Anna Richland
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annarichland.bsky.social
Anna Richland
@annarichland.bsky.social
300 followers 250 following 1.2K posts
Author of HIS ROAD HOME and other stories about geeky people falling in love. New book THE COUCH WHERE IT HAPPENS out now. Expect posts about books, coffee, art, birds and burning rage. Veteran. Ex-lawyer. (she/her)

www.annarichland.com
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annarichland.bsky.social
If you're tired of low-conflict Xmas romance, I just released a paranormal romantic suspense. All the old skool crazysauce, none of the dubcon.

An Immortal Viking falls for a nosy doctor, stuff explodes, and there's no holiday cheer at all.
#booksky #romancebooks

www.amazon.com/dp/B0G6VB6WTM/
A book cover hovers over a dark and creepy background. The book is First to Burn by Anna Richland, and the cover shows a Norse sword, army dog tags, and broken glass. There is an army Black Hawk helicopter visible through a bullet hole. To the side, a quote says "If Suzanne Brockmann and J.R. Ward had a book baby, it would be First to Burn." Attributed to the Rage Sex and Teddy Bears blog. Available now in Kindle KU.
December 14, 2025 at 3:36 PM
annarichland.bsky.social
Thanks! Now I just get myself "Monday Bruce" surprise box toys for the windowsill behind my desk.
A toy white rabbit who.looks like a chubby office worker in a blue tie, sitting despondently at a gray cubicle desk with a briefcase. But he's a toy! Why is he so sad? Work. Work is why he is sad, because he is Monday Bruce.
December 13, 2025 at 7:24 PM
annarichland.bsky.social
Today's #watercolorpainting class with @willowheath.bsky.social .

The three hours of focus it took to paint these was such a beautiful part of my day. I hope all of you can find something to improve your days in this dark time. I won't stop making art or writing books, and neither should you.
A pad of paper propped against a wall shows two images of golden brown croissants done in watercolor. They look pretty and yummy.
December 3, 2025 at 6:07 AM
annarichland.bsky.social
May I offer an amuse-bouche?

I open it and read pages haphazardly but I've never read it all straight through. Maybe I will now.
A photo of part of a yellowed paperback page. The text says: "God protect me from the female of the species! I wonder if Saladin's wives complained in the same way when he captured the city in 1188." Carla looked slightly ruffled. "Well, I did expect more than a quiet port town. And certainly something more interesting than four Russian patrol ships at the neighboring dock."
December 3, 2025 at 5:00 AM
annarichland.bsky.social
I read your review at their blog and I was so amused I went to my basement and found the thing I knew I had.

It's about an aspiring archaeologist and an art thief hero (or is he?), that's why I have it.

The yellow is WATER. Those are boats behind the hero. In yellow water.
Photo of vintage book cover for "Treasure of the Heart" also by Glenna Finley. It's all crazy lemme n yellow and neon lime green colors and the heroine, gripped tightly by a dubious hero, is wearing a green and yellow scarf tied around her hair. Very very 1971
December 3, 2025 at 4:47 AM
annarichland.bsky.social
I feel like this calls for a cup of appropriate coffee.

Straight from the can that is about to hold all my Didi's reclaimed and straightened out nails. Rows and rows of Sanka cans in his basement work area when he passed, we don't know where he got all those nails.
A vintage can of "Sanka" coffee with the orange plastic reusable lid and directions of electric percolators.
November 30, 2025 at 4:09 PM
annarichland.bsky.social
I have enough to share! We can sing about tequila and forget about marketing and invite all our characters along.
November 26, 2025 at 2:57 PM
annarichland.bsky.social
... I'll give you some advice
November 24, 2025 at 2:27 AM
annarichland.bsky.social
I'm begging for romance title help! What does #romancelandia think? I'm considering "The Librarian's Absolutely Not Secret Boyfriend" and "Checking Him Out."

Also possible are Shelf Life of a Hookup and Borrowing His Heart. Draft cover art below.

#booksky #romancenovel #gayromance #romancewriters
The line art drawing for an untitled gay romance novel. It shows a guy wearing shorts and a sleeveless T-shirt handing a paper coffee cup to a librarian dressed in a nice button down shirt, trousers, and dress shoes. They are leaning on a library trolley cart stacked with books, and a greyhound is peering through a gap in the shelves to look at a tiny kitten sitting on the bottom shelf. It's clear from the positions that the dog belongs to the jock who is offering the coffee to the librarian.
November 21, 2025 at 5:29 PM
annarichland.bsky.social
They still mock me.

