Tag: personal blog

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Romanticism in the 21st Century: Author Anthony Avina’s Inspiration for His Novella, VOID

Hello there everyone. Today’s blog post is going to be partly a behind the scenes look at my creative process and inspiration for VOID, the
novella I just released for preorder on Amazon Kindle. It’s also going to be partly personal, in which I talk about a big part of my life,
and that is my romantic side.

Let’s get personal guys. I am what is referred to as a hopeless romantic. That means that basically, I believe in love. I believe in the
power of love and that when you find love, it’s a rare but beautiful thing. I know that for most guys, the bachelor life appeals to them.
They enjoy moving from one night stands and flimsy relationships to the next one. I also know that women might be wary of a guy who speaks
of love, especially at my age, (25). Yet a bachelor lifestyle never appealed to me, and I’m not interested in a one-sided relationship where
I’m more invested in the relationship than she is. I have no interest in being one of those men who is clingy, or too focused on the relationship
and not on myself. No, what I want is a partner, whom I love and who loves me.

There’s a saying that I think fits my thinking best. Love is patient, and love is kind. To me, that means that everyone is different. Sometimes,
a person is lucky enough to know at their first encounter that they’ve found the person they love. Others take time to grow their feelings.
It’s about respecting love’s timetable. It cannot be forced. It cannot be arranged or brought on unnaturally. Love is a living, breathing
thing. It grows when two people, (and I mean any two people, but more on that later), work together in unison, taking in both the good and
the bad aspects of one another, and at the end of the day deciding that their love for one another is stronger than any apprehensions or
fears.

This has been a driving force in my life for years. I’ve always been more in touch with my feelings and the feelings of those around me, which
made me a good friend and shoulder to lean on for friends I’ve made over the years. While most people won’t agree with me, I am looking for
love, and I know I’ll find it one day. I have no interest in forcing it or assuming I’ll find it immediately. I just am allowing myself to
open up to love, and going along for the ride.

Now on to how this applies to VOID. You see, as a romantic, I’ve always incorporated love into my horror stories. I believe in showcasing
romance even in the face of horrific situations. Yet I felt inspiration strike after listening to a song. It was A Great Big World’s “Say
Something”. This song spoke to me on a new creative level. I listened to the song, and heard a message of loss, of hope, and of love. It
spoke to me about how life throws us curve-balls. How through pain, through loss, and through tragedy, one can find hope. Although the song
can be open to interpretation, this is the message I heard, and so VOID was born.

I decided to write a story about six friends, each undergoing a tragedy or dilemma of some sort. I decided to incorporate bits of my life
or things I believe in into their stories, such as Jasper, who’s undergoing a tragic set of circumstances as he is a gay man with parents
who are devoutly religious people who are against homosexuality. This is a subject I’m passionate about, because not only have I met and
known people who judge people by their sexuality, but I believe that love knows no sexual orientation. I felt like I needed to showcase
the mistakes and pitfalls of judging people. I wanted to highlight the struggles of the LGBT community in the face of adversity, and showcase
that friends could help him overcome his debacle.

I am writing this all down because I wanted to give you all a deeper understand of how I write and what I believe in. I’m a straight man
who fights for equality for everyone. I believe whole heartedly that everyone, no matter your race, gender or sexuality, is equal, and I
choose to believe this because I believe in love. You know, I just recently watched a very heartwarming and romantic video on YouTube of
well known YouTubers Colleen and Joshua Evans. It was their wedding video, and the love I saw in this video spoke to me. Not only the bright
love between this young couple, but the family that grew among their friends and family. Bonds were formed out of this love. A new family
was created out of this love. That is what I wanted to convey in VOID. Love among friends can bloom a new family. Love is one of our world’s
most powerful forces, and it should be cherished. That is what defines the theme of VOID.

Thank you guys for listening. To Josh and Colleen Ballinger, congratulations on your wedding. I’m always happy to see love blossom like in
your case. It’s a beautiful thing, and as a fellow YouTuber and romantic, I couldn’t be more proud and happy for you. To the rest of you guys,
I hope this gives you a better understanding of who I am and my creative process. I feel deeply, and I have always striven to incorporate
my thoughts, my feelings, and my romanticism into my writing. I hope you guys will check out VOID and see for yourself how love runs throughout
the veins of this novella. It’s available for preorder now on Amazon Kindle and will be out on October 1st, 2015 in both paperback and eBook
formats.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010VUR5QK?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

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5 Ways to Celebrate the 4th of July (Independence Day)

No, this is not a blog about celebrating Roland Emmerich’s hit film Independence Day. This is one humble writer’s opinions on how to best
celebrate the U.S. holiday, the 4th of July!

1) Go to the Lake: Do you live in a town or city that has a lake, either big or small? Then this could be the answer to your 4th of July
needs. Bring some of your favorite food and drinks, gather the people you want to celebrate with, and then sit lakeside, watching birds
and animals go by as you look into the sky and see a massive light show in the sky, (courtesy of fireworks of course).

2) Go the the Beach: This is similar to option one. If you live near a beach, you might want to spend your day and night here. Not only will
you get to lay out on the sand, eating and drinking with family or friends, but you’ll also have some awesome shops near the coast, as well
as a pier that will allow you to overlook the ocean and give you a beautiful glimpse of the fireworks overhead.

