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Monday, December 26, 2011

Chill Run in pictures.

Many of you may have already read Chill Run since it came out on December 1, 2011. I decided to do something a little different. Since Chill Run mostly takes place in Montreal and the surrounding areas, I thought I'd put together a collage of a few of the key locations around the city that influenced the story. Most of these pictures were taken on December 23 after we had our first set of snow that actually stayed, something that's unusual for this region  at this time of year (hey, I'm not complaining). I thought it best to wait until snow fell so that you can have an idea what weather conditions Eddie, Corey, and Jordyn had to contend with.

This is where the story begins - at a strip club. Montreal has several, although this one is one of the most visible. This is Club Super Sexe and it's located on St Catherine Street West opposite the Eaton Shopping Center. Eddie Barrow, Jr., goes there to find his roommate, Corey Stephenson, wasting his rent money on alcohol. Corey's girlfriend, Jordyn Rinaldi, works at the strip club as a barmaid. Of course in the actually story, the actual strip club is not named. 

Here we are on Côte-St-Luc road in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (NDG) borough. This is the location that inspired the fictitious Jamaican restaurant, Flick's, where Jordyn came up with the infamous S&M publicity stunt idea for Eddie that threw the story into motion. Actually there used to be a Jamaican restaurant in the location of where the pizza place is right now, at least two years ago.

We're now in the Point St Charles borough which is just south of downtown Montreal. As you see from the picture this is a very low income neighborhood, one where Eddie and Corey lived. I used to live in this area, not too far from where this picture was taken. I stayed in a small 2-bedroom flat for 3 months before someone threw a rock through my roommate's bedroom window and then smashed a window of my car two days later. I'm sure you'll understand why I moved. Although Corey and Eddie weren't victims of vandalism,  they had other problems to deal with.

Although I cut it from the final draft of the story, Eddie and Corey's place was described as a place that was similar to the triplex that is seen in the picture to the left. They both stayed on the second floor. I still fear those winding staircases, especially in the winter.

We are now on Sherbrooke Street West in the heart of downtown Montreal's Golden Square Mile. The building you see here is the famous Ritz-Carlton Hotel, which is one of the most prestigious hotels in Canada. In Chill Run, I renamed it l'Hôtel Mont-Royal (not to be confused with the Omni Mont Royal Hotel located down the street). I'm sure you can understand why Eddie got cold feet, considering that he obviously did not fit in.

I had the chance to meet one of the security personel of the Queen Elizabeth Hotel a few years back. Despite the fact that Queen Elizabeth II, Nelson Mandela, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, and other celebrities stayed there, he had other stories to tell. I won't go into details, but let's say just that Eddie going to a 5-Star hotel in Montreal for an S&M session wasn't too far fetched. I had the opportunity to stay in that hotel for an entire weekend a few years back, and NO it wasn't for the reason the Eddie was there.

Here is a stretch of highway 20, just west of downtown Montreal. This is the approximate location where Eddie and Corey were pulled over by a Sûreté de Québec highway patrolman. Not something you'd want considering that you're fleeing a murder scene where you were named as the prime suspect.

We end this segment with a visual of 7th avenue in the borough of LaSalle. Locals often refer to this area as the Bronx. Eddie, Corey, and Jordyn took refuge on the second floor of one of these duplexes. This is actually my street, and I grew up not too far from this area. It's convenient for my mother who tends to over-shop whenever there's a sale at the grocery store and store the extras in my freezer when I'm not home.

Part 2 coming next week.

Friday, December 23, 2011

A big Thank You.

Winter in Montreal.
Hello, everyone

It's been a long and rough year but it was worth it. I've released two new books this year and the response has been great. I'd like to thank everyone, from my editors Victory Crayne and Lisa Martinez, to my production team of Signe Nichols and Carol Webb. My marketing associate, Jeff Rivera and  my adviser Jerry Simmons. To all the book bloggers/reviewers, family, friends, and especially to the fans that have supported me and who continue to support my work and spread the word. Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and all the best for 2012.

Best wishes,

Russell Brooks

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Win a Free eBook copy of Chill Run

Hello, everyone.

Me and Clinton
The mystery/thriller Chill Run is coming out this Thursday as an eBook and as a paperback through www.russellparkway.com, amazon, B&N, Smashwords, and several other locations. But here's your chance to win a free eBook copy of my sophomore novel. All you need to do is add your email (your name helps too if it's not automatically listed) in the comments section below and you'll automatically be entered. Your email address will be put in a basket, and to be sure that the contest is fair and impartial, Clinton will select ten winners.

