Thursday, June 26, 2014

Movie Director Paul Hagis

From the I Heart Radio studio. The Writer. The Director. The New York edge of a vibrant Hollywood driven movie. I'm Unplugged and Totally Uncut with Paul Hagis... Paul Haggis is the award-winning filmmaker who, in 2006, became the first screenwriter to write two Best Film Oscar winners back-to-back - Million Dollar Baby (2004) directed by Clint Eastwood, and Crash (2004) which he himself directed. For Crash (2004), he won Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. The film also received an additional four nominations including one for Haggis' direction. Crash (2004) reaped numerous awards during its year of release from associations such as the IFP Spirit Awards, the Screen Actors Guild, and BAFTA. In 2006, Haggis' screenplays included the duo Clint Eastwood productions Flags of Our Fathers (2006) and Letters from Iwo Jima (2006), the latter earning him his third screenplay Oscar nomination. He also helped pen Casino Royale (2006), which garnered considerable acclaim for reinvigorating the James Bond spy franchise. In 2007, Haggis wrote, directed and produced In the Valley of Elah (2007) for Warner Independent Pictures, Samuels Media and Summit Entertainment. The film, which starred Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, and Susan Sarandon, was a suspense drama of a father's search for his missing son, who is reported AWOL after returning from Iraq. Jones earned a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his performance in the film. Haggis' latest film, The Next Three Days (2010), stars Russell Crowe, Liam Neeson, and Elizabeth Banks. It was produced by Highway 61 and Lionsgate Films. Hwy 61 is the production company Haggis formed with his friend and producing partner Michael Nozik. This is their first feature. It was released in November 2010. Haggis was born in London, Ontario, Canada and moved to California in his early 20s. For over two decades he has written, directed and produced television shows such as thirtysomething (1987) and The Tracey Ullman Show (1987), Due South (1994), The Black Donnellys (2007) and also developed credits as a pup writer on many 'Norman Lear' sitcoms. He also created the acclaimed, if short-lived, CBS series EZ Streets (1996) which the New York Times cited as one of the most influential shows of all time, noting, that without it "there would be no Sopranos." Haggis is equally committed to his private and social concerns. He is the founder of Artists for Peace and Justice. Under this umbrella, many of his friends in the film business have come forward to build schools and medical clinics serving the children of the slums of Haiti.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Beau Phillips I Killed Pink Floyds Pig

If you love Boss Jock Radio and the days of Radio when the Jocks on the air had a seriously out of control connection to the music and its maker... then you will love this book. From the I Heart Radio Studio I'm Unplugged and Totally Uncut with the man that invented Pop Up Videos and Behind the Music. I KILLED PINK FLOYD's PIG is a collection of 35 funny, outrageous stories about Led Zeppelin, the Stones, Van Halen, Clapton, Pink Floyd, McCartney and other Gods of Rock. I take readers on a behind-the-scenes tour and give them an insider's perspective. I was a high-profile radio programmer in rock's heyday - also VH1’s head of marketing when Behind The Music and Pop-Up Videos were popular shows. We learned that rock fans loved to get closer to their favorite bands and feel like an insider. My book delivers just that. Over the years, I was invited inside band's dressing rooms, hotel suites, limos and private planes. As you might imagine, I KILLED PINK FLOYD’s PIG is packed with amazing stories - also a foreword written by Sammy Hagar. • Never-been-heard stories about the biggest bands in rock. • I KILLED PINK FLOYD’s PIG is loaded with stories that will get your listeners talking.

The Veins Of A Living Tree

How many times do you toss away chicken scratch? Words unevenly layered into the weaves of a napkin or sheet of paper. Can you count the number of times you've accused God of not talking to you?

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Courtney Robertson

How real is Reality TV? How true to Ben was Courtney's love on ABC's The Bachelor? From the I Heart Radio studio. I'm Unplugged and Totally Uncut with a modern day villain. Two years ago, Courtney Robertson joined Season Sixteen of The Bachelor looking for love. A working model and newly single, Courtney fit the casting call: she was young, beautiful, and a natural in front of the cameras. While she may have been there for all the right reasons, as the season unfolded and sparks began to fly something else was clear: she was not there to make friends. Courtney quickly became one of the biggest villains in Bachelor franchise history. She unapologetically pursued her man, steamrolled her competition, and broke the rules—including partaking in an illicit skinny-dip that sealed her proposal. Now, after a very public breakup with her Bachelor, Ben Flajnik, Courtney opens up and tells her own story—from her first loves to her first moments in the infamous Malibu mansion—in I DIDN’T COME HERE TO MAKE FRIENDS: CONFESSIONS OF A REALITY SHOW VILLAIN (It Books; June 24, 2014; Hardcover; $24.99), by Courtney Robertson with Deb Baer. Opening up about life before, during, and after the Bachelor, including Ben’s romantic proposal to her on a Swiss mountain top and the tabloid frenzy that continued after the cameras stopped rolling, Robertson shares her story of love and heartbreak, and the reality of appearing on reality TV. With insights including: • Why Courtney never felt threatened by the other contestants when it came to “winning” Ben, and what it was really like to share a house and travel around the world with all of them • As a high school senior, the call from Abercrombie & Fitch that changed her life • How growing up in a household where she was taught to never trust men turned Courtney into a serial rebounder with a taste for bad boys • Courtney’s actual rejected greetings for Ben on their first night, as captured in her journal • The five questions Courtney would recommend any future contestants ask the Bachelor, and the most important one that she herself failed to ask • How, on the show, Courtney lived her very own version of the Bridesmaids’ bathroom blow out scene shortly before the group baseball date in Vieques, Puerto Rico • How Courtney was able to keep her engagement to Ben under wraps before the season finale aired • The real reason Courtney led the paparazzi to a bridal shop for an impromptu dress fitting after the show aired • What the real-life relationship between Courtney and Ben looked like after the cameras went away, and why it finally ended Filled with all the juicy details Courtney fans and foes alike want to know—including which actor begged her not to do the show in the first place, and all the details of her steamy post-relationship romp with another member of Bachelor nation—I DIDN’T COME HERE TO MAKE FRIENDS is part hilarious romp through Bachelor-land, and part no-holds-barred look at what happens when a very real relationship implodes as the world watches. I DIDN’T COME HERE TO MAKE FRIENDS features engaging “Keeping It Real” sidebars, complete with stories, tips, tricks, and advice your favorite Bachelor alumni, including advice from Kalon McMahon on how to “embrace your inner villain,” kissing tips from Arie Luyendyk Jr., Ashlee Frazier with tips for future contestants, and Chris Bukowski on his craziest fan encounter post-show. And, with a juicy epilogue that has the latest on Courtney, her cast mates and more, I DIDN’T COME HERE TO MAKE FRIENDS is a must-read for every member of Bachelor nation. ABOUT COURTNEY ROBERTSON A model and actress, Courtney Robertson has appeared in numerous print, runway, and television campaigns and in the pages of Vogue, Self, InStyle, and Fitness magazines. She lives in Los Angeles, California. Twitter: @bugrobertson | Instagram: @bugrobertson

