PATRICK MURPHY, Actor - Interview

I’ve interviewed a lot of writers, editors, actors, singers, artists and fundraisers over the past year. It’s my pleasure to start out a new year of interviews with a young man who is just starting out on his acting career. Fifteen year old Patrick Murphy asked me to interview him for his IMDb page, where portions of this interview will soon appear. Here’s the entire interview, conducted via email with his mother’s approval (as all of my interviews with teenagers are done).

Patrick Murphy

Patrick Murphy

ANTHONY: Hi, Patrick! Thanks for taking some time to talk with me.

PATRICK: Thanks for allowing me to talk to you.

ANTHONY: So, you’re just starting out on your acting career. What made you decide you wanted to be an actor?

 PATRICK: Well, I enjoy studying human character, and love to write! So ever since the 6th grade I have been wanting to act. So I have just started getting interested to move into the On-Screen acting career, which I am sure will be worth my time and money!

ANTHONY: What acting (stage, local tv, etc) have you done?

 PATRICK: I have done many theatrical plays, with many lead roles. In “Little Anne” I was the Old Man. I’ve also done a few plays with a cast over 35 members large and made the lead role. Such as “Christmas in Comfort,”  “Jolly Rodger and the Pirate Queen,”  and my favorite “Ballad of Gopher Gap.”

ANTHONY: Breaking into the business is hard, and you’re not based in Los Angeles or New York City, where in-person audition opportunities are easier to come by. How are you getting the word out there to casting directors that you’re available and interested in auditions?

 PATRICK: I have online accounts on many different casting websites that help me out a lot. My main casting profile is on IMDb. Not to mention I have a friend who is also an actor. She usually informs me about the surrounding casting calls.

ANTHONY: Are you working with an agent, an acting coach, etc? Who are they and how are they helping you get started on building your resume?

 PATRICK: Yes, we just started working with the Cathi Larsen Talent Agency. They have not done anything major quite yet, but I’m sure things will happen in the near future! I also tried out for a movie called “Take A Chance” just recently in Birmingham Alabama. All I had to do is go in and speak from a script. And they took my picture. They did not have any major parts open though, so The Director gave me a very good Extra part!

ANTHONY: Where do you think your main interest/talent lies: comedy or drama? Why?

 PATRICK: I would have to say mystery is what I am mainly interested in. I have always been fond of detective cases, such as murder and missing persons, also around the long plot that would lead to the suspect.  I never missed an episode of “Criminal Minds” or “The Glades” when they would come on.

ANTHONY: Most actors’ resumes include a list of special abilities they can bring to a role. What sorts of things are you good at, outside of acting? What hobbies do you have?

 PATRICK: Well, I mostly sing. I’m in our school choir, and also participate in church choir. I also write scripts. When I am not singing, acting, or doing school work, I’m writing scripts that I come up with off the top of my head.

ANTHONY: Do you play any sports?

 PATRICK: I love to golf. I have been golfing since I was in 5th grade. I also play football around the house as well.

ANTHONY: If you could work with any adult actor or actress, teen actor or actress, and director, who would they be and why?

 PATRICK: That is a good question.  I would love to work with Matt Passmore, his acting in the show “The Glades” is very interesting. If I could work with any teen actor, I would have to go with Uriah Shelton. His acting in “Lifted” was very great! If I could work with any director, I would want to work with Matthew Gubler. He is a great actor, and a great director. I have seen him as a major ideal in my acting career.

ANTHONY: And my usual closing question: What is your favorite book, and what would you say to someone who hasn’t read it to convince them that they should?

 PATRICK: My favorite book series was always “Among The Hidden”. There is just a great plot. The author wrote the story in such a way, that it builds alot of momentum before the climax of the story. It’s full of many curves of challenges and high spikes of adventure.

ANTHONY: Thanks again, Patrick, and good luck!

THE SHOE CREW 2012 - Fundraisers

Over the summer months I’ll be welcoming the teenagers involved in The Shoe Crew to guest-blog about what they’re doing to benefit a very special pair of charities, SHOES THAT FIT and A PLACE CALLED HOME.” The Crew is a group of really great kids including Justin and Kayla Tinucci, Taylor Hay and about 10 other kids. Some of them I’ve interviewed before, including today’s guest Sam Lant. The guest blogs will be sprinkled throughout the coming months, as The Shoe Crew efforts build towards the end of the summer.

 Instead of an interview, I asked my young friend Sam Lant to write a guest post about his involvement in the charity project: Shoes That Fit.  So I’ll shut up now and let Sam tell you all about it. Take it away, Sam!

