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If you’re a fan of Young Adult novels, 2019 is turning out to be a banner year.  From romance to magic spells, there are plenty of compelling and fun new books for you to read regardless of your taste. There’s even a dark love story with a young Edgar Allen Poe as the protagonist. Pretty cool.

Now, some of you may enjoy sticking with the trends while others get excited about referrals from friends.  That’s great! But what if you’re looking to find the next book that you can recommend. You’ve come to the right place.

Here are a few YA novels that are making waves this year:

The Engine Woman’s Light – by Laurel Anne Hill

Emotions run high in this action-packed tale as 15 year-old Juanita is charged with stopping a sinister plot perpetrated by the Director of a California Asylum. Set in the backdrop of an 1894 alternate world, the story is both marvelous and terrifying as we follow Laurel’s protagonist on her journey to save the victims from a horrible fate.  Juanita is a very well developed and insightful character filled with conflict and complexity.  As a reader you can’t help but root for her and empathize as she struggles through love, loss and the inhumanity of what she finds.

The Last of Will – by Sheryl Benko

Why would a normal teenage girl give up her summer vacation to deliver a stranger’s ashes out of state? Hilarity ensues when Greer Sarazen is forced to road trip with her father who’s on a mission for a local cemetery. A stranded van, a clown, a rodeo, a disco-dancing nerd and a belligerent dwarf threaten to throw off the itinerary, while the departed “passenger” becomes an unexpected friend … proving that, sometimes, the things we truly need are the last things we would ever expect in this truly heartfelt and wonderful novel.

The Lonely Heart’s Bar – by Konni Granma

What happens when Connie, a young woman filled with hope, travels to Los Angeles to study directing and screenwriting, but on the way, meets an unlikely traveler at a roadside bar?  Destinies are linked and our heroes haven given up everything to follow their dreams, team up for a wild adventure. What’s in store for the young rebels in Los Angeles? Does a dream have another side, one that’s just as enigmatic and invisible as the far side of the Moon?  This book is a fun ride with characters that come to life with every emotion they feel and every decision they make.

Growing Up Hollywood – by Tara Botel Doherty

Anything can happen in Hollywood, it can be both a dangerous place and a place where dreams come true. After all, Hollywood is the land of hopes, dreams, and make believe. On these tarnished and run-down streets, especially Hollywood Boulevard in the 1970’s you need to watch your back. Annie and Gracie live on a street above the Boulevard up in the Hollywood Hills in a California Craftsman with large picture windows. Although the picture looks perfect, pictures are often deceiving. With a mother and father on the edge of divorce, these two young girls are left to their own devices and try to make sense of their surroundings on this unfriendly, dead end street. Go on the adventures with these two sisters as they grow up among the famous landmarks, and meet the people who make Hollywood the destination to find fame and fortune among the stars on the Walk of Fame. 

As you can see, 2019 is truly a great time to be a fan of Young Adult novels.  So whether you’re heading off to some exotic location for vacation or just hanging on the patio on a hot summer night, grab a new book and let your imagination take over for a while.  You may even discover that a new author has become a new favorite.   

Although Banksy and other graffiti artists still get most of the news coverage, there is a growing cadre of chalk artists that are plying their trade, sometimes anonymously and sometimes signed, across the United States to growing acclaim.

It’s no surprise that San Francisco leads the way in chalk artistry. The city has set aside funds to employ chalk artists to decorate the sidewalks around public playgrounds with whimsical fairy tale figures and heroic comic book figures.

Chicago has white washed several blank building sides for the express purpose of chalk drawing. The city provides youth with free colored chalk balls to sketch whatever they want — within limits of public good taste, of course.

Bistros everywhere from New Orleans to Salt Lake City have paneled their walls with chalkboard, and hired the best local chalk artists to draw not only ornate menu options but fantastical portraits of local and historical interest — like Jean LaFitte the pirate in New Orleans, or Brigham Young in Salt Lake.

And one of the trendiest birthday party stunts in 2019 is to hire a chalk artist, or a whole team, to decorate every available blank space outside of a boy or girl’s home with representations of their favorite superheroes and cartoon characters.

Next Therapist Please tells the journey of Janie as she recounts the tragic moments in her life and her everyday experiences. After Janie loses her husband and son in an unexpected accident she is forced to start again. Struggling with not only her grief, but other various mental illnesses, Janie attempts to pick up the pieces of her life and find happiness. Her witty sense of humor and sarcastic tone create comic relief that keep the serious topics light.