Don't worry. Your email address will not be added to any mailinglist. If you don't feel comfortable leaving your email address out in the open, then just email me at russellbrookswriter@gmail.com with PICK ME in the subject.

Some of you may have been sent here from other blogs that don't have their review of Chill Run up yet. That's one of the reasons why I created this post.

The contest starts Sunday November 27, 2011 and will end on Thursday December 1, 2011 at 6:00PM EST. The winners will be announced here on December 1, 2011.

Good luck and happy reading.

Monday, November 21, 2011

You Gotta Read Covers

Hello, everyone,

I need your help. My graphic designer found a website 
which judges the best book covers. She entered Chill Run with my approval to help me at a shot of winning three months of free advertising. If you've enjoyed the first few chapters that I've released since the beginning of November 2011, please help me out by voting for Chill Run here. I thank you in advance for your support.


Russell

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Buy my novel. I know you'll like it considering that I plagiarized scenes from other popular novels.


A story caught my interest this morning. It highlighted the buffoonery and incompetence on behalf of the publishing industry. Spy novelist, Quentin Rowan, was busted recently for plagiarism after his publisher, Little,Brown, received several complaints that he ripped off scenes from other popular similar novels. Rowan—who writes under the pen name, Q.R. Markham—did the manly thing and confessed to having plagiarized several novels.


We should not be happy about what Rowan did. In fact, had he not been caught it would've been a slap in the face to several authors who were refused by literary agents and publishers. In many cases it's not because what they wrote was bad, but because it wasn't what publishers were looking for. What did Rowan do in order to please his publisher? He stole from others—an obvious act of desperation. What's great about this incident is that it highlights what's wrong with the publishing industry—where they put profits before talent. As a result, many gifted authors are not given a fair chance because publishers are more concerned with being able to make their sales to bookstores rather than to the public. In other words, they're not letting the public choose for themselves. What's the end result? A lot of crap ends up in bookstores. You're not convinced yet? Does anyone remember Joe the Plumber? 'Nuff said.


Had Rowan's agent and publisher not been so blinded by dollar signs, they would've realized that Rowan ripped off scenes from other books before it was published. We've heard from Rowan and why he plagiarized, we ought to be interested in hearing what Little, Brown—the publisher—has to say.

I have a suggestion to book lovers. If you want to show the Big 6 publishers what you want? Stop buying from them and give an Indie author a chance.

Russell Brooks is the author of Chill Run, coming December 1, 2011.

Monday, November 14, 2011

The Chill Tour.

Hello, everyone,


I'll be appearing on BlogTalkRadio, Talkshoe, and YouTube to promote Chill Run on the following dates:


Friday November 18, 2011 at 12:30PM EST Alchemy of Scrawl on Blogtalkradio.


Sunday November 20, 2011 at 7:00PM EST. The Artist Lounge Radio Show on Talkshoe.


Thursday December 1, 2011 All Day on the Lit Chick Show.


I hope to chat with you on those days. Thanks again for your continued support.


Saturday, November 12, 2011

Ladies and Gentlemen. May I present you the WTF story of the week. Kardashian wedding a publicity stunt.

I don't like to give more publicity to those who I feel don't either need nor deserve it, but the news that Kim Kardashian's marriage was nothing but a publicity stunt didn't surprise me when I read it. Many of us work hard to put food on the table and there are others that breeze by and fall ass-first into cash. Rather than try to evaluate as to how this could happen or why would Kim Kardashian, once again, get herself involved in anything like this is beyond me. I'll leave the floor open to anyone that has a logical response to this alleged marriage sham.Furthermore, anyone have any more ideas as to what other publicity stunts K Kardashian has in store for us? Do you believe this to be a stunt? Should we single her out or should we also blame the media?

Check out Russell Brooks's upcoming thriller Chill Run which, ironically, is about a publicity stunt on December 1, 2011.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

How I'm preparing for a book launch.


Hello, everyone.

So far, preparations for the book launch have been draining, but worth it so far. Here's the list of goals I set out to accomplish for Chill Run.

