THE GARLICKS, Comic Book Creators - Interview

This is the start of a week of posts related to various Kickstarter projects I’ve backed and hope you will too. None of them are my own (currently, I’ve got nothing I think I should be doing a Kickstarter for), but all of these are important to me for one reason or another. Some of them are projects of friends. Some of them are just projects I think are cool. Most of them are both.

Today, I’m spotlighting Lea Hernandez’ soon-to-conclude project to fund her next graphic novel, THE GARLICKS. Lea is a 25-year veteran of the comics field, has worked for DC and Marvel and has produced five graphic novels before now.

I’m going past tapping 4 people who haven’t pledged (as Lea requests below). I’m reaching out to everyone who reads my Facebook, Twitter and this here little blog. If each of you donated $25, you’d get a really cool set of stuff, and you’d help a single mother of two teenagers have a year’s worth of security to pay the bills and finish a fantastic project. So please consider helping out.

In Lea’s Own Words, from her latest project update:

As THE GARLICKS: Pandora Garlicks, Fail Vampire heads into its final days,  I need your help to make the last big push to get it fully funded, and it CAN BE DONE. (I will also eat a bug*. Really.)

Here’s how:

Everyone who’s pledged, PLEASE tap FOUR people who haven’t backed THE GARLICKS and encourage them to pledge at least $25. (That gets them a signed and sketched in book, a PDF, a sticker, and their name in the book.) That will generate $29,600** in funding, which puts us past goal.

Tell your friends who like Twilight, My Little Pony, want their kids to read more, like vampires, like genre fiction, like manga, parents you know who wonder where the good genre comics for kids are, or people who want to feel good about supporting a single parent entrepreneur.

Please post about THE GARLICKS to Facebook, Twitter, email lists, your blog(s), Tumblr, etc.Tell people THE GARLICKS needs their help to reach its funding goal.

If you’ve got a Big Name pal you can nudge to support THE GARLICKS with a Tweet, Facebook or blog entry, please do. If you’ve got an in at a site like The Mary Sue (who already covered TG, THANK YOU, GALS) or BoingBoing.net, please tell them about THE GARLICKS.

I’ll still be doing my P.T. Barnum thing, too.

Know what else? It’d be COOL to get THE GARLICKS Kickstarter across the finish line in four days. You can say, “I WAS THERE!” You will all be badass Fishbats.

LET’S DO IT! I want to start drawing THE GARLICKS, already!

*I’m not kidding. I will eat a bug. I get to choose the bug, and I will not CHEW the bug, but I will eat one.

**The math: Backers so far: 296. If each of you gets four friends to pledge, we have 1,184 more backers. Get each of them to pledge $25., that’s $29,600.

* * * * *

And of course, you can find all the details of Lea’s THE GARLICKS Kickstarter right here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/divalea/the-garlicks-pandora-orange-fail-vampire

HOW TO RUN A BLOG TOUR FOR A SEQUEL

This week’s guest post is by author Bryan Thomas Schmidt, a frequent guest on this site. Bryan is on a blog tour to promote THE RETURNING, the second in his Saga of Davi Rhii science fiction series. We considered doing another interview, but as we’ve now interviewed each other at least four times between our two blogs, I thought a guest post by Bryan would be a nice change of pace, and what better topic to discuss than how to do a blog tour for a sequel without spoiling the first book in the series?  So here he is, ladies and gentlemen, Bryan Thomas Schmidt:

How To Run a Blog Tour For A Sequel Without Spoiling Book 1

Okay, first of all, the fact that Anthony asked for this topic proves he’s not really my friend, let’s just get that out of the way first.  I mean, I suppose it’s a compliment that he thinks I actually have the answers to this. After all, The Returning is only my second novel ever published. And having been a beta reader for me on it, he of all people should know how tightly the storylines interlap as well as how much the success of this particular sequel depends on suspense and surprise.  To be fair, though, I did it to myself. I’m the one who wrote the novel this way, after all. The fact that he’s an opportunist taking advantage of my self-made quandary is just an unfortunate side effect really.

