John Mierau

A podcaster, an author of novel-length, serial and short fiction, John aims above all else to entertain. John has worn many hats through the years, analyst, consultant, instructor, author and audio producer and somewhere in there he has found time to be a husband, father and chief dogwalker. His website - Serving Worlds - serves as an outlet for his particular brand of intense science fiction as well as a place to meet and listen to other authors. In short, John Mierau does it all.

And now:


7 Questions with John Mierau:

1. What are your favorite and your least favorite words?

Favorite:

Love.

Least favorite:

Bored.

 2. What turns you on creatively, spiritually, emotionally?

My kids, my wife, a creative challenge. Deadlines for my own work but not other people's.

3. Turns you off creatively, spiritually, emotionally?


Other people's deadlines when I'm not invested. Eating too much or not exercising enough. Meanness puts me out of tune too (my own or others).

4. What gets you up in the morning?

My kids! LOL 3 beautiful kids under 6.

5. What is the closest you have ever come to giving up your craft? 


Needing to feed my kids. It makes it hard, but when cash is lean, to take time for my own pursuits. Some may say it's greedy but I always save a bit of myself for making things.

6. What is the most fun you have ever had?

Writing something that takes me out of my own head, or performing something where I forget about my thoughts and follow the thread of the fiction.



7. Assuming heaven exists, what would you like to hear God (or Allah or Yahweh or Odin. Generally the Supreme Being of your choice.) say when you arrive at the pearly gates?

As an atheist my first thought would be: "Why did you make it so hard for people to believe in you? Why did you change the rules randomly so we couldn't prove your existence? We could use a reliable supreme being we could all get behind!" Which is probably why I write: to answer questions and actions that make no sense.

Brilliant! Want to talk to John yourself? You can find him at any of the following links:
Website: http://www.johnmierau.com
Twitter: johnmierau
Facebook: Facebook profile
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/john-mierau/13/79b/a45
Blog: http://johnmierau.wordpress.com/

Thanks again to John for taking the time to do this and thanks to you for reading!
Next time: Author Michele Shaw.

Lani Rhea

It's Christmas, it's cold outside, so lets get a little steamy with Erotic Romance author Lani Rhea. Lover of coffee, Lani lives in the heart of Oklahoma. She has four children and loves animals. Lani is always up for a challenge and enjoys mixing romance with all genres that spark her interests. You can find her either reading or writing. 

Now:


6 Questions with Lani Rhea: 


1. What are your favorite and your least favorite words?

Least favorite is racial comments. We are all human and bleed red. My favorite to use is awesomeness, coolness, or laters! lol

2. What turns you on creatively?

Creatively—ideas that just pop out of nowhere. I always like to play the “What if…” game.

3. What is the closest you have ever come to giving up your craft?

I gave up once. Many, many moons ago back in 2004, and then later picked the pen back up in 2010. Now I have several things published, and many more in the upcoming year. =) Sometimes when I get really frustrated with a piece I do think about laying down the pen again.

4. What is the strangest thing you have ever done while creating?

I would have to say when I talk to myself. My kids look at me strange. LOL I then have to tell them that I’m making sure the dialogue sounds okay. heh

5. Supposing that you are going to be reincarnated and you have your choice would you come back as animal, vegetable, or mineral?

An animal. I would love to be a bird. To fly away whenever I wanted, because it would beat the cost of airline prices. LOL

6. Assuming heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you come knocking at the pearly gates?

You’re brother has been waiting for you. 

Lani would love to hear from you. Find her on Facebook at http://facebook.com/authorlanirhea. To catch up with her crazy blogging visit her at http://lanirhea.blogspot.com and on Twitter.


Thanks again to Lani and thanks to you for reading!

L.M. Preston

L.M. Preston was born in Washington, DC.  She loved to create poetry and short-stories as a young girl.  A Techie and Educator for over sixteen years, she started writing science fiction under the encouragement of her husband who was a Sci-Fi buff and her four kids.  She has an obsessive desire to write and create stories of young people who overcome unbelievable odds.  She loves to write while on the porch watching her kids play or when she is traveling, which is another passion that encouraged her writing. In addition to being an author, she's also a Moderator for Yalitchat.ning.org, 2012 Vice President of Mid Atlantic Book Association and 2012 co-chair for the Maryland Writer's Conference.

(This bio is quoted verbatim from the author's website which can be found here.)

Now,

6 Questions with L.M. Preston:

1. What are your favorite and your least favorite words? 

Unfortunately my favorite word is 'snap' and I make sure to edit it out of my works :-D Oh and my least favorite is 'look' because as hard as I try that word sneaks its way into all of my first drafts.

2. What turns you on creatively, spiritually, emotionally? 

Traveling or the day dreaming I do at work when I have long boring meetings.

