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Sam
I get excited to see my wife soar, to see her really take off in areas where she's dreamed, where she's wanted to, where she's wanted to. You know, these goals and aspirations that she come together to see that happen is a real joy.
Kennedy Ryan
And I had made as much in a day as I had made in the entire three years.
Sam
But not just that. Not just that. She had made in that day more than what I was making in a month.
Weezy
What book was that?
Sam
And I was like, wait, but see,
Kennedy Ryan
my mom, they're pastors. And my mom was like, you ain't gonna bring the devil in my house.
Sam
Yes.
Kennedy Ryan
So I had to smuggle the romance novels in, in like my clothes, in purses. I stuffed them in the closets. I, you know, shoved them in the mattress. I couldn't read it. This is an I heart podcast. Guaranteed human.
Mandy B
Yes, it's me again.
Kennedy Ryan
And we prepped.
Mandy B
It's the time for empowerment. And I've got a message for you.
Kennedy Ryan
Guess who. Guess who's back.
Mandy B
You gotta think about sexual health no matter what. Dinner with who. Yeah.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah.
Mandy B
To all you lovers out there, ain't no judgment. This is your cue.
Kennedy Ryan
Guess who. Guess who's better.
Mandy B
It's time to talk about pre special prophylaxis, a part of HIV prevention.
Kennedy Ryan
Oh.
Mandy B
So your Prime. Talk to a healthcare provider and visit
Weezy
carefortheculture.com to learn more this summer. Find your next obsession on Prime.
Mandy B
And let's be honest, we're all due for a new one.
Weezy
It's been a minute.
Mandy B
Steamy romance, addictive love stories, and the book to scream favorites you've already read twice. Because once was obviously not enough.
Weezy
Off campus. Elle, the Love Hypothesis and more Slow burns. Second chances chemistry. You could feel through the screen the tension. I was set.
Mandy B
Binge worthy series. Can't miss the movies. This is the kind of content you start to just check out and suddenly
Weezy
it's 1am Ask me how I know.
Mandy B
Obsession is officially in session only on Prime Video.
Weezy
Pressure has a way of revealing what remains steady. In the latest Nissan campaign, the Nissan
Kennedy Ryan
Rogue was tested to the extreme to
Weezy
demonstrate that it's built to last through
Kennedy Ryan
durability and reliability challenges inspired by real
Weezy
tests conducted by Nissan engineers.
Kennedy Ryan
Brutal potholes, a steady force of water,
Weezy
even a jet powered sandstorm.
Kennedy Ryan
And each challenge inviting a deeper look at how quality, durability and reliability hold their ground in real world conditions. Every test was 100% real.
Weezy
No CG, no AI.
Kennedy Ryan
To see how the Rogue held up, visit nissan-duordability.com. a lot of you ask how I
Weezy
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Kennedy Ryan
And honestly, Shopify is the reason it exists.
Weezy
For me, Shopify is the place where
Kennedy Ryan
I took this little idea I had and turned it into a real time business. I still remember the first ever sale I made for my fashion brand.
Weezy
Embellished. It was a huge moment for me
Kennedy Ryan
and Shopify made it all possible.
Weezy
Build your store, own your audience, and create something that lasts.
Kennedy Ryan
Start now@shopify.com Ben
Mandy B
decision decisions. Oh, my God. We they. We've only been waiting forever to add actually finally have this guest on our podcast. And of course, Weezy loves to make it an orgy. So we added an additional person, at least for the first 20 minutes of this episode. Y', all, we are really, really excited. Welcome to another episode of Decision Decisions. I am your girl, Mandy B, AKA Pegan Markle, AKA Peg the Stallion, AKA that Beach.
Weezy
Listen, well, now you know about Peggy. Y' all haven't read store yet because it just came out today and. Hey, y', all, I'm Weezy, and I just want to say I'm so excited for this episode. There's not many people we get to interview that we're like, we love. And I know all of you probably love her. I didn't know you were pretty in person. You know, like, it's just a little photo, so I'm even really a lot more excited. But Kendi Ryan is on today. She's a New York Times bestseller, USA Today bestselling author, known for, I think the most popular book. Correct me if I'm wrong if I see one more bitch on a train with Before I let go.
Kennedy Ryan
Before I let go.
Mandy B
Hello.
Weezy
Wow, 20 novels. Or is it 40? Cause ChatGPT and Google is good.
Kennedy Ryan
No, I think now it's probably around 27, like, counting short stories and things like that. That's when it.
Mandy B
Yeah, 27.
Kennedy Ryan
That's not a lot.
Mandy B
Wait, you said that's not a lot. Bitch, we got one. That's a lot.
Weezy
Well, not only are we lucky for the first 20 minutes of this episode to have her partner here with us, but Mandy and I have had a new way of wanting to do this show with interviewing couples and talking to couples about their love and their dynamics and their mess, but they ain't got it, so. But clap it up for Kennedy and Sam. Okay. Have you guys done an interview together?
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah, I mean, some.
Sam
It's been a while. Last time we actually got in front of a camera.
Weezy
Now, you know, we have to say Candy's Public said, no personal questions. I was like, okay, no, no, no. When I'm telling you, the joke was, I said, let me delete, delete. Last time y' all had sex. Just kidding.
Kennedy Ryan
You'd be like, name.
Weezy
Because to me, to experience love, especially while single, reading your book, you always have a happy ending, and we're getting to read this, but knowing you were married was kind of the icing on the cake for me, because you live your reps, I feel like. And just even seeing how happy you guys are is a great feeling to see. So I want to know how long you've been together. You know, how you met. Did you have a breakup moment? Like, what's the tea? Yeah.
Kennedy Ryan
You want to talk about? Well, we've been married 29 years.
Mandy B
That's a long time.
Kennedy Ryan
It is a long time.
Weezy
Yeah. Wow.
Mandy B
How long and where did you guys meet?
Kennedy Ryan
We met in college. Well, I was in college. He was a year out of college. He was working with. You guys are going to love this. He was working with a campus ministry
Sam
and with churches and nonprofits.
Kennedy Ryan
So, you know, I'm a pastor's kid. Like, I'm a pk.
Mandy B
That's why your brain work like this.
Weezy
Okay.
Mandy B
It all makes sense.
Kennedy Ryan
He's like, okay, it's all coming together.
Weezy
Boy, did that make it make sense. Kennedy, we been doing this show 10 years. Anytime somebody's, like, almost too freaky, we're like, so, what's going on? They're like, well, when I was in the church.
Sam
That's right.
Kennedy Ryan
There it is.
Sam
There it is.
Weezy
But you talk about God a lot in your book, so you clearly still.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah, I do. I mean, I. My faith is very important to me, you know, And I think what's interesting is you don't see a lot of romance novels that discuss faith, because I think there are a lot of people who. Who see them as diametrically opposed. And I think that's because of a lot of the shame that is promoted around sex in the church. And so people see those two things as, like, they can't kind of coexist. And I talk about faith pretty freely in my books and don't shy away from it, because it's very much a part of my life, and so is my career. It's so funny that when I. Nobody will know who this is because we had 40 people in our wedding. Right. So that's small.
Mandy B
Is it that small?
Sam
At the time?
Weezy
Wait, I was big. There's.
Kennedy Ryan
Wait, wait, that's your wedding? Like, the wedding party?
Sam
The wedding party.
Kennedy Ryan
In our wedding party, we're talking about, like, bridesmaids, scroogers.
Mandy B
Oh. Oh, wait. Y' all aren't talking about attending?
Sam
We're not talking about.
Kennedy Ryan
No, no, no, no, no.
Mandy B
It was 40 inside the wedding.
Sam
40. And so we don't know about.
Kennedy Ryan
You said y' all had that many friends. I don't have a lot of friends.
Mandy B
Oh, this was him.
Kennedy Ryan
I had to start digging friends out of the woodwork to match the groomsmen. I'm like, I knew you from the eighth grade. Could you come here at my wedding now, please?
Mandy B
Him?
Kennedy Ryan
Is this ca.
Mandy B
Basketball.
Weezy
And then I'm just guessing.
Kennedy Ryan
He did play basketball, but he only
Weezy
used to a certain height.
Kennedy Ryan
Okay, so this is the thing. Sam's the kind of person who, when people meet them, they immediately think that he's their best friend. Like, you know, after one time, they're just like, we're so close. We're best friends. And Sam just collects people.
Mandy B
They don't think it because he invited them all to be in the wedding. They are his best friends.
Sam
Exactly.
Mandy B
Yes.
Sam
It's like, certain people, you were like, oh, man, this is gonna be bad if this person's not in the wedding. You know what I mean?
Kennedy Ryan
But you had 20 of those.
Sam
It kind of happened like that.
Kennedy Ryan
Okay, so.
Mandy B
And we were young.
Sam
You know what I mean? You don't want to hurt anyone's feelings.
Weezy
How old were you when you got old?
Sam
We were 25.
Kennedy Ryan
I was 24.
Sam
I was like. We were 26, 27.
Weezy
That is very young.
Kennedy Ryan
Very young.
Weezy
You know, Kevin Sage told us when he came on the show, like, listen, I almost didn't make it. When he talked about running outside with his titties out, I'm like, oh, yeah. Like, sorry, I heard that story.
Sam
Yes.
Weezy
That is. The story's funny. In 29 years.
Sam
Yeah. 29 years.
Weezy
What is the year that you were like, oh, yeah, we're barely fighting anymore. Oh, no, Never. I don't think ever.
Kennedy Ryan
I mean, not.
Sam
There's been, like, a couple of big moments.
Kennedy Ryan
Not like we fight all the time, but I don't think there's ever, like. I think I can tell you when there are years where it's kind of like, are we gonna make it? You know, like, I would say probably. I don't know. A lot of. And I think a lot of married couples have this, like, the seven to ten year mark.
Sam
Yeah.
Kennedy Ryan
That you're like, oh, for the. Forever. Forever.
Sam
Right, right.
Mandy B
I'm curious. When you met and got married, were you writing erotica and Romance at the time.
Kennedy Ryan
Yes. Okay, so this is the thing. Technically, I don't write erotica.
Mandy B
Romance.
Kennedy Ryan
Right.
Weezy
That's why she.
Mandy B
Look at his face, Sheston. I know what he's the thing.
Kennedy Ryan
People who read romance are very strict about definition.
Weezy
Yes.
Kennedy Ryan
So they'll be, oh, well, you should
Mandy B
have seen us writing this book.
Kennedy Ryan
Not write romance. She's just not as spicy as you.
Weezy
The way Simon and Schuster as a reason we should have been romance.
Mandy B
The way every call, she's like, but it's erotica. And they're like, weezy, the way your book can't be in the front of the store if it's erotica. Like, the way we actually need to put some self help into this book. Causari. You can't just write how great you suck dick for the whole book. Like, it was that. Right. And so I'm asking this because Weezy and I have a podcast where we talk about sex. Right? However, the people that we date and how people may perceive us is adjacent to sex work. Right. And so even though it's romance, because happy endings, there's happy endings in the book, too. And so what was that like in terms of you explaining to him that it's romance, not erotica? And then coming from the church, how was that discussed? And how did people accept that this was what she wrote?
Kennedy Ryan
Well, and I would say I was not writing. I've only been writing for 11 years. Like, I've been writing. I've been writing my whole adult life, but my background is journalism, so I was writing. We have a son who's on the spectrum. I used. For 11 years, I ran a foundation for families who have children with autism. A lot of my writing was around special needs parenting. I was doing some ghost writing. Like, I have been writing, but it was more technical. PR for foundations, churches, nonprofits. And then around, uh, I would say, well, my son. My son was diagnosed when he was 2. When he was around 5, that's when I started the foundation. And I grew up reading romance. Like, in the eighth grade, I started reading romance, which I thought was young, but I feel like Tia Williams, who's one of my best friends, was like, girl, I started in the sixth grade. I was like, good grief. You know, but see, I. My mom, they're. They're pastors. And my mom was like, you ain't gonna bring the devil in my house.