So let’s get on with it then. How do you run a blog tour for book 2 of a trilogy? Very carefully. Just as craft goes into the writing, so must it be applied to your marketing.

First, choose some excerpts and plot/character details which can be shared to tease the book without ruining the rest of the plot. Not easy, but doable. They should involve the old familiar characters, particularly the protagonist and also the antagonist when possible. And they should be fast-paced and tension filled. You can share the romantic subplots sometimes but usually those emotional highs are best saved and it’s the drama of the obstacles which draws most readers in.

For example, the reading excerpt from this book I have been using is a subplot scene involving my protagonist, Davi Rhii, fighting with his girlfriend/fiancée, Tela, witnessed by his archrival Bordox. It’s told through Bordox’s POV and so we get not only character and plot development for Davi and Tela but also for Bordox. Their relationships were all established in book 1, The Worker Prince. We knew Bordox would want revenge because he always blames Davi for his troubles and Davi really put him in his place in Book 1. Davi and Tela’s romance developed in book 1, but most couples go through phases where they have fights, so no surprise there. Thus, that scene is not a spoiler but it does have enough juice to intrigue fans of the series and new readers as to the kinds of issues book 2, The Returning, holds in store.

Second, choose story descriptions which don’t give too much away about the prior book or the latest. You can tell them the basic plot without ruining the ending. You don’t have to ruin the first book’s ending. Instead of saying “they fought and so-and-so won, but now they’re at it again,” you can say: “In book 2, the characters find themselves in conflict over x, y and z and the repercussions of book 1 are impacting their personal relationships and lives.” See how that avoids mention of the ending yet sets up the conflict in the second book as well as characters? It tells you there’s going to be obstacles to overcome and that the events of the first book do play a role in shaping things but also leaves you room for new things as well. (Dang, even when I’m describing generic sentences I’m writing generic sentences. This could ruin my craft.)

What intriguing tidbits can you offer to tease without giving it away? With The Returning, for example, I can say: “Davi and Tela find their future together threatened by difficulties with their relationship.”  Generic? Yes, but promising because our favorite couple, the antagonist and his love interest, aren’t so perfect after all. In The Worker Prince, we rooted for them to get together so now that’s threatened? Readers will want to know why. There’s complication and complications make for interesting drama. Here’s another example: “Xalivar is back with a vengeance seeking revenge on Davi and all those who defied him.” We don’t know if Xalivar won or lost in the last book, but he wants revenge and that’s well within his character so we’re not spoiling anything. People who enjoyed the larger-than-life villain will enjoy seeing him up to his old antics and how the heroes overcome it.

Here’s a third: “Davi, Farien and Yao reunite for a mission to investigate the murders of Vertullians throughout the system by those opposed to their obtaining citizenship, finding their lives and friendships threatened by what they discover.” Our three buddies with great rapport are back and they are hunting killers and in danger? Who doesn’t want to know what happens?

Here’s the full description I’ve used for the back of the book, Goodreads, etc.:

The Vertullians are free and have full citizenship but that doesn’t mean they’re accepted. Now someone is sending assassins to kill and terrorize them and it’s riling up old enmity all over again. On top of that, Xalivar is back with a vengeance seeking revenge on Davi and all those who defied him. So Davi, Farien and Yao reunite for a mission to investigate the murders of Vertullians throughout the system by those opposed to their obtaining citizenship, finding their lives and friendships threatened by what they discover. Meanwhile, the new High Lord Councilor, Tarkanius, Lord Aron, and Davi find themselves fighting all over again to preserve the unity of the Borali Alliance, while Xalivar’s allies and even Lords on the Borali Council work against them in an attempt to tear it apart. Davi and Tela find their future together threatened by difficulties with their relationship, and Miri’s adjusting to her new status as a non-royal. The action packed, emotional, exciting Davi Rhii story continues.

I tease familiar character names and remind readers new and old that there will be more political backstabbing, family drama, romantic entanglements and life-on-the-line action. All things people loved about The Worker Prince.

