Rasheda Ashanti Malcolm
“It’s difficult to classify myself solely as a writer of romance, when in fact writing about women’s lives, and the complexities that has gone into making her that woman, entails a great deal more than romance.”
Runner up in the Saga Literary Prize
Swimming with Fishes
First man I ever loved, who loved me back with unconditional love. You are missing from me, Daddy, you taught me that no matter who I love in life, I’ve got to love me more. You taught me not to get upset over people’s negative opinions of me, because it really isn’t my business what people think. You were my educator, my protector, and my childhood best friend, playing skipping with me, buying me my first bike, buying me a kitten, Topsy, so I could take care of her & understand responsibility, giving me weekly pocket money to introduce me to weekly budgeting, which I spent on comics & Toffees in a day, & still you topped me up daily. You told the second man I loved, the father of my four children, to love me, take care of me & for us to always respect each other, so our children would grow healthy values, morals & principles. You inspired my creativity, gave me my love of literature from your many stories about life in Jamaica - listening to radio dramas by your feet - how I miss you, my darling Daddy. #daddy #daddysgirl #daddydaughter #fathersday #fathers #firstmaniloved #firstmanilovedwasmydad #protector #childhoodfriend #writersofinstagram #authors #childhoodmemories #ilovemydaddy #neverforgotten
Lockdown has produced some creative talents. My granddaughters decided to produce their own talk show, The Ava & Aaliyah’s Show. They started by telling me they want to interview me about my book. #child #girlboss #journalists #broadcastjournalism #chatshow #talkshow #creative #creativegirls #author #rashedaashantimalcolm #writers #proudglammy
Covid-19 has changed a lot of things & the way we do things.This is me in the middle of a telephone meeting, outside in the sun, leaning against my car & my son takes the pictures, saying ‘this is the new normal after lockdown.’ I can live with this, there’s a kind of freeness & freedom that comes with it. I like.
#lockdown #meeting #telephonemeeting #newnormal #outside #outsideisfree #freedom #new
#georgefloyd #rip #allmothers #mothers #sons #blacksons #blm
Lockdown has meant more time spent writing & with family & I am thoroughly grateful for that time. It has been sad, because we lost a beloved to cancer, but the children have been equipping us with laughter. Jacob sees the white fluffy clouds in the sky & it registers candy to him - he wants a ladder to climb up to the clouds so he can get some of the candy 😂 I’m never short of creative ideas when children are around 🤣🤣🤣 #children #grandson #cloudsinthesky #candy #childsplay #childsimagination #creativethinking #writerslife
#blacklivesmatter✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿 #blacklivesmatter #mylifematters✊🏾⚫️ #mylife #equality #justice #opportunity #fairness #onelove #callonlove #human #humanity #humanrights #protest #newgeneration
I was showing her some of my yoga 🧘♀️ moves, she showed me how it should really be done 🤣🤣🤣#grandchild #yogapractice #yoga #littlegirls #loveher #proudgrandma
I’m in rewriting after getting the edits of my second novel back. Writing to exhale. Lockdown has surly given me time to write & try out new writing processes. Instead of my regular place in the middle of my bed, I’ve written from my dining table and a favourite of my has become my back garden, especially given the good weather. Being a #twentyin2020 author, & with Covid-19 affecting everything, from our book launches to our author events, being able to connect via Zoom has been great for me, feeling less isolated. #timetowrite #editing #twentyin2020authors #twentyin2020 #writingtoexhale #stilliwrite #writingprocess #jacarandabooks #wordsofcolour #wordsmith #sunshine
Trying to distract myself from an aching tooth abscess, (see my swollen right cheek) I’m going to take a drive in the sunshine & blast my favourite music - walking didn’t work. I’m dressed in as much red as possible, my colleague tells me red absorbs pain. When I called my dentist, a voice message told me to cal 111 - I call them & they said they couldn’t help, Covid-19 means I can’t be seen. I pleaded & pleaded & was eventually able to get a prescription for antibiotics & painkillers, & from my Herbalist, the real hemp oil that made all the difference. #toothache #pain #painrelief #hemp #ganja #lockdown #freeme #painfree #red #ladyinred
Am still decorating (as U can c from my stocking cap, lol) in between writing in my garden on this glorious sun-filled day - and in between writing I’m sipping red wine - and in between sipping red wine, I’m trying to figure out one of life’s great mysteries - as you can see from the current book I’m reading. #sunnyday #redwine #writing #lifesmysteries #authors #forevergrateful
