Cardeno C.'s Blog, page 19

Favorite time wasters with BA, Julia, Kiernan and Sean

Today we talk favorite time wasters with BA, Julia, Kiernan and Sean

Sean Michael

Online timewaster would be Facebook and twitter, though twitter is getting harder and harder to look at Offline timewaster – TV – there are so many shows to watch Favorite game on the phone – at the moment it’s Wordscapes

Kiernan Kelly

Online timewaster is Facebook, Offline timewaster is well, not a timeWASTER, really, more like a timeUSER, and that's the grandbaby. Favorite game on the phone? I'm torn between Words with Friends 2, and Angry Birds 2

B.a. Tortuga

Pinterest,gardening,and Word Crossy (so wordy that BA)

Julia

Online time waster is definitely social media Offline is napping And game is candy crush

Visit our websites:

Sean's is http://www.seanmichaelwrites.com

Julia’s is http://www.juliatalbot.com

BA’s is http://www.batortuga.com

Kiernan's is www.KiernanKelly.com

Facebook:

Sean -- https://www.facebook.com/SeanMichaelW...

Julia -- https://www.facebook.com/juliatalbota...

BA -- https://www.facebook.com/batortuga

Kiernan -- https://www.facebook.com/kiernan.kelly

New release!

Happy Sunday!

This week, I have a new release to share with you!

BA Tortuga and I have just published our first book together! It's the first in a five-book series about artists not only of different kinds but from different worlds, Texas and New York City, how they come together and how their respect and love for each other as artists and as human beings keeps them together.

Lots of heat, lots of tension, lots of sweet and fun too.

We have so much fun working together. She brings this amazing authenticity to her Texans and I throw my crazy city dwellers at her, and we really do learn right along with the men as we write. It's fantastic and works so well.


Available at:
Dreamspinner Press
Universal Link


Blurb:

Texas artist Tucker Williams arrives in New York City for a gallery showing of his work and finds the city blanketed in snow. He meets free-spirited underwear model Calvin McIntire on the steps of the Midtown library and is captivated by a wild beauty that manages to compete with the demons that occupy his soul and fuel his work with their lust for blood and erotic imagery.

Unable to deny a new inspiration, Tucker sublets a studio and finds the city’s energy almost as addictive as Calvin.

Tucker is obsessive, barely holding on to sanity as his art consumes him, and Calvin is dealing with demons of his own, trying desperately to protect his soul in a business where only his appearance has value. They each prove to be the perfect remedy for the other’s personal brand of crazy until, in the midst of stress and exhaustion, they discover that a promise Calvin needs is the one thing Tucker can’t give him, and their heaven turns to purgatory.

Can both men find a path toward wholeness in Tucker’s beautiful but chaotic Texas home? In order for them—and their passionate relationship—to thrive, they’ll need to adapt, share their psychoses, and find a true balance between New York City and rural Texas.

Thanks for reading!

Jodi
jodipayne.net

Do You Resent Authors With Opinions? By S.C. Wynne

Morning all! 

I wasn't sure what to write about this week, and so I went on Twitter just looking around for something to inspire me. I guess it kind of did, but mostly it made me realize how many political pundits I follow. I usually, USUALLY, try not to be too political on Twitter. I don't always succeed because there are times when things get to be too much, and I just can't hold my tongue any longer. I wonder if subconsciously I follow so many pundits because they can speak up when I can't? lol I'm not sure.

I know that actors, authors, and singers and frankly all artists, are people too. Probably even people first. We all have opinions and emotions that may or may not line up with those who enjoy our work. Sometimes I don't feel comfortable expressing those ideas because I'd hate to offend, and sometimes I feel like a rebel and I figure, hey, I'm a person and I get to have opinions like anyone else.

But having said that, I myself have been turned off by certain creative types who speak up too much politically. Because politics are extremely personal. The laws and rules of this country can affect whether my family has health care or food on the table. Those are the kinds of things that can make someone want to fight. But as an author, it's not really in my best interests to be fighting with potential customers.

