The Big Picture

Yeah, sucka. I got me a book deal. All I had to do was get my ass thrown in jail.

2012-01-14T12:05:00.000-08:00

Heads shook across the indie publishing world today after newsbroke of superstar rapper Lil Wayne getting a bookdeal with Grand Central Publishing. Following the successes and flops ofpublishing houses producing celebrity books, GCP also chose the shameful routeof working with a convicted felon while surely ignoring real and talentedauthors. Such news comes as no surprise since the traditional publishingindustry has suffered huge financial losses and is desperately trying to stayafloat. It's safe to say that GCP or any major NYC publishing house wouldn'tgive the time of day to any current or former inmate of Rykers IslandPrison—some of which may have far more interesting stories to tell than LilWayne. Furthermore, the idea that someone could spend time in prison and thenbe offered a book contract that's based on their experience in the slammer isnot only an insult but it illustrates some serious problems within thepublishing industry.

In an interview that took place near the end of 2009,bestselling author, John Irving, admitted that he worries for new writers and admitted thathis first novel would never have been published had it been written today.What he said makes sense considering that at the time that he wrote his firstnovel, publishing houses were more interested in great storytelling compared tonow. The mentality today among publishers is to only publish what they believe willmake money even if it's crap. What's known to sell? Scandals and controversy.They get the most television airtime, front page coverage in newspapers and on magazinecovers. So there's definitely a market for these stories. But what kind ofmarket? Avid readers who are long term book-buying clients? Or the part-timereader who's only interested in celebrity gossip? Most likely the latter.

Ben Greenberg, executive editor of GCP said: "Weare thrilled to be publishing Wayne's prison memoir. He kept detailed journalsof his inner and outer life while he was on Rikers Island, and they certainlytell a story."

Rubbish!

Lil Wayne already has a name and a fan base. And he hasenough die-hard fans who'd spend $100 on a toothpick if he endorsed it. Theycan certainly make money off of him regardless of what he wrote in his journal.Now here's where it gets interesting. Books have a shelf life. And consideringthat Lil Wayne's time spent in prison will be forgotten once he does somethingelse outlandish—which appears to be the continuing trend among artists so thatthey can remain in the spotlight—how much of a shelf life, and hence profits,could the publisher expect to make? In this case, certainly not long termprofits. I guess they'll wait for the next rapper to go to jail or anothercelebrity to release a sex tape. They'll be candidates for a book deal.

If it's prison stories that Mr Greenberg is reallyinterested in, wouldn't the prison guards, doctors, or the chaplains—who'vebeen working there longer than the eight months Lil Wayne spent there—have farmore interesting stories to tell? Wouldn't those stories appeal to a biggermarket? Such as high school librarians who would share these stories withstudents to teach them the consequences of going to jail? Especially if theywere to read the graphic details of beatings and prison rapes. Since aneducational aspect could be attached to these stories, wouldn't one expect theshelf life to be longer, since it would appeal to readers who aren't fans ofLil Wayne?

There are many reasons why the publishing industry isfalling apart today, I won't list them all. But I have a suggestion, why don'tthey try investing more in quality works than throwing money away at theflavour of the month. They can stick to investing more time with worthless celebritybooks that will yield short-term profits. If GCP wants to continue down thispath and ruin the integrity of the publishing industry, they can go ahead, theyjust won't be doing it with my money.

Russell Brooks is the author of the thriller Chill Run.

And the actor to star as Eddie Barrow, Jr., is...

2012-01-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

In October 2010, I wrote a guest post during the Stop The Succession virtual blog tour. That was when I hypothetically put myself in the role of a movie casting director and made my choices of who would star in Pandora's Succession if ever it were made into a movie. Today I'll do the same thing for Chill Run. I'll admit that it was tough coming up with choices for Eddie and Corey because there's a huge shortage of young black actors. If a movie were made, it's more likely that unknowns would be cast. But I did some digging and was able to come up with two actors. So without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, may I present my choices for the actors that would play in the theatrical release of Chill Run.

