Chatting with Jake Aurelian

On Episode 87 of The Martin Lastrapes Show Podcast Hour, I enjoyed a great chat with my pal and award-winning author Jake Aurelian. Jake (in collaboration with his co-author/alter-ego Ripper the Clown) talked about his latest novel The Life & Mimes (& Various Times) of Ripper the Clown: The Autobiography of an Unconventional Time Traveler.

A few topics covered:

  • Being attacked by a drunk guy
  • Appearing on a morning
  • Promoting live comedy shows  
  • The passing of "Rowdy" Roddy Piper
  • True crime and Too Politically Sensitive 

In this "unconventional" sequel to the 7-time award-winning The Life & Mimes (& Zombie Apocalypse) of Ripper the Clown, the clown is back with a book that simultaneously spoofs and redefines the time-traveling genre. 

Ripper the Clown is an unpredictable cartoon character come to life … a visionary, a renegade, a rogue … and a frustrated stand-up comedian … that is, until two back-to-back events—getting clown profiled by the police and almost getting struck by lightning—provide Ripper with the secret components of time travel. As a pop culture devote, Ripper the Clown’s time “jumping” excursions become the stuff of legend: boxing and defeating Mike Tyson during his heyday; hijacking the Max Headroom hijacker; joining The Three Stooges; winning multiple lotteries; buying vintage items and selling them on eBay; wrestling for the WWF; hanging out with Rasputin, Godzilla, Brian Pillman and Bigfoot; filming the JFK assassination; and even witnessing the UFO crash at Roswell. However, after years—or rather weeks—of fun adventures in the annals of popular culture, Ripper starts to utilize time jumping for the good of the world.

He helps the Titanic avoid disaster; rescues “The Black Dahlia” Elizabeth Short; battles his namesake, Jack the Ripper; searches for Amelia Earhart; and saves the life of John Belushi. And amid his adventures in various past eras, Ripper uncovers a government conspiracy that quickly spirals into nuclear disaster; Ripper embarks on a quest to save the world that leads straight to a donnybrook-confrontation with the President of the United States, D.B. Cooper (yes, a criminal is in the White House). The Life & Mimes (& Various Times) of Ripper the Clown parodies and redefines the popular time travel/Dr. Who, sci-fi, and comic book genres, mixing biting humor and pop culture references with social commentary and political satire. In his alter-ego clown persona, Jake Aurelian has created an edgy, raw and violent, yet complex, emotional, multi-dimensional character—one that is strangely endearing and strangely relatable (as clichéd as it sounds) to readers and audiences of all ages. 

 

 

The Vegas Chronicles | Vol. 2

Chanel and I took an impromptu trip to Las Vegas a few weeks back and recorded Vol. 2 of "The Vegas Chronicles" while we were there. Enjoy all the hilarity by pressing PLAY below...

Here are few of the topics we covered:

  • Technical difficulties
  • Circus Circus
  • Bungee jumping
  • Zombie apocalypse
  • Strip clubs
  • Divorce

Chatting with K. Scott Lewis

On Episode 85 of The Martin Lastrapes Show Podcast Hour I enjoyed a conversation with fantasy writer K. Scott Lewis, author of the When Dragons Die trilogy.  

A few topics we covered:

  • Living in Italy as a kid
  • Joining the military
  • J.R.R. Tolkien
  • Computer games
  • Writing fantasy and world building
  • Breaking from Catholicism
  • Vampires  

"Covenant is the most engrossing book in the series so far.  The tense situation allows for unique character growth and, even though there are two clear storylines occurring simultaneously, they intertwine just enough to make the book feel cohesive.  Further, through the vampires Lewis has created a commentary on modern society’s willingness to sacrifice for perceived protection.  Lewis also tastefully comments on the need for social acceptance across sexualities and races. Covenant is a clever progression for the series and sets up the reader for the plot of the third book incredibly well."

Chatting with Charlie Stanton

On Episode 84 of The Martin Lastrapes Show Podcast Hour I shared the extended version of my appearance on the KSKQ 89.5 FM radio show and podcast Get Behind Me, Now Stay, where I was interview by the President of Just Imagine It Ink, Charlie Stanton.

