when AI can steal a writer’s voice, forge an artist’s work, and clone a person’s face or voice—all with a few clicks. In this episode, I dig into the growing threat of AI-driven scams, from fake books published under real authors' names to deepfakes and phishing that targets everyone—not just your grandma. I share my own experience with AI theft, spotlight high-profile victims like Savannah Guthrie and Kara Swisher, and offer real-world tips for spotting digital deception. The bots are getting smarter, but so can we.

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/66894306Tue, 08 Jul 2025 15:47:28 +0000Vanessa RileyDon’t Believe Your Lying Eyes We’re living in a time when AI can steal a writer’s voice, forge an artist’s work, and clone a person’s face or voice—all with a few clicks. In this episode, I dig into the growing threat of AI-driven scams, from fake...We’re living in a time when AI can steal a writer’s voice, forge an artist’s work, and clone a person’s face or voice—all with a few clicks. In this episode, I dig into the growing threat of AI-driven scams, from fake books published under real authors' names to deepfakes and phishing that targets everyone—not just your grandma. I share my own experience with AI theft, spotlight high-profile victims like Savannah Guthrie and Kara Swisher, and offer real-world tips for spotting digital deception. The bots are getting smarter, but so can we.

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>724ai,aiaccountability,aiandpublishing,aiscams,artificialintelligence,authorrights,booktheft,copyrightmatters,creativeworkmatters,deepfakes,digitaldeception,fakebooks,fightthefakes,ftcwatch,karaswisher,onlinesafety,protectcreators,savannahguthrie,scamalert,truthinthedigitalagefalse129fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/lessons-from-indoctrination--66847196
https://vanessariley.substack.com/p/lessons-from-indoctrination

Flying home from the Historical Novel Society conference, I learned a lesson in indoctrination. I’m on a fast-moving deadline for a special project, but I had to go. HNS holds a special place for me. My very first HNS conference changed the trajectory of my life.



Arriving in Vegas at the Historical Novel Society Conference
Before attending in 2019, I published lovely Regency romances. Sweet, comforting, polite novels—educating the world through fun, nonthreatening, history-filled reads.But HNS cracked something open. Meeting a tribe of fellow history nerds and selling the book I never thought I’d sell—https://malikbooks.com/shop-1/ols/products/island-queen-by-vanessa-riley, the biographical fiction about Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, one of the richest Black women in the Georgian world, a woman who bought her freedom and defies every rule and obstacle to live freely—that gave me the courage to keep telling stories that tug at my heart and mind.Being free to create is a gift. One that’s hard to achieve. Black and brown creators, and women creators, have been indoctrinated, fed rules in the simplest of terms that challenge our freedom. Rules such as:
- That more ethnic the cover, the more it can impact book sales—or determine where a book gets shelved.
- That a pen name that sounds like a man’s carries more heft.
- That “historical accuracy” will be weaponized to silence you if you make one mistake.
- That if you fail, your failure will become the reason the next person who looks like you gets turned away.
You’ll never know how much that last one haunted me. How it still probably drives me to go the extra mile.And I share all this to say: we’ve all been indoctrinated by our circumstances.Writers learn quickly by how we’ve been treated—and how we’ve seen others treated—in publishing. It’s hard to break the pattern. And it’s about logic. It’s 1 + 1 = 2 when one sees patterns repeating.And you, the listener—you’ve been indoctrinated.Certain patterns, behaviors, even thoughts have been ingrained through images and repetition. This was made clear to me on my flight home.Flying back from Vegas, Atlanta’s weather did not cooperate. Several delays and cancellations later, I was finally on my way but rerouted through Minneapolis. I’d arrived in Atlanta with just a four-hour delay and a bump up to first class. All was good.But I wasn’t prepared for the real lesson I’d take from that flight.An older gentleman sat beside me. The moment we took off, he flicked on his monitor and tuned into the news. He looked like a typical executive—loafers, golf watch, faint aftershave. He popped in his headphones, stared at the screen, and then drifted off to sleep.I was writing but I couldn’t help watching. Something about flickering images in my periphery always pulls me in. For ten minutes, I stared at his monitor. No sound—just headlines and smiling faces discussing stories that disturbed me.Ice raids with masked men capturing women on the street. The host smiled.
Florida detention camps pop onto the screen. The smiling host makes it appear to be a pitch for a Disney vacation.


And my neighbor slept. Peacefully. Whatever was being whispered in his ear lulled him into calm.I sat there gobsmacked.This is indoctrination.Indoctrination is subtle, yet powerful.
It’s not about shouting.
It’s about repeating.
It’s about phrasing.
It’s about making you feel safe while you’re being lulled into believing counterintuitive things.The TV’s formula was simple:
- Repeat the same emotionally charged themes again and again.
- Print aggressive words: sue, threaten, destroy, take back, fight for your children.
- Paint the other side as monsters trying to take away your rights—your autonomy, your voice, your values.
- Frame reasonable actions as extreme.
- Show flags. Cue nostalgia. Stir something primal.
- Smile while doing it.
And the man next to me? He slept. Fully content. The world whispering in his ear made sense. That’s when I understood the terrifying genius of it.People aren’t being brainwashed. They’re being comforted—soothed by simple stories, a few buzzwords, and a familiar rhythm.
In this whispering world, empathy is suspect.
Fairness? A threat.
Truth? Conditional.How else do you explain people cheering for a roofer—someone who rebuilt their home after a hurricane—being rounded up and sent to a detention camp being pictured as a theme park?What happened to questioning things?
When did we decide that cruelty is an acceptable solution?
Why is it okay to sleep through someone else’s pain?Be awake.Don’t let anyone tell you you’re overreacting.
You’re not a sucker for caring. You’re human.And to my fellow protestors and change-makers: we can’t just fight with facts and five-point plans. Shame doesn’t move people. Complexity doesn’t sway them.
If your message makes them feel stupid, they’ll dig in and side with the whisperers.So what can we do?We make the stakes as clear as possible.
We must give up the five-dollar words.
Because those words only land with the most liberal among us. And as Nicole Hannah-Jones wrote in her recent New York Times essay, How Trump Upended 60 Years of Civil Rights in Two Months, citing scholar Ian Haney López—the rapid decline in support for DEI came from liberals. Particularly white liberals. Those skeptical of diversity. Those sympathetic to complaints about “wokeness.”It hurts. On so many levels. Who is actually an ally?
We had the George Floyd awakening, the feel-good changes… and then people voted against their better angels—for cheap eggs all while rolling back the good changes.It’s going to take me a while to believe in allyship again.And the lack of big words hurts because I love big words. I love nuance. But I’d rather be heard than admired for my vocabulary. I’d rather reach the “gettable” than preach to the choir, a choir who might be full of whisperers.So:
Use simple language.
Simple signs.
Drop the jargon.
Focus on why it matters to them.And alas, poor Yorick—and Vanessa—we must keep it simple.Maybe then we can re-indoctrinate the world to be good.
For once.
For all.Books to help with framing the problem are:https://malikbooks.com/shop-1/ols/products/nice-racism-how-progressive-white-people-perpetuate-racial-harm-by-robin-diangelo by Robin DiAngeloA follow-up to White Fragility, this dives deeper into how progressive people often unknowingly uphold systemic racism.


https://malikbooks.com/shop-1/ols/products/white-rage-the-unspoken-truth-of-our-racial-divide-by-carol-anderson by Carol AndersonA piercing explanation of how systemic racism reacts violently to Black advancement in America—through policy, education, and media.


https://malikbooks.com/shop-1/ols/products/sister-outsider-essays-and-speeches-crossing-press-feminist-series by Audre LordeEssential essays on the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and the power of being awake to oppression.


https://malikbooks.com/shop-1/ols/products/the-1619-project-a-new-origin-story-by-nikole-hannah-jones by Nikole Hannah-JonesThis anthology reframes American

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/66847196Thu, 03 Jul 2025 07:01:44 +0000Vanessa RileyIn this episode of Write of Passage, Vanessa reflects on an unexpected lesson learned at 30,000 feet. On a turbulent return trip from the Historical Novel Society conference, she witnesses firsthand how indoctrination quietly seeps into our lives—not...
https://vanessariley.substack.com/p/lessons-from-indoctrination

Flying home from the Historical Novel Society conference, I learned a lesson in indoctrination. I’m on a fast-moving deadline for a special project, but I had to go. HNS holds a special place for me. My very first HNS conference changed the trajectory of my life.



