tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65529920384240845162024-03-26T23:36:55.373-07:00La LibertadOnline Entertainment and Fashion MagazineLibertad Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00232983933827225037noreply@blogger.comBlogger400125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-43365991570858146562024-01-14T13:28:00.000-08:002024-01-14T13:28:40.322-08:00Interview With Director Tehben Dean<p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5FzRbVMQggFRelXqC8qfnkSiiv-xarMAO-ZtBJ9gJaxd4Prdq-YvAzsy4_9lk9ak_NnciFfEsNrj_0ib0FDx87qHiuHRNOU3p7tMeqyi5lMf71oUYtPLkj0eUlTE7m9eg8KAfAQkMZipgq5baAmWDMkrWtiugDy6B_9lUJBHcnwgN_V6LGIHnNRJ31C5R/s640/headshot-Tehben_Dean.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5FzRbVMQggFRelXqC8qfnkSiiv-xarMAO-ZtBJ9gJaxd4Prdq-YvAzsy4_9lk9ak_NnciFfEsNrj_0ib0FDx87qHiuHRNOU3p7tMeqyi5lMf71oUYtPLkj0eUlTE7m9eg8KAfAQkMZipgq5baAmWDMkrWtiugDy6B_9lUJBHcnwgN_V6LGIHnNRJ31C5R/s320/headshot-Tehben_Dean.jpeg" width="240" /></a></i></div><i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3490492/" target="_blank">Josh Mitchell</a> referred Tehben Dean to us. Tehben introduced himself to us as someone who "co-directed </i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28662610/reference/" target="_blank">All I’ve Got & Then Some</a><i>, with <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5786337/" target="_blank">Rasheed Stephens</a>." Furthermore, he informed us that their film "premiers at <a href="https://slamdance.com/festival/" target="_blank">Slamdance</a> 2024, in the Narrative Features category."</i><p></p><p>La Libertad: Where are you from?<br /><br />Tehben: I was born in <a href="https://artsandsciences.sc.edu/appalachianenglish/node/783" target="_blank">Appalachia</a>, but mostly grew up in <a href="https://www.travelalaska.com/" target="_blank">Alaska</a>; I consider myself Alaskan.<br /><br />La Libertad: How did you get your start in film-making?<br /><br />Tehben: I grew up in a very creative family; my whole family is in the arts, so thinking creatively was instilled in me from the beginning. I didn’t find film until my early twenties, but when I realized that was what I wanted to do, I never looked back.<br /><br />Starting out, I was making music videos, and working to become a cinematographer by teaching myself and learning on the job. I put all my energy into cinematography for well over a decade, but directing was a candle that was probably lit from the beginning, even though I only more recently realized I could do it, and wanted to do it.<br /><br />La Libertad: Of what accomplishment are you most proud?<br /><br />Tehben: Never giving up when the going was hard, and making a film that was inspiring enough to be selected to showcase at Slamdance. It feels especially special to me because that is what our film <i>All I’ve Got & Then Some</i> is really all about - never giving up. I am really proud of that.<br /><br />La Libertad: What influenced the look of your 2024 Slamdance feature, <i>All I’ve Got & Then Some</i>?<br /><br />Tehben: I think my experience shooting a lot of documentary over the years was the biggest inspiration for the look of the film. I wanted to explore some experimental ideas, and take an unconventional approach to telling a narrative, and this story was the perfect opportunity to do so.<br /><br />La Libertad: How did you get started as a Director of Photography?<br /><br />Tehben: I went to a film-making course, and then kind of randomly fell in love with photography shortly after. Those two things eventually merged, and then I just started shooting music videos and short films every chance I had.<br /><br />La Libertad: Who are some directors and movies that have inspired you?<br /><br />Tehben: <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000517/" target="_blank">Terrence Malick</a> was a big inspiration early on. <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0523881/" target="_blank">Emmanuel Lubezki</a> and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0508732/" target="_blank">Matthew Libatique</a> are D.P.’s I’ve looked up to for a long time. Some films I love (off the top of my head) are <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1441395/reference/" target="_blank"><i>Under the Skin</i></a>, <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7984734/reference/" target="_blank">The Lighthouse</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078748/reference/" target="_blank">Alien</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107290/reference/" target="_blank">Jurassic Park</a></i>. Oh and I have to give Peter Jacksons Lord of the Rings a lot of credit for inspiring my journey.<br /><br />La Libertad: What are you most looking forward to in 2024?<br /><br />Tehben: Using this opportunity to build creative relationships with amazing people, and making beautiful films.<br /><br />La Libertad: What are your overall career goals?<br /><br />Tehben: To tell inspiring stories, and be able to live comfortably doing so.<br /><br />La Libertad: What links would you like to share?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivC8aa_8SpSAy-REPuhKp7zAxHmUO7Zfei2qB20RtR0DyEGlKGerL9qcV3JMQaJNL-CnO7aS3KqKDTFHOrtdOpthMXxxT9vetd-LVo57d6bsxCqjbZcSdpcY9s_1xgF-bNdma20uaFKJ9z6_XkzSn1iH4wnH-SSkTP3pvPBhyqtt7KeY5nf9gAhL47bk5s/s630/Tehben_Dean-with-Rasheed_Stephens.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="630" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivC8aa_8SpSAy-REPuhKp7zAxHmUO7Zfei2qB20RtR0DyEGlKGerL9qcV3JMQaJNL-CnO7aS3KqKDTFHOrtdOpthMXxxT9vetd-LVo57d6bsxCqjbZcSdpcY9s_1xgF-bNdma20uaFKJ9z6_XkzSn1iH4wnH-SSkTP3pvPBhyqtt7KeY5nf9gAhL47bk5s/s320/Tehben_Dean-with-Rasheed_Stephens.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />Tehben: <br /><br />Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tehben/">https://www.instagram.com/tehben/</a><br /><br />Linkedin: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tehben/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/tehben/</a><br /><br />Slamdance: <a href="https://slamdance2024.eventive.org/schedule/65778ba22f08640040102fff">https://slamdance2024.eventive.org/schedule/65778ba22f08640040102fff</a><br /><br />La Libertad: What else, if anything, would you like to tell our readers?<br /><br />Tehben: I encourage you to pursue your dreams because, if you believe in yourself, and never give up, you will succeed.<br /><br />Thanks. . .<br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Interview by Josh Mitchell</i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Introduction and editing by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4279594/" target="_blank">William Mortensen Vaughan</a> </i></span><br /></p><p><br /></p>William Mortensen Vaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07127777714383184117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-80207932175431473772024-01-14T12:55:00.000-08:002024-01-15T11:14:48.695-08:00Interview With Actor Chuck Constant<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZxD4o0BAaPzJX1hxYyiiJEfTRCAXeJFqwT_BEZttLedjXaxRThw19dwKL-r82Ui3gGA55HJ9GoGtAo3mCMzMnZsgzm0NluS85zHZ5H_FOPggOFzT8uv6TyqWLFYQMxh34z9F4a_EEhTiMBTsf2hDCGFtthmf7No9ajl0ot0O4LodiuhbW6PX4HzVyxDQ/s891/headshot-Chuck_Constant.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="891" data-original-width="630" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZxD4o0BAaPzJX1hxYyiiJEfTRCAXeJFqwT_BEZttLedjXaxRThw19dwKL-r82Ui3gGA55HJ9GoGtAo3mCMzMnZsgzm0NluS85zHZ5H_FOPggOFzT8uv6TyqWLFYQMxh34z9F4a_EEhTiMBTsf2hDCGFtthmf7No9ajl0ot0O4LodiuhbW6PX4HzVyxDQ/s320/headshot-Chuck_Constant.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><i> <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0176002/" target="_blank">Chuck Constant</a> </i><i>is a British-trained, American stage actor, Producer, and prolific Voice-Over artist. <br /><br />Charles is one of the stars of </i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28662610/reference/" target="_blank">All I’ve Got & Then Some</a><i>, which will be premiering at the 2024 <a href="https://slamdance.com/festival/" target="_blank">Slamdance Film Festival</a> in January.<br /><br />After training in <a href="https://www.chicago.gov/city/en.html" target="_blank">Chicago</a> and <a href="https://www.visitlondon.com/" target="_blank">London</a>, Charles went on to appear in theaters across the country, in all kinds of plays, as well as musicals, opera, improvisational comedy, film, and television.<br /><br />His favorite, though, is <a href="https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/shakespedia/william-shakespeare/william-shakespeare-biography/" target="_blank">Shakespeare</a>. Charles has performed in more than twenty-eight of Shakespeare’s plays, including </i><a href="https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/twelfth-night/read/" target="_blank">Twelfth Night</a><i>, which was directed by <a href="https://www.michaelpennington.me.uk/" target="_blank">Michael Pennington</a> of the <a href="https://www.rsc.org.uk/" target="_blank">Royal Shakespeare Company</a>.<br /><br />In addition, Charles has narrated more than two hundred titles for many elite publishers, including <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/" target="_blank">Penguin Random House</a>, <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/" target="_blank">Harper Collins</a>, <a href="https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/" target="_blank">Hachette</a>, <a href="https://rbmediaglobal.com/recorded-books/" target="_blank">Recorded Books</a>, <a href="https://tantor.com/" target="_blank">Tantor</a>, <a href="https://oasisaudio.com/" target="_blank">Oasis</a>, <a href="https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com/" target="_blank">Dreamscape</a>, and more. </i><p></p><p>La Libertad: Where are you from?</p><p>Chuck: I started out in the suburbs of <a href="https://www.chicago.gov/city/en.html" target="_blank">Chicago</a>, but moved into the city as soon as I could. I miss it!<br /><br />La Libertad: How did you get your start in acting?<br /><br />Chuck: A long story, slightly less long here; freshman year of high school, I [wanted] to perform in the school talent show. I did magic, and planned to do that in the show, but I needed the classic white tie and tails, and I knew our school had several rooms full of costumes they used for the school plays. <br /><br />The teacher who directed most of the plays was a close acquaintance of my best friend's dad, so an introduction was arranged for me to meet with this teacher, Doug Murphy, and ask if I could borrow a tux. <br /><br />I was told that I could, but it was on the condition that I audition for the next school play. I auditioned, got cast, was totally hooked, and I have never looked back!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_806ODvoOhonOoagJ0Mar_GnEtizxZj4UKlIdy86YAiYBaySBwpJXkOJs5l2N9_79dzAIDPzzpERTXYPBBeWb6nQItbI-YmoS0ACaagiw8kzBAd50Uz_eSyjRlbCYmIEkHtbeL0zRF4_x5h6_bP3pThEkP4bKb7JmWmiu1pIV-N4ijrTv-8qdOhaOlRm/s630/Chuck_Constant-n-Chinese_sword.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="630" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_806ODvoOhonOoagJ0Mar_GnEtizxZj4UKlIdy86YAiYBaySBwpJXkOJs5l2N9_79dzAIDPzzpERTXYPBBeWb6nQItbI-YmoS0ACaagiw8kzBAd50Uz_eSyjRlbCYmIEkHtbeL0zRF4_x5h6_bP3pThEkP4bKb7JmWmiu1pIV-N4ijrTv-8qdOhaOlRm/s320/Chuck_Constant-n-Chinese_sword.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>La Libertad: Of what accomplishment are you most proud?<br /><br />Chuck: I think it might be that I have actually managed to make a career of it all, and never gave up on the dream. It has been a very, very long and difficult road getting to where I could actually pay my bills with money from acting, but it has been so very worth it!<br /><br />La Libertad: How did you become involved with <i>All I've Got & Then Some</i>?<br /><br />Chuck: <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5786337/" target="_blank">Rasheed Stephens</a>, the film's co-director and co-writer, became a friend of mine several years ago. He is a friend of my business partner, and he and I just hit it off, and we started hanging out. <br /><br />A while later, he decided to do a film, and asked me if I wanted to be part of it. I had a tiny role in that one; then he did another, and offered me a larger role. Then, he got financing for a good-sized budget on yet another feature, and again, offered me a part. While the details of that film were being hashed out, he and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4237338/" target="_blank">Tehben Dean</a>, the other co-director/co-writer, decided to shoot another film, which turned out to be <i>All I've Got and Then Some</i>.<br /><br />La Libertad: What was your most memorable moment on set?<br /><br />Chuck: That's probably when I was shooting an episode of a well-known TV series, and thought I was about to be fired. I am American, but I went to school in England for a while, so I can put on various British accents fairly easily. <br /><br />I was doing one for the character in the episode, but between shots, I was speaking in my normal accent. The director overheard me. He came to me, and said, "You're not from England? I told casting I wanted only actual English actors to read for this role!" That's when I thought it was all over, but he said, "Well, you fooled me!" And that was that. The shoot went on, and all was well.<br /><br />La Libertad: What is your favorite Shakespearean quote, and how can it apply to modern days?<br /><br />Chuck: Gah! So many from which to choose, I suppose, but mine is from <i><a href="https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/hamlet/read/" target="_blank">Hamlet</a></i>: "We know what we are, but know not what we may be." I just think that many people underestimate what they can accomplish in life. They listen to the negative voices that are so prevalent in the world now. People have so much potential; they only need to acknowledge it, and the journey can begin.<br /><br />La Libertad: What are you most looking forward to in 2024?<br /><br />Chuck: Of course, I am looking forward to the film premiering, at Slamdance, in January, and to whatever that brings with it. I am also eager to get started on the next project, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7834934/reference/" target="_blank"><i>East Point</i></a>, which is going to start shooting in <a href="https://www.atlantaga.gov/" target="_blank">Atlanta</a>, as soon as we can lock down the actors' schedules.<br /><br />La Libertad: What are your overall career goals?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9oO4SgtBw10X84m-plWxGOvtvCTdHI120hyphenhyphennxoOZLmQk8ml9zo0gS4vNq8im4IiCZod9k60brmIIwobXZXRi5Nn_Ss6xd2_FXIvY9XIQjZT0OiqdH3BtgBx7e23dihlCzRlwsj1iWQCfO3meBstXUvORVu-m8QfBy__eTjlFhXDsSoI6-Oi20rtFGcvqC/s840/Chuck_Constant-with_Rasheed_Stephens.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="630" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9oO4SgtBw10X84m-plWxGOvtvCTdHI120hyphenhyphennxoOZLmQk8ml9zo0gS4vNq8im4IiCZod9k60brmIIwobXZXRi5Nn_Ss6xd2_FXIvY9XIQjZT0OiqdH3BtgBx7e23dihlCzRlwsj1iWQCfO3meBstXUvORVu-m8QfBy__eTjlFhXDsSoI6-Oi20rtFGcvqC/s320/Chuck_Constant-with_Rasheed_Stephens.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />Chuck: Of course, larger roles in film, or a series regular would be nice, but I'd just like to keep working, you know? I would also welcome more opportunities to produce, which is a new area for me.<br /><br />La Libertad: What links would you like to share?<br /><br />Chuck: I think this is the easiest one: <a href="https://linktr.ee/CharlesConstant">linktr.ee/CharlesConstant</a><br /><br />La Libertad: What else, if anything, would you like to tell our readers?<br /><br />Chuck: . . .I'll leave you with one of my favorite proverbs:<br /><br />If you want happiness for an hour - take a nap. <br />If you want happiness for a day - go fishing.<br />If you want happiness for a month - get married. <br />If you want happiness for a year - inherit a fortune.<br />If you want happiness for a lifetime - help someone else. <br /><br />Best regards. . .<p></p><p><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Edited by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4279594/" target="_blank">William Mortensen Vaughan</a> </span></i><br /></p><p> </p>William Mortensen Vaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07127777714383184117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-63722110057804111602024-01-14T12:15:00.000-08:002024-01-14T12:15:59.668-08:00Interview With Director Rasheed Stephens<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYrOk5CQIIQApHORs1jkxLj18I8fX0ezNI3O-8xJoHvANsES7_gUsvdTGX2lqBsUo7AG7IvFkZzY3GSwiRD16UYH81MT7yK80JCSUJv9m2WN7BnROY3cH8822MDMBBol8sczPLe67fm50Kdc5Ud4JzJxgY1CfCwKiFu-k_U8uZG4m0Gv43qtX0EchBSfi/s882/headshot-Rasheed_Stephens-red_T-shirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="882" data-original-width="630" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYrOk5CQIIQApHORs1jkxLj18I8fX0ezNI3O-8xJoHvANsES7_gUsvdTGX2lqBsUo7AG7IvFkZzY3GSwiRD16UYH81MT7yK80JCSUJv9m2WN7BnROY3cH8822MDMBBol8sczPLe67fm50Kdc5Ud4JzJxgY1CfCwKiFu-k_U8uZG4m0Gv43qtX0EchBSfi/s320/headshot-Rasheed_Stephens-red_T-shirt.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><i>Rasheed Stephens introducted himself to us as "one of the directors for</i> <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28662610/reference/" target="_blank">All I've Got & Then Some</a>, <i>which, he tells us, "will premier at [the] <a href="https://slamdance.com/festival/" target="_blank">Slamdance Film Festival</a>," which is scheduled for January 19-24, 2024.</i><br /><p></p><p>La Libertad: Where are you from? <br /><br />Rasheed: I was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia.<br /><br />La Libertad: How did you get your start in film?<br /><br />Rasheed: I gave myself a start by. . .teaching myself. . .to write scripts. I used other writers' works as templates to help me cultivate my skills.<br /><br />La Libertad: Of what accomplishment are you most proud? <br /><br />Rasheed: Getting our film <i>All I've Got & Then Some</i> into Slamdance.<br /><br />La Libertad: Where did you get the idea for your 2024 Slamdance feature, <i>All I've Got & Then Some</i>?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Q147dpqa6pE3vZBIAsykek6lfDS_jJG2nUEyEX6BNRmD7tWe-unpAkhtNTt9UTRSJaMdlGk33YCiA50-tuxCqJwM5BvolqUjoEZAKii2_YVYF3oCfvgmw2b9e0Q4xeJzSxkLWrFrZ1cHISpKvCRwtOM4N9TmxCwQHJDGX3ybprCKxybQluUrToBdE4P9/s947/headshot-Rasheed_Stephens-black_T-shirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="630" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Q147dpqa6pE3vZBIAsykek6lfDS_jJG2nUEyEX6BNRmD7tWe-unpAkhtNTt9UTRSJaMdlGk33YCiA50-tuxCqJwM5BvolqUjoEZAKii2_YVYF3oCfvgmw2b9e0Q4xeJzSxkLWrFrZ1cHISpKvCRwtOM4N9TmxCwQHJDGX3ybprCKxybQluUrToBdE4P9/s320/headshot-Rasheed_Stephens-black_T-shirt.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />Rasheed: <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4237338" target="_blank">Tehben</a> called me in the middle of June. . .after a slow spring, out of work, and waiting around to see what was going to happen with all the industry strikes. When I picked up the phone, he said, "Hey man, I was thinking a lot last night; remember that idea you had for the web series you told me about last year? I think we should take that concept and work it into a film, and then just go shoot it." <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnI1kM5n9Su4aGR2T2_Eh5_a2vTqNj9_2kZDmk9zwYaI9QVRyRs3xzGNzlPnCihZRm_r4BOe-pZbWqFjC-13rx78rR_WcSPoYGmPo_WX8ASDMasqpzwBotwlQupC7rMyzGsnyDYpIYETtzKFwW75nOTb_fc9QVq8zfvs0mXIexP1laThsJpbnoz-Um6D8h/s840/headshot-Rasheed_Stephens-cigar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="630" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnI1kM5n9Su4aGR2T2_Eh5_a2vTqNj9_2kZDmk9zwYaI9QVRyRs3xzGNzlPnCihZRm_r4BOe-pZbWqFjC-13rx78rR_WcSPoYGmPo_WX8ASDMasqpzwBotwlQupC7rMyzGsnyDYpIYETtzKFwW75nOTb_fc9QVq8zfvs0mXIexP1laThsJpbnoz-Um6D8h/s320/headshot-Rasheed_Stephens-cigar.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I almost dropped my phone. "No way, man, I was literally thinking the exact same thing last night; I'm not even kidding, honest to God. The movie is based on my life."<br /><br />La Libertad: What would you like to tell our readers about your upcoming festival screening, and what you are most excited about? <br /><br />Rasheed: I'm really looking for the response and reactions of the audience, and how they will receive our film.<br /><br />La Libertad: Who are some directors and movies that have inspired you?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7_BTL7ZC44slcs98ifRaJ-ZzQBLlcWcwSR3g0babR7JvG-lRJ3JT2huy7M_pUogD9-wDLD23LEEfL10cQSCdQptUmYQDbjJKnq47NKZQqrIXPMb7g7UcqADOdpcwBDep0XmyQ1vB-Bu3MYh4oqe-5eMALjYtmaFuPZBjE0ztIg4tcv2wCiOrrvHKrXi3/s814/headshot-Rasheed_Stephens-don't_care-do_understand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="814" data-original-width="630" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7_BTL7ZC44slcs98ifRaJ-ZzQBLlcWcwSR3g0babR7JvG-lRJ3JT2huy7M_pUogD9-wDLD23LEEfL10cQSCdQptUmYQDbjJKnq47NKZQqrIXPMb7g7UcqADOdpcwBDep0XmyQ1vB-Bu3MYh4oqe-5eMALjYtmaFuPZBjE0ztIg4tcv2wCiOrrvHKrXi3/s320/headshot-Rasheed_Stephens-don't_care-do_understand.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><br /> <br /><br />Rasheed: <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000490" target="_blank">Spike Lee</a> is a filmmaker I highly admire.<i> <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097216/reference/" target="_blank">Do The Right Thing</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110912/reference/" target="_blank">Pulp Fiction</a></i>, [and] <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117802/reference/" target="_blank">Swingers</a></i> are films that have immensely shaped my vision. I love indie filmmakers and film.<br /><br />La Libertad: What are you most looking forward to in 2024? <br /><br />Rasheed: I want to make two to three films in 2024 that will shake up the world.<br /><br />La Libertad: What are your overall career goals? <br /><br />Rasheed: To get to make films of my choosing without the worries of financing. <br /><br />La Libertad: What links would you like to share? <br /><br />Rasheed: Our Trailer: <a href="https://youtu.be/BRXk7z36tWk">https://youtu.be/BRXk7z36tWk</a><br /><br />La Libertad: What else, if anything, would you like to tell our readers? <br /><br />Rasheed: Please go watch <i>All I've Got & Then Some</i> at [the] Slamdance Film Festival, for its world premier, January 20th, at 5 p.m. at <a href="https://www.yarrowhotelparkcity.com/" target="_blank">The Yarrow</a>, in <a href="https://www.visitparkcity.com/" target="_blank">Park City</a>.<p></p><p><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Edited by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4279594" target="_blank">William Mortensen Vaughan</a></span></i> <br /></p>William Mortensen Vaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07127777714383184117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-57966991176491138062023-12-08T07:12:00.000-08:002023-12-08T07:12:44.254-08:00Interview With Film Producer Nicholas Gyeney <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSebliYgvlqcg5OKNXz1ubqniosMhOpLtHA-CyO_f6UjMyAP7psKjhkkQ0W6Dlya3kERxWTvqR1Rgti5mctgSjCvNw0CHztxzLX0_l3U-KqhWz4q9v2SrsCOPyYJBs3lc6Z5oDE_aaI_FhveYO5Hiq9j1QEcoNcuK8PSp5zieFYJ4cPNC6Wk5MZ4fC-C_1/s630/with_Sean_Young.