Sam
Yes.
Kennedy Ryan
So I had to smuggle the romance novels in in, like, my clothes, in purses. I stuffed them in the closets. I, you know, shoved them in the mattress. I couldn't read it. Like, she wouldn't let me read it.
Mandy B
Now, romance novels, when you were growing up, for us, growing up, and to me, it wasn't romance. I thought it was a little erotica, little hood. But we had Zayn, we had Sister Soulja. We had Eric Jerome Dickens. We had, like, who were the authors that you were reading?
Kennedy Ryan
So I went. So when I. I'm older than everybody else, right? So when I first started reading romance, I'm in the eighth grade. So it's like Harlequin romance, you know, it's like Mills and Boone. It's like Silhouette romance. It's like historical romances, the big bodice rippers. And so that's what I was reading, but it was only from the 8th to the 12th grade. And then when I went to college, I started reading, like, the serious books. Like, I just stopped reading romance. I started focusing on college, and I wasn't reading much for the.
Weezy
So, I mean, I guess that's when you met your partner, and so you didn't get to see that she was into the nasty stuff. Now, when did that happen?
Kennedy Ryan
When did it.
Weezy
When did. When did the layer come back? Was it the first time y' all got in bed together? You were like,
Kennedy Ryan
she putting words in my mouth.
Weezy
See, she loves doing that, girl.
Mandy B
She loved doing that. Yeah. I'm curious then, when you were introduced to this, if it impacted your, like, relationship at all.
Sam
Not at all. I think part of what I enjoyed was the fact that she was a great writer, and she had this story called Hindsight that no one was reading. Like, she had it kind of tucked away like it was some secret heirloom.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah. I never planned to publish it.
Sam
She never had any plans of publishing it. And the only people who she allowed to read it was myself and her sister.
Weezy
Wow.
Mandy B
Two and the sister. That's it.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah. Cause I. So this was, like, I was saying. I. I was running my foundation. I was working. I was doing all of that, and I needed something for myself. So that's when I started reading. That's when I started reading romance again as my own escape. And then I was like, I am a writer.
Weezy
I don't know if you know the inside of you, because I've always wondered, is this real? So I don't know if you've heard, but Freida McFadden, who did Housemaids. The housemaid, they say she's actually a brain surgeon.
Kennedy Ryan
She's a doctor. That's a real thing. Yeah, she's a real doctor. Yeah. And she actually was public about it last week because she wears this wig, you know, and she was like, yeah. And everybody was always like, okay, so it's real. Yeah, that's real.
Weezy
So she.
Kennedy Ryan
And it has just been kind of, like, speculated on. And she came out. Came out last week and was like, I get tired. I've gotten tired of people speculating and all of this. And she was like, yes, this is a wig. And I. She didn't give her legal name, which I never do either, because people are weird sometimes. But she didn't give her legal name. But she was like, I am a doctor, I think. I don't know if it's brain surgery, but she is a medical doctor.
Mandy B
I'm curious.
Kennedy Ryan
Still a practicing medical doctor. I'm like, how do you have time
Mandy B
to write all these books?
Weezy
What about you?
Mandy B
I was gonna say, in terms of speculations, has there been anything speculated that you put into a book that people assumed was from this relationship, this marriage? Have you. Which speculations? Let's clear the air right now. What is not true? But also, like, have you felt like you've read something in the book that you felt like was inspired from real life?
Sam
Yeah, there's been several occasions where that's happened. I think one of the biggest was within the popular series, the Skyland series. And so, of course, this would be us.
Kennedy Ryan
Oh. But so when he was saying the book Hindsight, that I had never planned to publish, that I'd never planned to publish. That's before I let go.
Sam
That's before I let go.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah, it was originally called. And I was not gonna publish it. And Sam was like, no, you should pull it back out.
Weezy
You sat on your most popular book.
Kennedy Ryan
I did. For 15 years.
Mandy B
And you told me and Daphne told me.
Weezy
Yeah.
Sam
Yeah.
Kennedy Ryan
I thought it wasn't. I mean, I rewrote a lot of
Sam
it, even though so much of it was different. Of course, when it came out and before I let go, I mean, the bones of it was still there.
Weezy
Now, what's special in that book is the prelude in. Is this the right series? I'm talking about when you talk about aut.
Kennedy Ryan
Oh, that's. This could be us. That's the second book.
Weezy
And when I first started following you on Instagram, because, you know, first you read, and then you're like, now I gotta be locked in.
Sam
Right.
Weezy
When you took that break last year, how was that for your family? Did you encourage it?
Kennedy Ryan
Like, encourage.
Weezy
Like, you were like, destiny. You canceled all those shows. I mean, Kennedy. Wow.
Mandy B
I was so Kenny that's why you here in 2026 and not 2025.
Kennedy Ryan
Okay? So I'm gonna tell you. The real thing was, so in 2024, I think it. Out of 52 weeks, I was on the road 34. Like, I was on the road 34 weeks out of 52. And I was like, I'm not gonna do that again. And Sam's like, no, we're not gonna do that again. And then last year, I think I had gotten up to maybe in August, a good 25 weeks, something like that, same direction. And, you know, we just announced the deal that I have with Universal and all of that. But what nobody knew was. And now I can talk about it. I couldn't then, but I had just been asked by Peacock and Universal and our producers to co write the pilot. And I had never done that before. So I was finishing score, I was co writing the pilot. There was just a lot that was going on, and nobody knew that I was doing all of that. But my husband knew, and he was like, babe, like, when we got the news that I was gonna be co writing the pilot. And I have. I have. I can't talk about all of. But I have seven projects in development right now for television. And nobody knew that either, but Sam knew. And he's like, you've got all this stuff going on for tv. You're writing your books now. You're co writing this pilot. Like, this is a lot. And we still have, you know, a son with special needs who. His needs are very intense. And Sam was like, I think you should cancel. I think you should cancel the last quarter. And I was very resistant and resentful and pissed off.
Mandy B
Sam, I'm curious. The conversation on the Internet.
Sam
On the Internet.
Mandy B
On the Internet is how most men don't want a strong woman who has her own, who's independent, who is financially savvy. How do you show up to support Kennedy and, you know, make it to where you're okay with taking, you know, the backseat and being a support system as the man?
Sam
Well, I think. Because I don't get. I don't. I think part of it is just me being as old as I am. There's also. It's also just. I'm secure in who I am as a man.
Mandy B
So we need old men.
Sam
Yeah, you need to find your old man. But no, I think gotta have gray, you know, But I think it is just being secure in who you are as a man. Knowing. Knowing what it is that you provide for the relationship, what it is you bring to the relationship. But more specifically, I get excited to see my wife soar, to see her really take off in areas where she's dreamed, where she's wanted to. Where she's wanted to. You know, these goals and aspirations that she. That she's. And her finally meeting them come together to see that happen is a real joy. Like, I don't think it's. It would almost feel counterproductive if I'm not coming alongside, making sure that she feels encouraged and supported to do what it is, because she basically does the same thing for me. What does it look like for me to not reciprocate that?
Mandy B
You know what I'm saying?
Weezy
Because there has to be a way that she makes you feel secure.
Kennedy Ryan
Right.
Weezy
There's so many conversations on the Internet that Mandy's talking about, because we are having them all the time on the show. When women are making money, they are forgetting to do XYZ now with your son and all this other stuff, I'm sure she maybe doesn't have time to
Kennedy Ryan
cook for you sometimes.
Sam
Right, right, right.
Weezy
But also, what are those ways, if you could even say them out loud, that your wife makes you feel valued?
Sam
Well, I think part of it is we early on said we're building a team. We're not trying to be traditional when it comes to roles and expectations and all of that. And once you have a child and find out that he's on the spectrum, all of that stuff goes out the window. You know what I mean? You now have this team where you're overseeing this kid, and what does it mean to kind of get the best out of both of us? So what ended up happening? I'm gonna hit our history real quick. The day after our. I should say the day that our son got diagnosed, literally the next day, I was. I lost my job. I was in sales at the time my job ends. Right.
Weezy
That's a season.
Sam
So what ends up happening? Yeah, so what ends up happening is she's the primary breadwinner. I'm the one at home making sure he gets to therapy, making sure that he gets to, you know, his little activities and everything. And I think part of it was during that season, I really began to see, hey, this cannot look like the traditional setup if she's at work, and I'm the one taking her back and forth to therapy. And it was hard. Of course it was hard. I'm in my early 30s. At the time, it was like, oh, all my friends are at work. And, you know, I didn't have really a whole lot of people to connect with. It wasn't like a lot of, you know, online groups that you could kind of engage with during that time. So it was difficult. But it was during that season that I was just like, hey, this is not gonna look like your mom and dad's. This is not gonna look like her mom and dad's. This is gonna look like yours. So let's custom it to what works for us. And so we would continue to have these check ins, how things going, what's going on. We got involved in therapy. It's like you have to figure out what it is that works for you or couples counseling, but you have to figure out what works for you and then be committed to it.
Mandy B
We say it all the time. Y' all know I have been going through it with my hair, all the bleach, not getting the right moisture to my scalp. And since switching over to Baskin Lather, let me tell y', all, my hair has never felt so soft and scalp so hydrated. And that's probably because the stimulating scalp and hair balm nourishes and hydrates from the ins inside out. With 100% natural ingredients now, when used regularly, users have seen results in as little as three months. They also have a really dope hydrating hair mist that keeps any hair type soft, shiny, and hydrated. And ladies, it's 2026. We know the importance of having healthy, flourishing locs, okay? And we can only do that with using the right products. What else I love about Baskin Lather is that they are black owned and family operated. So hair care here starts with family love. The history behind how this brand started is also super dope. When a dermatologist misdiagnosed CEO Shayna's younger sister and said her hair may never grow back, the family basically took things into their own hands. And today her hair is down to her hips. You hear me? So explore the viral bestsellers and products of healthier hair of all types of from bask and lather, go to baskinlatherco.com and use code decisions for 20% off. That's 20% off at bask and lather.co.com code decisions.
Weezy
This is wheezy. Wtf? From decisions decisions. You know, a lot of us grew up not fully trusting the healthcare system. And honestly, the system has given us plenty of reasons to feel that way. But now it's time for us to take control of the conversation, to take control of our sexual health, learn the facts, ask questions, and advocate for ourselves. That's how we start changing the story. So let's talk. We like to think HIV is something that affects other people, but it is hitting our own community hard. Black women make up about 13% of women in the US but account for nearly half of all new HIV diagnoses around women. And being proactive doesn't mean you just don't trust your partner. It just means you trust yourself enough to stay in control. So know your options, ask questions, and protect your peace and your body. That's real power. Because protecting yourself isn't embarrassing, it's responsible. Sex is normal. Protecting yourself should be normal too. Actually, it's kind of badass. Taking control of your sexual health is grown woman energy. Sponsored by Care for the Culture from Gilead Sciences this summer Find your next obsession on Prime.
Mandy B
And let's be honest, we're all due for a new one.
Weezy
It's been a minute.
Mandy B
Steamy romance, addictive love stories, and the book to screen favorites you've already read twice because once was obviously not enough.
Weezy
Off Campus Elle, the Love Hypothesis and more Slow Burns, Second chances chemistry you could feel through the screen.
