Tag: anthony avina

The Girl at the Bar by Nicholas Nash Review

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The Girl At The Bar by Nicholas Nash Review

A one night stand turns into a nightmare as the lives of several people get ensnared in a deadly missing person’s case in the upcoming thriller,
The Girl At The Bar!

I was given this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own and unbiased.

A psychological thriller. More twists and turns than a country road. Gripping characters.

These are just a few ways to describe the thriller The Girl At The Bar by Nicholas Nash. Here’s the synopsis:

Rebecca, a brilliant cancer researcher, disappears after a one-night stand with a neurotic man with a questionable past.

Her sudden disappearance in the midst of a high-stakes quest to cure cancer between two rival billionaires sets into motion an inexplicable
chain of events as the bodies start to pile up.

No one knows why she disappeared. The race to find answers ensnares everyone around her, one of whom is a deeply disturbed psychopath lurking
in the shadows.

Is Rebecca still alive? What happened to her? Who did it? And why? Questions about her vex everyone looking for answers. No one can be trusted
and no one is above suspicion…

There were some great plot points explored in this novel. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the author tackle a character that nearly fell into the
overly used plot of having a mental disorder that caused them to be violent, but instead this book did an excellent job of showcasing a character
who suffered with a mental illness and yet continued to strive forward and fight the preconceived notions of what living with mental illness
means, and showed that the character was flawed yet human.

I also thought it was interesting to explore the world of cancer research in such an in-depth way. I must admit I had little to no knowledge of
cancer research, and yet I feel way more informed than I did going into the book. The author did a great job of capturing the emotions that
went into the scientific exploration of this viscous disease, as well as the emotional toll of battles lost to the disease.

The plot was strong indeed, as were the vast variety of different characters involved in the plot, from the police investigating the crime to
the suspects of the kidnapping to the innocents caught in the crossfire. While I will note this: in the spirit of honesty, there were a couple
of grammatical errors that were noticeable throughout the book. However they were so minor and spread far apart from one another in the entirety
of the book, that it didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the book at all, and I don’t think it will for you guys either.

Overall, this was a fantastic thriller that everyone should read. The book does a great job of exploring the notion that humanity in general
is flawed, and yet being flawed doesn’t make a person evil. The villain of this story can even be attributed to both the antagonist and the
main plot point: cancer itself. Once you learn the origins of this villain, you will see how closely their rise to villainy resembles the
mutation of cancer, making this a deep emotional and psychological study of both diseases: cancer and evil. This is a must read novel, so be
sure to get your copies of Nicholas Nash’s The Girl At The Bar on February 1st, 2017. I give this book a 8/10 star rating, and hope you guys will
read it for yourselves!

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Vlog Like A Boss: How To Kill It Online With Video Blogging by Amy Schmittauer

Learn how to master the world of video with Amy Schmittauer’s incredible video marketing book, Vlog Like A Boss!

I was given a free copy of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I have been a fan of YouTube star and social media expert Amy Schmittauer for a couple of years now. So when I heard that she was writing and
publishing a book on video marketing, I knew I had to get myself a copy. I was even more stunned when I was sent an email with an advance reading
copy (ARC) of this incredible book, and I’m so honored to be one of the lucky ones to get to dive headfirst into this eye-opening book.

The book, or memoir or “how-to” book in question is called Vlog Like A Boss: How To Kill It Online With Video Blogging by Amy Schmittauer, and
I can honestly say that this is one of the most insightful YouTube and video marketing books I’ve ever read. Over the last few years I’ve read some
marketing books, but this one does a masterful job of detailing the process of getting into making video and explaining it in a way that both
seasoned filmmakers and aspiring YouTubers both can understand.

One thing that jumped out immediately was how Amy was able to write in a voice that spoke to everyone, from the young millennial eager to make
their own YouTube channel to the experienced business owner who’s seeking a helping hand using video for their work. Using fun and fascinating
tales from her own life to help explain the process, this book goes to great lengths to outline the entire video process, from identifying the
common fears of being on camera, to the equipment one will need for video and editing, to the way to identify with your audience and create a
video that will resonate with viewers.