3. What profession other than yours would you most like to attempt? 

 If I could live my life over again I would've pursued medicine. I have an obsession with this show 'Mystery Diagnosis' and love people. Seems my day gig as an Engineer fuels my creativity, but it lacks in my extrovert tendencies.

4. What decision, professional or personal, are you most thankful for? 

My decision to live my bucket list to the fullest. Had I not been willing to take chances I wouldn't have become an author and have over four published books out. Writing has opened an entirely new world to me that includes meeting amazing people, having fun, and creating worlds I'd only daydreamed about.

5. What is the most fun you have ever had? 

Well I'm pretty much a fun-loving goofy kid trapped in an adult body. So the most fun I have is playing hiding seek with my kids and blasting them with nerf guns.

6. Assuming heaven exists, what would you like to hear God (or Allah or Yahweh or Odin. Generally the Supreme Being of your choice.) say when you arrive at the pearly gates? 

Well done, my faithful servant. You have survived the many test, trails, and hurdles thrown at you, become stronger, surer in your strength, you have touched the heart of many, inspired the lives of many, and enjoyed this playground I've built for you.

Well done indeed. Thanks LM for taking the time to do this. You were gracious and patient and I truly appreciate it. Now, dear reader, do you want to know more about LM? Please visit any and all of these fine links:

lmpreston.com
Blog
Tweet
Facebook

Or, how about checking out some of the artist's work:

Explorer X - Alpha, The Pack, BANDITS, Purgatory Reign

Want Excerpts?

The Pack, Bandits, The Pack-Retribution, Explorer X-Beta, Flutter Of Luv, Purgatory Reign  

Thanks again to L.M. Preston for doing this and thanks to you for reading!

Colfax

Colfax is a heavy rock outfit that spawned from Brockville, ON, interuptting calm and unexpected audiences with their syrup-drenched rock n' roll served by way of full-frontal nerdity.

In 2010, their debut album, "Keys to the Midway", earned the band a distribution deal with Universal Music Canada via Blue Sapphire Records. Hundreds of self-booked shows across their country quickly ensued. Of these shows, many consisted of the band's self-made program designed to support the dwindling music education in Canada; a presentation the band affectionately dubbed "The EducaTOUR". Colfax created Fax-Ops (a novel fan-appreciation program based on their affinity with video game culture) in the process.

"One Big Quicksand", their sophomore release, was recorded and produced by up-and-comer Jayson DeZuzio (Coheed and Cambria, My Chemical Romance, Four Year Strong) in Hoboken, New Jersey. Since it's release, the band has rigorously touring Canada and the United Kingdom.

 

Brock Tinsley, guitarist for Colfax, was kind enough to answer my questions.

Now,

6 Questions with Colfax

 

1. What are your favorite and your least favorite words?

Out of all the words I know, I tend to say "beast" the most frequently. My favorite, though, is "jalopy". My least favorite is "cool-beans".

2. What turns you on creatively, spiritually, or emotionally?

Cool, sweater weather around Halloween. One of my most memorable nights was walking in fog so thick you can hardly see in front of you with some friends, just kind of being lost on purpose for a while. I've experimented in all kinds of scenarios to keep me creative, only because songwriting isn't a cumulative exercise. Just because you wrote song X doesn't mean you can follow the same process and end up with songs Y and Z.

3. What is the closest you have ever come to giving up performing?

Luckily I haven't got there yet. Strange as it may seem, I've been fortunate enough to endure as much obstacles as I have when it came to making my band work, only because it really does challenge you and make you push harder. Just having the ability to persevere really is as cheesy as all musicians say, but there's a reason they all say it, I guess. Don't stop. Stay frosty with it.

4. You have to erase one moment or act from the past ten years of your life. Which one would you miss the least?

When I had my wisdom teeth pulled out, the medicine they gave to alleviate the pain didn't play so nice with another dose of medication I had been prescribed  I didn't know that the previous medication was the culprit at the time, so until I had figured it out I was left with a full-body crippling affliction that had me visiting clinic after clinic, leaving specialists and physicians dumbfounded as to what happened to me. Not exactly a high point.

5. What is the best thing you ever ate?

Curry from Mr. India in High Wycombe, England. That replaced childhood memories in terms of what I'm going to remember in my final moments.

6. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God (or Allah or Yahweh or Odin. Generally the Supreme Being of your choice.) say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
 

Insert coin and press start to continue.

Thanks Brock!

Do you want to know more about Colfax? Do you want to hear Colfax? Check these out:

YouTube

Facebook

ReverbNation

Colfax at ZenCart

Twitter

Tumblr

or, just go here and get it all:

COLFAX

Thanks again to Brock Tinsley and Colfax for participating and thanks to you for reading!

