Pieces of Advice to Live By:

I haven’t written anything in a while and knew that a blog post was long past due. My show’s biggest supporters nudged me in the direction of one of my rant pieces but, I quickly found myself stuck for ideas. After putting out a call for topics on my social media channels, my ever-helpful and entertaining author buddy Casey Sheridan suggested that I draft something on advice I’d received over the years.

I quickly started brainstorming and found myself laughing and reflecting on the many sound-bites that I’d collected from some of my favorite people. I’ve settled on three here but, can easily see this as a work in progress.

At this point, I’ll issue my tongue-in-cheek Viewer Discretion Advisory. What you’re about to read had an impact on me but, I ain’t saying it’ll resonate with everybody.

“Life is too short to work for people that you hate.”
Bruce Alexander – family friend and career salesman.

As I prepared to enter the workforce fresh out of college and without a scrap of solid office experience to my name, Bruce was the one person who was willing to take a chance on me. I never worked for him but, he did act as a reference for me on many occasions and during his visits to see my parents would occasionally pull me aside for little power-coaching sessions. The quote above was always my favorite.

Many of us spend as much (if not more) time during the week with our colleagues at work than we do with our own families. I've worked with a large number of sales teams – each of which had their own flavor and some were much more pleasant than others. If you get to a space mentally where you dread going to work in the morning, it’s time to pack up shop and find something else.

“I’m not going to worry about a bunch of fucking oranges.”
Garth Ryan – my dear old dad.

Callous as this may sound on the surface, it was a much needed lesson in perspective that I never forgot. He didn’t yell at me but, said it calmly from a heartfelt place.

At 15, I was selling oranges and grapefruit as part of a school campaign to raise money for our band’s trip to Europe. Even then I was a budding salesman and I really wanted to go on that trip. The only problem was that I buggered up the placement of the order and despite having collected a bunch of money, only ended up getting about half of the inventory I needed.

I freaked out appropriately as my imagination ran wild visualizing the punishments I was going to face. That same week, one of my father’s dearest friends – someone he’d come to think of as a second father himself – passed away. As I muddled my way through my business crisis, my father looked at me sincerely and said “Oh yeah? Somebody I love is lying in a pine box. I’m not going to worry about a bunch of fucking oranges.”

Needless to say, the crisis was averted and my customers got their fruit. I walked away with a sobering message about getting my priorities in order. Whenever something trivial bugs me, I remind myself that it’s just a bunch of oranges.

“Always keep your theater tickets in the same pocket.”
Mordecai Richler – legendary Canadian author

It was May of 2000 – yes that’s right – 15 years ago. I was seated at center ice in what was then known as the Molson Center for my graduation ceremony. I’m not ashamed to admit that my college experience was far from positive albeit that is the subject for another, much darker, blog post.

As a result of this, I had no interest in going to the ceremony but, my parents talked me into it and I’m glad that they did. Receiving an honorary doctorate this year was the great Canadian bard himself. He took to the podium and in his extremely dry-witted style, waxed nostalgic about the irony of McGill University bestowing this honor on him as he was denied admittance as a young man. At the time, the university had quotas for Jewish students but, he held no grudge because he knew his grades were such that he wouldn’t have been accepted even “as a mere gentile”.

At the end of his address, he said that he was going to dispense the advice that our class had somehow been waiting for. There was an awkward pause as he rolled his eyes and looked out at us over his glasses. A fan of Richler’s, I fought the urge to burst out laughing as I imagined his mindset. Then he delivered the line before walking off stage without another word. It was about entertainment, no less.

In that instant, somehow the last 4 years had been worth it. 

Casey Crossover: Let's Talk Words: By: Guest Writer, Casey Sheridan

Editor’s Note:

I’ve said many times that some of the most fun that I’ve ever had doing both the show and blog were the handful of opportunities that I’ve had to work with erotica writer and blogger Casey Sheridan. In addition to being a great storyteller, she also has a sharp sense of humor and knows her pop-culture.

She took a leave of absence recently but is now making a bit of a comeback and her friends and fans (including myself) couldn't be happier.

Today, we proudly present our latest “Casey Crossover” where we publish guest posts on each other’s blogs. The topic this time is words that make us laugh. After you’re done reading the post below, feel free to hop over to Casey’s blog to see what I had to say.

Casey, once again the floor is yours…

CJR

Let's Talk Words
By: Casey Sheridan

I have to admit, this was the hardest blog post I've ever had to write, mainly because I was laughing so much I couldn't see my computer screen.

When I first started to blog, one of my regular posts was called Funny Words and Phrases. It involved using some strange (and obviously funny) euphemisms for all the various womanly and manly "bits" along with the many things done to, and with, them. Of course, I'd use these odd terms in humorous sentences.

This is not one of those posts. No, no. You will not find any purple-headed love truncheons here. This blog is free of any love custard. Find a detour because the road to heaven has been closed. The bearded taco has been shaved. All a bazongas have left the blogosphere. The back-door trumpet has been silenced (thank goodness!). There will be no need to tug one's taffy or flick the bean. And, definitely, no drilling for oil. Not on this post!

Today, this erotica author shares with you words that make her giggle like a five year old.

I know the knowledge that I enjoy something so low-brow (eye-roll) will forever tarnish my otherwise classy and sophisticated (pffft) reputation, but I’ll deal.