What do you guys think? Do you hate it when someone you admire whether actor, singer or author jumps into the political fray? Or maybe just drama in general? Or do you think they have a right to their opinion, whether it's divisive or not?

S.C.
www.scwynne.com

Wordless not Wednesday from BA, Julia, Kiernan and Sean- A post of pics

XXOO

Julia

Visit our websites:

Sean's is http://www.seanmichaelwrites.com

Julia’s is http://www.juliatalbot.com

BA’s is http://www.batortuga.com

Kiernan's is www.KiernanKelly.com

Facebook:

Sean -- https://www.facebook.com/SeanMichaelW...

Julia -- https://www.facebook.com/juliatalbota...

BA -- https://www.facebook.com/batortuga

Kiernan -- https://www.facebook.com/kiernan.kelly

The Masks We Wear By S.C. Wynn

Morning all,

I was shocked to hear of Anthony Bourdain's suicide. I didn't know him personally, obviously, but he was a larger than life personality. He seemed so confident and had such a love of life. Or so I thought.

I know often survivors of suicide victims sometimes feel bad because they missed the signs. I don't think there always are signs. I think people are great at fooling those they love. Especially those they love. They know just what to say and do to reassure those who might catch the signs that they might hurt themselves. Plus, sometimes I don't believe there is any huge thing that sends them over the edge. I think people just get tired of living with the pain or the sadness of things they can't control. Suicide might often be an impulse. In that moment, the person just feels they can't take another day of whatever it is they're struggling with.

I know younger people often struggle with thoughts of suicide. I find it almost more shocking when someone of Anthony Bourdain's age kill themselves. I always assumed that by the time a person reached sixty-one years of age or so, they would have conquered most of their demons. But maybe that's a fallacy. Maybe they're never conquered, or maybe the old demons are just replaced by new ones as you age.

And to be honest, I often feel like I'm the same kid inside that I always was. It's just my outside that has changed. Maybe for some people that same depressed kid is still in there, hurting. Perhaps they don't really want to die at all. They just want the pain to stop. They know no other way to accomplish that other than dying. Which I find heartbreaking.

I don't think I'm unique in that I struggled with suicidal thoughts when I was younger. Many, many people have. I remember being distraught enough that if I hadn't had a family that I knew would be devastated if I'd died, I might have made that ultimate mistake. I guess my love for my family is what kept me alive. The inability to hurt them, kept me here.

I wrote a story about suicide called Believing Rory. It's a love story, ultimately, but it deals with the aftermath of those left behind. It also explores the inside chaos of someone struggling with suicidal thoughts. I tried to capture that detached state I sometime found myself in. I was numb. I was exceedingly aware of what I said and how I acted so that I didn't ever let on that I was having dark thoughts. I think that's what is so terrifying about suicide, that cunning way in which suicide victims often fool us into thinking they're awesome and that life is great. They do things like making dentist appointments and talk about their plans for the future. It only adds to the confusion of those left behind.

I certainly have no answers about this subject. It's a complicated thing and a one size fits all solution will never work. Suicide help lines are essential, and there is no telling how many lives have been saved by those organizations. But the sad thing is there are those who will never call a help line, no matter what. How do you reach that person? All know is I'm grateful that my fear of hurting my loved ones kept me here on earth. If I'd given up I'd have missed so many wonderful things that life had in store for me; my husband. My children. The small moments of joy that mean everything to me now.

Life is good and bad. But ultimately, it's worth living. I hope you agree.

S.C.
www.scwynne.com

Believing Rory

Frankie—Unforgettable is here! by Felice Stevens

Happy Friday, everyone!

Frankie—Unforgettable is out and I couldn't be more thrilled with the love this book is receiving. I don't know about you, but I'm a sucker for a second chance at love story. Frankie and Aaron have one heck of a fight on their hands the make that second chance work.