3) Amusement Parks: Whether you go for the big parks like Disneyland and Universal Studios, or you have a more local amusement park, fair, or
even a carnival, a day out with friends or family, going on rides, eating, drinking, and catching shows may be your path. Immersing yourself
among the crowds, listening to music and enjoying the sights of the park seem like a grand time. If you are a parent this might be fun too,
for your kids will love the rides, the sights, and the bright fireworks that go off at the end of the night, (unless you have babies or
little kids. Loud noises might upset them).

4) Live Concerts: Not a huge fan of fireworks or the outdoors, but still want to party? Then a concert might be for you. Pick a concert that
fits your favorite music genre, find a local venue hosting a 4th of July concert, and head to the celebration with your favorite people
surrounding you. There’s never a bad time to enjoy good music with a cold drink in your hand and your ear drums filled with your favorite
music.

5) Home Barbeque: Not wanting to leave the house this 4th of July? Then this last option is for you. Crowds may be too much for you, and that’s
ok. Sometimes we need the comfort of home. So go to the store, grab your favorite food and drinks, and set up a nice barbeque at home. Put on
your favorite music, if you have a pool go swimming, get the grill fired up, and wait for the inevitable sound and sight of fireworks
bursting in the distance.

There you guys go. I’ve been an expert on option number 5, but I can assure you that these options all have the benefit of being fun, if you
are so inclined. Leave me your comments below telling me what you are doing this 4th of July, and send me your pictures or video from this
years celebrations! Everyone have a fun, safe holiday!

Love’s Historic Victory: A look into the legendary victory for LGBT marriage rights everywhere!

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I wanted to talk about something that the entire United States is currently talking about. I’m talking about the historic moment when the

Supreme Court made it a law that the LGBT community had the same rights as straight couples to get married nationwide. Now, so that I’m
straight up honest with everyone, I myself am not a part of the LGBT community, so I cannot speak of any personal struggles I’ve suffered.
I’m also not a religious person at all, so I cannot speak as a religious person who opposes this decision. This post is strictly my thoughts
on the subject.

I couldn’t be happier for this ruling. While I haven’t struggled with this subject personally, I’ve always been a big supporter for equality
and the fight to have the LGBT community viewed as equals. The bottom line is this: we are all equal. No matter what your race, gender,
sexual orientation, etc, we are all human beings.

More than anything else, I relate to this ruling as a romantic. I believe in love, and it has always saddened me that we as a nation had
failed to bring equality to the forum of love. This ruling has given me hope that our country is not doomed as most people have implied over
the years. With hard work, real change is possible. The time of ignorance and hate needs to stop. The bottom line is that even if you do
have a religious reason not to support this law, think about this: how does it really affect you? You are not being asked to marry someone
of the same sex. You are not being forced to be a part of a gay wedding. This has not effect on you whatsoever. Let people live the lives
they want to live. Who we are attracted to and who we love is not a choice, it’s an internal feeling that we are born with.

So I don’t need to be gay to appreciate this incredible ruling. Equality between us all should never be this big of a fight. Love knows no
bounds. I’m a fan of true love, whether it’s between straight couples or LGBT couples. This week, love won!

P.S.: For you judgmental people out there who are saying on social media that you are going to move to Canada because of this decision,
gay marriage has been legal in Canada for the past decade. In fact, a lot of countries now support same sex marriage. You are the minority
now. Either learn to accept people for who they are and be nice, genuine people, or be ready for a lonely life. Just know that the rest of
the world that you are rejecting will be here, ready to welcome you into our lives with open arms if and when you are ready to stop judging
others. The more you know…

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Father’s Day Ideas

Unless you are a little kid who can get away with making a makeshift tie or piece of artwork, finding gifts for your father can be difficult.
Notice how I said “can be difficult”? That’s because A) Not all father’s are difficult. If I ever become a dad my kid will have no shortage
of ideas for gifts. Also, B) I said “can be difficult” because there are some creative avenues to getting a gift for your dad. Here are a
few of my suggestions both as a writer and as a son for gifts on Father’s Day.

1) Poo-Pourri: This is for the father’s who play into the male stereotype of being obsessed with bodily functions. This spray is used to
eliminate bad smells from an especially foul bathroom trip. This is a gift for both the father and the rest of the household. It’s also a
great way to talk to your father about his bathroom habits. This gift could also be known as giving your dad a hint.

2) Custom Writing Featuring Your Dad: As your father always had a dream of playing professional baseball? Is he in touch with his emotions
and appreciative of poetry? Then writing your father a story or poem is the path for you. You can even make it more personal if you have a
working knowledge of Photoshop or any sort of photo editing software and put your father into the role your creating for him.

3) Personal video: Whether you’re an amateur with a smartphone or a professional videographer, a great way to show dad you love him this
Father’s Day is with a personal video. Whether that’s a slideshow of pictures with some heartwarming music, a sketch or music video, or
maybe it’s a compilation of your dad’s favorite viral videos all put together to make him laugh, a personal videos shows the effort you
put into his gift and the amount of care you have for him.

4) A Feast for a King: Sometimes the best way to a father’s heart is through his stomach. What better way to show dad you care than with a
collection of food that makes him happiest. Whether its home cooked meals or a day out at his favorite restaurant, sometimes a simple meal
can speak volumes.

There you have it. Buying gifts can be quite tricky. Yet if all these ideas fail on your father, then I suggest gift cards. If he’s going to
be stubborn, let him choose his own gift. To all the dads out there, Happy Father’s Day!