Elaine Calloway

Elaine Calloway fell in love in junior high school. Not with the football captain, but with writing and the magical power of words. Words, like humans, make us feel. Words build us up or tear us down, take us on exciting adventures through exotic lands, calm us after a long day or make us shiver with eerie delight. It was all these things and more that made her destined to put pen to paper, and she's never looked back.

Originally from New Orleans (she can still do a decent Cajun accent upon request!), she spent her youth surrounded by delectable seafood, old steeples, cemeteries, and exposure to a melting pot of people. She is currently working on a paranormal series, where the four Elementals (Water, Fire, Earth, Wind) protect humans from evil forces. The first book in this series, Water's Blood, will be available for purchase on February 1, 2013. Visit her website for more information: http://www.thewriterscanvas.com/

And now...

6 Questions with Elaine Calloway:



1. What are your favorite and your least favorite words?

My favorites are probably muse, serendipity, loquacious, leisurely, moseying, and any others which instantly create a picture in someone's mind. Some words just sound like what they are, you know? Veranda (specifically in the South) brings a fresh image immediately.

On that note, I will tell you my least favorites. Vomit ranks number one. Why? Because it sounds like what it is. Anything descriptive that sounds and creates a disgusting view in the mind ranks for my least favorite - vomit, regurgitate, necrosis, flesh-eating, etc. As you can probably guess, I'm not a big fan of horror movies where these things are shown in vivid detail :)    

2. What turns you on creatively, spiritually, emotionally?

Great question! I will say that the things which inspire my spirit tend to be the same across creative, spiritual, emotional lines. So my answers could probably be applied to all three :)
Works of art, particularly beautiful works of art, seem to reach into my soul and inspire me to join in the band of artists who have been plowing their way through rejection for years. A painting with bright and unique colors; a photograph which has a unique angle and captures something emotional; a soulful movie that does everything right and makes me smile for hours afterward, a book with language so beautiful it makes me cry -- these are all examples, but there are many more.

Music is a big part of my creative process. I create soundtracks for each manuscript since each book has certain themes. Sometimes there are just general songs for the book itself; other times there are specific songs for specific characters. Listening to these book soundtracks helps put me in a writing place much faster. I wish I could explain how I know which songs to pick and which ones to delete. It literally is a feel-it-or-not process. Sometimes I'll hear a song on the radio and go home and purchase it because I know it would be great inspiration for a character. Other times I'll add in songs I enjoy, but as I'm writing, it just doesn't feel right. So I remove those and add others. This entire thing has always interested me because I know some writers who prefer absolute silence. I can write that way, but it's much better to jump right into something which sets the mood.

The best part about the creative process for me is the magic. That moment in which I surprise myself and little threads tie together in ways I never expected.

3. What gets you up in the morning?

An alarm clock. LOL. Nah, seriously, I like to try and think of every day as a stepping stone toward a goal. That could be a finished book, a project for my family, etc. 
The writer Isaac Asimov once said, "If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn't brood. I’d type a little faster." I like to try and view each day as an opportunity to keep moving forward with something.

4. What is the closest you have ever come to giving up your craft?

There were many times, but the closest was when my new laptop (let me stress again: NEW laptop) gave me the blue screen of death as I was finishing my first book. While I had backups of my material in various phases, I didn't have a recent backup of everything I had worked so hard on. In total, I had to retype 100 pages (I had a print backup but not electronic) and worse, I had to completely recreate the last 60 pages of the book from memory.

It took me six weeks after the computer crashed, after learning from expert recovery firms that my hard drive had melted and there was nothing that could be saved, for me to even try to return to that book and finish it. Very difficult time. Those weeks made me question why I had bothered to do anything.

However, in the end, I learned a few things. First (and most obvious) is to always back up material, especially when close to the end. Second, even though I didn't crack a book or write a word in those 6 weeks of gloom, I did continue to enjoy other forms of creativity: I saw movies, went to museums, browsed craft galleries, etc. I continued to let my brain absorb what other artists had done. I thought of their bumps along the way, and it inspired me to get over mine.

5. What is the most fun you have ever had?

This question required the most thought, and I still don't have a specific answer. There were many fun times growing up, in college, with family. The one thing that all these memories have in common is that they were shared with other people who I enjoy being around. Friends and family are precious things, and the activities always change, but the happy feelings remain consistent.

6. Assuming heaven exists, what would you like to hear God (or Allah or Yahweh or Odin. Generally the Supreme Being of your choice.) say when you arrive at the pearly gates?

Welcome home. Your table with all your favorite people is over there. 

Hard drive crash. Yep. Been there. Thanks Elaine! Fascinating answers! Want to know more about Elaine Calloway? You can follow her on Twitter, catch her on MySpace or read her Blog.

And that's all for today. Thanks again to Elaine for graciously participating and thanks to you for reading!