Sam Lant

Sam Lant

Hey Anthony:

Thanks for letting me share the limelight with you for just a few moments – what an honor to be asked to guest post on your site to share about our BIG SUMMER CHARITY PROJECT.  As you know, we are fresh off the Ronald McDonald House Walk For Kids in which our team “THOSE CRAZY KIDS NEXT DOOR” raise $8,369 for Pasadena Ronald McDonald House.  Since the walk for kids doesn’t come around again until next April, we are looking for something to keep us busy through the summer.

So, here is the deal.  A bunch of us kids, with help from our parents, are doing a huge charity project for Shoes That Fit.  This organization receives no government funding and relies entirely upon private donations from individuals, businesses and foundations.  Their mission is to provide brand new athletic shoes to children in need so that they can go to school in comfort and with dignity, better prepared to learn and play.  They have shown that giving kids a new pair of shoes helps raise self esteem which in turn boosts grade scores.  It is amazing what a new pair of shoes can do.

I learned about the organization SHOES THAT FIT when I attended their SNEAKER BALL last month as a celebrity guest.  My mom always has me research the events I attend so that I know why I am going and who it helps.  My 16th birthday was coming up and I had been looking for a charity that could benefit from the gifts I was about to receive, while I don’t have much – there are people out there in this world who have much less.  I have the important things in life… a roof over my head, food in my belly, a warm place to sleep and my X-Box.      I immediately knew that this was the charity I wanted to help.  My mom contacted the head of the organization and asked what we would need to do to set up an event to benefit their charity.  From there the ball just got rolling.  I thought it would be cool to have everyone bring a new pair of Athletic shoes in lieu of gifts for myself.  Since I am inviting 200 teen actors, musicains and athletes to my birthday, I knew we could really go a long way toward filling up the warehouse in time for back to school in August.

My mom has been working hard gathering donations and sponsors.  We are holding my birthday in a 3000 sq foot warehouse partially donated by E World Media, DJ Young Slade (son of Lil Jon) will be entertaining the guests with some of the hottest dance music, and Chick-Fil-A has kindly donated the food.  We also have donations coming in for SWAG BAGS which we will give every guest who donates a pair of shoes for the chairty.  But, I have bigger plans.  I started a campaign on Indiegogo to help raise money so that I can purchase even more shoes to donate.  You can check it out here….www.indiegogo.com/shoesthatfit  I want to raise $5000 which I will then use to purchase shoes in the sizes most needed by the organization – you know those size 13 basketball shoes and the sizes that go the quickest because they are in high demand.

Enter the SHOE CREW –

The Shoe Crew

The Shoe Crew

The Shoe Crew, 2012

It seems about the same time that my mom and I were working out the details for my birthday, Justin and Kayla Tinucci, along with their mom, had an idea of their own.  Something bigger than what I had in mind.  A summer project involving many teen and child actors (and parents) who were also looking for a way to give back to their community.  Thus started “THE SHOE CREW.”  We will be making a difference STEP BY STEP through the summer – not by throwing one big bash but by having each family host a smaller event which will lead up to THE SNEAKER BALL GRAND CELEBRATION August 18th.

So, WHO IS THE SHOE CREW????  Well, of course, Justin and Kayla Tinucci, myself (Sam Lant), as well as Saige Ryan Campbell, Dustynn and Ethynn Cerney, Sean Ryan Fox and his sister Camryn Molnar, Taylor Hay, Bryce Hitchcock, Abi Ann Hoffman, Merrit Leighton and her sister Marlowe Peyton, Malyssa Martinez, Garrett Palmer, Jason and Mark Rinkel, and rounding it out – Gabriel and Hannah Welch.  We also have Dylan Riley Snyder from Disney Channel’s “Kickin-it” helping on our celebrity crew team.  There are other teens/kids that will be joining in a long the way but these are the key SHOE CREW team members.  Each family is in charge of hosting a different event where the entry to get in will be a new pair of athletic shoes or a monetary donation that we can use to buy the most needed sizes.  Along with helping their parents plan their individual events the kids also have a bigger long term job which they will be in charge of all summer.  Jobs such as: set-up team, t-shirt sales, social media outreach, inventory, web design, video team, team communications and red carpet stylist.

