Who is Rhys Matthews?

Okay, so for those of you who have been living under a rock, and never heard of my fictitious King of Tinsletown, I've decided to have some fun (albeit one-sided) and break it down for you!

Think Robert Pattinson meets the best parts of Russell Brand.

He's super-hot! (Duh, he's British)
Able to stunt all rational thought in millions of women between the ages of 12 to 35, reducing us to slobbering heathens with a smirk! He's been known to evade crowds of screaming fans in a single leap....
Who is this amazing, talented guy you ask!?

He is the one... the only... Rhys Matthews.

In the past several years he has taken Hollywood by storm. Starring in a series of fictitious blockbuster films, Time Redeemer, the sequel Wrestling Darkness,  and the fantastic final installment that broke box office records, The Lawless One.

His most recent success has come outside the hugely successful franchise, proving that Rhys is more than just another pretty face.
Rocking Stone magazine called his performance in the Independent Film, Triumph In The Sky, "Brilliant. A cinematic masterpiece. Matthews has proven himself a force to be reckoned with."

This summer, you have the opportunity to meet Rhys for yourself. Watch him steal Graces' heart in the romantic, suspense-filled novel, BETWEEN OCTOBERS (out on June 17th!).

Until then, you can follow him on twitter: @Rhys_Matthews

Ch-Ch-Cha-Changes and Inspiration

I've had trouble describing my book.

Is it Women's Fiction?
Romance?
Suspense?
Tragedy?
Maybe Contemporary?

BETWEEN OCTOBERS is about a lot of things--moving on after love, being honest with yourself,  forgiveness, and learning to over come fears, but mostly it's about the way a handful of people handle the same change in different ways.

CHANGE

Most people will agree that change is scary, but truth be told, I think change--most of the time--is great. It means I'm moving. And that which is not moving is still and when you sit still for a long time, you get stiff. And when you're stiff, you no longer bend easily, which makes moving--changing--seem scary.

My Uncle used to tell me that in life, we need to be like water and keep moving, because just like water, when life sits still for too long, it becomes stagnant.


INSPIRATION

The aforementioned novel, Between Octobers, is my first manuscript, the book of my heart. When I started writing it way back in 2008, I had no intention of showing it to anyone. (My husband didn't even know I was writing it. My mother and brother, with whom I regularly discuss my writing, had no idea I wrote anything outside Science Fiction until I told them it was being published.) It was my own little story that started out small and became this huge monster that took over my brain. I had to write it down to get it out of my system.

The inspiration for the plot came from the Book Of Esther (yes, the one in the Bible). As did GRACE, my protagonist. She was drawn from Queen Esther, herself, though I don't know how similar they ended up being.
EVAN, on the other hand--the love interest--has all the wit and charm of my husband dumped into the shell of a Rob Pattinson-type persona and peppered with bits of Russell Brand, whom I've always found to be fascinating.
     
I tried, as I wrote this book, to keep it as close to what I believed was a viable accounting of a normal woman in abnormal circumstances. I tried to put myself in her shoes and and did lots of research on personality traits, bereavement, and stuck it in there with what I know to be true from personal experiences.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Who knows! But I feel the butterflies in my stomach whenever I think about this book. I love this story so, so much. I have never read anything quite like my book and if anyone else who reads it loves it half as much--no--a quarter as much as I do, then I'll be happy.

And if no one loves it... meh, I'll try really hard not to pay attention to the haters and glean what I can from the criticism.

As my 2014 publication approaches, I come closer to getting an actual date to share with all of the wonderful people that reside in the world of literature and my twitter-verse. And It sends me into a fit delight commingled with trepidation. Because I am in a place I have never been before.
I'm chasing my dreams.
I'm grasping at stars, hoping against hope that I make it.

At the risk of sounding ego-maniacal, I have a feeling I will because I refuse to stay. I will keep trying and take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way. 

GUESS WHAT??

It's one event in a string of events--probable, yet seemingly impossible.

Am I better than I thought or simply lucky? 

Blessed beyond measure? Sure, but I'm no better than anyone else.

It must be dumb luck. If that's all this is, I'll take it and relish every second.

This particular event started on a Monday morning. I was unpacking boxes--the hubs and I bought a house and spent the weekend moving and cleaning. I was very close to pulling my hair out, trying to simultaneously teach online home school without proper internet access. I was frazzled. Utterly exhausted, running on about four hours sleep over the past two days. 

Then, came The Call. The Cold Call.

It was a woman. I remember, she said her name was Elizabeth. I don't remember what I said to her when she told me how much she liked my book,  Between Octobers. I think I was having a minor coronary. 

I mean, these calls are the things you read about on other people's blogs. Usually people you don't know, sometimes even, your own CPs. And you're genuinely happy for them because, if they can crawl from the hellish trenches of Submission and Rejection, and rise up victorious, so can we. 

Back to The Call. 

I remember wishing I could sound as cool and nonchalant as I do in my imagination. I remember my hair, blanketed by sweat and my hands feeling clammy against my cheeks as I incessantly rubbed them. But mostly, I remember Elizabeth, of Take Two Publishing, asking me if I was happy that she loved my story and wanted to publish it. 

The trouble with having an out-of-body experience is that it takes a while to crawl back inside and search out an answer to this unexpected question.
I think I told her, 'Yes, I am very happy.'
The one thing I remember most clearly about that call, is how inadequate and lucky and completely overwhelmed I felt after.
As soon as the mysterious conversation was over, I hung up and called my husband. It couldn't feel real until I shared it with him. 

And every minute since, whenever I think of that short, mind blowing phone call, I see my target--the best-sellers list-- and I hear the emotion and joy in my husbands voice when he told how proud he is of me. And how he knows this is just the beginning of many great things for us.

Please, gather round, and join me in a happy dance!! Because from now on, I am offically calling myself an AUTHOR!!



What do I do for a living, you ask? Why, I'm an AUTHOR. I have a book coming out next year. Women's Fiction, a beautiful suspenseful, love story that rocks!! 

Rivera out.

Here's a link to my fabulous publisher:  http://www.taketwopublishing.com/