Tag: anthony avina

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Author Interview with Marina Epley, author of “The Mind Breaker Trilogy”

Here is a fun interview we did with author Marina Epley for her incredible YA/Dystopian novel series, The Mind Breaker Trilogy!

1) What
inspired you to write Elimination and create the world of this dystopian
series?

I’ve actually
been fascinated by the idea of mind control for quite some time. The character
Rex first came to me almost 10 years ago, although it was difficult to find the
perfect setting for the story. About two years ago I was watching Schindler’s
List, one of my favorite movies, and realized that this is a type of situation
to throw characters in and see how they react. Afterward, creating the setting
and characters came easily.

2) What drew
you to write in the YA/Dystopian genre?

I was
initially writing contemporary fiction for YA, but this genre never seemed to
provide enough freedom for imaginative ideas. I switched to dystopian because the
genre has less limitations and provides a fantastic opportunity for world
building. I love writing dark, gritty stories filled with action and danger,
and the dystopian world seems like the perfect setting to accommodate.

3) Are there
any characters in Elimination that are based on people in your life? (I.E. Rex,
Kitty, etc)

I never base
characters on real people, only using some singular features of people I’ve
known. My characters often seem to take on a life of their own and control
their destinies within the story, even more so than I do. The characters I
write about also have a tendency to influence me, just like real people.

4) Was there
an author or a particular book that inspired you to write?

Russian-American novelist Vladimir Nabokov gave me a lot of confidence
and inspiration because he was one of only a handful of native speaking
Russians to successfully become an American author. I’m following a similar
path.

5) What drew
you into the writing world?

I guess I’ve never consciously chosen to become a writer, the choice
seems to have been made for me. The real world just never seemed to be enough
for me. Around the age of twelve, I was already writing short stories to share
with classmates. They could never get enough, so I realized at that early age a
future in writing fiction was possible.

6) If there
was one genre of writing you could never write, what would it be and why?

I doubt I
will go back to contemporary fiction, because the genre has too many limitations.
However, I’ll keep an open mind and enjoy experimenting with different genres
in writing.

7) What is
your favorite part of the writing process: character development or plot
creation?

I love
creating new worlds, although character development excites me more. I enjoy
putting my characters into dangerous situations and forcing them to make
difficult choices. Watching them change and grow within a story is to me the
most thrilling part of my work.

8) What
social media network do you enjoy using to connect with readers the most?

So far, I
prefer Twitter and Goodreads.

9) If you
could collaborate with any author, (living or dead), who would it be and why?

It would have
to be my favorite crime-fiction writer Jim Thompson. I’m drawn to his brilliant
ability for exploring the minds of psychopaths and killers, as well as writing
about something that doesn’t fit a social norm. Reading his books gave me additional confidence to write what I
want and to be bold in my writing.

10) What are
your future plans for the Mind Breaker Trilogy? Any other books you are working
on outside of the trilogy?

I’m
currently preparing the third book in the Mind Breaker Trilogy, Annihilation,
for publication on Amazon. I’m also planning to soon have my books available in
paperback. At the same time, I’m working on a new YA series, Roamers from the
Darkness. A story about a shy, sixteen-year-old scavenger who must transform
into a fearless warrior in order to liberate herself and her friends out of
slavery. It’s been quite challenging, as I’ve never before worked with a female
protagonist.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/writerdystopian/?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarinaEpley

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Runes (Runes series Book 1) by Ednah Walters Book Review:

Ancient mythology gets the YA treatment in Ednah Walters first book in the Runes series, “Runes”. In this incredible book, young 17-year old
Raine Cooper finds herself dealing with a full plate of problems, from her father’s mysterious disappearance to her mother’s increasingly erratic
behavior and the possibility of her best guy friend and crush moving away. Things are tough for this average teen, until her life becomes anything
but ordinary when she meets her new neighbor, Torrin St. James, a mysterious young man that drives her towards him despite her best judgement.
After she is saved by him when he uses a mysterious mark to heal her, she soon learns that Torrin isn’t exactly what he says he is, and she
becomes determined to find out what he is, and inadvertently becomes involved in an ancient mythology filled with death and darkness the likes
of which she’s never dealt with before.