What events do we have in store?  My SEXY 16th Birthday is going to be a private event but the rest of the events anyone can come out to participate.  Now, this list is just a rough draft.  Things might change as we go along.  We are in the process of contacting venues and locking down locations.  You can always follow along at our web site set up specifically for the SHOE CREW – http://theshoecrew-org.webs.com/ to see what event is taking place while you are in town.    Here is a list of what it looks like so far:

June 9th – Sam Lant’s Sexy 16th Birthday

  • June 15th – launch of official Shoe Crew Campaign at I-Fly
  • June 16th – Summer concert
  • June 24th – Celebrity Dodge Ball
  • June 29th – Build a Mouse
  • July 14th – Drive in Movie
  • July 21st – Geocaching Event – High Tech Hide and Seek
  • July 23rd – Celebrity event with All-Star Wrestling Team
  • July 28th – Pink Event and music concert hosted by band Pink-E Swear
  • August 4th – Kart Racing
  • August 11th – Walk-A-Thon
  • August 18th – Sneaker Ball Closing Ceremony

HOW CAN YOU HELP???

If you live locally, attend the events.  They are going to be a lot of fun and there is something for everyone.  Our goal is to get the entire Los Angeles Area community involved in donating shoes.  But, it goes beyond that.  Are you a individual, business or foundation looking for a great place to spend your tax deductible dollars?  Do you have a product that you want to get into the hands of teen actors, musicians and athletes?  Are you an athlete, actor or musician who is sponsored (or receives gifts) and has a closet full of shoes you haven’t been able to wear and are looking for the perfect place to donate?  Or….do you have the time to help tweet, share on facebook and email your friends to tell them about this exciting event????  We aren’t picky…help in any small or big way you can.  If you have any questions you can always hit me up on twitter or facebook or email Jennifer Tinucci –jennifer@five-starpr.com

Sam Lant

Sam Lant

 

Thanks for letting me come hang with you for the day.  This was fun.  We will end this in your usual fashion…. so Mr. Cardno – What is your favorite Book?

See ya in the movies. 

ANTHONY CARDO RELAY FOR LIFE, 2012

I spend a lot of time on this blog promoting other people’s fundraising efforts – for charities, for project funding, for causes of all stripes. Today, I’d like to talk about my own cause: The American Cancer Society Relay For Life.

Relay for Life, Survivor Lap

Relay for Life, Survivor Lap

My Livejournal, September 7th, 2005, at 12:58 am:

I was diagnosed today with colon cancer. It is a small mass, localized (CT scans show no spread to the chest or the rest of the abdomen) and it is OPERABLE. (I typoed that in an email, so I need to get it right here!) I will be consulting with a surgeon on Thursday to see what form of surgery is best suited. My spirits are high and I am not worried. I am thankful that I let the camp nurse this summer convince me that my frequent exhaustion deserved a doctor’s attention … that one visit led to catching the anemia and now the early catch on this cancer.

I have been blessed with several strong role models these past few years in terms of dealing with cancer. I could cry and rail on about “why me, the family’s been through so much already,” but the truth is acting that way would go against the memory of my Mother and Denise Barnoski, who both kept their spirits up until the last minute. It would also go against the example shown me by Karen Lichtman (kij66), who has been fighting breast cancer.

Until I went trolling back through all the cancer posts on my livejournal in preparation for writing today’s post for my website, I’d honestly forgotten just how much calm I projected in the face of that news. I recall the doctor calling me and saying “It is what we thought it was, let’s schedule an appointment with a surgeon,” and then getting off the phone with my friend Karen Puccio, sharing the news with her, and saying “But I don’t think I ever actually knew what he thought it was.” Which led to another clarifying phone call, and confirmation that he’d discussed it with me after the colonoscopy, but I was still so under the influence of the anesthesia that I didn’t remember the conversation at all. When the realization really hit, I wasn’t anywhere near as calm or composed as that journal entry made out.

In Memory of my mother, Rosemary Cardno

In Memory of my mother, Rosemary Cardno

Almost seven years later, and so much has changed. My mother had died in February of 2005; my father followed her in 2007. Karen Jenkins (Lichtman) lost her fight with cancer about a year later. Other family members have fought, survived, succumbed. I’ve become friends with Jay Lake, who is still fighting the same cancer I had. My own cancer has, thankfully, not returned, but I feel cancer’s effects daily.

Every year but one since the summer of 2006, I’ve taken part in the American Cancer Society Relay For Life  at Mahopac High School. It’s a grand event, even when the weather wreaks havoc with the proceedings. The year that I missed the event due to work travel, the team I’m a part of was still there, and I did my walking in a state park somewhere in the Midwest, on my own.

Cousin, Crissy Hajkowski

Cousin, Crissy Hajkowski

This year, my team will not be at the Mahopac Relay. Our beloved and usually tireless team captains, my cousins Chrissy and Jimmy, have had a rough year and are just not up to the massive amount of prep work it takes to put our team on the site. No one else in the team has been able to step up and do what Chrissy and Jimmy do (the willingness is there, but the time is not). The same day I found out our team won’t have a spot at Relay I also found out about an 85th birthday celebration for a woman who has been like a grandmother to me for the past almost 20 years, and I’ve decided that everything happens for a reason – I am meant to be at Rosemary Pittman’s birthday party this year (no coincidence, I think, that she shares a first name with my mother. I think if they’d met, they’d have liked each other quite a lot.).  And so I was hesitant to ask people to donate money to an event I’m not actually going to be at.