Overall, this was a fantastic read that was both enjoyable and instructive. As someone trying to build and improve on my own YouTube channel, I
can tell you that this book has been illuminating. Taking the tools I learned from this book, I can identify problem areas with my filming, and
improve on it. From ways to generate ideas to what social media platforms work best and how they work with your videos, this is a book any
video creator will not want to miss. Inspiring, educational, and all around fun, Vlog Like A Boss by Amy Schmittauer is a must read book in
2017, and thus I give it a 10/10 rating. I will leave links to both Amy’s YouTube channel and her official book website below, and I hope you
guys will not only subscribe to her, but pre-order your copies of this book today. Vlog Like A Boss comes out on January 31st, 2017!

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/savvysexysocial
Website: http://vloglikeaboss.com/

Interview with Jave Galt-Miller

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1) What was the inspiration behind your graphic
novel?

I grew up in the
80s, and when I was a kid I recorded two movies from HBO onto one videotape. Weird Science and Lifeforce. Ever since, those two films have been connected in my
head. Nerd fantasy gone wrong and naked hot chick killing everyone she meets.
Combine these with a healthy dose of paranoia of the “other” from Invasion of the Body Snatchers (the only
two versions that count), and you start laying the foundations for Lesbian Zombies from Outer Space.

And then there’s
Fashion and Pornography. Driving around Los Angeles, I noticed a billboard one
day for perfume or makeup or something. And the girl was young and naked and
alone. Her eyes sinking into the dark makeup around them said she had no real
soul, no real volition. She could be told to do anything. And I saw this theme
everywhere: thin, underdressed girls lounging around, their eyes zoned out like
zombies, their bodies looking too much like corpses, their desire omnipresent, their
sexual appetite voracious and diverse. And my next thought was Lesbian Zombies.

Unlike the hero
of our story, Ace, I don’t watch a lot of porn because my imagination can take
care of any arousal duties when needed. But, like many guys out there, the
thought of two girls rubbing and kissing and fondling one another is a big turn
on. Lesbians: but lesbians who ultimately want to be finished off by the real
protagonist of the fantasy, me. I mean, yeah, it’s absurd. So I thought more
and more about the absurdity. Not just why and how lesbians would have any
interest in the male reproductive organ, but also why there were so many people
out there against – and disgusted by – the idea of homosexuality; yet still they
were turned on by the female version of it.

I guess there’s
a lot of ways you could go with that line of thought. But if these women on the
billboards and in these porn movies were our slaves, our creatures, what
happens when those creatures rebel and turn the fantasy into a nightmare?

2) Why choose the graphic novel over
say a regular novel? What drew you into the world of comics?

I love writing,
but novels are too damned long (for writing, not for reading). I got interested
in writing movie scripts years ago over a beer-induced dare, and I’ve been
writing scripts ever since. Movie scripts and comic scripts are similar in
that, even when the script is done, it is not a finished product. It is only a
plan for a product. In other words, if movie studios aren’t throwing money at
you to write their next blockbuster, writing scripts can get pretty frustrating
since you rarely get to see them become their fully-formed selves.

I initially
wrote Lesbian Zombies from Outer Space
as a low-budget feature film. I had just graduated from film school, and I was
somehow going to raise half a million dollars and direct the thing. Yeah,
right. While that budget is miniscule in comparison to most films out there,
it’s way beyond my circle of family and friends. Sadly, I had to accept that Lesbian Zombies was going to be another
useless file on my hard drive like so many others.

But then two
summers ago, a friend of mine threatened to cut off my balls if I didn’t at
least try to turn it into a comic book. Well, my balls were on the line. I
loved reading comics as a kid, and the interest had recently been reignited
with the deluge of comics being turned into movies and TV shows. So I started
doing my research and putting a team together, and here I am.  Instead of words on a page, I have a flesh
and blood (lots of blood) (… and flesh, for that matter) story.

3) Which character do you think you identified
with most?

Well, if Ace is my Id, Gwen is my Superego. I’m
not sure that I directly identify with either of them though.

4) What do you hope readers will take
away from your graphic novel?

Ultimately, I just want people to laugh and have fun.
And, if I’m being honest and a bit sadistic, I’d like them to have a brief
flash of fear the next time they’re getting a blowjob…

5) What are some other horror comedies that have
inspired you to write this story?

Two of my
favorite splatter movies are Rodriquez’ Planet
Terror (2007) and James Gunn’s Slither
(2006). Both of these are very self-aware of what they are, and what past films
they comment on. Both are also zombie movies, though not necessarily in the
strict Romero sense of the term.