1. Enlist over100 book bloggers/reviewers to review Chill Run.
2. Make at least three internet radio shows appearances.
3. Get enough sponsors to help me cover the expenses related to production, editing, and promotion.
4. Create an attractive ad banner.
5. Do a local book signing.
6. Try to get over 100 people to "Like" my Facebook page.
7. Send out Press Releases.

The results so far.

1. I have 52 bloggers with copies of Chill Run (five of them will receive paperback editions).
2. I'll be on three internet radio shows and one YouTube show.
3. I have one sponsor.
4. Ad banner received positive reviews. It's the first thing you see when you visit www.russellparkway.com.
5. Still working on the book signing.
6. As of now I have 94 people who've liked my Facebook page.
7. Press Release is already written and will be sent close to the book launch date. My media kit is done and is on my website. 

Have you ever worked on a publicity campaign? What are some of the goals that you set out to do? What have you done differently that has helped you?

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Countdown to Chill Run--Part VIII

Hello, everyone,


Here's the last teaser that I'll release of Chill Run. I believe this last chapter will have you wanting more. There's less than a month left before the international release date for both the eBook and paperback. Until then, happy reading and thanks for your continued support.


Chill Run will be available on December 1, 2011. Visit www.russellparkway.com for details.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Ladies and Gentlemen. May I present you the WTF story of the week. Gramps accused of prostitution.


You're never too old to keep those internal juices flowing. Iowa corn country residents must have gotten a rude awakening when  83-year-old Ben Clifford Dawson was accused of sexually assaulting a 33-year-old woman. Since the woman owed him for the repayment of a loan, he thought that dropping his draws for her would be a fair exchange. He didn't get too far, obviously, as this dirty old man was eventually charged with prostitution. As it turns out, it's not the first time that he's been accused of such activity. He sought out the same favors from three of his tenants in the past, according to past reports. He might have better luck with a desperate inmate when he gets his ass tossed in jail.

Russell Brooks is the author of the upcoming thriller Chill Run. Coming December1, 2011.


Reference.
NBC Miami


Thursday, November 3, 2011

Ladies and Gentlemen. May I present you the WTF story of the day.

I like this one. The Colgate-Palmolive company has recalled all of their battery-operated toothbrushes. Why? Because it's been reported that they explode. Talk about an assassination attempt gone wrong. This is something straight out of a thriller novel that ranks high with the exploding cigar that the CIA once used in their attempt to bump off Fidel Castro It didn't work of course.

You might want to be careful what you end up purchasing at a blowout sale.

Russell Brooks is the author of the thriller Chill Run, coming December 1, 2011.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Countdown to Chill Run VII





Hello, everyone.


Chapter 5 of Chill Run is brought to you by Brooks-LaTouche Photography Ltd which is located on the beautiful island nation of Barbados. Please show your support by visiting their website. If ever you're in Barbados and want to have quality photographs, be sure to pass by and check them out.












Until next week for the last of the teaser chapters.


Happy Reading,


Russell




Chill Run will be released December 1, 2011.
Visit www.russellparkway.com for details.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Countdown to Chill Run--Part VI

As you see, Clinton enjoyed my previous novel.
Hello, everyone.


Here's Chapter 4 of Chill Run.


Best,


Russell




Chill Run will be released on December 1, 2011 as a paperback and as an eBook. Visit www.russellparkway.com for details.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Countdown to Chill Run--Part V


Hello, everyone,


What do you think of the banner ad? Feel free to share it with your friends and family. Chapter 3 of Chill Run is up. You can check it out here along with the first two chapters.


Best,


Russell


Chill Run will be available in both paperback and as an ebook on December 1, 2011 in most online locations.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Countdown to Chill Run--Part IV

Hello, everyone.


Check out the 5-Star review Chill Run received from Stacey Pierce who's hailing from North Carolina.
Review 


So far I have 53 book bloggers who asked to review Chill Run, 6 of them requested the paperback copy. My goal is to reach 100+ book bloggers. If you know of anyone that reviews books for fun, please send them over to me at russellbrookswriter@gmail.com.


In the meantime, here's the second chapter of Chill Run


Happy Reading.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Countdown to Chill Run--Part III

Hello, everyone,


Here's the official cover image for Chill Run.


