Hello, Carol!
You can study with a teacher who will listen to your pronunciation and help you to start speaking correctly from the very beginning.
If you study on your own I advise you to try to read simple russian words, following rules of reading and NOT use latin transliteration of russian words.
Russian language has sounds that don't exist in English for example.
For some people it is better to learn pronunciation of one sound after another, and only after it to compose words.
For some people it is better to start trying reading from the very beginning.
I guess it depends on taste:)
Choose yourself.
Also, try to find some music or films or poetry that you LIKE. You don't need to translate it, just listen. Listening practice is very important at the first steps of learning language and is very fruitful.