Tag: author anthony avina

Interview with Author Jackson Cooper

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn InterviewsLeave a comment

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?What inspired you to write your book?

 I first got into writing when I wrote a couple of memoirs regarding my life growing up with ADD. Those books were quick reads of only about 80 pages. I was testing the waters of the Amazon market to see how the books fared, and to see if anyone cared about the topic. They were not well received, nor were they properly advertised, but at least I could say that I had put a couple of books out there.

What really got me back into writing were two things: I had a friend that was released from prison for manufacturing, and using, methamphetamine and I my wife and I had him on our podcast to tell his story. Well, I couldn’t stop there; I needed to know the full story, so I pushed him to talk-to-text his story out from childhood, to adolescence, to blowing himself up producing meth, to his prison time, to life after. I motivated him by using the other part that inspired me to get back into writing. Another high school friend and just come out with his memoirs of growing up gay, and coming out “officially” with this book, and he snubbed me for an interview to promote his book. I told my recently paroled friend that “If this asshole could write a book, then people would leap over the shelves to read your story!” I would be his ghost writer on the project.

We made it to near completion of his book before his life was taken in a robbery. While waiting for him to complete his story for me to write for him, I wrote about my life as a personal trainer. I filled my book with all of my personal experiences, both good and bad, sexy and non-sexy, and it has worked out. I was motivated by anger and jealousy mainly, I believe, but it worked out well.

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2) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

What I hope that readers take away from my writing is that life isn’t as glamorous as we perceive it to be, or how people lead us to believe it to be. In the Personal Training industry specifically, when you see someone who takes care of themselves well, you tend to think that they have it all together. The discipline, the money, the motivation, etc., but this is not always the case. I highlighted in my book several classes of people that trade either health for wealth, or vice versa. If you have ever heard the expression, “Be kind to everyone you meet, because you never know what they might be going through.” That was, and still is me and my life. I struggled, and while I am still struggling, I have a more positive outlook on things than I did after leaving my career as a personal trainer.

3) What drew you into this particular genre?

 I was drawn to this genre, personally, because I could recollect the memories very well that made for a good story. There isn’t much imagination and storytelling involved if you live the tale that you are explaining. Plus, I like the idea of shocking people with events and situations that I have taken part in. I have a desire to write fiction one day, but this book required no fiction, as it I made sure to include every aspect that people would enjoy. Recounting a few sexual partners, explaining my attitude(s) on certain types of classes of people, and people in general is a writing style that I enjoy; the human psyche if you will. I didn’t hold anything back…except for actual names and locations- I don’t feel the real names were necessary.

4) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

Instagram is where all the eyeballs seem to be these days, although I have put my name and book on Facebook, and YouTube as well. Posting and sharing is tough for me, as I don’t like to talk about myself in casual conversation. I prefer to be asked questions on how I feel about topics and/or situations. So, I am not that guy fretting about daily posts and trying like hell to get attention. I am of the idea that if your stuff is good, then people will seek you out- you shouldn’t have to be jumping and waving in their face every minute of the day. (Although the attention of people these days is just pathetic. This was discussed in the book as well)

5) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

My advice to writers, who are in my genre that is, is write what you know to be true, and what you think should be true. Everyone hides behind fantasy and fiction because they’re afraid to offend everyone with their own, true thoughts. Those people that are so easily offended believe their opinions to be the only truth that people should believe, so why not stake your claim? If you feel as though you need to hide in another genre just so you can say what you truly feel, I guess that you can do that, but who knows, maybe you will get that “negative publicity” from the haters first, but then come out on top because you spoke your mind. David Goggins and Jordan Peterson come to mind. Goggins swears like the sailor he is and says whatever the hell he wants, but he’s just a man; a person who is entitled to their opinion. Peterson was hated when he first arrived on the scene, but now is regarded as a respected intellectual. Stay true to your thoughts and beliefs, but also hear out others who have different views than yours.

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6) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

Right now, as for the last 5 years, I will continue to tread water and push projects to completion in the hopes for a safe, and stable, financial future. All my worries and problems stem from lack of money at this moment, but that can’t last forever. I believe that I am never out of the fight, so it will be interesting.

Future projects for me will be to finish my friend’s book about his crazy life. It’s more a collection of stories along a timeline. I thoroughly enjoyed/enjoy writing for him, even after he is gone. When he would send me snip-its of what he would transcribe to a Word document for me, I would decipher his thoughts and attitudes so well that he would compliment me on numerous occasions by saying, “Man, it’s like you are in my head and know exactly how I think.” I know that I’m onto to something there, so I will pursue it, both for him, and his family.

https://instagram.com/trainerxbook?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

https://a.co/d/bLPSnSm

Interview with Author James Hooker

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn InterviewsLeave a comment

Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

    I spent over thirty years in high-tech in California’s Silicon Valley. Prior to that I wrote two unpublished novels and several short stories. I was first published in a horror-genre magazine in the 1980s, so writing has always been in my blood. After graduation from college I worked as a copy editor for a newspaper in Las Vegas. That led me to a career as a technical writer/editor at Stanford, which eventually led me to a career in high-tech sales. 

    My career in high-tech blossomed and ended up taking so much of my time that I put writing aside. I resumed to writing after a hiatus from corporate America in 2001, at which point I wrote the first chapter of “Redneck Riviera,” based on my wife’s and my decision to move to a remote island off the coast of North Carolina. 