Sliding into bookstores December 1, 2011
Available as an ebook and paperback

You know a publicity stunt has backfired when someone dies.
Starving author Eddie Barrow, Jr, will do anything to get a book deal with a NYC publisher. Even if it means getting  caught by the media while engaging in S&M with a female celebrity as a publicity stunt. What Eddie gets instead are details of a billion dollar fraud scheme from a suicidal client who's fatally shot minutes later. Now on the run from the law and the killers, Eddie seeks help from two unlikely friends—an alcoholic and a dominatrix. With few resources, Eddie races to clear his name, unveil the fraud scheme, and expose the killers before he becomes their next victim.



Want to read the next chapter? Sign up for the mailinglist at www.russellparkway.com

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Countdown to Chill Run--Part II


Here's the latest teaser of the cover image for the upcoming mystery/thriller, Chill Run. Be sure to come back on Saturday when I reveal the non-distorted book cover along with a sneak peak at the first chapter.


"If you like Elmore Leonard, you will love 'Chill Run'. Its snappy dialogue evoked 'Rum Punch' (filmed as Jackie Brown) and 'Get Shorty', and the plot carries the same tonal qualities of the Donald E Westlake thriller 'The Hunter' (filmed as Payback). As ever with Brooks, you can expect meticulous plotting and surprising twists. And, as with 'Pandora's Succession' and 'Unsavory Delicacies', the end will have you going straight back to the beginning to ride the rollercoaster again."
-www.fringescientist.com

Chill Run by Russell Brooks will be available on December 1, 2011 in both eBook and paperback worldwide.
www.russellparkway.com

Saturday, September 17, 2011

The Russell Show: Children of the Fog by Cheryl K Tardif

It's been a busy afternoon. My buddy and Canadian Bestselling author Cheryl K Tardif and I were chatting several weeks ago and we discussed me narrating an excerpt from her latest novel, Children of the Fog. She didn't have to ask me to do this since I was ready to do this again, as I did with Lancelot's Lady a year ago. Here's my rendition, hope you like me being the bad guy. Be sure to check out Cheryl's novels, visit her website at www.cherylktardif.com.



Russell Brooks is the author of Pandora's Succession, Unsavory Delicacies, and the upcoming thriller Chill Run.

Coming soon...

In case you were wondering where I've been all this time, I've been pretty busy. You'll just have to tune in every week until the book cover is revealed. Let me know what you think of the tag line.



You know a publicity stunt has backfired when someone dies

CHILL RUN


A new mystery/thriller by Russell Brooks

Coming December 1, 2011

Monday, August 22, 2011

Book Review: Chidren of the Fog.


A ghostly Twist to a kidnapping story.

The premise of the story immediately drew me in. After all, there are few things that are more terrifying than losing a loved one to a kidnapper. In the case of Tardif’s novel, it’s Sadie O’Connell’s son, Sam, who's whisked away in the middle of the night, with very few clues that are left behind. Besides the main plot that involves the kidnapping, is the interesting back story of corruption and betrayal that Tardif excellently pulled off, keeping it strong enough to maintain the flow where similar stories may drag. I won’t write anything else about the story at the risk of spoiling it. But all in all, it’s a moving, edge-of-your-seat suspense with a ghostly twist, guaranteed to keep you guessing until the end.

5-Stars 

Thursday, August 18, 2011

“I was suspended from school for reporting my rapist. I guess he was the victim.”


I felt nothing but shock-and-awe when I first learned about this story. So many times a victim of harassment or discrimination will not be taken seriously by the proper officials. Such as the case of a seventh grade special-needs student, who got the ultimate slap in the face when the Republic School District in Springfield, Missouri, suspended her even though she made a legitimate complaint. Furthermore they forced her to write a letter of apology and hand-deliver it to her attacker. Unfortunately for the seventh grader, she backed down the first time and suffered the consequences for it. However, when she returned to school the following school year, she was attacked and raped a second time by the same boy. This time she fought back, and she had enough evidence to prove that in addition to being raped, school officials were negligent in investigating the matter properly. The student illustrated one important fact of being a victim of abuse: When you back down, your abusers win. When you fight back (the right way) you can defeat an army.

Former CIA covert operative,
Valerie Plame Wilson.
Fighting back against an aggressor will be exhausting. In many cases, very expensive, if you consider lawyer fees and court costs. Many may recall former CIA operative, Valerie Plame Wilson, who fought back against White House officials after she was outed as a covert operative by I “Scooter” Libby and other members of George W. Bush’s White House staff. Settling out of court would have been the easy way out for both of them, but it certainly would not have brought accountability to those responsible for putting her life—as well as members of her family and international contacts—in danger. She chose to grab the bull by the horns and she went public. As a result, “Scooter” Libby was indicted and was imprisoned. Although other White House officials escaped prison time, their reputations were tarnished. This was certainly a much better outcome than had she settled out of court.