Mandy B
The tension. I was set Binge worthy series, can't miss the movies. This is the kind of content you start to just check out and suddenly
Weezy
it's 1am ask me how I know
Mandy B
Obsession is officially in session. Only on Prime Video.
Kal Penn
Hey everyone, it's Kal Penn. I'm the host of Irsay the Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. This week on the podcast, I am sitting down with Ray Porter, the narrator of Andy Weir's audiobook project Hail Mary, massive sci fi adventure about survival and science and what happens when you wake up alone, very far from Earth. I really had to make a decision because I caught myself getting that frog in my throat and starting to get teary as I'm narrating some of these sections. And it's like, okay, yo, yo, yo, is this indulgent? And I really thought about it. I was like, no. At this point it would kind of be betraying the trust the the author and the listener have in telling this story if I don't go through it. But there's places in this book that that deeply, emotionally affected me. And I left it on the mic. That's great because it served the story. People will say like, oh my God, I cried at the end. It's like, yeah, dude, me too. Listen to Irsay the Audible and iHeart audiobook club on the iHeartradio app or wherever you get your podcast.
Weezy
How is it not? I feel like there's so much shame around couples therapy. I don't think it's easy to fake happy. You could fake, like, y' all cool. I don't believe it's easy to fake happy. And I think a lot of people need to hear and know that therapy is worth it. Can you talk about the biggest breakthrough, like, or the biggest. The best advice without telling your personal stuff? It's just a piece of advice in couples therapy that was like, oh, yeah, this is. Is the one for us.
Sam
Wow, that is a great question, I think. Go ahead.
Kennedy Ryan
I don't know. I don't know that it was a piece of advice. I think it was a mindset one, because we got into. We've been in couples counseling before. We needed it. You know what I mean by that is when we would come to these big transitions, and you're like, okay, this is going to be tectonic for us. This is gonna shift the place in our relationship. It's gonna change the roles. It's gonna change things. Then we should preemptively get into couples counseling so that we are communicating and that we, you know, understand what this new season is gonna look like and how we're gonna function together. I think that's a value for us. And I think it's interesting because when Sam was talking about. Sam is incredibly secure.
Weezy
We could tell, girl, yeah, he did that.
Kennedy Ryan
He's very secure. And I. We are. Our roles have traded back and forth, like, throughout our marriage. Sam talked about when he lost his job and I was the primary breadwinner. And then, I mean, I wouldn't have been able to do any of this, you know, without Sam's support, because I was working. And then we were gonna. We were gonna move to San Diego from Atlanta. San Diego was very expensive, and so I didn't have a job in San Diego and Sam did, but we were like, we're gonna need more money than this. And I had started writing, but I was making no money. No money writing. And he's like, can we talk about, you know, San Diego? It's gonna be expensive. I'm like, yeah, no, we were there. Yeah, okay.
Sam
I'm like, already in San Diego.
Mandy B
We were sitting.
Kennedy Ryan
So he's like, it's gonna be expensive.
Sam
She's been nice with this story.
Kennedy Ryan
I'm like, yeah.
Weezy
So y' all was eating? Not yet, so. Not yet.
Kennedy Ryan
Not yet. Not yet.
Mandy B
Gon be, though.
Kennedy Ryan
So Sam was like, let's just have an open conversation. You know, it's expensive to live in San Diego. I have a job. What are you gonna be doing, you know. And I was like, well, I write. And he's like, yeah, but you don't make any money. But you don't make any money yet.
Weezy
You know?
Kennedy Ryan
And so Sam, this is the funny story, tell the story. Sam was like, I mean, maybe you could be a barista.
Mandy B
You could work in Starbucks now. He tried to put you into Starbucks.
Kennedy Ryan
He was like, I'm not. He was like, anywhere. Whatever you want to do, but we can just figure it out. And so we struck a deal. And this is when I was traditionally published but making no money and self publishing was just taking off.
Mandy B
And I was, you ain't gotta hear no money no more.
Sam
No, you gotta understand, it was a very challenging time. It was a very challenging time.
Kennedy Ryan
Is this thing like this was not
Sam
Atlanta, this is not Atlanta money.
Weezy
This was Maniago money.
Sam
Let me tell you something. It was a big change, a big zero.
Kennedy Ryan
So I was like, okay, let's, let's, let's negotiate. Let's negotiate. Let's make a deal. Give me. I don't remember what it was.
Sam
Well, part of it. I'm going to jump in at this point I was having a conversation because she had already done three books, was writing a fourth and no money with no money.
Weezy
What books were they?
Kennedy Ryan
It was my Bennett series, which is like, these are first, the very first series. They were traditionally published. And you just, I mean most, it seems like you might make a lot of money. Most authors who are traditionally published are not making a lot of money.
Mandy B
Yeah, we don't.
Weezy
I really don't think people understand.
Mandy B
No, they don't.
Weezy
What like, so Mandy and I, because we have a show, we got, you know, offered money and we're on Charlamagne's imprint.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah, yeah.
Weezy
What is the average, like, what is that? What do you mean with. No. Is it like $10,000?
Kennedy Ryan
Oh, that's a lot.
Mandy B
Wow.
Kennedy Ryan
Because not even that most author authors are not full time. Like most, like the majority of people who are publishing are not even full time. Like most of them are bivocational. And then you have like this tier of like mid level authors who may be able to, you know, live, but they're not like six figure, seven figure authors.
Weezy
Oh yeah, girl, you should have been right at that Starbucks.
Kennedy Ryan
There was no, there was no money. There was, there was no money. And I think so, yeah, I was gonna say this is when self publishing first started taking off. And I said, okay, let's negotiate, let's make a deal. If you give me the time to self publish My first novel. If it does well, if it does anything, we go from there. If it doesn't do anything, you gonna Starbucks, then I'll go to Starbucks, bring
Sam
the application to the crib. But here's what happened. Here's what happened. I was so proud of her in this moment too. Cause it literally jarred me. So she releases the book and that.
Kennedy Ryan
My first self published novel.
Sam
My first self published novel. Novel. We're living in San Diego. I come in, my job had me traveling a lot. It was a decent job. Six figures. It was doing well. So I come in from a trip and she's sitting in front of her computer, just hitting the reset. Refresh, refresh, refresh on her computer. Because with each refresh, you could see how much money, like when you, when
Kennedy Ryan
you was coming in, when you self publish, you like, especially like Amazon, you
Mandy B
just, you can see it.
Kennedy Ryan
You can see as it comes in.
Mandy B
I self published my first. Yeah, it's a real.
Kennedy Ryan
With traditional publishing, like, you have to wait. And it's like a portal and all this stuff.
Mandy B
But all the sales come in real time.
Weezy
Ticket sales. A little bit.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah.
Mandy B
Literally, like our ticket sales. Yes.
Kennedy Ryan
And so I turned my laptop around to show him, and I had made as much in a day as I had made in the entire three years of my contract.
Sam
But not just that she had made in that day more than what I was making in a month.
Weezy
What book was there?
Sam
And I was like, wait, wait a minute.
Kennedy Ryan
I was like, I literally had to
Sam
go to the bedroom and just sit on the bed. Like,
Weezy
so the security took time.
Sam
It really did. Like, I was shocked. But I was also like, hey, man, if this is her lane, let's go for it. Let's see where it goes. You know what I'm saying? It wasn't like a, oh, my God, she's making more money than me. It was like, yes, let's see where this goes. This could be incredible.
Mandy B
You know what I mean?
Sam
So, yeah, and that was one of our moments where, you know, it was kind of like, well, let's jump on this bang wagon.
Weezy
We didn't have too much time with you.
Kennedy Ryan
No, no, no, no.
Weezy
I actually really want to know this question because it's one I would love to ask Kennedy, but I'm curious to ask you now.
Sam
Oh, Lord.
Weezy
So I. We've only had a book out for a year, and I've had one instance where I saw it out in the world and also tapped the girl on the shoulder because I was so hyped. And then she Turned around and it
Kennedy Ryan
took her a minute.
Weezy
Cause I ain't got braids right now. And was like, oh, she. Yeah. Have you had a moment where you were out and saw it or saw someone with it or, like, heard her name and were like, that's my wife.
Sam
You know what's interesting? I try not to be. That's my wife. I try not to be, but I do. So what happens is. What happens is I'll go to. Again. I travel a lot, so I'll go to a bookstore just in the airport, just to see if it's there.
Weezy
Always, always.
Sam
Take a picture.
Kennedy Ryan
Send me a picture.
Sam
Look, it's. Yo, look what they got up in the mug. You know what I mean?
Mandy B
I love it.
Sam
So, yeah, it's. It's still new to me in some ways. You know what I mean? See the love that.
Weezy
It's been 29 years you've been together. And how many of these years was she writing Kennedy, Ryan, the King?
Kennedy Ryan
I've only been writing novels for 11 years.
Sam
11 years.
Kennedy Ryan
And I mean, it wasn't like when we are in airports. I don't know why it's airports, but people always come up to me in airports.
Mandy B
I love it.
Kennedy Ryan
And they're like, kennedy. And it's so strange. Like, it's only started happening over the last couple of years. But we were. And Sam is always. It delights him. I'm just like, I love it. Get your picture. You want me to take a picture? Do you want a hug from her?
Mandy B
Right?
Sam
Exactly.
Weezy
My mom does that. My mom offers me up in front of people. They'd be like, weezy, Gila, come here.
Kennedy Ryan
Come.
Weezy
She'll buy your coffee, too.
Mandy B
Now, that was a very PG question. Before we get out, I'm going to boost it up and spice it up.
Weezy
Just, you know, the nasty chip.
Mandy B
I know. Because then we're going to have girls talk. So we do have to send you on your way. But Kiri's knowing too now that you read all of the books before they get published.
Kennedy Ryan
No, after.
Sam
After, after.
Mandy B
Okay.
Kennedy Ryan
He read Hindsight because I never planned to publish it neither.
Weezy
After they're published, he hasn't read.
Kennedy Ryan
Score.
Weezy
Oh, well, this will be fun for the game we have.
Mandy B
I'm curious to know if there's any scene in any of the books that you've read. And you were like, huh? I'm sure. Like, huh. Is that something you want to do? Is there something in your mind? Where did this come from? Like, has there just been any.
Sam
So many ways I could answer that question. Like, there's like. I mean, you're giving me.
Mandy B
You know what?
Weezy
We're not Good Morning America. You can actually answer it. Answer it.
Mandy B
How y' all feel comfortable? Any of the scenes that you've read that were like, mm, my lady's mind is vast.
Sam
I think it's probably more so like, okay, I inspired that one. I am the inspired.
Weezy
That's actually adorable. The eye roll is so cute. Hey, dog.
Sam
Hey, yo. I'm your boy. I'm your boy. So it's probably a little bit of that.
Mandy B
Okay, okay.
Sam
But it's also sometimes where I'm reading it and I'm just like, yo, that is. That's nice. I like that. Was that kind of.
Weezy
Now, you fell asleep too early last night, but yeah, okay. Speaking of Yasmin and more characters. So no holds barred is on the table. Real score. But there's also so many other books. We've just got a sentence.
Mandy B
Just a few.
Sam
Okay.
Mandy B
Yes.
Weezy
You gonna tell us, Is it my wife or the two light skinned girls?
Mandy B
Let's see how well you know the smuts.
Sam
Oh, okay.
Weezy
Okay. Your dick will be in her mouth and I'll strap it on and hit it from the back.
Sam
That ain't her.
Weezy
Well, well.
Kennedy Ryan
Okay. He has not read that. Okay, no, that's fine. Stop saying no. Yes.