I hope you enjoy their story. Once again, Reese Dante did a fabulous job with the cover.

Here are the purchase links:
Amazon
iBooks
Kobo
Barnes & Noble

Happy Reading everyone!!

Magic Mic - Falcon Sound Company

This week, we're continuing on in our home voiceover studio setup with narrator John Solo.  Here's your mic check.  Is this thing on? 



Today I’m going to write about microphones. Which one should you purchase as your main VO mic? There is no one size fits all answer for that question (I like the big ones). The best choice greatly depends on your voice, your other gear, your budget, and your room. Btw, If you missed the previous article regarding how to get the most out of your room, you can find that here: https://caferisque.blogspot.com/2018/05/get-room.html

Also, I’ll repeat my disclaimer verbatim: I am not, and will likely never be, an expert. I do not claim that anything I say is correct. In fact, I am fully aware that I am a bumbling idiot that has to mess everything up at least 3 times (sometimes many, many more.. sigh) before I blindly stumble on a solution that works. I am simply writing down what I have done and what I have learned from it. It’s free advice, people, and it’s worth what you paid for it. :)

Alright, now that all of that is out of the way, let’s begin. A microphone is… look, if you don’t
know what a microphone is, please consider another line of work; this may not be for you. There are books written on this subject. Books. It is not possible to cover everything in a blog article. That is not my intent. The idea here is to impart some basic knowledge to help a beginning VO artist make a better informed decision. So before you start griping about  multiple polar patterns (those damn icebergs…), diaphragm sizes, impedance and phantom power, go write your own article. Get off my lawn. And would it kill you to make some coffee?

I have recorded using dozens of different microphones in my time. Some big, some small, some shiny, some with dents, some that cost $50, some that cost more than my first car (or many cars after that, if I’m being honest). The selection is nearly infinite.

There are 2 general categories of mics. Dynamic and Condenser. Generally speaking, a dynamic microphone is less sensitive, or less “hot” than a condenser microphone.

  Dynamic mics are designed to pick up the majority of their input (voice) from up to a few inches directly in front of them. This is advantageous in a noisy environment. For instance, a vocalist on a stage singing in front of a loud rock band would benefit from this design. In a voice over studio, dynamic microphones are sometimes a good choice when your room is not entirely noise free, or when your room is not treated properly to lessen sound bouncing around from reflective surfaces. They can be advantageous for many home studios that have to deal with extraneous noises such as a computer fan, an air conditioner, traffic noises, etc… While no microphone in the world will completely eliminate all of these undesirable sounds, this particular type of mic will certainly help to mitigate their interference in your recording. On the flip side, this is also a disadvantage, as dynamic microphones are typically not as detailed sounding as a condenser microphone.

Condenser microphones are designed to pick up sound from a greater distance, and in some instances from a much larger angle than dynamic microphones. They are incredibly sensitive. To best express why this can be superior to a dynamic mic, consider our end goal here: capturing the sound, performance and emotion of the most complex instrument in the world, the human voice. The more detailed the better. There is no doubt that a condenser microphone shines in voice over work. Many of them are able to pick up every nuance of whatever you put in front of them. But, just as the dynamic microphones greatest strength is also its greatest weakness, the same goes for a condenser microphone. It will amplify a poor recording environment, as well as any extraneous noises (I swear that mine can record the sound of my stomach from last month…). They also amplify poor technique, such as excessive lip sounds, loud breathing, and plosives (popped P or B sounds). 

I explained all of that to say this: if your room sucks you may be better off with a dynamic mic, otherwise I’d try to get into a condenser if at all possible.

For dynamic microphones I recommend looking at the Shure SM7b or EV RE20. At the time of writing this article (2018) either one can be purchased for under $500. I’ve found that the SM7b shines on deeper male voices, and with careful positioning can work with a female voice as well. The RE20 would be my first pick for a female in this category, but it can certainly do well with a higher ranged male voice also.