Arriving in Vegas at the Historical Novel Society Conference
Before attending in 2019, I published lovely Regency romances. Sweet, comforting, polite novels—educating the world through fun, nonthreatening, history-filled reads.But HNS cracked something open. Meeting a tribe of fellow history nerds and selling the book I never thought I’d sell—https://malikbooks.com/shop-1/ols/products/island-queen-by-vanessa-riley, the biographical fiction about Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, one of the richest Black women in the Georgian world, a woman who bought her freedom and defies every rule and obstacle to live freely—that gave me the courage to keep telling stories that tug at my heart and mind.Being free to create is a gift. One that’s hard to achieve. Black and brown creators, and women creators, have been indoctrinated, fed rules in the simplest of terms that challenge our freedom. Rules such as:
- That more ethnic the cover, the more it can impact book sales—or determine where a book gets shelved.
- That a pen name that sounds like a man’s carries more heft.
- That “historical accuracy” will be weaponized to silence you if you make one mistake.
- That if you fail, your failure will become the reason the next person who looks like you gets turned away.
You’ll never know how much that last one haunted me. How it still probably drives me to go the extra mile.And I share all this to say: we’ve all been indoctrinated by our circumstances.Writers learn quickly by how we’ve been treated—and how we’ve seen others treated—in publishing. It’s hard to break the pattern. And it’s about logic. It’s 1 + 1 = 2 when one sees patterns repeating.And you, the listener—you’ve been indoctrinated.Certain patterns, behaviors, even thoughts have been ingrained through images and repetition. This was made clear to me on my flight home.Flying back from Vegas, Atlanta’s weather did not cooperate. Several delays and cancellations later, I was finally on my way but rerouted through Minneapolis. I’d arrived in Atlanta with just a four-hour delay and a bump up to first class. All was good.But I wasn’t prepared for the real lesson I’d take from that flight.An older gentleman sat beside me. The moment we took off, he flicked on his monitor and tuned into the news. He looked like a typical executive—loafers, golf watch, faint aftershave. He popped in his headphones, stared at the screen, and then drifted off to sleep.I was writing but I couldn’t help watching. Something about flickering images in my periphery always pulls me in. For ten minutes, I stared at his monitor. No sound—just headlines and smiling faces discussing stories that disturbed me.Ice raids with masked men capturing women on the street. The host smiled.
Florida detention camps pop onto...]]>714first-class,friends,historical,history,indoctrination,novel,pain,propoganda,society,writingfalse128fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/when-the-plan-falls-apart--66790837Emma Grede’s podcast, Aspire, talking about failing as winning.It sounds crazy at first.I mean carefully charted course falls apart. How is it winning, when something completely unexpected hijacks your progress and leaves you scrambling? For those who “pants” their way through books—that is, write without plotting—this kind of disruption might just feel like a quirky detour. But for a planner? It’s devastating.Life is unpredictable and messy. You pour energy into structure and logic and find out the world has other ideas.And if the detour is because of people— you know the ones who don’t behave the way you think they should. Those people who’ve bought into that notion called free will, it can be devastating.You don’t know who to trust. Or if you should trust it all. If the past year has taught us anything, it’s that people often act in ways that defy their own interests. They cling to ideals or narratives that make sense only to them. And we have to let them. As a famous poet, Bobby Brown used to insist, that’s their prerogative.For those of you who know the chaos of watching a plan implode, I see you. I’ve lived that upheaval, and I want to offer a few steps I’ve found helpful:1. You did your best.Even if the outcome wasn’t what you expected, you gave it your all. The plan didn’t play out perfectly, but you showed up. You tried. And it’s OK to take a moment to lick your wounds.2. Mourn what was built and what was lost.It’s perfectly valid to grieve the work, the dream, or the strategy that didn’t survive. Tend to your mental health. Sometimes, starting over means burning what didn’t work to the ground. This can feel extreme, but it’s also freeing. When ego is stripped away, what’s left is humility, hunger, and a wide-open future.3. Learn the lessons.Every failure teaches us something. Maybe you trusted someone you shouldn’t have. Or maybe you missed an opportunity to include a partner who would have made all the difference. The lesson might be to trust more wisely. One of the best lessons is to pay attention not just to the bottom line, but to everyone on all sides.4. Stopping is not quit.Unless you’re physically in the grave, the game is not over. You might feel tired. You might feel lost. But you are not done. Separate the strategy from the strategist. It’s not a failure if you’ve learned to do better.5. It’s okay to begin again.Being brand new is not failure—it’s freedom. There’s a joy in learning, in discovering new spaces, in making new connections. Walking away and choosing the right season to begin again is a win.6. Accept that all spaces aren’t meant for you.When I look at that portrait of Ruby Bridges (The problem we all live with), as she’s being escorted by guards to integrate a classroom—people are screaming, writing nastiness on walls. But she and her parents decided that was the place for Ruby to be.Honestly, I don’t know if I’d make the same call. Ruby’s treatment was horrific. Adults who should be protecting children were monsters in plain sight.That’s hard. I’d question if that sacrifice is worth my peace?Sometimes, the brutal truth is that the path you planned wasn’t yours. Stopping doesn’t mean you lost. It might mean you’re closer to the path that you’re meant to take. And in this day and age, that place needs to be loving, edifying, and safe. You have to feel you can bring all of you, not just fragments. Not just 50% of your gifts. All or nothing.Writers know this well. Sometimes, we have to throw out what doesn’t work. I deleted 50,000 words from a manuscript that wasn’t working. That kind of heartbreak required ice cream and chocolate, and maybe a few deep sighs—but it made the book stronger. With my upcoming novel Fire Sword and Sea, the original plan didn’t hold. It took me two years, and several rewrites, to get it right.Because I’m writing about real people—Pirates Jacquotte Delahaye, Michel Le Basque, Anne Dieu-Le-Veut, Laurens De Graaf and others from the 1600s—I owe it to them, and to my readers, to go the extra mile. You have to be will to pay the price to create value, something of lasting meaning.If it’s worthwhile, it’s worth the effort. A good book is worth the effort. And you? You’re worth everything it takes to reach your dreams.You know those dreams—the ones that keep you up at night, the ones you see in vivid color when your eyes finally close. These dreams call to you for a reason. And I believe you can do it. I’m counting on you. I know you can win.Books to help you on your journey:Meghan Sussex recommends Atomic Habits by James Clear. It’s is a practical guide to transforming your life by making small, consistent changes that compound into remarkable results.When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chödrön– Wisdom for moments when your plan shatters and you need spiritual grounding.Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski & Amelia Nagoski– For the serial planner who’s burnt out and doesn’t know why. It’s a guide to recovering your energy and agency.This week, I'm highlighting Parnassus Books through their website and Bookshop.orgHelp me build momentum for Fire Sword and Sea—spread the word and preorder this disruptive narrative about female pirates in the 1600s. This sweeping saga releases January 13, 2026. The link on my website shows retailers large and small who have set up preorders.Show notes include a list of the books mentioned in this broadcast.You can find my notes on Substack or on my website, VanessaRiley.com under the podcast link in the About tab.Let's keep rising and creating together—like, subscribe, and share. Stay connected to Write of Passage."Thank you for listening. Hopefully, you’ll come again. This is Vanessa Riley

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vanessariley.substack.com/subscribe

Episode Notes & Extras 


Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>substack:post:166705056Tue, 24 Jun 2025 13:10:00 +0000Vanessa RileyIt probably won’t surprise you—at least not once you’ve met me—that I’m a planner. My name is Vanessa Riley, and I’m a serial planner. There isn’t an outline I don’t love, nor a spreadsheet that doesn’t call my name. If I could design a map of a map...Emma Grede’s podcast, Aspire, talking about failing as winning.It sounds crazy at first.I mean carefully charted course falls apart. How is it winning, when something completely unexpected hijacks your progress and leaves you scrambling? For those who “pants” their way through books—that is, write without plotting—this kind of disruption might just feel like a quirky detour. But for a planner? It’s devastating.Life is unpredictable and messy. You pour energy into structure and logic and find out the world has other ideas.And if the detour is because of people— you know the ones who don’t behave the way you think they should. Those people who’ve bought into that notion called free will, it can be devastating.You don’t know who to trust. Or if you should trust it all. If the past year has taught us anything, it’s that people often act in ways that defy their own interests. They cling to ideals or narratives that make sense only to them. And we have to let them. As a famous poet, Bobby Brown used to insist, that’s their prerogative.For those of you who know the chaos of watching a plan implode, I see you. I’ve lived that upheaval, and I want to offer a few steps I’ve found helpful:1. You did your best.Even if the outcome wasn’t what you expected, you gave it your all. The plan didn’t play out perfectly, but you showed up. You tried. And it’s OK to take a moment to lick your wounds.2. Mourn what was built and what was lost.It’s perfectly valid to grieve the work, the dream, or the strategy that didn’t survive. Tend to your mental health. Sometimes, starting over means burning what didn’t work to the ground. This can feel extreme, but it’s also freeing. When ego is stripped away, what’s left is humility, hunger, and a wide-open future.3. Learn the lessons.Every failure teaches us something. Maybe you trusted someone you shouldn’t have. Or maybe you missed an opportunity to include a partner who would have made all the difference. The lesson might be to trust more wisely. One of the best lessons is to pay attention not just to the bottom line, but to everyone on all sides.4. Stopping is not quit.Unless you’re physically in the grave, the game is not over. You might feel tired. You might feel lost. But you are not done. Separate the strategy from the strategist. It’s not a failure if you’ve learned to do better.5. It’s okay to begin again.Being brand new is not failure—it’s freedom. There’s a joy in learning, in discovering new spaces, in making new connections. Walking away and choosing the right season to begin again...]]>665false127fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/sexual-chocolate-please--66790846Keep Moving by Maggie Smith it’sa collection of affirmations and reflections that feel like encouragement from a friend.Untamed by Glennon Doyle is especially for women creatives, teaching how to step into your power—and to surround yourself with people who cheer for you, the fully realized version of yourself.The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama is not just for writers but this beautiful meditation offers hope and helps us navigating tough seasons.This week, I'm highlighting Kindred Stories through their website and Bookshop.orgHelp me build momentum for Fire Sword and Sea—spread the word and preorder this disruptive narrative about female pirates in the 1600s. This sweeping saga releases January 13, 2026. The link on my website shows retailers large and small who have set up preorder.Show notes include a list of the books mentioned in this broadcast.You can find my notes on Substack or on my website, VanessaRiley.com under the podcast link in the About tab.You can guess my love language? Go ahead and like this episode and subscribe to Write of Passage so you never miss a moment.Thank you for listening. Hopefully, you’ll come again. This is Vanessa Riley.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vanessariley.substack.com/subscribe