Eddie Barrow, Jr. — Brandon T Jackson

I had a huge laugh when I saw him in Tropic Thunder. Jackson also starred in Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. Give him some voice lessons to help him perfect a Barbadian accent, then let him grow his hair out, style it into cornrows. Fit him into a tight leather maledom outfit and you have yourself Eddie Barrow, Jr. A close second for the role of Eddie would be Bow-Wow. But Jackson would definitely bring more laughs during the infamous maledom scene.

Corey Stephenson — Damon Wayans, Jr.

I saw him a few times and thought that both he and Jackson would make a great team. There isn't too much of an age difference between him and Jackson. Also he's also the right height and build and he's very funny. Imagine the trouble he could cause as Corey. Let's see him tryout for Canadian Idol and get criticized by the judges when he messes up. The possibilities of ad-lib between him and Jackson would be endless, and definitely funnier than anything I wrote.

Jordyn Rinaldi — Zoë Kravitz

This choice wasn't too difficult. When I created Jordyn Rinaldi's character, I pictured a young Lisa Bonet. After I saw Kravitz guest star on Californication and then star in X-Men: First Class, I knew that I found Jordyn. Increase her age with the right makeup, put her in dreadlocks and we have ourselves Corey's Dominatrix girlfriend. Also the more serious part Kravitz would enact would be a perfect fit to keep both Eddie and Corey in line, especially when they wind up being the most-wanted men in both Canada and the United States for a murder Eddie didn't commit.

Theo Warren — Omarion

Conceited, arrogant, and egotistical. This pretty much describes Theo—Jordyn's ex-boyfriend and Corey's arch-nemesis. Eddie doesn't care much for him either, considering that Theo's done nothing but contribute to his best friend's problems. On a few occasions Eddie even had to break up fights between the two of them. Adding insult to injury is the fact that Theo always falls ass-first in cash and keeps teasing Eddie and Corey with his bling while they're struggling with their bills and threats of eviction from their landlord.

Serge Lamont — Rémy Girard

He may not be well known to American audiences, but Girard is an award-winning actor hailing from Jonquière, Québec. Although I know him most as Paul Bougon in the hilarious Montreal-based comedy series, Les Bougons, being pretty versatile as an actor, he could easily portray the slimy Bernie Madoff-type tycoon, Serge Lamont. Here in Québec, the local French-Canadians would describe him as "Un Vrai Crapule." (The worst type of a very dishonest individual who doesn't care about the damage he causes to others).

Nancy Bevins — Alberta Watson

Best known as Madeline and The Senator on the tv series, Nikita (old and new), she'd be an odd pairing with Jackson and Wayans. Which is why she'd be perfect because you'd get the most extremes from both worlds. Both Eddie and Corey are dirt poor while Nancy Bevins is wealthy and highly influential. Those who have read Chill Run will know what I'm talking about. I won't reveal anything more about her character in the story because it would reveal a spoiler.

Detective Daniel Mercier — Jean Reno

Although I'd rather go with a local, Québec actor, Jean Reno was the first person to come to mind as the crafty Montreal detective who's hot on the trail of Eddie, Corey, and Jordyn as he chases them across southwestern Québec.

Ever since I saw him in the movie Ronin, not only did I love his acting, but also his sinister presence that would make him suited for the part.

Edward Barrow — Michael Clarke Duncan

Who better than to be the linebacker-type, baritone voice, imposing father of little scrawny Eddie than Duncan. The one actor I'd love to be Darkseid in a Superman movie was my first choice as Eddie's father. He may be a bit too large for some of the readers, but Edward Barrow's towering appearance always surprised people when they learned that he was a pharmacist. My second choice was Kevin Grevioux who starred in Underworld.

Monica Barrow — Viola Davis

After watching The Help, I was so moved by her performance that not only did I see her as a remarkable actresses, but one who deserves to be seen in more movies because her talents are definitely under-exploited. She would be an interesting pair-up with Michael Clarke Duncan as his wife and as Eddie's mother.