But several trusted friends, when I asked, pointed out that the money is about the Cause, not the Event. Cancer doesn’t rest throughout the year. Cancer doesn’t care if we’re in Mahopac on June 2nd. So why should I rest, or care? While I’ll miss being a part of the Community that day, I will still do my best to support that community’s cause, which is so much my own. And just as RFL does, I’ll be celebrating life and birthdays, just in a different part of the state.

Cousin, Jimmy Hajkowski

Cousin, Jimmy Hajkowski

So here’s my plea, the same as it is every year: Please donate to my page. Whatever you can muster in these tight times: $1. $5. Every little bit helps fund someone’s cancer care, or some lab’s cancer research. Every dollar works towards helping someone celebrate a birthday they might not otherwise see.  As one of those people who is grateful for every birthday he gets to experience, I thank you in advance for your help. And in the words of my young friend Sam Lant – if you can’t afford a monetary contribution right now, please consider tweeting, posting, emailing, and sharing the link to my page. Maybe a friend of yours that I don’t know is in a position to help.

And hey, if you’re in or near Mahopac NY on June 2nd – go check out the event. Spend some money at the team tents. Get your face painted, buy some jewelry or a book, purchase a Luminaria in honor of a loved one who has battled cancer. Watch the fabulous Mahopac High School rock band ILLUSION perform. Be a part of a great day, and know that I am there in spirit, and am doing my Walking elsewhere in solidarity.

Thanks for reading this post, thanks for sharing it, and most of all, thanks for being not only my audience, but my friends. Life is fuller for knowing all of you.

Childhood friends Ruth & Peggy, tireless supporters of RFL

Childhood friends Ruth & Peggy, tireless supporters of RFL

THE RETURN OF EVELYN LAFONT - Author Interview

It’s Sexy Saturday ( yet another “should be a Twitter hashtag but probably isn’t”). It’s also the one year anniversary of the very first interview I posted here on Rambling On. So to celebrate, I’m welcoming back Evelyn LaFont, my first interviewee. But just to be different … this time, Evelyn answers my questions via VIDEO! I know! Even I’m surprised at the way I’m branching out into new technologies! (Insert derisive laughter here.)

Evelyn is a full-time writer living in Florida with her perfect orange kitties and totally alpha hubby who saves her from squirrelsstray dogsglue and herself.

Her debut paranormal romance series, The Vampire Relationship Guide, is a four-novella romp that takes a satirical look at what could happen if a clueless human chick really dated a vampire. It’s also got some good sex and romance shoved up in it, making it a lovely four-course meal that won’t leave you feeling bloated after consumption.

Her newest series, Pack Mistress (Quick ‘n’ Dirty Erotic Paranormal Romance) follows the adventures of red wolf Pack Mistress Lorena as she satisfies the males of her south Florida pack while trying to find herself. It’s more serious than VRG, and more erotic. The novel is being released in serial format, with new 30-35 page installments every other month in 2012.

Without further ado, here’s Evelyn … but scroll down below the video for a chance to win some books!

OH! WARNING! Some of this conversation may be NSFW. (On the plus side, there’s an adorable cat in the background for most of it.)

WIN EVELYN’S BOOKS!  Yep, win The Complete Works of Evelyn LaFont in e-book format. All you have to do is leave a comment telling us your Favorite Supernatural Being Pick-Up Line. (Either the line you’d use to pick up a vampire, werewolf, zombie, angel, demon, etc, OR a line you think they’d use to pick up a mortal.)

Winner will be chosen at random from all comments posted between now and Saturday, MAY 5th! So fire away!

And don’t forget, you can find Evelyn on Twitter as @keyboardhussy, on her own website, on Facebook, and at the book links at the top of the page!

LUKE HERR, Pharaoh & Ibis - Author Interview

It’s Webcomics Wednesday, featuring the return of Luke Herr! Yaaaaayyyyy! (In my best “Hi Ho, Kermit The Frog here” Muppet Show introductory voice).

Muppet Luke as envisioned by Daniel Butler

Muppet Luke as envisioned by Daniel Butler

Luke Herr is “a Bachelor of Web Design-holding person who isn’t as thrilled about doing web work as he used to be. Former comic shop jockey and comic reviewer. He now does work on various nonpaying projects while looking for work that can pay the bills while living in Ohio. Favorite Comic Character: Moon Knight (the idea more the character)/ Jack Knight

ANTHONY: Welcome back to Rambling On, Luke. What have you been up to since the last time we chatted?