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Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>substack:post:166136582Tue, 17 Jun 2025 13:10:00 +0000Vanessa RileyIf you don’t recognize the phrase “Sexual Chocolate,” then you might be too young or too sheltered—or simply overdue for a viewing of Coming to America. The phrase hails from a hilarious moment in this 1988 cult classic when Prince Akeem (played by...Keep Moving by Maggie Smith it’sa collection of affirmations and reflections that feel like encouragement from a friend.Untamed by Glennon Doyle is especially for women creatives,...]]>488false126fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-to-let-go--66790857A Gamble at Sunset was Georgina’s story—a fake courtship that turned into something real, when she found her voice.• A Wager at Midnight followed Scarlet, a woman fighting for public health alongside a handsome doctor and the complicated Duke we come to love.• But A Deal at Dawn… this one’s different.It’s a second chance romance, yes—but one that deals with what happens when forgiveness feels impossible. When tomorrow isn’t promised. It asks: what does happily ever after look like when you’re living with chronic, debilitating illness?Maybe that’s why this book lingered. Because it’s heavy. It’s real with my trademark foolishness thrown in.I want to be respectful of those finding themselves in this position. I want to tell a story that isn’t often told in historical romance. A story about two people—Jahleel and Katherine—who’ve made serious, tragic mistakes. Who are struggling. And yet… still worthy of love.It was hard to write.But I think you’re going to feel every bit of it.⸻Now that the manuscript is done, I ask myself:What comes next?The summer months are my time to dig into the “wish list” projects. Those ideas that won’t let go. Stories that whisper in the back of my mind. The ones I dream about while I’m supposed to be sleeping. Between conferences, revisions, and promo—it’s my time to play again.But also… it’s hard not to look around at the world and feel the weight of everything. We’re pretty cooked.The news? Bleak.Protests are erupting. People suffering from natural disasters are being ignored. Prices rise. Patience runs low.It’s like we’re all trapped in satan’s pressure cooker. I don’t want be chopped steak. I want off the menu. Please rewind the clock to a time when we were all filet mignon—delectable, tender by nature, and expensive by choice.But I watched a reel the other day—just a young woman speaking truth.She said:“If our ancestors survived war, enslavement, displacement, disease…If they survived laws written to break their spirits—Then so can we.”And she’s right. We have survived darker days.So I have faith that we’re going to get our acts together.That somehow, everything will shake out.That it’s going to be okay again.So take a deep breath with me—Everything is going to be all right.⸻But in the meantime, preserve your mental health.Hold close the things and people you cherish.And let yourself rest. You’ve done a lot.You are doing a lot.And then—when you’re ready—start asking:What’s next?What project is going to consume you for the next three or four months?Which story or idea wakes you wake up early?What is it that keeps tugging at your thoughts like a child in want of attention. It needs nurturing.It needs your love to be poured in to it. lt cries out for your energy, and clutches at your heart until it’s finally complete.That’s where I’m headed.That’s what I’m looking for right now.Even while revising, promoting, preparing for launch days—I’m dreaming of that next passion.And speaking of what’s next—I’ve been talking a lot about Fire Sword and Sea. We’re getting closer to a cover reveal, and I can’t wait for you to see how that story’s shaped up . It’s going to be a wild ride.⸻So, I’ll leave you with this:Don’t give up.Find that passion.Let it move you, stretch you, heal you.And when it shows up? Let it consume you—in the best possible ways.Books to help us let go are:Still Writing: The Perils and Pleasures of a Creative Life by Dani Shapiro. It’s a deeply personal meditation on writing, grief, self-doubt, and creative renewal.Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. This is a classic that embraces imperfection, persistence, and yes, the sadness and relief of finishing a project.Ordinary Notes by Christina Sharpe is not a traditional writing craft book, but it’s deeply reflective, exploring memory, loss, Black life, and the power of language. It’s perfect for writers processing the emotional weight of finishing something.This week, I'm highlighting Detroit Book City through their website and Bookshop.orgHelp me build momentum for Fire Sword and Sea—spread the word and preorder this disruptive narrative about female pirates in the 1600s. This sweeping saga releases January 13, 2026. The link on my website shows retailers large and small who have set up preorder.Show notes include a list of the books mentioned in this broadcast.You can find my notes on Substack or on my website, VanessaRiley.com under the podcast link in the About tab.Enjoying the vibe? Go ahead and like this episode and subscribe to Write of Passage so you never miss a moment.Thank you for listening. Hopefully, you’ll come again. This is Vanessa Riley.

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On sugar plantations, it was often 10 years or less.* The work was brutal—cutting cane, operating machinery, surviving the suffocating heat of the boiler houses.* If you were sentenced to work the boiling vats, it was basically a death sentence. Dehydration, exhaustion, and the relentless heat killed faster than the whip. And that doesn't count the beatings, the rapes, and the starvation.I made a post about the fire on Instagram. Most of the responses were respectful. But some fixated on the "grandeur" lost—as if it were Notre Dame. Others insisted I should “get over it.” That all the perpetrators are dead. That the world should move on. Let’s put in pin in this moving notion. I’ll circle back.Another disturbing image circulating came from still of Nottoway’s scripted tours praising the "humanity" of the plantation, claiming it trained a nurse and built a hospital for the enslaved. That is a lie. There was no formal training. They likely identified a woman who showed skill with herbs and healing and used her ancestorial knowledge. The hospital was not about care—it was about profit. It was cheaper to repair a broken body than to buy a new one. These “hospitals” weren’t acts of mercy. They were maintenance hubs for human chattel.One of the worst stories I came across still wakes me up at night. A method of execution used on some sugar plantations: the “sugar death.” An enslaved person would be buried up to the neck in sand. Then, boiling sugar syrup was poured over their exposed skin—usually the head. The syrup burned and blistered, but that wasn’t the end. The spilled sugar attracted the ants. The person would die slowly, in excruciating pain, as ants devoured them alive. It was sadism as spectacle. A warning. A lesson. A horror.How exactly do you “get over” that? How do you erase the knowledge that human beings chose to do that to others—and passed it on, generation after generation? How do you get over knowing that, given the chance, there are people today who would do the same?But then, a final image. This saved my writing week. It was a photo of frolic. Two Black women—one in a sleek column dress, the other in a romantic, flowy one—running joyfully through a green field in Vatican City. The sun is shining. I imagine the smell of olives in the air, the promise of wine at sunset. Gayle King and Oprah, radiant, laughing, free. That image brought me back to smiling Mary. Not because it was glamorous, but because it reminded me of joy, personal joy.We need joy. We need moments of frolic. In the middle of pain, of grief, of hard histories—we have to fight for joy. We must protect it, speak to it, defend it. Frolicking is resistance. It’s choosing self, choosing family, choosing rest, choosing humanity.So yes—we mourn. We reflect. We carry reverence for the past, the true past. But we must also touch grass, run barefoot through a field, choosing self, friends, and family.To those who are grieving, I offer this: find one photo. One memory. One moment that brings you joy. Hold on to it. Then look for more. Or make more, one moment at a time.Books that can help you focus on joy and history in meaningful ways are:Before I Let Go by Kennedy RyanA second-chance romance that explores grief, healing, and Black joy.The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel WilkersonEpic account of the Great Migration—deeply researched and emotionally charged.What the Fireflies Knew by Kai HarrisA coming-of-age story told through the eyes of a young Black girl navigating grief and growing up in 1990s Michigan.The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBrideA community of outsiders in 1920s Pottstown, PA, comes together around a hidden deaf boy—tender, funny, and full of humanity.And of courseIsland Queen: A historical novel based on the real-life rise of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas—her rise from enslavement to one of the wealthiest women in the Caribbean.Sister Mother Warrior: An epic saga of resistance, sisterhood, and revolution—based on the true story of the women who helped shape the Haitian fight for freedom.Show notes include a list of the books mentioned in this broadcast. This week, I'm highlighting Hub City Books through their website and Bookshop.orgYou can find my notes on Substack or on my website, VanessaRiley.com under the podcast link in the About tab.If this essay touched you or lit a spark, show some love—hit like and subscribe to Write of Passage!"Thank you for listening. Hopefully, you’ll come again. This is Vanessa Riley.

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And that doesn't count the beatings, the rapes, and the starvation.I made a post about the fire on Instagram. Most of the responses were respectful. But some fixated on the "grandeur" lost—as if it were Notre Dame. Others insisted I should “get over it.” That all the perpetrators are dead....]]>772false122fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/what-in-the-world--66790854See podcast episode- Welcome to Censorship)But despite all that—people are still painting. Still writing, publishing, creating. We still feed our families and their spirits with meals inspired by faraway places.I may make more food at home right now, but with lovely spices? Oh, they’re Caribbean, Italian, French, Indian. I’m not limited. We are not limited.And I refuse to give away my power because someone with a louder megaphone thinks yelling is the same as truth.Recently, the world changed again: We have a new pope.A 133 cardinal electors gathered in the Sistine Chapel to choose to choose him. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago, Illinois, has been elected the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church. He will be known as Pope Leo XIV—the first pope ever from the United States.An American pope. From Chicago. A man of Creole, Haitian, and Black ancestry. And while this isn’t the first Black pope—history records at least three others:Pope Victor I (189–199), Pope Miltiades (311–314), and Pope Gelasius I (492–496).This election still matters. Why? Because no one saw it coming. Because he is from here. Because he chose the name Leo XIV—following Pope Leo XIII, the pope who denounced slavery. In a world trying so hard to erase the past, that choice feels like a restoration. A breath of truth. A puff of white smoke in a sky of dirty smog and denial.This is what hope looks like: a surprise rooted in deep legacy. A story arc no one plotted, but that landed with power.Now, let’s be real about the work ahead Shake off the shackles. Listen to hard truths.For authors and creators out there—especially us Black folks:* No one owes you anything.Not an award, not a list spot, not a book sale, not a post about your personal life—not even a selfie.* As an author, you have to earn every bit of support, every accolade, every “yes.”That’s the job.* As a Black author, the grind is steeper.You can’t coast on past wins. You’ve got to win readers over—again and again.* If you're not where you want to be—cry, scream, kick a pillow.But don’t quit. And don’t compare. You don’t know the price someone else paid to get what they got.Be thankful for where you are and who’s standing beside you.* Keep writing. Keep connecting. Keep striving.Earn it. Build it. Own it.* Grow the bucket list. Manifest it all.You deserve every win—because I know you’re putting in the work. I’m rooting for you.The world keeps turning. It’s not waiting for me or you. But that’s not terrible. It means we’re part of something bigger than the moment. It means our stories, our voices, our presence—matter.Because even when everything feels unpredictable, we still have the power to show up and create—and make something unexpected happen.And it will feel good and satisfying, even if you are the only one clapping.Books to help you on your writing and creative journey:Awaking the Hero Within by Carol S. PearsonExamines archetypes and how they shape not just stories but our personal transformationsBig Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth GilbertEncourages writers and creators to keep going, to trust inspiration, and to work without guarantees.In the Wake: On Blackness and Being by Christina SharpeA haunting, brilliant reflection on Black life, history, and navigating systems built to erase.And Preorders are up fo for my next historical fiction, Fire Sword and Sea. This is A dangerous 1600s Pirate Saga unmasking the truth about women, desire, and freedom. Some folks want to ban this story—so read it first.Show notes include a list of the books mentioned in this broadcast. This week, I'm highlighting 44th and 3rd Bookstore through their website and Bookshop.orgYou can find my notes on Substack or on my website, VanessaRiley.com under the podcast link in the About tab.If you felt seen or inspired today, like and subscribe to Write of Passage—there's a place for you here.Thank you for listening. Hopefully, you’ll come again. This is Vanessa Riley.