Matthew Wayne Selznick

Matthew Wayne Selznick is a creator and creative services provider working with words, music, pictures and people. He's the creator of the popular Sovereign Era storyworld, including "Brave Men Run -- A Novel of the Sovereign Era" and "Pilgrimage," coming in the first quarter of 2013.  He lives in Long Beach, California.


6 Questions with Matthew Wayne Selznick:



1. What are your favorite and your least favorite words?

I'll warn you that I'm not a big fan of absolutes.
I think some things just don't lend themselves to binary
categorization. Words are tools. Answering this question would be like
saying, "This is my least favorite / favorite hammer," when really,
how good a hammer is at driving nails often has more to do with how
one holds it, or how good one's aim is.
My favorite word is the right one at the right time.
My least favorite word is entirely my fault for using it at the wrong
time, so my least favorite word is really my least favorite choice,
and it occurs too frequently to pick just one. It may have just
happened, in fact. Several times.

2. What turns you on creatively, spiritually, emotionally?

Intelligence and compassion, both intrinsic and expressed.

3. What turns you off creatively, spiritually, emotionally?

The only thing that really could turn me off creatively would be...
me! We're all responsible for our own creativity. If you're turned off
from creating at a particular moment, it's probably because you're too
distracted, fatigued or scared. Get with it.
As for spiritual and emotional turn-offs, pardon the shortcut, but an
absence of intelligence and compassion would do it for me.

4. What decision in your career do you regret most?

Letting life get in the way of creative productivity. See the first
part of number three.

5. What is the strangest thing you have ever done while creating?

Strange according to..?

I'm not sure how to answer this one. I don't think anything I do as a
creator is strange. We all do what works for us, so it can't be
strange. Now, objectively, I'd have to say every creator's entire
creative process likely appears to be strange!

6. Assuming heaven exists, what would you like to hear God (or Allah
or Yahweh or Odin. Generally the Supreme Being of your choice.) say
when you arrive at the pearly gates?

Let's run with this:

"Hi. The bad news is, objectively, you're picoseconds away from being
dead. Everything you are is about to end, forever and absolutely.
You've reached the singularity of your own life.
The good news is, just like what one might experience on the edge of a
physical singularity, your subjective experience of time has slowed
nearly to a stop. This is your perceived eternity.
"The really good news is, it's all in your head, it lasts subjectively
forever, and you get to decide how you'd like to spend it.
"So. What'll it be?
Oh -- yes, the truly excellent news is, you can change your mind in a
subjective 'while,' so feel free to play around with the whole thing,
as much and as often as you like."

That was a brilliant answer! If you'd like to know more about Mr Selznick he can be found online at http://www.mattselznick.com or at the online community he administers, Indie Author Marketing Info (http://indieauthormarketing.info).

Thanks to Matthew for doing this and thanks to you for reading!
Until next time!

Heather Riccio

Heather has been a publicist with Entangled since December 2011, and has done marketing/publicity with the Palm Springs International Film Festival since 2008. She has an MFA in Fiction Writing and undergraduate degrees in English and Anthropology from University of California, Riverside. She also works for Bowker part-time as a market researcher, which keeps her up-to-date on book trends. On the side, Heather can also be found doing pro-bono work as the Director of Partnerships for Project Migration, a fashion accessories company with a charitable initiative, and  as the Features Editor for Urbanette magazine. Her life-long goal is to work for Entangled and write at night. Heather is also awesome.

And now:



7 Questions with Heather Riccio:




1. What are your favorite and your least favorite words?


My favorite word is “can” and my least favorite word is “can’t”. I don’t think there is anything someone can’t do. I think there are things we are scared of (people’s reactions, rejection, spiders, heights, cockroaches (*shudders*) etc. We are all afraid of something) I would like to think I’m the type of person who will always go for it.  I don’t want to be one of those people who always says, “What if…or if only…” If it pans out, it pans out, and if it doesn’t, at least I tried, and that’s all anyone can ask for.  With this attitude, I’ve had the fortune of working as one of Teen People’s news team members on staff (when it was still in existence), estate hunted for huge corporations during Coachella, worked marketing and publicity at the Palm Springs International Film Festival (one of the top 10 largest film festivals in the world), and helped launch a teen magazine from the ground up. It went national in a year. Not everything stayed, but I’ve cultivated life-long relationships and friendships (both in business and outside of business) having this attitude. If I really had a "can’t" attitude, I would’ve quit while I was ahead long ago. For every one short story/poem/flash fiction I have published so far, there’s at least 25 rejections that follow, but I revise and try again. Life is about constantly learning. If you’re content with the way your life is, you’re not trying hard enough.  

2. What turns you on creatively, spiritually, emotionally?
 

I find myself inspired by many things. There’s not one thing that inspires or turns me on creatively, spiritually, or emotionally. It’s a combination of many things from a person’s reaction, to how thoughtful they are, to the sights I hear, or what I see on a daily basis, and kindness and willingness go a long way in my book.