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="630" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSebliYgvlqcg5OKNXz1ubqniosMhOpLtHA-CyO_f6UjMyAP7psKjhkkQ0W6Dlya3kERxWTvqR1Rgti5mctgSjCvNw0CHztxzLX0_l3U-KqhWz4q9v2SrsCOPyYJBs3lc6Z5oDE_aaI_FhveYO5Hiq9j1QEcoNcuK8PSp5zieFYJ4cPNC6Wk5MZ4fC-C_1/s320/with_Sean_Young.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3490492/" target="_blank">Josh Mitchell</a> referred <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2422911/" target="_blank">Nicholas Gyeney</a> to us, and he granted us this interview.</i><p></p><p>La Libertad: Where are you from?<br /><br />Nicholas: My family is originally from Hungary, and I currently reside in Santa Monica, California.<br /></p><p>[At left, Nicholas Gyeney and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000707" target="_blank">Sean Young</a>]</p><p>La Libertad: How did you get your start in film?<br /><br />Nicholas: My father introduced me to movies, and every weekend we watched movies together, until he died, suddenly, when I was twelve years old. Eventually, I began using movies as an escape, and realized how much they helped me cope with the grief. It wasn’t long until I decided I wanted to make my own films, one day, to hopefully help someone else, somewhere in the world, cope with theirs.<br /><br />La Libertad: Of what accomplishment are you most proud?<br /><br />Nicholas: I think it has to be the overall journey. I’m thirty-seven years old, and have produced and directed eight feature films. <br /><br />La Libertad: Where did you get the idea for your new horror movie, <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26753672/reference/" target="_blank">The Activated Man</a></i>?<br /><br />Nicholas: My own dog Louis (Louie), was like a son to me. When he died from cancer, the trauma I experienced eventually led me to develop this story. Maybe it was therapy in a way. I think all my films have been, in some sense. <br /><br />La Libertad: What would you like to tell our readers about your upcoming festival screenings?<br /><br />Nicholas: <a href="https://danceswithfilms.com/" target="_blank">Dances With Films</a> is an exciting one. <i>The Activated Man</i> [was] the Closing Night Film for the festival on December 3rd, which is quite an honor. I also have a screening coming up as the Closing Film for the <a href="http://www.neffhorrorfest.com/" target="_blank">Northeast Film Festival’s Horror Fest</a>, and there the film is nominated for several awards, including Best Director and Best Feature, which is, again, quite an honor. Before the holiday break, we also [screened] at the <a href="https://www.culvercityfilmfestival.com/" target="_blank">Culver City Film Festival</a>, on December 6th, and [will screen at] the <a href="https://sciff.org/" target="_blank">Santa Clarita International Film Festival</a>, on December 8th. <br /><br />La Libertad: What is your favorite classic scary movie and why?<br /><br />Nicholas: My personal favorite is <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000127" target="_blank">Wes Craven</a>’s <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111686/reference/" target="_blank">New Nightmare</a></i>. To me it was a beautifully crafted and executed film, and I love how aggressive and angry Freddy was in that film. <br /><br />La Libertad: What are you most looking forward to, in 2024?<br /><br />Nicholas: The theatrical release of <i>The Activated Man</i>!<br /><br />La Libertad: What are your career goals?<br /><br />Nicholas: If I can continue this path, and continue making films as a career, they could be big or small, I’d be more than happy with that. <br /><br />La Libertad: What links would you like to share?<br /><br />Nicholas: <br /><br />Facebook: <a href="https://Facebook.com/theactivatedmanmovie">Facebook.com/theactivatedmanmovie<br /></a><br />La Libertad: What else, if anything, would you like to tell our readers?<br /><br />Nicholas: The movie is a unique blend of genres. While it’s certainly a supernatural horror film, it’s equally an emotional drama about grief and loss. </p><p><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Edited by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4279594/" target="_blank">William Mortensen Vaughan</a></span></i><br /></p>William Mortensen Vaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07127777714383184117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-38266884515969834412023-11-07T08:51:00.007-08:002023-11-10T15:49:39.326-08:00Interview with Screenwriter Michael Normand<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpssCUMPo0Qb4NZYGfLpDWfaCBYLaHldlI-sbeeNT5onVU7IIrL9TQsdu0cuaeSmzydQ2RkHYya31HMcufvP3_sn6vVuUOUJCZEf8jg9ILSKi8A2H77NYMdMGjze2YFCzOt9DAErvL3kvo1eX76a-MW3kgm_z6NOBDMoHoEaIteRoQOuDRS9142MNOJkGx/s630/Michael%20Normand%2007-08-2015.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="630" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpssCUMPo0Qb4NZYGfLpDWfaCBYLaHldlI-sbeeNT5onVU7IIrL9TQsdu0cuaeSmzydQ2RkHYya31HMcufvP3_sn6vVuUOUJCZEf8jg9ILSKi8A2H77NYMdMGjze2YFCzOt9DAErvL3kvo1eX76a-MW3kgm_z6NOBDMoHoEaIteRoQOuDRS9142MNOJkGx/s320/Michael%20Normand%2007-08-2015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><a href="https://twitter.com/mitchellmadness">Josh Mitchell</a> referred Michael Normand to us, and he was gracious enough to grant us this interview.</i><p></p><p>La Libertad: Where are you from?<br /><br />Michael: I’m from <a href="https://peoplemakeglasgow.com/" target="_blank">Glasgow</a> - the big, old one, in <a href="https://www.scotland.org/" target="_blank">Scotland</a> - not one of the ones in the U.S. And, although I grew up there, I was actually born in a town called <a href="https://www.visitscotland.com/info/towns-villages/falkirk-p235561" target="_blank">Falkirk</a>, half way between there and <a href="https://edinburgh.org/" target="_blank">Edinburgh</a>. I was officially the first Jewish birth in [the] Falkirk Royal Infirmary; I seem to have managed to retain that sense of being an "outsider."<br /><br /><br />La Libertad: How did you get your start in writing?<br /><br />Michael: My business degree at Glasgow’s third-best university, <a href="https://www.gcu.ac.uk/" target="_blank">Glasgow Caledonian</a>, "catapulted" me into a job, in publishing, in <a href="https://www.visitlondon.com/" target="_blank">London</a>, at which I started moonlighting as a stand-up on the then burgeoning "alternative" comedy circuit. <a href="https://www.bbc.com/" target="_blank">BBC</a> [British Broadcasting Corporation] producers on the look out for new comedy writers would go to gigs, and indeed, I was spotted and engaged on a couple of radio and TV shows. My "break," however, came when I met <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0802551" target="_blank">Gary Sinyor</a>, then a budding producer at film school. He had the remnants of an idea for a film, and, having seen me on stage, suggested we co-write it. To cut a long story short, our script <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104710/reference/" target="_blank">Leon the Pig Farmer</a></i> got made, won a handful of awards, and launched a career that I didn’t think was possible.<br /><br />La Libertad: Of what accomplishment are you most proud?<br /><br />Michael: That’s difficult to answer without sounding overly dramatic, but I arrived at <a href="https://www.flylax.com/" target="_blank">LAX</a> with a two-year work visa, a backpack of clean underwear over my shoulder, and a shoddily written screenplay in my hand, naively thinking that Hollywood would snap it up. Three years and an extended visa later, I was again at LAX, this time going home, but with three reels of a feature film, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116108/reference/" target="_blank">Dirty Laundry</a> safely checked into the luggage hold, ready for screening at that year’s <a href="https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/lff/Online/default.asp" target="_blank">London Film Festival</a>, before popping up on TV sets all round the world, as it still does. <br /><br />The feeling on that flight back to London would never have occurred had it not been for the <a href="https://lacity.gov/">L.A.</a> earthquake of ’94. I literally bumped into <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0792782/" target="_blank">Robert Sherwin</a>, a filmmaker out of <a href="https://www.ny.gov/" target="_blank">NY</a>, at a post-quake garage sale. He was a producer looking for a script; I was a screenwriter looking for a producer. Synchronicity! Maybe serendipity... Two-and-a-half years later, and re-write after re-write in Venice Beach’s Novel Cafe, we were shooting <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116108/reference/" target="_blank">Dirty Laundry</a></i> in <a href="https://nj.gov/" target="_blank">New Jersey</a>. <br /><br />La Libertad: Where did you get the idea for your new screenplay, <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4537254/reference/" target="_blank">The Holy Cow</a></i>?<br /><br />Michael: When I first started writing <i>The Holy Cow</i>, the story was set in Glasgow. My body and soul </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6X4R5EVoI70F9mrS-rFI4azTNbDAoVcQHj4cGjhUBuPbOe6GjsztdGIYxBrIydDdtw1V30jITSWyjDZ-JV80oitCHBUyxzZle3ShAu8WonATjPH-pZATEFvP5x9Yh19AgQzLpnybaBD0t9WTAtUnABxMN3FCGOMndRNJXgOIPoy4MB57dht-LkVoRm8UB/s630/Michael%20Normand%20&%20Jan%20Pester.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Michael Normand and Jan Pester" border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="630" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6X4R5EVoI70F9mrS-rFI4azTNbDAoVcQHj4cGjhUBuPbOe6GjsztdGIYxBrIydDdtw1V30jITSWyjDZ-JV80oitCHBUyxzZle3ShAu8WonATjPH-pZATEFvP5x9Yh19AgQzLpnybaBD0t9WTAtUnABxMN3FCGOMndRNJXgOIPoy4MB57dht-LkVoRm8UB/w320-h213/Michael%20Normand%20&%20Jan%20Pester.jpg" title="Michael Normand and Jan Pester" width="320" /></a></div><br />can’t last a week without Indian food… a throwback to student days when Sunday evening meant we Jewish boys would go to The Koh-i-Noor or The Shish Mahal, in the West End. The Chicken Tikka Masala had been voted "Britain’s Favorite Dish," and I read an article about a Glasgow curry house laying claim to have invented the now famous recipe. The first drafts were called <i>The Kanpur Curry House</i>, but they were messier than The Shish’s tablecloths. I wanted the story to have more gravity - more intelligence - more cultural resonance. I not only had to change the concept of the story, but [I] also had to find a setting in which there was an Indian heritage. I’d shot <i>Dirty Laundry</i> in New Jersey, years earlier, and had remembered from our location scouting that there was this place, Edison, in which there was a restaurant strip called "Little India." A feature film project about food, family, and sub-culture will surely have more chance of finding interest and finance if it’s set in the U.S.; that’s sort of a fact, particularly when you think of films like <i>The Big Sick</i>, <i>Today’s Special</i>, and <i>Chef</i>. So I had my location, and, with it, I weaved a story about an Indian-American family, the Agarwals, and their restaurant, The Holy Cow. A spoiler alert isn’t necessary when I tell you the decrepit, down-on-its-knees Holy Cow was once a famous institution, NJ’s first Indian restaurant, now in need of saving and restoring to its former glory, but whether its new owner, Anwesh Agarwal is up to the task is another question.<br /><br />La Libertad: What would you like to tell our readers about your other projects?<br /><br />Michael: I have two other feature film projects on the go. Set in London, <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4534908/reference/" target="_blank">The Visa</a></i> is a highly contemporary and socially relevant story that traces the relationship between an immigration lawyer and an illegal immigrant. She wants a baby; he needs a visa. "All" he has to do to stay in the country is get her pregnant! It’s a <i>quid-pro-quo</i> that [could get them], respectively, disbarred and deported. <br /><br />And, set on the west coast of Scotland, <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4558088/reference/" target="_blank">Fly Me to Dunoon</a></i> is a project that nearly got made a while back but for the death of the great <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001768/" target="_blank">Rod Steiger</a>, who was to play the lead. Based on true events, the backdrop starts in 1938, when hundreds of fleeing Eastern-European Jews, tricked and conned by the shipping line, were deposited at the docks of Glasgow, thinking it was New York, the destination on their tickets. The film will tell the story of that shameful slice of history; and traces the present-day misadventures of a young American who discovers a family (the ancestors of that ill-fated voyage) alive and well, in a Scottish, seaside town, but with perilous plans for their long-lost "son."<br /><br />La Libertad: What inspires you?<br /><br />Michael: Quite simply, I’m inspired by the brains behind a really great film, and, by that, I mean the kind of alchemy that occurs when you combine a writer, director, producer, cinematographer, and composer to make something like <i>Paris Texas</i>, <i>Butch Cassidy</i>, <i>The Graduate</i>, <i>The Small Back Room</i>, <i>et cetera</i>, <i>et cetera</i>...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjElPLg3YERPf-P_mEzm4Y0V5i-fUrW0yUj2ZeN-YY6E5oGb4Es2YxSdWZ7D5136rCyU3VLpOmor_fgKKCFdzwU6Xix8n8PhMsFvD7LbliNYhWn8oiEAxQ86MQDvwke-Bn7I0sn_TG4JJ8t93DDLsVxxlGau_C-8SEG99OsvhNszU84qcS1-D9a6g110Zth/s630/Ricky%20Callam%20&%20Michael%20Normand.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ricky Callum and Michael Normand" border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="630" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjElPLg3YERPf-P_mEzm4Y0V5i-fUrW0yUj2ZeN-YY6E5oGb4Es2YxSdWZ7D5136rCyU3VLpOmor_fgKKCFdzwU6Xix8n8PhMsFvD7LbliNYhWn8oiEAxQ86MQDvwke-Bn7I0sn_TG4JJ8t93DDLsVxxlGau_C-8SEG99OsvhNszU84qcS1-D9a6g110Zth/w320-h213/Ricky%20Callam%20&%20Michael%20Normand.jpg" title="Ricky Callum and Michael Normand" width="320" /></a></div><br />La Libertad: What are you most looking forward to, in 2024?<br /><br />Michael: Ridley Scott’s <i>Napoleon</i>, and someone telling me they’d like to produce <i>The Holy Cow</i>.<br /><br />La Libertad: What are your overall career goals?<br /><br />Michael: My career goals are what they have been, and what they will continue to be - to turn ninety pages of script into ninety minutes of film.<br /><br />La Libertad: What links would you like to share?<br /><br />Michael: <br /><br />Website - <a href="https://www.michaelnormand.net/">www.michaelnormand.net</a><br /><br />LinkedIn - <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelfnormand/">www.linkedin.com/in/michaelfnormand/</a><br /><br />Instagram - <a href="https://twitter.com/mfnormand" target="_blank">mfnormand</a><br /><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Interview by <a href="https://twitter.com/mitchellmadness" target="_blank">Josh Mitchell</a></span></i><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Edited by <a href="http://www.vaughanster.com/">William Mortensen Vaughan</a></i><br /></span><br /><br /></p>William Mortensen Vaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07127777714383184117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-60655322691329370002023-10-30T13:02:00.008-07:002023-10-30T13:06:00.793-07:00Interview With Genealogist and Author William Mortensen Vaughan<p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibLH6XmPoIv427iXGPHNfjYX03fBs4eej_eEvIDX37ix-micFiqUfCfM-TDBsKK8vGbE-H8LoU4DGSgt3uWhhL0vZXkYGOi19CovRbiU8ZHB6qb7JkQ6b5KIZ5HCJV8LogRP1use-KzYqz276dVSjQIyt49K6hZkQdpWLrtefVmfk5D9zMSKbFNOEwY8w/s197/headshot-20230806.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="178" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibLH6XmPoIv427iXGPHNfjYX03fBs4eej_eEvIDX37ix-micFiqUfCfM-TDBsKK8vGbE-H8LoU4DGSgt3uWhhL0vZXkYGOi19CovRbiU8ZHB6qb7JkQ6b5KIZ5HCJV8LogRP1use-KzYqz276dVSjQIyt49K6hZkQdpWLrtefVmfk5D9zMSKbFNOEwY8w/s1600/headshot-20230806.jpg" width="178" /></a></i></div><i> It has been several years since we interviewed our Senior Editor, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4279594/" target="_blank">William Mortensen Vaughan</a>; the last time we <a href="https://lalibertadmag.blogspot.com/2020/06/william-mortensen-vaughan.html" target="_blank">interviewed him</a> was in the summer of 2020.</i><p></p><p><b>La Libertad:</b> How long have you been a writer?</p><p></p><p><b>William:</b> I feel that I have been a writer all of my life, and I recently celebrated my sixty-first birthday. </p><p>Of course, to become a writer, I first needed to learn to read. </p><p>According to my mother, my father started reading to me almost as soon as I was born. I wore out my first copy of Robert Louis Stevenson's <i>A Child's Garden of Verses</i> by the time I was three years old, so my father bought me another copy of it.</p><p>Also according to my mother, the first two words I spoke were not "ma-ma" or "da-da," but "Huh?" and "book."</p><p>When I started attending school, I remember wanting to read so badly that I would stare at written words, and struggle to imagine how people were able to interpret the symbols. It seemed like the actual business of learning to read took far too long for me. I think it was late in my First Grade year (or perhaps in the Second Grade) before my teachers started teaching me to read, and it was one of the most thrilling abilities I ever developed. We had competitions, based on the honor system, to see who read the most books, and I was among a couple students who read the most. If I remember correctly, a Japanese girl was my closest competitor. She and I both started reading books from outside the children's section at the Weber County Library, in the town of Ogden, Utah, where we lived.<br /></p><p>My father, who served as a U.S. Army Lieutenant during World War II, was a man named "William Knowlton Vaughan." He was a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, and a published author, so I think he would probably have taught me to read before my fifth birthday, but he died before my fourth.<br /><br /><b>La Libertad:</b> What types of things did you write about?</p><p></p><p><b>William:</b> I used to write poetry, including romantic poetry; I also wrote about things I read about or experienced.</p><p>Although I am currently agnostic, as a teen, I was very immersed in the Mormon religion, which inspired me to write a science-fiction fantasy novel titled <i>Our Lord and His Sword</i>, about the savior of another planet, which I invented. I typed this novel using a manual (not an electric - a <i>manual</i>) Olivetti-Underwood typewriter, which I inherited from my father.<br /></p><p>When I attended Ben Lomond High School, in what I consider my "home town" of Ogden, Utah, it offered a Creative Writing Class, taught by an elderly woman named "Mrs. Gillins," whom we called "The Gila Monster," or merely "The Monster." This class published a booklet each year, titled <i>The Thistle</i>. It featured poems and short stories by Ben Lomond students, as well as drawings, also by Ben Lomond students. Mrs. Gillins had the final say on what literature was published in <i>The Thistle</i>. She probably had the final say on what art was published in it, too; I presume she coordinated with one or more of the art teachers to obtain illustrations for <i>The Thistle</i>. But before Mrs. Gillins had her final say, she had her Creative Writing students review all of the literary submissions, and come up with a certain number of poems and short stories, or pages of such, essentially by voting on them. Of course, students had a tendency to vote for their own poems and/or short stories. However, all Ben Lomond students were allowed to submit their writing for consideration.</p><p>I did not take Creative Writing in my sophomore year (Ben Lomond was a three-year school at the time), but a friend told me about the class, and <i>The Thistle</i>, so I submitted a stack of poems to him, to submit for consideration, in our junior year.</p><p>Mrs. Gillins had never met me in person, and I was not a very popular student, so, not having the privilege of voting for any of my poems, I had little chance of having any of my poems published in <i>The Thistle</i>. However, Mrs. Gillins was so impressed by one of my poems that she insisted on publishing it, in <i>The Thistle</i>, that year; it was titled "On Being a Man."</p><p>I took Mrs. Gillins' Creative Writing class during my senior year. One of the assignments Mrs. Gillins gave us, was to write a "scene report" about life in one of the less affluent neighborhoods, on the west side of Washington Boulevard. A significant portion of the students at Ben Lomond lived on the east side of Washington Boulevard, where it was common for them to receive new automobiles for their sixteenth birthdays. </p><p>This scene report was a particularly easy assignment for me, because I lived with my mother and an ogre of a stepfather, on the west side of Washington Boulevard. I simply wrote a true story about a time when, at age seventeen, I ran away from home after one of the times that my stepfather physically assaulted me. It was during the winter, with snow and ice on the ground, and I tried to sleep on the back porch of a department store, Z.C.M.I. (Zion's Co-operative Mercantile Institution), where two police officers detained me. In their infinite wisdom, they returned me to the custody of my mother and stepfather.<br /></p><p></p><p>During the class critique of this story, its greatest flaw seemed to be that it was not believable, and it was not believable because, in the small minds of my fellow students, a seventeen-year-old would simply have driven away in a car, rather than trudging through snow and ice to find a place to sleep outside.</p><p></p><p>Mrs. Gillins took me aside, and told me to change my story. She told me to change it from the first person perspective, to the third, and to give the boy a name, and make him thirteen. Apparently, even a fourteen-year-old would have known how to drive. She told me to make these changes, and to submit it to a short story contest at Brigham Young University.</p><p>I did as Mrs. Gillins told me. I called the boy "Paul," and gave the story the title, "An Urban Nowhere." It took First Place, and I received $50 in prize money for the story. </p><p>I was dismayed when none of my fellow Creative Writing students wanted to publish anything I submitted. Fortunately, Mrs. Gillins insisted on publishing my short story. How could she not? No other Ben Lomond student had placed First in a writing contest that year, or received $50 worth of prize money for their writing. Mrs. Gillins also insisted on publishing one her favorite poems which I wrote that year, titled "The Return of Ulysses."<br /><br /><b>La Libertad:</b> What is your favorite subject to write about?</p><p></p><p><b>William:</b> Genealogy and adaptations of Charles Dickens' <i>A Christmas Carol</i>.<br /><br /><b>La Libertad:</b> What do you consider your writing style?</p><p></p><p><b>William:</b> I consider my writing style formal and old-fashioned, but also personal. I prefer to write in first person, to make my writing more personal, but I also like to use formal language, as if speaking to people who are older than me, and more educated.</p><p>By the way, one of the things Mrs. Gillins taught me, was to write as if to one particular person, in order to make my writing seem consistent. One of the people I choose to write to is a cousin named Ronald Mortensen, who is old enough to be my father, graduated from college, and had a career as a school teacher. <br /><br /><b>La Libertad:</b> What subjects do you like to read about?