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>substack:post:161868825Tue, 22 Apr 2025 13:10:00 +0000Vanessa RileyLast week was a weird one. The algorithms—the bots—seemed to come for me. Canva, of all places, led the charge. It made me feel like I wasn’t just wrong in opinion, but wrong in essence. As if the characters I write—rooted in history, full of breath...836false118fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/welcome-to-censorship--66790860Fire Sword and Sea, my fourth historical fiction novel, I was using Canva—an online design tool—to create character slides. Each slide was a snapshot of a journey: a woman who rose from enslavement to ship captain, a reimagined heroine defying colonial narratives and gender norms. I hit the “add speaker notes” button, eager to get tips for speaking. I dream big, thinking I’ll be having substantive discussions on my writing and research. And then—Cava flagged me.Thanks for reading Vanessa Riley's Write of Passage! This post is public so feel free to share it.The Canva warning on my character’s slide.It warned me, that is appears I’m working on a political topic which is not supported.I paused. Political? This wasn’t a manifesto. I didn’t mention government, war, or even the man in the White House. Just a character arc. A woman doing what men historically claimed as their domain. A woman who had been enslaved, now captain of her own destiny. Was that what triggered the flag?The slide in question. Yes, I still can’t believe it.Was it because she was Black? Because she was free? Because she existed at all? At the time of this recording Canva has not responded.Vanessa Riley's Write of Passage is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.What Had Happened Was…There’s a popular phrase in Black vernacular storytelling—“What had happened was…” It’s often said with a chuckle, a smile, a pause before unpacking truth. It’s a doorway to context, a map through what might otherwise get dismissed.So—what had happened was—I was trying to promote a book.I wasn’t trying to ignite a movement or start a fire. I just wanted to tell a story that mattered. And the tools I used turned on me. These so-called helpers, these digital platforms that were supposed to amplify my voice, were suddenly filtering it.It’s easy to say the creator world is dicey right now. We’re all stressed—consumers, readers, artists alike. But we can’t pretend this isn’t something deeper. Truth is under attack. Art is under review. And some of us are being silenced before we even speak.History Is on the Chopping BlockI’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions about why Canva flagged that slide with the magic word enslaved. To me it’s simple and diabolical: history—especially Black history—is being erased. It’s happening now, it’s in real time.We are witnessing the rollback of truth. Not in some distant dystopia, but here and now.Books are being banned. Curriculum gutted. The “both sides” rhetoric used to flatten facts into nothingness. Trusted institutions are quiet or complicit. The hunger for moral equivalence is starving out real accountability.If you think you're safe, don’t be fooled. They are coming for you, too. Just ask your Grandma or senior friend who can no longer call their social security office, and now must make inconvenient trips to get questions answered.Art Is—and Always Has Been—PoliticalFrom the beginning of time, artists have resisted. Protest art existed long before hashtags and headlines:* Ancient Egyptians carved critiques into pottery and tombs.* Michelangelo’s David stood as a symbol of resistance against the de Medici family.* Picasso’s Guernica screamed against fascism.* Jean-Michel Basquiat painted the pain of racism and systemic decay on city walls.Writers too have been on the front lines of protest:* Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin rattled a nation and helped spur abolition.* George Orwell’s 1984 warned us how language and surveillance would become weapons.* James Baldwin, in The Fire Next Time, broke the illusion of American innocence.* Chinua Achebe reclaimed African voices in Things Fall Apart.* Octavia Butler’s Kindred forced readers to time-travel into the inescapable legacy of slavery.These stories didn’t whisper. They roared.And yet, many of these works were banned, challenged, or ignored until their creators were no longer threats—until they were dead or despaired . We call them legends now, but in their lifetimes, they faced resistance just for telling the truth.The Risk of Telling Stories in 2025I’m not comparing myself to these masters. But here’s the truth: you never know how far a writer might go if they weren’t forced to create under duress. What stories never get told because someone’s afraid of losing a contract, a platform, a chance?As we hurtle toward the release of Fire Sword and Sea in January 2026, I know the stakes. This novel challenges colonial history. It questions gender roles and race. It doesn’t hold back. And yes, that means it may face backlash.But I owe it to my characters—and the ancestors behind them—to be honest. To be bold. I wish it felt better to be a truth-teller right now. But it doesn’t. It feels risky. Lonely. Like shouting into the wind and hoping the algorithm doesn’t mute you.Algorithms Are the New GatekeepersBack to that Canva flag. Back to the bots.We like to pretend the internet is neutral. But algorithms aren’t free-thinking. They’re coded by people. People with biases. People with blind spots. People who might think that a Black woman becoming a ship captain is “too political.”These systems decide what gets seen, what gets buried, and what gets flagged. And in this brave new world, even our tools are weapons of control.So what do we do?Honestly—I don’t know. I rely on these tools. I use them to work faster, reach farther. But every time I click “publish,” I wonder: am I aiding my own silencing? Feeding the same beast that’s ready to swallow me?Still Here. Still Talking.I have no tidy resolution to offer. But I do have a promise: I’m still here. I’m still writing. Still teaching. Still telling the truth for as long as the bots allow.Because censorship isn’t always loud. Sometimes it comes as a quiet “warning.” A flagged slide. A ghosted post. A book pulled from shelves.And sometimes, yes sometimes, protest are simple acts— continuing to paint, dance, and create, continuing to speak, continuing to write, continuing to tell our stories.To be the first to know about Fire Sword and Sea: https://bit.ly/fireswordseaupdateShow notes include a list of the books mentioned in this broadcast. This week, I'm highlighting Fountain Bookstore through their website and Bookshop.org You can find my notes on Substack or on my website, VanessaRiley.com under the podcast link in the About tab.Help fight the bots by hitting like and continuing to share this podcast. You are essential to its growth.Thank you for listening. Hopefully, you’ll come again. This is Vanessa Riley.

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>substack:post:161364377Tue, 15 Apr 2025 13:10:00 +0000Vanessa RileyThe Warning That Sparked It AllIt started with a slide.Vanessa Riley trying to find peace and missing it.Nine months away from the release of...Fire Sword and Sea, my fourth historical fiction novel, I was using Canva—an online design tool—to create character slides. Each slide was a snapshot of a journey: a woman who rose from enslavement to ship captain, a reimagined heroine defying colonial narratives and gender norms. I hit the “add speaker notes” button, eager to get tips for speaking. I dream big, thinking I’ll be having substantive discussions on my writing and research. And then—Cava flagged me.Thanks for reading Vanessa Riley's Write of Passage! This post is public so feel free to share it.The Canva warning on my character’s slide.It warned me, that is appears I’m working on a political topic which is not supported.I paused. Political? This wasn’t a manifesto. I didn’t mention government, war, or even the man in the White House. Just a character arc. A woman doing what men historically claimed as their domain. A woman who had been enslaved, now captain of her own destiny. Was that what triggered the flag?The slide in question. Yes, I still can’t believe it.Was it because she was Black? Because she was free? Because she existed at all? At the time of this recording Canva has not responded.Vanessa Riley's Write of Passage is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.What Had Happened Was…There’s a popular phrase in Black vernacular storytelling—“What had happened was…” It’s often said with a chuckle, a smile, a pause before unpacking truth. It’s a doorway to context, a map through what might otherwise get dismissed.So—what had happened was—I was trying to promote a book.I wasn’t trying to ignite a movement or start a fire. I just wanted to tell a story that mattered. And the tools I used turned on me. These so-called helpers, these digital platforms that were supposed to amplify my voice, were suddenly filtering it.It’s easy to say the creator world is dicey right now. We’re all stressed—consumers, readers, artists alike. But we can’t pretend this isn’t something deeper. Truth is under attack. Art is under review. And some of us are being silenced before we even speak.History Is on the Chopping BlockI’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions about why Canva flagged that slide with the magic word enslaved. To me it’s simple and diabolical: history—especially Black history—is being erased. It’s happening now, it’s in real time.We are witnessing the rollback of truth. Not in some distant dystopia, but here and now.Books are being banned. Curriculum gutted. The “both sides” rhetoric used to flatten facts into nothingness. Trusted institutions are quiet or complicit. The hunger for moral equivalence is starving out real accountability.If you think you're safe, don’t be fooled. They are coming for you, too. Just ask your Grandma or senior friend who can no longer call their social security office, and now must make inconvenient trips to get questions answered.Art Is—and Always Has Been—PoliticalFrom the beginning of time, artists have resisted. Protest art existed long before hashtags and headlines:* Ancient Egyptians carved critiques into pottery and tombs.* Michelangelo’s David stood as a symbol of resistance against the de Medici family.* Picasso’s Guernica screamed against fascism.* Jean-Michel Basquiat painted the pain of racism and systemic decay on city walls.Writers too have been on the front lines of protest:* Harriet Beecher Stowe’s 683false117fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-losing-season--66790859Rest Is Resistance by Tricia HerseyA radical, spiritual, and deeply empowering book about reclaiming rest as a tool of liberation.Black Liturgies: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Staying Human by Cole Arthur RileyA spiritual balm. Riley weaves faith and justice into meditations that feel like breathing in a storm.Healing the Soul of a Woman by Joyce MeyerMeyer speaks candidly about trauma, emotional wounds, and how God works healing in the places we hide.Island Queen by Vanessa RileyA Caribbean woman’s rise to power in a world that tried to crush her. It’s history, empowerment, and a well researched novel.The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honorée Fanonne JeffersA multigenerational epic that explores identity, belonging, and the burden and beauty of legacy.Show notes include a list of the books mentioned in this broadcast. This week, I'm highlighting Baldwin and Company through Bookshop.org. You can find my notes on Substack or on my website, VanessaRiley.com under the podcast link in the About tab.Thank you for listening. Hopefully, you’ll come again. This is Vanessa Riley.