Aunt Beverly — Whoopi Goldberg

Does anyone have a relative that didn't get along either with your mother or your father? Eddie does. Aunt Beverly is Monica's elder sister who not only came from Barbados to spend time with Eddie's family for Christmas, but it also appears that she wanted to continue her feud with Eddie's father. We all know Whoopi as the intelligent actress and comedic TV host that never took any shit from anyone. Well, aunt Beverly is the same way. As illustrated in the constant arguments she got in with Edward Barrow. Although Eddie's father has the size and the height, Aunt Beverly always keeps him in check as she reminds him why he should never piss off a Bajan woman (Bajan is slang for Barbadian). Whoopi vs Michael Clarke Duncan? Guaranteed laughs.

Chantal Lamont — Mitsou

It's only fitting that a native Quebecer be cast with a Quebecer as the wife of business tycoon, Serge Lamont. Once dubbed as Québec's answer to Madonna back in the 1990s, Mitsou has since moved on. Just like Chantal Lamont's character, even in real life it's sad when people end up marrying people they know very little about and not even suspect a thing about them. But as the saying goes, opposites attract.

Inspector Conrad Smith — Denzil Washington

Although his appearance is brief, I thought that this would be an excellent cameo appearance that would put the icing and cherry on top of the cake. Although I see this being a low to moderate-budget movie, wouldn't it be cool to have an Oscar-winning actor grace the set with his presence?

So there you have it. My casting choices for Chill Run. Of course if were a casting director I'd have a much larger pool of actors to choose from. For those of you who have read the book, who would you cast as characters?

Chill Run in pictures, Part II

2012-01-03T06:54:00.000-08:00

Last week we saw pictures of a few locations in Montreal that inspired Chill Run. This week we look at some of the areas outside of the city where the manhunt for Eddie, Corey, and Jordyn took place. The town of North Hatley, Qc., is one of them.

To the right we get a glimpse of the Eastern Townships during the winter. The mountain is part of the Appalachian chain. This is an area that is a popular hot spot for skiing, frequented mostly by American tourists.

Lake Massawippi

This is a part of Lake Massawippi, where the town of North Hatley borders. I'm not going to give away the spoiler, but an important event took place here that involves Eddie.

Downtown Montreal

There you have it. I dare not show anymore pictures. After all, this is a mystery/thriller. So if you haven't checked out Chill Run yet, do so and tell everyone what you thought of it from your favorite online store, whether it's Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, Sony, Kobo, Diesel or Apple.

2012-01-01T05:08:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, everyone. May 2012 bring all of you continued joy, happiness, and success. Be safe and continue to stay healthy.

Chill Run in pictures.

2011-12-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

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.

A big Thank You.

2011-12-23T04:44:00.000-08:00

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

The Russell Show: Chill Run Contest Winners.

2011-12-01T21:12:00.000-08:00

Chill Run is now available on A mazon, BN, and my website.

Win a Free eBook copy of Chill Run

2011-11-27T09:24:00.001-08:00

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.

You Gotta Read Covers

2011-11-21T03:00:00.000-08:00

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

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

2011-11-16T03:44:00.001-08:00

A storycaught my interest this morning. It highlighted the buffoonery andincompetence on behalf of the publishing industry. Spynovelist, Quentin Rowan, was busted recently for plagiarism after hispublisher, Little,Brown, receivedseveral 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 andconfessed to having plagiarized several novels.

Follow Russell on Twitter

We should not be happy about what Rowan did. In fact, had henot been caught it would've been a slap in the face to several authors who wererefused by literary agents and publishers. In many cases it's not because what theywrote was bad, but because it wasn't what publishers were looking for. What didRowan do in order to please his publisher? He stole from others—an obvious actof desperation. What's great about this incident is that it highlights what'swrong with the publishing industry—wherethey put profits before talent. As a result, many gifted authors are notgiven a fair chance because publishers are more concerned with being able tomake 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? Alot of crap ends up in bookstores. You're not convinced yet? Doesanyone remember Joe the Plumber? 'Nuff said.

JoinRussell Brooks's Thriller Author Facebook Page

Had Rowan's agent and publisher not been so blinded by dollarsigns, they would've realized that Rowan ripped off scenes from other booksbefore it was published. We've heard from Rowan and why he plagiarized, weought 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 theBig 6 publishers what you want? Stop buying from them and give an Indie authora chance.

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

The Chill Tour.

2011-11-14T16:07:00.001-08:00

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.

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

2011-11-12T09:44:00.001-08:00

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.