Second, choose the types of post you’d most like to feature: interviews, excerpts, reviews, video blog entries, character interviews, humorous dialogues, guest posts, etc. It’s best to have a variety and spread them out so you don’t run a whole week of reviews or excerpts, etc. Then contact the bloggers you’d like to see participate and ask if they’d be interested, offering post options. When guest blogging, it’s usually best to find a topic or way of discussing one that relates to the blog’s theme and offer that. I also use anchor blogs, big blogs with lots of traffic, on Mondays to start my week and Wednesdays for a boost when I can and scatter the others between. When possible, I have each link to the next day’s post.

It’s important to pick a variety of blogs, too. You don’t want all blogs that reach the same audience. You are trying to let as many people as possible know about your book. Now if your book’s family friendly, an erotica blog probably isn’t the best fit (i.e. use common sense) but I’ve had mystery writers invite me to write about craft on their blogs and so on. Small blogs can reach people, too, especially as they grow and the posts sit there over time. Obviously, the more built-in the audience, the better, but still, you can benefit from the variety of sizes just the same.

Third, start writing. It’s best to start a month or more in advance. You’ll have a lot of content to develop and the more time you have to prepare it, the better quality it can be. You’ll also have time to adopt any changes the host sites might request, etc. Remember to capture the excitement you had in writing the book. There’s plenty of elements from craft of dialogue to plotting to genre choices to character arcs and more you can guest post on. By being creative, you can still tease your book and work in aspects of it without a sales pitch, like I’m doing with this post. Readers love to dig in more in depth to the workings of a novelists mind and they find the behind-the-scenes insight helpful and interesting. And, if you want them to buy your book, you need to convince them you’re interesting. Why else should they agree to dedicate hours to hanging with your mind and creative output? Use humor, provide links and examples, and provide pictures and a bio on every post, including links to not just your book page and site but also to other helpful tools and books you might mention in the post.

Fourth, visit the posts and answer comments. Dialogue with the blogger and readers. Don’t just let it post and disappear. A key part of what makes blogs and blog tours successful is the chance to interact with bloggers/authors. Be personable and have fun. If you get a troll, either ignore them or make a joke. Don’t engage in a flame war. Instead, have fun and answer with as much personality, intelligence and interesting data as you can. That will build relationships with whole new readers. I’ve had people buy my book and even become friends doing that. And those people will then help spread the word with no effort from you.

Blog tours are a lot of work. So is book promotion. But in the present climate of publishing, more and more of that onus falls on the authors. The beauty of blogs is that they’re free and you can reach out beyond your own circles to a wider band, helping draw traffic and attention for others doing solid work and writing while, at the same time, promoting yourself. So there you have it, a few tips to doing a blog tour for a second book without ruining the first. Hit me back in a month or two and I’ll tell you if they work or not. Meanwhile, thanks to Anthony for inviting me to Rambling On.

Bryan Thomas Schmidt

Bryan Thomas Schmidt is the author of the space opera novels The Worker Prince, a Barnes & Noble Book Clubs Year’s Best SF Releases of 2011 Honorable Mention, and The Returning, the collection The North Star Serial, Part 1, and has several short stories featured  in anthologies and magazines.  He edited the new anthology Space Battles: Full Throttle Space Tales #6 for Flying Pen Press, headlined by Mike Resnick. His children’s book 102 More Hilarious Dinosaur Jokes For Kids from Delabarre Publishing. As  a freelance editor, he’s edited a novels and nonfiction.  He’s also the host of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer’s Chat every Wednesday at 9 pm EST on Twitter, where he interviews people like Mike Resnick, AC Crispin, Kevin J. Anderson and Kristine Kathryn Rusch. A frequent contributor to Adventures In SF Publishing, Grasping For The Wind and SFSignal, he can be found online as @BryanThomasS on Twitter or via his website. Bryan is an affiliate member of the SFWA.