Driving in the sunshine 🌞 what a wonderful feeling, life is so precious, fragile, let’s live it, let’s learn from it and let’s give back. Music is the food of love, you know that saying, dance as though no-one is watching - I do it all the time, I sing too, you know, like in the shower, 😆 music inspires my writing, so does a drive or a walk in the sun. #driving #drivinginthesun #music #musicislife #writing #lifeisgood #lifeisbeautiful #lifeisfortheliving #lifeisfragile #forevergrateful
I’ve always been convinced that my creative space for writing is in the centre of my bed . . . Since lockdown, my dining table has become another of that place, especially when the sun lets off its golden glow and pours in. At this table I’ve been inspired to put another writing course together, ‘Still I Write,’ encouraging the writer in you to always write, no matter the emotions. #stilliwrite #placetowrite #writing #kitchentable #justwrite #iwrite
Love me a sunny 😎 day, vitamin D top up, sitting in my garden, different flavours added to my creativity & the feel of wall-wall sunshine, in my view, comes second to few things. My life has changed forever, a void has been left, a beautiful soul disappeared & we are left to embrace the changes, to create a new normal & live. I get in and out of journaling but for the past 52 days, I’ve journaled every day, pouring tears, grief & happiness, possibilities & new beginnings. It’s very healing & you’ll notice, like most of you, I crave therapeutic & healing activities during this time. Hope you love my African stool, it’s part of my feel-good tools, I bought it from a second hand shop, £15, a bargain 🙌🏽 I sit on it for 7 minutes before I start my daily writing ✍️ #embracingchange #vitamind #embracingthejourney #journaling #writing #lovelife #forevergrateful
Reading diversely is a big part of writing. As a writer of women’s fiction, I look forward to reading a good selection of women’s stories & romance novels. Lockdown has given me time to read new books & re-read older ones. Someone recommended the author Jojo Moyes for me to read & gave me her book, Me Before You. Loved it, so when my publisher, #jacarandabooks asked me to recommend a book - I thought Me Before You makes a good, easy Sunday afternoon read. #jojomoyes #mebeforeyou #romance #romancebooks #jacarandabooks #romanceauthor #womensfiction #goodreads #recommended #sundayafternoon
There are reasons for my new beginnings - decorating my home is a start. My sons had the bright idea & kick started it, but it takes a woman to complete it. This lockdown, and the big change in my life has me trying new things to keep mindful . . . DIY. 😂 I was surprised how therapeutic painting a wall, door, skirting board is - it really gave me time to think, dream & remember. #embracethejourney #mindfulness #mindful #embracingchange #diy #diywriter
Daily writing is my super power & being locked down has given me the time I’ve always prayed for. But I had to break free to soak up some sunshine🌞 today, driving mask free & topping up the Vitamin D through the windscreen. I wish you could’ve heard the banter coming from my 6- year-old granddaughter in the back seat - she has the answers to all the problems in the world & so much good advice to give PM Boris. She has also told me that doctors & NHS staff should get more pay than politicians because all politicians do is talk but doctors & NHS work hard to save people’s lives. This little girl inspires me. #proudglammy #proudgrandma #nhs #nurses #doctors #futureprimeminister #childwisdom #vitamind #sunshine #timetowrite #author
Having my son, daughter-in-law & grandchildren living with me in lock down is a blessing. My sons are actually painting my entire house to enhance new beginnings for me. I’m grateful, this time has increased my gratitude for the simple things in life. I actually had the idea of writing in my garden, but a rum punch later I decided to enjoy the sun and appreciate the conversation and the company around me. #family #familytime #timeforlove #sunshine #forevergrateful🙏 #gratitude #gratitudeisamust
#surrealtimes #challengingtimes #challenging #alonetogether #alone #grateful #gratefulheart #gratefulthankfulblessed #blessed #missingyou #missingfromme #exceptgod
Masked up - LOL . . . It was a glorious spring day yesterday, on a day like this we would have jumped in the car and head out of London to find a space to explore & write. Instead, we stayed home and enjoyed the sun in our back garden. #sunshine #springbreak2020 #lockdown #keepingitreal #thankful #thankfulforlife #forevergrateful #writerslifestyle
Under this lockdown, it cheered us up to have Miss Dana’s Fish Fry delivered right to our kitchen - I want to tell you it was finished in an hour 😂😂😂it was that delicious 😋 #fishfry #fishfryfriday #lockdown #lifeisgood #healthyfood #healthylifestyle #lovefood #livelifetothefullest #forevergrateful🙏