</p><p><b>William:</b> In addition to studying genealogy, I like to "read" adaptations of <i>A Christmas Carol</i>, including adaptations in foreign languages. I use the term "read" loosely, because I prefer to listen to Audibles, especially with Whispersync, so I can follow along in the written version or refer to it when I want to. </p><p>I am currently in the middle of listening to and following along, via Whispersync, and Audible titled <i><a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/Ebenezer-Audiobook/B09M7QDC2Y" target="_blank">Ebenezer: The True Life Story of Ebenezer Scrooge</a></i>. It's an in-depth adaptation of <i>A Christmas Carol</i>, which provides a detailed version of Scrooge's life, from the day he was born until he was about to die. Scrooge is a fictitious character, so the author, Douglas Bass, has, apparently, invented most of the details about Scrooge's life. The Audible is narrated by Benjamin Fife.</p><p>I am also interested in history, politics, foreign languages, and etymology.</p><p><b>La Libertad:</b> Which writers inspired you?<br /></p><p></p><p><b>William:</b> I am one of the few people who have read <i>The Holy Bible</i> from cover to cover. I also read it twice - once in English, and again, in Spanish. </p><p> Full disclosure: Although I studied the King James Version, in Mormon Sunday schools and Seminaries, the version I read from cover to cover was mostly a children's version, but it had all of the same books, chapters, and verses as the King James Version. </p><p>In Spanish, I read a Reina-Valera version. According to Wikipedia, as of October 30, 2023, there have been revisions of the Reina-Valera version published in 1602, 1862, 1909, 1960, 1977, 1995, and 2011; I read it in the '80s, so the one I read was probably the 1977 version, of which I bought a brand new copy.<br /></p><p>I also read <i>The Book of Mormon</i>, <i>The Doctrine and Covenants</i>, and <i>The Pearl of Great Price</i>, which I, as an agnostic, believe were written by Joseph Smith. I believe that <i>The Book of Mormon</i> is a work of fiction, which Joseph Smith fabricated. However, I read these books as a teen, and the Bible, in Spanish, between the ages of nineteen and twenty-one, so I feel that they must have had a significant influence on me.</p><p>Another of the most memorable authors whose work I read was Alfred Hitchcock. I read most, if not all, of his fictional series, The Three Investigators. I also read some of his short stories. </p><p>Another of my favorite authors is Edgar Allan Poe. I still have his poem, "El Dorado," memorized.</p><p>Of course, now-a-days, I am more interested in Charles Dickens. While serving with the U.S. Army, in Afghanistan, during Operation Enduring Freedom VII, my Battle Buddy took me to see a live adaptation of <i>A Christmas Carol</i>, performed by fellow Service Members and D.H.L. employees, at the Base Chapel, on Bagram Airfield. I was so impressed that I have been obsessed with the story, and Charles Dickens, ever since.</p><p><b>La Libertad:</b> Where can we read more of your writing?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpn2GAh3E9AmUUmS7yoFGJlzKJeY2PYceClxXwG2wNlzI83futI-ZJBXUxX3Hg5DALeqY1Ar0rxuFCZpz5FB7tNwAfZDNtQueAn42KrJN8tsTr1MGQvfZJd79s31E2cCjcc5GoUWkeeGGCbdvfeyYOVuUtC36pn1R2hpANujXrpkR-6I0qBL6IqtrnOzDp/s448/cover-The%20Genealogy%20of%20William%20Mortensen%20Vaughan.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="281" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpn2GAh3E9AmUUmS7yoFGJlzKJeY2PYceClxXwG2wNlzI83futI-ZJBXUxX3Hg5DALeqY1Ar0rxuFCZpz5FB7tNwAfZDNtQueAn42KrJN8tsTr1MGQvfZJd79s31E2cCjcc5GoUWkeeGGCbdvfeyYOVuUtC36pn1R2hpANujXrpkR-6I0qBL6IqtrnOzDp/s320/cover-The%20Genealogy%20of%20William%20Mortensen%20Vaughan.png" width="201" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><b>William:</b> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?i=digital-text&rh=p_27%3AWilliam+Mortensen+Vaughan&s=relevancerank&text=William+Mortensen+Vaughan&ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1" target="_blank">My author page</a> on Amazon.</p><p><b>La Libertad:</b> Where can we purchase your book?</p><p><b>William:</b> <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Genealogy-William-Mortensen-Vaughan-ebook/dp/B0BX2975Q2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=207HMAT6B4TNA&keywords=william+mortensen+vaughan&qid=1698686735&sprefix=william+mortensen+vaughan%2Caps%2C89&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Genealogy of William Mortensen Vaughan</a></i>, on Amazon.<br /></p><p><b>La Libertad:</b> What other books, if any, do you intend to write and/or publish?</p><p><b>William:</b> The next book I intend to write, and publish on Amazon, hopefully, in time for Christmas about thirteen months from now, will be a book about adaptations of <i>A Christmas Carol</i>, in film and television.</p><p>Then I intend to write another book about my genealogy, which will be a collection of profiles of my forebears - perhaps with a few profiles of some of my favorite aunts, uncles, and cousins.</p><p>I also intend to write a book titled <i>The Memoirs of William Mortensen Vaughan</i>.<br /></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="color: lime;">Photo and interview by <a href="http://www.libertadgreen.com/">Libertad Green</a></span></i></span></p><p><br /></p>William Mortensen Vaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07127777714383184117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-88454782692973803032023-09-18T17:10:00.001-07:002023-09-18T17:10:15.419-07:00Fall 2023 Accessories for Your New Wardrobe<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-ace5a588-7fff-198b-3d9e-a11620de2b50"><img height="484.0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/p_I0EwsF4q492n-JEbMuTtjWEN0aSpv169LPd-NGgyGONU90b1FaeuT0qLzyfKnu6cg7F1lrsf7tohD1zMa4EBYuYpDKMeJ-FLFoYLqzERUCWYuQxSbqW59u1BWS5wNdvDqCCuv4kHJW5uHwaZHT-Gk0plXtd_kSZwK_RenoVCvgDtbLvtrz-LpaRytIxg" width="724.1364136413642"> CC0 Licensed Image Courtesy of <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-joyous-woman-3781538/">Pexels</a></p><p dir="ltr">Fall 2023 accessories will help round out that new wardrobe you are working so hard on this season. Fashion changes all the time yet appears to remain the same, so it’s not too hard to stay on top of things. From shawls and wraps to handle handbags there are some exciting trends this year. If you aren’t sure about what to try, here are some of the popular ideas.</p><h2 dir="ltr">Statement Pieces, Of Course</h2><p dir="ltr">Nothing allows you to state your style more than the statement pieces you adorn yourself with. Earrings, bracelets, and even hairbands can help you complete your look from specialist designers like <a href="https://www.grayandsons.com/jewelry/designer-jewelry/david-yurman-jewelry.html">David Yurman</a>. Further than this, though, accessorizing helps you highlight your best features, add some personality to an ensemble, and add more detail to a look. Some trending statement pieces for 2023 include bows, metal heels, and latte nail manicures.</p><h2 dir="ltr">Warming Shawls and Wraps</h2><p dir="ltr">Off-the-shoulder and shoulder-enhancing statements are making waves this fall over at Saint Laurent. This has led the way in the autumn statements followed by other fashion houses as they adorn their models with scarves and pashminas. Maybe it is an old Hollywood throwback, or perhaps it is never going out of style. Depending on how you look at it, fall is the most sensible season for fashionable shawls. Icons like Stevie Nicks rock the shawl at any time.</p><h2 dir="ltr">Fashionable High Heels</h2><p dir="ltr">Heels have long been associated with femininity and have either faded away or become fashionable again, depending on the movements and attitudes of the time. Today, heels and sharp-pointed toes are making something of a comeback as a symbol of female power and <a href="https://www.libertadgreen.com/2021/11/how-to-develop-confidence-boosting.html">confidence</a>. Expect to see a lot of these around the office, parties, and even a shopping trip with friends this fall. Just remember to take something more sensible for when the weather says no.</p><h2 dir="ltr">Handy Hanging Handbags</h2><p dir="ltr">Handbags are a statement that ensures practicality, too. Fashionable and glamorous, the handbag industry is worth a staggering $50 billion globally and grows around 6% per year. The reasons are clear. Nothing ties an ensemble together like a well-paired handbag, and the various styles are almost never-ending. This fall’s trending style rests squarely on handled handbags, with the point being they complement your outfit almost like a practical bracelet.</p><h2 dir="ltr">Boots Not Made for Walking</h2><p dir="ltr">Who doesn’t love a great pair of boots? They look great, feel glamorous, and can make you look unbelievably sexy, which isn’t a bad thing. This season’s boot trends include <a href="https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-wear-over-the-knee-boots">over-the-knee boots</a>, which are a great pairing with shorter skirts in early fall. They also look great with fall dresses and open jackets, supporting the overall thinner look on top. Taking it a little further, a slouched top can add a little more flair to your boots, which accentuates your walk as well.</p><h2 dir="ltr">Summary</h2><p dir="ltr">Statement pieces like custom jewelry are must-have fall 2023 accessories. Yet walk-wear is dominating the trends this year. Fashionable high heels coming back as women look to assert their female power. And knee-high boots have the ability to really tie together a fall ensemble.</p><br><br>Libertad Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00232983933827225037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-69563313000984378082023-08-12T17:24:00.004-07:002023-08-12T17:25:45.841-07:00French Bulldog Wellness<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKGNzWQDuhY9ZnJY-kPqzvSeMi1Y8RIlfS0lxE0i9Reug61PNBlPABRHLiJ6CmNMWLakAe_375eaZZr2gRf232Ppqmrc_lh8sj94DjF9m76geKxbkhiVqildprTuf8sxiciNbZgsUdeclaFWOh32FG5almysfpc9zD6ghm0q61_OUPV2V9APO8cKo-_KJH/s630/Frenchie.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="630" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKGNzWQDuhY9ZnJY-kPqzvSeMi1Y8RIlfS0lxE0i9Reug61PNBlPABRHLiJ6CmNMWLakAe_375eaZZr2gRf232Ppqmrc_lh8sj94DjF9m76geKxbkhiVqildprTuf8sxiciNbZgsUdeclaFWOh32FG5almysfpc9zD6ghm0q61_OUPV2V9APO8cKo-_KJH/s320/Frenchie.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />Summer Crosley is the C.E.O. (Chief Executive Officer) of French Bulldog Wellness.<br /><br />Summer is a passionate, inspired world traveler, explorer, environmentalist, and model, having been featured in more than three hundred fashion and lifestyle magazines worldwide.<br /><br />Summer owns two French Bulldogs (also known as "Frenchies"). Their names are Chloe and Lola. Summer adores them, and admires their breed so much that, in 2017, she founded French Bulldog Wellness! She considers it a trendy, hip, culturally relevant company/brand that creates relevant products germane to French Bulldog health and wellness. <br /><br />Summer created this company and its products to afford Frenchie owners a dedicated, decisive destination to buy quality products for Frenchies, from a company that they like and trust, and a company created by a Frenchie owner, for Frenchie owners. <br /><br />Breed specific pet brands and companies are trending. Summer drew a line in the sand. Summer is all about Frenchies, all the time, and she has no qualms about it! French Bulldog Wellness is at the forefront of this movement, with one of the most popular dog breeds in the world! <br /><br />The American Kennel Club has named the French bulldog as the "top dog" and "favorite purebred canine," in the United States of America, in 2023. (For those who think pit bulls should hold this title, it should be noted that the American Kennel Club does not regard pit bulls as purebred.). <p></p><p>Unfortunately, many people, including some Frenchie owners, do not realize how much work goes into taking care of a French bulldog. Their face and tails have deep pockets and folds that require daily hygiene. French Bulldog Wellness wipes were created to get deep into the folds of the face and tail pocket to prevent the growth of bacteria and yeast. </p><p> French Bulldogs struggle to breathe, and are not a dog that should be taken hiking or running due to their delicate spinal cords and breathing issues. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKPT-diR3MVs5EcLWLAg2xj9IE3LeQC2uOlro91RFX8X7adLnvkvGlzJGiuNO59xnMIYu6zdyFQ67V8HFX9bSCknpKESgQhklDryuy0RqlU0ISZdWPv0MduKgBdJNfHO7fv7jXVEHum-wmfOaSy4tQlI1VqSi3giSitdnDKXHTnoqyWFUrYwpeKwuvTnC/s640/rock11.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="640" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKPT-diR3MVs5EcLWLAg2xj9IE3LeQC2uOlro91RFX8X7adLnvkvGlzJGiuNO59xnMIYu6zdyFQ67V8HFX9bSCknpKESgQhklDryuy0RqlU0ISZdWPv0MduKgBdJNfHO7fv7jXVEHum-wmfOaSy4tQlI1VqSi3giSitdnDKXHTnoqyWFUrYwpeKwuvTnC/s320/rock11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Summer Crosley started French Bulldog Wellness to teach French bulldog owners how much care and maintenance these cute, sweet dogs need.<br /><br />Owning a French bulldog is a lifestyle. Summer respects and admires French bulldog owners, because, as the owner of two Frenchies, she can relate to how much Frenchie owners love them. They not only bring their owners joy with their immense character, human-like expressions, personality, and love, but they are a cultural and artistic phenomenon that influential people of the world embrace! <p></p><p>Emanating from Los Angeles, this brand, this story, and this message are indeed unique! <br /><br />For more information, please visit these French Bulldog Wellness websites: </p><br /><br /><p></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/frenchbulldogwellness">www.instagram.com/frenchbulldogwellness</a><br /> </p><p><a href="https://frenchbulldoghealthproducts.com">frenchbulldoghealthproducts.com</a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Article and photos by Mary Logan</i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Edited by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4279594/" target="_blank">William Mortensen Vaughan</a> </i></span><br /></p>William Mortensen Vaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07127777714383184117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-42735657796312284202023-07-29T16:55:00.003-07:002023-07-29T16:55:55.007-07:00Interview With Aparna Dasgupta<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5LZYcvPdwYrCtzFi_ifL2RdLuJYSLEN2HE0UfObKVloy-SAfAI6g9T4rLFfkvKz0T_bi0wySeFgfr7IvXU2qFq9fbX-cY9m_baNGD5Ry37jsKJXa6VINMDqBPy0RW0ft8BdhU8p3nUPTiyI0RbhP2EoKCor28gG2p6WEeKtZkMklb-_Z8-DNhaJ-QaT07/s630/Aparna%20Dasgupta%20-%20Headshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="630" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5LZYcvPdwYrCtzFi_ifL2RdLuJYSLEN2HE0UfObKVloy-SAfAI6g9T4rLFfkvKz0T_bi0wySeFgfr7IvXU2qFq9fbX-cY9m_baNGD5Ry37jsKJXa6VINMDqBPy0RW0ft8BdhU8p3nUPTiyI0RbhP2EoKCor28gG2p6WEeKtZkMklb-_Z8-DNhaJ-QaT07/s320/Aparna%20Dasgupta%20-%20Headshot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i>Josh Mitchell introduced us to <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm14865667" target="_blank">Aparna Dasgupta</a>, who introduced herself to us as the founder of ADited Motionpictures, and she graciously granted us this interview.</i><br /><br /><b>La Libertad:</b> Where are you from?<br /><br /><b>Aparna:</b> I was born and raised in <a href="https://www.kmcgov.in/KMCPortal/jsp/KMCPortalHome1.jsp" target="_blank">Kolkata</a>, <a href="https://www.india.gov.in/" target="_blank">India</a> also known to be the cultural capital of India.<br /><br /><b>La Libertad:</b> How did you get your start in producing?<br /><br />Aparna: It was a natural progression from distributing movies to start making films. I grew up watching films, and picked up film studies during my higher education. I have always been passionate about films and wanted to make good films.<br /><br />La Libertad: Of what accomplishment are you most proud?<br /><br />Aparna: The best accomplishment is yet to come, but it was an extremely satisfying experience to produce our first film <i>Yours Truly</i>, which we were not only able to make the way we wanted to tell the story, but also how the film traveled to [the] <a href="https://www.biff.kr/eng/" target="_blank">Busan International Film Festival</a> and other prestigious film circuits globally. We did extremely well in terms of the commercial aspects of the film, which our investors were really happy about.<br /><br />La Libertad: Where did the idea for <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27794798/reference/" target="_blank">Bandit Queen of Bengal</a></i> come from?<br /><br />Aparna: We have been listening to lot of scripts over the last couple of years, but wanted to wait for the one which we feel most passionate about. So, when the Director <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3392438/" target="_blank">Subhrajit Mitra</a> approached us, we instantly liked it, and wanted to see it get made. It’s been the seventy-fifth year of Indian independence, and the script couldn’t have been any better timed. I always have had a liking towards periodic movies - especially the ones based on great novels like <i>Bandit Queen of Bengal</i>, which finds its root in the classic novel <i><a href="https://digital.amarchitrakatha.com/id005835280/Devi-Choudhurani" target="_blank">Devi Chowdhurani</a></i> by <a href="https://www.iloveindia.com/indian-heroes/bankim-chandra-chatterjee.html" target="_blank">Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay</a>. If we look at the documented, Indian freedom movements, we normally find [them] telling stories of male freedom fighters who we have deepest respect towards, but there were many women, too, who [made] extreme sacrifice[s] for their motherland, and, at the same time, showed supreme leadership qualities in driving the movement which can be an inspiration for women of present days, too. As a female Producer, I am constantly looking to highlight those stories.<br /><br />La Libertad: What would you consider an ideal distribution plan for the film?<br /><br />Aparna: No distribution plan can be called ideal till it works out successfully. For <i>Bandit Queen of Bengal</i>, we will be doing an extensive theatrical release, both in India and overseas (U.S.A., U.K., Germany, France, Australia, Middle East, <i>et cetera</i>) with large Indian diaspora. We also would be looking to represent India in prestigious international film markets like <a href="https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/" target="_blank">Cannes</a> (the motion teaser of the film was unveiled at Cannes this year), and working with international sales agents for global [sales]/distribution.<br /><br />We will also be looking for digital streamers/platforms, DVD, [and] video rental markets to distribute the film effectively.<br /><br />La Libertad: What inspires you?<br /><br />Aparna: Any good performance and any well made films inspire me.<br /><br />La Libertad: What are you most looking forward to, in 2023?<br /><br />Aparna: I am looking [forward] to...filming <i>Bandit Queen of Bengal</i>. It’s a massive project, and something that has not been attempted too often. The scale and the grandeur of the film will be testing our best skills, and the fact that, as an entertainment industry, we are still recovering from the pandemic aftermath, makes it all the more challenging.<br /><br />La Libertad: What are your overall career goals?<br /><br />Aparna: I want to see myself as a successful Producer, having a slate of films that appeals to global audiences. I particularly like films based on novels, and look forward to be bringing such films to life, while backing talents and creators.<br /><br />La Libertad: What links would you like to share?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_QiWqkwI8uYNwcpDAL1F7vliHVc5dy2dSTjjYLSh3CF7Sxr8hP9FoiO92iv-jQEKiGXDUF1muST8AnGjFQxmtBmDXXPogf4Zczr2sw6A4mAok9DUF9mJxnN80yHVPNig0vvySrLw64i_H5Hg5Vpl0QMaWu3QR8YFpXZLykt8OaABnUwOsZHAaEjqdAQmI/s945/DC-Eng-Lastframe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="630" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_QiWqkwI8uYNwcpDAL1F7vliHVc5dy2dSTjjYLSh3CF7Sxr8hP9FoiO92iv-jQEKiGXDUF1muST8AnGjFQxmtBmDXXPogf4Zczr2sw6A4mAok9DUF9mJxnN80yHVPNig0vvySrLw64i_H5Hg5Vpl0QMaWu3QR8YFpXZLykt8OaABnUwOsZHAaEjqdAQmI/s320/DC-Eng-Lastframe.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />Aparna: I can be reached at: <br /><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/apu.dg1">www.facebook.com/apu.dg1</a><br /><br />La Libertad: What else, if anything, would you like to tell our readers?<br /><br />Aparna: Our industry is going through a lot of changes, many of which are expected with time. We all need to adapt, and keep backing meaningful content. One thing that will probably always stay the same is people’s willingness to listen to great stories, and heroic characters who inspire us in all spheres of life.<br /><br />Thanks...<p></p><p><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Edited by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4279594/" target="_blank">William Mortensen Vaughan</a></span></i><br /> </p>William Mortensen Vaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07127777714383184117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-76817355343750160302023-05-31T14:45:00.012-07:002023-06-01T14:26:19.227-07:00Interview With Philip La Croix<p><i><a href="https://twitter.com/mitchellmadness"></a></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4ab5eb_0388920462f146e8aa3f740537bfba64~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_203,h_279,al_c,lg_1,q_80,enc_auto/image0.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="279" data-original-width="203" height="279" src="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4ab5eb_0388920462f146e8aa3f740537bfba64~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_203,h_279,al_c,lg_1,q_80,enc_auto/image0.jpeg" width="203" /></a></i></div><i><br />Josh Mitchell introduced us to Philip La Croix, and he was gracious enough to grant us this interview.</i><p></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;">La Libertad: Where are you from?<br /><br />Philip: I currently reside in Phoenix, Arizona, but [I am] originally from Oceanside, California.<br /><br />La Libertad: How did you get your start in writing?<br /><br />Philip: I've always been a performer. I even graduated with my B.A. [Bachelor of Arts degree] in theatre, from <a href="http://www.fullerton.edu/" target="_blank">California State University - Fullerton</a>. I became interested in reading very late, but the passion grew rapidly. One day, I had a very vivid dream, and decided I had to get it down on paper. I found that writing stories was the ultimate acting experience because you have to become and think like the characters you write, and, if done right, [they] eventually take on a life of their own - all while telling an enthralling story of what's happening to them.<br /><br />La Libertad: Of what accomplishment are you most proud?<br /><br />Philip: I'm definitely most proud of the fact that I became a Knight for <a href="https://www.medievaltimes.com/" target="_blank">Medieval Times</a>. It has been a wonderful experience that I had to work hard to achieve, and [it] scratches my performer's itch with every show. I started back in 2008, and have been unable to give it up because it's just too much fun!