    I returned to corporate America for another twelve years, and finally stepped out permanently in 2018. At my wife’s suggestion, I completed “Redneck Riviera,” and it has led me to develop outlines for several more books, the latest of which will be released at the end of June 2004.

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    What inspired you to write your book?

    I was fascinated by the down-home culture of the island on which we lived and its unique characters. I also struggled to fit in with the locals, who never failed to amuse me. Writing a book about my experiences was the perfect way to explore my relationship with the island. 

    What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

    That life is a journey and should always be appreciated for what you find on life’s path. 

    What drew you into this particular genre?

    More than anything, life is a journey to be enjoyed. There is humor and life all around us. Open your eyes and heart to appreciate them. 

    Make dad happy with a gift he will wear all year round at Happy Socks

    If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

    I would want to sit down with Blackbeard the Pirate and ask him where he hid his treasure on the island. 😉

    What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

    Linkedin and Facebook have both been very helpful channels for me to advertise my book and connect with new readers and fans. 

    What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

    Start with a concept that really interests you and that you know about. Then generate an outline for your book. The content of your outline will tell you whether your concept has legs.

    What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

    I consider myself a commercial writer, and I’ll continue to write for the rest of my life. At the end of June I’ll release “Righteous Rebellion,” a novel about a small southern state that secedes from the union. After that, I have another novel which will be complete by the summer of 2025. I’ll then work on a trilogy of fictional novels on the life of Blackbeard the Pirate. After that, I have outlines written for five more humorous and historical fiction novels. 

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    About the Author

    James Hooker spent over thirty years in research and technology in California’s Silcon Valley. He is a former senior executive in global sales and has travelled extensively throughout North America, Asia Pacific, Japan and Europe. He and his wife have been married for 21 years and make their home in Rhode Island.

    Satirical & Humorous Stories

    Interview with Author Adam Wilson

    On By authoranthonyavinablogIn InterviewsLeave a comment

    1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

    Hi, my name’s Adam Wilson and I’m a comic writer as well as the co-publisher and Director of Production for Read Furiously – a press my partner S. Atzeni and I have been running for almost ten years now. 

    Initially though, I got into writing at a very young age. I was always making up stories in one way or another. In fact, I remember I made my first movie when I was about seven or eight years old. I spent most of the summer working on it with my friends and family. As I grew up I experimented with different types of writing, from plays to song-writing, short stories. It wasn’t till I was almost out of college that I ended up trying to write comics. I was having one of those “We’re gonna graduate soon, what are we going to do with our lives” conversations with a friend. He was an art major, I was a burnt out pre-law major. We came up with the idea to do something together – I’d write it, he’d draw it – and before long we were printing out mini-comics in the college’s computer lab, stapling them together on our dorm room floor. It was something I really enjoyed, and even though nothing ever really came of that project, I kept going with it, getting short stories published in different anthologies, building up larger and larger projects over time till eventually I had my first graphic novel published.

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    2) What inspired you to write your book?

    The inspiration for Last of the Pops actually came from the title itself. It’s a play on the British music program Top of the Pops. And when it popped into my head one day I just really liked the sound of it. Top of the Pops was a show all about celebrating the most popular music of the week. Last of the Pops kind of has this feel of the end of pop music. That seemed like a fun idea to play with, even though I had no idea what I was going to do with it. But I created a blank word document on my computer and just labeled it “Last of the Pops.” 

    For a while it was just this place where I’d jot down ideas, phrases I really liked, concepts I thought would be cool to explore. They all revolved around music in some way, and I just threw everything on there. Eventually amidst all the spattering of ideas characters started to take shape from all of the bits and pieces I had. All the different areas of inspiration started to develop into a story and over about five years I was able to craft it all into a narrative.

    3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

    When I first started writing Last of the Pops my intention was really to look at people’s relationship to music, but as I dove deeper into writing the book it ended up evolving a lot and really became a book about loneliness. Particularly the loneliness that comes from change and growth and how people come to terms with it. 

    The book is still very music centric, the entire plot revolves around the final radio broadcast and a musician who vanished before getting to record his first album. But in writing it I realized there are a lot of parallels between music and loneliness that I really wanted to explore. 

    Music is very much something that brings us together. Musicians form bands to play, people bond over their favorite songs. Music connects us. But the way we consume music over the past few decades has changed so much. I’m a millennial, so I’ve lived through the tail end of vinyl, eight tracks, the entire lifespan of cassettes and CDs. I was starting college right when peer to peer music sharing became a thing, and as I’m writing this I’m streaming a playlist on Spotify. 

    That’s a lot of change in a very short time. And as a result our relationship to music has changed as a result of that. It’s changed how we consume it, how we connect with it, and how it connects us to each other. In some ways it’s left us disconnected from each other, but in others it’s actually connected us more. So really music kinda became the perfect lens from which to explore this kind of loneliness.

    Make dad happy with a gift he will wear all year round at Happy Socks

    4) What drew you into this particular genre?

    I think one of the things I love about comics and graphic novels is the play between the narrative storytelling and the visual storytelling. You’re almost telling two different stories at a time, and how you structure the two relative to each other can create some really amazing moments. Getting to go back and forth between harmony and dissonance of what are you choosing to tell the reader vs what are you letting them see. These are all extra layers that you don’t really get in a lot of other mediums.