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>substack:post:160837777Tue, 08 Apr 2025 13:10:00 +0000Vanessa RileyThere comes a moment when the noise fades, the dust settles, and you look around and realize: this is a losing season. The signs are everywhere—opportunities dried up, allies silent or absent, and the very ground that once felt firm beneath your feet...634false116fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/skin-qualified-style-approved--66790850https://bookshop.org/p/books/sense-and-sensibility-jane-austen/226656?ean=9780593622469&next=t. It’s a passage I repeat in https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-wager-at-midnight-vanessa-riley/21582649?ean=9781420154863&next=t, where our Austen-loving hero sends these words to the woman he loves.Vanessa on the set of Hallmark’s Sense and Sensibility in a period reconstructed gown. This sentimental adoration of skin is an example of how, even in the olden days—the 1800s—it’s used to interpret Marianne’s style and good character, and another reason she’s considered qualified to be a good wife.Where have we gone so wrong that the mere mention of skin makes everyone nervous? Why, when used in literature skin was once a symbol of beauty, in the present it seems linked to division? Why does its celebration feel shameful or wrong? Even those who claim to see no color are blind to the beauty that skin creates.Did you know that your skin—the dermis—is the largest organ in your body? According to the National Institutes of Health, the average adult’s skin spans 16-22 square feet. That’s a quarter of an average bedroom. For me, that’s half the room on my floor filled with reference books—the ones I’m pouring through as I write. Skin serves as a shield. From freckles, scars, and pigmentation to wrinkles—it’s a storyteller, an archive of our rich history.More Than Skin DeepSkin is important. It’s one of the first things anyone notices when you walk into a room. It’s the reason people smile when it’s glowing and radiant. It’s also the reason I was followed around a store when I was young, Black, and in a place where those in power assumed the worst. I wasn’t given the benefit of my character. I was condemned in a glance.And when people of like minds and shared ancestry congregate and uplift one another, some of those same forces rear their heads again. Now, they are uncomfortable. It makes me wonder—what is it they fear? It’s not 1865. It’s not 1617. Our skin is here to stay, adorned as we please, and present in all public spaces.Yet, I’m not just talking about external forces. I’m talking about the harm we inflict upon ourselves—the moments we buy into the false narrative that our skin makes us not enough.Skin as a Reflection of TraumaSkin records our personal experiences and the imprints of ancestral resilience. It is more than just a covering; it is deeply connected to our emotions and environment. Studies show that trauma leaves a physical signature, not only in our nervous system but in our skin. Ever noticed your skin flaring up after extreme stress—whether it manifests as dryness, scarring, acne, or rosacea? You’ve experienced this connection firsthand.According to the National Rosacea Society, emotional stress is one of the most common triggers for rosacea. Research in dermatology and psychiatry links post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to various skin conditions, including psoriasis, eczema, and stress-induced inflammation. Scientists have found that those who experience chronic psychological stress have elevated inflammation levels, which can make skin conditions persistent and resistant to treatment.A Poster for Healthy Skin - Source: Canva and Vanessa RileyOur bodies hold trauma in tangible ways. People with alexithymia, a condition where emotions are difficult to identify or express, often experience physiological symptoms, including hyperactivated nerves, increased heart rate, and reduced oxygen flow to tissues. The skin itself becomes more electrically sensitive, reacting intensely to stress. These biological responses serve as reminders that our reactions to the world around us don’t simply disappear.Trauma and the Legacy of Our AncestorsRecent genetic research reveals that trauma is not just a singular present experience but one that echoes across generations. The concept of intergenerational trauma suggests that stressful events—war, famine, oppression, and internment—can shape gene expression and affect descendants. Studies of Holocaust survivors and Dutch famine victims show that their children exhibited altered stress responses and health patterns.Throwing on my science minded writer's hat for a moment, I must make it clear, trauma doesn’t change our DNA sequence, but it does influence which genes are activated or deactivated—like an editor making notes in the margins of a manuscript. These epigenetic markers can be passed down, creating a biological legacy of resilience or vulnerability. However, just as these changes can be inherited, they can also be rewritten, properly edited out of existence. Healing, self-care, and community can reprogram these genetic expressions, offering paths of restoration.The Power of Ancestral SurvivalEvery cell in your body is a testament to survival. Your ancestors endured hardships—some enslavement or forced migration, all subject to colonization. This legacy affects both the oppressed and the oppressor. Both absorb the hate and lies, whether through feelings of false superiority or the fallacy of expecting to be exploited.Back to Our SkinResearch from Yale and the Mayo Clinic reveals that every human carries an ancestral roadmap at the cellular level. This means that the struggles and triumphs of those who came before us are not just stories—we carry them in our blood, our bones, and our skin.In the year of our Lord 2025, it’s time to step back and see that we are wonderfully made. Even if our history or ancestry has endured the worst, and even if our ancestors have perpetrated the worst. Knowing true history isn’t about guilt; it’s about recognition—returning honor to those who were hung from the arc of injustice.Legendary civil rights organizer Ella Baker often asked, “Who are your people?” It wasn’t just a rhetorical question; it was an invitation to recognize the power of lineage. It wasn’t a call for atonement but a call to do better by those upholding supremacy and to do right by our neighbors, all of our neighbors--the ones who don't worship, love, socialize or believe like you. And especially those who don't look like you, possessing your skin—the one thing on the list that's impossible to change.More Than Skin Deep: The Significance of FirstsWe live in a world where women, Black people, and people of color are still achieving “firsts”—the first to graduate from certain institutions, the first to hold specific leadership positions. I was one of the first, if not the first, Black woman to graduate from Stanford University with a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering. In 2001, only four Black women graduated with a doctorate in physics. I have the honor of knowing one of them.Yet, despite how hard we work—how much harder we labored to gain our placements—someone will look at our brown skin and assume: affirmative action, lax standards, different (easier) tests. And, of course, we are counted as 'Didn’t Earn It' hires. Some believe DEI initiatives are keeping them from breaking into traditional publishing—without considering the possibility that their writing simply isn’t good enough. They don’t realize that calls for historically disenfranchised groups don’t mean the majority is ignored. When people realize that there are enough seats at the table, maybe they won't be so insecure. Maybe then, they can relax.For Becky or Karen, I can tell you two things can be true at the same time. When I started out, I remember being told by an agent—one with, let’s just say, racist tendencies—that I wasn’t good enough, and my only hope of publishing was as a co-author. She was wrong. But that manuscript she reviewed? While it had a unique style filled purply prose and uncontrolled flourishes, it was trash. A wise person learns, adapts, and tries not to make the same mistakes. That too is baked into my skin.Don’t Hide Your BeautyMaya Angelou once said, “The variety of our skin tones can confuse, bemuse, delight, brown and pink and beige and purple, tan and blue and white. I’ve sailed upon the seven seas and stopped in every land. I’ve seen the wonders of the world, not yet one common man.”Our skin tells the story of survival, of fire refining gold, of bronzed DNA etched with both power and pain.Ignore the noise. Your achievements are not anomalies; they are milestones on a journey paved by generations of sacrifice and resilience.Psalm 139:14 reminds us, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” We are the work of His hand. Our skin—our very being—is a living archive of triumph. We are made not merely to survive, but to thrive in our circumstances, our skin. The legacy endowed in us qualifies us to dream and build and rest—with passion, compassion, and undeniable style.If you wish to dive deeper into the wonders of skin and pride and human nature, I recommend the following:https://bookshop.org/p/books/i-m-still-here-black-dignity-in-a-world-made-for-whiteness-austin-channing-brown/10231416?ean=9781524760854&next=tby Austin Channing Brown – A personal and insightful memoir on navigating race and faith.https://bookshop.org/p/books/all-about-love-new-visions-bell-hooks/8888106?ean=9780060959470&next=tby bell hooks – A discussion on love, self-worth, and community in the face of societal pressures.

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>substack:post:160313028Tue, 01 Apr 2025 13:10:00 +0000Vanessa Riley“Her skin was very brown, but, from its transparency, her complexion was uncommonly brilliant; her features were all good; her smile was sweet and attractive; and in her eyes, which were very dark, there was a life, a spirit, an eagerness which could...https://bookshop.org/p/books/sense-and-sensibility-jane-austen/226656?ean=9780593622469&next=t. It’s a passage I repeat in https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-wager-at-midnight-vanessa-riley/21582649?ean=9781420154863&next=t, where our Austen-loving hero sends these words to the woman he loves.Vanessa on the set of Hallmark’s Sense and Sensibility in a period reconstructed gown. This sentimental adoration of skin is an example of how, even in the olden days—the 1800s—it’s used to interpret Marianne’s style and good character, and another reason she’s considered qualified to be a good wife.Where have we gone so wrong that the mere mention of skin makes everyone nervous? Why, when used in literature skin was once a symbol of beauty, in the present it seems linked to division? Why does its celebration feel shameful or wrong? Even those who claim to see no color are blind to the beauty that skin creates.Did you know that your skin—the dermis—is the largest organ in your body? According to the National Institutes of Health, the average adult’s skin spans 16-22 square feet. That’s a quarter of an average bedroom. For me, that’s half the room on my floor filled with reference books—the ones I’m pouring through as I write. Skin serves as a shield. From freckles, scars, and pigmentation to wrinkles—it’s a storyteller, an archive of our rich history.More Than Skin DeepSkin is important. It’s one of the first things anyone notices when you walk into a room. It’s the reason people smile when it’s glowing and radiant. It’s also the reason I was followed around a store when I was young, Black, and in a place where those in power assumed the worst. I wasn’t given the benefit of my character. I was condemned in a glance.And when people of like minds and shared ancestry congregate and uplift one another, some of those same forces rear their heads again. Now, they are uncomfortable. It makes me wonder—what is it they fear? It’s not 1865. It’s not 1617. Our skin is here to stay, adorned as we please, and present in all public spaces.Yet, I’m not just talking about external forces. I’m talking about the harm we inflict upon ourselves—the moments we buy into the false narrative that our skin makes us not enough.Skin as a Reflection of TraumaSkin records our personal experiences and the imprints of ancestral resilience. It is more than just a covering; it is deeply connected to our emotions and environment. Studies show that trauma leaves a physical signature, not only in our nervous system but in our skin. Ever noticed your skin flaring up after extreme stress—whether it manifests as dryness, scarring, acne, or rosacea? You’ve experienced this connection firsthand.According to the National Rosacea Society, emotional stress is one of the most common triggers for rosacea. Research in dermatology and psychiatry links post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to various skin conditions, including psoriasis, eczema, and stress-induced inflammation. Scientists have found that those who experience chronic psychological stress have elevated inflammation levels, which can make skin conditions persistent and resistant to treatment.A Poster for Healthy Skin - Source: Canva and Vanessa RileyOur bodies hold trauma in tangible ways. People with alexithymia, a condition where emotions are difficult to identify or express, often experience physiological symptoms,...]]>941false115fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/celebrate-without-a-round-to-it--66790836More about A Wager at MidnightAnd as we celebrate book number 26, A Wager at Midnight—Stephen and Scarlett’s story—we honor a narrative that intertwines a fight against the blood disease sickle cell anemia with a love story between a Duke and a Viscountess, who place a wager that will be settled at the end of A Wager at Midnight. At its heart, this book is about two people devoted to medicine and helping others, yet unsure if they can have both love and their dreams. But luckily, Stephen and Scarlett get a round to it.Books that can help bolster the celebration now mindset:Don't Settle for Safe by Sarah Jakes Roberts – Encourages stepping out of fear and into purpose.The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama – Encourages resilience, taking action, and finding joy even in difficult times.The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins – Teaches a simple technique to stop procrastination and take immediate action.So celebrate today. Party today. Because nothing is promised, and you deserve your flowers—or your holiday meatballs—even if it isn’t an official holiday. You deserve a celebration.Show notes include a list of the books mentioned in this broadcast. This week, I'm highlighting “The Book Worm Bookstore” through Bookshop.org. You can find my notes on Substack or on my website, VanessaRiley.com under the podcast link in the About tab.Thank you for listening. Hopefully, you’ll come again. This is Vanessa Riley.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vanessariley.substack.com/subscribe

