When traditional publishers didn’t think there was a market for historical fiction featuring black female leads, Vanessa Riley bet on herself, and won big! After finding success with self-publishing, she is now traditionally publishing her historical fiction, romance, and mystery books with the Big 5 Publishers.

Vanessa Riley is an award-winning author of over twenty-nine novels including Island Queen (a GMA buzz pick), Queen of Exiles (ABC’s The View’s Lit Pic), and the Lady Worthing Mystery Series (which won the 2024 Georgia Author of the Year for Mystery). 

With a doctorate from Stanford University and other engineering degrees from Penn State, Vanessa brings a research-oriented approach to her inclusive storytelling which spotlights hidden narratives of Black women and women of color, emphasizing power, sisterhoods, and family sagas across historical fiction, romance, and mystery genres.

The Long Road to Publishing with Eva Langston:

• Follow me on Substack or subscribe to my Substack Newsletter for Writers.
• Find me on Instagram and Blue Sky.
• Send me an email at [email protected]
• To pitch to the podcast, go here
• Find books by guests and books mentioned on the podcast at the Long Road Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/evalangston

Vanessa Riley:

• Website: Vanessariley.com
• Fire Sword & Sea: https://bookshop.org/a/91104/9780063271043

Show Notes:

• Eva Rutland: https://romancehistory.com/2022/04/05/eva-rutland-1917-2012/

Credits:

The Long Road to Publishing is produced and edited by Eva Langston, and the intro/outro music comes from the artist Soundroll on #Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/lost-in-love

License code: EEKRDQPCTGSBM5LZ

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