3. What turns you off creatively, spiritually, emotionally?
 

Interruptions. I hate interruptions. If I’m in the middle of a fabulous scene and someone calls, texts, or emails, and I lose my train of thought, I get upset for a moment. Often times, when I go back to sit down and write the scene again, then something new pops up, most of the time better, but sometimes not, so I really hate interruptions and love peace and quiet if I it’s possible. This is super important when writing something deep or dark. I need to be able to think about every little reaction, every possible scenario. I love to be alone because often times I’ll tap back into my past, and for some of it, I start crying, but it’s that emotion, when I can tap into it, that makes those scenes the best out of all of them. I’m no longer at the surface, but have dug as deep as I can for the day.

4. What is the least interesting thing about what you do?

Which job? LOL! But seriously…which one. In addition to my love of writing (I plan on becoming a big-time famous author someday), I work for the family restaurant business (Riccio’s Steak and Seafood in Palm Springs, CA), a part-time market researcher for Bowker (I love book trends), and as the publicity director for Entangled Teen, digiTeen, and our yet-to-be-named New Adult line at Entangled Publishing. I also work pro-bono for Project Migration, a fashion accessories company with a charitable initiative as their Director of Partnerships, and as one of the Features Editors for Urbanette Magazine. Oh, and I also beta read and blog for YA Stands. My CP, Nicole Steinhaus  was the one founded it, and I love helping other YA authors out.
 
What I would love to do someday though is simply write and work for Entangled all the time. I love my authors to death and do anything and everything I can to make each of their campaigns successful.  Least interesting thing for me is negotiating and the only reason why I don’t particularly like it is because I find everyone is almost always on a different page so it’s finding a compromise so everyone is on the same page and the decision is beneficial for all parties involved. 



5. How early is too early?


Um…lol. I’m a night owl, but am also up at around 7 a.m. You’ll find me asleep between 3-7 a.m. PST. Other than that, I’m up and ready to go. Sometimes if I can’t sleep, you’ll find me online early in the morning writing or working.

6. If you had to cut one moment or act from the last ten years of your life, what would you miss the least?

She’ll probably kill me for mentioning this, but my mother’s breast cancer. I remember at first being selfish in my thinking (I was in my early twenties at the time), and then immediately thinking right after, “Oh God, what will I do without her there?” We don’t have long conversations like some mothers and daughters do, but when we do talk it’s always meaningful and we don’t fight like cats and dogs, which I’ve always appreciated more than she'll ever know, and my parents have always allowed me to follow my dreams. No matter how far out of reach they may have been.
 
Also, I would love to cut out my uncle passing away suddenly and my grandparents. Death sucks. This past Septemeber when I was in NYC, I dedicated one of the cobblestones to my grandpa who was NYPD for 18 years. I thought he deserved to be forever remembered. Not only was he NYPD for 18 years, but he went back to help out for a few months after 9/11 happened. It’s that type of selfless humility that has shaped me into the person I am today.

7. Assuming heaven exists, what would you like to hear God (or Allah
or Yahweh or Odin. Generally the Supreme Being of your choice.) say
when you check in at the pearly gates?

 

He would say something like, “I knew you could do it. It’s all about believing. You, my child, are one of the many who chose to believe. Who know, that ‘To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure’. Welcome,” and then he’d let me enter the pearly gates to the right would be a spa and to the left would be everything my heart desired. Any time my mind changed, so would everything to the left. The spa would have to be the constant for relaxation and yoga. And, in my mind, he would have to quote Dumbledore. ;)

Thanks Heather! To quote Dumbledore "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." and you have made some amazing ones.

Want to know more about Heather? Follow any one of these links:

http://www.heathermriccio.com/

http://www.entangledpublishing.com/

 http://www.projectmigration.org/

https://twitter.com/HeatherRiccio

http://www.facebook.com/HeatherRiccio

Thanks again to Heather and thank you for reading!

Shallom Johnson

Shallom Johnson is a Canadian visual artist, writer, dancer and curator currently based in Cape Town, South Africa.  Her creative practice explores human emotion, personal story and memory through a wide range of mediums and disciplines. Her work has been exhibited in galleries and seen on the streets in Canada, the United States, the UK, Western Europe, Russia and South Africa.  She has been painting under the alias Indigo since 2008.
Born into a family of artists and activists, Shallom’s creative practice has always been multidisciplinary.  Having grown up in Northern Canada, she moved to Vancouver BC in 2000 to study Contemporary Dance and English at Simon Fraser University. The years after graduation were spent working as a choreographer, performer and instructor in Canada and the United States, both independently and as a part of multiple companies and collectives. 
Always intensely interested in collaboration, the last few years have seen her actively seeking out new venues, methods and partners for creation and curation, at home and abroad.  One of her main goals in life is to build bridges between creatives and communities, working within a global network to effect local change. After six months managing Cape Town-based organization /A WORD OF ART’s gallery, artist in residence program, and community outreach activities, Shallom is currently leading two large-scale community projects in South Africa that explore water & food access, sustainability, ecology and collaborative art practice, set to launch in early 2013.