This book is fast paced, and does an excellent job of blending the teenage drama with mythology that has existed for thousands of years. The
story deals equally with the supernatural elements of the story as it does the tale of three young kids who has their friendship tested time and
again by these unnatural occurrences. With each chapter as more mysteries are solved, even more are unveiled, and by the end of the first book a
whole series worth of mythology is laid out, which fans of the YA genre will be thrilled to dive into. This is a story not to be missed, so be
sure to check out Runes by Ednah Walters today!

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Elimination: The Mind Breaker Trilogy Book 1 by Marina Epley Book Review:

It’s not often one finds themselves at the forefront of a fantastic new YA series, and yet that is what’s happened to this reviewer after reading author Marina Epley’s Elimination, the first in the Mind Breaker Trilogy!

First, the description.

ELIMINATION is the first novel in THE MIND BREAKER trilogy, set in a violent dystopian world where governmental forces hunt down, imprison and even kill those with psychic abilities.

Rex is an eighteen-year-old mind breaker hoping to keep a low profile. Unfortunately, he was forced to use hypnosis on criminals during an attempted bank robbery, revealing his abilities. Now considered a national threat to society, he has to flee through devastated countryside in order to remain alive. Even worse, by going on the run, he’s endangering his one and only friend Kitty, another strong hypnotist.
Rex soon realizes that together they make a vulnerable target. And the only way to save Kitty is to allow himself to be captured, thus diverting attention while his friend escapes. But nothing goes as planned, as his actions only serve to push Kitty into an even worse situation than a life sentence in prison. With his world falling apart, Rex must figure out how to fix his accumulating mistakes and regain their freedom before it’s too late.
What Rex doesn’t yet understand, is that he may soon play a major role in preventing all-out war between ordinary humans and mind breakers, a war which could lead to total extinction of the entire human race.

The dystopian future created by Epley feels so real in this first book that one expects to open their front door and see it for themselves. The complex world that protagonist Rex is forced to navigate conjures up feelings of anxiousness, fear and loneliness that can mirror parts of our world.

What really makes me love this book is how similar in plot the novel mirrors both our world and the world created by legendary comic book company Marvel, and that is the world of the X-Men. The fear of the unknown or different showcases a human tendency to judge, hate and cast out people who don’t follow the “social norm” that they create. It’s a fantastic social point made through a well written and amazingly creative novel, and I can’t wait to see more from this incredibly talented emerging author, so be sure to pick up your copy of Elimination: The Mind Breaker Trilogy #1 by Marina Epley today!

Book Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HW5AKK0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_kdFNxbQ9H5DQ9

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The Political Talk: A Much Needed Conversation

Let me start off by saying this: I hate talking about politics.

In this day and age, it has become impossible to talk calmly and openly about politics. This has always been an emotionally driven topic, but
with the power of the internet, people have come to abuse their right to the internet by using hatred, threats of violence and bigotry on a grand
scale to fuel their opinions. I dream of living in a world where we can state our opinions, and talk to someone who doesn’t share our opinion in
a calm manner, and yet even as I write this, I know there are people ready to curse me out, call me all sorts of foul names and flood my comments
section with all sorts of hatred. Yet I must write this, because I cannot let this coming election to happen without knowing I spoke my mind and
hopefully will have reached a few open minds.

So much controversy on both sides of the political divide have ruled this election. Let me say this because I believe in total honesty: I’m a
Democrat. I don’t know what the Republican party may have once stood for, but in recent years, (and especially in the most recent electoral
process), I have come across several Republican candidates who hope to rule a diverse country that have spewed some of the most vile, homophobic,
racist and sexist comments I’ve ever had the displeasure of hearing. The worse among them unfortunately is now the official Republican nominee,
and that’s Donald Trump.