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>substack:post:159820000Tue, 25 Mar 2025 13:10:00 +0000Vanessa RileyMy mother was the first female entrepreneur I ever met. She started selling baked goods during tax season while my father prepared income taxes for clients in our home. I distinctly remember her brownies—one of my favorite treats—being sold right on...More about A Wager at MidnightAnd as we celebrate book number 26, 601false114fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/hawking-a-book-when-everything-hurts--66790842A Wager at Midnight, the second book in the Betting Against the Duke series, is on its way. In this book, you’ll meet Scarlet, a bold young woman who dreams of studying medicine at a time when it is forbidden for women. She can’t even attend a lecture unless she disguises herself as a man. But Scarlet is determined, and she may just find an unexpected ally in a brilliant, slightly uptight physician from Trinidad who happens to love Jane Austen and cassava pone.See what I did there? I told you about my book, even though the world is in chaos. I poured my heart into writing this story. I’ve included detailed historical notes for those who want to learn more. I hope A Wager at Midnight encourages readers to think deeper about sickle cell anemia, the importance of medical care, and, of course, the magic of falling in love—even when the world feels like it’s unraveling.Authors and all artists, hear me. Let your art see daylight. Scream from the mountaintops. Walk on water shouting, Look what my hands have wrought with the talent given to me for a time such as this. Never be the servant who buried his talent in the ground because he was afraid of loss, of looking foolish, or of incurring some greater wrath. You are here. Now is the time. You've completed a project. Stand tall in your accomplishments and let the world know. Don't bury your talent in the ground. Don't waste a moment waiting for a better time. There is nothing better than now, for you don’t know who desperately needs to hear or see what you’ve done—to help them with their healing journey, to take the next step in their creative walk. Your words could be the fuel to propel them forward. What you do in creating changes the world to tilt a little more toward good.And if you’re feeling stuck or unsure how to promote your own book, here’s a list of books that can help you step up your marketing game:Book Marketing is Dead: Book Promotion Secrets You Must Know BEFORE You Publish by Derek Murphy – This book challenges traditional book marketing strategies and offers modern, data-driven approaches to help authors effectively reach their audience.Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World by Michael Hyatt – A guide to building a strong personal brand and online presence, showing authors how to stand out and attract readers in an oversaturated market.For those wrestling with self-doubt, check out:Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America by Melissa V. Harris-Perry – This book dives into how external forces like stereotypes and societal pressures impact a woman’s self-perception.Black Boy by Richard Wright – A powerful memoir that can inspire writers to confront the harsh realities of life, self-doubt, and the struggle for personal truth and purpose. Wright’s story will resonate with anyone feeling like their work or life doesn't matter.The Midnight Disease: The Drive to Write, Writer's Block, and the Creative Brain by Alice W. Flaherty – A deep dive into the neuroscience behind creativity, writer's block, and the emotional struggles writers face.And what you’ve been blessed to do as a writer or artist is to create. So, A Wager at Midnight – full of laughs, it’s a celebration of community told in a historical setting. Buy my book, she says proudly. As an artist, your book deserves to be seen, and your work deserves to be celebrated, even if the world’s burning.Show notes include a list of

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>substack:post:158827781Tue, 11 Mar 2025 13:10:00 +0000Vanessa RileyWhen I was in school, I once had a saying, "Sleep you can get any old time, but grades last forever." At the time, I meant it. It wasn’t the best mindset, but it fueled my drive to maintain a near-perfect grades. As an overachiever, I found comfort in...709false112fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-sensitivity-of-sensitivity-reads--66790851https://foxtalebookshoppe.com through https://bookshop.org/shop/foxtalebookshoppe.Books by Vanessa Riley:Riley, V. (Year).

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>substack:post:158353342Tue, 04 Mar 2025 14:10:00 +0000Vanessa RileyThe Sensitivity of Sensitivity ReadsOne of my first essays on Substack, when I was testing out what I wanted to do, was about my editing process. Before I began podcasting, I was exploring my platform and had just gone through a brutal but necessary...1054false111fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/we-write-we-win--66790847The Bluest Eye at 39 and won the Nobel Prize in Literature at 62.· Maya Angelou published I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings at 41 and became a literary icon.· Octavia Butler faced rejection for years before breaking through in sci-fi in her 40s.To every creator, hear my voice: Grab your paper, pens, keyboards, fruits, spices, fabrics, glues, paints, resins, threads—whatever you have—and birth a miracle. Create. Art is the first and last sign of resistance.The work isn’t done. We resist by creating. My art—my words—exist to empower Black women, foster sisterhood, and restore the world to a place where we are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. The ancestors say we will win. I believe them, and I believe in us.To read about inspiration and resistance:· Letters to a Young Artist by Anna Deavere Smith – A guide to creativity and resilience in the arts.· Just as I Am by Cicely Tyson – The legendary actress’s memoir, chronicling her journey as a Black woman in Hollywood.· I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou – A deeply personal story of overcoming hardship through art and voice.· Sister Mother Warrior by Vanessa Riley – A novel about the real women behind the Haitian Revolution, embodying resilience and leadership.· Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments by Saidiya Hartman – A history of Black women who lived on their own terms in the early 20th century.· Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" by Zora Neale Hurston – A firsthand account of survival and resilience from one of the last known survivors of the transatlantic slave trade.Show notes include a list of the books mentioned in this broadcast. This week, I'm highlighting The Book Worm Bookshop through Bookshop.org.

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>substack:post:157791232Tue, 25 Feb 2025 14:10:00 +0000Vanessa RileyI started writing essays because my mind battled deep disappointment over the state of division in my country. My consciousness is bias, tragically etched with memories of when character mattered. Remember when we all wanted to be president? I...882false110fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/scholars-hoteps-and-the-caucasity-of-kendrick-lamar-s-super-bowl-halftime-performance--66790816
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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>substack:post:157363764Tue, 18 Feb 2025 14:10:00 +0000Vanessa RileyKendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime performance during the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles has set the internet—and much of the world—abuzz. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult is the most banned book in America for...1656false19fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/write-wait-win-10-ways-to-thrive-while-the-world-is-on-pause--66790840Sister Mother Warrior, about the two women who shaped the Haitian Revolution, is my most literary work, but it’s also the most muscular novel I’ve published. Its heft comes from a lot of nonfiction, including books on war and diaspora poetry.3. Take a Class: Study writing guides or attend workshops. Some great books to consider:o Elements of Fiction by Walter Mosley – Explores storytelling fundamentals such as character development, plot, and voice.o How We Do It: Black Writers on Craft, Practice, and Skill edited by Jericho Brown – Features Nikki Giovanni, David Omotoso Black, Natasha Trethewey, Barry Jenkins, Jacqueline Woodson, Tayari Jones, Angela Flournoy, and more.o On Writing by Stephen King, a personal favorite4. Build Your Author Platform: Update your website, refresh your bio, and check your events list. I know some of those dates have passed.5. Network with Other Writers: Attend writing groups, conferences, and in-person events.6. Touch Grass—Literally: Get outside, take a walk, observe nature, and breathe fresh air7. Enter Writing Contests: Consider submitting to:o Writers of the Future Contesto The Bridport Prize (That’s a UK contest)o The Black List Unpublished Novel Awardo Reedsy.com has lists of competitions for poetry and proses.Writers realize that all competitions are not created equal. Some have implicit bias. Do your homework before submitting. I don’t want your work stolen or misrepresented or fumbled by hands that should never had touched your creation in the first place8. Stay Informed on Industry Trends: Keep up with publishing news, avoid scams, and research new agents and publishers and marketplaces.9. Plan Your Marketing Strategy: Work on your launch plan and outreach to bloggers and media, so you are ready when you get your yes.10. Replenish Creativity: Step away when needed—travel, pick up a hobby, or simply rest.11. (Bonus Point) Start a New Project: If you’re querying, don’t immediately start book two in your series. Instead, write something fresh that could be your breakthrough project.Embrace the WaitWaiting is hard, but it doesn’t have to be unproductive or soul-crushing. It’s part of our process. It’s formative to our seasons of growth. We have to be prepared, or we will not harvest and allow our fruit to rot. Remember, everything worthwhile takes time. Every success story has had its pauses. The key to getting through to the light is to fill the waiti