As for the seventh grader, she not 
only had to confront her rapist, but also an incompetent school administration that chose to protect him rather than be fair and impartial. It’s a shame that the victim did not go to the police the first time so that a rape kit could be put together. It may have saved her a lot of time and heartache. Even though the rapist—after he was shown the evidence against him for his latest attack—admitted that he had raped her, school officials still had the nerve to claim that the girl brought her problems on herself. As my lawyer once told me, “Sometimes the best defence is an offence.” I would hope that this girl does not settle out of court. Instead she ought to drag each school official that acted negligently into court, and crush them for the snakes that they are.

References
Russell Brooks is the author of Pandora’s Succession.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Beck, Schlessinger, and now Starkey: The New Foot-In-Mouth Epidemic.

Tensions were high in Great Britain as rioters took to the streets in North London and other English cities following the shooting death of a black man by police officers (1). However, since many of us have been spared the idiotic statements from ill-informed personalities such as Glenn Beck, comes along the so-called historian David Starkey from Great Britain. According to Starkey, black culture is linked to gangster culture. Appearing on BBC’s Newsnight, he claimed that: “The Whites have become black” (2). Starkey clearly showed no intention of taking both feet out of his mouth, as he clearly blamed black culture as having influenced bad behaviour among the majority of white youths who have propagated the riots. It was no surprise that he would not elaborate on the definition black and white culture, Starkey was flagrantly taking an offensive against blacks.


What made Starkey’s comments so insipid is the fact that as a historian, one would expect him to know about the Swing Riots in the summer of 1830 that occurred in southern England—his home country. These riots originated as a result of disputes between poor farmers and the wealthier counterparts that had more control over the land that they worked on (3). Although there weren’t any high-definition TVs and sneakers to loot, there was still widespread destruction of threshing machines, workhouses and tithebarns. I’ve yet to read up on how black culture would’ve influenced those riots, taking into consideration that the only blacks that would’ve been in England would have been purchased during the slave trade.


While on the topic of the slave trade, Britain, at the time, was a leader in the Atlantic Slave Trade that saw the transportation of Africans to the Americas. The only ones that made it to the British Isles were used as house servants. Those Africans would’ve been so few in numbers to have had an impact on British society. For several years, slavery has been and still is considered to be one of the most heinous and despicable atrocities ever commited in history. This was a case of human beings being treated as property, a property which was viewed with lesser value than the buildings that were destroyed a few days ago during the North London Riots.


Less we forget the News of The World Scandal that had most of the western world glued to their televisions and laptops, as media mogul Rupert Murdoch defended himself against British MPs—while amazingly dodging a cream pie—for his role in the cell phone hacking scandal that ultimately pissed off a lot of people (4). But of course, I’m sure Starkey will find a way to link black culture as being the root of that problem. Clearly, all News Of The World Execs and other staff must spend their free time listening to Gangsta Rap while sporting the latest bling.


During the interview, Starkey mentioned that black British MP, the Honourable David Lammy, does not sound black if one were to listen to him speak. Lammy, although born in Tottenham, England, was raised by his Guyanese mother. I fail to understand the importance of Starkey bringing up the sound of Lammy’s voice and how this relates to the topic at hand. According to Lammy, he attributed himself being raised by a single mother as to his reasons for advocating responsible parenting and for fathers to be more active in the lives of their children. It was neither a so-called black nor a white cultural thing (5). Out of curiosity, I tried the experiment. But instead of listening to Lammy with my eyes closed, I listened to Starkey. However, I’m proud to report that I wasn’t listening to the words of a Caucasian, but those of an idiot.



Russell Brooks is the author of the action/thriller, Pandora's Succession and Unsavory Delicacies.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

The Russell Show: My Reaction to the Video "One Man One Cup."

This is a reaction to a video that some of my friends wanted me to make. I have to admit that I was quite freaked out by what I saw.



Russell Brooks is the author of Pandora's Succession.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

eBOOK GIVEAWAY: UNSAVORY DELICACIES - THREE SHORT STORIES OF SUSPENSE.

