Category: A Life of Art Blog

Dear Mexico, I Love You is Ready for You

All formats of my first romance novel, Dear Mexico, I Love You are now available on Amazon and all I can say is – Wow! It’s my novel’s birthday.

It was an awesome feeling receiving proof copies this week. Having a real live book in my hand after two years writing her was an unbeatable feeling.  I love it.  But waiting for this day has been both exciting and nerve racking. From elation, to doubt and worry, I’ve had all kinds of feelings since I finished the manuscript. And now it’s done.  She’s in your hands.

If you like a spicy romance, travel, and a good chuckle, then I think you would like this little love story. I hope she makes you feel something like what I felt writing her. I’d love to hear what you think.

And thank you for all your well wishes and to the people who placed pre-orders, too.  What a surprise! Your support is so valuable to me.  I’ve felt a bit like a social hermit as I worked on Dear Mexico, I Love You the last couple of years.  It feels good that there are people still here to cheer me on.  Thank you.

My First Novel Feels Amazing

I woke up this morning and it felt like my birthday.  Don’t worry, you didn’t miss anything, it’s not. This kind of birthday has nothing to do with how many trips I’ve made around the sun.  It’s more like I’ve been prepping for a transformation, and I’ve finally done it. I’m new.

The last two years, my internal world has been a wonderful riot. I’ve been writing through a fantastic creative flow that guided me to draft three romance novels in a series.  Yesterday, I finally handed off my first completed manuscript. After writing, editing, proofing, rereading and more, my heart tells me it’s done.

My first published novel, Dear Mexico, I Love You will be available on Amazon on June 1st as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover.

Dear Mexico, I Love You by Marika Reinke
Dear Mexico, I Love You by Marika Reinke

Dear Mexico, I Love You is a spicey second chance romance with a fairytale twist.  If you like a sexy romance, travel, and a good chuckle, this book is for you. Believe me, the only way I could have read its drafts so many times was if it entertained me. It does. I truly love this book.

For more, you can read Dear Mexico, I Love You’s description on her Amazon page now. When you read the full novel, I hope she makes you feel any fraction of the fun it felt to write her. I’d love to hear what you think.

And surprise, I’m a romance novelist! Maybe it surprises you, but it certainly surprises me. Yes, I’ve had a long-term dream to write a novel most of my life, but romance? I didn’t see it coming.  At one time, I’m humbled to admit that I thought the genre was beneath me, but I grew up and got lighter. It turns out that, for me, exploring the romance genre is an unbelievably fun ride.

I promise I’ll send you a reminder on her birthday because that is a real cause to celebrate.

Until June 1st.

Marika’s New Romance Series is Coming Soon!

After an extended silence, I’m pleased to announce that Book 1 of my Synergy Romance series will be released soon! The series has been my creative passion and focus for the last year and a half.  Please stay tuned for more as I adjust to the fact that my babies are soon going to be born! In the meantime, here is a sneak peek:  

Dear Mexico, I Love You

A sexy second chance romance with a fairytale twist.

Two travelers. A once-in-a-lifetime trip. As many chances as it takes to get it right …

River secretly hates Mexico. Before he returns to London, he hopes his last backpacking stop on his year-long world tour will be an exciting and exotic highpoint, but it has only been a series of missed opportunities and disappointments.   

On her mission to reclaim discarded dreams after unpredictable loss, Sedona left her job and sold everything in Portland, Oregon to travel solo. Her first stop is Mexico.  Surrounded by its vibrant culture and inspiring beauty, she falls in love with the country and begins to find herself again.

Chance after chance, River and Sedona keep meeting and can’t deny their attraction. When they finally surrender to their chemistry, fate leads them into an unforgettably sexy, adventurous, passionate affair across Mexico and Guatemala that teaches them a new meaning of love and healing.

After only two weeks together, they know their worlds will never be the same, but their time together is limited. They believe they will never see each other again when River returns to London.

But fate has other plans.   

A Synergy Romance: Book 1

Which book cover do you prefer? 

Dear Mexico, I Love You (c) Marika Reinke 2023

Dear Mexico, I Love You (c) Marika Reinke 2023

Art Walk Party and Show at Village Medicine

I’m thrilled to announce that I have twenty paintings on display at Village Medicine until May. Even better, the clinic is hosting an Art Walk Party on March 11th from 6-8 pm.

