In the Black Ivy League, people will do anything to protect their legacy, even kill. What’s your legacy?

Nineteen-year-old Raevyn Jones has never worn a designer gown. She's never had access to unlimited champagne or chauffeured limo rides. But when she is dropped in the midst of the Black Ivy League—against her will—she has to pretend that everything is normal, as if she belongs.

When her new friends start to question her sketchy past and her shaky legacy at Benjamin Wallace Fitzgerald University, Raevyn realizes she will have to rely on her street smarts more than ever before. Raevyn starts to receive cryptic text messages and emails from an anonymous sender, and she soon discovers that not only does someone want her to leave B. W. Fitz—someone also wants her dead.

The Legacy, is a part of a trilogy called The Birthright Trilogy. It’s a “new adult fiction” book. Since the characters are in college, it isn’t really considered young adult fiction, but since new adult is such a new genre, most people classify it as young adult fiction.


Chapter excerpt from The Legacy by Necole Ryse


I crept closer to the door and realized more than one voice was cutting into each other. This was an argument.

“Are you sure she was sleeping when you left?” someone asked.

“Yes, quit asking me that!” someone else hissed.

“So, what are we going to do? She can’t come back here.”

“Why not?” a third person asked. “You’re the only one that has a problem with her.”

“Corrine, spare me.” I knew that condescending voice from anywhere. That was Andrea. “You have a problem with her, too.”

“Yeah, but she’s my best friend,” Corrine whined.

“She can’t come back, you’re right.” I assumed the last voice was Regina’s. It was barely above a whisper. “The semester is almost over. That leaves us winter break to figure this out.”

“I’m going to bed.” Andrea yawned. “I have an Econ pre-final tomorrow that I can’t fail messing around with y’all.”

While they argued a bit more, I slipped past the room unnoticed and darted up the stairs. A million questions invaded my brain. Was I the she they spoke about? Were they trying to stop me from coming back next semester? Could they do that? Why? Why would they do that? Why waste all their time and money quizzing me on name brands and itchy fabrics if they just wanted me to leave? Did Miss Tanner set this up? That woman just wouldn’t quit.

My gut reaction was to get mad, but instead, dread filled my veins. Everyone thought I was a legacy. They thought if I got kicked out I could just go back to my home in Atlanta and attend some other college. They didn’t know this was my last shot. I had to ace every test and complete every assignment because I had to stay at B. W. Fitz. I had nowhere else to go. I realized that I had to act like a legacy.

( Continued... )

© 2014 All rights reserved. Book excerpt reprinted by permission of the author, Necole Ryse. Do not reproduce, copy or use without the author's written permission. This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only.


Purchase The Legacy (The Birthright Series, Volume 1)
Amazon: http://amzn.com/099035380X



About the Author
Necole Ryse graduated from Towson University with Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communications. Bored with life as an adult, Necole decided to follow her dreams to write fiction and she hasn’t looked back. She joined the Winslet Press family to release her first novel, THE LEGACY. She enjoys chocolate covered pretzels, Criminal Minds marathons, and all things Harry Potter.

Necole Ryse graduated from Towson University with Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communications. Bored with life as an adult, Necole decided to follow her dreams to write fiction and she hasn’t looked back. She joined the Winslet Press family to release her first novel, THE LEGACY. She enjoys chocolate covered pretzels, Criminal Minds marathons, and all things Harry Potter.

BPM: What motivated you to sit down and actually start writing this book? Why now?
I had no choice. I’ve always been a writer and when I graduated college I felt like it wasn’t a smart career choice to venture into, so I put my dreams on hold while I worked a bunch of jobs I had no passion in. Finally, after a terrible day at work I decided to quit. I gave myself one year to make my dreams come true or I was going back to work. So, I sat down and started writing. Right now, I don’t have children, a husband or a mortgage, so it seemed like the perfect time to take a leap of faith.

BPM: Does your upbringing or life experiences inspire your writing?
Sometimes, yes. People always say write what you know. Some of my scenes in the books are from actual conversations or experiences I had, but most come from my imagination.

BPM: Where do your book ideas come from? Are your books plot driven or character driven?
I wish I could tell you where my book ideas come from. They just happen. I will overhear something in a conversation or see someone interesting and start making a story about them. I can find inspiration anywhere. My books are both plot and character driven. Good books have both excellent plots and evolving characters and I focus on developing both at the same time.

BPM: Introduce us to your current work. What genre do you consider your book? Is this book available in digital forms like Nook and Kindle?
My first novel, The Legacy, is a part of a trilogy called The Birthright Trilogy. It’s a “new adult fiction” book. Since the characters are in college, it isn’t really considered young adult fiction, but since new adult is such a new genre, most people classify it as young adult fiction. As of right now, the book is available on Kindle.

BPM: Give us an insight into your main characters. What makes each one so special?
The Legacy centers around 4 girls, Raevyn, Regina, Corrine and Andrea. Raevyn is the narrator or the story and she is one tough chick. Her father drove her cross country to his alma mater, Benjamin Wallace Fitzgerald University, the nation’s first African American Ivy League school, because she got into some trouble with the law. She had to blend in at the school because she couldn’t come back home. The problem is, Raevyn is from a low-income family, and therefore it’s hard to blend in with the posh crowd at the Black Ivy League. Her roommate, Regina Fitzgerald, yes you read that right, Fitzgerald, is the heiress to the Fitzgerald name. Her great-great-grandfather founded the school.

Regina’s friends are Andrea and Corrine. Regina is special because she, like most people, has been hurt. Just because she is the “it” girl at school doesn’t mean her own personal life isn’t falling apart. Because of her internal turmoil she comes off as a bitch to most people. But, once her layers are peeled back, over the course of the trilogy, she reveals herself. Andrea is an Ice Queen. She is the friend who tells it like it is and doesn’t care what you think.

She is my favorite character of all. She holds no cut cards and will provide the readers with a laugh or two throughout the course of the novel. Corrine is the friendly one. She becomes really close to Raevyn and the two begin to bond in places that Regina and Andrea can’t reach. She is sweet as sugar, but like most people at the Black Ivy League, she harbors a lot of secrets.

BPM: What topics are primarily discussed? Did you learn anything personal from writing your book?
In the book, topics range from relationships to love, school work and lots and lots of fashion! From this book I learned that I can’t control my characters. Once I put them on the page they come to life and I have to go with the flow after that.

BPM: What are your ambitions for your writing career?
My ultimate goal is reaching the NYT Best Seller list before 30. Success for me means touching someone’s life. If a reader says to me, “your book inspired me” or “your story made me feel like I could do anything” I have done my due diligence as a writer. Success is touching someone’s life. I want a Black girl to read my book and see herself. That’s the meaning of success

BPM: What are your expectations for this book? What would you like for readers to do after reading this book?
My goal for this book is to create a conversation! I want more writers to write for African Americans in higher education. After this book I want readers to tweet me, Facebook me and beg for the next one!

BPM: Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included? How can readers discover more about you and your work?
I can be reached a number of ways: Facebook: www.facebook.com/necoleryse; Twitter and IG: @necoleryse. I would love to hear from you! I always answer emails, too. necole.ryse@gmail.com

Website: www.necoleryse.com
Twitter and IG: @necoleryse
Facebook: www.facebook.com/necoleryse