More than a decade ago I got an email saying that a book I wrote about a broken hearted detective living in Los Angeles who runs into a sad-eyed Korean man with a bit of a bite to his words was accepted to be published.
It was a lot harder to get published then and I also kind of knew that the odds are stacked against me because of how I write and what I write. I didn’t think that what I poured out of my brain was some sacred text handed down to me for my ancestors or that I was going to set the world on fire.
That’s never my intent when I tell a story.
I just want to tell a story.
When I was a little kid… And to be honest, to this day still… Words and stories have always pulled me out of where I am and into other worlds and unimaginable situations. You have to remember, I was growing up in a rock… A very tiny Little Rock… Filled with people who look like me and sounded like me with only the occasional drive by a tourist who was there to see mountains and oceans and waterfalls.
But books took me to places that I never thought I would see. I dreamed of seeing these places. Or maybe not so much dream as hoped because for a long time I wasn’t sure I would make it out of childhood much less off of that rock.
But the stories took me there. And they took me to outer space and they took me to the past and they took me to places where dragons and unicorns and kitsune lived.
And somewhere in my heart began a little fire, a driving want, to do that for someone else.
And here I am many years later, still hoping to take people places but maybe they’ve never been or to open their hearts and minds to ideas and cultures and foods and experiences that are within their reach or sometimes maybe not but it’s a good place to go.
Thank you for coming with me on those journeys. Thank you to following me to those imaginary lands with those imaginary people and their sometimes stupid problems. But also thank you for sharing their joy and stopping to pet their cats and dogs… And for letting me be a part of your world.
I am very grateful to every single one of you. I am here being read and being seen and being heard because you picked up a book that I somehow wrote and sent off in the hopes that it would reach you.
Please know that you brought me joy and I cannot thank you enough for it. It is as incredible of a gift as a book that takes you everywhere that you want to go and places you never imagined to ever be.
Hi, Rhys – I just finished the Cole McGinnis series for the umphteenth time. I love the story….i read everything you write.
Thank you for your stories, for your lovely characters.
Sincerely
Sue DeJarnette
Thank you so much! I absolutely love writing the dirty series and then of course you know Cole. I love riding him. He’s so weird but he’s so earnest. I’m really happy you like them!
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I’m so glad you survived and got off that rock and that Cole and Jae came to be. Your words initiated a love for an entirely new genre of books for me and you have infused so much culture into my life in little ways in this past decade plus. I can’t begin to fathom how much I’ve grown as a human since discovering your words, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for putting yourself out there. 💜
I’m honestly so happy that you are with me as we kind of walk through journeys and places and things and all of that. A big part of what I wanted to share was things that were familiar to me and I knew that other people didn’t know about. And I wanted to explore places that I’ve never been so that’s always a bonus. Thank you very much for being here. I appreciate it.
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Glad you came off the rock as you are. Your characters are so well done, and your books are a permanent part of my library. Thanks for bringing your world into ours.
Thank you and I really appreciate it. Mostly I really just want you to have a story that you can enjoy and if I can bring that to you even just a little bit, my life is good. So thank you.
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Thank you for your wonderful stories and for sharing this piece of your life with us. Cole and Jai’s stories are my favorites and I have read and reread their books many times. You are one of the authors at the top of my favorite author list and I have thoroughly enjoyed all your books! The characters you have created, the humor and the heart break, the cultures and worlds you have introduced us too, all together pulls us in with your amazing style of writing and story telling. Thank you again for all your wonderful books!🌺
Thank you so much! I am going to return to Cole and Jae because I really do adore writing them and it’s always fun to have different challenges for Cole to face. He’s a lot of fun to write. And again thank you
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I’m so happy that I discovered your books so many moons ago Rhys, I’ve read and also rereading them still. So many wonderful and distinct characters have taken me on journeys that have had me laughing and crying. Where would I be without discovering Mikki and the Sinners guys? This is what I love about books, they stay with you forever. You have given me so many things to enjoy and cherish along with many other amazing authors such as Mary Calmes who is also so creative too. Take care of you and enjoy every day, time is precious.
Thank you so much and I appreciate your kind words. Right now yeah I am looking at what I’m writing and where I’m going to go next. And hopefully you like the journey.
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Hi Rhys,
until I read your Cole McGinnis series, I had only met South Korean
nurses working in Berlin (Germany), down in the seventies. Each and
everyone of them were fanatic overachievers and sticklers to any rules
they could find.
Now, of course, I am well aware that the poor women were probably only
trying to adjust to a terrifying, completely different society, but my
youthful self simply kept away. A lost chance to learn about other ways
of life, to be sure.
While highly entertaining, your series taught me to differentiate and to
understand a strange mentality, a very seldom combination.
Thanks so much!
Greetings, Lucie
I am very glad I could help with insight and hopefully entertain you! The world has so many challenges and sometimes it’s good just sit and observe and other times it’s good to jump in and just have fun. I hope you’re doing well.
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Thank you for your books, I started with the Sinners series and I’m hooked. I’ve read everything you write and truly enjoy everything. The food is an eye opener, I’ve lived a pretty sheltered life in comparison to so many so I love hearing about it.
I think a big part of culture sharing is food and it is definitely fun to include things that are very culturally normal for me but maybe different for somebody else. And just the exploration of each other’s world is great. Thank you for being here I really appreciate it
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Dear Rhys, yes, I belong to those readers who keep your stories on their e-readers to be read and re-read, and I fell in love with all of your characters, from Fishstick Friday to Sinner`s Gin. I hope you will find the power and drive to resume writing, because your stories are unique! All the best , especially in times when you might feel you don´t want to get up out of bed at all. I wish you a daily idea to make you want to open up your curtains and look outside. And a reason to smile each day! With all my heart from around the globe, all the way from Germany, yours Tina (Staphysagria)
thank you so much! Right now I’m just trying to figure out what I want to write. That I have like three options that I keep kicking around it I think I’ve decided on which one it is. So we’ll see how it goes. Most of all I hope to give you something that you enjoy and keeps you entertained. I think that’s really what I hope for everything I write. Thank you very much for coming along with me on these journeys. I appreciate it.
Hi Rhys,
I’m really glad you’re here and that you share all your fantastic stories with us. I love your ideas and characters and situations and everything. Thanks so much for all of it 🙂 ❤
Dawn
Dawn R. Schuldenfrei
Spinning stardust, weaving worlds
https://drsediting.com/
https://dawnrschuldenfrei.com/
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I don’t know if I reply to this because this was sitting in spam and I just found it. And approved it. But I did want to say thank you and I love you too.
Hi Rhys
Hope you’re doing well. I just wanted to let you know your much I enjoy your stories and how much joy they bring me. Thank you for that. I’ve reread them many times, they’re that amazing!
Love El
Thank you so much! I’m actually working on a project and well in addition to other things to sort of like refresh some of the book covers and just sort of like move things forward but I am doing a project that I’m writing so it’ll be fun. I keep telling myself that it’ll be fun. But really thank you.
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Ack, sorry about all the signature stuff in my previous comment. I didn’t realize everything in my email would automatically be included. Can you delete the whole thing when you have a chance? I just wanted you to know how much you’re appreciated 🙂
Dawn
Let me go look.
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Oh no what you’re looking at is the notices that I get that shows me who replied or who commented. If you go to the original comment you shouldn’t see any personal information. That’s blocked. It’s a security system set up to deal with people who send really nasty emails thinking that they can’t be traced but if something was dire they could hunt that person down. You’re fine but look at the comment you’ll see there’s there shouldn’t be any information
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Okay, thanks for checking 🙂