    I’ve also found, and maybe this is just me, but sequential storytelling can actually give you the truest vision of the story you want to tell. In prose you’re limited in your ability to connect to the imagination of your reader, how thoroughly you can paint a mental image for them. With a medium like film, you get the visual and the narrative storytelling, but you’re limited with things like budget, locations, what computer or editing effects can accomplish, you sometimes have to make compromises to bring something to life. 

    But with sequential storytelling, if you’re willing to put in the work, the artwork can be an exact representation of what you envision. Characters can look exactly as you picture them in your head. The emotional beats can play out at the exact pacing you feel them rising and falling. And the fantastical elements can be as fantastical as you’d ever hope them to be, there are really no restrictions. It’s the only medium I’ve ever experienced where that’s possible.

    5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

    In an alternate dimension somewhere, I never switched majors after my freshman year in college, and I ended up pursuing a career in radio like the 18 year old version of myself wanted to. In a way, the character of Caroline from Last of the Pops is how I saw that story eventually playing out. So as I was writing her arc I pulled a lot from my own personal experience for her character, memories from my childhood and teen years even. So I think it would be nice to talk with her. Reminisce a bit about the life that could have been.

    Pride 2024 - Looking Back and Moving Forward. Sexologist Carol Queen, PhD talks about the importance of Pride to our communities. Read more at goodvibes.com

    6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

    This is a tough one, because I’m awful at most social media. But I think the one that I’ve at least been able to keep up with the longest is probably Instagram. I think particularly for someone working in comics, it’s a great tool because it’s got such a visual focus. 

    7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

    So having worked on both sides of the industry at this point, both as an author and as a publisher, I think the best advice I can give is that you really have to care about the stories you are telling. There are so many avenues out there available for folks to get their work in front of readers, but your audience will always connect the most with the stories you’re passionate about. That’s why it’s so important that you have to be writing the things that really mean something to you. Cause when it’s an important story, you’ll go to any extreme to make sure it’s the best possible version of itself. And sometimes that even means being willing to tear it all apart and start anew if it means making your work better. But that kind of commitment and effort shows in the final product, and the readers you want to appreciate your book will see that.

    8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

    Well, Last of the Pops is going to be hitting shelves in October, so I’m gearing up for the release of that. In the meantime though, my co-publisher at Read Furiously, S. Atzeni, and I have also just started work on the third volume of the award winning anthology series Life in the Garden State – which is all about exploring the sides of New Jersey that often get overlooked. It’s our chance to show how amazing a place it is. So we’re both really excited to get going on that.

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    About the Author

    A former comic editor, Adam Wilson is one of the co-publishers of Read Furiously and an award winning comic writer, His works includes Brian & Bobbi, In the Fallout, Helium, and the upcoming graphic novel Last of the Pops. He co-writes the graphic novel series The MOTHER Principle and edits the anthology series Life in the Garden State with his partner S. Atzeni. Together they live in West Trenton with their son and cat.

    https://www.lifeinasplashpage.com/p/home.html

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    Books that Prove You Can Balance Body Positivity with Healthy Weight Management

    On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

    Though it’s nice to think society’s progressed by leaps and bounds, the truth is there’s still plenty of room for improvement. The fact that weight stigma still exists makes that especially apparent. Over 42% of American adults—the majority of whom are women and members of the LGBTQIA+ community—report experiencing discrimination through sizeism, worsening their stress, increasing their chances of developing chronic health conditions, and making them less likely to seek medical assistance in addressing those risks. These individuals are also more likely to internalize this stigma, worsening their overall well-being.

    Yet it’s not all bad news. Concerns around sizeism have been instrumental in fueling the body positivity movement, which challenges traditional views on excess weight and promotes loving your body regardless of its shape and size. Despite this, it’s still crucial to acknowledge potential health risks, which is why weight management remains essential—not to conform to societal standards but to stay in top form and improve your quality of life.

    This can be a fine line to walk, especially if you’re struggling to let go of what others think of your appearance. Fortunately, various health, nutrition, and exercise experts reveal that it’s possible to stay body-positive while healthily managing your weight. They’ve written the following books to prove just that: 

    Body Respect: What Conventional Health Books Get Wrong, Leave Out, and Just Plain Fail to Understand about Weight

    Take the word of health professionals Linda Bacon and Lucy Aphramor and ensure that the first thing you do is love and respect your body as it is. Body Respect argues against fat bias, emphasizing that excess weight can be caused by factors out of your control. For instance, marginalized demographics may be more vulnerable to weight gain because of a lack of access to healthier foods. Let go of the notion that it’s your fault your body doesn’t conform to societal standards. Instead, keep your eye on what should be your true goal—better health and well-being—to adopt a more sustainable mindset for weight management. 

    Healthy Dividends: Investments in Nutrition, Movement, and Healthy Habits That Pay Off

    Diet and exercise are cornerstones of healthy weight management. However, pressure to lose weight can see you trying strategies that aren’t necessarily healthy. Fad diets for weight loss can cause lifelong harm because they promote quick “fixes,” leading to extreme and unhealthy eating behavior. Many of them do help restrict calorie intake but deprive you of nutrients in the process—which Healthy Dividends believes are the building blocks for healthy eating habits that pay off. To avoid these drawbacks, follow author Tricia Silverman’s mantra: if you can’t read it, don’t eat it. Avoiding processed foods with additives and instead eating those close to their source, like oranges instead of orange juice, is an easy way to nourish yourself and boost weight management efforts that don’t promote unrealistic beauty standards or compromise your health.