Although Janie misses her former family, she decides to enter the dating world after a chance encounter with her prior, and very desirable, therapist. She struggles with her various options as a couple very different men show an interest in dating Janie. However, this novel is more than just a light romance story, it packs a punch with it’s relatable take on the struggles of mental illness and reinventing oneself.

If you’re looking for a love story to read this February, look no further than Next Therapist Please.  This romantic comedy will have you flying through the pages to discover what happens next. A fun and relatable story perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Famed New York artist Marko Stout appears to be taking Andy Warhols’ place as the artist to the stars!  The iconic New York artist Stout has an extensive following of celebrity fans and among the artist’s admires are the stars of the hit ABC TV series “Shark Tank.”  The show’s star Mr. Wonderful (Kevin Kevin O’Leary) and billionaire co-founded O’Leary Funds is another big fan of the artist. In a YouTube video Mr. O’Leary took a few moments while on his safari vacation to record a video for his friend Marko Stout. Kevin O’Leary talks about the artist and his love of art work, “”Marko Stout’s Exhibition is Fantastic! I’m a Fan!!”

Other big celebrity fans of the artist include the renowned Kardashians. Catilyn Jenner talking extensively about the artist while in “New York for Fashion Week 2018.” The “Keeping up with the Kardashians” star explained, “I’m very excited for Marko Stout’s exhibition, his art is absolutely amazing!”  

Adult film star Stormy Daniels, best known for the President Trump sex scandal recently came out as a big fan of Marko Stout. In an interview Stormy Daniels talked about the artist saying, “I’ve been following Marko Stout’s work for a long time and oh my that is some very sexy art… and I can’t wait to see lots more from him!”

 The artist’s exhibitions have been flooded with young enthusiastic art fans and celebrity art collectors. The famed art dear Taylor Cohen said of the artist, “I’ve not seen this kind of excitement for an opening since Jeff Koon’s retrospective at the Whiney Museum or the Basquiat exhibition”. Marko Stout’s latest exhibition at Caelum Gallery had all the hoopla of a Hollywood movie premiere, complete with a celebrity lined red-carpet. Among celebrities to attend the artist’s opening night VIP party was Sarah Jessica Parker from HBO’s “Sex in the City”, Canadian rapper Drake, adult film star Jesse Jane and a few stars from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and DragCon which included Jaymes Mansfield, Trinity Taylor, Sherry Vine, and Shanglea.

Marko Stout’s celebrity fans have posted brief YouTube videos. MTV’s Snooki from the hit series “The Jersey Shore” is a big fan of the artist and when asked about the artist she said, “I love Marko Stout, his work is totally awesome!” Carson Kressley, star of “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” is another huge fan of Stout and talked extensively in his video saying, “Marko Stout’s work is Amaz-Balls!”

Content marketing and social media platforms are very important tools when it comes to reaching customers or a mass audience. This is especially important for those in competitive industries trying to break through and command consumer attention.

Social media is one of the most effective marketing platforms, as almost every consumer you could want to target is active on at least one of the many platforms. Whether it’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Snapchat, using the leverage of a celebrity influencer is a great way to place your business in front of a large audience, attracting them and then converting them into customers.

Celebrities often have large and loyal followings, and when they introduce your offer to their following the trust is already established. Their followers immediately trust your brand because of the celebrity introduction. This strategy can be wildly effective, however, there are certain factors that you need to consider before hiring a celebrity influencer for your business.

The number of followers.

The first thing that you need to consider is the number of followers the celebrity influencer has. The more followers your influencer has, the more people that will potentially be exposed to your brand and offer.

“While followers don’t automatically translate into sales, it’s a good idea to target celebrities with a decent amount, as the cost will typically be high, so you want to get the most out of your budget,” offers Darryl Howard of NuWays MD.

You also want to do a little audit of their followers, and make sure they align with your offer. Large numbers alone won’t help. You need to make sure their audience is one that will be interested in what you offer. For example, a fitness celebrity’s followers aren’t going to be interested in a candy brand. Target larger audiences based on audience and not just sheer numbers alone.

Celebrity status.

The status of the celebrity is also a huge factor that needs to be taken into consideration. For instance, a celebrity that has a strong online presence will have more influence on the audience that one that isn’t highly active online. To put it in other words, a celebrity that interacts more on an online platform will be able to generate more value-packed influence on his or her followers than a celebrity who is not that active online.

“So, if you are planning to hire a celebrity influencer you need to make sure that he or she has a strong online presence to go along with a great number of followers — that is the only combination that will benefit your business,” says Diana Martin of PianoHunter.