One of my
favorite movies though, another non-Romero zombie movie, and one which has had
what some might consider an unlikely influence, is Invasion of the Body Snatchers – both the 1956 and 1978 versions
(the rest be damned). I watched both of these films as a kid, and they had a
big impact on me. When Sutherland turns and points with that horrifying shriek
at the end of the 1978 version, it’s one of the most disturbing moments of my
life.  

But Lesbian
Zombies for me isn’t all about horror and exploitation. It’s also about sex,
and the anxiety and terror that the idea of sex can bestow.  While Shaun
of the Dead called itself a zombie romantic comedy, for me LZfOS is a
zombie teen sex comedy. It’s Porky’s
and it’s American Pie. But most of
all it’s John Hugh’s Weird Science. That
movie, and the sight of Kelly LeBrock in tight leotards, had a big impact on my
childhood, and this story.

6) What are your plans for the future? What is
the future for Ace and company in Lesbian Zombies From Outer Space?

As I write this
I am about to publish the 7th and final issue of the story. If you
missed the individual issues, it will be available digitally in two volumes,
and in print as one continuous graphic novel. While the last page of the book
can be interpreted as leaving room for a sequel, I very much doubt I will be
going for a Lesbian Zombies round
two.

As for me, I’m
working on my next comic book series, and it is very different from this first
venture. I’ve long been fascinated by Ancient Greece, and I’m preparing an
historical adventure/war story about the Peloponnesian War, called Polis.  I hope you’ll check it out when it’s done!

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Lesbian Zombies From Outer Space by Jave Galt-Miller

This was given to me by the author for a fair and honest review. NSFW!

As you can probably tell from the title, this was definitely not a book that normally falls within my wheelhouse. While described as a horror
comedy, Lesbian Zombies From Outer Space by Jave Galt-Miller definitely pushed the boundaries of my comfort zone, and yet I found myself open
to the possibilities of a comedic take on the horror genre, and seeing as this was my first graphic novel, I jumped at the chance to give this
a review. Here is they synopsis:

Get volume #1 of the NSFW zom-com horror series where flawed male fantasy becomes a nightmare! Includes Issues 1-4, each with the original cover,
as well as the R-rated Sexy Variant cover.

Ace just wants to film his buddy’s threesome, but suddenly all the girls in town are transforming into lesbian zombies. And these girls are not
looking for brains. He’ll have to team with an unlikely friend to run for his life and stop the funniest, sexiest apocalypse you’ve ever seen.

122 pages of full-color nudity and violence make this an ADULTS ONLY horror comic.

Sometimes when Hot Girls make out – it’s Evil!

The the hijinks of Ace and the survivors of this zombie outbreak were definitely humorous, what really struck me was the way this series has
highlighted the often ridiculous male fantasies that they dream up, as well as the stupid stereotypes that the lesbian community is often labeled
with. The story does a great job of bringing these issues to light, while also touching on the horror genre often explored in cheesy, B-movie
80’s films.

The artwork is wonderfully drawn, and the story conjures up images of a mix of various 80’s films, as if Weird Science and The Evil Dead were
combined into one giant film. While I would recommend this to my adult readers out there, I think it is a great addition to the horror comedy
genre, and so I hope you guys will pick up Vol 1 (Issues #1-4) of Lesbian Zombies From Outer Space by Jave Galt-Miller today!

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William Shakespeare’s The Empire Striketh Back by Ian Doescher

Author Ian Doescher does it again, blending the infamous Bard’s style with the engrossing story of Star Wars with “William Shakespeare’s The
Empire Striketh Back”! Here is the synopsis:

Hot on the heels of the New York Times best seller William Shakespeare’s Star Wars comes the next two installments of the original trilogy:
William Shakespeare’s The Empire Striketh Back and William Shakespeare’s The Jedi Doth Return. Return to the star-crossed galaxy far, far away
as the brooding young hero, a power-mad emperor, and their jesting droids match wits, struggle for power, and soliloquize in elegant and
impeccable iambic pentameter. Illustrated with beautiful black-and-white Elizabethan-style artwork, these two plays offer essential reading for
all ages. Something Wookiee this way comes!

Star Wars fans all know the story by now. While the plot is the same, the words that are spoken make this an incredibly fresh story that I couldn’t
put down. My love of both Star Wars and Shakespeare made this a phenomenal read that was addicting to read, and makes me want to read the entire
series this way. If you love Star Wars and Shakespeare, this is the series for you, and Ian Doescher is a fantastic author who has brilliantly
brought this series to life once more, so be sure to pick up this book today!