6 Questions with Shallom Johnson:


1. What are your favorite and your least favorite words?

This was the hardest question for me to answer.  my favorite words are: memory, covet, silence, ephemera, solace.  My least favorite word is smegma.  Or possibly mucus.

2. What turns you on creatively, spiritually, emotionally?

 Traveling, meeting new people, immersing myself into unique environments, helping bring people together to share ideas and moments in time. Also, on the flip side of that, I often feel the need to hole up in my studio, sleepless and hungry and painting for days on end until I feel like I'm on the brink of temporary insanity and nothing exists but these four walls and everything inside them.

3. What is the closest you have ever come to giving up?

Hasn't happened yet, fingers crossed it never will.  I tend to just switch to another medium or genre if I feel like I need a change in order to stay productive.  Writing has actually been the most consistent thing for me creatively over the past 10 years - because it's mainly something I do for myself that isn't attached to any kind of project or public presentation. 

4. What decision in your career do you most regret?

 No regrets.  Every bad decision is a lesson learned.  But I wish I could learn to say no to things more often, when I don't have the time for them.

5. What is the strangest thing you have ever done while writing? (Same as above.)

I talk to my paintings a lot.  

6. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God (or Allah or Yahweh or Odin. Generally the Supreme Being of your choice.) say when you arrive at the pearly gates?

Hey, nice to see you, want some wine?  All we have is red.  Oh, by the way, your friends and family are waiting for you in the other room, along with every pet you've ever had.

Brilliant! If you want to know more about the fabulous Indigo you can find her at any of the following:
flickr
blog
twitter
tumblr
online store

Thanks to Indigo for indulging me and thanks to you for reading! Until next time!

Courage My Love

Courage My Love is a pop-punk rock trio consisting of 18 year-old twin sisters Mercedes Arn-Horn (guitar/vocals) & Phoenix Arn-Horn (drums/vocals) and David Blake-Dickson (bass/vocals).
Alternative Press Magazine named Courage My Love one of “100 Bands You Need To Know in 2012″. Courage My Love reached the #3 position on Billboard.com’s July 7 2012 ‘Next Big Sound’ chart. Fueled by a passion for pop, punk, metal, social justice and rebellion, the band has quickly made a name for itself touring non-stop throughout Canada, collecting new fans at every stop.
Their music videos for Bridges, Barricade and Anchors Make Good Shoes (if you have issues) added into heavy rotation at MuchMusic and at MusiquePlus in Canada. They released their debut EP ‘For Now’ on Homeskool Prom Records/Warner Music Canada. Also, an acoustic version of this EP ‘For Now (acoustic sessions)’ was released on a limited run in Canada this summer.
An expanded version of ‘For Now’ was released in Japan in July 2012 on
 Spinning/Grizz-Rhythms.

(This bio was taken almost verbatim from their website.)

And now... courage.


7 Questions with Courage My Love:

1. Star Wars or Star Trek?

 Star wars!!! All the way!

2. What are your favorite and your least favorite sounds?

I love the gritty sound an amp head makes as it warms up and the guitar tone fades in. It just makes me grin! And I hate the sound of children crying.

3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually, emotionally? (Answer all or only the ones you choose.)

Long car rides, zombie movies, rainy days, you name it! Inspiration is EVERYWHERE!

4. What decision in your career are you most grateful for?

Phoenix and I have been in many bands together, often at the same time, and it has been hard to balance out all of the projects at once without picking favourites. At one point there was pressure to quit out of courage my love to be in another band. Phoenix and I both decided to keep cml going and to not fall victim to the pressuring of our former band mates! It's a decision I will never regret and am very thankful for!

5. What is the closest you have ever come to giving up your craft?

At one point (before david joined the band) it was getting hard to find a suitable bass player, and we were getting really fed up with the constant member changes. But we've never really come close to breaking up or giving up our craft. Music is always something we've wanted to do and it's not something one can easily give up, because it's all around us. Without music, life would be unbearably dull!

6. What is the most fun you have ever had?

It's a close run between 1) my first time ever crowdsurfing 2) my first time in a haunted house and 3) the summers I used to spend in cape breton, nova scotia.

7. Assuming heaven exists, what would you like to hear God (or Allah or Yahweh or Odin. Generally the Supreme Being of your choice.) say when you arrive at the pearly gates?