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;">La Libertad: What prerequisites and requirements did you need to meet, in order to become a Medieval Times Knight?<br /><br />Philip: There are a lot of prerequisites you have to meet in order to become a knight, and...I had at least one [more,] extra layer to go through than my coworkers.<br /><br />I didn't even start off in that department when I got accepted into the company. I was hired as a sound and lighting technician. For my first day they had me sit down and watch the show, and I thought to myself, "I want to do that." It took me a few months to get transferred down there before I could even begin to train. Then, I had to learn to be a squire, which is basically a stagehand for the knights (getting horses ready, bringing them down, handing them weapons, <i>et cetera</i>). When I was finally accepted into knight training, I had to learn how to fight the way Medieval Times instructs; then I had to not only learn to ride a horse, but to joust and jump off at a full run. I did all of this while earning my Bachelors degree at California State University Fullerton. I trained hard for months, both mentally and physically, before I became a knight, and even after that, I still had to continue to work hard to rise through the ranks and be cleared to do all the different knight spots in the show. It was exhausting and very trying to my body, but it was also a labor of love. This is certainly the most fun job I have ever had, and, even after earning my B.A. in the theatre arts, I had to keep going because I love it so much. Even now, as I try to shift my career focus over to writing, I plan to continue with Medieval as a fun side job.<br /><br />La Libertad: What else would you like to tell our readers about your experience as a Knight in Medieval Times?<br /><br />Philip: I absolutely love it! It has given me many wonderful stories throughout the years, and has definitely opened doors for me that might have otherwise remained closed.<br /><br />La Libertad: Where did you get the idea for your new novel, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Best-Laid-Traps-Philip-Croix/dp/B0BW2QM42J" target="_blank">The Best Laid Traps</a></i>?<br /><br />Philip: Like the main character, I was bullied in school for being "the fat kid." I was reading <i><a href="https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/montecristo/summary/" target="_blank">The Count of Monte Cristo</a></i> for the umpteenth time, and thought, "If I had an immense fortune, how would I go about getting back at the people who'd bullied me?"<br /><br />La Libertad: What inspires you?<br /><br />Philip: Random thoughts pop into my head, and either I have gotten an idea for a new story, or another part of a current story has just been revealed. When these thoughts occur, it's kind of like being hypnotized because, all of the sudden, I'll come out of these musings, and have huge chunks of time missing. They say that writing is less of an act of creating everything in your stories, but rather watching what happens in your head, and writing the events down exactly as you saw them. I certainly agree!<br /><br />La Libertad: Do you have your next book in the works and, if so, what is it about?<br /><br />Philip: I do! It centers around the characters from L. Frank Baum's original novel...<i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wonderful-Wizard-Oz-Frank-Baum/dp/1495421864" target="_blank">The Wizard of Oz</a></i>. It takes place many years after the story, and paints a different picture of what happened at the end of L. Frank Baum's version. Instead of sending her home, Glinda traps Dorothy to keep her in stasis while she deals with a mysterious gloom or poisoning of the Land of Oz, stemming from the great wizard himself. Glinda disappears, and Dorothy finally breaks out and has to take up Glinda's mantle to try and put everything back to rights. It's kind of like <i>Wizard of Oz</i> meets <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1130884/reference/" target="_blank">Shutter Island</a></i>, and has been very exciting to write because it has so many huge twists and turns, and an ending that I think will blow your mind; at least, it did for me.<br /><br />La Libertad: What are your overall career goals?<br /><br />Philip: I hope to make writing my full time career because I have so many stories left to tell, and, hopefully, I can continue with Medieval as a fun side gig.<br /><br />La Libertad: What links would you like to share?<br /><br />Philip: To buy a copy of my book (paperback, ebook, or audiobook): <br /><br /><a href="https://a.co/d/5EyTaMi">https://a.co/d/5EyTaMi</a><br /><br />For more about me, or to come along, on my journey through social media:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Philip.Lacroix06">https://www.facebook.com/Philip.Lacroix06</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.instagram.com/philip.lacroix_">https://www.instagram.com/philip.lacroix_</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.philiplacroix.com">https://www.philiplacroix.com</a><br /><br />La Libertad: What else, if anything, would you like to tell our readers?<br /><br />Philip: Your time is your most valuable asset, and I would consider it a great honor if you came along with me on any or all of my adventures!</span></p><p><i> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Edited by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4279594/" target="_blank">William Mortensen Vaughan</a> <br /></span></i></p><p><i> </i></p>William Mortensen Vaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07127777714383184117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-8180557229555394392023-02-03T07:53:00.008-08:002023-02-05T16:48:06.176-08:00Interview With Author Cary G. Herwig<p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i></i></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUF1zRkSJMUkKclONp50OVvuZ8oOB2RZloRcP-_yJttNpyPQI9ErRerX5kbweRmGUBCaJbyMDlf2yRQULQPhpHQNy5RhGi9veVjMVrZYuDl9u90_i4SfZEufxsT3hf2rN4wW-1fbRurdPPobkPXQ08fRRhIGCOyp5N8BWeq45YIIvIDVdqQPeQjv3Pg/s679/headshot-Cary.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="511" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUF1zRkSJMUkKclONp50OVvuZ8oOB2RZloRcP-_yJttNpyPQI9ErRerX5kbweRmGUBCaJbyMDlf2yRQULQPhpHQNy5RhGi9veVjMVrZYuDl9u90_i4SfZEufxsT3hf2rN4wW-1fbRurdPPobkPXQ08fRRhIGCOyp5N8BWeq45YIIvIDVdqQPeQjv3Pg/s320/headshot-Cary.png" width="241" /></a></div>According to Cary, William Bernhardt referred her to us. She tells us that her "latest middlegrade/YA [young adult] </i>novellas<i> are currently being published by...<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/willbern" target="_blank">Babylon Books</a>...and [that she is] a participant in his writing conferences." Furthermore, she informs us that Mr. Bernhardt "suggested that writers he publishes contact [us], responding to the following questions as a way to promote [their] work." She tells us that she "read the interview [we] did with him," that she "enjoyed it," and that she hopes that she's "not being presumptuous by sending" us these answers (as far as we're concerned, she's not)</i>:</span><p></p><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;">La Libertad: Where are you from?</span></span></span></p><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"> </span></span></span></p><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;">Cary: As an Army brat, I usually tell people I'm from everywhere. I
currently live in Oklahoma, for the second time.<span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span> </span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;">La Libertad: How did you get your start in writing?</span></span></span></p><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"> </span></span></span></p><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;">Cary: I have been a reader nearly all my life. Unlike many writers I
know, I didn't start writing when I was young. I even had trouble keeping a
diary. Turns out I am dyslexic... I was in my forties when I took my first writing
class. It turned into a writers group where I had my short stories critiqued.
Getting positive feedback kept me going. My first serious novel took years to
complete. After seven years of trying, I got an agent, and Ace Books ended up
publishing my first six novels. My first works were published under [the] name "Cary
Osborne." <span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span> </span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;">La Libertad: Of what accomplishment are you most proud?</span></span></span></p><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"></span></span></span></p><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"> </span></span></span></p><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;">Cary: I will always be proud of the Iroshi trilogy (my first three
books), but I am most proud of going back to school when I was sixty, and earning a Masters degree in Library Studies. After graduation, I became the Political
Papers Archivist at New Mexico State University.<span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span> </span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;">La Libertad: Where did you get the idea for your new novel.<span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"> </span></span></span></p><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;">Cary: The Army Brat Hauntings series is based on my growing up as an
Army brat. Each story is set in a different place [where] we lived, but I include
ghosts - not the friendly ghosts. These are demanding, if not threatening.<span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span> </span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;">La Lilbertad: Can we expect more?<span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"> </span></span></span></p><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;">Cary: At the moment, this series will be four books. The first was
released in August, last year, and the second book will be released in April. I'm
also working on a thriller series, based on being a congressional archivist and
set in Washington.</span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9XUQERvQy11tzwy_wjOhTT0q6lAHwrdXnaAzUyh3DsSEur9xN1DkAKuGPNd3q6TCloGkVyWb_I9HFuPt2Z2buWpi1DO72y9Ywp255flsTfS0XvfKC1izsIIikYZWl-lvmYPvU08fTY8m9cE9_V7AyFYP05OFz1_7DeDtPBVKnbcie8KU0hpYjmYOzyg/s723/cover-ghosts_daughter.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="723" data-original-width="457" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9XUQERvQy11tzwy_wjOhTT0q6lAHwrdXnaAzUyh3DsSEur9xN1DkAKuGPNd3q6TCloGkVyWb_I9HFuPt2Z2buWpi1DO72y9Ywp255flsTfS0XvfKC1izsIIikYZWl-lvmYPvU08fTY8m9cE9_V7AyFYP05OFz1_7DeDtPBVKnbcie8KU0hpYjmYOzyg/s320/cover-ghosts_daughter.png" width="202" /></a></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"><br /><span></span></span></span></span><p></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span> </span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;">La Libertad: What inspires you?<span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"> </span></span></span></p><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;">Cary: The art of story telling.<span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span> </span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;">La Libertad: What are your overall career goals?<span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"> </span></span></span></p><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;">Cary: I intend to keep writing, hoping to improve with each book. I
love the act of writing.<span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span> </span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;">La Libertad: What links would you like to share?</span></span></span></p><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span> </span></span></span></span></p><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span>Cary:</span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"> </span></span></span></p><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Cary-G.-Osborne/author/B00S7JISO6" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Cary-G.-Osborne/author/B00S7JISO6</a><span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span> </span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Cary-Herwig/author/B0BC2DZC2G" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Cary-Herwig/author/B0BC2DZC2G</a><span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span> </span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;">La Libertad: What else, if anything, would you like to tell our readers?<span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;"> </span></span></span></p><p class="yiv4489727717MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #050505;">Cary: I am currently redoing my author newsletter, as the first
provider cancelled their service. I'm a passionate writer, and some of my ideas
are a bit unusual, and eclectic. I've written science fiction, fantasy, mysteries,
young adult, scholarly articles, and for newspapers. Short and long, I love 'em
all.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Introduction and editing by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4279594/" target="_blank">William Mortensen Vaughan</a></i></span> <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p>William Mortensen Vaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07127777714383184117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-74163830618283049102023-01-27T18:30:00.003-08:002023-01-27T18:35:21.744-08:00Interview With Author William Bernhardt<p><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTDpVmKawjQopyL3BtCBjqV4D6cWodaFas0ocGNArGYERDyEuX0xtKybhePQije_UCAnHnIPFUPdNYBU7v_9oMXqsOKyO1BCeK6h84gwgJyVg3CMAyfuBNXDk3TR09kf4TuaLKZtGspFG7yDWstAsG0WV0kewwEYr-OKvkb4lAPhSrLVYwAeWJIVzdw/s510/headshot-William%20Bernhardt.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="508" data-original-width="510" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTDpVmKawjQopyL3BtCBjqV4D6cWodaFas0ocGNArGYERDyEuX0xtKybhePQije_UCAnHnIPFUPdNYBU7v_9oMXqsOKyO1BCeK6h84gwgJyVg3CMAyfuBNXDk3TR09kf4TuaLKZtGspFG7yDWstAsG0WV0kewwEYr-OKvkb4lAPhSrLVYwAeWJIVzdw/s320/headshot-William%20Bernhardt.png" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><i>Josh Mitchell asked William to answer these questions for an interview in </i>La Libertad Magazine:</span></span><p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>La Libertad: Where are you from?<br /><br />William: <a href="https://oklahoma.gov/" target="_blank">Oklahoma</a>.<br /><br />La Libertad: How did you get your start in writing?<br /><br />William: All I ever wanted to be was a writer. I grew up loving books and words and language. But I lived in a small, Oklahoma town, with no writers, much less writing programs, so it was a struggle. I eventually got there, but this is why I’ve devoted so much energy to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/113141678727273/" target="_blank">WriterCon</a> programs; I’m trying to make the journey a little easier for the next generation of aspiring writers.<br /><br />La Libertad: Of what accomplishment are you most proud?<br /><br />William: I have six children, all of them artistic, and all successful. They are the joy of my life.<br /><br />La Libertad: Where did you get the idea for your new novel <i><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-florentine-poet-william-bernhardt/1142896882" target="_blank">The Florentine Poet</a></i>?<br /><br />William: I wanted to take a break from the legal thrillers, and</span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_yHjlTaS4e3SSlAL3iE3VYloldgH_iGrJiWSxg_MLvdyoTpOTWSb-Yit-feOTsfzdwmshfAl-06MHszHzEW1pIQaJCBzMe8gWaJ-iARJnmypFcX-73GPY_MCGGbKBYEBLu4-MNYI6ZyLa2gM1A7-IQlrPzszNdakXTxKZuYwvG0dGtlOASWSqxmknIQ/s583/cover-The%20Florentine%20Poet.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="361" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_yHjlTaS4e3SSlAL3iE3VYloldgH_iGrJiWSxg_MLvdyoTpOTWSb-Yit-feOTsfzdwmshfAl-06MHszHzEW1pIQaJCBzMe8gWaJ-iARJnmypFcX-73GPY_MCGGbKBYEBLu4-MNYI6ZyLa2gM1A7-IQlrPzszNdakXTxKZuYwvG0dGtlOASWSqxmknIQ/s320/cover-The%20Florentine%20Poet.png" width="198" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /> write about what matters to me most: art, literature, family, love, and what it means to be an artist. And to my happy surprise, critics are saying it's the best book I've ever written.<br /><br />La Libertad: Can we expect more from the <a href="https://www.fictiondb.com/series/daniel-pike-william-bernhardt~58687.htm" target="_blank">Daniel Pike series</a>?<br /><br />William: Funny you should ask! I'm working on a book that pairs my two most successful lawyer characters: Ben Kincaid, lead character in nineteen of my novels; and my more recent creation, Daniel Pike, lead character in six novels. It's like a literary version of a <a href="https://www.marvel.com" target="_blank">Marvel</a> team-up. I'm having a lot of fun writing about these two very different men trying to work together. <br /><br />La Libertad: What inspires you?<br /><br />William: A good story.<br /><br />La Libertad: What are you most looking forward to at <a href="https://festival.sundance.org/program/films/" target="_blank">Sundance 2023</a>?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf6-VucpVj7LxjjDcGqVwKzGqJTjnvimAfH0u0sB8XmDa6iM11KdgnGBornGivKTC0b9_Awcv3pkc5NJmWLQEBUGjhF8XP32WqWtOz9cXGJBnkMSeQ9YhZPXv0M_9q3bO4dSrsHYtynUbLmraPweSltJbH6N2GRl9KXtCiseCFjqcdeDt0bC0v-j0R0w/s536/William_Bernhardt-red-n-blue_snivel_gear.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf6-VucpVj7LxjjDcGqVwKzGqJTjnvimAfH0u0sB8XmDa6iM11KdgnGBornGivKTC0b9_Awcv3pkc5NJmWLQEBUGjhF8XP32WqWtOz9cXGJBnkMSeQ9YhZPXv0M_9q3bO4dSrsHYtynUbLmraPweSltJbH6N2GRl9KXtCiseCFjqcdeDt0bC0v-j0R0w/s320/William_Bernhardt-red-n-blue_snivel_gear.png" width="218" /></a></div>William: Seeing the movies! I loved <i><a href="https://www.theverge.com/23568443/aliens-abducted-my-parents-and-now-i-feel-kinda-left-out-review-sundance-2023" target="_blank">Aliens Abducted My Parents</a></i>!<br /><br />La Libertad: What are your overall career goals?<br /><br />William: More writing! I'm just getting started! I want to write more and better, and I want to continue mentoring and publishing other writers. I know how fortunate I am to have this life in the arts, and I cherish every day of it.<br /> <br />La Libertad: What links would you like to share?<br /><br />William: To learn more about me: <br /><br /><a href="http://www.williambernhardt.com">www.williambernhardt.com</a> <br /><br />To learn more about the programs I host for writers and aspiring writers: <br /><br />www.writercon.com</span></span><p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>[NOTE: As of January 27, 2023, the above link leads to a webpage which indicates that "This account has been suspended."]<br /><br />La Libertad: What else, if anything, would you like to tell our readers?<br /><br />William: The most important element to a successful writing </span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiXipYQRfu_f8Vthy_S0G6f-Xyb4fZWr0vM18AS4bXfHGXGIlEQH9BoSs1l1zLQh3vU8nz71tMXRwqEKWp620Bi51UfGdqFPT3JFpEGA8zdd1R_ddVjlYB1NAj76N6c5zZ4V9vQZGr92EhnjQT-HqlZgYgMdToooM93L2u8fhLAzjEgBRgAMklz0nI-g/s415/William_Bernhardt-left_hand.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="311" data-original-width="415" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiXipYQRfu_f8Vthy_S0G6f-Xyb4fZWr0vM18AS4bXfHGXGIlEQH9BoSs1l1zLQh3vU8nz71tMXRwqEKWp620Bi51UfGdqFPT3JFpEGA8zdd1R_ddVjlYB1NAj76N6c5zZ4V9vQZGr92EhnjQT-HqlZgYgMdToooM93L2u8fhLAzjEgBRgAMklz0nI-g/s320/William_Bernhardt-left_hand.png" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />career is perseverance. No writing career ever happened overnight. You will probably face a lot of rejection before you find your path. That’s natural and part of the process, so don’t let it worry you. As I say at the end of each episode of the WriterCon podcast, “You cannot fail if you refuse to quit.”</span></span><p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Introduction and editing by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4279594/" target="_blank">William Mortensen Vaughan</a></i></span><br /><br /></span></span></span></p>William Mortensen Vaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07127777714383184117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-72206946538878731392023-01-27T17:46:00.003-08:002023-01-27T18:00:12.558-08:00Interview With Comedian Barry Friedman<p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4I652d-ICx31icvPxbCUNuArmy_xxLYxB7W6CaJuKiuWjErtBS6eFySK17OQBpCKdRtebaRNr5-ULqbM2HEv64XSxdNTT8832S3urbGKArIyq12e20Ph_SDgbbX9VmIUYwFcpp-yGpvLW5NjoWh_45KPPQocoLcHlZoLOWQHfy7AEHskuc9jC4oyXKg/s630/headshot-Barry_Friedman.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="630" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4I652d-ICx31icvPxbCUNuArmy_xxLYxB7W6CaJuKiuWjErtBS6eFySK17OQBpCKdRtebaRNr5-ULqbM2HEv64XSxdNTT8832S3urbGKArIyq12e20Ph_SDgbbX9VmIUYwFcpp-yGpvLW5NjoWh_45KPPQocoLcHlZoLOWQHfy7AEHskuc9jC4oyXKg/s320/headshot-Barry_Friedman.png" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><i>Barry told us that <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/wickidpissafilms" target="_blank">Josh Mitchell</a> asked him to send us his answers to the following questions</i>:</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">La Libertad: Where are you from?<br /><br />Barry: <a href="https://www.nyc.gov/" target="_blank">New York</a> — spent most of my time in Long Island. Think Kevin in “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094582/reference/" target="_blank">The Wonder Years</a>.” He had a father, Jack; he had a brother, Wayne. So do I. No Winnie Cooper, though, who I’m convinced would have changed my life’s trajectory.<br /><br />La Libertad: How did you get your start in comedy?<br /><br />Barry: What’s that great <a href="https://twitter.com/TheSlyStallone" target="_blank">Sylvester Stallone</a> line in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075148/reference/" target="_blank"><i>Rocky</i></a>? “Because I couldn’t sing or dance”? Actually, I was on an interstate in <a href="https://www.cityoftulsa.org/" target="_blank">Tulsa</a>, <a href="https://oklahoma.gov/" target="_blank">Oklahoma</a>, and saw a message board on the highway for a comedy contest at a local hotel. First prize $100... I entered; I won. Next week, same thing! I won again. I then decided to head to a comedy club, and to an "Open Mic Night," and see if this would actually, like medicine, "take." It did; thirty-two years later, I am still doing it - still almost make a living at it, too.<br /><br />La Libertad: What would you like to tell our readers about your</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7uZdP6js_YEImpbqT7i2LckRyFVkfD7XBloYUaMQZUPLYFwFh-GjmGAfUruLfr1mYpZ8SlBo_CjYwKZrli7hTlegOvVx0iDVCjcHtOgZIBg7jLF1t7gkpm2AV2LSuLZQol-U6hybJoCw9RgLBpzppHv4tGIwzIevGQjts_NQxmQUtOWZpfDMltcI8NQ/s279/Barry-Looney.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="279" data-original-width="188" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7uZdP6js_YEImpbqT7i2LckRyFVkfD7XBloYUaMQZUPLYFwFh-GjmGAfUruLfr1mYpZ8SlBo_CjYwKZrli7hTlegOvVx0iDVCjcHtOgZIBg7jLF1t7gkpm2AV2LSuLZQol-U6hybJoCw9RgLBpzppHv4tGIwzIevGQjts_NQxmQUtOWZpfDMltcI8NQ/s1600/Barry-Looney.png" width="188" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /> latest book, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jack-sh-t-barry-friedman/1142836183" target="_blank"><i>Jack Sh*t</i></a>?