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Gareth Murphy Cowboys and Indies

The only way Radio DJ's could connect with listeners was by spending a ton of money on books about the musicians. And yet not one author sits in the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame for educating the Radio industry. From the I Heart Radio Studio I'm Unplugged and Totally Uncut with a man that lived the industry from the first guitar riff to the jock spinning it. Gareth Murphy... Cowboys and Indies is nothing less than the first definitive history of the recording industry on both sides of the Atlantic. From the invention of the earliest known sound-recording device in 1850s Paris to the CD crash and digital boom today, author and industry insider Gareth Murphy takes readers on an immensely entertaining and encyclopedic ride through the many cataclysmic musical, cultural, and technological changes that shaped a century and a half of the industry. This invaluable narrative focuses especially on the game changers---the label founders, talent scouts, and legendary A&R men. Murphy highlights: • Otto Heinemann’s pioneer label Okeh, which spread blues and jazz “race” records across America • How one man, Henry Speir, discovered nearly all the Delta blues legends (Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton, Son House, Tommy Johnson) • Sam Phillips’s seminal work with Chess and Sun Records • John Hammond’s discoveries (Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Bruce Springsteen) • The behind-the-scenes players of the British Invasion • Clive Davis, Ahmet Ertegun, David Geffen, and the corporate music machine • The Machiavellian moves of punk impresario Malcolm McLaren (Sex Pistols) • Chris Blackwell’s triumphs for Island Records (Bob Marley, U2) • Sylvia Robinson and Tom Silverman, the hip-hop explorers behind the Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flash, and Afrika Bambaataa …and much, much more. Murphy also offers a provocative look at the future through the ruminations of such vanguard figures as Martin Mills (4AD, XL Recordings, Matador, Rough Trade) and genre-busting producer Rick Rubin (Run-D.M.C., Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Johnny Cash). Drawing from memoirs, archives, and more than one hundred exclusive interviews with the legends of the record industry, including the founders and CEOs of Atlantic, Chrysalis, Virgin, A&M, Sub Pop, and Sire, this book reveals the secret history behind the hit-making craft. Remarkable in scope and impressive in depth, Cowboys and Indies chronicles the pioneers who set the stylus on the most important labels and musical discoveries in history. GARETH MURPHY BIO (IN HIS OWN WODS) I was born in London in 1974, but before I could remember anything, we moved back to Dublin where my father became a promoter. In 1977, he organised Ireland's first outdoor stadium concert featuring Thin Lizzy and the Boomtown Rats. He ran gigs for Tom Waits, the Ramones, Ian Dury, Dr Feelgood, The Specials, the Clash and many others. He also managed arguably the most important ever traditional Irish group, the Bothy Band. Meanwhile, my mother had a vintage clothing stall at the Dandelion Market (where U2 played their very first gigs.) We lived down a dark, ivy-covered lane in a suburb called Shankill, which back then, was still mostly countryside. As a result, my sister and I didn't have many friends until we were teenagers. Our big old house was beside a crumbling mill and converted barn where my grandparents lived. We climbed trees in the surrounding fields, rode bikes through the long grass. We saw plenty of concerts, famous musicians, and ran around our mum's market. The little school we attended, St Ursuline's, was run by nuns. I always remember being into music. At the age of four, my first big discoveries were Electric Light Orchestra, War of the Worlds and other big-sound records. From the New Wave acts my dad was promoting, I got into 80s pop, then my first records, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, U2. Watching Live Aid in the summer of 1985, Dad got an idea for a stage and roof system that would enable faster tour scheduling. He presented his model to U2 who had just started recording what would become the Joshua Tree. They invested in a company which built three of these rigs. Within a year, we were standing in stadiums around Europe looking up at a real-life version of dad's matchstick model - now one thousand times bigger - as Bono sang "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" to 60,000 people. That windfall bought us an art deco house in the beautiful seaside village of Dalkey. Meanwhile on tour, my father's relations with the U2 manager soured. A long legal battle was settled on the steps of the Dublin High Court in 1990. Being a teenager isn't easy at the best of times, and those years were tense at home. It wasn't all bad, however. I was writing songs, studying the albums of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, the Velvet Underground, the Doors. Friends, girlfriends, hanging out in record stores and cafés on Saturday afternoons, even busking on Grafton street... Dublin was a great place to grow up. I rarely watched TV and spent most of my evenings looking out to sea from our big bay window, playing guitar, listening to music or reading poetry: Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Garcia Lorca. Aged 15 and 16, I started writing experimental prose for my bemused English teacher. Aged 20, I graduated from University College Dublin with a degree in History and Philosophy. The night we all got our exam results, I had somehow drunk myself sober. On that windy walk home, I vowed to travel the world and yes, live for art! I travelled all over India twice: my second trip was five months long. Through a series of accidents, I ended up in the French city of Lyon, where I joined an indie fashion brand, MU:E, part of an emerging niche of young, dance-culture designers. Having grown up around my mother's vintage clothes store, I found I could design and create business. These were colorful times: watching the streets of Europe, zany trade fairs. I got an inside view of the electronic music scene bursting out of London, Paris, Vienna, Copenhagen, Berlin. In 2001, I moved to Paris to work for the Buddha Bar, a nightclub, record company, and world famous compilation series. Negotiating contracts and track hunting, I learned the mechanics of the music business, eventually learning how to produce. Here, I began exploring the similarities between traditional Irish and Moroccan music - how I met my wife. Once again, music brought had me to my next destination; fatherhood, quickly followed by my first book, Cowboys & Indies.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Ari Goldman