"Everything, everything will be just fine. Everything, everything will be alright, alright." -jimmy eat world

So THAT's what it's like to be a pop star. Want to talk to Courage My Love? Go here:

http://www.ilovecouragemylove.com
http://www.facebook.com/ilovecouragemylove
http://www.youtube.com/ilovecouragemylove
http://twitter.com/couragemylove
http://www.spinninginc.jp/m_lineup_e/courage_my_love.html

Thanks to Courage My Love for graciously answering my questions and thanks to you for reading!
Until next time!

Nina B

Hip Hop artist Nina B is a native of New York. Born in the Bronx and raised in Brooklyn Nina recorded her first rhyme at six years old on her Playschool recorder. By 19, Nina had a growing inventory or rhymes and poetry, she had been offered (and declined) a major record deal, and was an active participant in Russell Simmons/Bruce Willis Art Start and Hip-Hop Project. There she met Amber Ravenel, CEO of Ravenel Records. In 2003, Nina B signed with Ravenel Records, becoming the first female artist on their roster. 

The Questions:

1. What are your favorite and your least favorite sounds?

FAVORITES : SHINGLES/CHIMES, KICK, 808, MY  OWN  VOICE , OH AND I STILL ENJOY THE SOUND OF THE FINAL BELL WHENEVER IM @ A HIGHSCHOOL...  :P 

LEAST FAVORITES : PEOPLE BREATHING HEAVILY, CHEWING LOUDLY, PASSING GAS, OR NAME DROPPING  :P

2. What turns you on creatively, spiritually, emotionally? (Answer all or only the ones you choose.)

 MAJOR TURN ON!!!! OTHER CREATIVE ENERGIES ... 

I CANT LIE IM DRAWN TO GENIUS!

I CANT SAY I HAVE SPIRITUAL " TURN ON'S "

BUT EMOTIONALLY - I REALLY ADMIRE IT WHEN A GUY CAN READ MY EMOTIONS I DONT COMPLAIN MUCH 

I RATHER SURROUND MYSELF WITH PEOPLE WITH COMMON SENSE SO I CAN SAVE MY BREATH.

SO ADMIT WHEN YOUR WRONG AND NOT WHEN YOUR RIGHT , THATS KINDA SEXY...

 

3. What decision in your career are you most grateful for?

TEAMING UP WITH AMBER RAVENEL AND JOINING RAVENEL RECORDS :P 

WWW.RAVENELRCORDS.COM ( SHAMELESS PLUG)

4. What is your principal defect, your biggest character flaw or personal weakness?

 I AM SELFISH, I ALWAYS HAVE TO REMIND MYSELF THAT I MERELY CO EXIST !!!!   AND THE WORLD DOESNT REVOLVE AROUND MY ISSUES OR ELSE IM IN FOR A RUDE AWAKENING  THIS I LEARNED THE HARD WAY :(

5. What is the most fun you have ever had?

YEAH RIGHT < LIKE IDE REMEMBER :P

 

BUT ON ANOTHER NOTE I HAD A LOT OF FUN DOING THE "GIMME A BREAK" SEGMENTS WITH ANGELA YEE 

HERES A LINK ( ITS LIKE A 9 PART SERIES

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5jEunTpptE

6. Assuming heaven exists, what would you like to hear God (or Allah or Yahweh or Odin. Generally the Supreme Being of your choice.) say when you arrive at the pearly gates?

" WHAT, SURPRISED ? HOW COULD I SEND YOU WHERE YOUVE ALREADY BEEN? WELCOME HOME MY CHILD "

 

 

Thanks Nina! If you'd like to learn more about Nina and her music you can follow her on Twitter find her at REVERBNATION, MySpace or, DjBooth 

 

Until next time!

Rachel Thompson

Rachel Thompson (aka RachelintheOC) is the author of A Walk In The Snark, the #1 bestselling humorous and, at times poignant, eBook collection of essays (Amazon, $2.99). She's also the cofounder of the Indie Book Collective along with Carolyn McCray and Amber Scott, with whom she cowrote Dollars & Sense: The Definitive Guide to Self-Publishing Success (Amazon, $2.99).


So, what were we talking about?


7 Questions with Rachel Thompson


             1. What are your favorite and your least favorite sounds?

favorite: great music & kids giggling is a toss-up. least favorite: static. can't stand it.  

2. What turns you on creatively, spiritually, emotionally? (Answer all
or only the ones you choose.)

creatively: music. I'm very sound oriented and when I really need to get into a certain mood or zone, I go to my music. emotionally, same answer. I think emotions are so intrinsically tied into creativity that music is a critical bridge between the two. Spiritually, I don't adhere to anything set, though I was raised in a Jewish home and I do believe in a God. I just don't feel it plays a part in my every day life.  

3. What decision in your career are you most grateful for?

The day I quit my 15-year career selling my soul for pharmaceuticals. There was nothing about that job that I loved--or even liked. I do believe everything happens for a reason however, and the lessons I learned about selling and marketing help me now as an indie author. So from a karma perspective, it's all good.