<br /><br />Barry: It’s a book about my father and me — the three volumes will be — over the past twenty years. First, when he lived in <a href="https://www.visitlasvegas.com/" target="_blank">Las Vegas</a>, after my mom/his wife died, and then, in Tulsa, where I live, and [to] where, according to him, I “dragged him.” It’s about fathers and sons, generally, but capturing every moment with him I could, specifically, which meant meals at half-priced buffets that he snuck into, and visits to the V.A. [<a href="https://www.va.gov/" target="_blank">Veterans' Administration</a>], and taking him on the road with me, when I did comedy. It’s a series of conversations with each other, mostly, but also with relatives, and siblings, and waitresses who didn’t understand just how dark he wanted the white bread toasted.<br /><br />La Libertad: What's the craziest thing you remember about your father?<br /><br />Barry: He used to say about people who died in their eighties - nineties, “They weren’t cut short. They had a life. They did all right.” He did, too. He died at ninety-six. So, to [answer] your question: His energy - his ability to wring out of life all he could - even his inappropriateness. Once, I saw him talking to two women in a casino. They were in their forties, I imagine. When I approached, we all talked for a little, and then the women left. <br /><br />“Who were they?” I asked him. <br /><br />"Oh, just some women I met,” he replied. "I think the big one wants me.” He was ninety at the time.<br /><br />La Libertad: What inspires you?<br /><br />Barry: Smiles, possibilities, articulate people, intelligence, wit, courage, and just the very nature that I get to do this — writing and comedy. It’s a blessing. And I don’t use that word much. <br /><br />La Libertad: What are you most looking forward to in 2023?<br /><br />Barry: An <a href="https://www.oscars.org/" target="_blank">Academy Award</a> and continued low P.S.A. [prostate-specific antigen] readings.<br /><br />La Libertad: What are your overall career goals?<br /><br />Barry: I’d like this book (or something else I write, or have written) to make an impression outside of "my world." I’m not supposed to care about external validation, especially as I get older, but I do. It’s what <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000059/" target="_blank">Olivier</a> said when asked why he still acted: “The same reason every actor does: Love me, love me, love me!” <br /><br />La Libertad: Of what accomplishment are you most proud?<br /><br />Barry: Now that you’re asking, I think maybe escorting my father through the last twenty years of his life. </span></span><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">And my daughter still calls from time to time, and says, “Dad, I got a question.” And she asks because she’s reasonably certain I’ll have an answer for her. Or maybe she asks because she knows it makes me feel good when she does. I’ll take either explanation.<br /><br />La Libertad: What links would you like to share?<br /><br />Barry:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /> <a href="http://barrysfriedman.com">barrysfriedman.com</a><br /> <a href="http://friedmanoftheplains.com">friedmanoftheplains.com</a><br /> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Barry-Friedman/e/B001K7NAVI">www.amazon.com/Barry-Friedman/e/B001K7NAVI</a><br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUO_4XrzRU0qEAn_hviOGjc_rPMiP5tfpw2DwpYj5qLv6_mwNzhtyXSMHYV6BIJ4__XweNiJGKSvbsNF0wDUXmvlRz34ErFovsuYpyvjGs9vC6pya9yvUVNqo3leW06hyCDvvJvcbYqhZ0HESyfB_ZOnZAvq2VECW0JIV2jfs0Ts0UV_QNfaFfcyqAQ/s631/Barry-n-Joe_Biden.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="630" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUO_4XrzRU0qEAn_hviOGjc_rPMiP5tfpw2DwpYj5qLv6_mwNzhtyXSMHYV6BIJ4__XweNiJGKSvbsNF0wDUXmvlRz34ErFovsuYpyvjGs9vC6pya9yvUVNqo3leW06hyCDvvJvcbYqhZ0HESyfB_ZOnZAvq2VECW0JIV2jfs0Ts0UV_QNfaFfcyqAQ/s320/Barry-n-Joe_Biden.png" width="319" /></a></span></span><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">[At left: Barry Friedman face-to-face with Joe Biden] </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">La Libertad: What else, if anything, would you like to tell our readers?<br /><br />Barry: I blog about my father, sure, but also about politics, the insanity of Oklahoma (where I live), and [I] channel <a href="https://www.wsj.com/news/author/peggy-noonan" target="_blank">Peggy Noonan</a> and <a href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/" target="_blank">Donald Trump</a> when the spirit moves me, which is quite often. I have written six books: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Road-Comic-Heartbreak-Triumph-Obsession/dp/1930709366" target="_blank"><i>Road Comic</i></a>; <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Funny-You-Should-Mention-Twisted/dp/1930709498" target="_blank"><i>Funny You Should Mention It</i></a>; <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Four-Days-Later-Barry-Friedman/dp/1948263440" target="_blank"><i>Four Days and a Year Later</i></a>; <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Joke-Was-Me-Comedians-Memoir/dp/1954871031" target="_blank"><i>The Joke Was on Me</i></a>; <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Jacob-Fishmans-Marriages-Barry-Friedman/dp/1087929938" target="_blank">Jacob Fishman’s Marriages</a></i>; and my latest, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Jack-Sh-Voluptuous-Concerns-Friedman-ebook/dp/B0BPYYG1M1" target="_blank"><i>Jack Sh*t: Voluptuous Bagels and other Concerns of Jack Friedman</i></a> (Volume One). And I also write for a geology magazine, the <a href="https://www.aapg.org/publications/news/explorer" target="_blank"><i>American Association of Petroleum Geologists’ Explorer</i></a>, which is probably not wise, because I hurt myself pumping my own gas.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Introduction and editing by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4279594/" target="_blank">William Mortensen Vaughan</a></span></i> <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p>William Mortensen Vaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07127777714383184117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-47721048126131909772023-01-21T17:20:00.003-08:002023-01-21T17:20:28.543-08:00Interview With Musician Beverly Perry<p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i></i></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPqaVJU12qlqt99aL-qDFUIi6zwaJPS1-bdJMl6wsrBWJ17mC2daLto2muIrmMMNO3ZRCQ0VFU4MGFnTp3yNnZ4isH3lgZuFaR-JJfNGS9RtP3mY3T1evQd6YUZSzLvIr-qPT4o2fNP7Rt3cuXn6OXE7SiF7nL1ubYPcAWu4npKYLitbnxTgwOd2Ewzw/s431/headshot.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="430" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPqaVJU12qlqt99aL-qDFUIi6zwaJPS1-bdJMl6wsrBWJ17mC2daLto2muIrmMMNO3ZRCQ0VFU4MGFnTp3yNnZ4isH3lgZuFaR-JJfNGS9RtP3mY3T1evQd6YUZSzLvIr-qPT4o2fNP7Rt3cuXn6OXE7SiF7nL1ubYPcAWu4npKYLitbnxTgwOd2Ewzw/s320/headshot.png" width="319" /></a></i></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Beverly told us that her "publicist forwarded [our] interview questions" to her, and she thanked us "for taking the time to learn about [her] project," "Incorrection." We thank her for her answers.</i><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">La Libertad: Where are you from? <br /><br />Beverly: I’m currently living in the <a href="https://dallascityhall.com/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">Dallas</a>, <a href="https://www.texas.gov/" target="_blank">Texas</a> area.<br /><br />La Libertad: How did you get your start in music? </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">Beverly: </span></span><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">My love of music came from extended family so my journey as a songwriter started in middle school. <br /><br />La Libertad: What would you like to tell our readers about your new documentary series, "Incorrection"? <br /><br />Beverly: Shaken by the near-death experience of my nephew, Sam, who was detained in solitary confinement, nearly eight months, during a mental health crisis, I set out on a two-year journey to expose the ugly truth behind the neglect, torture, and death of the unconvicted in <a href="https://www.usa.gov/" target="_blank">America</a>. <br /><br />This five-part series starts in <a href="https://www.lawtonok.gov/" target="_blank">Lawton</a>, an economically depressed, military town in southern <a href="https://oklahoma.gov/" target="_blank">Oklahoma</a>. "Incorrection" follows the story of twenty-one-year-old <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/aycockfree" target="_blank">Sam Aycock</a>, including numerous former jail detainees, family members, and jail staff, in this truth-is-stranger-than-fiction, limited, documentary series. Hundreds of hours of undercover audio, filmed interviews, eye-witness accounts and reports tell the story of the unbelievable plight of those trapped in the Oklahoma criminal justice system.<br /><br />As this gripping series expands beyond the state of Oklahoma, I discovered that too often it’s not a judge or jury who decide one’s fate; it’s jail administrators, corrections officers, and jail medical staff. It’s a guilt-by-accusation mentality where you can receive the death penalty for a bad check; mental illness is punishable by torture; and insulin is only for the lucky. <br /><br />"Incorrection" asks the glaring question: Why is there so little will to hold abusers accountable? <br /><br />Having never been arrested, I naively believed that in America, jail detainees had prompt legal representation, brief stays in jail, and were treated humanely. Through the filming of this series, I discovered that nothing could be further from the truth. When we allow human rights abuses to go unchecked, it erodes the safety and security of every law-abiding citizen, and destroys any chance of fairness in our criminal justice system.<br /><br />"Incorrection" is a resounding wake-up call for every American who values the ideals of truth, justice, fairness, and human dignity. <br /><br />La Libertad: What would you like to tell our readers about how<br /> The <a href="https://www.dallasmusicnetwork.com/" target="_blank">Dallas Music Network</a> started? <br /><br />Beverly: [The] Dallas Music Network was originally a way to help artists during the pandemic shut-downs. We were concerned about how artists were going to continue to connect to audiences during that time. Too many talented artists were leaving the profession altogether. A group of friends got together in March of 2020, and began to live-stream artists at no charge. Eventually, that led to the fully formed non-profit organization Dallas Music Network. Now, with fully produced films, we have helped more than five hundred artists and musicians with promotion, streaming, video assets, and </span></span><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vr1omuT2rs8z7zlpinBpO871n47dhIgh8CclSEcSxHeEDBuB604psd9TlOKl5L-naDryW0gqEE7g3kZqPdwfac7hh57Ygw-ZTFLN_ZW9ku_1Cf4ZonVoVFPZe_WYy_Fwz9eLEt17-kZSe6Mkd8OFaf_gIxH9GI1xOr2GAbyEbZsDNb9Lv3klVZnQnA/s634/goldfish-2%20Stage%20TV.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="630" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vr1omuT2rs8z7zlpinBpO871n47dhIgh8CclSEcSxHeEDBuB604psd9TlOKl5L-naDryW0gqEE7g3kZqPdwfac7hh57Ygw-ZTFLN_ZW9ku_1Cf4ZonVoVFPZe_WYy_Fwz9eLEt17-kZSe6Mkd8OFaf_gIxH9GI1xOr2GAbyEbZsDNb9Lv3klVZnQnA/s320/goldfish-2%20Stage%20TV.png" width="318" /></a></span></span><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">collaboration opportunities at no cost to the artist. In 2022, we have already exceeded three million collective streams. All of Dallas Music Network productions are available, on demand, on the independent film and music "app," [application] <a href="https://twostagetv.com/" target="_blank">Two Stage TV</a>. Two Stage TV is available to download, FREE, on all major TV streaming devices, including <a href="https://tv.apple.com/" target="_blank">Apple TV</a>, <a href="https://www.roku.com" target="_blank">Roku Player</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/fire-tv/" target="_blank">Amazon Fire TV</a>, <a href="https://www.android.com/tv/" target="_blank">Android TV</a> and <a href="https://www.bestbuy.com/site/shop/internet-tv" target="_blank">Internet TV</a>. The app is also available, FREE, in <a href="https://play.google.com/store/" target="_blank">Google Play</a> and <a href="https://www.apple.com/app-store/" target="_blank">Apple App</a> stores for mobile devices. <br /><br />La Libertad: What inspires you? <br /><br />Beverly: People who endure hardship to make a real difference [in] the world inspire me. I’m fascinated by the go-getters and the do-gooders who overcome obstacles. <br /><br />La Libertad: What are you most looking forward to at <a href="https://festival.sundance.org/program/films/" target="_blank">Sundance 2023</a>? <br /><br />Beverly: This will be my first trip to Sundance. My goal is to soak in the creative energy, meet people in the industry, and, hopefully, come away with fresh, new ideas. And, of course, I want to create momentum for the new documentary series, "Incorrection," which launches, in its entirety, in early spring, 2023. It has been a labor of love. <br /><br />La Libertad: Of what accomplishment are you most proud? <br /><br />Beverly: I’ve always had the ability [to create] something out of nothing. My dad abandoned the family when I was two. My mother was a twenty-two-year-old, single mother of two, with no financial support. She made it work. I have that same grit. Dinner was sometimes <a href="https://www.wonderbread.com/" target="_blank">Wonder Bread</a> and hotdogs, when I was a kid, but we had dinner. Like her, I can make something out of nothing. I’ve done it over and over again, in my life. Sometimes, it’s a song. Sometimes, it’s simply learning something new. And, sometimes, it’s pushing to be heard when the topic really matters. Accomplishment, for me, is not some milestone I hit, or major success of a project. It’s my grit to continue. That is what I am most proud of. <br /><br />La Libertad: What are your overall career goals?<br /><br />Beverly: My goals are more about what good I can do, what change I can make in the world, in my community, in someone’s life... I’m not looking for a job or a career. I’m looking to live a life that matters. <br /><br />La Libertad: What links would you like to share?<br /><br /><br />Beverly: <br /><br /><a href="http://www.theincorrection.com">www.theincorrection.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.dallasmusicnetwork.com">www.dallasmusicnetwork.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.twostagetv.com">www.twostagetv.com</a><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/theincorrection/">https://www.facebook.com/theincorrection</a><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DMNMusicNetwork/">https://www.facebook.com/DMNMusicNetwork</a><br /><br />La Libertad: What else, if anything, would you like to tell our readers?<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUfhZeDAhWKx_J5CGfUxYHtq11CDBlv0DXiksjhKsAskRuXaqXAy3CR4FG54qAhuKMLB2Z8Ajo_qCWV3CFddxdrobTPIGiw9ecrBzDtE-zzNV-umWF1wI3xVPEInaRN1efCryqELV0B04QKbxSxciNv-i7Bt2lR-fhnP6Hy7kFqNkv2ddRHednm9y0YQ/s511/T-5-21.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="241" data-original-width="511" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUfhZeDAhWKx_J5CGfUxYHtq11CDBlv0DXiksjhKsAskRuXaqXAy3CR4FG54qAhuKMLB2Z8Ajo_qCWV3CFddxdrobTPIGiw9ecrBzDtE-zzNV-umWF1wI3xVPEInaRN1efCryqELV0B04QKbxSxciNv-i7Bt2lR-fhnP6Hy7kFqNkv2ddRHednm9y0YQ/s320/T-5-21.png" width="320" /></a></span></span><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;">Beverly: One of my projects is Two Stage TV. It’s a FREE, TV streaming channel that I created for independent film and music. It’s available for download on all major TV streaming devices. If any of your readers are interested in submitting content they can email twostagetv@gmail.com. It is not a revenue producing channel, at this stage, but it is worthwhile for creators to have a place to stage their quality content, for others to see. All of [the] Dallas Music Network productions are available on demand, and the "Incorrection" series will launch on the channel, this spring, as well. <br /><br />Artists can submit to appear on Dallas Music Network [at]:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.dallasmusicnetwork.com/apply">https://www.dallasmusicnetwork.com/apply</a> <br /><br />For more information on the "Incorrection" series, email info@theincorrection.com.<br /><br />Thank you for giving me the opportunity to tell your readers about these important projects. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Interview edited with introduction by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4279594/" target="_blank">William Mortensen Vaughan</a></i></span><br /></span></span></p>William Mortensen Vaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07127777714383184117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-966155183301389302023-01-14T18:10:00.000-08:002023-01-14T18:10:01.590-08:00Interview With Author Kathy L. Murphy<p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGiqZIECFHodCc6trjRgRDsvyrQK8OqsuG2bHkiKLM-MXHPVq8BSdtPz3g6Fs8Lq4Y_aquYNWOvFpRK98ra-x4CSIbjmKHd3rY8g0myjTQuAoLgzZTesxV4Ftl4Pc4aZ7AtrcJ-KOIjL9NxpId4ictvnn0VLF7oyHgnw7X3cIXRMqEU0IkdUL_cbpXg/s630/Kathy%20and%20Heidi.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="630" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGiqZIECFHodCc6trjRgRDsvyrQK8OqsuG2bHkiKLM-MXHPVq8BSdtPz3g6Fs8Lq4Y_aquYNWOvFpRK98ra-x4CSIbjmKHd3rY8g0myjTQuAoLgzZTesxV4Ftl4Pc4aZ7AtrcJ-KOIjL9NxpId4ictvnn0VLF7oyHgnw7X3cIXRMqEU0IkdUL_cbpXg/s320/Kathy%20and%20Heidi.png" width="320" /></a></i></div><i>Kathy introduced herself to us as "the Queen of Pulpwood." She also
provided us with a picture of herself and Heidi (at left), and several pictures of her paintings, and a book
cover," as well as the following answers to our questions:</i><p></p><p><i> </i>La Libertad: Where are you from? <br /><br />Kathy: I was born and raised in a small rural <br />town, Eureka, Kansas, in the Flinthills of Kansas. <br /><br /> Since 1987, I have lived in East Texas - Holly <br />Lake Ranch, and, for the past ten years, have lived <br />in a cabin, deep in the piney woods that I call Murphy's Law.<br /><br />La Libertad: How did you start your prolific <br />book club? <br /><br />Kathy: At the beginning of the new millennium, January 18, 2000, I opened the first Hair Salon/Book Store in the country, Beauty and the Book, in historic Jefferson, Texas. From the get-go, this new endeavor was instantly hit by both print and media attention, including a feature in then <a href="https://www.jgrisham.com/" target="_blank">John Grisham</a>'s magazine, <a href="https://oxfordamerican.org/" target="_blank"><i>Oxford American</i></a>, titled "Hairdresser to the Authors." The local book club then called me and invited me to join their next meeting. I arrived at [a] southern plantation home, for a four-course luncheon, followed by cordials, in the front sitting room, and book club discussion. I had miraculously read the book and, at the end of the meeting, inquired what our next read would be. The <br />hostess jumped from her seat, grabbed me by the elbow and directly led me out into the galley in her home. She told me in a whisper, "I am so sorry, Kathy, we did not invite you to join our book club. We invited you only to be a guest. Unless somebody dies or moves away, only eight can be in our book club." </p><p>I was horrified and more than embarrassed; it was kind of my <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1567113/" target="_blank">Jessica Chastain</a> moment, in the film <br />"The Help." I quickly excused myself and drove home.<br /><br />As I was driving, I thought, who made up that rule - that only eight could be in a book club. I made nine as a guest and we all fit around her table. I thought I would start my own book club, where everybody is welcome to join. I started <a href="https://www.thepulpwoodqueens.com/" target="_blank">The Pulpwood Queens of East Texas Book Club</a>, with eight complete strangers that grew into [more than] one hundred by the time we were featured [with] <a href="https://twitter.com/dianesawyer?lang=en" target="_blank">Diane Sawyer</a> and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0316889/" target="_blank">Charlie Gibson</a>, on "<a href="https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/" target="_blank">Good Morning America</a>." I read, select, and pick all my official books. The first time we were featured on the <a href="https://abc.com/" target="_blank">ABC</a> show, I announced our read was "The Absence of Nectar" by <a href="https://www.kathyhepinstallparks.com/about" target="_blank">Kathy Hepinstall</a>. <br /><br />Then I was invited back to kick off their READ THIS Book Club, and announced our new official read, "The Dive from Clausen's Pier" by <a href="https://annpacker.com/" target="_blank">Ann Packer</a>. By then, twelve chapters spread out, throughout the ArkLaTexas [Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, and/or Oklahoma]. I was driving to all the chapters in my d*** minivan. Then I was asked if author Mark Lee and Mary McNamarra of the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/" target="_blank">Los Angeles Times</a> could ride along with me. <br /><br />The feature titled "<a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-jul-20-ca-mcnamara20-story.html" target="_blank">The Tastemakers</a>" was featured on the front cover of that Sunday edition, with a full color, double page spread inside to boot. <br /><br />Now the International Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys Book Club READING NATION has [more than] eight hundred chapters...with thousands of members...in [more than twenty] countries. Now, almost twenty-three years later, we are the largest "meeting and discussing" book club in the world, that brings our authors into the book club discussion at every meeting. At the end of each year, we host our International Book Club Convention, that we call Girlfriend Weekend; January 13 - 15, 2023, we will have our "Over the Moon" themed event, with our authors and book club members [on] <a href="https://www.ameliaisland.com/" target="_blank">Amelia Island</a>, Florida. <br /><br />Our motto is "where TIARAS are mandatory and reading our good books is the ONLY RULE"! Our <br />sole mission is to promote the arts, authors, books, literacy, and reading, and all while showing that reading is the best entertainment in the world. We are not your mama's book club; we make reading Big Time Fun! You have to attend our book club convention, as seeing it is believing it!<br /><br />La Libertad: Of what accomplishment are you most proud?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-s0TArEaNMpo3qqcObs6ovo2LcqovH_6pWOOhoPhR586egq_Wb0q4elswd2p-MMedz0U4Ir_stUlfgnnN2Xg8OqFkJb6BtpxRJ_CRjZL7vg2urm24EAXOYef1Bg4DFOYmNGDzEsHz1S9AnB5aT8hXRrpR5pr9gZO2h1l88NXy__lz_yVj1_aEo-A9lA/s580/Raj.