It's never too late and you are never too old to play music. From the I Heart Radio studio I'm Unplugged and Totally Uncut with a NY Times reporter that lives by one rule: If you think you can play. Then you can. A few years ago, Ari Goldman felt the same nostalgia for the cello and chronicled his return to the instrument in an article for the New York Times. Ari is a former New York Times reporter and the author of The Search for God at Harvard, which was a New York Times Notable Book. In his new book, The Late Starters Orchestra (June 10, 2014), Ari picks up the cello again after 25 years and we follow him as he prepares for his musical coming out: his next birthday party. First he secures a seat in his 11-year old son’s youth orchestra and sits in on his private Suzuki lessons, and then he’s ready for the big time: the Late Starters Orchestra of New York City, whose motto is If you think you can play, you can. Delighting us from the very first line (“Standing in a crowded elevator in midtown Manhattan with a cello strapped to your back is no way to win a popularity contest.”), readers will enjoy this humorous and heartwarming story about finding passion and purpose later in the life, and about the power of music. The Late Starters Orchestra has received nice early author endorsements, including Letty Cottin Pogrebin, who calls it “a joy to read—moving, funny, and deeply true in its depiction of those aspirations we put aside until, one day, we realize it’s now or never . . . An inspiration for dreamers everywhere.” And it will have whimsical black-and-white illustrations by Eric Hanson throughout. Ari will discuss: • Never pack away your instrument. leave it out so you can get your hands on it when the spirit moves you. Play every day. • It’s impossible to keep up with kids. Instead, find like-minded adults who are just a tad better than you are to play with. • Consider every note a song. • Never perform. Only “rehearse,” sometimes in public. • Remember that practice makes the impossible possible. • Learn a favorite song and play it to death. That way, if someone hands you an instrument, you can play at least a few bars of something. • Go to concerts. Listen to your devices. surround yourself with the music you aspire to play. • Don’t spend a lot of money on your instrument. spend it on a teacher with an abundance of patience and a sense of humor. • Record yourself playing. don’t listen to it, even once, for at least a year. revel in how far you’ve come when you finally do listen to it. • When you play Mozart or Chopin or the Beatles or Elton John, remember that they played this too. You are connected. • Have fun! You will never be a soloist at Carnegie Hall. Accept that and play because you love it! About the author: Former New York Times reporter Ari L. Goldman is the author of three previous books, including the bestseller The Search for God at Harvard. He teaches at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Col Oliver North Counterfeit Lies

Oliver L. North serves as host of the FOX News Channel (FNC) documentary series "War Stories with Oliver North." North is a combat-decorated Marine, author, founder of a small business, inventor who holds three U.S. patents, syndicated columnist and former candidate for the United States Senate. Assigned to the National Security Council staff in the Reagan Administration, North was involved in planning the rescue of 804 medical students on the island of Grenada and played a major role in the daring capture of the hijackers of the cruise ship Achille Lauro. After helping plan the U.S. raid on Muammar Qaddafi's terrorist bases in Libya, North was targeted for assassination by Abu Nidal, the world's deadliest assassin. North also serves as the honorary chairman of Freedom Alliance, the conservative public policy organization he founded in 1990. Freedom Alliance provides tuition assistance to dependents of troops killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty. Freedom Alliance also provides support to members of the armed forces who have been wounded in the line of duty, are currently serving on the front lines, and their families. The organization is dedicated to the maintenance of a strong national defense, the protection of the rights and freedoms of individual citizens, and the adoption of policies that promote free enterprise. North graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and served 22 years as a Marine. His awards for service in combat include the Silver Star, the Bronze Star for valor, and two Purple Hearts for wounds in combat. ABOUT OLIVER NORTH'S NEW BOOK COUNTERFEIT LIES The explosive new thriller from Oliver North, who stormed bestseller lists nationwide with his disarmingly authentic military novel Heroes Proved, is a gripping, non-stop tale that could only be written by someone who has "been there, done that." Veteran undercover FBI agent Jake Kruse is investigating a smuggling ring in southern California when his assignment is cut short. A prominent criminal defense attorney wants to hire Jake on another kind of mission: to kill the daughter of a local crime boss. What began as a "contract killing" soon captures the attention of the CIA, the U.S. Secret Service, and high-level officials in Washington. The undercover agent is plunged into a deadly underworld of North Korean espionage, Hezbollah terror and the sinister deception Iran uses to acquire nuclear weapons. Caught in a web of international intrigue that goes to the top of the U.S. government, Kruse is forced to confront the ultimate moral quandary: doing what’s right when everything seems wrong. His New York Times bestseller Heroes Proved was praised by Sean Hannity as "a heart-thumping ‘must-read’ for every American" and as "inspiring truth in the form of a novel" by U.S. Army Lieutenant General William "Jerry" Boykin, a founding member of Delta Force. Now, national security expert and decorated war hero Oliver North and former U.S. Marine and FBI undercover agent Bob Hamer bring their real-life experience to this pulse-pounding tale of international intrigue and down-to-the-wire suspense. They say it’s fiction. But it’s all too real.