    The book proposes taking a similar approach to working out. Motivate yourself to move more by finding an activity you enjoy. As long as you get your heart rate up, you’ll burn calories—and consistency is often better than intensity. Starting slowly with simple workouts like speed walking or even dancing can get you in the groove without making exercise feel like a chore. With a study published in BMC Public Health finding that fear of discrimination discourages overweight and obese individuals from trying sports or going to the gym, you can also consider joining inclusive and welcoming spaces where you can connect with others. Communities like Power Plus Wellness use body-affirming principles that can help you reclaim a sense of safety while exercising, helping you love and respect your body more by strengthening it.  

    Magic Pill: the Extraordinary Benefits and Disturbing Risks of the New Weight Loss Drugs

    Genetics and medical conditions like PCOS can make it easier to gain weight and much more challenging to lose it, which can add to the distress already caused by sizeism. It’s crucial to acknowledge these as health issues and address them sustainably. Given the health risks of being overweight or obese—like heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer—the best way to do so is by consulting a medical professional. In these cases, they’ll likely recommend GLP-1 for weight loss. Originally formulated to treat diabetes, medications like semaglutide (popularly known as Ozempic) curb your appetite to reduce your caloric intake.

    Magic Pill highlights Ozempic’s effectiveness, especially with studies finding that semaglutide leads to the most weight loss among GLP-1 medications—up to a 15% reduction in 68 weeks. However, the book notes that it isn’t actually magic. One can easily abuse it if they’re driven by a motivation to be thinner rather than simply become healthier. That’s why it’s important to get a prescription, take the correct dosages, and continue following healthy diet and exercise habits. That way, you can use these medications with the goal of sustainably addressing the risks of excess weight—not giving in to societal pressure.

    Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight

    Even if you’re managing your weight with the goal of enhancing your overall health and wellness, it can be easy to slip into old habits and feel discouraged when you don’t see results right away. Health at Every Size motivates you to keep going by underlining that being thinner doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting healthier. The reason behind this is your set point weight: the theory that your body has a predetermined weight. If you lose more than your unique, set amount, your body will work to store fat and keep your body within a certain range. So, even if you’re considered overweight or obese based on traditional measurements, you can still be healthy. As long as you’re eating balanced meals, exercising regularly, taking the necessary medications, and even sleeping well, you’re doing great—so be kind to yourself and stay body-positive as you manage your weight!

    Interview with Author James Grimm

    On By authoranthonyavinablogIn InterviewsLeave a comment

    1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

       My introduction to writing started when I left my job back in 2014. I received a decent severance package but was a little on the picky side when it came to finding another job (lesson to folks—don’t be picky, get a new job quickly, and pocket the severance to savings!). I was following Guy Kawasaki for investments and got his book, APE – Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur where he discusses the self-publishing process. I always loved dreaming up stories and he made it sound pretty easy to write and self-publish a book. So, I was a little naive back then. 

       I was out of work for about eight months and took that time to write my first book. Back then, most self-publishing marketing advice was to talk about your book on social media sites. Which worked out well for a top-line influencer like Guy but not so well for a no-name like me. I wasn’t really into spamming my friends and didn’t really do a good job. That is when I thought about trying to turn the book into a movie, figuring as long as it wasn’t truly horrendous, it should help sell some books. So, I learned how to write a movie script then. I had to modify the original story to work in a movie and really liked the changes I came up with. This helped me create The Doom of the Gods series.

       In 2019, I wanted to write children’s books for my grandchildren, so I created a publishing company for these books. I even lined up artists and translators to work with me to produce each book in 12 languages. We produced one book, and I was able to put it out in seven languages, with another two books near completion. The problem was I was doing all the backend work and my day job was really killing me with work. I would get home and not want to do anything.

       To make a long story short, it wasn’t until losing that job, with another nice severance package, in 2023 that I discovered all of the self-publishing advice on YouTube and decided to get back into the writing game more seriously. If your readers are interested, I have put together a little history on my website: https://www.author-jgrimm.com/writing-history

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    2) What inspired you to write your book?

       In 2014, I finished reading Graham Hancock’s Fingerprints of the Gods when I picked up Guy Kawasaki’s APE book. I have always enjoyed the alternative history field and thought, why not tell a story about the downfall of Atlantis? I am a firm believer that most of the folks living in the modern world could not live off the land without significant help – myself included. 

       My thinking was an advanced society, if damaged enough, would not recover and most of the people would not survive the downfall. Things like the lack of medicine, food, power, and lack of knowledge of living off the land would doom most. Civility would take a back seat to the survival of your immediate group.  Civilizational knowledge would be considered a luxury that was not needed. You can’t fill a belly with writing, and books might be more prized for their help in starting a fire than the knowledge they contain. 

       The rise in sea levels and the propensity to build cities near water sources would have been an additional nail in the coffin for the last Ice Age civilizations. Sea levels were over 100 feet lower than they are now. The Persian Gulf was a river valley; Southeast Asia was a landmass, Japan was connected to the mainland, and the Mediterranean was smaller, as was the Gulf of Mexico. 