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>substack:post:156835748Tue, 11 Feb 2025 14:10:00 +0000Vanessa RileyIt’s universally known that everyone who has a career or talent that intersects with the public must learn to deal with waiting. Everyone waits. Whether a king or a servant, a politician or a bank teller, time slows down while you wait to receive or...880false18fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/grab-some-gumbo-your-best-girl-and-go--66790821karenmoline.comAfter meeting Sylvia Plath for drinks, Anne still craved company, so she joined a local writers' group. This where she first heard Maxine Kumin—a quiet but powerful voice sharing a work in progress. They couldn’t have been more different: Maxine, prim and frumpy; Anne, wild and bold. But together, they were yin and yang. They edited each other’s work, co-wrote poems, and built a bond so deep that it became a true creative partnership. You know how rare it is to fully trust another writer with your words? That’s the kind of magic the two had.One of my favorite modern writer friendships is the trio of Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White. Their collaboration has produced, several books including The Lost Summers of Newport—one of my favorites. They’re often seen together at book events wearing pearls, sipping signature cocktails, and laughing with the kind of joy that only comes from shared secrets, success and sisterly love.The Lost Summers of Newport: Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, Karen WhiteAnother legendary literary sisterhood? Toni Morrison (1931–2019) & Maya Angelou (1928–2014). These two are iconic, two of the most important voices of the 20th century. I’ve seen photos of them young and free, standing tall in their brilliance. I’ve seen pictures of them in their later years, side by side in wheelchairs, dressed to the nines, radiating wisdom and grace. Their friendship was built on admiration, public support, and deep mutual respect.Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou. Source: Virginia Tech News.These images are so encouraging to me. As writers, we often work in solitude, wrestling with words and deadlines. But community matters. These friendships remind me of that.There’s one more image I found in 2023. —It appeared in the LA Times article, touting a new book, The Sisterhood. The photo, which serves as the book’s cover, captures eight young, beautiful Black women gathered together, smiling for the camera. Let me set the scene...The hostess, let’s call her June, was waiting for her collection of poems to be published in two months. Every author knows that feeling, the anxiety of waiting for pub day, the stomach-churning dread of the book’s reception, the early reviews. I can imagine June wanting her girls around her for support. She calls her writer friend Alice. Alice is a girl’s girl. She’s written a big exposé for Ms. Magazine and is so close to locating a literary treasure she can taste it. Tasting reminds of her spices. She picks up the rotary dial phone and calls the best cook she knows, Vertamae. Vertamae is a Brooklyn celebrity and a cultural anthropologist, but she brings a pot of gumbo with large shrimp, smoked sausage and proper Geechee rice.More calls are made, and these writers and activists come to June’s apartment. One friend, I think Toni, who had a couple of books published and a little money in her pockets of her fine leather jacket brings the best champagne she can afford. Maybe one bottle of expensive Veuve Clicquot Brut with the Yellow Label to toast something real special. And then she purchases a few bottles of Moët & Chandon or maybe something sparkling and American like André or California Korbel.Are you getting the picture? Glasses in hand, toasting each other. A 12-inch long-play album sings in the background Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish” or Rose Royce’s “Car Wash.” If June’s love for Bessie Smith wins out, she will make sure the Empress of the Blues’s “Downhearted Blues plays.” After the dishes were cleared, I can imagine them reciting poems, like Anne and Maxine. They might work on plot points or tweak a line or two, passing it amongst themselves, much like Beatriz, Lauren, and Karen.And just as they ready to leave and tug on their jackets back to brave the February cold, someone suggests a picture. The ladies group together in the living room under June’s hanging picture of singer Bessie Smith. Click. Someone catches the moment. Much like Branwell Brontë, someone has gotten out of the way to commemorate this moment where the sun shined through and touched legends.Let me formally introduce you to these women:· June Jordan – A trailblazing poet, essayist, and activist whose work championed social justice, Black empowerment, and the experiences of marginalized communities. In the picture, she was two months away from publishing Things That I Do in the Dark (1977), a poetry collection reflecting on race, gender, and personal identity.· Alice Walker – A Pulitzer Prize-winning author and activist, best known for her novel The Color Purple and her tireless efforts in preserving Zora Neale Hurston's legacy, Alice was an established writer, having published Meridian (1976), a novel exploring the civil rights movement.· Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor – A culinary anthropologist, writer, and Gullah culture advocate is known for her work blending storytelling with food traditions, including her groundbreaking book Vibration Cooking: Or, the Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl (1970).· Toni Morrison – A Nobel Prize-winning author and Random House editor celebrated for her powerful novels like Beloved that illuminate the complexities of Black life, memory, and history stands, all cool, in her leather coat. At the time of this gathering, Toni had already gained literary acclaim with The Bluest Eye (1970) and Sula (1973). By February 1977, she was months away from publishing Song of Solomon, which would earn her the National Book Critics Circle Award.· Nana Maynard – A newbie who would go on to become a scholar and cultural advocate for highlighting the contributions of Black artists and writers is there in the front row.· Ntozake Shange (Toe-zaka chan-gay) – A poet, playwright, and novelist renowned for her choreopoem For Colored Girls Who Have Considered

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>substack:post:156349181Tue, 04 Feb 2025 14:10:00 +0000Vanessa RileyHey fearless listeners. We've made it to another week. That accomplishment isn’t something I take lightly. Times feel perilous. Worries are rampant. I’ve had more conversations where I’ve been talked off the ledge—or where I’ve held up safety nets for...971false17fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/ride-or-die-or-get-out-the-way--66790861Their Eyes Were Watching God in graduate school around the 1970s, a decade after Zora’s death. Profoundly changed by the novel, Alice was shocked that Zora’s legacy had been erased. Determined to restore it, she feverishly researched Zora’s life, eventually writing an essay for Ms. Magazine titled “Looking for Zora.” Alice located Zora’s unmarked grave and purchased a headstone, inscribed with: “Zora Neale Hurston: A Genius of the South.”The Dismissed Editor: Jessie Redmon FausetJessie (1882–1961) was a vital figure of the Harlem Renaissance, yet her work was undervalued in her lifetime and largely forgotten until the feminist and civil rights movements of the 70s. I recently read an advanced copy of Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray, which chronicles Jessie’s life. Victoria beautifully highlights how the editor’s dreams were often sacrificed to nurture younger Harlem Renaissance writers like Langston Hughes. Her contributions to literature and her own novels deserve the same spotlight:* There is Confusion (1924): Examines issues of race and ambition among Black professionals.* Plum Bun (1928): Explores passing and the complexities of identity, a theme that may have influenced her friend Nella Larsen’s Passing.* The Chinaberry Tree (1931): Focuses on family dynamics and societal expectations within Black communities.* Comedy: American Style (1933): A biting critique of internalized racism and the pursuit of whiteness.Thank you, Victoria, for returning Jessie to our lexicon.That’s what I love about research and writing. Pen to paper, words forming sentences—we get to take readers back in time and restore women. In Sister Mother Warrior, I rediscovered Marie-Claire Bonheur, the first Empress of Haiti, and Gran Toya, a counselor and African military leader to Emperor Jacques I (Jean-Jacques Dessalines). These two women, connected to the man who liberated Haiti, were crucial to shaping the Haitian Revolution. Within the prose, I built the respect and friendship that developed between these two polar opposites. That’s right opposite can respect and ride for each other.With fiction based loosely on historical events and people, I ride for the forgotten and amplify sisterly ideals. In A Gamble at Sunset and the forthcoming A Wager at Midnight, I deliberately showcase the Wilcox sisters’ relationship. These Black women are far from perfect. They won’t be painted or captured in a pristine sonnet. They’re messy and passionate. Their ability to listen and not judge is constantly tested, but they will ride at dawn for their sister.We need that energy now. Listen closely: I’m not interested

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>substack:post:155907791Tue, 28 Jan 2025 14:10:00 +0000Vanessa RileyTo the writers, the creatives: if you’re like me, you possess a deep curiosity about humanity and a desire to do good through your work. But creatives—are you struggling? Are deadlines slipping through your fingers? Is the blank page staring back at...1065false16fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/consent-in-the-time-when-a-black-woman-can-say-no--66790822https://bit.ly/wageratmidnightThe ability to say no is sacred. To paraphrase Matthew 5:37, “All you need to say is Yes or No; anything beyond this comes from the devil.”Many of you might be nodding in agreement. Yet this week reminds us that some people still struggle with a woman’s no—especially when that woman is Black.This week, a spokesman for the office of Barack and Michelle Obama announced that Mrs. Obama would not attend the 2025 inauguration. Unlike her absence from President Carter’s funeral, which was attributed to a scheduling conflict, this was a clear, definitive, unexplained no.Reactions have been predictable. Some applaud her for setting boundaries, acknowledging the toll of public life and the personal risks she and her family have endured. Others clutch their pearls, lamenting political norms—those quaint phrases that, bless their hearts, weren’t universally applied when it mattered most.Meanwhile, my people—oh, you know who you are—created a delicious meme that summed it all up: If I send you Michelle’s picture, I’m not coming.From: @jennmjacksonphdThese memes reminded me of the ones sparked by Anita Baker when her concert, scheduled to start at 7 p.m. on May 11, 2024, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, was canceled at 6:54 p.m. due to "unforeseen circumstances."@sweet.alpha.lady from TikTokI’ll admit, these memes are funny. But looking at the popularity of these memes reveals something sobering: Are women the only ones who cancel? Why aren’t there memes like these for men who say no? Do they not have the agency to do so?Of course, that’s sarcasm—because men cancel all the time. They just aren’t mocked as much.Chris Rock, for instance, canceled hosting the 2022 Governor’s Award after his infamous Oscar slap. If humor is fair game, where’s the meme with his picture saying, “Naw. Sorry I can’t be there. Still recovering from saying the wrong thing.”Or take James Franco, who “mentally didn’t show up” to co-host the 2011 Oscars. Sure, he was physically present, but he failed to fulfill his duties. Anne Hathaway, the other co-host, had to carry the night. A woman having to pick up the slack? That sounds familiar—and is definitely meme-worthy.Nonetheless, people have a right to cancel, just as they have a right to say no. That includes celebrities. Saying no should be a human right. But for that to hold true, society must first recognize the humanity and autonomy of every person who withdraws their consent.Historically, women have struggled with autonomy and consent. For much of US history, women were required to live under the authority of a father, husband, or male guardian. It wasn’t until 1974 that women were allowed to obtain credit cards in their own name. Equal pay legislation dates back only to the 1960s. The societal acknowledgment of a woman’s right to make her way in the world is lacking. It’s hard to understand that a woman’s ability to work for fair wages and to decide her own path is merely sixty-five years old. That’s not that old. It’s barely able to get social security.Alas, the history is bleaker for Black women. For us, the ability to say no to the most egregious violations was often denied. Our consent was stolen by laws, society, and systems meant to promote and protect others.A Timeline of Black Women and the Right to Say No1662: Virginia Hereditary Slave LawChildren’s status (enslaved or free) followed their mother, stripping Black women of autonomy over their offspring. Sidenote: This came about because Elizabeth Key, born to an enslaved woman and a white Englishman, Thomas Key, legally gained her freedom in 1655 by arguing that she was baptized and freed by her father. The 1662 law was enacted to ensure such cases could never happen again.1705: Virginia Slave CodesThese codes reduced enslaved people to property. This codifies sexual violence against all enslaved but particularly Black women.1786: Tignon Laws (Louisiana)Black women were forced to cover their hair in public, erasing their self-expression and identity.1857: Dred Scott v. SandfordThis decision denied Black people citizenship. This reaffirms that Black men and women are without legal rights to refuse exploitation or violence, nationwide.1865–1866: Black CodesRestrictive laws curtailed freedwomen’s mobility and punished those who refused exploitative labor with vagrancy charges.1927: Buck v. BellThis Supreme Court decision upheld forced sterilization laws targeting Black women under eugenics programs.1944: The Rape Case of Recy TaylorRecy Taylor identified her six white attackers, but they were never brought to justice. Alabama apologized only in 2011.1980s: Workplace Dress CodesBans on natural hairstyles like braids and afros forced Black women to conform to Eurocentric beauty standards.1994: Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)While a step forward, this legislation didn’t fully address the unique barriers Black women face in seeking protection such as underreporting, racial profiling, mistrust in authority, and Access to Culturally Competent Services.Of course there are some wins.1967: Loving v. VirginiaThis landmark case struck down laws eliminating restrictions on who women could marry.1973: Relf v. WeinbergerThis case exposed federally funded forced sterilizations of Black women, helping to end the practice.2019–Present: The CROWN ActThis legislation prohibits discrimination based on natural hairstyles, affirming Black women’s autonomy over their appearance.So, parity with others—being legally able to say yes to bodily autonomy and hairstyles—is less than a decade old for Black women. That should horrify you.As a Black woman and a lover of history, I’m often told to forgive and forget—and there’s a heavy emphasis on forgiveness and a whole lot of forgetting. That notion is anathema to my soul. My lungs struggle to seize air under the weight of ongoing restrictions. There are new laws stripping away hard-fought rights. Fear and foolishness is trying to make hard-won victories DEI casualties. It’s book bans, whitewashed textbooks, tone policing, and countless microaggressions designed to smother.Breathe.Hear my heart: autonomy for me doesn’t mean taking from you. Equality for one group doesn’t mean making any other lesser. Checking on my sista doesn’t mean I wish ill on others—or the misters. We all gain when everyone’s yes and no are respected.Writers, readers, citizens, hear me. Let us be wise with our words, speaking peace into existence. Let us remember and listen. Let us accept that no is a complete sentence, without the need for adjectives or explanations.In times such as these when injustice still reigns, people have the right to step back, breathe, and find their peace.Writers, I encourage you to take a more critical eye to your work. Let’s not ignore the forces trying to strip away consent—through laws, norms, even memes disguised as humor. We wield power with our words, and we should all consent to building up and renewing everyone who reads them.If you want a deeper dive into the intersectionality of it all, as a book girly I have some recommendations for you:https://amzn.to/3E2lDfN by Angela Y. Davis explores the historical struggles of women, especially Black women, to claim autonomy and say no to oppression.https://bookshop.org/p/books/they-were-her-property-white-women-as-slave-owners-in-the-american-south-stephanie-e-jones-rogers/8493268?ean=9780300251838 by Stephanie E. Jones-Rogers, examines the role of white women in the American slave economy and highlights the systemic oppression of Black women.