As part of my summer promotion, and with many more to come, I'm giving away copies of my short story anthology for a limited time only. This is in eBook format only which is perfect if you have an eReader. If you don't, you can either ask for a PDF copy which is great for laptops and PC/MACs. Or you can do what I did and download the Kindle and Nook software for free from Amazon or BarnesandNoble.com so that you can read eBooks on your iPAD, Android, iPHONE, Blackberry, or your PC.

You would've noticed that Unsavory Delicacies is still for sale on Amazon, BN.com, iTunes, and other sites. Why, You may ask? Believe it or not, some people would rather pay the $1.47US because they don't believe in getting something for nothing. Oh well, I can't change people's habits, can I?

In order to get your free copy, just email me at russellbrookswriter (at) gmail (dot) com, type UNSAVORY DELICACIES in the subject, and let me know if you'd like the PDF, MOBI, or the ePUB format. And feel free to write a 2-5 sentence review on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes, and/or even your blogs to let me know what you think of it. Oh, and one last thing, some book bloggers had complained that I should've warned them not to read this on their lunch break. Since I don't want a lawsuit on my hands, I'll write this:

DISCLAIMER: Some content may be unsuitable for readers with weak stomachs. Not reading this while eating is strongly recommended.

And for those that don't know, Ridley Fox, from Pandora's Succession makes an appearance.

Happy Reading everyone!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Review - Paris is a Bitch, by Barry Eisler

It's been a while since I read a story with one of my favorite characters, John Rain. It was a welcome return. Again, Rain is faced with a complicated relationship with his girlfriend, Delilah - a Mossad agent - who won't leave the spy business when Rain is trying to get out of the Assassin-For-Hire business. What's even more complicated is that while eating at a gourmet restaurant in Paris, Rain suspects that they are both being watched by a group of hitmen.

This is an excellent dose of Rain in order to prepare us for his return in Eisler's upcoming thriller, THE DETACHMENT.

5-Stars

Buy Paris is a Bitch now on Amazon.
Barry Eisler official website: www.barryeisler.com

Russell Brooks is the author of the action/thriller, Pandora's Succession

Friday, July 1, 2011

What do you know, Maybe the rest of the world wants to live in the 21st Century.

Author Jeff Rivera.
It's been barely a week since a groundbreaking decision was made in New York State that allows homosexuals the right to marry. I would like to share with you another victory for a same-sex couple in the country of Costa Rica.

In my previous blog post, I asked for everyone's help to support my friend and literary associate, Jeff Rivera, and his partner, Giovanni Alexander Delgado Castro, in their fight against a casino. Apparently the casino staff had threatened the couple that they would be escorted from the premises after they were spotted touching their hands while they were seated at one of their tables. I want to thank all of you that took one minute out of your busy schedules to send emails to the Costa Rican authorities expressing your disaproval with the way Rivera and Castro were treated. According to Rivera's Website, they received overwhelming support from all over the planet. Furthermore, a victory of this nature has never been won in Costa Rica.

For both Canadians and Americans who are and will be celebrating the respective birth of their nations on July 1 and 4th, this will also be a time to celebrate a victory against hatred and intolerance.

Russell Brooks is the author of Pandora's Succession.


Sunday, June 19, 2011

If you're a woman, let me f*ck you in public. We ought to get away with it since we're not two gay men holding hands.


Meet Jeff Rivera.

He's a successful entrepreneur that has risen from nothing to become one of the greatest literary success stories. He has three books under his belt and is known by every major publisher, literary agent, and basically by who's who in the book industry. If you've either read my action/thriller, Pandora's Succession, or my short story anthology, Unsavory Delicacies, you would've seen his name in the acknowledgements. That's because Jeff has done a lot to help me launch my writing career.

Right now I'd like to do everything I can to help Jeff. Today I received an email from him, asking for my help, and it's very serious. Apparently he and his partner, Geovanny Delgado Castro, were victims of discrimination due to their sexual orientation. This occured in Costa Rica, where they both live. They were having a meal at a casino, where they occasionally held hands at the table. Mind you, they weren't kissing like others around them, nor were they engaging in any lewd conduct. Yet, casino staff felt compelled to approach them and warn them that their so-called misconduct would get them escorted off the premises by security.

Rather than taking this matter lying down, Jeff filed a complaint with the authorities. But the casino is resisting by providing false witness testimonies against Jeff and Geovanny.