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="435" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-s0TArEaNMpo3qqcObs6ovo2LcqovH_6pWOOhoPhR586egq_Wb0q4elswd2p-MMedz0U4Ir_stUlfgnnN2Xg8OqFkJb6BtpxRJ_CRjZL7vg2urm24EAXOYef1Bg4DFOYmNGDzEsHz1S9AnB5aT8hXRrpR5pr9gZO2h1l88NXy__lz_yVj1_aEo-A9lA/s320/Raj.png" width="240" /></a> <br /><br />Kathy: It's really very simple, connecting readers with authors and authors with readers. <br /><br />As the kid that always had her nose in a book and her head in the clouds, I dreamed that one day we <br />could and would live in a better world if we were better educated, enlightened, and yes, entertained by becoming "real" readers. My greatest accomplishment is seeing my first time, first book, undiscovered authors get discovered in a big way, and, at the same time, I have made "book" friendships that are forever. My best friends are my authors and book club members. I have a pretty good record, too, for helping authors climb the bestselling charts and "option" their books for film, television, or streaming <br />services. Here are a few:<br /><br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.rebeccawellsbooks.com" target="_blank">Rebecca Wells</a>, <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0279778/" target="_blank">Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood</a></i> (our very first book that I helped get published by <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/" target="_blank">HarperCollins</a>) </li><li><a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0356061/" target="_blank">Ron Hall</a>, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Same-Kind-Different-As-Me/dp/084991910X" target="_blank">Same Kind of Different as Me<br /></a></i></li><li><a href="https://www.iamreginalouise.com/" target="_blank">Regina Louise</a>, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Somebodys-Someone-Regina-Louise/dp/1932841318" target="_blank">Somebody's Someone</a></i></li><li><a href="https://www.famousauthors.org/kathryn-stockett" target="_blank">Kathryn Stockett</a>, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Help-Kathryn-Stockett/dp/0425232204" target="_blank">The Help</a></i></li><li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/elizabeth_gilbert_writer/?hl=en" target="_blank">Elizabeth Gilbert</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Eat-Pray-Love-Everything-Indonesia/dp/0143038419" target="_blank"><i>Eat, Pray, Love</i></a></li><li><a href="https://www.charlesmartinbooks.com/" target="_blank">Charles Martin</a>, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mountain-Between-Us-Novel/dp/0767927028" target="_blank">The Mountain Between Us</a></i></li><li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/JeannetteWalls/" target="_blank">Jeannette Walls</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Glass-Castle-Memoir-Jeannette-Walls/dp/074324754X" target="_blank"><i>The Glass Castle</i></a></li></ul><p><br />[T]wo authors that broke the million-sold "glass ceiling" [are] <a href="https://lisawingate.com/" target="_blank">Lisa Wingate</a> of <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Before-We-Were-Yours-Novel/dp/0425284689" target="_blank">Before You Were <br />Ours</a></i> and <a href="https://jamieford.com/" target="_blank">Jamie Ford</a>, (former co-host of my Girlfriend Weekend), of "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hotel-Corner-Bitter-Sweet-Jamie/dp/0345505344" target="_blank"><i>Hotel on the Corner of Bitter <br />and Sweet</i></a>.<br /><br />And many, many more! <br /><br />I think all my book club selections should go to the screen, because every book I read visually and select is a remarkable story. It's all about the story!<br /><br /><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Same-Kind-Different-As-Me/dp/084991910X" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY8hIxMiglCKu-G9O1XTWsiK-l6gu7vZE8rzhwQTvW6hyj0b5pZBWNkDKIrNi_05uxFtPDz1p3ReorBp1mMtVdKtDFAJNJshZeXPtheGwKyQPZoztzOjnxoik0x_usCUvD4Sq56ZHZxBn8_gcgbyzb44H3T9azEf7NH0VOLTyhe_LzT7KoW4LullLzgA/s838/Dreaming%20of%20Italy.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="630" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY8hIxMiglCKu-G9O1XTWsiK-l6gu7vZE8rzhwQTvW6hyj0b5pZBWNkDKIrNi_05uxFtPDz1p3ReorBp1mMtVdKtDFAJNJshZeXPtheGwKyQPZoztzOjnxoik0x_usCUvD4Sq56ZHZxBn8_gcgbyzb44H3T9azEf7NH0VOLTyhe_LzT7KoW4LullLzgA/s320/Dreaming%20of%20Italy.png" width="241" /></a></i>La Libertad: How did you get the nickname "The Pulpwood Queen"? <br /> <br />Kathy: Living in Jefferson, Texas for nearly twenty-five years, I crowned myself The Pulpwood Queen, as don't all women deserve the crown? </p><p>Pulpwood was the industry of the area, fast growing pine, cut in our forests for the local International Paper plant located there. People always laugh when I say I am the Pulpwood Queen, and, actually, was the first woman to win the International Paper Woodlands competition of chainsaw and crosscut saw. My now ex-husband's whole family was in the pulpwood and timber business. AND Pulpwood Queen production is found in every State in the United States and throughout the world. We have never discriminated against anyone who wants to join our book club; membership is free to readers. My ex-husband came up with Timber Guys for the men who joined our book club; most are authors. Then we have husbands who are as big of readers as we are too. <br /><br />La Libertad: What would you like to tell our readers about your latest novel and its companion <br />sequels?<br /><br />Kathy: I have never written a novel - not yet, but I will.</p><p>My first book was a memoir, and I was contacted by a publisher to write the story, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pulpwood-Queens-Tiara-Wearing-Book-Sharing-Guide/dp/0446695424" target="_blank"><i>The Pulpwood <br />Queen's Tiara Wearing, Book Sharing Guide to Life</i></a>, originally published by <a href="https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/" target="_blank">Grand Central Publishing</a>, a memoir of how reading saved me and my life story of promoting reading. The latest edition is now published by me, Kathy L. Murphy, and, after my divorce, my book was "optioned" for a book to film at <a href="https://www.dreamworks.com/" target="_blank">DreamWorks</a>. The second book was <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pulpwood-Queens-Celebrate-20-Years/dp/1733054332" target="_blank"><i>The Pulpwood Queen Celebrates 20 Years</i></a>, edited by <a href="https://susancushman.com/" target="_blank">Susan Cushman</a>, an anthology of Pulpwood Queen authors and book club writers to celebrate our twenty years of reading all together. My third book was <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Work-Progress-Mandy-Haynes/dp/1733467572" target="_blank"><i>Work in Progress</i></a>, edited by <a href="https://mandyhaynes.com/" target="_blank">Mandy Haynes</a>, another anthology of stories by my authors. I am currently working on <i>The Pulpwood Queen Goes Back to School</i>, which I did both literally and figuratively, too - hopefully being released in 2024. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBtTYHEWUsihb0Ep2YclmXnXXVZ-Uj2bUqHhCa4CPu-cisbVCf7mCDjkdWAA4CHTH_cpqiHFpuV4ugfnKnF-1KMXz9FqdPtBVj-fIDSxhH9q5SEV9XtxsDt8o2F_Ahf4zQ_qMTyiHCoNKxDMXb_3wGOB528TZgdmxkZDjxIEpDS0v7a3g-8C6GQWyjg/s512/Darlings.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="341" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBtTYHEWUsihb0Ep2YclmXnXXVZ-Uj2bUqHhCa4CPu-cisbVCf7mCDjkdWAA4CHTH_cpqiHFpuV4ugfnKnF-1KMXz9FqdPtBVj-fIDSxhH9q5SEV9XtxsDt8o2F_Ahf4zQ_qMTyiHCoNKxDMXb_3wGOB528TZgdmxkZDjxIEpDS0v7a3g-8C6GQWyjg/s320/Darlings.png" width="213" /></a>La Libertad: What inspires you? <br /><br />Kathy: The story has to be one like the Atticus Finch character, to paraphrase from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kill-Mockingbird-Harper-Lee/dp/0446310786" target="_blank"><i>To Kill a Mockingbird</i></a> by <a href="https://www.biography.com/writer/harper-lee" target="_blank">Harper Lee</a>, my favorite book, "You need to walk in another man's shoes to understand their story. My inspiration is a story that I have never heard of before - a new perspective. Everything in life is all about being in conversation, telling a story. We are the only animal on the planet that shares our stories; it is what makes us human and more humane. Authors are my heroes, big time.<br /><br />La Libertad: What are you most looking forward to, at <a href="https://festival.sundance.org/program/films/" target="_blank">Sundance 2023</a>? <br /><br />Kathy: Besides reading, I am the biggest film buff in the world. My mother set me on that path as she was a Speech and Drama major in college, and left to seek stardom in Hollywood. It did not happen. The best times of my very dysfunctional family life (read my book) was watching films on our <a href="https://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=128758" target="_blank">Curtis-Mathes</a> television, or going to the Princess Theater, and [the] Highway 54 Drive-In. My Aunt Mabel Brown ran the ticket booth at both. The biggest night of the year was watching <a href="https://www.oscars.org/" target="_blank">The Academy Awards</a>. <br /><br />During CoViD, I had a hard time concentrating, so isolated in my cabin that I got lost in films and discovered I thought I had seen everything. I watched all the independent films I [could] and discovered Bollywood, then Tollywood, Pollywood, and beyond. I started with a Book and Film Club <br />and The Pulpwood Queen SHAH RUKH KHAN Friends and Film Club that has exploded. My book club has members from all over the world and [is] now getting ready to go to India. I have crowned a <br />Pulpwood Queen of Jaipur, and she is even going to teach me Hindi. It's all about the story, and it continues. <br /><br />I download all my <a href="https://zoom.us/" target="_blank">Zoom</a> meetings with our authors, our film club discussions, and even our book club <br />convention, and more, on my/The Pulpwood Queen Channel on <a href="https://www.YouTube.com">YouTube.com</a>.<br /><br />First time ever to Sundance so pretty pumped - another dream of a lifetime to fulfill! No stranger to film festivals as I have been featured at several of them, including winning the Audience Choice Award for my first documentary, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2182870/" target="_blank"><i>For the Love of Books</i></a> by documentary filmmaker <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5084254/" target="_blank">William Torgerson</a> at The <a href="https://www.filmfestivals.com/festival/phenom_film_fest" target="_blank">International Phenom Film Festival</a> in Shreveport/Bossier City, Louisiana. My book club is currently featured in the documentary, The Bookkeepers by filmmaker <a href="https://www.philwall.film/" target="_blank">Phil Wall</a>, featuring his father, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11583586/" target="_blank">Dick Wall</a>, going on his mother's book tour, as she passed away, from cancer, right before publication of her book, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mister-Owitas-Guide-Gardening-Unexpected/dp/0399157980" target="_blank">Mister Owita's Guide to Gardening</a></i> by <a href="https://charlestoncitypaper.com/2015/08/19/carol-wall-grapples-with-the-cancer-that-eventually-takes-her-life-in-mr-owitas-guide-to-gardening/" target="_blank">Carol Wall</a>. AND we are going to have filmmaker <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1697112/" target="_blank">Adam Green</a> and film crew cover our up and coming Girlfriend Weekend Book Club Convention for another documentary. As you can see, I am beyond excited about coming to this prestigious Sundance Film Festival.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFdFbrUTwhoBNmYdHoE1RLWP05uM49fp48m496GzVLOnbIc92DGXY0VPXmkotMQUSMxuOfgyamsl9osPhClodF1Ewe0YvqEz6SWx6LFuqDPKCp4-OkuWOU9vK709TDspo7XlaK2rO29DFAFHMSyAhsQdlVey99IW-eqx6RmEWHn5b_xK4WBpEjhjDozA/s582/Bollywood.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="437" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFdFbrUTwhoBNmYdHoE1RLWP05uM49fp48m496GzVLOnbIc92DGXY0VPXmkotMQUSMxuOfgyamsl9osPhClodF1Ewe0YvqEz6SWx6LFuqDPKCp4-OkuWOU9vK709TDspo7XlaK2rO29DFAFHMSyAhsQdlVey99IW-eqx6RmEWHn5b_xK4WBpEjhjDozA/s320/Bollywood.png" width="240" /></a>La Libertad: What are your overall career goals? <br /><br />Kathy: All my life I have searched for a career that has meaning, and finally found it when I founded my book club. I have a story to tell, and I want others to tell and share their stories,<br />too, whether book or film. My sole mission in life is to help others discover that a well told story <br />can help you find exactly where you should be in this world. For me, it's about sharing the stories.<br /><br />La Libertad: What links would you like to share? </p><p>Kathy: </p><p></p><div><a href="https://www.thepulpwoodqueens.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The International Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys Book Club – Starring the Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys</a></div><div><div style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/223072403301499" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">THE OFFICIAL International Pulpwood Queen and Timber Guy Book Club | Facebook</a><br /></div><div style="color: #222222;"><br /></div><div style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/387284864813136" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Pulpwood Queen Presents her Picks | Facebook</a><br /></div></div><div style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/636764944045801" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Pulpwood Queen SHAH RUKH KHAN Friends & Film Club | Facebook</a><br /></div><div style="color: #222222;"><br /></div><div style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://kathylmurphyart.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kathy L. Murphy Art – Kathy L. Murphy Artist (kathylmurphyart.com)</a><br /></div><div style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://shopvida.com/collections/Thepulpwoodqueen" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kathy L. Murphy's Custom Creations | VIDA (shopvida.com)</a></div><p>La Libertad: What else, if anything, would you like to tell our readers? <br /><br />Kathy: I was asked once in an interview by <a href="https://www.bobphillipscomedy.com/" target="_blank">Bob Phillips</a> of "<a href="https://texascountryreporter.com/" target="_blank">The Texas Country Reporter</a>" television show, that, if I died, how would I want to be remembered. <br /><br /> It made me cry because most people assume I would say something pertaining to promoting literacy and reading. Actually, what I said was even to my own surprise, "I want to be remembered for being a good mother." <br /><br />I have now two grown daughters that are voracious readers - strong women with big dreams just like <br />me. Now, I even have a grandson who is my heart of hearts. I come from a dysfunctional family, but one of storytellers. What I want readers to truly know is you can solve any problem you have in the world if you will just read, read, read. <br /><br />The late great <a href="https://patconroy.com/" target="_blank">Pat Conroy</a> and his wife, <a href="https://cassandrakingconroy.com/" target="_blank">Cassandra King Conroy</a> are my favorite authors' bodies of <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRFJ_kVMdGFCeH7nEUCL1EXV_ilalamFtupkmgdO9UM6eCL_bwH3ACgT9z3sH2VyczJeu8ta2D-6BB4pSMqz3-0v8eY-p-qSh8_E9Weqyl5YnTT0S8HM9v8_yaaE3N8fWc8t-HCf30ddY6QaR-5Gdl8jwCjyfKopBuVLpHjanAnHMOuUueAD1r_fLsg/s583/Rakesh.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="436" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRFJ_kVMdGFCeH7nEUCL1EXV_ilalamFtupkmgdO9UM6eCL_bwH3ACgT9z3sH2VyczJeu8ta2D-6BB4pSMqz3-0v8eY-p-qSh8_E9Weqyl5YnTT0S8HM9v8_yaaE3N8fWc8t-HCf30ddY6QaR-5Gdl8jwCjyfKopBuVLpHjanAnHMOuUueAD1r_fLsg/s320/Rakesh.png" width="239" /></a><br />work, and all their family of writers' stories, too. In fact, the Pat Conroy Literary Center is my charity of choice, and why I do a Pulpwood Queen fundraiser for this amazing organization that promotes literacy everyday in Beaufort, South Carolina. Create your mark in this world with your gifts and talents; then take action to make a difference in the world. I will never be rich monetarily; I can still dream. In the meantime I thank God every day that I am blessed with the good fortune of what I do. I am rich in life from knowing all my authors and readers and following my passions. Who could ask for anything more!?<br /><br />All my life, I really wanted to be an artist and, after a lifetime of supporting myself as a big time reading hairdresser, I completed my life goal after attending seven colleges and universities for [more than] forty-three years. Yes, in my sixties, I became a proud graduate of The University of Texas, in <br />Tyler, Texas with a B.F.A. [Bachelor of Fine Arts] in Fine Arts, a minor in Art History, <i>Magna Cum Laude</i>, too, no less. I walked the walk and I wear the ring! It's never too late to keep reaching for the stars and working hard for your dreams. It's all about the story!<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Art by Kathy L. Murphy</i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Introduction and editing by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4279594/" target="_blank">William Mortensen Vaughan</a></i></span><a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4279594/" target="_blank"><br /></a><br /></p>William Mortensen Vaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07127777714383184117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-11090199573837670632023-01-14T18:07:00.005-08:002023-01-14T18:07:47.433-08:00Interview With Author Tracy Lea Carnes<p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3egstHyrUFzngO_GV0_B9md_LKpJpAUICYtsmGrNmeEywvWzbRuExElr28DWQzrBbM1i1b8ChynbPVU_flV9jVU3EXrRMnYxpbfHYTrHub_KUmQuDpAp9is9KVWmKoXhO7kdo5dar9NEhr0COsTuRj5YR8KF4W2sY6sgWptLVJ1MKHtfvIp-27FOqg/s945/Darlings.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="630" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3egstHyrUFzngO_GV0_B9md_LKpJpAUICYtsmGrNmeEywvWzbRuExElr28DWQzrBbM1i1b8ChynbPVU_flV9jVU3EXrRMnYxpbfHYTrHub_KUmQuDpAp9is9KVWmKoXhO7kdo5dar9NEhr0COsTuRj5YR8KF4W2sY6sgWptLVJ1MKHtfvIp-27FOqg/s320/Darlings.png" width="213" /></a></i></div><i>Tracy introduced herself to us as the author of the novel, </i>The Darlings of Sundance<i>, and as a "storyteller" "out of the womb." Here are some stories she shared with us. <br /></i><p></p><p></p><p>La Libertad: Where are you from?<br /><br />Tracy: Shreveport, Louisiana.<br /><br />La Libertad: How did you get your start in writing?<br /><br />Tracy: I came out of the womb as a storyteller. I was telling all kinds of stories before I could even read or write. So, once I learned how to write, there wasn’t any stopping me! Of course I’ve taken classes and honed my craft since then.<br /><br />La Libertad: Of what accomplishment are you most proud?<br /><br />Tracy: Actually, writing a book and entertaining people with it. That makes me proud. It’s not easy writing a novel. Just typing the words “THE END” at its completion is a feat to be proud of. Seeing it displayed in a bookstore is even cooler.<br /><br />La Libertad: Where did you get the idea for your new novel <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-darlings-of-sundance-tracy-lea-carnes/1142890396" target="_blank"><i>The Darlings of Sundance</i></a>?<br /><br />Tracy: I had been going to <a href="https://festival.sundance.org/" target="_blank">Sundance</a>, for several years, with a unique and talented group of friends from L.A., New York, and even Canada. I thought Sundance would make an excellent setting for a book, and so I took all the stories and experiences I had at Sundance, and put them in a novel.<br /><br />La Libertad: What would you like to tell our readers about your latest television pilot script "Scrum Down"?<br /><br />Tracy: I am a big fan of club rugby, and I was introduced to it by one of my best friends, many years ago. I thought it would make for a good story, and so I followed this rag-tag group of men all over the country, chasing rugby. Then I teamed up with my friend <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1547579/" target="_blank">David Paterson</a> (screenwriter/producer <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0398808/reference/" target="_blank"><i>Bridge to Terabithia</i></a> and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1226766/reference/" target="_blank"><i>The Great Gilly Hopkins</i></a>) to turn my experience into a well-honed T.V. script and story. It’s men’s rugby from a female perspective.<br /><br />La Libertad: What inspires you?<br /><br />Tracy: I can find a story in just about anything. People inspire me. Everyone has a story in them. I almost died when I was thirty, so finding the joy in everyday life became a priority for me. And my experiences seem to make for some good stories.<br /><br />La Libertad: What are you most looking forward to at Sundance 2023?<br /></p><p>Tracy: Seeing friends I haven’t seen in years; the hustle and bustle of Main Street; and the creative energy that seems to ooze out of every venue at Sundance. It’s a special place for me, and I have some of the best memories of my life there. I hope to create more of those memories this year. The swag doesn’t suck, either!<br /><br />La Libertad: What are your overall career goals?<br /></p><p>Tracy: For my writing to have purpose and meaning. I am a very visual writer, and I hope my stories can translate well to stage and screen.<br /><br />La Libertad: What links would you like to share?<br /><br />Tracy: </p><p><a href="https://tracyleacarnes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">tracylcarnes.com </a><br /></p><p><a href="http://thepulpwoodqueens.com">thepulpwoodqueens.com</a> </p><p><a href="http://ArcadyBayEnt.com">ArcadyBayEnt.com</a><br /><br />La Libertad: What else, if anything, would you like to tell our readers?<br /><br />Tracy: My friend, <a href="https://kathylmurphyart.com/" target="_blank">Kathy L. Murphy</a>, runs the biggest international book club in the world, The International Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys Reading Nation Book Club, and I not only appreciate her friendship, but I also appreciate her support of my writing. It was Kathy who picked my first novel for her club, thirteen years ago, and I’m back with my second novel now. Kathy is also a great artist, and she did the cover art [for] my new book. I think because she loves books so much, and reads every single word, that she captured the true essence of my main character for the cover. I think it looks fabulous.<br /><br />Thank you all so much!<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Introduction and editing by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4279594/" target="_blank">William Mortensen Vaughan</a></i></span><a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4279594/" target="_blank"><br /></a></p>William Mortensen Vaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07127777714383184117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-16766561861509389112022-10-04T06:22:00.002-07:002022-10-04T06:22:30.601-07:00Interview With Author Justine Johnston Hemmestad<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8tK_qiBv2fP-G1eIGRuMutRlGJsLt_MYl3QZJOTocvpSzw0-TpYlNL893YfoAj7vS4x9yb6KdrrdsPqph-T6Tjx1Ys2Q18Ep6fOAUkHglZIfgUtc2Hlk_EbL6dIJefV1qZYUbTadZ0mAbJkUrfWVuMFa6Q2taqgkRe6BxN7aeqQrQiNtWm67ZpQfDzw/s630/Justine%20Johnston%20Hemmestad.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="630" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8tK_qiBv2fP-G1eIGRuMutRlGJsLt_MYl3QZJOTocvpSzw0-TpYlNL893YfoAj7vS4x9yb6KdrrdsPqph-T6Tjx1Ys2Q18Ep6fOAUkHglZIfgUtc2Hlk_EbL6dIJefV1qZYUbTadZ0mAbJkUrfWVuMFa6Q2taqgkRe6BxN7aeqQrQiNtWm67ZpQfDzw/s320/Justine%20Johnston%20Hemmestad.