The Kennedy Ryan Phenomenon: Inclusive Narratives With Heart

Book Gang

Kennedy Ryan discusses her rise to the NYT bestseller list as a Black romance writer with moving advocacy for autism representation in This Could Be Us.

There is a reason everyone wants to be a part of Kennedy Ryan’s story—her joy is infectious.

Today, we offer listeners a front-row seat to her romance Booktok fandom, sold-out book tours, and moving victory as a Black romance writer on the New York Times bestseller list.

Ryan openly discusses her connection to the autism community and the beauty and challenge of capturing that on a page for the reader in her latest novel. Representing autism authentically meant the writer took surprising steps to ensure an accurate and respectful portrayal of family life in This Could Be Us.

Readers will get a 2-for-1 conversation as we also discuss the rerelease of Reel and details on the upcoming books in the Hollywood Renaissance series.

Learn what it means to be a hybrid author and her commitment to immersive research, ensuring her stories resonate authentically with readers no matter where you find her stories.

Bonus Book List:

Today’s BONUS book celebrates Autism Acceptance Month! I've featured 13 books with autistic characters filled with heartwarming love stories, mystery, and family drama.

The list features many #ownvoices books, including the authors' diagnosis stories and the characters they developed to offer readers insights into their journeys. As a parent in the community, I hope I've crafted a list that will allow you to immerse yourself in these stories.

Meet Kennedy Ryan

USA Today's bestselling author and Audie Award-winner, Kennedy Ryan, writes for women from all walks of life, empowering them and placing them firmly at the center of each story and in charge of their own destinies. The co-founder of Lift 4 Autism, an annual charitable book auction, she has a passion for raising Autism awareness. Kennedy is a wife to her "lifetime lover" and mother to an extraordinary son.

Mentioned in this episode:

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Meet the 2024 MomAdvice Book Club Books

Browse This Week's Book List Featuring #OwnVoices for Autism Acceptance Month

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

The Unseen World by Liz Moore

LOGAN Autism Center

The Autism Books by Autistic Authors Database

This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

Life 4 Autism

Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan

Reel by Kennedy Ryan

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