A few topics we covered:

  • The success of Inside the Outside
  • Author strategies for selling books
  • Luck and preparation
  • Trying to break into traditional publishing
  • Podcasting
  • Audio books

Get Behind Me, Now Stay There is a weekly art and entertainment radio show and podcast. Charlie Stanton, Cyrus Emerson, Jerry Renforw, and Maya Seligman (who also hosts the popular radio show Maya’s Mix on KSKQ) bring you the news and views you want to know in the art and entertainment world. The show also features interviews with authors, artists, film producers and directors, poets, musicians or maybe just the guy down the street.

Blog Tour (VHG) | DAY TEN

Well, we made it. The Official Blog Tour for The Vampire, the Hunter, and the Girl has come to its final stop. Thanks to everyone who participated and to everyone who checked out the various reviews, interviews, lists, excerpts, and spotlights. Without further ado, enjoy the final four stops below:

Stop #36

TOP 10 | Writing Tools

Crazy Beautiful Reviews

Official Book Trailers

The Vampire, the Hunter, and the Girl

The Vampire, the Hunter, and the Witch

Blog Tour (VHG) | DAY EIGHT

The Official Blog Tour for The Vampire, the Hunter, and the Girl continues with Day Eight! There are four stops on the tour today. Check out the Day Eight links below:

Stop #26

EXCERPT | "Chapter Two: The Hunter"

Shyla Wolff’s Thoughts

Stop #28

GUEST POST | Top 10 Books

Blogs and Coffee

Blog Tour (VHG) | DAY SIX

After taking the weekend to recuperate, the Official Blog Tour for The Vampire, the Hunter, and the Girl continues with Day Six! There are four stops on the tour today, including an excerpt and a review of The Vampire, the Hunter, and the Girl. Check out the Day Six links below:

Stop #20

TOP 10 | Song Playlist

A British Bookworm's Blog

Stop #21

EXCERPT | "Chapter One: The Vampire"

Archaeolibrarian - I dig good books!

Chatting with Jim Grayson

On Episode 83 of The Martin Lastrapes Show Podcast Hour, I enjoyed a conversion with Jim Grayson, author of Trailer Vamp - Love Bites. 

A few topics we covered:

  • Studying Shakespeare
  • Struggling in high school
  • Writing  groups
  • Outlining vs. Pantsing
  • Optimzing constructive criticism

Blog Tour (VHG) | DAY FIVE

The Official Blog Tour for The Vampire, the Hunter, and the Girl continues with Day Five! There are five stops on the tour today, which includes two reviews, two guest posts, and an excerpt from The Vampire, the Hunter, and the Girl. Check out the Day Five links below:

Stop #14

EXCERPT | "Chapter Three: The Girl" 

Sunshine Book Promotions

Blog Tour (VHG) | DAY FOUR

The Official Blog Tour for The Vampire, the Hunter, and the Girl continues with Day Four! There are four stops on the tour today, which includes two reviews, a Top 10 list, and an excerpt from The Vampire, the Hunter, and the Girl. Check out the Day Four links below:

Stop #10

EXCERPT | "Chapter Two: The Hunter" 

Riley's Point of View

Blog Tour (VHG) | DAY THREE

The Official Blog Tour for The Vampire, the Hunter, and the Girl continues with Day Three! There are four stops on the tour today, which includes three excerpts from The Vampire, the Hunter, and the Girl and another top 10 list. Check out the Day Three links below:

Stop #6

EXCERPT | "Prologue" 

Girls with Books

Stop #7

TOP 10 | Favorite Books

Rising Indies United

Stop #9

EXCERPT | "Chapter 1: The Vampire" 

Total Book Geek

Comic Talk with Anthony Ray Bench

The Official Comic Book Expert of The Martin Lastrapes Show Podcast Hour made a triumphant return after a stupidly long absence from the show. He and I had so much to talk about, it spilled into an epic two-part conversation. You can listen to PART ONE and PART TWO below!

A few topics we covered:

  • Black Hole by Charles Burns (writer/artist)
  • The Runaways by Brian K. Vaughan (writer) and Adrian Alphona (artist)
  • Hush by Jeph Loeb (writer) and Jim Lee (artist)
  • I attempt to use "postmodern" correctly in a sentence
  • Anthony gushes over Jim Lee
  • We profess our love for Man of Steel
  • San Diego Comic-Con 2015 

A few topics we covered:

  • Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice 
  • Suicide Squad
  • Kevin Smith's reboot of Fatman on Batman
  • Jared Leto as The Joker
  • DC Cinematic Universe versus the DC Television Universe
  • The Avengers: Age of Ultron
  • Ant-Man
  • Daredevil on Netflix

Anthony, along with being the Official Comic Book Expert of The Martin Lastrapes Show Podcast Hour, is the co-founder of Panda Fuzz Ink and the co-writer Patch Hawkins.

