Digital Cover: From Inglewood to the Show Ring: Kimberly Ann Harrison’s Beyond the Paddock Breaks Every Mold

Kimberly Ann Harrison isn’t new to storytelling. As an executive producer and showrunner with a powerhouse resume that includes Friends, Criminal Minds, Law & Order, the Emmy-winning The Crossover on Disney+, and Hulu’s Washington Black, she’s been shaping iconic television moments for years.

But now, with her debut novel Beyond the Paddock, Kimberly is flipping the script again—this time bringing her voice to the page with a story that feels urgent, raw, and unapologetically bold.

At its core, Beyond the Paddock is more than a coming-of-age novel—it’s a collision of two starkly different worlds: the underground grit of street racing and the polished perfection of elite show jumping.

“As a Black woman navigating spaces that weren’t built with me in mind, I poured a lot of those feelings into these characters, Julian and Cameron Taylor.”

“I wanted to challenge the idea of where Black boys are ‘supposed’ to belong,” she shares. “Street racing and show jumping might look like opposites, but they’re both about freedom, control, and survival.” That desire to explore Black boyhood beyond the expected is the engine driving this story, and it doesn’t let up. These boys are running from more than the law. They’re running toward a version of themselves they never knew existed.

Kimberly’s ability to write from a place of lived truth is what gives Beyond the Paddock its heartbeat.

“I’ve experienced that tension between where you come from and where you’re trying to go,” she admits. “As a Black woman navigating spaces that weren’t built with me in mind, I poured a lot of those feelings into Julian and Cameron.” Their emotional evolution is personal, and it shows. These boys aren’t just surviving—they’re becoming.

Through themes of identity, class, second chances, and brotherhood, Kimberly doesn’t just tell a story—she builds a world where the stakes are real and deeply felt. The boys’ guardian, Reign, is far from a picture-perfect mentor. She’s sharp, reluctant, and emotionally bruised. But as Kimberly puts it, “Sometimes showing up—even messily—is more powerful than having all the answers.”

The authenticity of both the street and the show ring is no accident. Kimberly did her homework, from talking to riders and trainers to pulling from her own son’s competitive equestrian experiences. Even the details of the foster care system—something close to her heart—are handled with the kind of care and accuracy that makes this novel more than fiction. It’s a mirror, a challenge, and in many ways, a love letter to every kid who’s ever been told they don’t belong.

And if there’s one message Kimberly hopes lands loud and clear, it’s this: “Worth isn’t defined by zip code, background, or how someone looks. Breaking barriers starts with believing you belong.”

In Beyond the Paddock, success doesn’t come wrapped in a neat bow. The ghosts of the past aren’t just referenced—they ride shotgun. But that’s the power of Kimberly’s pen.

She isn’t writing fairy tales. She’s writing truth. “Healing and growth isn’t always linear,” she says. “Sometimes it comes with facing the pain and carrying it differently.”

If she had to sum up the book in three words? Resilience. Representation. Redemption.

And truly, there’s no better way to describe not just the novel, but the spirit behind it.

Whether you’re turning the pages for the thrill of the ride or the depth of the journey, Beyond the Paddock dares you to think differently about where strength, beauty, and brilliance can live.