LUKE: Hey Anthony. Thanks for having me back on! Since we last talked a few months back life has changed a pretty good deal. I’ve graduated college and entered the job market since then. Of course I’ve yet to find a job that actually pays but I am still keeping myself busy by doing a bunch of side projects and comics.

I ended up starting a new project called Prison Spaceship which is an action pixel comic set in space. It is like Star Wars meets Con Air. A bunch of aliens in a spaceship who’ve been in prison and suddenly chaos breaks loose and it is up to Kat, the main character, to try and get off the ship and back to Earth.

Additionally I am working on a space series for an anthology with Allan Wood called The Future Universe and I have a story in that called The Last Confessions of a Living Bomb which is a diplomacy/religious/political piece with aliens. Two races are fighting over an asteroid and one of them leaves one person with a bomb capable of destroying the asteroid and the surrounding ships if they don’t get their way. It is up to a reporter to get the last thoughts of this living bomb. It is a lot more serious in tone but with some cool ideas.

ANTHONY: What’s the publication status of your webcomics SOCIALFIST and CHANGELING?

LUKE: Socialfist has entered a sort of publication limbo. Remus, the artist, ended up getting a deal to draw a book for James Asmus called The Life And End Times of Bram And Ben and since James is a professional comic writer who can pay money, Remus is working on that and some other jobs that can pay much better.

On the other hand though, I am working on getting the word about Socialfist out there so for a few weeks, I’ll be distributing a free CBZ file of the current Socialfist pages. After the free period though, I’ll be selling that for $2 and I’ll also be premiering the Special $5 edition. It comes with all of the pages of the series – including the two 9 page predecessor series back when it was still SFCRTSN (Super Feudal Communist Russia Team Squad Now). The money will be going to support the artist on those books and with some hopefully going towards the next version of the series.

I’ll be working with Max Y of Cracked on a new version. The plan is to do a series of shorter pieces before compiling them into a larger trade – that way if we lose an artist, the tonal shift will not be as intense. As to when that will begin, it will all be posted on the Socialfist blog and twitter.

As for Changeling we are working on finishing up Chapter 3, the Case of the Sound Demons which is our Doctor Who homage chapter. After that, if things work out, we will be having a fill in artist for a sort of crazy out there action chapter but I still need to nail down those details. Additionally we will be releasing the Changeling Volume 2 book soon in both print and digital formats which will include Chapter 2 and 3 along with a special book-only chapter and that should premiere at Heroes Con in June.

Changeling

Changeling

ANTHONY: Sounds like a lot on your plate! You’re also publishing a book online. What’s it about?

LUKE: I wrote and am currently reediting a book called Pharaoh and Ibis which is an all-ages adventure novel that takes a lot from mythology and comics and turns them into something fresh and fun.

The story is about Chris Cushing, an archaeologist, and Kevin Canyon, a young kid, getting thrown into this massive battle between the gods as they try to find an escaped deity who is out for revenge. There’s a lot of twists and turns and some really fun stuff.

That is located over at the Pharaoh and Ibis tumblr. I’ll be starting the second round of edits soon and additionally, if all goes well, I’ll be having an artist provide illustrations for it.

ANTHONY: Where did you draw your inspiration from for this particular story?

LUKE: I’ve always been a big fan of mythology and heroes and this was my chance to combine those two things together. I think we miss out on a lot of Egyptian mythology compared to Graeco-Roman partially due to the art and vandalism of the tombs but also the difficulty of translations but there are some interesting characters there and I do my best to round them out.

I’ve also been a big fan of pulpy superhero characters. When DC recently did their relaunch they did a lot of stuff that I didn’t care for. They turned Shazam into a gritty hero – and this is a book about a kid with superpowers. It shouldn’t be dark and gritty – if I were a kid like that I’d go into R rated movies and drive cars. I’d have fun. It wouldn’t necessarily be smart fun but there is no reason that a kid with all of that power should be so moody. That weird darkening was part of the impetus and the story partially stemmed from the stories I’d like to tell with these archetypal characters.

ANTHONY: I haven’t seen the new Shazam revamp but it sounds like I wouldn’t really like it at all. How does your creative process for your novel differ from your process for the webcomics?

LUKE: I’ve recently been changing how I write webcomics, especially after learning how to not tell shorter stories and luckily my brother had given me some books on novel writing. I ended up using those to go about the story more intelligently. The pacing is a lot better because I thought of the story as a trip with stops along the way instead of being a straight shot, so to speak. I like to think it shows up and I’m using that line of thinking to make even better comics now.