How I'm preparing for a book launch.

2011-11-08T11:58:00.000-08:00

Hello, everyone.

So far, preparations for the book launch have beendraining, but worth it so far. Here's the list of goals I set out to accomplishfor 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 toproduction, 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 Facebookpage.

7. Send out Press Releases.

The results so far.

1. I have 52 bloggers with copies of Chill Run (five of them will receive paperbackeditions).

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 yousee 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 Facebookpage.

7. Press Release is already written and will be sent close to thebook launch date. My media kit is done and is on my website.

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

Countdown to Chill Run--Part VIII

2011-11-05T17:32:00.000-07:00

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.

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

2011-11-04T06:15:00.000-07:00

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

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

2011-11-03T20:37:00.000-07:00

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.

Countdown to Chill Run VII

2011-10-28T15:13:00.000-07:00

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.

Countdown to Chill Run--Part VI

2011-10-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

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.

Countdown to Chill Run--Part V

2011-10-15T14:22:00.000-07:00

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.

Countdown to Chill Run--Part IV

2011-10-08T16:38:00.000-07:00

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.

Countdown to Chill Run--Part III

2011-10-01T03:00:00.000-07:00

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 whensomeone dies.

Starvingauthor Eddie Barrow, Jr, will do anything to get a book deal with a NYCpublisher. Even if it means getting caught by the media while engaging in S&M with a female celebrity asa publicity stunt. What Eddie gets instead are details of a billion dollarfraud scheme from a suicidal client who's fatally shot minutes later. Now onthe run from the law and the killers, Eddie seeks help from two unlikelyfriends—an alcoholic and a dominatrix. With few resources, Eddie races to clearhis name, unveil the fraud scheme, and expose the killers before he becomestheir next victim.

First teaser chapter

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

Countdown to Chill Run--Part II

2011-09-28T06:51:00.000-07:00

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

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

2011-09-17T15:27:00.000-07:00

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...

2011-09-17T09:30:00.000-07:00

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

Book Review: Chidren of the Fog.

2011-08-22T06:03:00.000-07:00

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

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

2011-08-18T16:22:00.000-07:00

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

Think Progress Justice

News-Leader.com

Russell Brooks is the author of Pandora’s Succession.

The Russell Show: Clinton vs Jack.

2011-08-16T09:08:00.000-07:00

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

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

2011-08-15T14:45:00.000-07:00

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.

The Russell Show: Nine Months and Going...Going...Gone!

2011-08-14T14:04:00.000-07:00

Russell Brooks is the author of Pandora's Succession.

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

2011-07-27T04:12:00.000-07:00

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.

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

2011-07-07T06:12:00.000-07:00

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!

Review - Paris is a Bitch, by Barry Eisler

2011-07-06T04:13:00.000-07:00

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

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

2011-07-01T23:55:00.000-07:00

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.

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.

2011-06-19T20:14:00.000-07:00

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.

Paperback release

2011-05-02T05:26:00.000-07:00

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

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

2011-04-29T08:40:00.000-07:00

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.

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

2011-04-20T16:11:00.000-07:00

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.

The Russell Show, featuring Justice Chikandamina.

2011-04-02T12:31:00.000-07:00

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

So you got a bad review. Grow the f*ck up and move on!

2011-03-30T02:12:00.000-07:00

Dear Jacqueline Howett,

Not too long ago, the publishing world was rocked when bestselling thriller author, Barry Eisler, announced that he turned down a $500,000 book deal from his publisher in order to go Indie. In other words, he decided to self-publish his upcoming thriller, The Detachment, which will be available around Father's Day. As an Indie author with one novel to his name (soon to be two), I found this news to be exciting. With Eisler's move, I had a feeling that the negative stigma that surrounds Indie authors was showing signs of eroding.

And it couldn't have come at a better time because unfortunately, the majority of readers only talk about Indie authors that publish substandard novels. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that all traditionally-published authors put out quality novels. Believe me, I've read one or two NYT Bestselling authors whose novels I couldn't even finish because they were so badly written.

Then you came along with your novel, The Greek Seaman. Truth be told, I never would've heard about your novel. That was until there was so much internet buzz on how you behaved like a complete bitch on Big Al's Books and Pals. And it was because he gave your novel a bad review.