The fact that Donald Trump is still in this election both does and does not surprise me. I can’t believe we’re living in an age where a hateful
and violent man and “reality TV celeb” is actually a possible US President, and yet I have seen the fear that has bred hatred and violence among
some of the people of my country, and it saddens me to know that this man has preyed on that fear, and has used it to his advantage to gain a
cult-like following. No matter what happens in this election, even if Donald Trump wins, I will never acknowledge him as my president. Some may
say that it is our duty to respect the office, and yet I say to those people that not only has President Obama, (a man who has accomplished a great
deal in my opinion), gotten disrespect every single day from people who don’t agree with his policies, but I believe that respect is earned, not
a given, and I cannot respect a man like Donald Trump, who would rather build walls and instill a system of violence that will make us one of the
most hated countries in this world.

Now I know that a great deal of controversy surrounds Hillary Clinton. Let me be clear: my first choice for President was Bernie Sanders. I don’t
know if Hilary Clinton is a fully trustworthy candidate, and to be honest I’ve never believed every single promise a presidential candidate
has made during an election process. Yet the sad reality is that Hilary Clinton has been chosen as the Democratic nominee, and like Bernie Sanders
himself, I believe and stand with her in this election. Not because I trust her wholeheartedly, but because unlike Trump, (whom I wouldn’t trust
with my life, let alone the lives of every citizen of this country), she has not run a campaign of hatred. She hasn’t spoken of stopping immigration
for people of certain nationalities. She has fought for women’s rights, gay rights, and more. As a half-Hispanic, half-Caucasian man, I have
seen life from both sides of the world. I have family who has lived normal, non-oppressed lives, and I have known family who has faced the glancing
eyes of those who distrust members of the Hispanic culture. I fear for a country run by Donald Trump, who would have his hands on the nuclear codes,
an entire US military at his command and an already heavily Republican US Congress. I fear that the hatred we’ve seen from him will only grow in
the years to come, and soon we could be faced with some horrific future filled with violence and horrors I can’t imagine.

I don’t know what we will see from Hilary Clinton as our president, but I know what we will get from Donald Trump, and it’s not pretty. We cannot
go back as a nation. We cannot let this man push us backwards in time, to a place where oppression reigned supreme and hatred was the catch of the
day. No one in this world would ever respect the United States as a major world power with him as President. We need a leader who will respect
the people of this nation, not disparage entire groups of people because he deems them unworthy of our country without any sort of evidence to
back up his claims. Criminals and terrorists come from all sides of life, not just the ones Trump says. There have been plenty of violent white
people in our world that have committed some horrific atrocities, and we cannot discriminate against a group of people based on their race, because if
we did, we’d be facing an extinction level event in our country. We cannot support a man who would rather show support for an alleged sexual
assailant rather than the victims of the crime, (or even remaining neutral until the facts are known, if you can’t show support for the victims).
We cannot support a man who would rather victim blame and show violent and hateful tendencies towards the women of our country rather than be
polite and respectful. We cannot support a man who judges people based on sexual orientation, race and gender on a daily basis. He is the
opposite of what America is supposed to represent, and its our duty to elect someone who represents the future, not the past.

So if you are of voting age, please do your research and vote. I’m voting for Hilary Clinton, and urge you to think for yourself and vote based
on facts and not popularity or fear. I am prepared for the hateful comments coming my way, but know this: I can handle it. It is not only a waste
of your time, but all your comment does is showcase your own hatred and ignorance. I also urge those who share my opinions to calmly debate and
leave comments. I know how frustrating it can be to come face to face with hatred and bigotry, but we have to be better than that, and I urge you
to rise above the hatred and speak calmly. I don’t normally talk about this stuff, because it’s such a heated topic, and I will go back to normal
blog posts after this, but I am passionate about this because I refuse to sit down and let Donald Trump win without a fight. I chose to fight
not with my fists but with my words, and with my words I chose to use love over hate. For those who are sad or disappointed that we don’t have
Bernie running, I feel your disappointment, but I know that this election is too important not to vote, and we cannot have this hate monger running
our country, so please, go out and vote for Hilary. I am with her, and I hope you will be too. Thank you everyone for reading this post, and I
hope you will take what I have said to heart. Long days and pleasant nights my friends.