The type of content they post.

Another thing that needs to be considered is the kind of posts usually posted by a potential influencer. “Remember, an influencer that you hire is representing your brand. If they have questionable or controversial content on their account it can reflect poorly on your company by association. Spend time to really make sure their content suits your brand’s message,” says Jake Braun of ChopperExchange.

When you look at a celebrity like The Rock, you know that his message is always positive. He is never in trouble and doesn’t post content that is offensive and rude. A comedian, on the other hand, might have video clips or posts with foul language that your brand would not want to be linked to.

Social media outlet.

Each brand or business needs to have a good understanding of what social media platforms their target audience is most active on. “A company that is targeting senior citizens, for example, wouldn’t want to hire a large Snapchat celebrity, as their audience doesn’t use that platform. Know where your audience is active, and then find celebrities that dominate those platforms,” suggests Optimally Organic’s CEO, Christopher VanDeCar.

So, if you are planning to hire a celebrity influencer you first need to make sure that he or she caters to that particular social media platform. Otherwise, there is no point hiring that particular influencer for your business, as there will be little to no return.

Audience engagement.

You want to target influencers that have high engagement rates in terms of likes and comments, but you also want to look for those that actually engage back with their following.

“You could do well by having a large account post about your product, but if you work with an influencer that will drop back into the comments and engage with the audience on sponsored posts, it will cause much more engagement, and thus more exposure for your business,” says Luqman Khan, founder of best water dispenser 2018 review company Wireloo.

A good celebrity influencer not only puts up quality posts, but he or she also interacts with the audience. Regular interaction means that they are likely to pay more attention to your posts.

Spirited, fun and always a joy to talk with, we sat down with Nanishka Torres, author of The Prince.

Nanishka was inspired to write The Prince when she noticed a lack of positive LGBTQ books in the literary world. She felt it necessary to write a love story between two men that did not focus on their coming to terms with their sexuality. She wanted a story that showed the love between men with conflicts coming from other sources other than their sexual orientation.

The Prince is a fantasy novel that takes place in a kingdom called Finrir. Prince Callum is loved by his people and rules his kingdom with peace and justice. Lorkan, Prince Callum’s partner, is kidnapped by a radical religious group and the story unfolds.

Q. If you could give your book to one celebrity, who would it be and why?

A. Humorously, I’ve already given my book to a celebrity: Sebastian Stan. I based the character of Lorkan on Sebastian Stan. He is such a kindhearted person, as well as a person with conviction, and I kept him in mind as I wrote Lorkan.

Q. If you could give your book to one singer/musician, who would it be and why?

A. I would give The Prince to Henry Jackman. He composed the soundtracks to “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and “Captain America: Civil War”, and I absolutely love the way he supports the story with his compositions. I would love to hear what music comes to his mind while reading the book.

Q. If your book was turned into a film/TV show, who would you tap to play the lead(s)? Why?

A. Sebastian Stan to play Lorkan, of course. I also had James McAvoy in my mind as I wrote Rhett Ryckoff, and he would portray him magnificently. Jesse Williams or Aubrey Joseph (when he’s holder) would both be perfect as Callum, and Gabrielle Union is my ideal Queen Thestera.

Q. What is the core message you want to deliver to the world through your writing/books/stories?

A. The core message is that we will all do just about anything for those we love. I wanted to portray the love shared among these characters at equal levels to emphasize that we all love the same: gay, straight, bisexual, male, female, non-binary, trans, whatever, love is universal and has no boundaries. It isn’t more powerful when between a heterosexual couple than a homosexual one. It isn’t more powerful between romantic love than familial love or friendship love.

Q. Recommend a book from another author. Why should people read this book?

A. I just finished “Beat the Reaper” by Josh Bazell. It’s a really fun read with a main character you like straight from the beginning. I also recommend “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” by Seth Grahame-Smith. I absolutely love how well he wove history with fantasy, making all of the supernatural elements sound plausible.

Rapid Fire Questions and Answers

Q. Star Wars or Star Trek?

A. Star Wars

Q. Guardians of the Galaxy or X-Men?

A. X-Men

Q. Kittens or puppies?

A. Puppies

Q. Ninja or pirates?

A. Ninja

Q. Reading or writing?

A. Writing

Q. Marvel or DC?

A. Marvel

Q. Coachella or Broadway?

A. Broadway

Q. The ability to fly or mind reading?

A. Ability to fly

Q. Miley or Selena?

A. Miley

Q. E.L. James or J.K. Rowling?

A. J.K. Rowling

Q. Meat or Veggies?

A. Meat

Order a copy on Amazon

One of the original reality TV shows, Big Brother, is back for an all new Season 20. With it’s new cast in place, one of them is a life coach and this could be must see TV.