Mandy B
You said no. Yes.
Kennedy Ryan
He said stop my wife. He has not read it yet. Thanks, guys.
Mandy B
It's about to be a three podcast.
Kennedy Ryan
We haven't talked about it yet.
Mandy B
Thanks, Gu.
Weezy
Okay.
Sam
Great call, though. Good looking out.
Mandy B
Good looking out.
Sam
Good looking out. Yes. Yes. Good job. Good looking out.
Kennedy Ryan
Okay.
Sam
I can't wait.
Weezy
He wanted to feel me from the inside. And she nodded to Grant all the permission he had been seeking.
Sam
I feel like this can't get enough.
Weezy
It's no holds part.
Kennedy Ryan
I was gonna say. It's the two light skit girls.
Sam
Yeah, guys, it's the two light skinned girls.
Weezy
Oh, sorry.
Sam
I'm old for two.
Mandy B
I feel like that was yo.
Weezy
So that was yours?
Mandy B
That was your. My story.
Weezy
It was you with a couple in Mexico.
Mandy B
Oh, and the couple in Mexico. It was okay. It sounded familiar.
Weezy
No, we live our raps. Okay. I propped my legs up as if to have a gynecologist giving me an annual pap.
Sam
Can I get a little bit more than that sentence?
Weezy
That's the only one.
Kennedy Ryan
That's it.
Sam
That's it.
Mandy B
There's a period at the end.
Sam
Okay, I am going to say that.
Kennedy Ryan
Damn.
Weezy
0 for 3.
Kennedy Ryan
No way.
Mandy B
043. Wow. You gotta reread the smut.
Weezy
Groaning, he runs his nose up and down the front of my pussy and mouths me through the panties, greedily seeking.
Sam
That's her. Yes, that's her.
Mandy B
Look, hey, we ain't putting that.
Kennedy Ryan
But wait, don't get.
Sam
Boy, way too many words, way too many details. That's her.
Weezy
Oh, okay. We take a bit of a long run.
Sam
You probably got one for three.
Mandy B
You know, the book that that's in
Sam
or the series, I feel like that is. I feel like that's a Skyland series, if I'm not mistaken.
Weezy
That's all right. At least you got it with you. That was from Hookshot.
Mandy B
Okay.
Sam
Okay, man.
Weezy
Yes, one sentence.
Sam
You guys went way back then.
Mandy B
Listen, I thought you guys gonna get something, right?
Weezy
That's my favorite. And the Skyland I know is. Everybody says something about that. You know, it was a little witchcraft in there.
Kennedy Ryan
Yes. You know what? That. Lotus is most people favorite character. Lotus is most people's favorite character of mine. Her and Hendrix. Yeah, people love Lotus.
Weezy
People love a toxic. That is really what it is. Okay, I've got two more. Oh, God. Oh, Lord. He grabbed the back of my head so as not to move the blindfold and started face fucking me.
Sam
So as not to lose the blindfold.
Mandy B
Oh,
Sam
yo, I'm gonna plead a fifth on that one. I feel like that is my girl, but I'm. I can't remember the book, so I'm gonna say that's y'.
Kennedy Ryan
All.
Weezy
You know what? Have you been married 29 years? Listen, that actually made me feel so good because now I know we are that good of writers.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah. You guys, y', all clap it up.
Weezy
Thank you, Sam, so much.
Sam
Too bad.
Mandy B
I feel like you were a little nervous. We went easy on you.
Sam
Yeah. Thank you so much for going easy. Thank you so much.
Kennedy Ryan
It was easy on me, I'm sure.
Mandy B
Well, guys, don't go anywhere. Gonna continue the conversation with Ms. Kennedy Ryan. We'll be right back.
Weezy
Jorge, we have a surprise.
Mandy B
That's right. We are hitting the stage like we've done for so many years. For one night only. Weezy, tell them where it's at.
Weezy
So it's at Sony Hall, June 9. It's only one night only because it's not us getting along tour and we just getting along.
Mandy B
I don't know why you keep saying tour. Because not a tour.
Weezy
One date for the tour. Because not us getting along.
Mandy B
Sis, if we keep getting along, we
Weezy
finna add another date.
Mandy B
So whether you go to the Sony hall website or the description of this episode, make sure you get A ticket now. Because it will only be one show until we decide to make it mo. Get your tickets now. June 9, Sony Hall, New York City. See you there.
Weezy
So, y', all, we're gonna start this episode off just with a little sneak preview. So I unfortunately got scores super late. So I asked my sister Simone. I'm like, okay, let's split this. Let's figure this out. So I hit her up. I'm like, what happened? Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And this is what she sent me.
Kennedy Ryan
Oh, God.
Weezy
Before I dug into it. Cause how you not gonna click on it after?
Mandy B
Okay. But then another part of the book
Kennedy Ryan
I think you'll like is that toward, like, the end, she wounds up pegging
Mandy B
him and, like, playing with his butt and stuff.
Kennedy Ryan
So I feel like that's what people are like.
Weezy
I said, I feel like, okay, so by the way, outside of a bar, by the way. And I was like, oh, what chapter is that?
Kennedy Ryan
I'm just. Skip ahead.
Weezy
Hey, if the threesomes on two. So that's all we gonna leave you with before we have got to dig into the deal. It's on all of our phones right now. Everybody's so excited for you. And also, the comments kind of feel like that's their home, girl. And they finally seem like, oh, yes, girl. Tell us. So this is gonna be a show?
Kennedy Ryan
Oh, yeah, yeah. I mean, and I think the announcement that we just made, we had announced that there was gonna be a show, like, two years ago. You know, so. So the question I get the most is what is happening with the show, which is, you know, the Skylands series, which is, you know, arguably my most popular series before I Let Go, is the first book in that. And so we had announced, like, two years ago. It was a deal optioned by Universal in development at Peacock. Great producers, Malcolm D. Lee, John Legend, Deborah Martin Chase. You know, you're like, whoa, how did
Weezy
John Legend have it? Was Christy in love with it? And she was like, you gotta get her.
Kennedy Ryan
You know, I don't know if I can say this, but we were in a bidding war. So the book we were in, it wasn't just Universal. It was several entities that, you know, we were. Who were bidding for the book, basically. And John. There's a group at Universal which was John Legend, Deborah Martin Chase's company, and Malcolm D. Lee's company. And they had come together like, we are the Universal team. We're representing Universal. And John sent me an email about how much he and Christy loved the book and what it meant to them. And Then right before I made my decision, he sent me another email, and he was like. Because I think we had maybe like, one last call and he couldn't be there. And he was like, I'm on my way. I'm on a plane to Dubai. But if I wasn't, I would be on the call because I had like, a few last calls with the last team. So that was. I mean, he's involved because his, you know, his company, Get Lifted is involved. But that was. I was like, I have emails from John Legend, which is amazing.
Weezy
Now, you. Someone else has read this book before I let go of the Beyonce song. So all I have there been anybody else that you could say, not even a huge celebrity actor you like or anybody that you were like, what? Or that tagged your book or something like that.
Kennedy Ryan
You know it. For me, it's some of the people. Some of the people who know me. I'm like, how do. I don't think that people would know me? Like, that's my default. And I won't say, I don't know.
Mandy B
Go ahead, girl, give it up.
Kennedy Ryan
No, I mean, I was the other day, and it's public, so, you know, it's not like I'm telling something that's not there. But I love Sterling and Ryan. I love them so much.
Weezy
Girl.
Mandy B
On each side. Yeah. Because this one right here, I didn't believe it.
Weezy
I didn't think.
Mandy B
By the way, I know you do, because your man is giving Sterling King Brendan energy.
Kennedy Ryan
The energy.
Mandy B
The energy is giving. But that's so funny the way.
Sam
You know what?
Weezy
Sterling has a very mask, but also charming. Like, kind of cheesemo. That makes you feel like you don't like women. Yeah, I'm so tired of that. Like, women want this man that's like, he's so charming. You want him to look like that.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah, yeah.
Mandy B
Oh, my God. I could imagine y' all on his. He has a podcast that he does with his wife.
Kennedy Ryan
So I was so excited. We love Paradise. It's one of our favorites.
Mandy B
So good, so good, so good.
Kennedy Ryan
And so I think I commented on one of her posts, and she goes, oh, my God, Kennedy Wright. And I was like, how do you even know I exist? You know? But that kind of thing happens to me a lot where people will. Who was it the other day, babe? See, we're basketball and sports people. And isn't Monica McNutt? McNutt? Yes. So her makeup artist is the makeup artist I use when I come to New York and do media and TV and stuff. And she tagged Me. And she was like, I finally read Kennedy's novel because Monica told me to. And I was like, how I love Monica. And I was like, I didn't even know that you knew I exist. She goes, girl, I love your books. You know, so I'm constantly just shocked that anybody knows I exist.
Weezy
You really do have that attitude. I want to share. Everybody tonight in New York, we could also cut this if there's no more room, which there probably won't be, but Kennedy asked me to moderate a conversation for her tonight about score. And you sent this to me while I was on vacation.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah.
Weezy
By the way, I'm also going to be on vacation during this time. And I was like, fuck, we leaving?
Kennedy Ryan
She was like, I will come back early for you.
Weezy
So Kennedy responds after asking me with a voice note, and we're sitting at breakfast, my wife and I.
Mandy B
She goes, oh, my God, I can't believe you said yes.
Weezy
And I said, she fucking crazy. But you really do have this attitude that I think makes it so special, because when people get big and the bigger and bigger they get, we start to feel it, and then you don't want them anymore. Yeah.
Kennedy Ryan
And I don't feel like even when you say that, I don't feel that. Do you know what I mean? Like, I don't. I don't feel that. And somebody on threads tagged me, and they were like, I don't know if I want to be famous, like Kennedy. And I was like, I'm not famous. Like, I'm not famous, you know, which I'm not. But it just. I kind of like being insulated from it. So I never take it for granted, for one. And the other thing is, it helps me to be, like, focused on what's important, I guess, because I really am very, like, we talk a lot about the racy and the smut and all of that stuff, but, like, I am really, really committed to the art and to the social justice and to the conversations and to the discourse, and it takes a lot of time to do that. And I like to focus on craft. I like to focus on and all of that. And I don't know, it just helps me be really more focused in terms
Mandy B
of social justice and discourse. Is that why you chose to add pegging to this most recent novel? Like, was it a.
Kennedy Ryan
Actually, yes. Yes.
Mandy B
Wait for really? I want to know the social justice around pegging, please.
Weezy
Do you know Mandy's akas on the show?
Mandy B
Yes. She heard it when we started Run. The whole akas are Peg, Thee, Stallion, Peggy Bundy, Peg and Markle. And so. But I'm curious because the way that we've had this podcast for almost a decade now, even the book, right, Adding the elements of sex, Simon and Schuster, and how we wanted to portray sex within our book, also had to come from a place of education, education, self help. And so to know that you lean into. Into, you know, the conversations in your books and even the smut, but from a social justice and meaningful way. What made you add that type of sex act into this? And then we'll get into the threesome, too, because these are conversations that are being more had today than Maybe they were 11 years ago when you got into the publishing.
Kennedy Ryan
When I talk about social justice, like, people, I've written about the Crown act and, you know, domestic violence and like, all these things that I write about that people think as social justice. So I don't know that the pegging is social justice, but it's discourse, like a discourse that I want to have. And most like, I have a very diverse readership, but my most reliable reader is a black woman.
Mandy B
Hello.