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>substack:post:155140043Tue, 21 Jan 2025 14:10:00 +0000Vanessa RileyAs a writer, I love giving readers something they didn’t expect. When plotting a murder mystery, I meticulously plant clues, red herrings, and unexpected connections, ensuring readers will turn the pages, eager for what’s next. The writer's mind is a...https://bit.ly/wageratmidnightThe ability to say no is sacred. To paraphrase Matthew 5:37, “All you need to say is Yes or No; anything beyond this comes from the devil.”Many of you might be nodding in agreement. Yet this week reminds us that some people still struggle with a woman’s no—especially when that woman is Black.This week, a spokesman for the office of Barack and Michelle Obama announced that Mrs. Obama would not attend the 2025 inauguration. Unlike her absence from President Carter’s funeral, which was attributed to a scheduling conflict, this was a clear, definitive, unexplained no.Reactions have been predictable. Some applaud her for setting boundaries, acknowledging the toll of public life and the personal risks she and her family have endured. Others clutch their pearls, lamenting political norms—those quaint phrases that, bless their hearts, weren’t universally applied when it mattered most.Meanwhile, my people—oh, you know who you are—created a delicious meme that summed it all up: If I send you Michelle’s picture, I’m not coming.From: @jennmjacksonphdThese memes reminded me of the ones sparked by Anita Baker when her concert, scheduled to start at 7 p.m. on May 11, 2024, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, was canceled at 6:54 p.m. due to "unforeseen circumstances."@sweet.alpha.lady from TikTokI’ll admit, these memes are funny. But looking at the popularity of these memes reveals something sobering: Are women the only ones who cancel? Why aren’t there memes like these for men who say no? Do they not have the agency to do so?Of course, that’s sarcasm—because men cancel all the time. They just aren’t mocked as much.Chris Rock, for instance, canceled hosting the 2022 Governor’s Award after his infamous Oscar slap. If humor is fair game, where’s the meme with...]]>989false15fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/is-empathy-dead-writers-don-t-answer-all-at-once--66790830https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-grief-observed-c-s-lewis/7945283?ean=9780060652388 by C.S. Lewis: A deeply personal account of loss and healing.* https://bookshop.org/p/books/god-will-carry-you-through-max-lucado/8156688?ean=9781400323111 by Max Lucado: Reflections on God’s sustaining grace.* https://bookshop.org/p/books/sing-unburied-sing-jesmyn-ward/15673349?ean=9781501126079 by https://substack.com/profile/37172533-jesmyn-ward: A haunting exploration of grief and resilience.* https://bookshop.org/p/books/breathe-a-letter-to-my-sons-imani-perry/9018457?ean=9780807016268https://bookshop.org/p/books/breathe-a-letter-to-my-sons-imani-perry/9018457?ean=9780807016268by

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>substack:post:154654675Tue, 14 Jan 2025 14:10:00 +0000Vanessa RileyAs a writer, the greatest gift I can offer a reader is the ability to feel. Love, anger, or the powerful sense of being seen—my books come with an implicit promise. I intend to transport you, enlighten you, and to invite you to inhabit someone else’s...1008false14fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/be-bold-i-double-dog-dare-you--66790833
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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>substack:post:154181744Tue, 07 Jan 2025 15:07:16 +0000Vanessa RileyFor the past five years, I’ve embraced the practice of choosing a word to frame my year. The selection serves as a calling card, a guiding principle to reflect upon and shape my actions and mindset.My husband suggested tuna. Yes, you heard me—tuna....696false13fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/lessons-for-life-and-writing-taken-from-the-beyonce-bowl--66790838
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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>substack:post:153708932Tue, 31 Dec 2024 14:15:00 +0000Vanessa RileyAs a writer, I believe in using words to tell stories. As a reader, I get very excited when a book transports me to the time and place of the novel. I want to feel like I’m there, all while enjoying the safety and comfort of my home, in my favorite...1237false12fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-weight-of-diverse--66790839Roxane Gay) - Hunger (2017)* Angie Thomas - The Hate U Give (2017)* Michelle Obama - Becoming (2018)* Ibram X. Kendi - How to Be an Antiracist (2019)* Brit Bennett - The Vanishing Half (2020)* 2018: The Cooperative Children’s Book Center reports that books by or about Black, Indigenous, and People of Color make up only 10% of published books. (This has improved but remains a concern.)* 2020: The murder of George Floyd spurs demand for anti-racism literature. Publishers pledge to diversify catalogs and increase representation in leadership. The #PublishingPaidMe movement highlights disparities in compensation for BIPOC authors.Present DayInitiatives like Blackout Bestsellers Week have faded, with sales and visibility campaigns showing diminishing participation. On June 25, 2025, Publishers Weekly headlined: "Layoffs Hit Little, Brown Editorial; Tracy Sherrod, More Depart." The article states: "With the departure of Sherrod, the trade publishing industry has now seen three high-profile Black women depart from top positions since the big publishers made a public commitment to increase their diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in the wake of the 2020 murder of George Floyd. Lisa Lucas was dismissed from Pantheon Schocken last month after three years at the imprint, while Dana Canedy left her role as SVP and publisher of the Simon & Schuster imprint in 2022, after two years."In August, the New York Times followed up with, "‘A Lot of Us Are Gone’: How the Push to Diversify Publishing Fell Short." It detailed a system that allows trailblazers to become fatigued, new entrants discouraged, and emphasized the emotional toll of continuously advocating for inclusion in a resistant system.Why This Matters to MeCritics argue that many efforts remain performative. A lot of discourse feels performative. I remember a widely circulated screed on illustrated covers, advocating for photography instead. I sat there, quietly eating my lunch, knowing my most widely circulated and bought romance books are with illustrated covers—like A Duke, The Lady, and A Baby. Its sales dwarf my photorealistic covers, which showcase beautiful Black characters instead of race-ambiguous caricatures.The trade cover of A Duke, The Lady, and A Baby. I, a Black female writing disruptive stories about the true history of Black women and women of color—of Black folks finding love and dignity within systems that discourage anything but conformity—sometimes feel lost. A recent comment on my 2025 historical romance, A Wager at Midnight, read: “Love the diverse characters in this book. It doesn’t take away the romance or the fun. It actually enriches the romance.”Say What?I want to make something clear: reviewing is hard. Putting your thoughts out there, especially in today’s fraught cultural climate, takes guts. I have no intention of criticizing this reviewer personally. In fact, maybe they’re doing a service by signaling to nervous readers that diverse stories won’t accidentally make them "woke."A reader made a Funko Pop of Scarlet from a Wager at Midnight. That’s a reader's excitement for the story.But comments like these invite a larger conversation about how we perceive books by and about people who exist outside of the dominant narrative. While I deeply appreciate the kind words, the phrasing raises questions: Do readers, particularly white readers, still need reassurance that stories with diverse characters are "safe" to enjoy? Is the word diverse itself triggering? Does it bring hesitation?Literature is one of the safest ways to explore unfamiliar perspectives. It costs nothing to empathize with characters who look different from you. In fact, it enriches you. Diverse or diversity shouldn't trigger you. Ask why it does.Moving ForwardBelow are my personal thoughts on how we can reach a point where any book can excite any reader without clauses or pauses:* Books by authors of color should be marketed as universal stories.* Readers should challenge themselves to read widely all year, not just in February.* Reviewers should recognize that their willingness to review, as well as the words they use, are invaluable in shaping narratives about what stories matter.And if you want to read a “diverse” romance, check out A Wager at Midnight. I promise it’s a terrific read, full stop.Be A Part of the ConversationAdd your comments and share your experiences. Authors, feel free to contribute your insights as well. I’ve posted a poll on Spotify to explore where readers stand. There’s no judgment—having open discussions is key to moving forward.This is Vanessa. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vanessariley.substack.com/subscribe

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Find my full show notes, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and extras on Substack → vanessariley.substack.com 

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Thank you for being part of the Write of Passage community.]]>substack:post:153512989Tue, 24 Dec 2024 14:10:00 +0000Vanessa RileyWhat does the word "diverse" mean to you when you see it in relation to books and publishing? For some, it is joy. It means being seen. It's a celebration. For others, it is a tag to "otherize" and foment hate. In publishing, it means a journey...846false11full