This is why I'm asking for your help. Please click on the following link and read Jeff's blog where he describes what actually happened. He's also provided casino video footage within his blog to corroborate his arguments.

http://bit.ly/DiscriminationinCostaRica

If you've read my other blogs, you'd know that I support human rights, truth, and justice, and that I condemn any form of injustice. This latest case of discrimination, for me, hits close to home. Whether discrimination is racial, religeous, gender, age, or sexual orientation, it has absolutely no place on this planet.

Please help me help Jeff and Geovanny, and send this blog or the link to Jeff's blog I provided to everyone you know and let's make a difference. Every voice counts. Jeff and Geovanny's case depend on it. Thanks.

Russell Brooks is the author of Unsavory Delicacies and Pandora's Succession.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Paperback release

On the eve of the worst bioweapons attack the world will ever know, the only person Ridley Fox could trust to help him stop it, is the woman he nearly got killed.





Pandora's Succession

by Russell Brooks

Now out in paperback.

Advance purchase here.


Since Lee Child exploded on the scene in March of '97 we have seen a spate of enigmatic, no-nonsense action heroes, I see no reason why Russell can't continue in this tradition and develop Ridley Fox as a character – dependent on Brooks of course!
Milo's Rambles

I love action movies, such as "Bourne Identity", but I've never really read one. This was my first and I was absolutely strapped in for the ride of my life!
Reader Recommended

A pretty cool espionage thriller with a few surprises tossed into the mix.
Knitting and Sundries

Friday, April 29, 2011

Holy Crap! We already have a Lex Luthor. His name is Trump!

If there’s one thing that I dreamed of doing as an author, is to have the chance to write a screenplay for a Superman movie. I’ve always admired how the Man of Steel—being an immigrant from another planet—integrated into American society, grew up with a strong work ethic, not show any prejudice towards humans because of his superior strength and unique abilities, fought the good fight, and even chose to build his Fortress of Solitude in Canada.

But as it always turns out, where there’s a great hero, there’s always going to be a powerful villain. Alexander Joseph Luthor, better known as Lex Luthor, is without a doubt, one of the most infamously wicked criminal masterminds ever known. Over and over again, he has attempted to destroy the Last Son of Krypton, either by having him killed, or by ruining his reputation. Donald Trump, on the other hand, may not be a criminal mastermind, but his latest stunts at attempting to embarrass President Obama by questioning his birth and then his Ivy League education, not only stinks to high heaven, but leads me to believe that he just might be trying to be (not necessarily the right way) Lex Luthor.

Interestingly after having read up on Trump, I couldn’t help but notice several similarities between the two men. So without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, may I present the top ten reasons why I believe that Donald Trump is trying to emulate Lex Luthor.

10. Trump is a business tycoon and CEO of his own company, The Trump Organization—Lex Luthor has LexCorp.

9. Like Lex Luthor, Trump has a strong affinity to real-estate.

8. Both are Billionaires who have used their wealth to influence others.

7. Trump has his own helicopter with his name branded on the side—Luthor has his name branded on everything he owns.

6. Trump clearly has a dislike for people who rise to fame and popularity faster than he did, as illustrated in his recent negative rants towards President Obama. Luthor has a similar dislike towards Superman and would most likely dislike President Obama as well for the same reasons. However, it should be noted that Luthor would not have been so stupid to say anything that could be interpreted as racist, such as Trump’s recent comments about Obama’s Ivy-league education (1).

5. Both men flagrantly have a hair-growth problem.

4. Like Lex, Trump has a super-inflated ego.

3. Although both of them are brilliant men, they’ve led campaigns against their foes that have backfired on them—Lex lost his Presidency. Trump tried to play the Birther card on Obama (2). Well, we all know how that ended, don’t we?

2. Trump has aspirations to move into the White House—So did Lex.

And the number one reason why Trump is trying to emulate Lex Luthor…

1. Trump has attempted to use Obama’s heritage as a weakness (Trump’s Birther comments, ‘Nuff said)—Lex Luthor has often done the same thing with Superman.

On a side note, if Superman were around, Trump would most likely ask him to show us his birth certificate to prove that he wasn’t produced in either a Chinese or Russian laboratory.

Russell Brooks is the author of the action/thriller, Pandora's Succession, and Unsavory Delicacies.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

It's okay for me to call you a f*ggot and an ape... as long as I apologize to the public.