I’d would love to see you there.

You can expect all the good things: art, refreshments and great people. It’s also a chance to participate in the Ballard Art Walk and support local business, artists and the community.

Location:
Village Medicine
5600 14th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107

Village Medicine Wall 1
Village Medicine Wall 2
Village Medicine Wall 3
Village Medicine Wall 4

 

Manifest Collection 2021: December 7th, 2021

I’m very excited to announce the release of The Manifest Collection 2021, a study into the law of attraction, deliberate creation and the art of allowing.  I’ve been working on this collection since July 2021.  Each painting explores an aspect of the spiritual pursuit of feeling good, embracing and allowing hope, and the art of deliberate thought to invite expansion, creativity and love.

It is with great joy and a full heart that I bring this collection to you. I hope it will bring you the joy I felt in creating it.  And yes, these lovely paintings await their forever homes and are for sale.

See more details here:  * Manifest Collection 2021 – Marika Reinke

PDF of The Manifest Collection Catalogue  

 

026: Rejuvinate

I’m on vacation, camping, getting dirty, rock climbing, hiking, playing and bathing in lakes and rivers.  It’s amazing.  Life feels like its somewhat normal.  You should do it too 😉

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The Introvert - Marika Reinke

025: Where’s the Motivation?

There are days when I have thought that the last three or four weeks have been harder than the first weeks of this pandemic.  Even as we reopen, pandemics and protests and the growing realization that this summer won’t be what I thought it was, has really taken a toll and my and my family’s motivation.  Where is it?  How does motivation work?  What can I do to get the joy and motivation back in the house?  These are questions that are occupying me these days.  Take a listen for some thoughts and some solutions.  It’s a constant moving target, but we can do this.

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024: Six Years Later: How My Manifesto Guided My Transformation

This is another episode I recorded before the world ended and began again with a pandemic and protests.  As I find myself reflecting now more and ever in this unprecedented time, I realize that looking back is a good step is to re-vision my manifesto into the future within this new and unfolding context.  In this episode, I retell the story of how I left academia which led me to a life of art, travel and family.  Take a listen.  What will your next steps be?

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The Art Ritual: My Manifesto.  

023: My History of Being White and Racist, Antiracist and on Vacation

I think we should be listening to black leaders telling their history and their experience.  I think we should be curious about it and directing our attention to them, especially now.  Make them center right now.  They have a lot of important, meaningful, uncomfortable points to make about America.  They are points, that if we listen with a full and present heart, will teach us to grow.  They will teach us curiousity and compassion.  They will move us to a more just and equitable society and one that truly nourishes the human experience for all.

To say that you never really understood racism because you were raised to love all people regardless of color is a beautiful sentiment but it is not the point.  If you never understood racism, then that is the problem.  Racism thrives on this lack of curiosity. I say this with a full and loving heart but set the good intentions aside and be curious, open and listen.

In this episode, I share some of my history of being white.  I am very white. I have been ignorant. I’ve awakened. I’ve been active. I’ve been compassionate. I’ve been called a racist. I’ve been racist.  I’ve lifted barriers. I’ve witnessed trauma.  I’ve taken a break because the work is hard and I’m white so I get to do that. I don’t know everything about this complex puzzle, but I do have some stories to tell.

I share because maybe there is something in these stories that will help with your growth and discovery of what it means to be white in America. This is by no means a perfect account, I’m still learning and growing and pushing into this too.  But maybe it will help you listen to those black voices that need your compassionate and open heart available to them too.

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Resources: 

Black Lives Matter 

The King Center 

Rachel Cargle Instagram & Patreon

Barak Obama 

DefendBlackLives.org

 

Book: How to be an Antiracist 

Others

Minnesota Freedom Fund 

Black Visions 

 

022: Let’s Create an Economy of Hope

What would it be like if we truly put what we value first?  Would it change the way we think about money and each other? Instead of measuring what we have and hoard, can we measure what we value by how we invest in it?  In this episode, I explore the evolution of my thinking about sustainability, culture, change, love, creativity, economy and hope.  I think we can create a system that truly supports and nourishes the human experience and it begins with hope in the present moment and all of our relationships.

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resources: 

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin – “We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”