Kennedy Ryan
And so most of the conversations that happen around my books are happening in the black community. Not that there aren't other readers, but most of it's rooted in the black community. So just like when I wrote before, I let go and I really took aim at the fact that so often so many of us are suffering in silence because of the stigma that's around therapy. I really wanted to attack that and expose that. Josiah, the husband, is very resistant to therapy. They end up divorcing. And then it's over the course of the book that he realizes the value of therapy. That was very specifically because of the stigmatization of therapy in our community.
Weezy
And we just talked about that earlier,
Kennedy Ryan
so that's that I very want. I very much wanted to unearth the discourse that I already know is going to happen that we have. I mean, the homophobia goes deep, deep, like in our. In our community. And when you talk to people about pegging, like, they immediately like, oh, that men and their assholes.
Mandy B
It's the gateway to their masculinity.
Weezy
It's not the gateway, right?
Kennedy Ryan
Like, this has nothing to do with gender. Don't touch that. Don't mess with that. Oh, don't, you know.
Weezy
Do you know, knowing that that was in the book literally made me think, is that what she's been saying? Make sure I'm. Make sure to get into horrible decisions. And I'm like, I don't know if you knew he was a girl. But it felt great to know that a writer at your level, because people look at talking about things like that as so, like, low brow.
Mandy B
You know what's crazy? We started this pod almost 10 years ago. She wanted to bring that up almost immediately, like episode one. And I literally was like, no, bro, let's save it. She brought it up freaking episode three. And the same way you're thinking. I was like, we're gonna, like, I know we're gonna have a black woman audience, and I don't want the people listening to us that I know we're gonna listen to it. I didn't want to scare them away. She's like, yeah, girl, you put a strap on and poked him in the ass. And I'm like, oh, my God, no one's gonna wanna listen to this podcast anymore. So I love that 11 years later, you're like, this is still discourse. Yeah, I know that this is still happening within our community. And I'm gonna put it in this book so that the conversation can continue.
Weezy
Especially. Cause it's a black man.
Kennedy Ryan
Yes, a black man. And I think so often, like, there's so much fragility around their masculinity. And I wanted to write a hero. And I think people are used to thinking of my heroes like, they're, you know, super masculine, they're, you know, tall, dark, handsome, all of that. And this hero is that. But I wanted to present a hero who is all of those things. But that is secure enough to explore that, you know, because, I mean, pegging doesn't mean that you're. And this is such an interesting conversation. This is a sexual organ. You know what I mean? You know, like, those are nerves. Those are. It's stimulation. If you stimulate it, you're going to have an orgasm. Like, it's not about, am I gay? It's not. This is just. This is a biological response to a stimulation. And in a relationship where there's this intimacy that he trusts her with, that is something. And it's also. Cause he's a pk, you know, He's a pk, right? He's a pastor's kid. And he is unpacking all of the shame that so often surrounds sex for people who grow up in church, who are rooted in church. He's unpacking that. He's unpacking the homophobia. And if you notice after it happens, they talk about it.
Mandy B
I love that.
Kennedy Ryan
You know, and he talks about, like.
Weezy
And he says, was that an intentional.
Kennedy Ryan
Like. Oh, very much intentional.
Weezy
We can't just skip this yeah.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah. Because I was like, it would be fine if it was just pegging for the sake of pegging. But my goal was discourse, you know? And my goal was, let's dig out some of this homophobia. Let's dig out some of this fragility. Let's dig out some of the dismissiveness that comes with writing about sex. Because romance is largely dismissed in broader culture, people don't think of it as literature. People think it's just smut or whatever. And it can be, like, it's fine if it is. But there's a very dismissive attitude about romance in broader culture.
Mandy B
Can I ask you. Because Weezy also said, and maybe this is why, like. And I wonder if this is why it's romance. Does romance always have to have happy endings?
Weezy
Yeah.
Mandy B
So that is a part of romance. And why it wouldn't be considered erotica or smut. Because I'm used to people dying, people cheating on each other. Like, it getting rough.
Kennedy Ryan
Yes.
Mandy B
Yeah. So when Wheezy express, like. Cause she's read more books than I have of yours, and I'm ready to dive in. But she's like, and they all have happy endings. So is that why they're also under the guise of romance and that genre and this.
Kennedy Ryan
People debate this, but there really isn't a debate. Like, people are like, he died at the end, but it's a romance. And we're like, no. So each genre has definitions, and it has, like, boundaries. And one of the boundaries of the genre definition for romance is that there's a central. There's a central relationship. It could be a couple. It could be a throuple. Now we have why Choose Romance? It could be seven of them. You know, like, that's called why choose? You know, which is, you know, a relationship with multiple people.
Mandy B
Oh, is it me?
Weezy
Is that our book?
Mandy B
That's me. That's where we go.
Kennedy Ryan
It's a whole sub genre now called why choose Romance? But it has to end happily. Can you do it? It can be a love story, but not a romance.
Mandy B
Okay.
Weezy
Oh, okay, okay, okay.
Kennedy Ryan
So there's a distinction.
Weezy
Because now that Pagan and Threesomes is coming from a Kennedy Ryan book you got, somebody got to die at the end of the next one
Kennedy Ryan
because that
Weezy
would be like, she has to end up with his brother.
Kennedy Ryan
Like, you've got to take us on a chance.
Mandy B
No girl. Sam says she's staying in romance. She ain't going over to the dark side.
Weezy
Okay, This is Weezy. WTF From Decisions, decisions. You know, a lot of us grew up not fully trusting the healthcare system. And honestly, the system has given us plenty of reasons to feel that way. But now it's time for us to take control of the conversation, to take control of our sexual health, learn the facts, ask questions, and advocate for ourselves. That's how we start changing the story. So let's talk. We like to think HIV is something that affects other people, but it is hitting our own community hard. Black women make up about 13% of women in the US but account for nearly half of all new HIV diagnosis around women. And being proactive doesn't mean you just don't trust your partner. It just means you trust yourself enough to stay in control. So know your options, ask questions and protect your peace and your body. That's real power. Because protecting yourself isn't embarrassing, it's responsible. Sex is normal. Protecting yourself should be normal too. Actually, it's kind of badass. Taking control of your sexual health is grown woman energy. Sponsored by Care for the Culture from Gilead Sciences this summer, find your next obsession on Prime.
Mandy B
And let's be honest, we're all due for a new one.
Weezy
It's been a minute.
Mandy B
Steamy romance, addictive love stories, and the book to scream favorites you've already read twice because once was obviously not enough.
Weezy
Off Campus L the Love Hypothesis and more Slow Burns, Second chances chemistry you could feel through the screen the tension I was set.
Mandy B
Binge worthy series. Can't miss the movies. This is the kind of content you start to just check out and suddenly
Weezy
it's 1am ask me how I know
Mandy B
Obsession is officially in session only on Prime Video.
Kal Penn
Hey everyone, it's Kal Penn. I'm the host of Irsay, the Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. This week on the podcast, I am sitting down with Ray Porter, the narrator of Andy Weir's audiobook project, Hail Mary Massive sci fi adventure about survival and science and what happens when you wake up alone, very far from Earth. I really had to make a decision because I caught myself getting that frog in my throat and starting to get teary as I'm narrating some of these segments. And it's like, okay, yo, yo, yo, is this indulgent? And I really thought about it. I was like, no. At this point it would kind of be betraying the trust the author and the listener have in telling this story if I don't go through it. But there's places in this book that that deeply emotionally affected me. And I left it on the mic. That's great because it served the story. People will say like, oh my God, I cried at the end. It's like, yeah, dude, me too. Listen to your sake. The Audible and iHeart audiobook club on the iHeartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
Mandy B
Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with
Kennedy Ryan
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Kal Penn
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Kennedy Ryan
You can get premium wireless for just $15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpaying.
Kal Penn
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Kennedy Ryan
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Kal Penn
Okay, one judgment anyway.
Kennedy Ryan
Give it a try. @mintmobile.com Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent to $15 per
Weezy
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Kennedy Ryan
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Weezy
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Kennedy Ryan
so I have a
Weezy
question for you because how did you get the inspo for them to have a threesome as the first encounter?
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah, everything I do is very intentional. So Verity is a bisexual hero. And so often when I read about bisexual heroines in romance, we're just told that they're bisexual. We never. And it's biracial, so we never. A lot of times we never see her in a relationship with a woman. We never see her attracted to a woman. We only see us. We're just told that she's bisexual and it's like, oh, and then she's with a man and that aspect of her sexuality is essentially erased. Right. And so a lot of people who read romance, they don't like to see this. The two people that they think, okay, this is the hero and the heroine, or this is the hero and the hero. They don't like to see them having sex with someone else. Like in the context of that story. They're like, it's these, it's these two. We just want to see them. And I have written stories where I've talked about people having sex with other characters, but you usually don't see it on the page. It's usually discussed because of that kind of, generally speaking, that preference for seeing these two characters who we're rooting for, they're the only ones we really want to see. Like, you know, like that. And for me, I didn't want to completely erase that aspect of her bisexuality. And I thought a safe way for them to see reader, romance readers, to see this couple, they're into each other. It's them. You don't have to worry they're gonna end up together. They love each other. You know, not love at that, but they're the ones for each other. But also to explore her sexuality with a woman. I want that. That felt like a safe space for both of those things to happen, for her bisexuality to be expressed, but then also to kind of satisfy that desire inside of the. Generally inside of the romance community. To see your two, like, central figures together and not with someone else, especially in a thing.
Mandy B
I love that we had a whole discourse with bisexuality, even in our book, because she wrote a love letter. She, like, loves women. I love to fuck women. But we are both bisexual, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so there was discourse in me identifying as bisexual, but I'd only been with a couple in the book.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Mandy B
And the conversation was like, well, why? I don't know if you should consider they tried to cross out bisexual. And how I identified because I hadn't been with a woman in a relationship.
Weezy
So I love that you were hetero romantic. Was me, yeah. So I love homo romantic, whereas Mandy was more really just generally sexual and. Which is all within.
Mandy B
I love that you, like, are aware of the bi erasure in conversations around women exploring it and you intentionally putting it right there. Chapter two.
Weezy
So I wanna curse you out about three things.
Mandy B
Oh, shit. She said. And she got em listed. 1, 2, and 3.
Weezy
I do. Why the the fuck are you obsessed with second chances? I really want to know.
Kennedy Ryan
Not all of them are second. Okay. Can't get enough. Was not a second chance romance.
Mandy B
Fine.
Weezy
But I'm sitting here reading Hookshot.
Kennedy Ryan
I'm like, hook shot is not a second chance romance.
Weezy
Ain't that a second? Oh, wait, wait.
Kennedy Ryan
No. Lockshot is one shit, but that.
Mandy B
Okay, so then I love a double back, so I'm not mad.
Weezy
Let's talk about Lockshot. Okay, then. Speaking of that series, the Hoop series, you wrote a love series about basketball players, and we all know they ain't shit. And I feel like I cannot share these books with my homegirls.
Mandy B
That's out there. You can, girl. We grew up on loving basketball. Stop it. That nigga fit.
Kennedy Ryan
There are some good guys in the NBA.
Weezy
Okay.
Mandy B
Do we? Yeah.
Kennedy Ryan
I mean, Steph Curry's a good guy, isn't he?
Mandy B
He's a great guy.
Weezy
I mean, sure, sure, Yeah.
Kennedy Ryan
I mean, honestly, I'm a football girl, right?
Mandy B
He's great, but we don't look at Steph Curry and be like, ooh, I'd suck his dick. No, no, you know, he's just a nice guy.
Kennedy Ryan
Aisha appreciates that.
Weezy
No, Aisha.
Mandy B
Aisha mad.