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Interview with Author Louis K. Lowy

1)     
Congratulations on the release of your book, To
Dream. Tell us a little bit about the inspiration behind this incredible novel.

Thank you, Anthony! It’s a long and unusual
story. The genesis for the novel came from a long forgotten short story that I
had written two decades ago. I was going through my virtual folders and
rediscovered it about the time I had finished up my second novel. Ripe to start
a new one, I became fascinated with key aspects of the three page story and
decided to build upon them. Once that train of thought was set in motion, I was
left with nine questions that needed to be answered in order for my proposed storyline
to work. I printed and mounted the nine questions on a storyboard and worked on
each one until I had plausible answers (though they were flexible, depending on
how things developed as I got more and more into the story). That process took
two to three months. Another interesting thing, Niyati Bopari, one of the main
characters in To Dream, first made a
brief appearance as a child in my previous book, Pedal—a contemporary women’s novel. Of course, at the time I never
realized she was going to play a pivotal role in my next book.

2) What was it about the science fiction genre that drew you in?

I loved science fiction from the day I was
born. First on TV, then in comic books and finally in books. Like To Dream, what draws me in is the human
element behind the technology. How do we, as people, keep our humanity in the
rapidly changing universe? I love Ray Bradbury because he seems to always be
dealing with this, no matter what or where his stories take place.

3) This is the third book you have written. Tell us a little bit about the
writing process you went through when writing this and how it differed from
your previous experiences.

This one was one of the toughest because of
the structure. As you mentioned in your review, it bounces back and forth from
the present to the future and from one planet to another. It also dealt with
four interlocking stories that had to connect in the end. Keeping up with all
of that was a Herculean task for me. In the beginning it was brutal, but
because I had taken a lot of time up front to solidify my plot, I knew where I
was heading and used those time shifts to my advantage. I could construct them
in a way that would create the proper impact at the right time.

4) Which character did you enjoy writing the most? Which was the most complex?

Those are great questions. Honestly, I enjoy
all of my characters, even the morally corrupt ones. Honestly, there is no one
that I enjoyed the most—though I can say that my favorites were Niyati Bopari,
J-1, Norma Mardeen, and Rebeka Takáts, because of their complexities—which
leads in to your next question.

           There
are two who I think were the most complex—Niyati Bopari and J-1. Niyati because
of the extraordinary measures she takes to deal with the death of her son. J-1
because he’s forced to face something he hasn’t been equipped to do—his
humanity.

5) When writing, what is the most compelling part to you: character development
or developing the plot?

Both. The type of stories I write depend on
both. Each one supports and enhances the other. A lot of this has to do with my
influences—people like James Joyce, Stan Lee, the aforementioned Ray Bradbury,
Charles Dickens, Stephen King, Ernest Hemingway, Jane Austen and J.R.R. Tolkien
to name a few.

6) What has the marketing process of this book been like for you?

Like all of them, challenging. I’m
fortunate to be with IFWG Publishing. They’re a small, but supportive press.
Still, as most authors know, the business of writing can sometimes be a lot
more difficult than the actual writing. On the other hand, it’s a joy when that
process leads to someone like you, who is so generous with your time and
support of people like me.

7) What social media site has been the most helpful when promoting your books?

I tend to center my attention on Facebook,
twitter, and my website, but I also love Goodreads Instagram, and Pinterest.

8) What are your future plans? Any books in the works?

You bet! I’ve finished a fantasy novel about
a gambler on the brink of death who gets the chance to save his soul, a horror
book that takes place in the late Victorian era, and I’m currently working on a
crime novel.

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Hey there everyone! We have a special giveaway from author Nicholas Nash for his upcoming book, The Girl at the Bar. Due out on February 1st, 2017,
this is an incredible new read this blogger is excited to delve into in the coming weeks. Here is a small blurb.

Blurb:

Rebecca, a brilliant cancer researcher disappears without a trace after a one-night stand with a neurotic man with a questionable past. Her
sudden disappearance in the midst of a high-stakes quest to cure cancer between two rival billionaires sets into motion an inexplicable chain
of events as the bodies start to pile up. No one knows why she disappeared. The race to find answers ensnares everyone around her, one of whom
is a deeply disturbed psychopath lurking in the shadows.

Is Rebecca still alive? What happened to her? Who did it? And why? Questions about her vex everyone looking for answers. No one can be trusted
and no one is above suspicion.