For budget condenser microphones I’d recommend a Rode NT1a or an Audio Technica 2020.  Either of these can be yours for well under $250, the Audio Technica for much less. But if you can afford it spring for a Neumann TLM102 or a TLM103 ($700 - $1300). The quality is simply astounding, and in the case of the 103 you would be using that microphone till the day you died.

Microphones are like underwear. Well, not completely. I mean, I don’t own any Darth Vader microphones… But I digress. The point is, one microphone may sound amazing on you but sound like poo on someone else’s voice. One mic may really accentuate a deep male voice but make a female sound muddy and unintelligible (I’ve met a few people that do that all on their own…). Ok, now I forget why I compared mics to underwear.

Oh yes, it’s because they’re personal!!!. It’s always best, once you’ve narrowed down your choices, to try out a few if possible before buying. Some music stores (I had a friend call them media stores once… hahahahaha) will allow you to try them out in store. A few of the catalog music stores will send you several with the agreement that you can send back the ones you don’t wish to keep. If at all possible, take advantage of those opportunities. Finding the right fit for your particular voice makes all the difference.

Hopefully this article will at least steer you in the right direction of what questions to ask and where to start looking. As always, please remember that friends don’t let friends narrate naked. Next up, Audio Interfaces and the people that love them.

Find John and Falcon Sound Company on Facebook, or at www.falconsoundcompany.com.






And, check out John's recent release, "The Omega's Secret Baby," by Ann-Katrin Bird.

Recent releases from BA, Julia and Sean

Today we're sharing our latest releases with you!

Refraction
A Collaborations Novel

Texas artist Tucker Williams arrives in New York City for a gallery showing of his work and finds the city blanketed in snow. He meets free-spirited underwear model Calvin McIntire on the steps of the Midtown library and is captivated by a wild beauty that manages to compete with the demons that occupy his soul and fuel his work with their lust for blood and erotic imagery.

Unable to deny a new inspiration, Tucker sublets a studio and finds the city’s energy almost as addictive as Calvin.

Tucker is obsessive, barely holding on to sanity as his art consumes him, and Calvin is dealing with demons of his own, trying desperately to protect his soul in a business where only his appearance has value. They each prove to be the perfect remedy for the other’s personal brand of crazy until, in the midst of stress and exhaustion, they discover that a promise Calvin needs is the one thing Tucker can’t give him, and their heaven turns to purgatory.

Can both men find a path toward wholeness in Tucker’s beautiful but chaotic Texas home? In order for them—and their passionate relationship—to thrive, they’ll need to adapt, share their psychoses, and find a true balance between New York City and rural Texas.

Buy link:
Dreamspinner Press


Night of the Living Manny 
Something besides love is growing….
Manny Brenden Torrance is good at his job. He's dealt with all sorts of children and parents, but he's never met anyone as intriguing as Liam Whitehouse. Liam is a scientist with three kids, whose job is keeping him away from home more and more. That's where Brenden steps in to help.
Liam has secrets, though. He's working on a project for a pharmaceutical lab that could change disease management. Or destroy it. While he and Brenden start a romance they both want to continue, things at Liam's job come to a head, and suddenly the whole family of Dad, manny, three kids, and a big drooly dog is on the run from the one thing that might keep Brenden and Liam apart. And infect the world.
Buy link:Dreamspinner Press