FAMOUS, Singers - Interview

Signal-boosting for my friends in HOLLYWOOD ENDING tonight. You know. These guys:

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing these guys now for more of their career than I haven’t known them, if that makes sense. I first met them in November, when I interviewed them in their tour van at the end of Action Item’s The Stronger The Love Tour. They’d only been performing together for about four months at that point. That means the band is coming up on their first anniversary and although they didn’t win season four of Disney’s Next Big Thing, good things are happening for them. They toured with All-Star Weekend, and I got to see them twice and get to know Tyler and Dan’s moms and chat with the boys a bit individually, especially Tyler and Dan.

Tyler Wilson 

Dan Geraghty

The guys have been working on putting their first EP together, and have spent a lot of time in the studio the past few weeks with more time to come.

Their new single “Famous,” which I’ve heard them perform live several time, came out on itunes today as part of a compilation called “Have A Crappy Summer.” The compilation also features Allstar Weekend, Bowling For Soup, and 12 other bands. Give it a listen, and if you like HWE’s song, leave them a comment and tell them Anthony sent you.

You can also find their singles “I’m So Over You” and “You Got Me” on itunes by searching the band’s name, as well as their recent cover of The Wanted’s “Glad You Came,” which I personally happen to like better than the original

2013 TBR CHALLENGE - Book Reviews

For the past two years, I’ve taken part in RoofBeam Reader’s “TBR Challenge.”

For 2011, I posted the list of titles I intended to read here on LJ. Of the 12 (plus 2 alternates), I managed to finish 4.
For 2012, I posted the list of titles I intended to read on my website. Of the 12 (plus 2 alternates), I managed to finish two.

For 2013, I’m attempting to participate again. You’ll see some of the same titles from previous years making it onto this list, but I also tried to pick some new titles. Maybe the third year is the charm, yes? I’m once again listing the rules and titles here and will mirror this post onto my livejournal.

In Adam’s own words:

The Goal To finally read 12 books from your “to be read” pile (within 12 months).

Specifics:

1. Each of these 12 books must have been on your bookshelf or “To Be Read” list fo AT LEAST one full year. This means the book cannot have a publication date of 1/1/2012 or later (any book published in the year 2011 or earlier qualifies, as long as it has been on your TBR pile – I WILL be checking publication dates) Caveat: two (2) alternates are allowed, just in case one or two of the books end up in the “can’t get through” pile.

My choices this year are:

1. The Valley of Fear, a Sherlock Holmes novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
2. Call For The Dead, the first Smiley novel by John LeCarre
3. Grifter’s Game by Lawrence Block
4. Blind Fall by Christopher Rice
5. Shockaholic by Carrie Fisher
6. Without You by Anthony Rapp
7. Poisoning For Profit: The Mafia and Toxic Waste in America by Alan A. Block and Frank R. Scarpitti
8. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
9. Spider-Man: The Darkest Hours by Jim Butcher Completed January 7, 2013
10. Hounded, the first Atticus O’Sullivan book, by Kevin Hearne
11. Second Thoughts by Steve Berman
12. Storm of Swords, the 3rd “Song of Ice and Fire” book by George RR Martin

and the two alternates:

13. Main Street by Sinclair Lewis
14. The Mark of Zorro by Johnston McCullers

Of course, I am under no requirement to read them in this precise order.  I’ll keep coming back and updating the list as I read the books, crossing them out and changing the color of the text. Four of these books will also help me with my on-going challenge to read more non-fiction.

This is the only official reading challenge I’m giving myself this year, seeing that I want to concentrate more on my own writing and also be a better contributor to my office book club. And of course, I’m proofreading the ebook editions of each issue of LIGHTSPEED magazine, which takes up some reading time each month.

2012 END OF YEAR - 'Tis The Season

Here’s this year’s holiday poem. Some years what I write is serious, some years not so. This year, I thought I’d write about how hard it is to write a Christmas Song, considering my general lack of music theory knowledge and lack of rhythm (as anyone who has seen me attempt to dance at a Hollywood Ending, Burnham or The Dalliance show recently can attest to). Many of you reading this will also be getting a hard copy in the mail, as usual. They’re just gonna be a little late…

Trying to write a Christmas song, why is this so tough?