Congratulations. Not only have you ruined your own reputation as an author and an individual, but you have singed the reputations of indie authors worldwide who have worked hard for several years, and continue to do so, in order to be accepted by readers—especially those who dismiss indie authors as amateurs who aren't good enough to get a book deal. And it hurts when I hear someone dismiss me or other indie authors as not being a real authors.

You ought to know that in this business—whether you are traditionally published or an independant—there are readers that will either like or dislike your novels. That's life. I'll admit that I made the mistake of sending the wrong advance reading copy of my novel to reviewers. Fortunately a few of them alerted me to the problem and I was able to get them the right copy before the novel went on sale. I'm not saying that I'm the best novelist around, because I've already accepted that I'm still learning. And I know that I can and will still improve. That's what being professional is all about.

I didn't bother to comment on BigAl's Books and Pals because at this point it would be pointless. But tell me, wouldn't it have been easier to simply ask the reviewer where the problem areas were? At least you would've known whether you needed to either hire a professional editor and/or fire your old one. Wouldn't it have been easier for you to take advantage of digital publishing where you could easily upload a revised copy to Amazon or any other vendor? Believe it or not, readers still check out books that have negative reviews, and they do so by clicking the Send Sample Now that would allow them to judge the book for themselves. Don't you think that would've been preferable than going Chris Brown on the reviewer? Because as you must know by now, the worst place to have a meltdown—especially when you're wrong (which you were)—is the internet.

Way to go! You've singlehandly brought more negative attention to yourself and to your novel in one hour than ten reviewers could've done in a year. You want proof? Look at the number of 1-star reviews you've received. Maybe that's what it'll take for you to know that that's it's high time that you grew the f*ck up.

Best,

Russell Brooks
Author of Pandora's Succession and Unsavory Delicacies.

PS. To prove my point on the advantages of digital publishing, I invite every reader of this blog that spots any typos or repeated words to please comment about them so that I may correct them.

What's next on the menu?

2011-03-29T17:07:00.000-07:00

Unsavory Delicacies
Three Short Stories of Suspense

Will be served on
April 22, 2011.

www.russellparkway.com

"Hey mom, I got suspended for defending myself."

2011-03-21T09:03:00.001-07:00

By now many of us would've seen the video of Casey Heynes, an Australian student, who fought back against his bully by body-slamming him on the concrete. Like most people that I spoke to and with whom I shared the video with, I did not feel sorry for his bully. I still ask myself why did it come to this level in the first place? Why did it come to the point that Heynes had to physically defend himself in order for the school to react? Why was Heynes suspended?

My martial-arts consultant wrote in his blog that:

"Bullies look for easy victims. If they wanted solid opposition, they’d pick kids who fight back, hard. But they never seem to do that and instead focus on the ones who are shy, timid and lack the self confidence to stand up for themselves."

I'd also add that school bullies take advantage of rules that punish victims for fighting back. This is a serious problem. And now with digital technology, something we didn't have when we were growing up, it's about time that schools come out of the stone age and modify their rules. Heynes got suspended. His suspension was wrong because this situation should've been judged on a case-by-case basis. And according to Heynes, he's not new to being a victim. In fact, this had gone on for years. Who wouldn't have expected him to either snap or commit suicide. I'm sure that I speak for everyone that we're happy that he snapped instead. At least he wouldn't be so unfortunate as to suffer any more additional psychological damage. Furthermore, Heynes should be satisfied knowing that he taught his bully a lesson, and has definitely inspired several people—younger and older—to stand up to bullies.

As for Heynes's bully, he'll spend several years humiliated by the fact that the whole planet saw him get his ass kicked. My advice to him would be that he get his name legally changed before he starts filling out those job applications.

Russell Brooks is the author of the International Spy/Thriller, Pandora's Succession.

The Russell Show, Featuring Into the Shadows, by Karly Kirkpatrick.

2011-03-04T14:57:00.000-08:00

Russell Brooks is the author of the Action/Thriller, Pandora's Succession.

The Russell Show: How the neighbour pissed me off!