Word #1 – Wiener

I know what you're thinking, "Wiener? Really? How juvenile." It is juvenile, I admit. And, yes. Really. Wiener. I snicker just writing the word.

According to the Urban Dictionary, the definition of wiener is "a hot dog". It's the example of the word in Wiener (notice how I throw the word wiener in as much as possible) in use that is hilarious. If you know me, and take into consideration what I write, you'll understand why I giggle.

            Wiener – a hot dog

                        Ex: "I really enjoy putting long, thick wieners in my mouth."

Yay for wieners!

Word #2 – Boobies

BOOBIES!

Boobies are great. I should know. I have a pair. I'm also the keeper of a large jar of boobie sprinkles. Isn't that right, Eden? (Eden Baylee knows all about the boobie sprinkles.)

There were many definitions on the Urban Dictionary for boobies, but the best one was this one:

            "Mystical orbs with the power to exert complete mind control over any man who witnesses their infinite beauty." – Udder truth! (LOL! Get it? Udder. Boobies. Get it?)

Seriously, this is totally true. Ladies, if you want something from the man in your life, need to win that argument, anything. All you have to do is lift your shirt and let the girls bounce free. Your man's gaze will be riveted it your "mystical orbs" and their power will turn his mind over to your control, thereby paving the way for you to get whatever your heart desires. Argument won.

You know I'm right.

Now for the funniest word – I save the best for last.

Word #3 – Dingleberry (yes, you read that correctly. Dingleberry)

According to the Urban Dictionary, the definition of a dingleberry is:

            "A smallish, semi-dry, extraordinary tenacious remnant of fecal matter which, when unwittingly rolled into a mixture with toilet paper lint by the action of wiping, becomes almost irremovably entangled among ones anal hair, a situationality exacerbated by the vigorous chafing and friction between the buttocks and most commonly remedied by the sad and almost entirely unavoidable remedy of plucking out at its root the individual hair to which each dingleberry is conjoined."

Personally, I prefer this shorter definition. It's more precise and to the point:

            "A delinquent partial turd which grasps anal shrubbery causing brownish crust to accumulate in ones boxers."

ROFLMAO!

How is that not funny?

Gross? Yes. Absolutely. But funny nonetheless.

Well that's it for me (I see some of you sighing in relief). Before I go, I want to thank Casey for letting me take over his blog today. I apologize for any kumquats that may have fallen out of my pockets (ha, ha, ha).

Okay everyone, what words make you giggle and bring out your inner child?

Bio:

Like most authors, Casey Sheridan began writing when she was very young. It was later in life when she read her first piece of erotica and it was on a dare that she wrote her first erotic story.

Casey enjoys writing erotica that is sensual and fun with unique storylines.

You can find Casey's books through Breathless Press and Amazon. Her short erotic fiction is published on various erotic web­sites such as The Erotic Woman.

Her title, Ruby Red Metallic, was an EPIC eBook Awards 2012 Finalist.

An introvert by nature, Casey is happiest when writing. She also enjoys spending time with close friends, listening to music, watching movies, and reading. She loves animals, and volunteers to care for a local feral/outdoor cat colony.

Find her on the Web:

Website – Blog – Facebook – Twitter (@CaseSheridan) – Pinterest – Amazon – Goodreads

A Grave Call: By guest: Leslie A. Borghini

Editor’s Note:

Today actually being Halloween, I thought it would be fun to share a good old fashioned ghost story which today’s guest author assures me is based on actual events that happened to her.

I met Leslie A. Borghini aka "The Angel of Horror" by way of a referral from mutual friend (and CRF guest) C.K. Webb. In addition to the post you’re about to read, Leslie has also agreed to be a guest on my show to discuss her novel “Angel Heat”. Be on the lookout for that interview a little later this winter.

Leslie, the floor is yours…

CJR

A Grave Call:  

I see dead people, they see me, and sometimes we talk. This is an account of one of those times. The names have been changed to protect the privacy of the living and to respect those that have passed on.

July 23, 2012:  

I had run some errands and stopped at the grocery store. When I arrived home, I was in a hurry to put the frozen food away. I noticed the phone message light was blinking, but I was sweating and wanted to take a shower. The message could wait. If it was important, they would have called my cell.

In the shower, something kept nagging me to listen to the message. It became so hard to dismiss that I got out of the shower and grabbed the phone. I hit the playback button. There was an eerie dead silence followed by a sound I could only compare to the noise I heard when I put a seashell up to my ear. I was cold, dripping wet, and kicking myself for bothering. Then the static started. Not a little static, but a thunderous static that forced me to jerk the phone from my ear. It softened slightly, and I heard an elderly male voice.

“Johnny, it’s me. I’m trying to leave, and I can’t get my ticket. Please call me back. I need my ticket. Thanks, I love you son.”

I thought I should call him and let him know he had dialed the wrong number. This poor old man was probably stuck at some airport and missed his flight, so I checked the caller ID and hit redial. After a few rings, an older woman answered.

“Hello.”

“Hi, my name is Leslie. I just listened to my answering machine, and I think someone may have dialed my number by mistake. An elderly gentleman left a message. He’s trying to call his son. He can’t get his ticket. I just wanted to make sure the message gets to the right person.”

After a substantial pause the woman said, “How did you get this number?”