Monday, June 16, 2014

Antsy McClain

Inside the I Heart Radio studio I'm Unplugged and Totally Uncut with one of this nations funniest! Antsy McClain performing June 23, 2014 McGlohon Theatre - Charlotte, NC Antsy McClain is about to embark on a 20-date tour that will launch June 12th in St. Louis, Missouri as the opening act for headliner Australian guitarist Tommy Emmanuel. This tour will include stops at landmark cities like New York, Indianapolis, Atlanta, and Charlotte, where Antsy McClain will perform unaccompanied for audiences across the country. Antsy McClain is an American humorist singer from Kentucky whose stories are told and performed through country music with jazz, swing and rock influences that have given Antsy his signature sound. Antsy, who has performed with his band The Trailer Park Troubadours for two decades, breaks away as a solo act during this tour. Given the name Antsy as a child because of his hyper activity (otherwise known as Ronnie Joe McClain), Antsy is a true artist in more ways than one. Art became a fascination to Antsy at the age of four, where he copied cartoon characters out of newspapers. As he grew older, his artistic direction took a mature turn when Antsy McClain graduated from simple drawings to pastel paintings and later become an award-winning illustrator for magazines and books. As a do-it-yourself guy, Antsy took control of his artistic ability and began playing the guitar where he would compose his own original music. In 1999, Antsy McClain became one of the first artists to independently release his own music after recording, mixing and producing the material himself. Antsy applied his artistic ability in his music by designing his own merchandising from CD covers to tour shirts. Antsy McClain has received critical acclaim from artists like Guy Clark, Lindsay Buckingham and even Willie Nelson, and that’s only just to name a few. Antsy's fans call themselves “Flamingoheads,” a term taken from the iconic pink birds that adorn many lawns in mobile home communities. Antsy McClain frequents the Flamingohead Family Facebook page where he engages with his fans about life, music and upcoming projects. Antsy McClain has released 12 studio albums with his band The Trailer Park Troubadours which had standouts like “Living the Dream,” the latest, and “New Good Old Days” a fan favorite. In these albums, Antsy McClain and the Troubadours have poked fun at pop culture with songs like “I Was Just Flipped Off by a Silver Haired Old Lady,” and frustration with modern day technology, as in “Upgrade,” all produced by Antsy McClain himself. In 2006 Antsy released the Christmas album “Merry Christmas From the Trailer Park” which featured the popular Holiday track “Christmas at the Trailer Park.” Songs by Antsy McClain feature a balance of humor and personal insight into the human condition. Turning a critical, yet winking eye to the foibles of modern society, Antsy gives audiences an escape from their own daily lives where they can enjoy upbeat music and positive energy by an artist who never takes himself – or life – too seriously. Antsy McClain Tour Dates: June 12, 2014 Sheldon Concert Hall - St. Louis, MO June 14, 2014 Egyptian Room - Indianapolis, IN June 16, 2014 B.B. King Blues Club - New York, NY June 17, 2014 Ram’s Head - Annapolis, MD June 19, 2014 B.B. King Blues Club - New York, NY June 20, 2014 B.B. King Blues Club - New York, NY June 21, 2014 Carpenter Theatre - Richmond, VA June 23, 2014 McGlohon Theatre - Charlotte, NC June 24, 2014 Newberry Opera House - Newberry, SC June 25, 2014 Newberry Opera House - Newberry, SC June 26, 2014 Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, GA June 27, 2014 Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, GA July 17, 2014 Orpheum Theater - Wichita, KS July 18, 2014 Holland Performing Arts Center - Omaha, NE July 19, 2014 Orpheum Theatre - Sioux Falls, SD July 21, 2014 Rusmore Plaza - Civic Center Rapid City, SD July 23, 2014 Wilma Theatre - Missoula, MT July 24, 2014 Bing Crosby Theater - Spokane, WA July 25, 2014 Tower Theater - Bend, OR July 26, 2014 Britt Pavilion - Jacksonville, OR http://www.antsy.net https://www.facebook.com/thetroubs https://twitter.com/AntsyMcClain https://soundcloud.com/thetroubs https://www.youtube.com/user/antsymcclain

I Don't Want To Write Anymore God

I call writing my sickness. I have accused my passion to write my addiction. I don't write because I want to. I write because the power is too overbearing and I have to release it through a writing instrument. But the judgment. Oh the harsh actions of others that fail to understand what has been written. The slaps. The punching. The verbal beatings from those that don't want to see the positive in the flow that comes from God through me and into a readers next decision becomes too tough to handle. So I asked God to take me off his list of writers.

Friday, June 13, 2014

Andrew Armacost Poor Mans Suicide

Norfolk, VA, May 13, 2014 – Being a prison guard is both stressful and dangerous, so it's not surprising that the suicide rate is 39% higher than any other occupation. The Poor Man's Guide to Suicide (Moonshine Cove Press), by Andrew H. Armacost, is a moving yet comical tale of an embittered prison guard, working at a correctional facility on the outskirts of Indianapolis, who decides the only meaningful thing left for him to do in life is die. Most prison guards work hard just to survive each day and Wesley Weimer is no exception. As Armacost's lead character peels back the layers of his life, he doesn't like what he sees. A twice-divorced father of two, he realizes his life has grown lifeless. With child support payments sucking him dry, and most of his free time spent either taking care of his crippled mother or struggling through painful visits with his children, Wesley can't help but wonder if there's any point in carrying on. With Christmas right around the corner, Wesley persuades a prisoner to strangle him for ten thousand dollars – this way, at least his kids can cash in on the life insurance. There's just one problem…he doesn't have ten thousand dollars! This noir 'why-done-it' offers a humanizing look at both inmates and guards as it propels readers into the guts of a bleak yet fascinating subculture - all while managing to throw a spiritual life-ring to a drowning demographic: non-custodial fathers. Passionate and persuasive, emotional and humorous, Armacost's latest book (his third published novel to date) is compelling storytelling at its best and makes for a powerful read, tough to put down. Andrew Armacost studied literature and writing in Scotland at the University of Edinburgh after serving in the U.S. Navy, during which time he worked at sea and overseas, with long-term assignments to both Afghanistan and Singapore. In addition, Mr. Armacost has lived in Illinois, Ohio, Georgia, Florida, Japan and California, and was formerly a Corrections Officer for the State of Indiana. The author now calls Virginia Beach home where he lives with his wife and children. http://www.amazon.com/Poor-Mans-Guide-Suicide/dp/1937327442 The Poor Man's Guide to Suicide Publisher: Moonshine Cove Press Paperback $12.95 Release Date: May 10 2014 ISBN #: 9781937327446