       With Plato’s story stating Atlantis was a great naval power, I assumed their cities would mostly be near the coasts. In many cases, that is land now miles off the coasts and, in some cases, nearly a hundred feet under the waves. 

       The only thing now was to figure out how the Gods would have been angered enough to destroy Atlantis and The Doom of the Gods series was born.

    3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

       Too many people think we are the apex of human history. That a race that had over 100,000 years of carrying fire around and numbering globally less than a small city could turn around in less than 10,000 years to be capable of space flight and other feats that would have been considered magic or powers of the Gods by those before this period.  Could this have happened before?  And will it happen again? Are we doomed to repeat the past?

    4) What drew you into this particular genre?

        I have always loved fantasy and science fiction. From a kid reading The Hobbit or playing Dungeons & Dragons to being in the US Navy and reading tons of books, I have enjoyed them.

    5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

        Probably Demetri, the hero of the Greeks chasing Rogat around Eastern Europe, or Atlanta Nado in the book. He is a happy-go-lucky guy who doesn’t worry about anything and enjoys a good laugh. Of course, he is a hero and blessed by the Gods, so he has powers that the normal human doesn’t but I bet he would be fun to be around. If he doesn’t get you killed.

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    6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

        Well, I’m still building that readership, but I hope YouTube will be my magnet. I plan on releasing videos about Atlantis and other things from my books to help build the background. I also plan on putting out some short stories or novellas on my website. The short ones for free and I might charge a little for the longer ones. I am working on a story, working title “Death of Brother Death,” which talks about the early Atlanteans and their heroes killing the last of the Neanderthals, who were not the peaceful ones we hear about but more of a vicious humanoid that liked our taste as much as our women. 

    7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

         Start writing or outlining, whichever you wish to do. You can always correct it later. Once I put out my first book, I enjoyed the process and decided I wanted to do more. Also, I watch a ton of YouTube videos about writing, marketing, publishing, and anything related to these subjects (I also watched the movie script creation videos). You can read a lot of blogs, too, but the amount of info out there on YouTube is great. Just don’t follow one person. Get a lot of them, and make sure you are following advice that seems to be common or makes sense to you. 

    8) What does the future hold in store for you? Are any new books/projects on the horizon?

        I am running in a few different directions now. The Power of Water was my first novel with my new knowledge, like seeking out reviews from you and others. This was a learning step that I hope to reproduce with other works. I currently have a resume-writing book I plan on releasing this year (hopefully by the end of summer) and releasing one or two of the children’s books.  If I can get those all done by the end of the year, I will be happy. 

        Regarding The Doom of the Gods series, I have two more books planned. Book Two is about 60,000 words already. I have also started working on another series that will follow some Priests of Poseidon during the downfall and their descendants up through modern times. How they set up a secret society that guides humanity until the time they can reveal themselves. In this series I will pick times through history that seem like a potential intervention from the gods with the society helping out the rulers. So far, I am thinking of ancient Egypt, Rome, or Chin China, maybe the Black Death, the disappearance of the Maya, and WW2 Hitler. The last would be like a Jason Bourne-ish type story with the world’s governments learning about the society.

         I also have other universes I wish to write in, and I have a long list of story ideas I want to eventually get down on paper. I hope this becomes my day job, but I will have to wait and see.

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    About the Author

    Instead of just daydreaming of my fantasy worlds and people, why not write about them. At least that is what I told myself when I started this journey in 2014.

    Living in Japan, the land of Anime, the Samurai, the ultra modern and extremely old seems to fuel my worlds. Both the ancient and new meld together into worlds where superpowered school kids defeat evil, forest spirits help or fight humans or giant, futuristic robots battle to save the world. Where else to live for inspiration!

    In the land of the rising sun, I create my worlds, that I hope entertain you.

    https://www.author-jgrimm.com

    Please Let Me Destroy You by Rupert Taylor Review

    On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

    I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

    An ambitious young filmmaker puts himself through untold dangers to sell his dream project to a streaming service in author Rupert Taylor’s “Please let Me Destroy You”. 

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    The Synopsis

    In this darkly comic rollercoaster of a novel, a desperate young filmmaker goes on a global quest for perfect content.

    While trying to heist a casino in the Cambodian jungle, Apollo Jones has a crippling panic attack. But he’s no seasoned crim, he’s a filmmaker, and he’s heisting the casino so he can turn the story into the first season of a preposterously ambitious TV show he hopes to sell to HBO or Netflix or some other global streaming powerhouse. Spoiler alert: his panic attack stuffs up the heist. As punishment, his partners slice off his right pinky. But the TV show is all he has, so Apollo bandages his stump and heads off on a search for stories that will take him to the steaming streets of Saigon, the glittering hills above Hollywood, and all the way back to the dark and damp Cambodian jungle, where he may or may not be forced to dig his own grave.

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    The Review

    This was an intriguing and memorable read. The author does an incredible job of creating a wide array of characters, some that feel relatable and engaging and others that play to the absurdist and thoughtful nature of the main story. The shifting perspectives from the protagonist to the side characters he meets along the way were great to see come to life on the page. 