If this sounds like an interesting story to you, be sure to check out the graphic in this post for all the information on this January giveaway!

https://www.amazon.com/Girl-at-Bar-Nash-Nicholas/dp/0998435821/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33240086-the-girl-at-the-bar

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Girl of Fire (The Expulsion Project #1) by Norma Hinkens Book Review

If Firefly were to be made into a modern day CW Teen Drama, it would look a whole lot like author Norma Hinkens book, “Girl of Fire (The Expulsion
Project #1).” A fast paced adventure that explores a whole new galaxy filled with androids, cyborgs and warring worlds, this is a fantastic
sci-fi world that fans will want to dive head first into. Here is the synopsis:

ORIGIN. DESTINY. FATE. How far would you go to unravel the truth?

Trattora is the adopted daughter of the Chieftain on a primitive frontier planet. Velkan is an indentured serf who has never known a day of
freedom. Forced to flee an invasion by Galactic Pirates, they find themselves thrown together on a ramshackle mining vessel that harbors more
than one dark secret. Fate and chemistry combine when the pair’s matching birth bracelets lead them to a shocking discovery about their true
lineage. Stakes rise when they uncover the classified Expulsion Project, and the devastating sacrifice their birth families made to spare their
lives. Determined to save them from liquidation, Trattora and Velkan plunge headlong into a race against time and space to take down the
genocidal self-actualizing software that now controls large swathes of their home planet.

But will they navigate the treacherous dealings of the seedy Galactic underworld in time to rescue the families who loved them enough to let
them go?

Girl of Fire is the first novel in The Expulsion Project, a sci-fi, dystopian thriller trilogy with a whisper of romance, a heavy dose of
adventure, and action galore. If you are a Firefly or Dark Matter fan, or in Divergent withdrawal, this is the book mashup for you!

This was an edge of your seat read, filled with lots of action, great character growth and phenomenal chemistry between the characters. From the
first pages of this book you get a sense of the scope of this galaxy, and the differences that separate the worlds. Getting to see how these
characters started off from the same world and then grew up to be so different was fun to see unfold within the plot, and the story itself
had me invested and hooked immediately.

Much like the supporting characters of the book, one can’t help but feel enthralled with protagonist Trattora and her bravery. Raised on a lone
planet for most of her life, she isn’t afraid to be herself and goes to extreme lengths to save the people who matter to her. With a sense of
justice and pride she throws herself into danger, and takes charge when decisions need to be made.

Overall, this is a must read novel for YA science fiction fans. Readers will love going on this adventure as they delve into the lives of Trattora
and her friends as they explore harsh worlds and seedy cities in the galaxy. The action and shocking cliff-hanger will keep fans invested for
this exciting new series, so be sure to get your copy of “Girl of Fire” today!

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Scare Me by Richard Jay Parker Book Review:

Reviewers Note: “I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.”

As the year begins to end, this incredible thriller snuck up on me and took me by surprise with it’s complex narrative and intense character
developments. That book is Scare Me by Richard Jay Parker, and from the first pages the author’s unique storytelling experience brought to mind
the voices of authors like Dean Koontz and Stephen King, allowing readers to delve into the viewpoints of several characters spread out in the
beginning and exploring how they all come together. Here is they synopsis:

“When did you last Google yourself?”

Wealthy businessman, Will Frost, gets woken in the middle of the night by an anonymous caller, asking him exactly this.

When Will goes online, he finds a website has been set up in his name, showing photographs of the inside of his home, along with photographs of
six houses he’s never seen before.

In the first of these strange houses, a gruesome murder has already taken place.
Will is then told that his own family is in mortal danger.

The only way he can keep them safe is to visit each of the houses on the website in person – before the police discover what has happened there.

Seven houses.

Seven gruesome homicides.

Seven chances to save his daughter’s life…

This is intense right from the start. The horror that this man must face in order to save his daughter is impossible to imagine, and yet the
genius that is author Richard Jay Parker manages to delve into that dark place with vivid imagery. The twists and turns that this story takes
are quite an amazing thing to read, and until the last few pages the reader will not know what the shocking twist is until it’s already upon
them, taking their breath away and keeping them on the edge of their seats.

This is definitely a must read thriller and horror book that fans will not want to miss. This is my first introduction to author Richard Jay Parker,
and if this book is any indication, he has a long and prosperous writing career ahead of him. This book is so engaging that one can easily
imagine it being turned into a film, the writing is so cinematic that it comes to life before your very eyes. This is a dark tale that deserves
to be read, so be sure to pick up your copies of Scare Me today!