I explained, “I called the number on my caller ID.”

“You must have dialed the wrong number.” The woman sounded worried.

“I hit redial, but I apologize for bothering you. There must be a glitch with the phone. I was concerned for the old man. Thank you, anyway. Goodbye.”

As I was about to hang up, I heard her yell, “Wait, please!”

“Yes?”

The woman’s voice sounded nervous. “What did the message say, exactly? Please, tell me.”

“Are you alright?” I thought I had somehow freaked out the old lady.

“I’m not sure. What did the man say? Please, it’s important.”

I related the message verbatim. I heard a clang as she dropped the phone. I yelled, “Are you alright, ma’am? Are you there? Lady, answer me!”  Shit! Now I had caused this woman to have a heart attack. After a few seconds, I could hear her picking up the phone.

Crying, the woman said, “I’m sorry. This is such a shock to me.”

“Is he your husband, ma’am? Do you have a son named Johnny?”

“Please, call me Julie.”

“Okay, Julie, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“No, you didn’t. Well, I guess you did, but that’s alright. It’s just that my husband has been dead for two weeks, and our son is named Johnny.”

“I’m so sorry for your loss. Please don’t think I’m a crackpot. I really did get the message on my answering machine.”

“No, dear, I believe you. Are you a psychic?”

I explained that I had certain gifts, but this was only the second time I had received a phone call from beyond the grave.

She found solace telling me about her wonderful marriage. We were on the phone for almost an hour because I didn’t have the heart to stop her. We exchanged goodbyes, and she asked me to please call her if her husband John called again.

“I will,” I agreed, not thinking it would happen.

July 25, 2012: 

While I was preparing dinner, the phone rang. I answered it. There was silence followed by the sound of rushing air and then blaring static. I knew who it was.

“Hello, John, is that you?”

“Yes.”

“I talked to Julie. She misses you.”

“You have to tell Johnny it wasn’t his fault. It’s not his time. He can’t come yet. Tell him I love him, and we will dig for treasure again, but not now.”

The line went dead. I looked at the caller ID. It was the same number as before. I hit redial.

I didn’t even let her speak when she picked up the phone. “Julie, your husband just called.”

“What? Leslie, is that you?”

“Yes, listen, he said you have to tell Johnny it wasn’t his fault. He said it’s not his time and that he loves him. They will dig for treasure again. Does this make sense to you?”

“Yes, it does. When Johnny was a young child, his father would take him on treasure hunts in the woods. Oh, my God, Leslie, it really is John! Two weeks ago, they had a huge fight, and Johnny stormed out of the house. That night, my husband died of a massive heart attack. Johnny blames himself. He has been very depressed and talked to his wife about suicide. She called me, hysterical. I got on the phone with him and tried to convince him that his dad had a bad heart, and it wasn’t his fault. But he kept insisting he killed his dad.”

“How is Johnny now?”

“His wife Mary and I had him hospitalized for seventy-two hours. They sent him home with a lot of anti-depressants. They said he was no longer a threat to himself, but he’s still very depressed. He took a leave of absence from his job and stays at home.”

“You must call him and tell him what his father said.”

“Leslie, I can’t thank you enough. I’ll call him right now. Can I call you after I get off the phone with Johnny?”

“Yes, of course.”

After a while, Julie called.

“Oh Leslie, he was so relieved that he didn’t kill his father, he cried like a baby. The part about digging for treasure was the key. He knew you were telling the truth. Only Johnny, his dad, and I knew about that. He never told Mary. He was so young when they did it, he’d forgotten all about it. I can’t thank you enough. You saved my son.”

“I didn’t do anything except relay a message. Your husband saved your son.”

We hung up with Julie shedding tears of joy.

July 25, 2012 (about 2 a.m.):

The phone rang.

My husband rolled over and said, “Who the hell is calling at this hour?”

I stumbled out of bed and answered the phone. “Hello.”

By the sound I heard on the other end, I knew it was John.

“Thank you.”

The line went dead. He had his ticket to leave. Rest in peace, John.

 

 

 

Author's main website:

Angel Heat for Kindle (Amazon):

 

Angel Heat on Barnes & Noble (Digital & Paperback):

 

Follow Leslie on Twitter:

 

What is copyright? By guest: Casey Sheridan

Editor's note:

Back in May, erotica author and friend Casey Sheridan and I experimented with a fun little "Casey Crossover" concept by drafting guest posts for each other's blogs and posting them on the same day. You can read Casey's post on the disappearance of sex scenes in the movies by clicking here.

The idea proved to be well received by both of our readerships so, it only made sense that the two of us work on a sequel. Knowing Casey, she's also probably giggling at the fact that I used the word "experimented".

A large part of what I do on my radio show is enablement and sharing best practices so, I was very happy when she told me she'd written a post to provide authors with some advice on copyright issues.

Once you're done, I invite you to hop over to Casey's blog to read my own piece on "chick flicks" that I actually enjoyed.

Casey, once again, the floor is yours...

CJR

I leaned in closer to my monitor and gasped as I stared wide-eyed at the screen. A rush of adrenaline coursed through me and turned into a knot that settled as an ache in the pit of my stomach.

“What is this? Why is this on here?” I whispered. I sat frozen, unable to think.