    The powerful themes and rabbit hole of a narrative were an instant draw for the book. The protagonist is ambitious yet self-absorbed and lacks any self-awareness, contributing significantly to the many misadventures he finds himself on. The theme worked on two fronts, with an examination of the cutthroat world of Hollywood in the 21st century becoming part of the central plot and a harder examination of the dog-eat-dog world that so many people in society live by, with everyone looking out for themselves without any awareness of the lives of others around them being explored on a much grander scale.

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    The Verdict

    Stylistic, engaging, and visceral in its approach, author Report Taylor’s “Please Let Me Destroy You” is a must-read genre fiction novel. The almost lyrical and attack-style of writing keeps readers mesmerized by the twists and turns in the story. The dynamic character development will keep readers returning for more as the story progresses. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

    Rating: 10/10

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    About the Author

    Rupert Taylor is from Aotearoa New Zealand. He wrote a film called BEVERLY that screened at one film festival. That’s right, one. He also won a major international screenwriting competition that led to absolutely nothing getting made, but he does have several TV series in development, so you never know. His short fiction has appeared in Hobart, X-RAY, Maudlin House, Points In Case and others, and he currently lives in Sydney, with his partner and his daughter, who likes unicorns and shouting.

    https://rupertctaylor.com

    Shattered: Inspired by True Events by Jenell M.  Jones, M.ED. Review

    On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

    I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

    Author Jenell M. Jones, M.ED. shares with readers the painful journey of fighting to get the proper care for her adoptive daughter in the book “Shattered: Inspired by True Events”.

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    The Synopsis

    With the trajectory of today’s society, we can all agree that parenting is difficult. Choosing to foster and adopt proves to not be an easy feat. Parents are in constant competition with societal influences and sometimes feel it’s an uphill battle. These same parents are often told they will be supported in the rearing of their children and that adequate resources would be made available. But what happens when you discover the system that promised to help you, would betray you? What happens when you decide to enter into another realm of difficulty – fostering and adopting children who come with mental and physical baggage? Meet Jenell Jones, an adoptive mother who is still trying to find the answers to these questions. In these pages, you will see through a mother’s eyes as she shares her deepest pain for her daughter, “Mercy.” In the end, justice is necessary and peace is questionable.

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    The Review

    This is such a heartbreaking and compelling read. The author finds the balance between telling her story, her daughter’s story, and how hospitals and the adoption system work as a whole. The detail and personal experience the author brought to the book allowed the reader to feel the stress and anxiety that this situation created and the shocking process that many parents have to struggle through trying to get their child, adopted or not, the help they need.

    The true heart of this story is the emotional connection between the author and her daughter. Mercy’s tragic background and the struggles that the trauma she endured gave the reader a profound insight into the events that contributed to the young woman’s hardships. The heartbreak comes in the author’s personal story, as she does everything she can to get her child the help they need, even in the face of scrutiny from others, and her journey exposes so much of the lack of care and attention that many institutions give to parents who adopt children.

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    The Verdict

    Author Jenell M. Jones, M.ED.’s “Shattered” is a must-read. It is heartbreaking, engaging, and thought-provoking. The love and care this family has to give to their children, and the tragic circumstances surrounding mental health care and help for adoptive parents and children will keep readers invested in the author’s story. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

    Rating: 10/10

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    About the Author

    Jenell Jones is an education entrepreneur, currently operating 2 childcare and early learning centers, which specialize in providing high-quality learning experiences to children who experience trauma in low-income areas. Her education background includes earning a bachelor’s degree from Ottawa University, and a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on autism. Being a Phoenician, Mrs. Jones has provided her expertise to adopting families for the last decade and currently hosts private discussions with other foster and adoptive parents on current issues affecting the non-traditional home.

    In her spare time, Mrs. Jones prides herself on staying active in her church community in Peoria Arizona.  Mrs. Jones enjoys sharing her time, talent, and treasure with all those in need and thoroughly enjoys sharing her experiences as a natural, foster, and adoptive mother through the lens of Christianity. 

    Jenell is committed to her family; she adores her 7 children.  Her children are the loves of her life.  Jenell is grateful that God allowed her to be the mother of each of them. She resides in Laveen, Arizona a suburb of Phoenix with her dogs, chickens, and fish. Jenell loves to be outside in nature and the garden. She takes pleasure in watching things grow.  She is an avid traveler, sparing no adventure, and desires to experience the goodness of God in all she does.  

    Through her life experiences, passion is the source by which she governs herself to make a difference.  The goal is not to be perfect but to assist others in rising through difficulties. Life does not always go as it is planned, but she believes God will work all things out for the good she knows she just has to stay in God’s purpose. Mrs. Jones’ blueprint of success can be summed up in a few statements: Be tenacious, be kind, be loving, but most of all….be forgiving. 

    https://www.jenelljones.com

    Interview with Author Jeff Morris

    On By authoranthonyavinablogIn InterviewsLeave a comment

    1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

    I am from Charleston, West Virginia, but moved to Cary, North Carolina in 1972 at 8 years of age, so have lived here the majority of my life. I graduated from Cary High School in 1982, and served in the US Air Force from 83 to 87, then in the Air Force Reserves for a few months, then in my home state’s Air National Guard through the end of 1992 and Desert Storm.

    I bounced around in employment till getting into the HVAC field in the mid 90’s, eventually going to work for the local natural gas company in 2000, where I still am today.