Weezy
Honestly, like, it made me Laugh. Just really sitting and thinking about it, because you really created the dream, like, all star player, only eyes for her and all this stuff. And I'm like, when is he gonna cheat? Cause that's what he's.
Mandy B
But can I ask you. Because love and basketball was so almost instrumental even to, like, my upbringing did. Was that a movie that you watched and thought, I wanna make this into a book. Like, you also talked about with your husband how y' all love sports as well.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah. We initially bonded around basketball.
Weezy
We.
Kennedy Ryan
Our initial connection was not romantic. Well, I mean, Sam was immediately like. Cause he was in a relationship with someone else. And he told his friends, keep me away from her. Because he didn't want to cheat and he didn't want to. He was like, y' all gotta keep me away from her.
Weezy
Why you ain't tell that when you were sitting on.
Mandy B
Yeah, that's the story we needed. I didn't give a damn about the T. Okay, so.
Kennedy Ryan
But we talked about. I mean, that is very. We bonded around basketball and.
Mandy B
And this is why Sarah said, men can't have platonic friends.
Kennedy Ryan
Cause now look at it 29 years later. No, I want to be very clear. I believe that I did not break up a happy hour.
Weezy
Cause you're a pk. That's why we were friends.
Kennedy Ryan
But his friend called him down and was like, ask her anything about basketball. Because he knew that he loved basketball. And I am a. I'm a Tar Heel, you know? So, I mean, I. We got married on the campus of UNC Chapel Hill.
Weezy
I'm a dickie. I'm a dookie.
Mandy B
I'm gonna let you.
Weezy
I'm gonna let you know I'm a dookie.
Kennedy Ryan
Oh, you just.
Weezy
You just.
Mandy B
I'm a Cameron crazy. Sorry. You just. The nail through my heart. It's all right.
Weezy
She'll read the books anyway.
Kennedy Ryan
But I mean, for me, like, I definitely. I. I know that this generation doesn't like love and basketball. I've seen them call it like a horror movie.
Mandy B
When you watch it now as an adult, it's terrible.
Kennedy Ryan
Yes, Yes. I understand where they're coming from. Obviously, I have so much nostalgia around, because when at that point, we didn't have very much, you know, we didn't have. I. Can we have a trifecta of love and basketball.
Mandy B
Brown sugar, brown sugar, love zones.
Kennedy Ryan
Like, there's this trifecta. And I mean, one of the things that excites me about now having this deal and me being so focused on romance is I feel like, not that we haven't had some great movies, but it's like we've been chasing this Love Jones high, you know, for 20 years.
Weezy
You know, I still bring up Love Jones.
Kennedy Ryan
We have.
Weezy
My boyfriend and I do roleplay in bookstores. Because of Love Jones. Yes. Like, it's ridiculous. Okay.
Kennedy Ryan
I mean. And there's a question in the book.
Weezy
Oh, at the end.
Kennedy Ryan
Yes. Well, brown sugar.
Weezy
Damn, I really love it.
Mandy B
Yeah.
Kennedy Ryan
So. So.
Weezy
So I knew that I got sucked into your stories from reading the Afterthought questions. I was like, like, you know, questions for your reading group, et cetera. I'm like, what am I doing?
Mandy B
Why didn't we do that? Bitch, what the fuck? Like, why didn't we? We missed the mark, bitch.
Weezy
We did the same.
Mandy B
Hello. She's giving us the goddamn golden thing. How to do this. Hello. The blueprint. Let's do golden sums.
Weezy
So. So I want to dig into real life scenarios based on the books.
Mandy B
Let's do it.
Weezy
Okay. So this could be us. Soledad Barnes, who has three kids.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah.
Weezy
And she builds a new life, potential romance, and she gets her happily ever.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah.
Weezy
There's a clip that was circulating the Internet recently with a previous guest who was on. And I'm curious to know your instant thoughts when watching this with someone that could be insulted at.
Kennedy Ryan
Oops.
Mandy B
Cam Newton.
Kennedy Ryan
Can't say it because Cam Newton is a man. I am a woman. And I am trying to tell you, if you have multiple children by multiple men, for whatever reason that may be, you lower your sexual market value. Meaning the odds of a high value, high earning, masculine man are now lower. Granted that it doesn't sound right. Saying, oh, you lose your value. You do. You do. You lose value. And nobody wants to say that. Nobody wants to tell the truth. Because then what happens? Women uproar and they say, oh, my God, you're hurting us. That's bad for the culture. No, what's bad for the culture is us raising our daughters to be the type of women that think it's okay for us to be sexually promiscuous and get baby mama left or right.
Weezy
Yeah, that's okay. Whether Solo didn't have any of that.
Mandy B
She's like, bitch, this is why I stay off the Internet and just write my books. Like the face?
Kennedy Ryan
No, I think that face was probably in response to any time. And I think I write my stories antithetical to that. And what I mean by that is.
Weezy
Yeah, because we don't know their words, you know?
Mandy B
Right. We have very small words in our book.
Weezy
No, you're in the context clues. I said opposite.
Kennedy Ryan
Opposite of that. And what I mean is I don't like to hear women's value in the context of. It's defined by their relationship to a man.
Mandy B
I agree.
Kennedy Ryan
You know what I'm saying? And what I mean by that is I talk a lot about. I like to write women who are whole or who are. Who want to be whole. And I talk a lot about the word integer, which, you know, that's the base word for integrity. And most of the time when people talk about integrity, they're talking about it in the context of morality. But integrity actually means wholeness. And so I'm interested in the integrity of women. And what I mean by that is that you don't feel like you're missing something because you're not in a romantic relationship. I think in our culture, and this is coming from somebody who's been married for 29 years who writes romance. I believe that in our culture, we so prioritize romantic relationships to the neglect of familial relationships, of sister relationships, of friendship, of community. It's like, we esteem it so high that these other forms of love, and that's what this could be us really is getting at, is there are all these forms of love, but the first one, kind of the most central one, is loving yourself.
Weezy
It is.
Kennedy Ryan
It is loving your. And if you don't have that, then you're constantly looking for it in other people and in our culture, looking for it in men, if you're, you know, heterosexual, looking for it in a romantic relationship. So I think that face was just like, anytime I hear someone, I mean, I don't know her, and it's no offense to her.
Mandy B
Girl, Kennedy, I'm not gonna lie, I'm gonna cut up that response, because I don't say. I don't speak so eloquently as you. And so when I say the same shit you just said, it don't sound as, like, it sound a little ruffle.
Kennedy Ryan
That's crazy.
Mandy B
So, like, the next time we have this conversation, I'm just gonna be like, insert Kennedy Ryan here.
Kennedy Ryan
God damn it, girl.
Weezy
Really? When watching it, like, it didn't even hit me that the week it came out was the week we confirmed you coming on. And I was, like, literally soled it to three teenage girls and want it.
Kennedy Ryan
Yes.
Weezy
And the idea that single moms don't have a man that would want them.
Kennedy Ryan
Yes.
Weezy
Especially at the age that she was.
Mandy B
Yes.
Kennedy Ryan
And also, who are these men? I mean, you know, it's also like, is that really, the man you want who doesn't see you for who you are.
Mandy B
Hello.
Kennedy Ryan
Also, I think that so often women we are in this culture, especially in the timeline we are living right now, to only discuss women in the context of our wombs, to only discuss us in the context of our reproductive value and our capacity to have children, or to define us, you know, what are. What are our limitations? Because we have children, Whether that's in a romantic relationship, whether that's working, whether that's whatever. To me, that's like. That's so antiquated. It's so antediluvian. It's so anti. What I believe we as women should be doing in this time, and it's not. And the thing that I love about Soledad and the thing that I was very intentional about with the Skylands series is these are. I'm not saying we should all be at work. We should all be. Soledad's a stay at home mom.
Weezy
I know.
Kennedy Ryan
You know, and then you have Hendrix, who is like, I don't want no kids. You know, she. In the third book, she doesn't want children. And people are like, People ask me.
Weezy
That was a great. I was just gonna bring it up.
Kennedy Ryan
Aren't you afraid? This is something that people legitimately ask me. Aren't you afraid that people will see her as cold? And I said, why would.
Mandy B
Oh, yeah, they do. They do.
Kennedy Ryan
I said, why would people see her as cold? Because she doesn't want children.
Weezy
Yeah.
Kennedy Ryan
And I'm like, oh, she definitely ain't gonna have no child. Because I'm like, no, we as women should not be defined by our wombs, and we should not be defined by, you know, what is our capacity to have kids. And she's very specific. Like, I have. I'm an auntie, I'm a sister, I'm a good daughter. I'm all of these things. And you somehow think I'm deficient because I don't even want children.
Weezy
And even the way that she approaches telling him she doesn't want kids. So I wanted to bring that one up too, as well, because Mandy doesn't
Mandy B
want children and don't. And is Elvis. And if I'm cold, bitch.
Weezy
Ice.
Kennedy Ryan
Well, not ice.
Weezy
Not on that.
Kennedy Ryan
Not ice.
Mandy B
Not in this. Not in this landscape.
Weezy
Here are the liberal books, Nicole. You know, there we go in there. Like, I love that we're experiencing her knowing there might be shame around it too.
Kennedy Ryan
Yes.
Weezy
Because in the world we're in, really, what is the value if we're not wife and mothers Right. Like we just discussed the documentary Inside the Manosphere and even the way the conversation that these red billed dudes have around women stay home. And there was even a man on there flat out said in front of his wife to the camera, bath time. Like, I'm not doing that. Like I'm not changing diapers, I pay the bills. Like, oh, God forbid you run the water.
Mandy B
Yeah, I love that. You brought up the reasons to why certain characters have certain characteristics. Right. One that immediately stuck out to me about. Score. You brought up bisexual.
Weezy
That's another bi.
Mandy B
But also another bi.
Kennedy Ryan
Yes, yes.
Mandy B
Bipolar.
Kennedy Ryan
A much tougher bi to write and
Mandy B
a much tougher disorder for me personally to deal with. So I deal with it in my. In my family and I choose not to speak to that person. I've also dealt with it in dating and realized that that is a hard boundary for me. I don't have the capacity. What was the reasoning for? Especially because it's also something that isn't also talked about in our community. Right. So what was the reason for adding this bipolar disorder to the character? And why was it so difficult to add that context?
Kennedy Ryan
It was difficult because I write what I call. Oh God. What is the word? I don't know why it just left me.
Mandy B
Girl, we ain't gonna help you with a word.
Kennedy Ryan
No, you are, you are when you're a doctor. I can't. The oath, I can't remember it right.
Weezy
She can't get a word.
Kennedy Ryan
It's just alluded me I'm in perimenopause.
Weezy
My odd girl, the fog.
Kennedy Ryan
But basically it's like my mom can
Weezy
push through D and D. My bad.
Kennedy Ryan
And that's good facts. But it's first do no harm. Like, you know, when you talk about doctors, it's just Hippocratic.
Mandy B
There we go.
Kennedy Ryan
So I talk about writing Hippocratically. So a doctor's. You know that doctor's oath is the Hippocratic oath. First do no harm. And so I talk about writing Hippocratically usually First do no harm. Usually. I like to write marginalized communities. I like to write identities that are not usually central. I like to write vulnerable communities. So I've written heroines with limb difference, you know, amputees I've written. So it's like a broad. I've written heroines with lupus, obviously, like real. So often these are not people who are often seeing themselves in cultural narratives. Right. And so I. And I'm very. You're already a marginalized community. There's something vulnerable about your Ancestors existence in the context of this culture. I don't want to write something that is harmful, that's inaccurate, that's offensive. And so the process that I engage in from a research perspective when I'm doing this is. It's exhaustive. So I will interview 20 people.