ANTHONY: What challenges have you noticed while writing the novel that you weren’t expecting to encounter?

LUKE: The biggest challenge is creating the world. One of the weaknesses I am still working with is understanding how to describe the world that the characters are in and figuring out how long to keep things going. Comics are a very visual medium and I’ll admit that most of the time I write the comics, unless I am telling something very actiony I think more about the dialogue than the setting. To sort of counteract this I’ve been reading more narrative fiction which after my kick of fake information books and histories of comics and galactic comic writing saviors, it is a valuable thing to do.

ANTHONY: Many writers have a group of first readers, or “beta readers,” to help vet the story, notice plot holes, catch typos, etc. I think this is especially important for self-published authors who don’t have an editor assigned to us by a publishing house. Have you worked with anyone before posting? If so, what has that process been like?

LUKE: I’ve had a few friends look at the book and part of my reason for posting the book to tumblr is to help people get a first crack at it. Most of the people like what I’ve written but my grammar can be a little funky at parts and because I normally worked on the book before going to bed, I commonly got sidetracked and delirious while writing.

I am also going back through the book myself though part of my reason for bringing on an artist is to reward myself for getting editing done – if I finish editing a chapter, I get to share some awesome art.

ANTHONY: Where do you going with the novel when it’s done? Any plans to publish in e-book format or seek other avenues to share the story?

LUKE: I really don’t know what my plan for the book is. I have the sequel planned out and the basic ideas for a third but I think it will all come down to whatever happens. I mean, I am not entirely sure about hunting for a publisher but I am happy sharing the book for free now. If a publisher were to come by offering me money or if someone wanted to do an e-book version, I’d not be opposed.

ANTHONY: You’ve already answered my usual closing question about favorite books. So: favorite comics, and what would you say to convince someone to read it who hasn’t already?

LUKE: Actually speaking of books I recently finished Mogworld by Yahtzee Croshaw and that was a fantastic read. It is a sort of Douglas Adams take on conscious non-player characters in an MMO and it deals with a lot of big ideas while also being incredibly funny and well written.

For comics I haven’t been read too many recently but I’ll give my big throw of support to Thor: The Mighty Avenger by Roger Langridge with Chris Samnee doing the art. The book is a fantastic re-imagining of the origin of Thor in a more all ages setting but it is more than that. The series redefines a lot of the characters and makes them actually live and makes them human, so to speak. It’s not as much of an action piece and instead focuses on relationships and characters. Unfortunately the book sold poorly so it was cancelled quickly but it is collected in two trade paperbacks that are well worth buying or most of it is on the Marvel Digital Comics.

ANTHONY: Thanks again, Luke!

Luke can be found all over the internet. His novel PHARAOH AND IBIS is on Tumblr. He is the chief editor and blogger on Nerdcenaries. His webcomics are Socialfist and Changeling. And of course he’s on Twitter as @koltreg.

JOSEPH PITTMAN, California Scheming - Author Interview

It’s Thriller Thursday (another should-be-hashtag on Twitter), and who better to chat with today than my old friend Joseph Pittman, author of the Todd Gleason crime novels?

Joseph Pittman

Joseph Pittman

JOSEPH PITTMAN was born in the borough of Queens and lived there for the first seven years of his life, before his family moved to Upstate New York.  A graduate of Fayetteville-Manlius High School, he then went on to get his Bachelor of Science at SUNY Brockport, where he majored in communication, with a concentration in journalism.  While attending Brockport, he was an editor for “The Stylus,” the school newspaper, where he had a weekly book review column.

Upon graduation, he returned to New York City, where he began his publishing career.  After short stints at Putnam Children’s Books and at Viking Penguin, he landed his first editorial job at Bantam Books, where he assisted with such authors as Jonathan Kellerman, Michael Palmer, Rita Mae Brown, actress Ali MacGraw and General Norman H. Schwarzkopf.  He moved to NAL as an editor and worked with authors such as Max Allan Collins, Lawrence Block, Stephen King, Martha Grimes, Jeff Abbott, Joan Collins, Judith Gould, and many other best-selling and acclaimed names.  His career has also taken him to the world book clubs (Doubleday Book Club), and small presses (Alyson Books).  He is currently Editorial Director of the new Vantage Point imprint.

His novels include TILTING AT WINDMILLS, WHEN THE WORLD WAS SMALL, LEGEND’S END, and A CHRISTMAS WISH.  His crime novels featuring Todd Gleason are LONDON FROG and CALIFORNIA SCHEMING.  He’s at work on several other projects.