It does not cease to amaze me why celebrities and other public figures believe that by simply issuing an apology for inexcusable acts that they feel that it is enough. Take for instance, Kobe Bryant. A young basketball prodigy who turned heads a few days ago when his outburst led to him calling referee, Bennie Adams, a f*cking f*ggot. Now even more recently, OC County GOP official, Marilyn Davenport, was caught having sent a flagrantly racist email that depicted the Commander In Chief, President Barack Obama, as an ape. As expected, she too apologized. Both incidents stink of Dr Laura whom, many of us will never forget, thought that spewing the N-word on her radio show in rapid succession was okay… as long as an apology is issued after. And although both Bryant and Davenport have only verbally apologized, it only illustrates that they’re mostly concerned about preserving their own images.

What makes both situations similar is that both Bryant and Davenport attacked specific individuals. Yet as of today, I’ve checked many websites and have yet to find any reference that either of them have issued personal apologies to the people who they offended. Is it standard policy for celebrities to only apologize to the public?

I guess for Bryant it shouldn’t be important to do so because he doesn’t depend on Adams to ensure he keeps getting those big corporate sponsorship checks. He depends on the rest of us that bring in the television ratings and ticket sales; which then lead to increased visibility; and then to the big Ka-Ching! that could be heard miles away from his bank account. But as expected, he was quoted as saying:

“What I said last night should not be taken literally. My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period. The words expressed do NOT reflect my feelings towards the gay and lesbian communities and were NOT meant to offend anyone" (1).

Okay, so we’re expected to believe that you don’t have a dislike towards gays and lesbians. Let me ask you this, Kobe. You must have been surrounded by black people all your life. One if not many must have pissed you off at least once. But have you ever reacted by calling them F*cking N*ggers?

Davenport obviously doesn’t feel that President Obama is on the same evolutionary level as she, since she didn’t apologize to him personally. No, that’s below her. After all she’s too good for him. She was quoted as making this public statement:

“I humbly apologize and ask for your forgiveness of my unwise behaviour. I say unwise because at the time I received and forwarded the email, I didn't stop to think about the historic implications and other examples of how this could be offensive."

As per the Huffington Post, in the statement, Davenport also quoted the Bible and said she was "an imperfect Christian" who tried to "live a Christ-like honoring life." She further quoted in her statement:

"I would never do anything to intentionally harm or berate others regardless of ethnicity," she said. "I will not repeat this error."(2).

Rubbish!

Marilyn, you were obviously amused by the photograph, and you were for the length of time that it took for you to look at the email and then forward it to a select group of individuals whom you thought would also find that photograph funny. I’ve only read about African-Americans who boycotted buses in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955. I've only watched footage of blacks being sprayed with fire hoses and attacked by police dogs, all done with the support and encouragement of Eugene “Bull” Connor. There isn't a doubt in my mind that you actually lived and witnessed the events that occurred during that horrible period first-hand, where African-Americans were compared to apes. I would not be surprised to learn that you lived within walking distance of restaurants or stores that catered only to Caucasians, more or less shopped or dined in one of them. If you really accepted that African-Americans were oppressed and unfairly depicted during the Civil Rights era, then it’s too difficult for me to accept that you wouldn’t have instantly been offended by the email that you received. What's even worse, is that you had the nerve to hide behind the Bible. Have you forgotten that it was so-called Christians who were responsible for Jim Crow laws? Your statement was only meant to appease the hard-working American taxpayers who keep a roof over your head and food in your mouth. It wasn't meant for anyone else. And you’ve got some nerve sending out pictures that depict Obama as an ape. Because ironically, the only person who hasn't evolved, save the ones who found the picture humorous, is you.

Like Dr Laura, both Bryant and Davenport have issued apologies after their faux-pas went viral. Typical, all say and no show. Bryant could show how sorry he was. Let’s see, maybe he can get together with other professional athletes, push for a movement to promote tolerance towards young closeted gay and lesbian athletes so that they won’t be afraid to come out and be themselves.

Speaking of coming out, Davenport has done just that, unintentionally of course. How can she show that she’s sorry? Maybe she ought to convert to Islam. She might lose votes, but hey, she might wind up with new support within the African-American community. After all, who’s ever heard of a Muslim Klansman?

Russell Brooks is the author of Pandora's Succession and Unsavory Delicacies.