    I married my lovely ‘spousal unit’ (An Air Force term), Jennifer in 1988, and we raised three children, daughter Sarah, 34, son Curtis, 31, and daughter Rachel, 26.

    As far as getting into writing goes. I wrote a lot of silly stuff for school newspapers, and many short stories and the beginnings of novels starting in my early teens. Lost interest or trashed most of those handwritten items long ago, though there may be one or two notebooks in a box somewhere here with one or two of them jotted down. Early in our marriage, I began a novel that was a cross between historical fiction, sci-fi and fantasy based upon the American Civil War, and the photographs taken after the battle of Antietam in 1862. That one was the closest story I had, until Gunmetal Ridge, to being completed. Having young children and trying to get my wife through her nursing degree caused me to shelve, and eventually discard it. They were the most important things at that time.

    I would think of story ideas over a twenty year period from the early 90’s to about 2010, jost a few ideas down, but never seriously wrote anything until all of my children were grown or almost grown.

    More on that in the last question.

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    2) What inspired you to write your book?

    I would have to say, first and foremost, my paternal Grandfather. He was a World War Two veteran, and a great story teller. I have fond memories of sitting with him on the front porch in the seventies, listening to Cincinnati Reds baseball games on the radio, way out in the country near Quick West Virginia. If the Reds were getting blown out, or winning big, he would turn the radio down and just start telling me stories of his youth, his service in the war, and the like. I soaked the stories in, with his gravelly voice painting pictures in my mind from his words.

    Secondly, in my work as a gas company representative, I deal with John Q Public on a daily basis, and over the years have met many fascinating people, far more good than bad ones! Being a history buff, I have had several opportunities to hear snippets from older veterans of World War Two of what they did in the war, where they served and the like. These include a D-Day veteran, an Iwo Jima veteran, and a very old Pearl Harbor veteran, a survivor of the USS Arizona. I felt honored to just be in their presence, and hear a short snippet of their service in that time period.

    Being a veteran myself, and having many members of my family that are also veterans was another inspiration. I wanted to write a story that honored the service of veterans, and especially of the greatest generation, who fought against, arguably perhaps, the worst regimes this world has ever known.

    I also suppose I was inspired to simply finish one of these stories finally, and get it published!

    Lastly, believe it or not, I drew inspiration from a music video, “Crowd around the Corner,” which was a cut from Earl Thomas Conley’s 1983 album “Don’t make it easy for me.” That song was not released as a radio single, but I liked it. I will say the video directly inspired one part of my book. NO spoilers from me, but read the book, then watch the video, and I’ll bet you can figure it out!

    3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

    Learn from history. Talk to older people that lived it, and remember those that came before us. Older people have experiences that we can learn from, by listening to their stories. I believe that if we don’t hear the stories of our elders, and learn about the history they lived, we are destined to repeat mistakes of the past. In both small, personal scale, and historical era scale.

    4) What drew you into this particular genre?

    I am fascinated by history, particularly American History. Having many relatives as veterans drew me into it as well. I suppose I am one of those people who reads about historical events and wonders how I would have acted if I were thrust into the event.

    I mentioned earlier listening to the snippets of stories from veterans I have spoken to about their service in World War Two, and chose to use that time period for my fictional story. I wanted to use a major battle, chose the Ardennes offensive of 1944 (better known as the Battle of the Bulge). I also wanted to use little known or studied events of the battle. Thanks to “Band of Brothers” most everyone knows of the heroic stand of the 101st Airborne at Bastogne, but I chose  to concentrate on a much less known aspect of that battle, the initial five days, the largest surrender of American troops in Europe (The Schnee Eiffel pocket and two regiments of the 106th infantry division) I researched that, and decided to drop my fictional characters into the very real remaining regiment of the 106th, the 424th. I also tried to keep their movements and deployments during the five days the story takes place in 1944 as accurate to the actual history as I could. Will Morgan’s actions in the story are a postulation I suppose of how I may have acted/reacted to the events of this historical battle.

    5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

    Will Morgan. It would be like sitting again with my Grandfather, I would ask him about his service in the war of course, but also about growing up during the depression. I would try to get him to paint a picture with words of a time period that I cannot, and will never experience. If I could sit down with more than one, I’d have to say Al Baker and Jim Coulder as well, and ask them the same questions.

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    6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

    I suppose that would be Facebook/Instagram. You have to start somewhere, and these two platforms allowed me to get the book in front of people I know, and hopefully to people they know, outside of  my circle of minions!

    7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

    1. Map your story out in your head, write yourself notes, and KEEP at it. 

    2. GET IT EDITED! I initially published “Gunmetal Ridge” as “Mr. Morgans Memories” in 2022. I had the help of a couple of friends on the grammar editing and such, but I edited the content myself. Big mistake. After publication, I reread it several times, noticing mistakes I made in the text. I became discouraged, and dissatisfied with what I had published, and considered pulling it out of publication and pretending it never happened. By chance, I was asked to be a beta reader by an old high school friend who is writing an historical book, and from her, I was led to my editor Julie Rogers. Julie has been a Godsend as she took the time to go back and forth with me on the story till we had it trimmed down, enhanced in some aspects, and republished as “Gunmetal Ridge.” She also directed me to contests, to you for a professional review, and sites to aid in getting it out there in front of more people, though my own current money constraints hamper many of those avenues. Nevertheless, her insight, friendship and help has been invaluable, and I keep plugging along!