What do I do now? Who do I contact? These questions, and many others, scrambled through my head the first time I saw one of my books being offered as a free download on a site notorious for illegal free downloads of books and music. Dozens and dozens of books. And now one of those books was mine.

If you’ve never experienced copyright infringement, let me tell you, it’s not fun. I felt violated. It’s unnerving, it’s infuriating, it’s frustrating, and it’s misunderstood.

(Just so we're clear, I'm not a lawyer. If you need an in-depth discussion of copyright, I suggest you contact an attorney).

What is copyright? Generally speaking, copyright is a form of intellectual property law that legally protects original works of authorship and artistic works such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software, and architecture. As an author/writer copyright protects my writing, the contents of my books.

Now that I have a book/story written and finished, stored on my computer and/or printed out and sitting on my desk, when does the copyright take effect? Immediately. The moment I created my story, it was under copyright protection. It DOES need to be registered with the U. S. Copyright Office if I want to file a lawsuit against anyone for infringement, but registration is voluntary. Even so, I gained legal rights at the exact instant my story was created.

Okay, so my work is copyright protected, big deal, right? That doesn’t affect you, the reader. Or does it? Should you, the reader, care? I hope so. To quote Marilyn Byerly, “Protecting and respecting the author’s copyright is the right thing to do.

If an author doesn’t make money by selling books, she will probably stop writing, and you will have lost some great reads.

If the author doesn’t sell enough books because of ILLEGAL books, the publisher won’t buy the next book.”

“Stealing or misusing copyright is not a way to thank an author for giving you pleasure.” (A Reader’s Guide to Copyright blog post by Marilyn Byerly)

I don’t make a lot of money on my writing. I wish I did. Actually, I make very little. I’d love to quit my day job and spend the time writing and creating more stories, more books. Many other authors, musicians, etc., are in the same situation.

Now you’re probably asking, “Okay, Casey, you’ve cleared up what copyright is (sort of) and how illegal books can affect us all, but I’ve got an e-reader loaded with eBooks. Can I sell some of my used copies of copyrighted eBooks?”

As of now, the US Government, along with most other governments, says no. This falls under the “first sale doctrine”. To keep this post brief (ha!), and to keep you from falling asleep, I’m not going to discuss First Sale Doctrine. If you would like to learn more about it please click here.

Who owns my copyright? I do! I’m the author. Under copyright law the creator of the original work (book, story, song, etc.) is the author. So, I own my copyright unless I have a written agreement that assigns it to another person (or entity). In other words, my publisher doesn’t own the copyright to my story unless I sign an agreement that assigns it to them.

Offering my books for free, in part or as a whole, without my permission, is illegal. It’s a violation of my right as an author, a violation of my copyright. Many authors, including me, have free reads available. Stories that you don't have to pay for so you can get a taste of my writing. Reviews and excerpts from my books are also available.

There's plenty of excuses that digital thieves offer for what they do, but not one of those excuses is legitimate, nor are any of those excuses reasons for "stealing" an author's work.

What can you do if someone infringed your copyright? First, DON’T send them an angry email, calling them every name in the book, and demand they remove your work from their sight. Be professional. Let yourself calm down first. That’s not easy to do. Trust me.

Always check with your publisher before doing anything in case they are running some special somewhere that you aren’t up on because you were too lazy to read your email. Hopefully, they’ll be able to help if your work is being made available illegally. They may have a department that handles infringements. If not, they should be able to provide you with a sample Takedown Notice and provide you with any other tips or information you need to move on this.

If your self-published, you should be keeping excellent records on where your works are available, if there free, or need to be paid for. You’ll have to send a Takedown Notice to the site your infringed work appears on.

Samples of Takedown Notices are available at Romance Writers of America (if you’re a member), and, here, at EPIC.

You’ll have to provide the exact URL where the infringed work appears and follow the sites directions on how and where to send your request.

Above all, BE PROFESSIONAL.

That’s it for me. I know this was a very brief discussion of copyright; it’s a subject that could go on forever. I encourage you to read all of Marilyn Byerly’s blog posts on the subject and follow the links she provides. You can find her posts using this link.

She has an excellent post about what would happen to books, movies, music, and more, if copyright were to end. Her post is titled, The Death of Copyright.

You can also find more information here.

I’d like to thank Marilyn Byerly for giving me permission to quote her blog and for giving me so many links loaded with information.

And I’d like to thank Casey Ryan, my gracious host, for allowing me to take over his blog for the day. Casey is a wonderful supporter of Indie talent and I'm honored to be. Thanks Casey!

FYI: Blog posts are copyrighted too, but feel free to spread this one around, if it’s okay with Mr. Ryan.

(CJR: By all means – share away!)

Bio:

Casey Sheridan is the author of playful erotic fiction. Like most authors, she began writing when she was very young. Later in life she read her first piece of erotica and it was on a dare that she wrote her first erotic story.

Casey’s work has been published by Breathless Press and Cobblestone Press, and her short fiction has appeared on various erotic web­sites.


Casey's main website:
Casey's facebook page:
Follow Casey on Twitter:

The Many Angles of Fame: By: Lynette Carrington

Editor’s Note:

Journalist/publicist Lynette Carrington first contributed to this blog back in April with a piece called "Agent. Publicist. That’s the Same Thing. Right?". The article was very well received so, when she volunteered to write a second one, I of course jumped at the chance to run it.