J.B. Bernstein Million Dollar Arm

I just had the million dollar conversation. Unplugged and Totally Uncut on I Heart Radio and WRFX.com. He lived the sport through a different set of eyes. A trip to India changed the game forever. India is a country with more than one billion people, a fanatical national cricket obsession, and exactly zero talent scouts. There, superstar sports agent J. B. Bernstein knew that he could find the Yao Ming of baseball— someone with a strong arm and enough raw talent to pitch in the major leagues. Almost no one in India is familiar with the game, but Bernstein had heard enough coaches swear that if you gave them a guy who throws a hundred miles an hour, they could teach him how to pitch. So in 2007, Bernstein flew to Mumbai with a radar gun and a plan to find his diamond in the rough. His idea was The Million Dollar Arm, a reality television competition with a huge cash prize and a chance to become the first native of India to sign a contract with an American major-league team. MILLION DOLLAR ARM by J.B. Bernstein (Gallery Books; on-sale April 1st; $16.00; Trade Paperback) is a humorous and inspiring story about three guys transformed: Bernstein, the consummate bachelor and shrewd businessman, and Dinesh and Rinku, the two young men from small farming villages whom he brought home to California. MILLION DOLLAR ARM is a timeless reflection on baseball and the American dream, as well as a tale of victory over incredible odds. But, above all, it’s about the limitless possibilities inside every one of us. MILLION DOLLAR ARM is now a major motion picture by Walt Disney Pictures starring Jon Hamm, Alan Arkin and Lake Bell.

Three Of The One Thousand Twenty One Thoughts

I didn't set out to write a book that still sits on the new age religion bookshelves. I was embarrassed when the publisher labeled my book religious. How dare you call me a Preacher! And yet in the way that I write. Its anything but heavenly or spiritual words of advise. Ask those that have been to the pages. They'll tell you what "They" pulled from the lyrics of my soul. And what they yanked on. Broke free from the origin of roots was their interpretation. I get in more trouble writing words of positive value than I did breaking the ten commandments. It's just not fair! So every once in a while I step back a few years and share the true story behind the emotion given to me by God. So that others may hopefully learn from it during the day you least expect.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Ted Galdi Elixir

Los Angeles, CA, May 27, 2014 – Ted Galdi has accomplished more in his 29 years than most do in a lifetime. At the age of 15 he wrote a screenplay which caught the interest of Hollywood. After graduating from Duke he started his own software company, and now is set to release his first novel, a cerebral thriller called Elixir, in August. Elixir’s plot brings a sense of familiarity to the recent NSA-whistleblower Edward Snowden citing that surveillance technology – intended for the purpose of monitoring national security threats – is being used on US citizens. Elixir reveals the innermost workings of the NSA and has readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. “I think people will find the tie-in to the recent controversy around Edward Snowden and leaked NSA activities interesting,” says Galdi. “Since it happened, no thriller has really tried to pull the cover off the type of dealings that go on there, at least not on this level.” Elixir revolves around the life of 14-year-old Sean Malone. Sean is a genius in his own right. His IQ surpasses the 200 mark. He’s been offered a full-ride scholarship to a top university – not that he needs it, he’s also just won more than a million dollars from his long-term winning streak on Jeopardy! Sean captures the attention of the NSA when he writes an algorithm that solves the Traveling Salesman Problem – the biggest enigma in computer science. Soon, the NSA is manipulating him so they can control the code to track down a drug lord. Their path is tarnished with the deaths of innocent people and Sean can’t help but feel responsible. It’s soon evident that Sean needs protection, which he finds in Rome. Armed with a new life and a new name, he falls in love and feels that his life is finally somewhat normal. However, this feeling is short-lived when he learns that the love of his life is critically ill and it’s up to him to use his genius to find a cure. He’s forced to go on an unforgettable journey against a money-hungry pharmaceutical company and the demons of his past to save her before it’s too late. “Elixir is different than a typical thriller because it doesn’t just focus on suspense,” says Galdi. “My favorite part of writing it was coming up with characters that readers would care about. The thrills are that much better if the characters mean something to you.” About the Author Ted Galdi graduated from Duke University and co-founded StadiumRoar.com, a software company that streamlines event-management logistical data for sports teams. Now 29 years old, Galdi enters the literary world with a cerebral thriller, Elixir. Like the protagonist in Elixir, Galdi did amazing things at an early age. Galdi is the recipient of several academic awards and is also a member of the International High IQ Society and the One-in-a-Thousand Society. At the age of 15, he wrote his first screenplay. For more information, including the exciting book trailer, please visit www.elixirthebook.com. ### Elixir By Ted Galdi ISBN-13: 978-0989850735 Release Date: August 2014