4. What decision in your career do you most regret?

I don't believe in regrets. Waste of time. I do wish I'd have focused more on my writing though. But, would I be where I am now if I had? Who's to say?  

5. Do you ever hate what you've created?

I tell my children never to use the world hate. I've had experiences in my life where I'm allowed to use that word, but they haven't -- not yet. As for my work, no. I'm a huge fan of rewrites, edits, cuts. And of having other people I trust (my writing group, my editors) take a look and help me change things with an objective eye. Writing is a solitary job but my ego is not that big to think I'm so great that I don't need help. I do. 

That said, I have plenty of reviewers who hate what I write!  

6. What is the best thing you ever ate?

Toss up: Vegetable duck pie at Shun Lee West in NYC or Espresso & sugar soaked donuts in Chicago. Amazing. 

7. Assuming heaven exists, what would you like to hear God (or Allah
or Yahweh or Odin. Generally the Supreme Being of your choice.) say
when you arrive at the pearly gates?

Feel free to eat as much as you'd like and not gain weight. You don't have to cook or clean up. And all your loved ones are waiting for you in the back. 

Thanks Rachel! This was far too long a time in coming and I really appreciate you taking the time to do it! You can find Rachel on Twitter, Facebook, or on her popular blog RachelintheOC.com.

Thanks for reading and I'll see ya later!

Katherine Walker

Emmy nominated Katherine Walker works in unscripted television, as a producer, director and writer. She grew up in Virginia, lived on Kauai for ten years and is now based in Los Angeles. She has worked with Entertainment One, Discovery and Mark Burnett among many others. 


And now, the envelope please.


6 Questions with Katherine Walker:


1) What is the least interesting thing about being a director?

"Having to execute things you know won't work due to politics (working with big egos/little talent)

2nd least interesting--looking for work/job interviews, esp with people who don't understand what you do."

2) What is your favorite vice or virtue?

"Vice--Indulging in intoxicants, on occasion (binge-celebrating!); listening to music really, really loud and blowing speakers!
Virtue--kindness, especially to someone who is down-and-out or having a bad time / charity"

3) What is the best thing you ever ate?

"Fresh Maine Lobster (especially outside on Robinson Wharf!)"

4) What are your favorite and least favorite words?

"Favorite: verisimilitude, bemused, exacerbate, onomatopoeia, wonky, yowza
Least favorite (generally using a noun as a verb) like the economy 'impacted' my life and 'loan money' (it's 'lend' money); turn-key."

5) To what faults do you feel most indulgent?

"I never learned how to set boundaries (due to some pretty bad childhood trauma) so I have a very high tolerance for abusive situations (which are quite prevalent in the 'film' industry); I don't know how to advance myself like others do, meaning I am not that great at politicking for my own benefit; I just work hard, have integrity and try to be true to the process--when a lot of times, I should have really been more concerned with self-preservation. We'll see how it ends up in the end."

6)  What decision in your career are you most thankful for?

"Being persistent on a few key occasions: 1) securing my first PA job on "The Lost World" by contacting the A.D. repeatedly; 2) getting Harrison Ford a cup of coffee and delivering it to him even after someone else gave him a cup; 3) not giving up when the EP on "Amazing Race, season 3" told me he wouldn't hire me as a producer--I suggested a drop in title, then, and accepted the Associate Producer role. The episode 311 that I put together in post that year won the series' first Emmy. I guess, overall, not giving up. Which is ironic because now that's all I think about -- getting out of the rat race and like the Frank Zappa song says, 'moving to Montana.' The problem? I really love what I do.
The reason the Harrison Ford story is significant (duh!) is not because I got him a cup of coffee--it was because I was only hired for 3 days and ended up doing every day on that movie over 5 months (because I worked very hard for the First A.D. but also because I approached Mr. Ford without being intimidated at all) -- a similar story was with Robert DeNiro when he was standing in the doorway of his trailer and no one would talk to him, they were all too scared. We were delayed over an hour due to a camera issue, and it was a Sunday and the gear had to come from Panavision Woodland Hills for some reason.

I went up to the stairs and looked up -- he asked me what was going on. I figured, if anyone knew about cameras it was him (due to Scorsese) so I told him the diopter broke and what was going on, he said thank you. By the end of that shoot ("Fifteen Minutes"), on the set, his hair & make-up person yelled at the director (who had kept Bob ducktaped in a chair for over 2 hours of re-takes--as he was getting the crap beaten out of him) that I was the only one who they would deal with! The little PA!

Well, not so little. I'm 6 feet tall!

Anyway, by being honest and upfront with big time actors, I actually gained their respect and they loved the fact that my attitude was "You're making $ 20 million? Get your ass to set!"

Thanks to Katherine for doing this and thanks to you for reading!