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><i>Justine introduced herself to us as "a published author." She also provided us with a picture of herself and a picture of her "newest book cover," as well as the following answers to our questions:</i><br /><br />La Libertad: Where were you born?<br /><br />Justine: San Diego, California.<br /><br />La Libertad: Where do you currently reside?<br /><br />Justine: Central Iowa.<br /><br />La Libertad: What is your current occupation?<br /><br />Justine: I’m a volunteer interview editor at the online Christian Magazine; I’m also the owner and instructor at https://know-your-craft.webnode.page/ and I’m the author of three novels and am included in seventeen anthologies – my amazon author page is at:<p></p><p> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Justine-Johnston-Hemmestad/e/B01DHSLN0M%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share">https://www.amazon.com/Justine-Johnston-Hemmestad/e/B01DHSLN0M%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share<br /></a><br />La Libertad: What do you love most about your work?<br /><br />Justine: Editing, and if I’m writing I love to be inspired, to get my conceptualization down on paper, and then to revise to get the nuances right. I love to learn new things through research and writing, and I love for my work to be read and shared by others.<br /><br />La Libertad: What talents and hobbies do you have?<br /><br />Justine: Writing is my talent and my hobby, as well as my work. I also love to read about ancient history and learn. I love to permeate my writing with what I’ve learned.<br /><br />La Libertad: What inspires you?<br /><br />Justine: Courage.<br /><br />La Libertad: <br />What is the hardest part of your job(s)?<br /><br />Justine: Stopping.<br /><br />La Libertad: What foreign languages, if any, do you read, write, and/or speak?<br /><br />Justine: None fluently, sadly. I took two years of German in college and remember some, and I took Spanish in high school and gratefully still remember quite a lot.<br /><br />La Libertad: Where have you traveled?<br /><br />Justine: New York City and Mexico, when I lived in California; and I’ve lived in various southern states a child. I also went to Hawaii when I was little, and my mother was a flight attendant.<br /><br />La Libertad: What are your career goals?<br /><br />Justine: I would love my work to be read by many, and to inspire and mentor other people.<br /><br />La Libertad: What projects are you working on?<br /><br />Justine: I’m currently writing a novel that takes place in colonial America. I’m also a member of <a href="https://www.dar.org/" target="_blank">Daughters of the American Revolution</a>, so there’s a lot of interest in that time period and location for me.<br /><br />La Libertad: What upcoming events, if any, do you intend to participate in? <br /><br />Justine: I’m the chaplain of my central Iowa chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution; also my publisher (Antimony and Elder Lace Press) is donating partial profits of my newest novel, Macbeth’s Spinners, to Laughing at my Nightmare, a nonprofit organization that benefits SMA. I sustained a brain injury at 19 (my story is in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Recovering from Traumatic Brain Injuries) and I identify with Shane’s thoughts and attitude toward disability.<br /><br />La Libertad: What links would you like to share?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqSXu_r_lFf7edK3FW_iuFv0CBDJjfvykHThMchci_vN_VNynBVDKoj9F9AOlWfFKbb9iHMXBGRWCVh6PJEgvzE2YOmtpnjvF5xVJuUgpz-nr6swu7MgTT8nUDsBs9kx-_6qlKRei4QezYfHiByFDIXkTpmkzpD0WowBZnOODEf-KS0nr_cJqqHc_8VQ/s905/MacBeth's%20Spinners.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="905" data-original-width="630" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqSXu_r_lFf7edK3FW_iuFv0CBDJjfvykHThMchci_vN_VNynBVDKoj9F9AOlWfFKbb9iHMXBGRWCVh6PJEgvzE2YOmtpnjvF5xVJuUgpz-nr6swu7MgTT8nUDsBs9kx-_6qlKRei4QezYfHiByFDIXkTpmkzpD0WowBZnOODEf-KS0nr_cJqqHc_8VQ/s320/MacBeth's%20Spinners.png" width="223" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />Justine: <br /><br />My Amazon authors page is:<p></p><p> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Justine-Johnston-Hemmestad/e/B01DHSLN0M%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share">https://www.amazon.com/Justine-Johnston-Hemmestad/e/B01DHSLN0M%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share</a><br /><br />My webpage is:</p><p><a href="https://know-your-craft.webnode.page/">https://know-your-craft.webnode.page/</a><br /><br />My Facebook authors page is:</p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/JustineJohnstonHemmestadauthor">https://www.facebook.com/JustineJohnstonHemmestadauthor</a><br /><br />My Twitter is:</p><p><a href="https://twitter.com/Juhemm1">https://twitter.com/Juhemm1</a><br /><br />And my Goodreads author page is: </p><p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4606059.Justine_Johnston_Hemmestad">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4606059.Justine_Johnston_Hemmestad</a><br /><br />La Libertad: What else, if anything, would you like to tell our readers? <br /><br />Justine: My newest novel, <i>Macbeth’s Spinners</i>, is set in 11th Century Scotland, as three ancient Greek Fates are transformed into a single Scottish witch to help the warlord Macbeth fulfill his mission, and escape an age-old enemy. <i>Macbeth’s Spinners</i> is published by Antimony and Elder Lace Press, and a description of it is on their blog at <a href="https://aelpress.com/index.php/2022/08/31/macbeths-spinners-cover-reveal/">https://aelpress.com/index.php/2022/08/31/macbeths-spinners-cover-reveal/</a> <i>Macbeth's Spinners</i> is available for pre-order on the Antimony and Elder Lace Press store at <a href="https://aelpress.com/index.php/store/">https://aelpress.com/index.php/store/</a><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Edited by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4279594/" target="_blank">William Mortensen Vaughan</a></i></span><br /></p>William Mortensen Vaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07127777714383184117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-71181190485058992912022-07-08T20:22:00.000-07:002022-07-08T20:22:09.229-07:00Interview: Jeff Knite, Director of The Omicron Killer<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDRcaDRG303ZYZqTP-yDbe81D73sUPHKy80p400NG_VeiOrjbDLvUBtzMSlch-CFcJz8EKTAqV4qOfxVgO2qBn9_NvOFCC_orfwqVI9edxe_9oifvwSpbA2Q7L1NsLn3XociIlK5-RPXjSUyqRk7B9mo9-ccNzeAIvZm-BHm_GKECekKLDowEcb0Fwg/s495/headshot-Jeff_Knite.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Jeff Knite" border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="325" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDRcaDRG303ZYZqTP-yDbe81D73sUPHKy80p400NG_VeiOrjbDLvUBtzMSlch-CFcJz8EKTAqV4qOfxVgO2qBn9_NvOFCC_orfwqVI9edxe_9oifvwSpbA2Q7L1NsLn3XociIlK5-RPXjSUyqRk7B9mo9-ccNzeAIvZm-BHm_GKECekKLDowEcb0Fwg/w210-h320/headshot-Jeff_Knite.png" title="Jeff Knite" width="210" /></a></div><i>Jeff Knite introduced himself to us as "the Director and Producer of the new film </i>The Omicron Killer<i>, currently in pre-production." His publicist referred him to us, and we thank them for providing us with this interview.</i> <p></p><p>Libertad: Where are you from?<br /><br />Jeff: I was born and raised in the Boogie Down Bronx, in New York, but I now reside in a small town called Amsterdam, in upstate New York. </p><p>Cool Fact: <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000018/" target="_blank">Kirk Douglas</a> [who played Spartacus in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054331/" target="_blank"><i>Spartacus</i></a> (1960)] was born and raised in Amsterdam.<br /><br />Libertad: How did you get your start in film-making?<br /><br />Jeff: A friend of mine and I got tired of doing background work as actors, so we decided to make a short film to showcase our talent. My friend's name is Mark Rosenberg, and it was actually his idea. He convinced me to do it because he knew about the film festival circuit. What's funny is that, when it came time to make the film, he got busy and couldn't do it, so I ended up doing it without him. He and I are still friends, and the film did quite well. The film premiered at [the] <a href="https://urbanworld.org/" target="_blank">Urbanworld Film Festival</a>, in front of the <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000129/" target="_blank">Tom Cruise</a>/<a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004937/" target="_blank">Jamie Foxx</a> film, <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0369339/" target="_blank">Collateral</a> </i>(2004). It also appeared at the <a href="https://nylatinofilmfestival.com/" target="_blank">New York International Latino Film Festival</a> that same year, sponsored by <a href="https://www.hbo.com/" target="_blank">HBO</a> [Home Box Office]. The Film was called <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0426576/" target="_blank"><i>Some Wounds</i></a>.</p><p>Libertad: What accomplishment are you most proud of?<br /><br />Jeff: Creating and raising my kids. That is something that I can say I am most proud of. It was a struggle trying to do that and [be] a filmmaker, but I did it, and both came out pretty good.<br /><br />Libertad: Where did you get the idea for your new horror film, <i>The Omicron Killer</i>?<br /><br />Jeff: I made a film called <i>The Covid Killer</i> during the pandemic. It was about a man whose wife died because of the Corona virus, so he snaps and goes on a murdering spree. The cops are having a hard time trying to catch him because everyone, including the killer, is wearing Covid masks. So while I was filming this movie on an iPhone with a shoestring budget, and a nutcase producer who literally threw my script out the window, I came up with an idea for a second, copycat killer. The main reason was because, since the first film wasn't going as planned because of this guy, I created this second antagonist so I could do re-shoots without this maniac producer and salvage most of what I already shot. So while I didn't get to make the first film as I envisioned, I still think it turned out pretty good, and most importantly, the chaos gave birth to <i>The Omicron Killer</i>, which is essentially a sequel to <i>The Covid Killer</i>, which will be ten times better.<br /><br />Libertad: Why should people contribute to your Kickstarter campaign?<br /><br />Jeff: Horror films are becoming very derivative and redundant. It is difficult to find something new and interesting nowadays. <i>The Omicron Killer</i> brings a new and exciting twist to the horror genre by adding a great story, eyebrow-raising suspense, and hilarious comedy.<br /><br />The contributions that people make will be associated with [perks]. Those perks go from digital downloads to exclusive T-shirts, exclusive posters, signed posters, Associate Producer credit, Co-Executive Producer credit, Executive Producer credit, or even [becoming] a member of the cast.<br /><br />Libertad: What inspires you?<br /><br />Jeff: Other filmmakers, like: The Russo Brothers, M. Night Shyamalan, James Cameron, Christopher Nolan, Jordan Peele, Kathryn Bigelow, Guillermo del Toro, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Rod Serling, Taika Waititi, Quentin Tarantino, [and] Robert Rodriguez, just to name a few.<br /><br />Libertad: What is the hardest part of being a movie maker in today's world? <br /><br />Jeff: Competition with too many other non-filmmakers.</p><p>Back in the day, it was harder to make a film, because you had to work on film, literally. You had to shoot your movie using film, which was really expensive and hard to edit, because you had to cut your film with scissors and tape it together. Now, with advancement in technology, we shoot on digital files, which makes making films easier. Which means any Moe, Larry, or Curly [<a href="https://www.threestooges.com/" target="_blank">The Three Stooges</a>] can pick up a digital camera or cell phone, and make a film. And most of these people are not filmmakers, [but they] are flooding the industry (and especially the film festivals) with these films which take up a lot of people's time, so a real filmmaker who has been struggling their whole life to get their film seen, might not get that chance. Just for an example; ten to fifteen years ago, <a href="https://www.sundance.org/" target="_blank">Sundance</a> would get an average of twelve hundred submissions to their film festival [each year]. Now they get on average [of] twelve to fourteen thousand submissions each year, and they say they watch all the films, but that's b*** ****, and you can quote me on that. If you do the math, there is no way they could possibly watch that many films from August to September, with the staff that they have. So a lot of films are going unwatched, and lost in the shuffle. Sad but true...<br /><br />Libertad: What are your overall career goals?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhznyjQJjBZf3JSwr5JzVGK8tV6X9EDjIYph82Kr3Ia30ZyWvB3S4bEvjEWME2dFrx1IxW3FeJFbk3kabhB2rXn6K1X2aRe-54IK5n7TzKQDfQdUKAPbyP9UiNmsyxqupAS388zz6HDduJCNqhsVNGA6BztKoc3IlQrck6_VCqwpw301h7jy2_4dCUVAg/s335/cover2-The_Omicron_Killer.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="188" data-original-width="335" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhznyjQJjBZf3JSwr5JzVGK8tV6X9EDjIYph82Kr3Ia30ZyWvB3S4bEvjEWME2dFrx1IxW3FeJFbk3kabhB2rXn6K1X2aRe-54IK5n7TzKQDfQdUKAPbyP9UiNmsyxqupAS388zz6HDduJCNqhsVNGA6BztKoc3IlQrck6_VCqwpw301h7jy2_4dCUVAg/s320/cover2-The_Omicron_Killer.png" width="320" /></a></div>Jeff: To make a living being a filmmaker.<p></p><p>I want to be in the business till I die.<br /><br />Libertad: What links would you like to share?</p><p>Jeff:</p><p><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/910161385/the-omicron-killer-movie" target="_blank">The Omicron Killer Movie Kickstarter Campaign</a><br /><br />Libertad: What else, if anything, would you like to tell our readers?<br /><br />Jeff: Live long and prosper!<br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Introduction by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4279594/" target="_blank">William Mortensen Vaughan</a></i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Interview by <a href="http://libertadgreen.com/" target="_blank">Libertad Green</a></i></span><br /></p>William Mortensen Vaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07127777714383184117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-81196766857059224552022-07-07T09:05:00.001-07:002022-07-08T19:07:02.526-07:00Film Review: The Omicron Killer<p></p><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQmofJoNyszzNXTIqg6VIktowpSULjl26nQ8VJZxIRdrJUfgOuRfz6RRAp-VOA4LdsQjnvc3FZoUY8cqw3Os-xXkHo0sQx0fVfyvQyZhXp2bUgE_2i6awButbSW6VUHd8odTv0nwWc5xMgNWBpvpqn1WznLhXchXYD06_e6hmbZrhNO_no7ksoy4oUTw/s411/cover-The_Omicron_Killer.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="411" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQmofJoNyszzNXTIqg6VIktowpSULjl26nQ8VJZxIRdrJUfgOuRfz6RRAp-VOA4LdsQjnvc3FZoUY8cqw3Os-xXkHo0sQx0fVfyvQyZhXp2bUgE_2i6awButbSW6VUHd8odTv0nwWc5xMgNWBpvpqn1WznLhXchXYD06_e6hmbZrhNO_no7ksoy4oUTw/s320/cover-The_Omicron_Killer.png" width="320" /></a>Josh Mitchell, of <a href="https://www.publiesize.com/">PUB.LIE.SIZE</a>, has informed us that donations</i><i> are being accepted for a <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/910161385/the-omicron-killer-movie" target="_blank">Kickstarter campaign</a> to support a new horror film about</i><i> <a href="https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/key-messages-and-actions-for-covid-19-prevention-and-control-in-schools-march-2020.pdf?sfvrsn=baf81d52_4#:~:text=%27CO%27%20stands%20for,types%20of%20common%20cold." target="_blank">CoViD</a> and serial killers.</i><p></p><p style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-style: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Cambria, Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: navy; font-size: 15px;"><span style="color: #1155cc; margin: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, Georgia, serif;">November 7th, 2020, d</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>uring the height of the Corona virus pandemic, a serial killer known as </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-style: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Cambria, Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-style: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Cambria, Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;">the Covid Killer, </span></span>remains at large. This killer has eluded law enforcement for months, but he's about to walk into a trap.</span></span></p><p style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-style: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Cambria, Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-style: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Cambria, Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;">However, a copycat killer will continue killing, and become known as the Omicron Killer.</span></span><br />
</p>
<p style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: navy; font-size: 15px;"><span style="color: #1155cc; margin: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>Co-starring Lynn Lowry & Rob Emmer from (IMPRACTICAL) JOKERS, "[t]his project will only be funded if it reaches its goal by Friday, July 29 2022 10:53 AM EDT," according to their Kickstarter page (follow hyperlink above). With enough funding, the film's producers intend to cast<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, Georgia, serif;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, Georgia, serif;"><a href="https://www.elvira.com/" target="_blank">Elvira</a>, </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, Georgia, serif;">Danny Trejo,</span></span></span></span>Tara Reid, </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, Georgia, serif;">Kristy Swanson, </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, Georgia, serif;">Bai Ling, </span></span></span></span>Robert</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #0d0f1a; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, Georgia, serif;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #006600; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, Georgia, serif;">Englund</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, Georgia, serif;">,
Bruce Campbell, Kane Hodder, Tom
Savini, Heather Langenkamp, Alex Vincent, and Christine
Elise.</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, Georgia, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, Georgia, serif;">In addition, A-list talent is being cast by Ross Clancy
Casting.</span></span></span></span><br /><p></p><p><i>Post by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4279594/" target="_blank">William Mortensen Vaughan</a><br /></i></p><br /><br />William Mortensen Vaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07127777714383184117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-2354801649728907662022-02-01T06:15:00.001-08:002022-02-01T06:20:07.396-08:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: small;">When we posted an update on Bill Houskeeper in September, 2021, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIAQpbFT2NStrTIPeLsPHxG2SAGqcU_HjKWy50FRauI2ck44F7R0LOUgqUjM5Qn2dIIIu6NZFHDMRoTX4yauPrBhuNgIlkQYCneYXsrHTz80tRlr82nQ9YJs-v4N5k7-7d-nqWwXeMqcGB/s320/Bill_Houskeeper.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIAQpbFT2NStrTIPeLsPHxG2SAGqcU_HjKWy50FRauI2ck44F7R0LOUgqUjM5Qn2dIIIu6NZFHDMRoTX4yauPrBhuNgIlkQYCneYXsrHTz80tRlr82nQ9YJs-v4N5k7-7d-nqWwXeMqcGB/s0/Bill_Houskeeper.png" width="220" /></a>the Internet Movie <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2567223/" target="_blank">Database</a> indicated that he was slated to appear in fifteen films which were scheduled for release in 2021 or later.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: small;"> Since then, that number has grown to sixteen, and he has informed us that he has </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: small;"><span color="inherit" style="border: 0px none; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">been