Anthony Avina
Author

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Shane Dawson’s “It Gets Worse” Book Review

Hilarious. Emotional. Original.

These are just a few words that perfectly describe the incredible second book from YouTube sensation and author Shane Dawson, titled “It Gets
Worse.” The follow up to his first book, “I Hate Myselfie,” this memoir gets even more personal and in-depth into the life of one of the biggest
names on the internet, and delivers an intimate experience unlike any other.

Stories revolve around so much of Shane’s life, from his experience coming out to the world as bisexual, to the emotional experience of connecting
with a lost loved one, and the hardship of dealing with haters from an early age. While his dark humor and incredible wit shine in every page of
this memoir, what really shines above all other things is the heart and emotion that one reads between the lines, (and often times right there in
big, bold print). The strong emotional pull that each story imparts with it’s lessons cut through to the readers core. So many of his stories
can easily be a reflection of our own lives, from the pain of loss to the struggle to define oneself or even the heartache that comes from being
told you aren’t talented or worthy enough for your dreams. His struggle is something that many people can identify with, and in a second book like
this the intimacy and deeper stories being told only serve to bring the readership closer together, and shows that while life can in fact “get
worse”, it can also get better or at least serve to strengthen us and show that we aren’t as along as we may feel in a given moment.

This is a powerful memoir that will make you laugh, make you cry, and will leave you wanting more, and this reviewer can only hope to see more from the
incredibly creative mind of this amazing author. Be sure to pick up your copies of “It Gets Worse” by Shane Dawson, and subscribe to his YouTube
channel to follow him across social media!

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Alchemy: a story of perfect murder by Chris James Book Review

A thrilling tale of horror, suspense, and ancient mysteries brought to life. This is what author Chris James brings to his incredible historical
psychological thriller, Alchemy: a story of perfect murder. The trial of the century navigates the dark history of a brilliant young genius who’s
innocence becomes lost in a world of horrific science as he slowly turns into an unrecognizable monster. When a young artist finds he has cracked
the code for a formula to maintain immortality and to raise the dead, he soon learns his discovery has come with a price: the death of his love
and inspiration. His need to return her to the land of the living has him traversing the moral line as his mind becomes lost to drugs and his
determination to save her drives him to use the formula he’s discovered from the ancient tome: Alchemy. However, his only surviving muse learns
that things may not be what they seem, and she’ll have to learn for herself whether the young artist she cares for is innocent of the crimes
he’s accused of, or if she’s become infatuated with a monster.

Exploring the life of the people of Victorian Era London, the lines between science and ancient magic blur as the impossible becomes possible.
Readers will be delighted to explore the historical aspect of the story, looking into the beginning of hard science and the old beliefs in the
“magic” that comes from potions and concoctions. The reader will find themselves questioning the characters and their motives throughout the
tale, and by the last page you will not be able to catch your breath as the truth is revealed. With some incredibly original characters that are
amazing and engaging to read. This is a must read novel in the historical-thriller genre, so be sure to check it out now and follow Chris James as
this reviewer cannot wait to read more of this author’s work.

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The Queen’s Poisoner (Kingfountain #1) by Jeff Wheeler

A fantastic new mythology that will have YA fans reeling with the emotional character development and political intrigue. This is how this reviewer
views the first in a brand new trilogy of books, The Queen’s Poisoner (Kingfountain #1) by Jeff Wheeler.