I highly recommend The Sinking of The Bismarck by William Shirer, btw.

I don't let my research keep me from ships and ferries (although i have most definitely declined the ferry to Newfoundland and chosen to fly). Was on a Washington State Ferry Monday, a dark noon sailing.
Car ferry in the Washington State Ferry color scheme of white and dark green pulling in to a dock on a gray, overcast day. An ominously cloudy, dark sky hovering low over a darker bay, with tiny spits of land on both edges of the photo. A car ferry is crossing in the distance. One thing band of bright light separates the clouds from the water. It is noon. And dark. Because it is winter in the Pacific Northwest, a land of little light.
November 12, 2025 at 7:33 PM
annarichland.bsky.social
Long ago and far away.

(There are a few things in some of my early military romances that Actually Happened To Me, but again, long ago and far away and I have yet to re-release those books).

I still wear those pants to garden. Sort of a swords into ploughshares thing, I guess.
Four soldiers in US Army woodland camo uniforms of the late 90s/early 00s, standing on a gravel landing pad in front of a helicopter with Ukrainian military markings. One is Anna, younger, thinner, with short hair and a big smile, in the days when she could still do 30 pushups and a shit ton of sit ups. So, definitely long ago
November 11, 2025 at 10:24 PM
annarichland.bsky.social
Sure looks like I'm on a writing retreat!

I'm working to get my old Harlequin/ Carina Press #romancenovels updated, reformatted and re-released while my new manuscript is in @angelajames.bsky.social 's editing hands. After five hours of work, I needed fresh air and vitamin D.
A grinning middle aged blonde lady stands in the middle of a lot of skinny cedar trees.
November 9, 2025 at 12:08 AM
annarichland.bsky.social
A week for boats. Tuesday #watercolorpainting class and now I'm on my way via ferry to a #romancewriter retreat. I'm want to use the getaway to format my #ThanksgivingRomance His Road Home as a paperback, and then update my old paranormal romances for rerelease.

Got boats? Share!

#kindleromance
Monochromatic painting of a black and white night ocean scene, lots of white space where the moon reflects on black water, and two distant sail boats Watercolor painting of a cloudy day at sea, three boats sailing downwind toward the viewer, a small point of land on the horizon. A hint of pink in the sky, gray water. A photo of a Washington State Ferry boat at the dock, on a clear sunny day with bright blue sky, calm dark blue water, and a feeling of possibility
November 7, 2025 at 10:33 PM
annarichland.bsky.social
New #Kindleromance for #KU! I'm crazy for #pickleball (my morning writing group can confirm I dash away from my laptop to play). I've played with @kirabrady.bsky.social and spent many hours across from her in cafes, talking way too loudly about #romancebooks. 🫣

www.amazon.com/Love-Pickleb...
The book cover for "Love and Pickleball" by Kira Brady shows a woman with curly auburn hair caressing a dark-haired man. They are both in sport clothes. The brightly colored cover also has pickleball equipment tossed around. Other text on the image includes the following phrases: He falls first. Small Town. Reverse age gap. Sports romance. Crossword puzzles. Found family. Hurt/Comfort. Plant dad. Coming to Kindle 11/1/24. And https://tinyurl.com/KiraBrady
November 3, 2025 at 5:09 AM
annarichland.bsky.social
My kid spotted this hawk on the ground in SoCal. Little birds were not afraid, and it just sat there. I'm feeling lazy and thought #birdsky friends could ID on sight? Foothills East of LA.
A brown hawk with white spots, sitting on some brown dirt under a tree.
October 27, 2025 at 6:06 PM
annarichland.bsky.social
I was just at the V&A and the jewelry section has a huge display case filled with exactly those, 1920s tiny metal bedazzled vanity cases (for cigarettes, powder, lipstick, etc). I spent so long there - thinking of my grandmother - I have her old (mass-produced) one.