Mandy B
Wow.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah. I do zooms. So I'm a journalist, you know, so that's my background. So the first thing I do when I know that I'm writing something like that, I start putting together a subject list. Who am I going to interview? And so that is me finding people who actually have bipolar disorder. It's me finding psychiatrists, people who've dealt with therapy. It's like people who are families in relationships.
Mandy B
Girl, you could have zoomed me for the whole book. So pagan. Bipolar. Like bisexuality.
Kennedy Ryan
You were my ideal beta reader.
Mandy B
Listen.
Kennedy Ryan
Oh, wait, no.
Weezy
Fact, facts, that honestly.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah.
Mandy B
Yeah.
Kennedy Ryan
Okay.
Weezy
So I have. I know we don't have you forever, but I have questions that I feel like fans would hate me if I didn't ask you. Hate. This is another person in the world,
Mandy B
and I want them to hate her because they hate me every week.
Weezy
So. Okay, if you could switch the ending of any book, which one would it be? Just what was that alternate ending? Because I'm really curious. Cause they all seem to fit, but that's just. Cause it's all I know.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah. Yeah.
Weezy
What would have been another little.
Kennedy Ryan
Actually, this is this interesting that you say that, because Longshot I wrote three different endings for.
Mandy B
Really?
Kennedy Ryan
Yes.
Weezy
What was going to happen? Who's she gonna be with?
Kennedy Ryan
No, she wasn't gonna be with someone else. So this is not much of a spoiler.
Weezy
Right?
Kennedy Ryan
I mean, because the Long Shot has been out for a really long time, so if you haven't read it, that's fine, but she's obviously in an abusive relationship. Intimate partner abuse. She gets out, she heals, and she ends up in another relationship. And then her abusive partner comes after.
Mandy B
Oh, of course.
Kennedy Ryan
And he attacks her and she ends up killing him.
Weezy
That was a great. That was actually my favorite book.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah. That's as satisfying as it's like, going to find.
Weezy
And then Mimi. And was it Mimi? Mimi. Sorry. I read it a few years ago.
Kennedy Ryan
And then she's in Hookshot, too. Yeah.
Weezy
But just knowing, like, you came for a safe space with just to find family, and even when family's gone, like, they've got you, like, ancestrally, we're so connected. That was really deep.
Mandy B
What was the alternative?
Kennedy Ryan
That there were three. That because she injures Him. And she just sits back and lets him die. So doesn't call the ambulance. She just lets him die. There is an ending where he doesn't die.
Mandy B
Oof.
Kennedy Ryan
And you won't believe. I guess you will believe this. I have beta readers, like people who read. I have sensitivity readers, which is people who usually are negotiating, whatever that, like, I had bipolar and bisexual sensitivity readers. After I read the book, they read the book and then they go through and then they tell me, this is wrong, this is inaccurate, this is harmful.
Weezy
This is offensive.
Kennedy Ryan
Like, I do that with every book and I compensate them. So I hate that.
Weezy
I want to know what she do with insensitive. I want to know what you was offensive.
Kennedy Ryan
What was offensive?
Weezy
I would love to, but go. Keep going.
Kennedy Ryan
See, the thing is, because I do the interviews beforehand, and when I do the interviews, usually it's by zoom. I do the interviews, and as I'm doing the interviews, I'm asking them, what should I be reading? What are the podcasts? Tell me. And I'm like, tell me where to go from here. So I start building my reading list from those initial interviews. And so I'm reading. I will interview for probably a good two to three months, and then I will do nothing but read, listen to podcasts, look at medical, all of it for maybe another two months or so. So you're talking about four to five months. That's nothing.
Weezy
But just to build a character and
Kennedy Ryan
to build a story and to build an experience and build representation.
Weezy
Wow. Right.
Kennedy Ryan
So I will do all of that. So there is usually. By then, there's usually very little that's offensive. So, like, for example, with this could be us, that those are. They're autistic characters. I have my own editor. I have. My publisher has an editor. I have a personal editor. I always use. I have beta readers. I have sensitivity readers. I hired an autistic editor, meaning you are autistic. I want you to read this book. I'm hiring you to edit this book through the lens of being on the spectrum, and I want you to tell me if I'm ever infantilizing these characters. I want you to tell me if I'm using language that's outdated. I want you to tell me if this is offensive. I want you to tell me if this is harmful. And then we are going to go through this book line by line, and we're gonna purge everything from this book that would be potentially harmful, because I don't want that to get in the way. This is someone of the story. Yes. Of the story, and this is actually someone's life.
Weezy
I have been so thrown off by Kennedy, and I never realized there was one particular book I wish I could remember. And she kept bringing up. It was a white romance. Anyway, long story short, she said that wrong. First, it was like an airport book I picked up, but she kept saying. She said thugs once.
Mandy B
Yeah.
Weezy
And then the second time she referenced thugs, she mentioned them by skin color. Black thugs across the street. How did this happen? This is 10 years ago. I wrote the bitch on Facebook.
Kennedy Ryan
Good for you.
Weezy
I was like, did you understand that when you were writing this? It was just an awful thing to say. Like, I actually can't. I'm sucked out of the story. Because you're weird.
Kennedy Ryan
Yes.
Weezy
Like, you talked about being in Brooklyn and there were thugs and she lived in Soho.
Sam
Girl.
Mandy B
What? White people.
Weezy
Anyway, yes. Okay, so whose life have you written about that if there was an alternate universe you would live on your own? Like, whose life do you feel like I could do that? I could see myself working at that restaurant.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah, yeah.
Weezy
Like, who would it be?
Kennedy Ryan
I think I love politics. Like, I know a lot of people don't love politics. And we're in a timeline where people. They're so tired of politics.
Weezy
Right.
Kennedy Ryan
And I completely get that.
Weezy
Yeah.
Kennedy Ryan
And people are often very surprised because I'm so open about politics.
Weezy
You post it more.
Kennedy Ryan
More than your books. Oh, yeah. On threads. They're like, oh, Kennedy on threads is like. I mean, you calling out every racist, every homophobe, you know, and people are like, why are you. Where does that come from? Because most authors are not. Because they are often afraid this will date me. But, you know, like, when Michael Jordan, who I adore, who is the goat, but he said, you know, Republicans buy shoes too, you know, and he's like, I'm not gonna offend people who would buy my books. And I don't care. You know what I'm saying? Like, I don't care if you hold these views. And you're like, that's opposite of what I believe. So I'm not gonna buy your books. That's fine. So I think about. There's a book called Queen Move now. They have a series called all the King's Men.
Weezy
And, oh, my God, my mom is obsessed with that.
Kennedy Ryan
Okay, that. Okay, so all the King's Men is probably as racy as score, you know, somewhere around there, Right? And it's politics. It's these two women. One is indigenous and one is black. And I really am interested in the dynamic, you know, the Shared experiences and the shared oppressions of black and indigenous women in this country. So there's an. Think scandal, right? So there's an indigenous woman and there's a black woman, and they start a political firm together. And they are the king. It's called the Kingmakers. They are the kingmakers. They're the ones who get governors and presidents elected and all of this stuff, right? And so Kimba, who is the black heroine, she has her own book, and the indigenous woman has her own book. And maybe Kimba, because she is out there, like, fighting, gerrymandering. She is out there, like, lobbying for the Crown act. And she. All the things. All the things that I'm really passionate about, she is doing them. And she's also. She's going through menopause, right? And she ends up wanting to have children. And there literally were people who were like, I didn't know I was going through menopause until I read that book, because they were like, I was having all these symptoms. And then I read the book, and I was like, oh, wait, is this menopause? You know, and her doctor basically tells her, you have this tiny window. She's completely loves her career, obsessed with her career. And she starts basically early perimenopause. And her doctor's like, you have this very tiny window where you could have children naturally. What are you gonna. So the whole book, she's really wrestling with that. Cause she's like, I don't want children right now.
Weezy
That's such a relative experience in my life, because my mom had me at 40. She found out she was having menopause through me.
Kennedy Ryan
Yes.
Weezy
At 12, I was like, mommy, you're kind of being mean.
Kennedy Ryan
Get. A girl's a hot flash.
Weezy
And I remember she got on the phone with one of her friends. She was like, I don't. This is, like, the third time she
Mandy B
said this to me.
Kennedy Ryan
This is not the type of person.
Mandy B
Am I going through menopause.
Weezy
Okay, final question. Final question. There we go.
Kennedy Ryan
Oh, this is the final question.
Weezy
I know.
Mandy B
And everybody gonna be. We could have took another hour, we think.
Weezy
Okay, we'll get some more of these out, too, in a few weeks. Okay. Even if they're already saying yes to you. Top three actresses, if you could pick who are gonna star in your new series.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah, you mean the Skyland series? Before you let go.
Weezy
Yes.
Kennedy Ryan
You're in universe.
Weezy
Oh, excuse me. Book series, TV series. Cues the out of me.
Kennedy Ryan
Kidding. No, no, no.
Mandy B
I'm just.
Weezy
I'm just.
Kennedy Ryan
I am. Yes, the Skylands.
Weezy
Here is on tv. Who is in your head? Who are the three women? Cause each book follows a different character.
Mandy B
Look, she's like, bitch, we've been working on it. I can't get up. Yeah.
Kennedy Ryan
Okay. So I have been. I have Pinterest boards. You know, like, when you. Before, when I was writing these boards, I had. First of all, I had no idea this was gonna happen. You know, I wrote this book, and my agent, who's at caa, she called. I remember she calls me and she goes, kennedy, this is the book. And I was like, what are you talking about? She goes, before I let go, this is the book. This is the book that's going to change your life. And I was like, is it? I didn't think that. So I was not thinking about before I let go.
Weezy
It was Yasmin.
Kennedy Ryan
Yasmin and Josiah. Yes. The first book in the Skyline series. And so I'm just over here building my little Pinterest boards and, you know, trying to get physical, because I have. I don't have good visuals. I'm very bad at visualizing. And so I have to have pictures of everything if I am going to, like. If I was gonna write this room, I would literally have to like, okay, I need a picture. Okay. There's a couch, and then there's a rug, and then there's like. I don't visualize things well. So if I'm writing a character, I'm like, who kind of looks like this. So I have my little Pinterest boards. I will talk about. That is not casting, because obviously we are. Of course.
Weezy
Of course.
Kennedy Ryan
Right.
Weezy
So now Hendrix. Hendrix is thick.
Kennedy Ryan
Yes. And I had a couple of people, like, I really love Danielle. What's.
Weezy
You know.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah. I like Daniel Brooks. I also like Wunmi.
Weezy
Oh, my God.
Kennedy Ryan
From Sinners.
Mandy B
Sinners. Yeah.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah. She was actually Hendrix in my head. Whoa. When I was writing it. Yeah. So, I mean, again, this is. No. I don't want the producers to be like, Kennedy, but, girl, they ain't gonna want me. Yeah. She's like, all right. And, you know, when I think about. My list for Yasmin is, like, as
Weezy
long as my arm.
Kennedy Ryan
Like, there's so many women like Teyana Paris. I love. And when people look at the COVID they're like, that's Teyana Paris.
Weezy
Wow.
Kennedy Ryan
I love Teyonah Paris. I love. I love Tika Sumter. Like, there's a whole list of them who I think could possibly be Yasmin.
Weezy
All right.
Kennedy Ryan
And Soledad is. You know what? I don't this is the thing I am not sure about Solana.
Weezy
Because you don't know the Latinas or something?
Kennedy Ryan
No, it's because. I think it's because I don't see as many. I don't see as much representation in Hollywood. I really don't. Okay, who is the Afro Latina who was in Orange is the New Black?