Born of Air
Meet the Beteferoce brothers: five dragon shifters, each with a strong elemental power. And each with a fierce desire to find his soul mate… 
He said he was flying on a silver dragon. He called me “Markus-meine.” Who would know all that? Who? And how?
SWAT cop and dragon shifter Mark Beteferoce had—and lost—a soul mate. He’s finally at the point where he can get through the days without thinking about what used to be…until he tastes Quincy O’Brien’s doughnuts and takes him home to play. 
Quincy O’Brien is a gifted baker, but at night he dreams of soaring through the sky on dragonback and being topped by the perfect Dom. Mark satisfies the kinky urges Quincy has only explored in his subconscious, pushing his limits and caring for him afterward.
From the start, their connection was more than sexual. It’s known; it’s familiar somehow. And it’s slowly driving Mark insane. What shouldn’t be possible most certainly is, and the bond between himself and Quincy runs deeper than either of them could ever have realized.
Buy link:Carina Press

Visit our websites:Sean's is http://www.seanmichaelwrites.comJulia’s is http://www.juliatalbot.comBA’s is http://www.batortuga.comKiernan's is www.KiernanKelly.com
Facebook:Sean -- https://www.facebook.com/SeanMichaelWritesJulia -- https://www.facebook.com/juliatalbotauthorBA -- https://www.facebook.com/batortugaKiernan -- https://www.facebook.com/kiernan.kelly
Seansmut fixes everything

New Website and Re-release By S.C. Wynne

Good morning!

I've been busy, busy lately. I have a re-release of a short story that was originally in an anthology called Dr. Feelgood from Dreamspinner Press. The story is Doctor in the Desert and it's about a lonely ER doctor in a small town who has an instant connection with a new cop in town.

I also just launched my new website at www.scwynne.com. Go visit the site and poke around. Make yourself at home, but put the remote back where you find it! :D

How about an excerpt for Doctor in the Desert?

EXCERPT:

CHAPTER ONEThe kid was obviously out of his head and had no idea what he was doing. So I didn’t take it personally when he tried to stab me with a scalpel. His skinny, tattoo-covered body was shiny with sweat, and his eyes were dark and vacant.“I said don’t touch me, and I fucking mean it,” he growled.“We just want to help you. You’re bleeding.” I stayed a safe distance away now that it was apparent we weren’t going to be BFFs. I felt for the kid, but I was exhausted. I’d just finished two twelve-hour shifts in the ER back to back and was irritated he had to have his freak-out right as I was about to leave.“No way.” He kicked over a chair and shoved his weapon toward me again.Out of the corner of my eye, I could see one of the ER nurses making a call. Where the hell was the cop who’d brought him in? I was more than a little pissed they hadn’t stayed with him since the kid was obviously high as a kite.Standing next to me was the oncoming physician, Dr. Snyder. I’d just signed out to her. She looked less than thrilled to be here, and I couldn’t blame her. It was nice when you could ease into the crazy that was ER, but she wasn’t going to be that lucky tonight. Let’s face it, I was stuck too. I couldn’t exactly just leave now that crazy scalpel kid was loose. I checked his chart and figured out his name was Sawyer.Sawyer licked his lips, and his gaze darted toward the sliding glass exit. He waved his weapon toward the group of us but seemed to have second thoughts about leaving immediately.“Where do you keep the Oxy?” Sawyer demanded.Nobody answered. They all turned in unison to stare at me. Aw, how I loved my coworkers sometimes.“You’re in charge, right?” He swallowed nervously and stepped up close to me. He smelled like sweat and fear. “Where do you keep it?”“You know I can’t just hand you OxyContin, Sawyer.” I did my best to sound reasonable. From his nasty expression, I could only guess he didn’t appreciate my efforts.“Listen, Doc.” He looked down at his blood-splattered shirt. “I’m already in a lot of trouble.”“I can see that.”“I don’t want to hurt you, but I will,” he panted.“We just want to help you,” I said.“Then get off your fucking high horse and give me something.”Someone was coming up behind him, head down and shoulders set, closing the distance quickly. Luckily the kid was distracted glaring at me. I saw a flash of blue uniform, a badge, and blond hair, and the kid went down in a pile of arms and legs. The scalpel clattered to the floor, and I grabbed it as quickly as I could. Sawyer kicked and snarled, but he never had a chance against the cop who took him down. Another cop, who I did recognize as Officer White, joined the first, and they yanked the kid to his feet.“Sorry, Logan. I had to use the can,” Officer White said sheepishly to the other cop.“Timing is everything,” Logan panted, cuffing Sawyer. He caught me watching and acknowledged me with a quick nod. I hadn’t seen him before. We were a small town, and newcomers stood out, especially newcomers who looked like him. “You okay?” Officer Logan asked me.I was struck by how blue his eyes were, but I assured myself my elevated pulse was because I’d almost been stabbed. “I’m fine.”“Can you just look him over real quick and we’ll get him out of here?” Logan asked.“You want to check him out, Dr. Snyder?” I turned to the oncoming physician, and she shrugged.“Of course I’ll look him over.” She seemed as mesmerized as I was with Officer Logan, her eyes glued on him. But she managed to pull herself away to examine the kid.“Thanks for tackling him. He caught me off guard,” I said to Officer Logan.“You were great. Very calm.” He grinned, and his smile was amazing. White teeth and cornflower-blue eyes—it was like looking at the beautiful Arizona sky.“That’s just a doctor thing.”“Yeah, cops fake it too.” He laughed. “Besides, Officer White should never have left him alone with you.”“I agree.” I gave White a hard stare. “I’m sure it won’t happen again, right?”Officer White nodded and stared at his shoes.“I don’t think I’ve seen you before,” I said, pretending to read whatever nonsense was on my clipboard. He was making me nervous, in a good way.“I transferred in from Tucson PD. Name’s Logan Drury.”I took the offered hand. “Dr. Bennett, or Trace if you prefer.” His hand felt callused as it warmed mine. “Tucson is nothing like this place. You like the small-town feel of Bisbee?”He nodded. “So far it’s a relief.”“Why Bisbee?” I asked, studying his perfect full lips but doing my best not to look like I was. We were the same height, but he was built for power. Wide shoulders, nice chest, and strong legs.“I have my sister and her family here.”“That’s handy.”“Yeah, for her. Now she has a built-in babysitter.” He grinned.“I didn’t think of that.”He ran his hand over his close-cropped hair, still smiling. “She did. Now it’s very clear to me why she was so gung ho I move here.”“Are you actually staying with her?”“Only temporarily. There’s a house I’m going to be leasing, but the other tenants aren’t out until the end of the month.”I was tempted to keep standing there, just so I could stare at his face, but I needed sleep. “I’d like to thank you for saving me from a scalpel in my throat. Maybe I can buy you a drink sometime?”“There’s no need. I was just doing my job.” A hint of color swept his angular cheeks.“Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me.” I looked around at the drab white-and-yellow walls and grimaced.“I do.” We shook hands and parted.
My hand was still tingling as I made my way to my office to change out of my white coat. I didn’t meet many guys who affected me the way Officer Logan had. It was kind of nice to know I wasn’t completely dead in that department. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d even been interested enough in someone to consider meeting up for drinks. Maybe hanging out with drug addicts and stabbing victims wasn’t conducive to a healthy social life after all.
Hope you enjoyed that little taste! If you're interested in buying it, I'll drop some links below. Enjoy your weekend!S.C.Amazon    Other Vendors
www.scwynne.com

New audiobook by Felice Stevens

One of my favorite characters I've written is Jeremy Strauss. We first met him in One Call Away as Noah's big brother and he got his story in Perfect, book four in the Soulmates series. On the outside he's a good looking muscle man, but inside he's a big teddybear who's only looking for love. And he finds it in Blake, the shy sweet accountant with a slightly kinky side. Michael Pauley narrated their story to perfection, picking up Jeremy's New York vibe, while giving Blake his quiet intensity and growing confidence. You can get Perfect in audiobook here:

http://bit.ly/PerfectaudiobookAnd I have to say I've still never had a cover match my characters as well as this one. It's just....perfect