I have no musical talent and my rhyming’s kinda rough.

But it shouldn’t be so hard to string these words together,

Say something about Santa and stars or maybe sing about the weather.

(Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow)

I could work serious this year, sing about some modern woe

Songs by Bing and Bowie and the Alarm cover the sadness pretty well though.

I could sing about missing Christmas with the someone that I love

But I’m pretty sure another sad song would make you all give me a shove.

(I’ll Be Home for Christmas…)

Maybe I should sing of sleighs? Of reindeer or snowmen or drummer boys?

Maybe I should scrap this thing and go buy my nieces and nephews their toys.

I could sing of New Year’s Eve instead, of hopes for where 2013 will go,

Or of how it’s just another night. Oh wait, that’s been done by Barry Manilow.

(It’s just another New Year’s Eve…)

Where’s the romance of holidays, the falling in love on a sleigh?

Maybe that’s what I should sing about: being merry and gay!

That’s it! I’ll sit up all night long, wait for a cute Santa to come by

Or maybe an Elf (of Legolas’s kind), I’m a geeky kinda guy!

(I’mma be under the Mistletoe with you…)

May you have a rock-and-roll Christmas, or one that’s White or Green or Blue.

May you have Nights Holy and Silent, be it Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Solstice or Yule.

To all of you: old friends and new, near and far, IRL or on the net: I am grateful for you friendship, for your support, and for your love. I wish everyone the happiest, healthiest, safest holiday season and a successful 2013. Let’s see where it takes us.

And just for the heck of it: here are my friends Almost Hero performing a Christmas medley:

MOVE THROUGH THIS TOGETHER, THE DALLIANCE

Every year, my friends in The Dalliance (Gerg Gilroy, Barry Mangione and Darrell Long) use their vaunted musical prowess to create a song and then donate all proceeds to a worthy charity. Last year, the beneficiary was the Association For Suicide Prevention.

Every Tuesday night at 9pm EST, Barry hosts a web-show called BARRY ON THE SPOT. The concept is that Barry and the participating audience have a half-hour to co-write a song about that week’s topic, and then Barry records the song and posts it to bandcamp. It’s a fun half-hour. Sometimes the songs are serious, sometimes they’re irreverent, sometimes they’re downright inappropriate for younger audiences. But it’s always a fun gathering.

This year, Barry and The Dalliance decided to use the BOTS format to write their annual charity song. Because The Dalliance members and a good portion of the participating audience live in the NY-NJ-CT area, it was decided that all proceeds from the sale of the song will go directly to help rebuilding efforts in Breezy Point, NY, one of the areas hit the hardest by Sandy.

The song, to which I contributed the chorus lyrics, is THROUGH THIS TOGETHER. You can buy it on bandcamp and download it immediately. And you can donate whatever you like — $1, $10, $20 …. it’s all up to you.

I’m hoping the people who have supported this web-page over the past year of interviews will pitch in. Even $1 from every person I’ve interviewed and every person whose read an interview here, will go a long way towards helping those still struggling with the aftermath of Sandy.

Thank you in advance for anything you feel you can contribute!

EDEN ESPINOSA, Singer - Interview

I know I said I was taking December off from interviewing and was just going to run guest-blogs while I catch up on my own writing. But a) I’m fresh out of guest blogs at the moment and b) interviewing the lovely and talented Eden Espinosa was part of my reward package for backing her Kickstarter. So here we are.

Eden Espinosa has made quite a name for herself on Broadway, playing Elphaba in WICKED (in NY and on the national tour), playing Maureen in the final cast of the Broadway run of RENT, and originated the role of Brooklyn in BROOKLYN. She was gracious enough to answer a few questions about her upcoming album.

ANTHONY: Hello, Eden! Thanks for taking a few minutes to chat with me. Your first solo album releases this week. What can listeners expect?