Weezy
Everybody talk about her.
Kennedy Ryan
What's her name? Oh, I mean, I have it on my phone.
Weezy
She almost came on the show once.
Mandy B
What the.
Kennedy Ryan
I love. I really.
Weezy
She was so popular, too.
Kennedy Ryan
Yes, yes. Her. She has been on my.
Mandy B
She lives in the Bronx.
Kennedy Ryan
She has been on my list.
Weezy
Driving me crazy. It should not be taking me this long. Dasha Palazzo.
Mandy B
Yes. Yes, Dasha.
Weezy
There we go.
Kennedy Ryan
She was on my list. But you know what's funny is, like, it's all over TikTok, right? So people do their own casting. They do their own casting, and I have a whole folder I don't interact with, but I have a whole folder where I save all of their little casting.
Weezy
Posting.
Kennedy Ryan
Post. Yes. I save all of their casting posts. And I'm like, you guys, have you seen this?
Weezy
Who are Mandy and Weezy gonna play? Can we play the homegirls in the corner?
Mandy B
I'm down.
Kennedy Ryan
No. Somebody posted today. Do you guys know Maya the Dawn?
Mandy B
Of course.
Weezy
Yeah.
Kennedy Ryan
Okay. I love her.
Mandy B
I want to bring her on here.
Kennedy Ryan
She reads my books. I had no idea.
Mandy B
I love her.
Kennedy Ryan
She and I met at the Bronx Book Festival last year. I was like, I love your book. I had no idea that she was this amazing, like, hip hop rap rapper.
Mandy B
And she used to do her own. She got popular. She did her own makeup on TikTok.
Kennedy Ryan
Really?
Mandy B
And she went from that to rapping. And, like, really out here rapping.
Kennedy Ryan
Oh, my God. No, I love her. I love her.
Weezy
I want to be like, bitchy waitresses.
Kennedy Ryan
But she. You know what she posted when we announced it yesterday? She was like, kennedy, I would make a great. Server number one named it Larry. I would make a great. She was like, I think the same thing.
Mandy B
Same thing. I'd be a walk on. You know?
Weezy
So that would actually be really fun for listeners to just see. Just like. I mean, viewers to see or readers. The book. Like, what the hell is that? Yeah. Anyway, y', all, if you don't know, period, go get it. I would actually like to ask you, because we already know they run into it. Where would you like people to purchase? Score. We learned that indie bookstores were important. Like. Yeah, can you list off any that you know about in New York, Atlanta.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah, yeah. I mean, Cafe Con Libros is one that's here in New York. And it's actually one of our, like, I love indie bookstores and I love black owned bookstores. And so for the last three years, I have had a black owned bookstore campaign. Meaning there are certain incentives that you can only get when you pre order through one of these black owners.
Mandy B
Oh, I love that.
Kennedy Ryan
Buy Black. Yeah.
Weezy
And Buy Black Reparations Club in la.
Kennedy Ryan
Reparations. I work with Reparations a lot in la. I've worked with Black Pearl. So if you go to my bio, there's literally one of the buttons is like black owned bookstores, where you buy. Score.
Mandy B
I love that.
Kennedy Ryan
You know, and then we have. This is very niche. I mean, it's not something that people have done a lot. I talk to my. Because I have a Barnes and Noble exclusive, obviously. Barnes and Noble.
Weezy
Huge.
Kennedy Ryan
Thank you. But I really wanted to do an indie exclusive, meaning the only way you can get this particular edition is through an indie bookstore.
Mandy B
I love that.
Kennedy Ryan
And so we have indie. It's like, that's where I would recommend. You can buy wherever you want. But I would recommend I have a little button in my bio and it lists all the indie bookstores.
Weezy
You'll copy and paste that exact link in the description. I'll make a note.
Kennedy Ryan
Right? Yeah, yeah. But it is to incentivize people to shop indie and then even more kind of macro. Shop black. And so I have for the last three years always had an incentive campaign to shop black when you got some
Weezy
extra money left by. No holds barred. Cause the paperback comes out June 9th.
Kennedy Ryan
Oh, paperback.
Mandy B
Yeah, it's new.
Kennedy Ryan
Lockdown.
Weezy
We've been hard this whole time.
Mandy B
That's what this is.
Kennedy Ryan
On tour again.
Weezy
Girl, we tag.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah.
Mandy B
I don't know if we'll tour, but hopefully our fans get to see us like, pop out.
Kennedy Ryan
We'll do some pop ups.
Mandy B
We'll pop ups. But I think we're done touring. Yeah, we're old.
Kennedy Ryan
It's exhausting.
Mandy B
It's so exhausting.
Kennedy Ryan
Exhausting.
Mandy B
We do still love reaching out and meeting our fans. So we'll do some pop ups. Y' all stay tuned.
Kennedy Ryan
We coming.
Mandy B
We coming.
Weezy
Love y'.
Kennedy Ryan
All.
Mandy B
Thank y' all for tuning in to another episode of Decisions, Decisions. Make sure y' all cop that, Skodo. Period.
Kennedy Ryan
Bye bye.
Mandy B
Yes, it's me again.
Kennedy Ryan
And we prepped.
Mandy B
It's the time for empowerment. And I've got a message for you. You gotta think about sexual health no matter what. With Who? Yeah.
Kennedy Ryan
Yeah.
Mandy B
To all you lovers out there, ain't no judgment. This is your cue. It's time to talk about pre special prophylaxis, a part of HIV prevention. Talk to a healthcare provider and visit carefortheculture.com to learn more.
Weezy
This is Bethany Frankel from Just Be with Bethany Frankel. Most dog food is marketing, not nutrition.
Kennedy Ryan
That is why Biggie and Smalls eat
Weezy
just food for dogs. Real 100% human grade food with ingredients I actually recognize.
Kennedy Ryan
And yes, I do see the difference. Better digestion, healthier skin, more energy.
Weezy
Dogs that feel better. My baby, if you've been on the fence about switching, stop overthinking it. What's more important than your furry babies and their health?
Kennedy Ryan
Go to justfood4dogs.com right now and get
Weezy
50% off your first box. No code needed.
Kennedy Ryan
Just try it.
Kal Penn
Hey everyone, it's Kel Penn. I'm inviting you to join the best sounding book club you've ever heard with my podcast, Hearsay, The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. Every episode I nerd out with amazing guests and dive into the best new audiobooks available on Audible. It's the book club for your ears. Listen to Earsay, the Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club on the iHeartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
Weezy
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Kennedy Ryan
skin shifts, yet your labs say everything's normal, you're not alone. Meet Oestra from inner balance, the first all in one prescription strength bioidentical hormone CRE. That's natural and effective and only takes one drop, 10 seconds a day. Oester replaces five to six products women typically use to treat symptoms and is
Weezy
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Kennedy Ryan
Visit innerbalance.com today to start feeling like yourself again. That's innerbalance.com this is an I Heart podcast. Guaranteed human.
Date: May 18, 2026
Hosts: Mandii B & WeezyWTF
Guests: Kennedy Ryan (bestselling author) & Sam (her husband, for first half)
Podcast Theme:
This special episode explores non-traditional relationships, candid sex and love talk, and the creative, personal, and relational journey of Kennedy Ryan, a New York Times bestselling author known for pushing boundaries in romance fiction. The show takes listeners inside Kennedy’s marriage, her writing process, the representation of sexuality and identity in her novels, and the importance of validation and authenticity in relationships.
This episode brings together probing, hilarious, and heartfelt conversations about romance writing, breaking patriarchal norms, and the realities of partnership and creativity. With Kennedy Ryan and her husband Sam, Mandii and Weezy dive into:
[04:49–09:41]
Kennedy and Sam have been married for 29 years; they met in college through church circles (Kennedy is a pastor's kid; Sam worked in campus ministry).
Both note that church-influenced upbringings intersected with sexual curiosity, especially as Kennedy smuggled romance novels into her home as a teen against her pastor-mother’s wishes.
“My mom…they’re pastors. And my mom was like, ‘you ain’t gonna bring the devil in my house.’ So I had to smuggle the romance novels in, in like my clothes, in purses…”
– Kennedy Ryan [07:00, 12:03]
Their wedding was massive (40-person bridal party) due to Sam’s tendency to ‘adopt’ friends. They married young and were honest about facing major struggles and near breaking points, especially at the 7–10 year mark.
[13:23–21:44]
“We’re not trying to be traditional when it comes to roles and expectations…Let’s custom it to what works for us.”
– Sam [20:07]
[09:41–14:55]
[28:23–32:47]
Honest discussion about early career finances:
"I had made as much in a day as I had made in the entire three years."
– Kennedy Ryan [32:07]
"She had made in that day more than what I was making in a month."
– Sam [32:15]
Kennedy and Sam struck a deal—if Kennedy could self-publish and show earnings, she wouldn’t need a “real job.” Her first self-published novel was a smash, affirming both the value of self-belief and partnership.
[18:40–21:44]
“I get excited to see my wife soar…To see that happen is a real joy…It would almost feel counterproductive if I’m not coming alongside, making sure that she feels encouraged and supported to do what it is, because she basically does the same thing for me.”
– Sam [18:53]
[26:15–28:22]
[47:24–54:20]
Discussion of why Kennedy included pegging in "Score"—to normalize sexual exploration and challenge homophobia and fragile masculinity in the Black community:
“The homophobia goes deep, deep...I wanted to write a hero…who is all of those things, but secure enough to explore that…It’s stimulation, it’s a biological response…And in a relationship where there’s this intimacy that he trusts her with, that is something…”
– Kennedy Ryan [51:05]
She weaves discussions around shame, faith, and the policing of Black women and men’s sexuality with social justice themes in her narratives.
[58:02–60:39]
[65:18–70:25]
Kennedy pushes back against the idea that single mothers or women without children are less valuable:
“I don’t like to hear women’s value in the context of—it’s defined by their relationship to a man…The first and most central form is loving yourself…if you don’t have that, you’re constantly looking for it in other people…”
– Kennedy Ryan [66:16–67:46]
In her series, she writes characters who are single mothers, childfree by choice, or breaking stereotypes around motherhood and worth.
[72:12–78:17]
[42:25–46:27, 64:03–66:16]
[82:14–85:40]
“I don’t like to hear women’s value…defined by their relationship to a man…I like to write women who are whole or who want to be whole.”
– Kennedy Ryan [66:16]
“We early on said we’re building a team. We’re not trying to be traditional when it comes to roles and expectations and all of that.”
– Sam [20:07]
On stigma and pegging:
“There’s so much fragility around their masculinity…If you stimulate it, you’re going to have an orgasm…It’s a biological response…my goal was discourse.”
– Kennedy Ryan [51:05–52:29]
On therapy and Black community:
“Josiah…is very resistant to therapy. They end up divorcing. And then…it’s over the course of the book that he realizes the value of therapy. That was very specifically because of the stigmatization of therapy in our community.”
– Kennedy Ryan [48:55]
“It would almost feel counterproductive if I’m not coming alongside, making sure that she feels encouraged and supported to do what it is, because she basically does the same thing for me.”
– Sam [18:53]
On writing marginalized experiences:
"I want you to tell me if I’m ever infantilizing these characters…if I’m using language that’s outdated…if this is harmful. And then we’re going to go through this book line by line, and…purge everything…potentially harmful, because I don’t want that to get in the way—this is someone’s life."
– Kennedy Ryan [77:05]
[35:04–39:47]
Summary by [Podcast Summarizer AI] — For those who love their romance, social justice, and real talk as electric as their banter!