Ira Judelson The Fixer

From New York’s foremost bail bondsman with “over $30 million on the street” comes the story of a modern-day “fixer” who walks a fine line between hustler and humanitarian with clients ranging from the rich and famous to the mafia and gangs of New York. With from-the-gut prose, Ira Judelson sheds light on the highs and lows of the bondsman life. But Judelson is no process server. He sees himself as a sort of modern day “macher”—using his juice as a bail bondsman to help friends old and new out of jams wherever he can. He is also a keenly observant and wildly charismatic insider who’s seen it all. Prepare to be shocked, but also informed in The Fixer as Judelson reveals the unwritten laws of the courtroom and even prison—not to mention the shameless activities of his unbelievable list of clients, including former New York Giants Plaxico Burress and Lawrence Taylor; rappers Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Ja Rule, Lil’ Wayne, and DMX; comedian Katt Williams; notorious Manhattan madam Kristin Davis; former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn and actress Lindsay Lohan. You’ll see why the New York Times describes Judelson as “an inevitable entry in the BlackBerrys of New York defense lawyers, an ATM for desperate rappers, actors, athletes, executives, and madams with pocketbooks much fatter than his.” The Fixer is a rollicking narrative that follows Judelson as he learns the ins and outs of the down-and-dirty world of bonds: which judge might let you slide, which ones have zero tolerance, which lawyers do pro bono for the right case, and the cops and DAs who believe in second chances. Judelson illuminates a world almost entirely opaque to the general public, but also entertains and informs with the inside scoop on the underbelly of the justice system. ADVANCED PRAISE FOR THE FIXER Judelson “pulls back the curtain to reveal the backroom machinations, last-minute deals, and occasional manhunts that go along with the job in this page-turner…a last glimpse at one of the country’s most unique professions.”—Publishers Weekly “Ira Judelson has gotten more guys out of jail than I have. This riveting account of a bail bondsman and his interaction with the criminal justice system is a must read. I thought I knew a lot about criminal law but I learned so much more from this bottom-up look at how the system actually operates.” —Alan Dershowitz, author of Taking the Stand: My Life in the Law “If you ever get in trouble, I mean real trouble, remember this guy, Ira Judelson. If you don’t believe me, read this book! It’s a must read.” —Regis Philbin ABOUT IRA JUDELSON Ira Judelson is one of New York’s most prominent bail bondsmen. For nearly twenty years, he has posted bail for some of the city’s most notorious defendant-celebrities, as well as thousands of common criminals. He is well known to those in the justice system for his no-nonsense demeanor, his charismatic charm, and his ability to “read” a prospective client. He lives in Westchester, New York with his wife and three children.

Friday, June 6, 2014

Waves Trickles and Rob Schneider

I host a spiritual station on I Heart Radio. While reading scripts and layouts. In walks a visitor... Often accused of being extremely disconnected from the modern world of business success. I still stand straight up knowing bosses and business owners aren't leaders. They rob from the hardest working generation in history. They steal not just the money you deserve but your energy and everything that could and will make you beyond brilliant. Then...in walks actor comedian Rob Schneider. You gotta love radio and how being in the moment turns a pond into a cool place for bugs to hang out.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

John Waters Carsick

Filmmaker, director and writer John Waters was born on April 22, 1946, in Baltimore, Maryland. Sometimes called the "King of Bad Taste" or the "Pope of Trash," Waters has built a reputation for shocking his audiences. Many of his films satirize suburban America as well as many social conventions and attitudes. He started out making short experimental films in the 1960s, often using friends as actors and holding small showings in offbeat locales. Roman Candle (1966), one of his early works, marked the first time Waters worked with Divine, an oversized, over-the-top transvestite. Turning to feature films, Waters made Mondo Trasho in 1969. Divine starred as a hit-and-run driver who looks after her dead victim. Waters went to create what is considered by many to be one of the grossest movies of all time. Pink Flamingos (1972) features Divine as Babs Johnson. Johnson is a mother who leads her family in a battle against the Marble family to determine which group is the filthiest. One legendarily disgusting scene from the film has Divine eating dog excrement. The film became a cult classic and a popular choice for many midnight showings. Moving toward the mainstream a bit, Waters made Polyester (1981) with Divine and Tab Hunter, a movie star from the 1950s. As with many Waters films, the storyline is an absurd take on suburbia, exaggerating the usual martial squabbles and family problems. Starring as a discontented housewife, Divine must contend with an unfaithful pornographer husband, a sexually promiscuous daughter and a glue-sniffing son who likes to stomp on people's feet. Still filled with unusual and offbeat characters, Water's 1988 film Hairspray was a much tamer effort for the legendary filmmaker. Instead of grossing out audiences, the movie centered on the struggle of Tracy Turnblad, an overweight teen, to join the cast of television dance show. Set in the early 1960s in Water's hometown of Baltimore, the film's heroine, played by Ricki Lake, also speaks out about a pressing issue of that era - integration. This story of an underdog overcoming obstacles struck a chord with many audience members and has become Waters' most popular and best-known work. The film was later turned into a successful Broadway musical and a film version of the musical was released in 2007. His next film, Cry-Baby (1990), took audiences back to the 1950s. Featuring Johnny Depp as the title character, a teen delinquent from the wrong side of the tracks, the movie is a send-up of the teenage exploitation films of the period. Cry-Baby falls for a "good" girl from a respectable home and there's a touch of Romeo and Juliet as the two struggle to be together. Waters went contemporary with his next work, Serial Mom (1994), which starred Kathleen Turner as a suburban mom gone homicidal. As with many of his films, Waters made some interesting casting choices. The legendary kidnapped heiress Patty Hearst appears as a member of the jury in Serial Mom and went on to handle roles in Pecker (1998) and Cecil B. Demented (2000). One of Waters' most recent directorial efforts, 2004's A Dirty Shame, starred Tracy Ullman as a mother who becomes oversexed after suffering a head injury. Although there is more talk than action in the film, it still earned an NC-17 rating for its sexual content. For his next project, Waters stepped in front of the camera for 2006's This Filthy World, in which he shares many stories from his long career. That same year, he hosted a film series on the Here! Channel, a pay-for-view cable network, called John Waters Presents Movies That Will Corrupt You. Known to take on occasional acting gigs, Waters made a guest appearance on the sitcom My Name Is Earl in early 2007. Besides his film and television work, Waters has authored several books, including Shock Value: A Tasteful Book about Bad Taste (1981) and Crackpot: The Obsessions of John Waters (1983). He also had a traveling exhibit of his photography called Change of Life, which featured still images from some of his early films. ABOUT JOHN WATERS' NEW BOOK CARSICK John Waters is putting his life on the line. Armed with wit, a pencil-thin mustache, and a cardboard sign that reads “I’m Not Psycho,” he hitchhikes across America from Baltimore to San Francisco, braving lonely roads and treacherous drivers. But who should we be more worried about, the delicate film director with genteel manners or the unsuspecting travelers transporting the Pope of Trash? Before he leaves for this bizarre adventure, Waters fantasizes about the best and worst possible scenarios: a friendly drug dealer hands over piles of cash to finance films with no questions asked, a demolition-derby driver makes a filthy sexual request in the middle of a race, a gun-toting drunk terrorizes and holds him hostage, and a Kansas vice squad entraps and throws him in jail. So what really happens when this cult legend sticks out his thumb and faces the open road? His real-life rides include a gentle eighty-one-year-old farmer who is convinced Waters is a hobo, an indie band on tour, and the perverse filmmaker’s unexpected hero: a young, sandy-haired Republican in a Corvette. Laced with subversive humor and warm intelligence, Carsick is an unforgettable vacation with a wickedly funny companion—and a celebration of America’s weird, astonishing, and generous citizenry.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Laurence Juber Guitar With Wings