"They took his family, his home, and his planet...

As the Echo Colonies fall under attack from the Khareeshian Empire, the people of Echo take to the safety of their Orbital Battleships where they watch helplessly as the Khareesh ravage their planets.

The series focuses on the fast firing, quick-witted, vengeful son of a gun known as Patch Hawkins as he courageously fends off the attacks of the savage Khareesh; a beastly race of conquerors who have set their sights on the violent extinction of the human race."

 

The Vegas Chronicles | Vol. 1

Chanel and I recently took a road trip to Las Vegas, which is our favorite getaway spot and where we got married just last year on November 7, 2014. I got an idea just before hitting the road that we should record our Vegas getaway for The Martin Lastrapes Show Podcast Hour.

And so "The Vegas Chronicles" was born. This is a new series on the podcast, which Chanel and I will add to every time we head back out to Sin City. Here are few of the topics we covered on the inaugural installment of "The Vegas Chronicles":

  • Groupon "deals"
  • Dubious hotel accommodations 
  • Sweltering summer heat
  • Chanel walking around naked
  • The Blue Man Group
  • Steve Wynn’s Showstoppers

Chatting with Kelly Luce

On Episode 79 of The Martin Lastrapes Show Podcast Hour, I enjoyed a wonderful conversation with award-winning author Kelly Luce. Kelly received much-deserved praise for her first book Three Scenarios in which Hana Sasaki Grows a Tail.

Here are a few of the topics we covered:

  • Cognitive Science
  • Chappie
  • Ph.D students 
  • Creative writing workshops
  • Living in Japan
  • Confusing toothpaste for vaginal cream
  • Spending a week in jail

Check out this outstanding book trailer for Three Scenarios in which Hana Sasaki Grows a Tail, by animator Corrie Francis Parks: 

 "The longing to inhabit the skin of the other, is, of course, a metaphor for the writing of fiction itself, a drag performance in which we step into our characters' dirty clothes and stare at their bedroom ceilings and try to have their thoughts. Luce has created a collection in which the donning of soft skins, naked or furred, is both an act of love and an expression of the unremitting strangeness of the self."

Chatting with Liz Hersey

My hilarious Canadian pal and fellow Buffy enthusiast Liz Hersey recently made a return visit to The Martin Lastrapes Show Podcast Hour for wanted turned out to be an epic two-part conversation. If you haven't listened already, I've decided to make your life easier by posting PART ONE and PART TWO below.

Enjoy!

A few of the topics covered in PART ONE:

  • Crushing on asshole cartoon characters
  • Reading about sex in VC Andrews books
  • Lesbian sex in The Color Purple
  • Why Steven Spielberg needs to get a boner (according to Liz)
  • Dawson's Creek, Dawson's Creek, and more Dawson's Creek

A few of the topics covered in PART TWO:

  • A scandalous story from my past
  • The Great American Pitchfest
  • Liz and I try to remember how we first met
  • How "The Buffy Chronicles" almost didn't happen
  • I try to convince Liz to watch The Walking Dead

Chatting with Kevin Lucia

On Episode 76 of The Martin Lastrapes Show Podcast Hour, I chatted with Kevin Lucia, author of Through a Mirror, Darkly. Kevin is also Submissions Reader for Cemetery Dance Magazine and his podcast "Horror 101" is featured monthly on Tales to Terrify.

Here are a few of the topics we covered:

  • Writing stories in familiar geographical settings
  • The horror writer community
  • Speculative fiction
  • Being a high school teacher
  • Kevin's negative review from Publisher's Weekly

This is what Josh Black of Horror Novel Reviews had to say about Through a Mirror, Darkly:

"Aside from the scare factor, one thing I’d be remiss to mention is the sheer emotional weight of the story, especially when all of its puzzle pieces come together. One pivotal late scene is arguably the scariest part of the whole thing, even though you know what’s coming, and there’s nothing bloody or supernatural about it. The candid, natural-sounding dialogue of the “big reveal” is remarkably well-worded. Without spoiling anything, I’ll say there’s some absolutely heart-wrenching stuff in here that bleeds off the page and into your mind. This is the kind of story that can give you chills in one moment and bring you to tears in the next, and I’m willing to bet that it will. Kevin Lucia has been a rising star on the horror scene for a while now, and his writing just keeps getting better."