cast in in the role of Steve in the film <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2606114/reference" target="_blank">Sons of the Father</a></i>. The status of this film is currently "script"; and Bill's roll, "rumored."</span><br /></span></div><p></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"></span></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px;">Update by <a href="http://dickensianchristmascarol.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">William Mortensen Vaughan </a></span></span></p>William Mortensen Vaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07127777714383184117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-8228122730845600362021-12-13T08:40:00.000-08:002021-12-13T08:40:00.324-08:00Interview With Poet Armani Mangum<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjf62X0vooDB6H3mpxo3M4S6Jkx4RPcokP6Km8FV_uJ0xMF7q7UPG7Tqgz_h9G91tPickBzAXBKn90igEqSVB_ymQ2VcFZyvXkMVkB6Lsy7ImPLenA2nB_c8iTnBU6HoeirzB-6Rd64ePCTIEzg_2hd1ksPwnkD3qs-u6rEMS9oWTV_WLGqal40s5WqOg=s552" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Armani Mangum" border="0" data-original-height="501" data-original-width="552" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjf62X0vooDB6H3mpxo3M4S6Jkx4RPcokP6Km8FV_uJ0xMF7q7UPG7Tqgz_h9G91tPickBzAXBKn90igEqSVB_ymQ2VcFZyvXkMVkB6Lsy7ImPLenA2nB_c8iTnBU6HoeirzB-6Rd64ePCTIEzg_2hd1ksPwnkD3qs-u6rEMS9oWTV_WLGqal40s5WqOg=w320-h290" title="Armani Mangum" width="320" /></a></div><i>Armani introduced herself to us as "Armani Mangum a.k.a. Armani Boo." She also submitted the following poem, and answered our following questions:</i><p></p><p><b>This life we live in <br />Wasnt told how to live<br />But you know whats right <br />Learn to love<br />Learn to live<br />Expresss who you are <br />And live for you <br />People will judge you<br />They will deceive you <br />But the only person you need to impress<br />Is you!<br />Also be positive<br />Dont waste your breath<br />And live everyday like its your last <br />We are all one <br />With me here<br />You never alone <br />Lets leave our legacy <br />And grow within!</b><br /><br />La Libertad: Where were you born?<br /><br />Armani: Saint Louis, Missouri.<br /><br />La Libertad: Where do you currently reside? <br /><br />Armani: Los Angeles, California.<br /><br />La Libertad: What is your occupation?<br /><br />Armani: Model, music coordinator, actress, currently in college for animal biology<br /><br />La Libertad: What do you love most about your work?<br /><br />Armani: I love that I get to do what I love. Music and modeling [have] always been a passion as I can express myself and show my creative side! With animals, I can make a difference in the world, and find a way to help the animals in need.<br /><br />La Libertad: What talents and hobbies do you have?<br /><br />Armani: I swim and write poetry. <br /><br />La Libertad: What inspires you?<br /><br />Armani: Just life! I want to be able to travel around the world and enjoy the scenery. My grandma was also a big inspiration to me, and now that she is gone, I have to go even harder because she believed in me so much!<br /><br />La Libertad: What is the hardest part of your job(s)?<br /><br />Armani: Being able to get people who are willing to work with you to see your dream come true.<br /><br />La Libertad: Where have you traveled?<br /><br />Armani: ...Florida, New York, Las Vegas... I drove through some States to get to these places, but I don't think that counts. <br /><br />La Libertad: What projects are you working on?<br /><br />Armani: I am currently putting together a short film, and a music video/dance choreography video to showcase Saint Louis to the world!<br /><br />La Libertad: What links would you like to share?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCfVwswjMYZL4ha6sGhQNHZMoABZZhBqAs7xHCTI1PpRoGHn_Z_XVl8slmDvEFoqpVZMs4WoI-xrVvC7k-kP7ySgPT_w8L__McxbrAoivafzVojwHuYXK3V8pGH5zwdDZa1j2_dUxr9eKYCUqkkSJ8Z46Ba_25rR98pcmifmMH8cpxD_y8JBZ5jw57fw=s590" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Armani Mangum in Rob Roy Mourning Tartan" border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="418" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCfVwswjMYZL4ha6sGhQNHZMoABZZhBqAs7xHCTI1PpRoGHn_Z_XVl8slmDvEFoqpVZMs4WoI-xrVvC7k-kP7ySgPT_w8L__McxbrAoivafzVojwHuYXK3V8pGH5zwdDZa1j2_dUxr9eKYCUqkkSJ8Z46Ba_25rR98pcmifmMH8cpxD_y8JBZ5jw57fw=w227-h320" title="Armani Mangum in Rob Roy Mourning Tartan" width="227" /></a></div><br />Armani: <br /> <br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsNJJusq8qs" target="_blank">Love In Da Streetz</a> Pt 1 Armani Boo <br />(feat. Trey Davidson &#38; Kavo Corneilo)<br />By OfficialArmaniBoo<br /> <br />“<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miSZrzc26Kc" target="_blank">A Fat Ninja Robbery</a>”<br />By Real Hustlers Of LA Official<br /><br />La Libertad: What else, if anything, would you like to tell our readers? <br /><br />Armani: I want to just say this! Always do what you love; be yourself; and just live your life! It used to be so hard for me to live by these words, until, one day, I had to wake up! I'm not perfect ... But my goal is to just live and leave my legacy to the world! I want to see everybody win! I am here for you, and if you are reading this, and [are] ever in Los Angeles, contact me; let's work! I'm not selfish; I want to put people on! I love you!<p></p><p><i>Edited by William Mortensen Vaughan<br /></i></p><p><br /></p>William Mortensen Vaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07127777714383184117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-76198367496409612452021-10-25T12:07:00.015-07:002021-10-25T14:09:53.789-07:00Interview With Comedian Camille Solari<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzzphBGQmPFha1GRB-MOnluZokB6KfR7HpC0zKdiC8sZagIXxxFzZMSKlkDew1R1Z3sB9ptH9sqsDs6zHJ0mTG3wkUUDYwpovOxTb5DjoSr-ndP4o9FfUnr-4XgYe3ioJTtJFgvrHDnbBxi8sJWLYq7edortrxAqmICkr-d408TZnHguJ1WPWiWIxZvw=s444" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Camille Solari" border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="294" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzzphBGQmPFha1GRB-MOnluZokB6KfR7HpC0zKdiC8sZagIXxxFzZMSKlkDew1R1Z3sB9ptH9sqsDs6zHJ0mTG3wkUUDYwpovOxTb5DjoSr-ndP4o9FfUnr-4XgYe3ioJTtJFgvrHDnbBxi8sJWLYq7edortrxAqmICkr-d408TZnHguJ1WPWiWIxZvw=w212-h320" title="Camille Solari" width="212" /></a></div><p><br /> <i>Josh Mitchell, a publicist at <a href="https://www.publiesize.com/">PUB.LIE.SIZE</a>, introduced <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0812714/" target="_blank">Camille Solari</a> to us as his "new comedian/writer/director client," a "vibrant and prolific triple-threat" who has headlined "stand-up shows across the globe," and worked with celebrities such as <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002119" target="_blank">Arsenio Hall</a>.<br /><br />Josh tells us that Camille, being the "daughter of an Italian lawyer and a French-Canadian teacher," "grew up in. . . Brookline, Massachusetts." <br /><br />After her daughter was born, Josh informs us, Camille "created a pilot for a children’s series called '<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5910664/reference" target="_blank">Charlie</a>,' and landed a TV deal. The series airs on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/amazonprime" target="_blank">Amazon Prime</a>, and stars Camille’s real-life daughter, Charlie; and the family dog, Rocky, with each season corresponding with Charlie’s age. <br /><br />"The show follows the trials and tribulations of a little girl and her dog who solve neighborhood problems with the help of her animal friends." <br /><br />This is the interview that Camille granted us.<br /><br /></i>La Libertad: Where are you from? <br /><br />Camille: I am originally from <a href="https://www.boston.com/" target="_blank">Boston</a>, <a href="https://www.mass.gov/" target="_blank">Massachusetts</a>. I'm a <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/2015/06/25/oxford-english-dictionary-makes-masshole-official/mJaPq3OErMFtrQnasOlVMJ/story.html" target="_blank">Masshole</a>. However, my mother's side of the family is French Canadian; I spent summers there and have a dual citizenship.<br /><br />La Libertad: How did you get your start in comedy?<br /><br />Camille: I was a late bloomer to stand-up comedy. I had already been on <a href="https://www.cc.com/" target="_blank">Comedy Central</a> several times as a writer and comedy performer, but not stand up. Nine years ago, I did a comedy showcase at The <a href="https://thecomedystore.com/" target="_blank">Comedy Store</a> and landed a comedy manager a few years later. I became a regular at <a href="http://www.laughfactory.com/clubs/hollywood" target="_blank">The Laugh Factory</a>, Hollywood, my home club, and then, after that, I showcased for "<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2311336/reference" target="_blank">The Arsenio Hall Show</a>," and landed my first late night television spot. At that point, I took off as a comedian and was headlining around the world. Arsenio coined me as "The first comedienne in history to do stand-up comedy pregnant (and showing) on late night television, and called my act "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR9s5h1swe8" target="_blank">Camille Solari and her Future Child</a>." That child, because [she was] my daughter Charlie, was truly my muse. I created a television pilot called "Charlie," starring Charlie, about a little girl and her dog who solve neighborhood problems, with the help of her animal friends, while her comedian mother (played by me) discovers the perils and pitfalls of being a new mom. It was picked up by <a href="https://www.roku.com/en-us/" target="_blank">Roku</a>, and now Amazon Prime, and we are in Season Seven.<br /><br />La Libertad: What would you like to tell our readers about your New Zealand show, "Kiwis Coming Home"?<br /><br />Camille: My husband is from New Zealand, and my second child, Blade, was actually born in <a href="https://www.christchurchnz.com/" target="_blank">Christchurch</a>, <a href="https://www.newzealand.com/us/" target="_blank">New Zealand</a>. Because of CoViD [Corona Virus Disease], we left L.A. [<a href="https://www.lacity.org/" target="_blank">Los Angeles</a>] immediately, when it started, and moved to New Zealand. Those weeks turned into months, which turned into a year and half. At that time, there was no CoViD, many New Zealanders were returning home, even celebrity <a href="https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Kiwi" target="_blank">Kiwi</a>s. I pitched the show and the show got picked up by one of the main New Zealand networks. I shot the series for the past year. I would go around New Zealand and interview celebrities who came back home to New Zealand. It will be released by Amazon Prime internationally. <br /><br />La Libertad: What inspires you?<br /><br />Camille: My family inspires me - Charlie; Blade; and husband, Hamish; our dog Rocky (he's a <a href="https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/boston-terrier/" target="_blank">Boston Terrier</a>); they mean the world to me. <br /><br />La Libertad: What is the hardest part of being a comedian during CoViD?<br /><br />Camille: I had a different experience. We left L.A. two weeks into the pandemic, and I got to continue a normal life headlining in New Zealand. It's very different there; I had to change my act a bit; it took me "a second" to understand the Kiwi crowd. I moved "Charlie," the series to New Zealand, and I got to host and direct a really fun and funny new TV show, "Kiwis Coming Home." I headlined once a month on a show I created, called "The Secret Lives of Comedians," at a swanky lounge in Christchurch called <a href="https://www.austinclub.co.nz/" target="_blank">Austin's Club</a>.<br /><br />La Libertad: What are your overall career goals?<br /><br />Camille: It's time to put out a comedy special; I was planning to shoot it in New Zealand when I get back there next year. I would like to direct more television, and I have my eye on a feature I would like to direct. I did a series called "Lost In Regina" that I wrote, directed, and acted in, with a lot of well known comedians; I would like to see that series on a good network. I plan to get nominated for an <a href="https://www.emmys.com/" target="_blank">Emmy</a>. I try every year; we get close; soon...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9nAru6ZKiXH3oKf0C5DUQvRkrCxs0iKZ-tNanSdMpLax_5n5nEJ0kHBHeWsSqDDe6CcLLWpioe_FjTBVo01BCOOaklpJL1u41NUZBosATvH6ZTGUeUFXmB6-9nbW4sV6mkpdDONtjbu86Ly7uQBocVRr1dfn-kw875WWGwlPG8kUfE87EmUNvP04xlw=s444" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="293" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9nAru6ZKiXH3oKf0C5DUQvRkrCxs0iKZ-tNanSdMpLax_5n5nEJ0kHBHeWsSqDDe6CcLLWpioe_FjTBVo01BCOOaklpJL1u41NUZBosATvH6ZTGUeUFXmB6-9nbW4sV6mkpdDONtjbu86Ly7uQBocVRr1dfn-kw875WWGwlPG8kUfE87EmUNvP04xlw=s320" width="211" /></a></div>La Libertad: What links would you like to share?<br /><br />Camille: <br /><br />Instagram: @<a href="https://www.instagram.com/camillesolari/" target="_blank">camillesolari</a><br /> <br />Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/camillesolari/" target="_blank">camillesolari</a><br /><p></p><p><i>Introduction by Josh Mitchell</i></p><p><i>Edited by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4279594/" target="_blank">William Mortensen Vaughan </a></i><br /></p><p> </p><p></p>William Mortensen Vaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07127777714383184117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-22011505007878129192021-06-06T08:19:00.000-07:002021-06-06T08:19:04.451-07:00Interview: Lil Litty<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZwTHlacSiYrV0Cf-0lSogNw32yj9kSuhdbpsoS-rJbSlMJIG1T1w1fxCgLfyX1OsnKHNv2RoWFgU8-qEj_B79wqsNBbwONs5rabGyHPIwRdWiru7-qYOOa8IRDbzEL795Qvauhx35ETEI/s630/LiL_Litty.png" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZwTHlacSiYrV0Cf-0lSogNw32yj9kSuhdbpsoS-rJbSlMJIG1T1w1fxCgLfyX1OsnKHNv2RoWFgU8-qEj_B79wqsNBbwONs5rabGyHPIwRdWiru7-qYOOa8IRDbzEL795Qvauhx35ETEI/s320/LiL_Litty.png" width="320" /></a></div><p> <i>Josh Mitchell, a publicist at <a href="https://www.publiesize.com/">PUB.LIE.SIZE</a>, introduced <a href="https://www.lillitty.com/" target="_blank">Lil Litty</a> to us as "a charismatic high-energy performer who will wow you with his authoritative vocals" and "clean rap bars and a succinct flow." This is the interview that he granted us.</i><br /><br />La Libertad: Where were you born?</p><p> Lil: I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California.<br /><br />La Libertad: How did you get your start in music?<br /><br />Lil: The way I started in music was I went to church, and these people in the media department pretty much gave me an opportunity, and saw something in me; they put me in a studio, and we made a song, and I’ve been poppin' it ever since.<br /><br />La Libertad: What would you like to tell our readers about your upcoming single?<br /><br />Lil: My upcoming single is a new wave in L.A. that no one’s done before; it gives the L.A. scene a splash of a different taste, and it’s talking about some mind changing things. <br /><br />La Libertad: What is drill music?<br /><br />Lil: Drill Music can be all types of things, like Chicago, U.K. or New York drill - they sound the same but different. Drill, to me, is like the beat, like you’ll know if a song is a drill song by the beat; they all have the same type of sound, but different melodies; the U.K is the first place I’ve ever heard it. I have family over there and all that.<br /> <br />La Libertad: What would you like to tell our readers about your fashion brand, Lemonade Millionaires?<br /><br />Lil: I was an early entrepreneur, selling lemonade to the neighborhood in 2015. I was twelve years old. When our raggedy table and chairs got stolen, we launched a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/" target="_blank">Go Fund Me</a>; we raised money to buy new equipment and a banner. That felt good. We invested what we earned into our branded, urban clothing line, Lemonade Millionaires. As the company continues to grow, we ship worldwide, and add custom drip to our merch. We have added Lemonade Millionaire Records. Music and clothing is a good combo; I’m one of the original founders.<br /><br />La Libertad: What inspires you?<br /><br />Lil: I am inspired by music and clothing. Regularly releasing songs with millions of plays and creating designer drip for my brand which we showcase in our fun creative music videos that display our clothing...<br /><br />[NOTE: As of June 6, 2021, the biography on Lil's official website indicates that he is seventeen years old, so he was probably born circa 2005.]<br /> <br />La Libertad: What is the hardest part of being such a young musician?<br /><br />Lil: Combining School and Music... School is mandatory; music is a choice.<br /><br />La Libertad: What was one of the biggest challenges for you during the pandemic?<br /><br />Lil: The lockdown - not being able to go anywhere... It really helped me, in a way, because then I had time to sit down and do things; music touring stopped; business slowed down. Luckily, we do custom stuff; we partnered with local organizations to produce face masks for homeless people on "skid row" in Los Angeles.<br /><br />[NOTE: "Skid Row" used to be a section of the street that the Los Angeles Police Department's headquarters was on, where homeless people lived. According to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skid_Row,_Los_Angeles" target="_blank">WikiPedia</a>, as of 2019, this "row" has metastasized into "a neighborhood in Downtown Los Angeles...also known as Central City East," with "a population of...4,757," that "contains one of the largest stable populations (about 4,200–8,000) of homeless people in the United States," and "has been known for its condensed homeless population since the 1930's. Its long history of police raids, targeted city initiatives, and homelessness advocacy make it one of the most notable districts in Los Angeles.<br /><br />"Covering fifty city blocks (2.71 square miles) immediately east of downtown Los Angeles, Skid Row is bordered by Third Street to the north, Seventh Street to the south, Alameda Street to the east, and Main Street to the west."]<br /><br />La Libertad: What are your overall career goals?<br /><br />Lil: To become a main stream music artist, to build a loyal fan base, to have body of work and a well known clothing brand...<br /><br />La Libertad: What would you like to tell our readers about your upcoming projects?<br /><br />Lil: My new single," LA Drill" and the music video will be released in the next few weeks.<br /><br />La Libertad: What links would you like to share?<br /><br />Lil: <br /><br /><a href="http://www.lemonademillionaires.com">www.lemonademillionaires.com</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.instagram.com/lillittyakaliljuice">www.instagram.com/lillittyakaliljuice</a><br /><br />Lil Litty - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNv7Ls6jDo8" target="_blank">Paint</a> (Official Music Video)<br /><br />La Libertad: What else, if anything, would you like to tell our readers?<br /><br />Lil: Follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/" target="_blank">IG</a> for updates. Shop with Lemonade Millionaires; order your custom drip. Watch, share, "Like" my music video "Paint." It’s almost at 200,000... Let's go!</p><p> </p>William Mortensen Vaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07127777714383184117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-22570147434697055292021-05-26T05:39:00.004-07:002021-05-26T05:39:50.057-07:00Update: Bill Houskeeper<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBpn1oc7h5a9XP4e3sKXcQyc2BS1ZLt3cqZF2eqNctFqDtI_Jw7yhn-qx_PW6dqJ08IsqmSIxOfLYHCvbQvphKtTVVRt0Og5COqgJ9tiJUiGcOHNXK8SbqXIsX0vZSyGVEmsNh5slS70/s439/Bill_Houskeeper-202010.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="298" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBpn1oc7h5a9XP4e3sKXcQyc2BS1ZLt3cqZF2eqNctFqDtI_Jw7yhn-qx_PW6dqJ08IsqmSIxOfLYHCvbQvphKtTVVRt0Og5COqgJ9tiJUiGcOHNXK8SbqXIsX0vZSyGVEmsNh5slS70/s320/Bill_Houskeeper-202010.jpg" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: small; font-style: italic;">When we <a href="https://lalibertadmag.blogspot.com/2020/12/update-bill-houskeeper.html" target="_blank">interviewed Bill Houskeeper</a> in February, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: small; font-style: italic;"> the Internet Movie <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2567223/" target="_blank">Database</a> indicated that he was slated to appear in ten films which were scheduled for release in 2021 or later.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: small;"><i> That number has grown to thirteen; as of May 26, 2021, Bill is to appear in the following films, in the following roles:</i> </span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2300212/reference" target="_blank">Forgiven: This Gun4Hire</a></i> (Black Jack Queen)</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6069416/reference" target="_blank">Killer Popcorn</a></i> (James)</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12126628/reference" target="_blank">Jack Be Nimble</a></i> (Frank)</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13328180/reference" target="_blank">The Man on Sunset</a></i> (Cowboy Jack)</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12409456/reference" target="_blank"><i>It’s On You</i></a> (Officer Adam Skiles)</span></span> <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14055664/reference" target="_blank">Palatandria</a> the Great (Cheg)</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11770098/reference" target="_blank">A Soldier's Secret</a></i> (Jackson Harlow)</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2531404/reference" target="_blank">Who Is the Bloodiest Royal?</a></i> (Billy the Camera Man)</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1688700/reference" target="_blank"><i>Lotto</i></a> (Stevie)</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12058156/reference" target="_blank">The Sawyer Massacre</a>: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Fan Film</i> (unnamed) <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10244244/reference" target="_blank"><i>Sunshine Girl</i></a> (Lonnie) <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1525429/reference" target="_blank">Showdown in Durango</a></i> (unnamed)</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3506602/reference" target="_blank">Beyond Legend Johnny Kakota</a></i> (Crawly) </span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px;">Update by <a href="http://dickensianchristmascarol.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">William Mortensen Vaughan </a><br /></span></span></p>Libertad Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00232983933827225037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6552992038424084516.post-44475363453523393922021-02-02T04:45:00.002-08:002021-05-25T09:36:21.707-07:00Update: Bill Houskeeper <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBpn1oc7h5a9XP4e3sKXcQyc2BS1ZLt3cqZF2eqNctFqDtI_Jw7yhn-qx_PW6dqJ08IsqmSIxOfLYHCvbQvphKtTVVRt0Og5COqgJ9tiJUiGcOHNXK8SbqXIsX0vZSyGVEmsNh5slS70/s439/Bill_Houskeeper-202010.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="298" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBpn1oc7h5a9XP4e3sKXcQyc2BS1ZLt3cqZF2eqNctFqDtI_Jw7yhn-qx_PW6dqJ08IsqmSIxOfLYHCvbQvphKtTVVRt0Og5COqgJ9tiJUiGcOHNXK8SbqXIsX0vZSyGVEmsNh5slS70/s320/Bill_Houskeeper-202010.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2567223" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: 13.2px; font-style: italic; text-decoration-line: none;">Bill Houskeeper</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: 13.2px; font-style: italic;"> has been busier acting than ever, since we first interviewed him in </span><a href="http://lalibertadmag.blogspot.com/2013/11/interview-with-bill-houskeeper.html" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: 13.2px; font-style: italic; text-decoration-line: none;">November</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: 13.2px; font-style: italic;">, 2013, and again, in </span><a href="http://lalibertadmag.blogspot.com/2014/03/interview-with-bill-houskeeper.html" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: 13.2px; font-style: italic; text-decoration-line: none;">March</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: 13.2px; font-style: italic;">, 2014. According to the Internet Movie <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2567223/" target="_blank">Database</a>, he appears in ten films which are schedluled for release in 2021 or later.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: 13.2px;"><i> As part of his recent Holiday Greeting, he has written to tell us about yet another film for which he has been cast:</i> </span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px;">I know that these times can be rough with the virus going around, and I hope you, your friends, and your family are safe.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px;">As for me, even in these times, I still can't stop acting, and because of this I just wanted to let you know about my next project. I have just been cast in the film <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11418510/" target="_blank"><i>New World Order</i></a> as Aaron Dykes from director <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8024466/" target="_blank">Mitchel Cole</a>.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px;">UPDATE: Bill has been cast in the film <i>It’s On You</i>, as Officer Adam Skiles; this film will be directed by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8811453/" target="_blank">Keishawn Blackstone</a>. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px;">UPDATE: Bill has been cast in the film </span></span><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13328180/" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">The Man on Sunset</span></span></span></i></a><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px;">; this film will be directed by </span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6854035/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">DeShawn Hill</span></span></span></a></span></span></span><span style="margin: 0px;">.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px;">Updates by Bill Houskeeper</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px;">Introduction by <a href="http://dickensianchristmascarol.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">William Mortensen Vaughan </a><br /></span></span></p>Libertad Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00232983933827225037noreply@blogger.com1