Below you’ll read her thoughts on some of the byproducts of fame that all too often get overlooked by fans (admittedly like yours truly). There are sacrifices that need to be made in conjunction with all the popularity that comes along with being a successful show business figure – some of which can be a lot less pleasant than others.  

On a lighter note, however (and as an added bonus), this time out Lynette told me that I could share this picture of her with one of my all-time favorite boxers, Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield. It was taken by Joe Orr when Lynette interviewed Mr. Holyfield at the “Imagine 100 Faces” event for the Nick Lowery Youth Foundation.

Lynette, the floor is yours…

CJR

 

The Many Angles of Fame          
By: Lynette Carrington

“I would do anything to be famous!” “I would love be famous because then everyone would love me!” “I would have so much money if I were famous!” Sure, being famous has its perks. Think about it: lots of money, getting in to the hottest clubs, being on magazine covers, luxury cars, exotic film location shoots and rubbing elbows with A-Listers and world dignitaries on a regular basis. It all sounds glamorous, promising and exciting. But, there is a personal and emotional cost that comes with fame. And fame can be a slippery slope…or a downright monster.

Let’s consider some of the casualties in the world of entertainment--Chris Farley, River Phoenix, Amy Winehouse, Phil Hartman, Jim Belushi, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Anna Nicole Smith and most recently, “Glee” star Cory Monteith…the list is endless. Whether they met their demise at the hands of drugs, murder or an insane lifestyle, it is hardly arguable that in some shape or another, fame played a supporting role in their death.

Money:

Money is often a catalyst for some people to hop on the fame train (Kris Jenner, I’m talking to you), and money always sounds good. But, let’s take a look at why the bigger stars make outrageous sums of money that they do. Consider someone like Tom Cruise. Personally, I think he’s wackier than a box of frogs, but I have mad respect for him in that he has continually been a top box office draw for decades…not an easy feat. This is only one reason he makes the big bucks.

$25-$50 million dollar paydays. You think it’s crazy? No, it’s not. Tom Cruise puts millions of tooshes in the movie theater seats. Those tooshes are real money. That money has made hundreds if not thousands of people filthy rich. In essence, Cruise’s face and acting are a vehicle that make money not only for himself, but for an entire industry (and Scientology…but that’s another topic entirely).  There is a lot of pressure for him to make a movie successful. It’s not just his career…it’s all those involved with what he does. Look at it another way, if Tom Cruise was attached to a movie and buzz started going, the hype and publicity machine would kick in to nearly guarantee the film would be at least a moderate success. There are thousands of people that will work on that film in some regard, not to mention the geographic location(s) where that film will shoot. They will all benefit from the very fact that it’s Tom Cruise. Would that same film have quite the same economic impact if it starred Rob Schneider? Not so much. (Okay, I don’t know of any film where Tom Cruise would be up for a role where Rob Schneider would be a contender, too. I’m only making a point…)

It really is a lot of pressure when you think about all the millions and millions of dollars at stake for the industry. And not just the big boys; it trickles all the way down to those who rely on the contract for craft services on that Tom Cruise film. In my opinion, A-List actors have to have a strong mind-set and a talented team of legal and management folk to help them with their professional decisions. It’s mind boggling when you think about it. The pressure to make a hit can be astounding and a flop movie can result in changes in artist management, representation, future film contracts and earnings, etc.

Next time Tom Cruise makes a dud and you think, “I could have acted that ten times better at 1/100^th the cost!” I’m sure many actors could have. But there would have been no “toosh” factor. And it’s the toosh factor that really makes a difference most of the time.

Loss of Privacy:

Let’s take look at Harrison Ford. What do you think of when you see Harrison Ford? You probably think Han Solo or Indiana Jones. This is just a person whose job it is to say the words on a page and act onscreen. As a person, Ford often laments the loss of his privacy and talks about it in the media frequently. He’s been a recognized star since the 70’s, so he’s had a lot of time to adjust to his level of fame.

But, put yourself in his shoes (size 12, in case you needed to know). Everywhere you go, people stare at you and do double-takes. Are you having a bad hair day or are you in a bad mood? Not only will people stare, they’ll take photos without your permission. If you’re unlucky enough to get stuck with paparazzi, some of them will shout out mean and unfathomable things at you in order to illicit some kind of a negative response so they can catch it on camera and sell it for their own monetary gain. And this will be nearly everywhere you go. Every day. Every place. You will probably never get away from it. Oh, and you’re expected to behave yourself and be gracious in these situations no matter your mood or what is going on in your private (or not-so-private) life. Don’t screw it up…you’re every misstep will become fodder for the tabloids. Just be perfect, ok. Remember, this is every day. Some towns or cities may be better for celebrities than others. (I understand why celebs like Halle Berry want to get out of Hollywood and move to Europe.)

The Papz:

You want a night out at a restaurant with your family or significant other? See the above paragraph and then add into your evening the extra 30 minutes you’ll probably need for all the fans that will come over and want to chat or get a photo op. Some places are known for their discretion, which I think is fantastic. Other places have doormen, security or management who will tip paparazzi to your location so you get swarmed on your way out the door. You know who gets a cut when that photo sells to the tabloid? Yep, said doorman, security or management. Everyone is in the fame game. In essence, even peripheral people make money off of other’s celebrity status.