Life coaches are notorious for making people feel uncomfortable in the same way therapists do because they have the ability to deeply psychoanalyze individuals and see through their facade.

Some of the other contestants include a life guard, stay at home mom, a medical sales rep, a female football player, a former undercover police man, a fitness model, a Vegas entertainer, and a substitute teacher.

These reality shows are all about mixing personalities that cause friction where everyone gets on each others nerves to create havoc for our entertainment. The life coach selection is the one that seems like an interesting ingredient in the mix.

Will she try to fix everyone’s life?

Or will she just observe and commentate as everyone else implodes on each other?

Will she be the antagonist or the protagonist?

Only time will tell.

But the one thing that is certain is that she will make the show more interesting to watch since she will provide an analytical lens into the dynamics displayed by the others.

For those of you who may not be familiar with the show, Big Brother is a television reality game show based on an originally Dutch TV series of the same name created by producer John de Mol in 1997. The series follows a diverse group of contestants, known as HouseGuests, who are living together in a custom-built home under constant surveillance. The HouseGuests are completely isolated from the outside world and can have no communication with those not in the house. The contestants are competing for a $500,000 grand prize, with weekly competitions and evictions determining who will win the show.

This show came out before the other hit reality TV show Survivor and its premise was based upon Big Brother.

A Chat with Laurie Finkelstein, Author of Next Therapist Please

Next Therapist Please was inspired by author Laurie Finkelstein’s real-life events and struggles. Laurie weaves her personal experiences with mental illness into her hilarious, sidesplitting story. Grab a cocktail and enjoy this one-on-one chat with Laurie.

The novel tells the story of Janie, a free spirit and endearing main character who marches to the beat of her own drum. Janie has passed through so many therapist offices she cannot keep track, so she has started referring to each therapist by number. While some have helped Janie, others were duds. Janie recalls her experiences with a cocktail in one hand and a paint brush in the other.

Awesome fact about Laurie: She is so passionate about bringing awareness to mental illness, that she donates 10% of each book sale to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Q: If you could give your book to one celebrity, who would it be and why?

A: Ellen DeGeneres. She would love the book and want to bring me on as a guest to talk about breaking the stigma of mental health one laugh at a time. All audience members would receive the book, and Ellen would bring out a big check donation to NAMI, The National Alliance on Mental Illness. I donate 10% of my sales of Next Therapist Please to NAMI. With the rash of celebrity suicides it is essential we reach as many people as possible to give a message of hope.

Q: What advice would you give to Janie in your book and why?

A: Embrace and love herself for who she is despite her challenges. To be gentle and kind with her when depression or anxiety intrudes her day. Janie needs to know her mental illness does not make her less of a person. Learn and practice mindfulness, which will help manage her illnesses more effectively. I need to take that advice LOL!

Q: If your book were turned into a film/TV show, whom would you tap to play Janie? Why?

A: Leslie Mann is my ideal Janie. She has great comedic timing and plays tragedy really well. Love her voice and look.

Q: What three books are on your To Be Read list this summer?

A: LOL – that’s like choosing your three favorite Jelly Belly combinations. Checked by Jennifer Jamelli, Hypnotic Seduction by L.L. Kellogg, and Baker’s Dozen by Autumn Doerr are three of many.

Q: What is the core message you want to deliver to the world through your writing/books/stories?

A: I want to champion the underdogs, the leftovers. I want to be an example of successful living with mental illness in all its messy roadblocks and detours. I want to help people talk about mental illness openly and freely. I want to raise awareness and money for research and treatment of the mentally ill.

Rapid Fire Questions and Answers

Q: Guardians of the Galaxy or XMen?

A: XMen

Q: Meat or Veggies?

A: Veggies

Q: The beach or the mountains?

A: Beach

Q: Kittens or puppies?

A: Kittens

Q: Ninja or pirates?

A: Pirates

Q: Selfie or group photo?

A: Group Photo

Q: E.L. James or J.K. Rowling?

A: J.K. Rowling

Q: London or Istanbul?

A: London

Q: Hippies or hipsters?

A: Hippies

Q: Miley or Selena?

A: Selena

Want more? Grab the novel on Amazon!