Synopsis: King Severn Argentine’s fearsome reputation precedes him: usurper of the throne, killer of rightful heirs, ruthless punisher of
traitors. Attempting to depose him, the Duke of Kiskaddon gambles…and loses. Now the duke must atone by handing over his young son, Owen, as
the king’s hostage. And should his loyalty falter again, the boy will pay with his life.

Seeking allies and eluding Severn’s spies, Owen learns to survive in the court of Kingfountain. But when new evidence of his father’s betrayal
threatens to seal his fate, Owen must win the vengeful king’s favor by proving his worth—through extraordinary means. And only one person can
aid his desperate cause: a mysterious woman, dwelling in secrecy, who truly wields power over life, death, and destiny.

This first entry does a masterful job of establishing a brand new mythology that fans will be eager to learn and delve into. The various cultures
and Kingdoms explored in this first tale are just as incredible as the various characters both in and out of court that are introduced, from the
fearful King Severn to our young protagonist, Owen Kiskaddon. The race for survival leaves readers on the edge of their seat, eager to see if and
how Owen can outwit the King and survive his wrath. The introduction of the mysterious magic of the Fountain presents a fantastic riddle that one
hopes will be thoroughly explored in future installments, and by book’s end readers will be eager to get their hands on the next in the series.

Overall, The Queen’s Poisoner is a fantastic read that showcases the powerful themes that the YA Fantasy genre allow to be explored. Family,
power, deceit and survival are all explored wonderfully in this book, and if this is any indication, author Jeff Wheeler has a long and prosperous
career in the YA genre ahead. Be sure to check out the adventures of Owen Kiskaddon in The Queen’s Poisoner now!

https://www.amazon.com/Queens-Poisoner-Kingfountain-Book-ebook/dp/B013UVNZ2K?ie=UTF8&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B013UVNZ2K&linkCode=as2&redirect=true&ref_=x_gr_w_glide_bb&tag=x_gr_w_glide_bb-20

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Host Your Own Olympic Games with Mario & Sonic on Wii U

Nintendo Encourages Families to Get Active and Celebrate the Launch of Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games for a Chance to Win Amazing Prizes

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Calling all active families! While Mario, Sonic and all their friends compete in Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (launching today for the Wii U console), you and your family members can join in on all the fun … and enter for a chance to win a great prize package in the process. Starting today, Nintendo kicks off a contest on Instagram asking fans to take photos of their friends and families playing the game together or re-creating some of the game’s most memorable events, including Football (Soccer), Rugby Sevens and Beach Volleyball. Now’s your chance to get your family and friends together to host your very own Olympic Games at home! This could entail taking a photo of the family as they have a friendly competition while playing Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in the living room at home (victory poses while wearing makeshift medals are optional!) or organizing an impromptu soccer match in the backyard with all your friends. The more creative and active the photos, the better. The most important thing, however, is to just have fun playing together!

Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games launches on June 24 for the Wii U console (Photo: Busine …
Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games launches on June 24 for the Wii U console (Photo: Business Wire)

With so many multiplayer modes and events in the game*, finding inspiration for the Instagram photo contest should be easy. The contest runs today until July 22. To participate, simply snap a photo of your family and/or friends competing in your own home Mario & Sonic-themed competition and post to Instagram using the hashtags #MarioSonicRio2016 and #NintendoContest. Every week starting on July 1, Nintendo will select one winning photo, with the winning entrant receiving a Wii U system, two New Nintendo 3DS XL systems, one each of the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS versions of the Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games game and both the Mario and Sonic amiibo figures. That’s quite a prize package!

“Mario & Sonic aren’t the only ones breaking a sweat this summer with Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “This contest encourages families to get out and be just as active as the Mario & Sonic characters in the game.”

Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games for the Wii U console is full of engaging multiplayer modes that get your family and friends playing together using the largest cast of characters in series history. In Tournament mode, up to two players participate in Preliminary Heat, Semifinal and Final matches in a wide variety of different events. Winning a tournament will earn you “Mii Wear” outfits for your Mii character, coins, rings and medals. If your family and friends are ready for a challenge, the Heroes Showdown mode is ready and waiting to be conquered. In this mode, you can form a team to compete head-to-head with another player in random events. One team is assigned 10 random characters from Team Mario, while the other receives Team Sonic superstars. If you lose an event, characters are eliminated from your team until only one team, or one team captain, is left standing. With many different multiplayer options to choose from, friends and family will have a blast honing their skills in a wide variety of events in order to earn a spot on the winner’s podium.

And speaking of events, Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games is overflowing with diverse events for up to four players that will keep all members of the family entertained. For the first time in the franchise (and the first time in real life!), Rugby Sevens makes its Olympic Games debut. By fielding a seven-character team, you’re tasked with scoring goals while also navigating a chaotic field of fellow players. Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games features 14 Olympic Games events and three Duel events, which infuse some Mario & Sonic elements like Chaos Emeralds and Fire Flowers into the proceedings. In addition to Rugby Sevens, other main events include Football (Soccer), Beach Volleyball, BMX and Rhythmic Gymnastics (Clubs), which is also making its series debut.

Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games for Wii U is now available, and can be purchased in stores, in Nintendo eShop or at Nintendo.com at a suggested retail price of $59.99. The Nintendo 3DS version of the game, which contains exclusive events and game modes, is also available at a suggested retail price of $39.99. For more information about Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, visit http://www.olympicvideogames.com.

Remember that Wii U and Nintendo 3DS feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/wiiu or http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.

*Additional accessories are required for multiplayer mode and are sold separately.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. Open to legal residents of the US (incl. DC) and Canada (excl. Quebec), 18 years or older. Promotion begins 9:00 AM PT on 6/24/16 and ends 11:59 PM PT on 7/22/16. To enter, upload photo to Instagram using hashtags stated in Official Rules. Four winners will each receive: 1 Mario amiibo figure; 1 Sonic amiibo figure; 1 Wii U video game system; 2 New Nintendo 3DS XL video game systems; 1 Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games video game for the Wii U system; and 1 Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games video game for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. ARV of each prize package: $825.93. For Official Rules, visit http://Ninten.do/6189BQgjB. Sponsor: Nintendo of America Inc. © 2016 Nintendo. All rights reserved.

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The Girl From The Well by Rin Chupeco Book Review

Ever wondered what goes through the minds of the spirits that haunt the unsuspecting victims of classic Japanese inspired horror films such as
The Ring or The Grudge? Well now you can find out in Rin Chupeco’s The Girl from the Well, a thrilling horror story that follows an ancient spirit
who’s spent hundreds of years exacting revenge on child killers, much like the man who killed her. One day however, she comes across a young boy,
strange tattoos scattered across his body and an air of mystery that draws the ancient spirit ever closer to him. Soon they are both sent spiraling
into a world filled with strange dolls, dark entities and ancient Shinto exorcisms that will take them from American suburbia to the remote
valley’s of Aomori, Japan.

The interesting thing that drew me into this story was the intricate attention to detail concerning the Japanese culture and the characterization
of the spirit associated with the lore. So often when you see films concerning ancient Japanese horror stories the spirit is just this menacing
figure, but in this book the spirit is given such a humanized backstory and the reader is immediately drawn into their story. The introduction
of this young boy and his family gives the spirit a connection to the human world that has not been seen often in ghost stories, and while I found
this book in the YA section of a store, this tale had a real maturity to it, in terms of spine-tingling horror with adult language and violence
that echoes the brutality and realistic nature of this kind of story if it were to occur in real life.

Overall, the fantastic characters, the vivid imagery used and the intricate backstory make this one of the best ghost stories I’ve read in years,
and if you like revenge stories that combine with Japanese horror tales, then The Girl from the Well by Rin Chupeco is for you. Be sure to pick
up your copies today!