And while we’re on the subject of paparazzi (again, I’m talking to you Kris Jenner). We all see the photos. How is it paparazzi happen to be on the beach when LeAnn Rimes is showing off her latest swimsuit? Many celebs (or those hanging on to the bottom rung of the celeb ladder) will tip the papz to whatever they will be doing and the star is contracted to receive a cut of whatever those photos can be sold for to the tabs. No, really. It happens all the time. And the clothes the celeb is wearing in the photos? That designer may have possibly given that star those clothes for the express purpose of being worn in the supposed “candid” photos. A money-maker and publicity for a designer friend?  You bet. So, indeed there is a pressure element that is present in your everyday life, too. Would you play at this level of the fame game? Many do. Again, Jenner/Kardashians…

When you’re out in public, total strangers come up and talk to you like they know you. Or they question you on some film you did 20 years ago. (Would you want to answer questions about a job you had 20 years ago at McDonald’s? I think you see what I’m getting at, here.) Worse yet, they ask you, “In Blade Runner, were you really a replicant?!?” Do you see how ridiculous this sounds when you’re just in Vons trying to pick up a gallon of milk and some bananas? You can never really leave work at work. It becomes part of who you are when you are in the public, because this is how the public knows you.

The loss of privacy is sad in today’s world because everything happens instantly and whenever there is a lawsuit, a squabble, a pending divorce or anything else, the entire world knows your business. Think about everything that has transpired during your own adult life and then try to imagine what that would have been like splashed on television and in the tabs with everyone talking about you and speculating. This is the price that one pays for being a celebrity nowadays and all the more reason that I feel that celebrities should get the paychecks they do. Nearly every portion of their life is violated. Publicized and/or scrutinized on a daily basis.

They Really Are Like the Rest of Us…No They’re Not:

Sure, they are like us. In fact, one of my favorite personal sayings is that, ‘Stars are just like the rest of us…except with more money and a lot more problems.’ They have to eat, they have families, they have to shop, they get tired, etc. What’s not like us is pretty much everything else. Granted, I’m talking about the upper echelon of entertainers who make a lot of money at what they do.

When you are a really big deal, everyone handles your personal and professional business so you can concentrate on your job. Managers, a legal team, accountants, wealth managers, various talent agents for each area of your expertise, publicists, personal assistants, a house staff, trainers, a driver, a chef, multiple personal stylists, several hair and make-up people and business consultants. Big celebs do not exist in the regular world of most of the 9-5 crowd and I’m certain that after time, you get used to having someone fly in your favorite salad dressing from Paris or getting front row tickets to the Lakers Game just because you pick up a phone. Is this being spoiled? I don’t think so. Actors and entertainers give up a lot of the areas of their life that we perhaps don’t think about. They’re entitled to enjoy their wealth since they’ve earned it. Some celebrities don’t choose to have huge staffs or an entourage of people, but if you were a busy celebrity and you could hire people to take care of things for you and that’s what you want, why shouldn’t you? However, when you can and do have a small army of people doing everything for you, you can see how you would really lose touch with the reality of most other people.

Getting back to the cost of fame, it does come at a very high price. Sure celebs are paid well, but they lose key aspects of privacy and the pressures to keep and control a decent public image (some of which you hardly have any control over) and the responsibilities that you have to your projects and others associated with you can be immense. Having a good head on your shoulders would be perhaps one of the most valuable things you could have before becoming famous. Next time you think that famous people have it all, consider the fishbowl world in which most of them live.

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unHollywood Casting: Potential Pitfalls of Colorful Casting: By guest: Angelo Bell

Editor’s Note:

Today’s guest post comes to us compliments of writer, director, and award winning producer Angelo Bell. It’s with great pride that I say that Angelo was one of the first few people that I ever interviewed on my podcast. Over three years later, that episode is still among my favorites.

What I like best about Angelo is that he's constantly got so many cool projects going on at once that it’s impossible to keep up with him. Moreover, he’s always got something fun and interesting to say about his adventures. To that end, if his latest project, A Perfect Weapon, gets funded, I have it on good authority that he's promised to shoot an Elvis Presley/Tom Jones inspired music video with a little rap mixed in for good measure!

After you read his editorial below about the fairness of Hollywood casting policies, I invite you to check out his 10-year blog for more great reading.

Angelo, the floor is yours…

CJR

unHollywood Casting: Potential Pitfalls of Colorful Casting:
By: Angelo Bell

When the people behind a very popular Internet investment site for independent films told me that the cast for my film wasn't "international enough" I immediately recognized the stinkin' thinkin’ behind such a concept. With few exceptions, Hollywood doesn't believe international audiences will come out to see movies that don’t have Caucasian stars.

I guess these folks haven't heard of filmmakers like Spike Lee and Tyler Perry, or Anurag Kashyup, Nitin Kakkar, Ava Duvernay, or Guneet Monga. Perhaps they’ve never heard of the “Harold and Kumar” franchise. Have they heard of Bollywood, Nollywood, or the Chinese film market, which may overtake the American market by 2020? I guess they haven’t fully realized that the real world -- the whole wide world -- is essentially non-White.

But let’s not focus on vague impersonal sociological concepts. Let’s look at the reality of my casting choices:

• Ravi Kapoor – a UK-born Indian who starred in the TV series “Crossing Jordan” for several years.