ANTHONY: The second Todd Gleason novel, California Scheming, is now available. For my newer readers, remind us who Todd is, and where do we find him at the start of the new novel?

JOE: Todd Gleason is a con man.  Once a small time con, he only stole from the rich, but never gave to the poor…unless you count him.  He’s doesn’t like to talk about himself, his past, and definitely not the father who walked away when he was five.  Todd lives alone in an apartment in Manhattan—though he does have a pet frog, named Toad.  Todd has a habit of speaking first, acting second, thinking last.  It usually lands him in a lot of trouble.  After his successful con in LONDON FROG, Todd is taking a sojourn on Bermuda, relaxing in the arms of the lovely Lana Davies.  But this being Todd, his idyllic holiday can’t last.  Trouble comes looking for him.

The plot revolves around a noted bank robber named Fast Cash, who disappeared seven year ago…never to be heard from again.  His “widow” has him declared legally dead—and that’s when the dead bodies start turning up.  What Todd needs to do is rescue a long-time friend of his from a loan shark and the only way he can imagine is finding the missing cash that Fash Cash stole all those years ago…all three million.  Let the fun begin…

ANTHONY: I hear you had some interesting adventures researching the new book. So dish!

JOE: Not sure “adventure” is the right word. The early chapters of the book are set in Bermuda.  I was going to use the Bahamas, but I’ve never been there.  Bermuda I knew, so I picked that.  There’s a bar in SCHEMING modeled after a local watering hole in the main town of Hamilton.  For the Los Angeles sections, I visited LA twice.  One of my visits had me staying for 10 days at The Standard Hotel on Sunset Boulevard, just so I could soak up the sun, the atmosphere, and the attitude.  There was lots of all.  I also got as close to the Hollywood sign as they’ll permit, and did a visit to Marina Del Rey, because there is a scene on a yacht that launches for there.  Otherwise, I drew on experience of driving around West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Palos Verdes, all setting for the book.  For a guy used to walking all over Manhattan, car culture was a cruel shock.  Part of making the LA scenes successful was getting the lingo down—“Take the 101 to the 10 to the 405.”  I actually know what all that means, now!  There are also some scenes set in Manhattan—when you read the “Raven” bar scene, please remember this book is fiction.

ANTHONY: I’ve already recognized one of my favorite NYC diners in the early pages of the book! For new readers, is it vital to have read the first Todd Gleason novel, LONDON FROG, before diving into CALIFORNIA SCHEMING, or does each book largely stand on its own?

JOE: No.  Each book is designed to stand on its own—new characters and cons are introduced in each book.  So far I haven’t yet had a recurring character other than Todd…and Toad, the frog.  He’ll be in each book for sure.  There are recurring themes about Todd’s character, what has helped shaped him.  But I haven’t explored all that yet.  Maybe Book #5 in the series will reveal a bit more about Todd’s past.

ANTHONY: I know that like me, you’re not a huge fan of outlining. Did any plot twists take you by surprise while writing CS?

JOE: In between the first draft and final draft, there was one big change.  The killer.  Something just wasn’t sitting right with me about the ending, so I had to go back and think.  Maybe that’s where an outline would have come in handy, but what’s the fun in knowing what’s going to happen?  I like to go by Todd’s instincts—he has to think on his feet when a problem occurs, so that’s how the writing goes too.  I had some other fun things in the book, but they ended up on the cutting room floor.  I think I was twisting the plot one too many times, so something had to go.  There was a great scene with Beverly Mills of Beverly Hills, my blowsy, big-bosomed real estate lady, executing a scam poolside in West Hollywood.  In the end, I cut it and it hurt.

ANTHONY: Maybe the Beverly Mills con can be a short story! Speaking of which, tell us a bit about “The Perils of Penelope Pittson,” the first Todd Gleason short story. Where and when is it appearing, and where does it fall in Todd’s chronology?

JOE: Perils will appear in the anthology, CRIME SQUARE, to be published in the coming weeks.  There is no chronology with this story with FROG and SCHEMING…it just exists.  The story takes place on New Year’s Eve in Times Square, where Todd is protecting a woman.  But he imagines himself back in the 50s, what if he were a P.I. and she a damsel in distress.  The two plotlines end up having many parallels.  I wrote the story in the style of an old detective movie, so some of the lines and dialogue are flat out funny.

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ANTHONY: How is the third book, which takes Todd to the south of France, progressing?

JOE: Ah yes, the long-rumored third book, THE CANNES CON.  I’m writing it, but I’m also toying with switching that book to #4 in the series and writing another idea I have.  That one is set mostly in New York City and environs and it’s called BROOKLYN HEIST.