    3. DREAM BIG. I keep myself in reality at all times, but I dream of seeing this story on the Big Screen, and on the bestseller list. Heck, I even know who I want to star in the movie as Will Morgan…Clint Eastwood as the old version, and his son Scott as the young version. May never happen, but it certainly won’t without first dreaming that it could!

    8) What does the future hold in store for you? Are any new books/projects on the horizon?

    I am currently beginning the process of pulling out a story I wrote around 2017, after my youngest daughter graduated and moved out. I initially published it unedited on an online site, but took it down soon after to work on it more. I shelved it when I started writing “Gunmetal Ridge”, and somehow deleted the file. It is not historical fiction, but rather a contemporary romance/crime story where the protagonists aid in bringing down a human trafficking ring. It is set in Georgia, and I plan on having one thing in the book that ties it in with “Gunmetal Ridge” to create my own little universe…like Stephen King does. Hey…DREAM BIG!

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    About the Author

    Jeffrey C. Morris began his career in the United States Air Force as an Avionic Inertial Navigation System Specialist at Seymour Johnson AFB in North Carolina. His unit was one of the last to maintain and fly the F-4E Phantom, earning the crew the moniker “Phantom Phixers.”

    After receiving an honorable discharge from Air Force Active Duty, he served in the USAF Reserves before transferring to the 130th Tactical Airlift Group in the West Virginia Air National Guard. He served with the 130th until the end of Desert Storm.

    Jeffrey attained an HVAC certificate upon leaving the military and worked in the HVAC field until accepting a position as a natural gas meter and installation specialist with Dominion Energy (Formerly PSNC) in 2000.

    His love of American military history as well as his many conversations with veterans who served in wartime influence Jeffrey’s writing. GUNMETAL RIDGE, a composite story of many World War II veterans, is Jeffrey’s way of paying homage to the Greatest Generation.

    A native of Charleston West Virginia, he lives with his wife and “spousal unit” of thirty-five years, Jennifer, in North Carolina. With their three grown children out living successful lives, Jeffrey intends to devote more time honing his craft and carving out the next historical military novel in his man cave. He also enjoys writing in other genres such as sci-fi, mystery, and romance.

    Interview with Crypto Engineer

    On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

    1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

    I have worked as a consultant and senior manager in the IT industry for the last ten years. I also had a software company and a fintech start-up.

    I invested my financial surplus in the stock market. After learning about cryptocurrencies, I also entered this space. Without a complete guide, I have to learn from my mistakes.

    More than two years ago, I started publishing educational content on Twitter as Crypto Engineer. I wanted to professionalize this industry by sharing how to invest in cryptocurrencies.

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    2) What inspired you to write your book?

    Cryptocurrencies are a field at the intersection of finance and technology. They are also a social movement toward decentralization, privacy, and freedom, which resonate with me. 

    I wanted to not only read about this movement but also be part of it. I hope my contribution helps people understand cryptocurrency and prevents them from making bad financial decisions.

    I also won many competitions for the best crypto writer, earning thousands of dollars. This showed me a demand for high-quality content about investing in cryptocurrencies. One example is https://hackernoon.com/the-blockchain-writing-contest-2022-april-results-announced

    3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

    Everyone is an investor, but most don’t invest actively, and their wealth is concentrated in their homes, cars, and cash. Not everyone should be active in this field, but knowing investment basics is helpful.

    Cryptocurrency can help many people achieve their financial goals. It can shorten the path to it, or sometimes, it is the only way.

    However, this market is not mature, so there are many risks. Investing in crypto is not easy, and I want to emphasize this.

    I am sharing all my knowledge with the readers, but the decision is at their risk. Cryptocurrency offers high profit, but only to those prepared.

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    4) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

    X (Twitter). I’ve also tried other social media sites but with worse results. I like X for its directness and concise communication. I would like to be present on all major sites, but with a limited time, I need to prioritize.

    5) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

    Start with your end goal. What do you want to achieve by writing this book? What is next? 

    What are the biggest risks that could prevent you from succeeding? Thinking about this beforehand will allow you to assess your chances and revise your planned approach.

    For example, if your bigger concern is that no one would like to read it, think if you can write something shorter (maybe even one chapter) and verify this with your potential readers. Social media or blogs like you are great for it. Friends may not be enough because their opinions may not be objective.

    6) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

    This will mostly depend on the book’s success. Since I am not a full-time author, I must choose which project to work on.

    I’ve also started writing an epic fantasy book, which I would like to finish, even if this would be only a hobby project. I hope that this is only the start of my author journey.

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    About the Author

    For the last ten years, Crypto Engineer has worked as a consultant and manager in the IT industry. He also owned a software company and a fintech start-up.

    He invested his financial surplus in the stock market. After learning about cryptocurrencies, he also entered this space. In the absence of a complete guide, he learned from his mistakes.

    In 2021, he started publishing educational content on X (Twitter) as a Crypto Engineer. He aimed to professionalize the industry by sharing how to invest in this market.

    He won many competitions for the best crypto writer and earned thousands of dollars (you can find more details on his website). This demonstrated the demand for high-quality content about investing in cryptocurrencies.