Dalton Watson Fine Books is pleased to present Guitar With Wings: A Photographic Memoir by two time Grammy Award-winning artist Laurence Juber. Guitar With Wings is a lavishly produced book co-written by music historian Marshall Terrill and featuring a foreword by Denny Laine that tells the story of Juber’s five-decade career told through his own words, candid never-seen-before color and black & white photos, vintage advertising materials, guitars, equipment, memorabilia and the six-string legend’s encyclopedic musical memory. “In the thirty-something years since Wings folded I would look at the boxes of photographs and accumulated memorabilia, promising myself that one day I’d take the time to organize it all,” Juber said. “Contrary to my expectations that the Wings era would be absorbed into the general arc of Paul McCartney’s career, interest in the band itself has continued to flourish and I recognized that I had a unique perspective to offer. All the great moments were there as well as being an eyewitness to McCartney’s much-publicized marijuana bust in Tokyo, Japan in 1980.” “The photos triggered long-forgotten memories of my time in the band, underscoring how my studies at ‘McCartney University’ were a bridge from my early musical experiences to my later ‘solo flight’ and how much the couple-consciousness of Paul and Linda McCartney proved to be a template for my own romantic and creative relationship with my wife Hope,” Juber said. Containing 250 plus pages, this photo memoir documents the history of a young Londoner whose passion for the guitar leads him to play a crucial role in the ‘Indian Summer’ of Paul McCartney’s Wings, encompassing the era of the Grammy-winning Back to the Egg, the band’s final tour and their No. 1 swan song, “Coming Up.” Juber’s photographs and memories takes readers on a journey inside recording sessions for “Rockestra” and at McCartney’s Scottish farm, Abbey Road Studios, as well as onstage and backstage with Paul and Linda, Denny Laine at the “People of Kampuchea” benefit and on Wing’s 19-date concert tour of the United Kingdom in late 1979. In addition to the hardback ($49.00), Dalton Watson Fine Books will also release a 1,000 signed, limited slipcase edition ($85.00) that features an exclusive CD which includes “Maise,” an original Juber composition and Back to the Egg outtake by Wings. To purchase the book, please go to www.daltonwatson.com # # # LAURENCE JUBER In May 1978 Juber got an extraordinary, life-changing break when Paul McCartney selected him to become Wings’ lead guitarist. He spent three years recording and touring with the band. During that time he won a Best Rock Instrumental GRAMMY® for the track “Rockestra” from the Wings album Back To The Egg and was heard on the international hit singles “Goodnight Tonight” and “Coming Up”. After Wings folded in 1981, Juber relocated to the US and established himself as a studio musician. While raising a family in Los Angeles, he performed on the soundtracks to hundreds of TV shows and movies including "Home Improvement" and "Seventh Heaven.” He can be heard on the scores to such academy award-winning movies as Dirty Dancing, Pocahontas and Good Will Hunting, as well as many hit records. At the same time he embarked on a career as a solo recording artist, concert performer composer and arranger, soon developing a reputation as a world-class solo guitar virtuoso, being voted '#1' by Fingerstyle Guitar magazine. He has since released more than 20 acclaimed solo albums. LJ Plays The Beatles was voted one of the all-time top ten acoustic guitar albums. I've Got The World On 6 Strings, is a collection of solo guitar arrangements of tunes by Harold Arlen, composer of “Over The Rainbow”, and 'Stormy Weather', among many other classics. Pop Goes Guitar includes his performance of “Stand By Me” that was heard in a popular De Beers diamond commercial. His solo guitar arrangement of "The Pink Panther Theme" is featured on the Best Pop Instrumental GRAMMY®-winning album "Henry Mancini-Pink Guitar". His latest releases are the concert CD/DVD Catch LJ Live! and the jazz-tinged studio collection "Under An Indigo Sky." Laurence is also a respected composer, arranger and producer having written music for TV (A Very Brady Xmas, Tarzan) movies (World Gone Wild), documentaries (NBC's Children Of the Harvest). His music is featured in the Ken Burns documentary The Tenth Inning. He is also co-composer of the score to the award-winning video game 'Diablo 3'. With his wife Hope, he has composed the stage musicals Gilligan's Island: The Musical, A Very Brady Musical and It’s The Housewives! C.F. Martin & Company has produced an ‘LJ’ Signature model guitar and GHS Strings market Juber's Signature guitar strings. www.laurencejuber.com Photo Credit: Dalton Watson Fine Books, Laurence Juber