EDEN: Of course!  It’s my pleasure. What Listeners can expect from this album are modern Broadway songs arranged to be more accessible to non-Broadway listeners.  Also, for those who already love the amazing songs of Broadway, this will be a fresh interpretation of some modern Broadway classics. I wanted to present songs from these great writers in a way that might be able to bring a wider listening audience to their amazing music.

ANTHONY: For those folks reading this who were not backers of the Kickstarter project for the album, what prompted you to do the album now and in this way?

EDEN: I’ve wanted to do an album for a long time but held off because I really didn’t know what direction I wanted to go in, or if I really had anything to say. I starting having conversations about 3 years ago with my producer about doing an album and he said that by sharing my personal interpretation of songs that I love was enough and that I didn’t’ need to say anything profound, just heartfelt and honest.  He started showing me some arrangement ideas and  I fell in love with them and here we are! I wanted my theater fans to hear these songs in a new light, but also wanted to feel like I was expressing myself in a new way. So people could hear how I sing when I’m not playing a character.

ANTHONY: How long did production of the album take, and whom did you work with?

EDEN: Well my producer/arranger has been working on these arrangements for a while.  This past June I played some concerts at The Adelaide Cabaret Festival in Australia and we did these arrangements to try them out. But we started production on the album in late August, early September. I worked with Joseph Abate. (Who just happens to be my husband) he is the genius behind the arrangement and production!!!

ANTHONY: You’ve played iconic roles on what some folks call “the new Broadway,” specifically Elphaba in “Wicked” and Maureen in “Rent.” (I was lucky enough to see you in “Rent” towards the end of the Broadway run.) How have those roles shaped your approach to this project?

EDEN: These roles have contributed a lot to this album. I think a lot of Broadway shows today have a more contemporary sound. Especially shows like “In the Heights” or “Spring Awakening” I think that Rent was one of the catalysts for this “modern” Broadway sound. So this album is made up of all modern Broadway songs. With the exception of 2, one from an older show (Look Around, from Will Rogers Follies), and one from a musical that my friend Ty Taylor wrote (Stone Cold Sober, from The Existents) that will hopefully grace a Broadway stage one day.

ANTHONY: Will you be touring in support of the album release?

EDEN: I really hope that there is opportunity for touring. I love this material and I’m really proud of this album. So I hope people respond well to it and want me to come do shows in their town.

ANTHONY: Outside of the album, what other projects do you have coming up?

EDEN: RELAXING!!!! [laughs] This project has consumed so much of our lives for the past few months and since we’ve done everything ourselves it’s been a huge labor of love. So I’m sure we will have some down time. Then back to the grind of auditions, classes, and getting better everyday!!!

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

EDEN: My favorite book is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. If you want some beautiful life lessons, nuggets of wisdom, and some inspiration all rolled into a beautifully written fable. This book is for you!!!!!!

You can find more about Eden’s album and other appearances, including pictures of her time in RENT and WICKED, on her website. You can also follow her on Twitter @edenespinosa and find her Fan Page on Facebook.

And here’s Eden and Tracie Thoms as Maureen and JoAnne in RENT:

PATRICK MURPHY, Actor - Interview

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

Patrick Murphy

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

PATRICK: Thanks for allowing me to talk to you.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ANTHONY: Do you play any sports?

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

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

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

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

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

ANTHONY: Thanks again, Patrick, and good luck!

THE SHOE CREW 2012 - Fundraisers

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

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

Sam Lant

Hey Anthony:

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

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

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

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

Enter the SHOE CREW –

The Shoe Crew

The Shoe Crew, 2012

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

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

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

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

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

HOW CAN YOU HELP???

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

Sam Lant

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

See ya in the movies. 

ANTHONY CARDO RELAY FOR LIFE, 2012

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

Relay for Life, Survivor Lap

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

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

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

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

In Memory of my mother, Rosemary Cardno

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

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

Cousin, Crissy Hajkowski

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

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

Cousin, Jimmy Hajkowski

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

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

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

Childhood friends Ruth & Peggy, tireless supporters of RFL

Here’s the link to my page: http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?px=4976893&pg=personal&fr_id=36614