Tic tacs would be perfect.
Photo of a small metal case decorated with an cloisoinnerie phoenix in a bright colors, red trim, and diamonds or rhinestones. Way over the top method of carrying around a cigarette and lipstick. Women never had pockets, did they?
October 18, 2025 at 2:31 PM
annarichland.bsky.social
The #WIPSnips for Oct 9 is "battery," which felt prophetic b/c I had the check oil light come on yesterday on my way home, so I have car stuff to do today when I should be writing! #writesky #writingcommunity #romancewriters
Text in the graphic reads: His mother looked like she was waiting, the spoon still held in the air and her head tilted a little as she watched him. It was his mom, so she could undoubtedly read him well enough to know he was struggling with something big. It felt like he could hear everything in the room. The brush of denim on denim, the creak of the old floor, a crow outside. But he didn’t hear a word from her. “I’m gay.” He hadn’t thought it possible, but the kitchen was even quieter, so she must have heard what he said. At least he didn’t have to repeat himself, especially since he didn’t think he had the energy. Her eyes got really big and her mouth started to open, the same time as his heart started to crack. He turned to the sink and started the water. His hands were sticky. His eyes were sticky. He was a car with an empty gas tank and now he had just enough fumes to get to the side of the road, but damn, he didn’t even have enough battery for a hazard blinker.
October 9, 2025 at 5:51 PM
annarichland.bsky.social
OG sandals and socks! (Chelsea Embankment, London).

Who will rid me of this troublesome fashion faux pas?

#arthistory #london #sandals
Close up of a bronze statue's foot, showing a foot peaking out from under the hem of an ecclesiastical robe. Foot is clad in a perforated show that looks a lot like a modern Keen brand sandal. Statue of St. Thomas More, famously killed by knights of King Henry VIII, in a seated pose and bedecked in robes and jewelry of his office.
October 6, 2025 at 9:00 AM
annarichland.bsky.social
The Old World is dying, and the New World struggles to be born; Now is the Time of Monsters.

(Do you have a monster for me on this lovely Friday?)
A photo of a stuffed purple hippo toy sitting on top of a large stuffed corgi toy
September 26, 2025 at 6:03 PM
annarichland.bsky.social
There was a cute dog!!!
American League West Division winners, the Seattle Mariners, pose on the field with a cute golden dog, maybe a retriever.
September 25, 2025 at 5:30 AM
annarichland.bsky.social
#bigdumper does it again! This place is wild! #marinersbaseball #whereiroot #iloveseattle
Photo of scoreboard at baseball game, showing American League single season home run records. Cal Raleigh just tied Babe Ruth for the third spot, at 60 HRs. Aaron Judge has 62 and Roger Maris has 61 Baseball sign at T Mobile park says "Cal Raleigh 60 Home Runs"
September 25, 2025 at 4:00 AM
annarichland.bsky.social
Also, I highly recommend @kdcaseywrites.bsky.social , who has some HOT baseball stories. And hot baseball stars.

(Also just follow her for baseball snark, okay?)

www.amazon.com/Breakout-Yea...
Book cover for the romance novel Breakout Year by KD Casey, the cover has many cute cartoon illustrations of baseball equipment on a green background, which is really funny because it's a hot book and these illustrations are cute.
September 25, 2025 at 3:20 AM
annarichland.bsky.social
Oh hey, a few other people are at this game! I write #romancenovels with veterans and immigrants and people who want to make the world better (and have some fun). But I have #baseballromance recs.

Try @laurenblakely.bsky.social 's baseball collection:
www.amazon.com/Rules-Love-C...
Image of four romance novels by Lauren Blakely in a collection called The Rules of Love.
September 25, 2025 at 3:20 AM
annarichland.bsky.social
What a first inning! They've broken my heart before, but tonight I'm feeling big 1995 energy. I was in the very top row of the Kingdome for one of those playoff games, and I am READY.

PS when does Humpy Salmon get to win a race?
#letsgomariners #mariners #octoberbaseball #whereiroot
Smiling middle aged lady (Anna) in the stands at T Mobile baseball park Illuminated baseball park sign than says " Home Run" in neon colors, with soupy grayish yellow air in the background because wildfires and climate change suck. Foreground is a baseball diamond.
September 25, 2025 at 2:44 AM
annarichland.bsky.social
Thank you! Right now this is my watercolor painting style (I did these most recently for my son). I am soooo invested in paints and paper🤣 but I see other artist's work and my brain jumps the tracks and wants to try it and the other part of me is wildly saying no no no you have enough to do.
Watercolor painting of a cartoon bear standing behind a pink and purple birthday cake A present wrapped in white paper decorated with a watercolor painting of a city skyline A present wrapped in white paper decorated with a watercolor painting of several cartoon birthday cakes and cupcakes
September 19, 2025 at 2:00 AM