• Alimi Ballard – an African-American, who starred in the hit series “Numb3rs” which played in over 70 countries, and who was recently cast in the international blockbuster hit, “Fast Five”

• Emayatzy Corinealdi – the dynamic Panamanian/African-American actress whose star continues to soar after her role in the Sundance hit and award-winning favorite, “Middle of Nowhere”

• Tehmina Sunny – the UK-born Indian actress who co-starred in the critically acclaimed Hollywood blockbuster hit, “Argo”

• Jessica Duffy – the star of the 2009 indie runaway hit, “Ink” which was reportedly downloaded 500,000 times from file-sharing sites all over the world.

Is there anything that isn’t international about this cast? There isn’t, but perception in Hollywood is a potential pitfall for all indie filmmakers.  As tough as it might be, we must stop adhering to this belief that there is a specific skin color to depict good vs. evil. Heroes and bad guys come in all shades, hues and temperaments. Anyone who routinely decides NOT to see a movie because the lead is something other than Caucasian is not the audience I want to reach out to. Hopefully my fellow indie filmmakers do the same, and continue with their efforts at color-blind casting.

The problem with unHollywood-like casting is that one must deal with the archaic and prejudiced perceptions of skin color. The potential of it is that the audience, which is a diverse melting pot of ethnicities, is exposed to the presence and culture of persons other than themselves. That is a beautiful thing if indeed we all desire to “get along.”

But Hollywood, despite its preachy Public Service Announcements for tolerance, still clings to racially motivated stereotypes and preconceived ideas about sexual preference. I do applaud the adventurous strides the entertainment community has made towards universal acceptance, but we are still a long way off.

We’ve started to accept the that fact that not every female movie star or TV star has to be a size 2, and not every leading man requires big arms and a six-pack. Now let’s look deeper into our own psyche and not focus on skin color as a casting requirement.

Angelo's Links:

1001 Positively True Stories (blog)

A Perfect Weapon (film): Indiegogo Page

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Brass, Leather, and Ingenuity: A Steampunk primer by guest: Scarlett Flame

Editor’s Note:

One of the highlights of 2013 is definitely having met and worked with Manchester’s enigmatic and charismatic blogger and soon to be first time novelist, Scarlett Flame. Though her area of expertise is erotic stories, she also knows more than her fair share about pop-culture in general.

She’s also a bit of a Steampunk expert – a genre that I have an appreciation for but, know very little about. As such, I thought it would be fun to invite Scarlett to jot down a few thoughts about the wild celebration of vintage-yet-modern art, technology, and eye-candy that is Steampunk. As an added bonus, you’re also going to get a sneak peek into her upcoming novel.

Scarlett, the floor is yours...

CJR  

Brass, Leather, and Ingenuity: A Steampunk primer by guest: Scarlett Flame:

 

Hello everybody. My name is Scarlett Flame and I have been asked to write as a guest blogger for Casey. This is in order to let you know a little more about an interesting genre called Steampunk. Although Steampunk has actually been referred to as a sub-genre of fantasy and Sci Fi, and not a stand-alone genre itself!

Steampunk has been described as modern technology but, powered by steam. Try to think of computers powered by steam or even steam powered cars. This genre is usually set in the late Victorian, early Edwardian era. It often includes clockwork, automatons and fantasy. Within this umbrella there are books, music, clothing, jewellery and much, much more.

The term Steampunk was coined by Kevin Wayne Jeter commonly know as K. W. Jeter the author. He used the word in a letter sent to Locus Magazine In April 1987 as a way to describe a number of works published by Jeter and his friends. This described his retro technological and alternative history that Steampunk now embodies. Jeter wrote Morlock Night and Infernal Devices, Other works include a number of Bladerunner sequels and Star Wars books.

The first written works that are now considered to be Steampunk include the works of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells i.e. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and The Time Machine. Where we see many extraordinary machines such as the time machine itself, as featured in the book and films of the same name These epitomise this genre. My own writing is considered Steampunk but more of that later. There a number of new written works within this sub-genre such as Steampunk Rat A Boston Metaphysical Story by Madeleine Holly-Rosing , The Warlord of the Air by Michael Moorcock on up to The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore.

The timeline for Steampunk is suggested as having arisen due to an alternative timeline occurring, whereby the Industrial Revolution resulted in steam being used as the main source of energy. Steampunk is increasingly becoming an ever more popular genre.

There are a number of films that can be described as being Steampunk including Wild Wild West from 1999 starring Will Smith, Mysterious Island (1961), Metropolis (1927) the Captain Nemo films and the Golden Compass (2007) to name but a few. All of these have elements of Steampunk evident. In them Wild Wild West has a major scene features a large spider like device that the villain uses to chase the main protagonists.

As for Steampunk music a number of artists have been classed as this. These include the likes of Thomas Dolby, Darcy James Argue, The Clockwork Caberet and my own particular favourite Abney Park. Abney Park named themselves after a famous London cemetery and began originally as a Goth band. My favourite track of theirs being Steampunk Revolution. They also market games and books under the Steampunk guise.

Clothing evocative of this genre is usually either late Victorian or early Edwardian, with the addition of cogs, brass, flywheels etc. Of course no outfit would be complete without some goggles. The colours used are commonly neutral colours such as brown, beige, black, gold and bronze -therefore earthy colours. Other popular accessories include parasols,top hats and tail coats. Victoriana and Steampunk have become synonymous.