ANTHONY: Man, I love your titles. Other than Todd’s adventures, what else are you working on right now?

JOE: The next Linden Corners “windmill” novel comes out in October from Kensington Books.  It’s called A CHRISTMAS HOPE.  Then in Spring 2013 is BEYOND THE STORM, a stand-alone novel with new characters and town.  More Linden Corners books are in the works, too.  My big suspense novel, THE ORIGINAL CRIME, may see publication as an original ebook later this year.  Still working on those details.  I don’t lack for ideas…just time.  But I’m having fun writing about these worlds I’ve created.  I hope readers are enjoying them.

ANTHONY:  More for me to read! And now my usual closing question: what is your favorite book (by someone else) and what would you say to someone who hasn’t read it to convince them that they should?

JOE: My favorite book?  It’s an oldie, but a goodie.  THE PRIZE, by Irving Wallace.  It’s set in the world of the Nobel Prizes and features a huge cast of characters.  It’s pure storytelling, absolutely riveting.  A big, old-fashioned read.  Wallace was one of my early favorites and I still have all the hardcover editions of his novels in my collection.

You can find out more about Joe’s projects by checking in on his website. Joe also occasionally appears on Twitter as @JosephPittman13, and he also has an author page on Facebook.  You can also find my earlier interview with Joe right here.

GLOPRY DAYS, Musicians - Interview

It’s Tuneful Tuesday (I’m not sure that’s really a Twitter hashtag, but maybe it should be!), and so another New Jersey-based band takes center stage on Rambling On.

Glory Days

Glory Days

GLORY DAYS consists of Andy Tongren (vocals), Dylan Scott (guitar), Julian Dimagiba (bass), and Steve Patrick (drums). I had the chance to chat with Dylan about the band’s influences and their sound.

 ANTHONY:  Hi Dylan! Thanks for taking the time to answer a few rambling questions.

DYLAN:  Awesome, thanks for having us.

ANTHONY:  I know you play around New Jersey, but where is everyone from and how did you come together?

DYLAN:  We’re all originally from NJ and grew up playing in different bands. With the exception of Andy who is originally from Ohio then moved to New York City to study music.

ANTHONY:  Has the band’s sound changed appreciably over the time you’ve been together?

 DYLAN:  Well yes, I wouldn’t say it changed drastically but the sound has definitely developed into something that we feel suits us as artists.

ANTHONY:  I don’t think I can pick a favorite song off of Living Room Sessions. What was recording the album like? How long did it take and where did you record? 

 DYLAN:  Recording Living Room Sessions was a pretty amazing experience for us. We were able to use various vintage instruments and had plenty of creative freedom on the product. We recorded a lot of the live stuff in a studio in upstate NY and the rest of it was done at a studio closer to home in Brooklyn. We did the entire record in under a week and loved every second of it.

ANTHONY:  What’s the song-writing process like for you? Is it a total group effort, or do you each bring completed ideas to the table?

DYLAN:  The song writing process is always different for us. Typically either Andy or myself will come with an idea for a song then bring it to the group and see what happens in an artistic environment. Various emails are sent along with phone calls, texts, and Skype sessions during the process.

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ANTHONY:  For the songwriters in the group: how do you typically work? Lyrics first then music, or vice-versa? Or it is all sort of an organic process that changes with each song?

DYLAN: The songwriting process is definitely organic. We like to see the art through before it becomes something we release as well.

ANTHONY:  As a “Jersey Band,” does the rich musical history of the state influence you at all?

DYLAN:  The rich musical history of New Jersey absolutely influences us greatly. We may not sound like Bruce, but we felt comfortable enough with ourselves as musicians to take such a powerful character and lend homage to him through our bands name.

ANTHONY:  Your cover of “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” has a different feel than the original songs off of “Living Room Sessions.” Why that particular song as a cover? Is it indicative of a change in the band’s sound overall?

DYLAN:  Bob Dylan is an American icon unlike any other. “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” is a song we felt could translate well to our sound. I don’t think it’s necessarily indicative of the bands sound overall, but it’s an eclectic effort towards greater change.

ANTHONY: What’s next for the band? New music on the horizon? A tour?

DYLAN:  Plenty of new music on the horizon along with tour plans. 2012 is going to be a very busy year for us.

ANTHONY:  My usual final question: for each of you, what’s your favorite book and what would you say to someone who hasn’t read it to convince them to read it?

DYLAN:  “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell.” Read it. It’s fucking funny.

After we completed the interview and I inadvertently misplaced it for several months, Glory Days released a new EP which you can purchase on itunes: BROKE IN NEW YORK.

You can find Glory Days on Facebook and Twitter and of course on Youtube.