The Todd Glass Situation

"I don’t really like saying that I’ve ‘come out of the closet,’" says comedian Todd Glass in THE TODD GLASS SITUATION: A Bunch of Lies About My Personal Life and a Bunch of True Stories About My 30-Year Career in Stand-Up Comedy (June 3, 2014/$25.00 hardcover). "Why couldn’t it be something a little more manly, like ‘stepping out of the garage’ or ‘busting out of the toolshed?’" THE TODD GLASS SITUATION shares Todd’s unique perspective as a stand-up comedian who spent the first 47 years of his life living in the closet/garage/toolshed. He provides an inside look at a 30+ year career at the top of the comedy world, tracing its ups and downs as he shares the stage with everyone from Jay Leno to Sarah Silverman to Louis CK. It took a brush with death to cause him to rethink the way he was living his life, and a rash of suicides among gay teens to convince him that it was finally time for a change. Growing up outside Philadelphia in the 1970s was easy, as long as you weren’t dyslexic. Or someone who struggled with ADD. Or a Jew. Todd Glass wasn’t any one of these things—he was all three. So there was absolutely no way he was going to let anyone know that he was also gay. He vowed to keep his "situation" hidden from the world, no matter how comic, tragic, or comically tragic the results. This decision might have made Todd’s life easier, had his career path not placed him squarely in the public eye. By age eighteen, he was a professional stand-up comedian, opening for big musical acts like George Jones and Patti LaBelle. His career carried him through the Los Angeles comedy heyday in the 1980s, its decline in the 1990s, and its rebirth via the alternative comedy scene and the explosion in podcasting. He worked hard at his craft, but that was nothing compared to the effort it took to manage his situation. There were years of abstinence and half-hearted attempts to “cure” himself. Fake girlfriends so that he could tell relationship jokes onstage. Staged sexual encounters to burnish his reputation offstage. One night—onstage, during a performance—Todd suffered a serious heart attack. When the EMT asked if there was anyone they should notify, Todd hesitated to name his boyfriend. “Here I am, forty-five years old, possibly at death’s door, surrounded by friends—and I still can’t be honest about who I am,” he says. “How the f*** did I get here?” This was the beginning of the process that led to Todd’s decision to finally come clean about his sexuality. Peppered with anecdotes from his life among comedy’s greatest headliners and tales of the occasionally insane lengths Todd went through to keep a secret that—let’s face it—he probably didn’t have to keep for as long as he did, THE TODD GLASS SITUATION is a front-row seat to the last thirty-plus years of comedy history and a deeply personal story about one man’s search for acceptance. ABOUT TODD GLASS Todd Glass is a stand-up comedian who has performed on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Chelsea Lately, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and The Jimmy Kimmel Show, among many other programs. He’s also the host of The Todd Glass Show, a popular podcast on the Nerdist Network. Visit www.ToddGlass.com and follow Todd on Twitter at @toddglass.

Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard Remember The Time

On June 25th, 2009 Michael Jackson was found dead in his California home at the age of 50. What followed was a media circus of epic proportions with tabloids dredging up every piece of gossip collected throughout the span of Michael’s prolific career. Fast-forward five years after his death and Michael Jackson is still making headlines. Yet, what do we really know about Michael Jackson the man or Michael Jackson the father? With Remember the Time (Weinstein Books, June 3, 2014, Trade Cloth, $26.00) Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard unmask the man behind the myth and reveal a side of Jackson that until now has only been known to a select few. To the outside world Michael Jackson appeared to have it all, but in reality his last years on earth were fraught with unimaginable stress and worry. However, in many ways Michael was a man like any other; he was a father who cared deeply for his children and a musician who was passionate about his craft. In this in-depth new book about Michael Jackson’s final years, first time authors Whitfield and Beard offer readers a rare insider’s glimpse at a man who was greatly misunderstood by most, and known only intimately by few. Shedding light on everything from Michael’s close relationship with his children, to his strained relationships with business associates and family members, Remember the Time is the one story that has yet to be told. Doting father, loyal friend, loving son; this is the Michael Jackson that Whitfield and Beard came to know during the years they worked for him and his family. Not only did they get to know Michael’s likes and dislikes, such as his obsession with Sharper Image gadgets and love of tabasco sauce, but they also got to learn about the troubled person who more than anything just wanted to be happy. For Michael, shielding his children from the media spotlight was more important than anything else, and despite being knee-deep in debt and besieged with a number of other worries, he did his best to safeguard their childhood. ABOUT BILL WHITFIELD & JEVON BEARD Bill Whitfield spent many years working as a law enforcement professional before going into private security in the mid-90s. By 2001 he was living in Las Vegas and was successfully establishing himself as one of the city’s top independent security contractors. By the time he went to work for Michael Jackson, Whitfield had worked with everyone from celebrities and athletes, to businessmen and politicians. Javon Beard was born in South Central Los Angeles and grew up with the hopes of becoming a professional athlete. However, his life took a much different turn when upon graduation he took a job doing private security. Through the years Beard worked his way up and ended up working as an overseer to a security staff of over 200. His first high profile security job was with Michael Jackson. REVIEW OF REMEMBER THE TIME FROM KIRKUS REVIEWS Whitfield and Beard witnessed firsthand how Michael Jackson (1958-2009) squandered his enormous wealth by trusting the wrong people, whose questionable business deals yielded more legal entanglements than profits. They steered clear of the infighting and conflicting agendas among those who oversaw Jackson's crumbling empire and observed how Jackson, deliberately disengaged from his own affairs, was "a billion-dollar enterprise, running 24/7, and there was nobody in charge.” The authors provide solid insight into Jackson's immature behavior—e.g., his ruinous habit of turning to wealthy, powerful figures to rescue him in times of crisis and his blithe dismissal of the harm his staff endured due to his refusal to manage his corrupt advisors. In one incredible story, Jackson asked Whitfield during one of the pop star's famed spending sprees at FAO Schwarz why Whitfield wasn't buying Christmas presents for his own daughter; when he informed Jackson he had not been paid in weeks, he replied "Oh" and did nothing to repair the situation. Jackson was renowned for his enormous compassion and generosity to people in need around the world, but he couldn't see the pain his actions caused the people closest to him. "[B]eing isolated from such a very young age,” write the authors, “he [never] developed the skills you need to cope with personal relationships." The authors also reflect on how Jackson missed out on more than just playtime and friendships: "Childhood isn't just about being a child; it's about becoming an adult,” says Whitfield. “Because eventually you will be an adult, whether you want to or not.” Illuminating and thoughtful, especially for those who can't help but hear Jackson's hit song when they read the book's title.