Steampunk writing quite often includes automatons, dirigibles, fantasy, dragons, magic and the like. There is usually an antagonist of sorts and an array of minions possibly in the form of a Golum or robotic machine (think the spider in Wild Wild West!)

Currently there are a number of clubs and societies that follow Steampunk fashion and a number of annual events centred on this genre. Recently in Britain there was such an event at Doncaster. Events like these occur all over the world. The Steampunk Chronicle has listings of these events in the United States and Steampunk Canada has listings, for well dare I say Canada. So don't be shy! you just might enjoy these events yourself.

My WIP (work in progress), that is currently in the throes of being edited and proof read is set on one of these Steampunk worlds. The world of Syros. The working title of the first volume is The Prophecy Unfolds (Dragon Queen). This is due to be released later this year, alongside of an anthology of short erotic stories (as yet untitled) The series of books Dragon Queen are set in the genres of paranormal erotic romance, and is set on an amazing Steampunk world. A world that is populated by werewolves, dragons, dragon riders, magicians and many more fantastical creatures. Where dirigibles float over vast canyons and enormous dragonflies (real and mechanical) fly over the mountain tops.

Syros is a planet many galaxies from Earth, and is where my story unfolds. Alex the heroine is kidnapped and taken to this world by three gorgeous werewolves via a magical portal. Once on Syros her adventures begin in earnest. As she is the hinge pin of a 200 year old prophecy. Her character evolves as she learns of her own past and the history of Syros, and how they are inextricably connected. Alex also acquires various magical powers when she follows the path the prophecy offers.

This is an excerpt from the book:

I wasn't sure if I believed they were werewolves but they had already shown me that they were both fast, and strong. I would have to keep them “sweet” until I had a plan to get away, and hopefully find this portal back to earth. Not to mention the strange humming sensation I had felt when they touched me. I wondered whether the same thing would happen should Leon touch me.

Although I was physically attracted to ALL of them, particularly Aston I couldn't see that that was enough to convince me of what he continued to discuss. Therefore I zoned out and thought instead about what I could do to escape. I began to take notice of the conversation again when I was asked not to escape, as they discussed how dangerous this planet could be for me. They emphasized that it was necessary for me to remain within the pack house for my own safety, I thought perhaps this was just said to make sure I stayed where I was, so as to be compliant, and less bother for them to deal with. Therefore I chose to ignore this warning.

Aston paused for a moment looking at me intently, I used this opportunity to ask to use the bathroom (surely they have such things here, and I desperately need to the toilet after all I had been through). He nodded to a door on the far side of the room, saying that they would remain where they were whilst I did.

I stood ( a little unsteadily) and Aston reached out to steady me once again sending a tingling sensation through my entire body. Which was a very pleasant sensation but also a pretty disturbing one too. Once I had steadied myself, I crossed the room and entered the large bathroom. It held a large ornate tub, sink and a toilet (at least it appeared bathrooms were similar here) I relieved myself and looked around the room. It was a bright room as there was a large window opening up to the back of the house, and this immediately attracted my attention.

I looked out and realized that the back of the house was set over a rolling hillside, that dropped away some feet below. Upon closer inspection the window could be opened fairly wide enabling my escape. So, quietly as I could I slowly pried open the window. I decided that in order to escape I would have to drop about five to six foot to the ground. I prayed I could do this, and quietly do it too. So as to not get caught in the act.

I managed to turn myself around, once on the window ledge and was slowly easing myself out. When suddenly, something or someone snatched and lifted my whole body away from the ledge and into the air. I drew in a sharp breath and then began to scream as loud as I could. This was because, it wasn't a somebody, it was a something. That something looked for all the world like a dragon from myths and legends!!

His huge talons had a firm hold of me around my waist and we were rising at speed into the air, higher and higher. I had gone from the frying pan into the fire and could only scream at the top of my voice. As I began to move at speed, away from the building I spotted the three werewolves staring out of the bathroom window toward me. What had I done! Mating werewolves now sounded preferable to what was in store for me now. I had become dragon food!

I had just took another deep breath in order to carry on screaming when I heard a voice in my head say “Alex please calm down and I won't hurt you! You wouldn't make a decent meal anyway-too bony! Now be quiet and we will be at my lair very soon”

Well I hope you enjoyed that little snippet and please bare in mind that this is a rough first draft and has yet to be proofread and edited.

I also produce a blog of my own. The blog is where I present book reviews, hotel reviews and also reviews of some of the live bands I love to watch. There is nothing better than live music. There is a lot more on the blog that may interest you, including guest writers and interviews too. I would love if you came and checked it out. Pull up a chair and stay awhile too.

A number of the reviews appertain to the location of Manchester, England where I live. I also recently began interviewing interesting individuals for my blog, and also on behalf of a site called Skelat. I am now one of their "Team" of interviewers, that includes my good friend Nate Smith. Nate is a scriptwriter, producer, director from Perth, Australian. You will also find there an interview I did with Casey Ryan, as I managed to turn the tables on him. A very interesting and popular interview it is too.

Well all there is is to say is good bye from Manchester and I hope you will come and visit me on my blog soon and listen to the podcast I have promised Casey after my first book is published later this year.

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