Thursday, November 26, 2020

TV Series: Almost Paradise

When hypertension forces ex-DEA agent Alex Walker into early retirement, he decides to retire to the tranquil, unspoiled, picturesque beach he visited years ago. He arrives with fond memories that are rudely dashed when he finds dozens of luxury resorts and hordes of horrible, pampered, and demanding rich tourists despoiling the once-pristine location. Even worse, this corner of paradise has become a home and a haven to the rich and famous criminals of the world, conducting their nefarious forms of business as usual. Despite his best efforts to stay out of trouble, he is inexorably pulled back into the dark underbelly of crime. Welcome to Almost Paradise.


This series should not actually work, but it does. Here's why - the scripts are simple but interesting, the plots aren't too heavy, there is no PC/woke stuff forced down your throat, and it is pure escapism. Christian Kane as the lead (now the owner of a run-down gift shop on the island) is a bit manic, disheveled and always looks surprised, but he's perfect for the role and he possibly does his own stunts. Samantha Richelle as the detective who never wants his help is drop-dead gorgeous, kicks ass with the best of them, and heads up a colorful if cliched cast of characters. But, as I said, it all comes together and the whole series so far offers something different in a unique location (Cebu, Philippines). Expect some formulaic plots but you will always be entertained. And isn't that the point? 5/5

 

Monday, November 23, 2020

TV Series: Emergence Season One



Emergenc
e is a cross between Stranger Things and Westworld but without the creepy horror factor. It is sci fi suspense at its best and gives food for thought regarding AI in the future. Allison Tolman plays a local police chief with such appeal that viewers will just love her. She is normal, a bit overweight, clever, ethical and always does the right thing. When she saves a young child from a plane wreck (the adorable Alexa Swinton), her life changes and so does everything else. 

Owain Yeoman shows up as a reporter trying to help her solve the mysteries that are beginning to pile up. Handsome with leading man looks, I am surprised he isn't getting top billing in a big screen movie. Veteran actor Clancy Brown plays Jo's dad, and the remaining cast members are just great - I would not change a single one of them. Each episode ends on a cliffhanger and I confess to more than a few 'just one more' sessions. Don't miss it. So nice to see realistic people in an excellent series. 5/5

 

Monday, November 16, 2020

Spotlight On: LitNuts!

Are you nuts about books? Then LitNuts is for you!


What is LitNuts? LitNuts is a woman-owned, family-run business founded by Kathleen Meyer and her father, Mike O'Mary, who share a love of literature and reading. Kathleen is an avid reader with 10 years of marketing experience, including with Dream of Things, a small press founded by Mike in 2009. During its 10-year history, Dream of Things published three New York Times Bestsellers, three winners of the Hoffer Award, and one book that has been optioned for a film. Kathleen and Mike drew upon their experience of publishing and marketing books on a shoestring budget to create LitNuts, in the hope of helping other indie presses achieve success


For readers: So, LitNuts brings you books of short stories, essays, or poetry that many other newsletters refuse to include (because collections don’t sell as well as novels). LitNuts also features new releases and award-winning books that other newsletters exclude because of price. (Many newsletters feature ONLY ebooks priced at $2.99 or less, which is fine – but not all great books are $2.99 or less!).

For authors, you'll be happy to hear that LitNuts founders Mike O’Mary and Kathleen Meyer handled publishing and marketing for an indie press for more than 10 years. This is important because that means they understand the challenge of getting your books in front of readers. 

For Authors: LitNuts is an affordable vehicle that focuses on indie books and has engaged subscribers. Their goal is to help authors increase their book’s sales rank with online retailers, generate more reader reviews, and create positive word-of-mouth. 

Toward that end, they are building a subscriber base of booklovers who want to hear from indie presses. And they are focused on keeping things simple and flexible for authors. They offer a flat price of $25, so it’s simple. No tiered pricing or convoluted advertising offers to analyze.

At the same time, they give authors the flexibility to advertise short story, essay and poetry collections, to link to your website so book lovers can purchase directly from you, and to set the price of your e-book according to your needs.

Subscribe now to their great newsletter and also follow on Twitter and Facebook by visiting https://litnuts.com/.