2011-02-25T11:31:00.000-08:00

It's normal for us to have problems with our neighbours every once in a while. After all, nobody's perfect. I'm usually a nice guy, but even there's so much that I'm willing to take. For example, I had to repeatedly tell my neighbour whom I share the back balcony with, to scoop up after his dog.

I'm sure many of us have gone through that before. Except my neighbour was a bit slow keeping up with his responsabilities. So here's what happened after I spoke to my neighbour twice in the last two weeks about his dog.

Russell Brooks is the author of the International Spy Thriller, Pandora's Succession.

Dear Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Canadians came up with the idea first

2011-02-18T02:06:00.001-08:00

Dear Aasif Mandvi of The Daily Show,

I watched the Daily Show, February 17 edition, last night, and as usual was left in stitches. Your feature segment was about finding a solution to the problem about Americans that view Muslims negatively. Your idea was to come up with a Muslim version of The Cosby Show (The Qu'osby Show) where Muslim stereotypes are frequently made fun of. By doing so, maybe Americans that view Muslims negatively will be aware of their errors and be more tolerant.

I thought that I'd let you know that your friendliest neighbor up north has already been broadcasting the very comedy that you thought of. It's called Little Mosque on the Prairie.

The show is currently in its fifth season and is a big hit up here in Canada. Check the clips below.

Here's the link to the February 17, 2011 episode of The Daily Show.

And here's a clip of the Pilot episode of Little Mosque on The Prairie.

Get in touch with show creator, Zarqa Nawaz. I'm sure that he would love to work with Comedy Central to help bring his show south of the border and into American homes.

Best,

Russell Brooks
Author of the International Spy Thriller, Pandora's Succession.

The Russell Show February 2011

2011-02-06T18:13:00.000-08:00

Lancelot's Lady: Book Review

2011-01-01T12:28:00.000-08:00

Last October 2010 I hosted Ms D’Angelo on her virtual book tour for Lacelot’s Lady. For those that watched my dramatic reading of an excerpt for the book, they would’ve seen how much I was into the story. Reading the entire book was something that I had promised myself to do—and I was not disappointed. Lancelot’s Lady followed the experiences of troubled palliative care nurse, Rihanna McLeod, from the moment that she met the ailing tycoon, JT Lance, to when she was sent on vacation to a secluded island in the Bahamas, where she met Jonathan—a miserable, but well-off loner and owner of his own island. There was a bit of Christopher Plummer/Julie Andrews situation in the beginning of their relationship (If you watched The Sound of Music then you’d know what I’m talking about), but it ended well. Many questions were brought up in the beginning and they were all answered at the very end.

The sleazy private investigator was a nice touch, although I would’ve hated him more had he been introduced a bit earlier in the story.

I’m not big on romance novels, but the characters in Lancelot’s Lady were so well developed with their own flaws that the story held my interest from the beginning straight through to the end.

4 Stars

For more on Lancelot's Lady, by Cherish D'Angelo, visit Here.

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

Shaken, by JA Konrath: A book review.

2010-12-27T12:24:00.000-08:00

Book Blurb
Since her debut in Whiskey Sour, Lieutenant Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels has dealt with her fair share of criminals. But she may have finally met her match in “Mr. K,” the brutal serial killer who has eluded Jack not once, but twice, over the years. Mr. K is the essence of evil, credited with more than two hundred horrific homicides. Now, on a hot August night, Jack finally gets the chance to face the maniac—unfortunately, she must do so while bound and gagged in a storage locker, primed to be his next victim. As she awaits her fate, Jack looks back on her career, from her first homicide case to her recent retirement. The twenty-five years in between saw Jack’s attitude toward justice, the law, her job, and her personal life shift drastically. She is a different woman now…but is she good enough to stop a madman? Novelist J. A. Konrath’s trademark blend of suspense and wry humor are on full display in this tense thriller, a gripping tale that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Just when I thought that Mr Konrath would never be able to top Ms Cork's character in Cherry Bomb he unleashes the ultimate terror: the elusive Mr K. the story takes place in three periods in Chicago PI, Jack Daniel's, career: when she was an ambitious young police officer working her way up the ranks, while she was a detective 3 years before, and now in the present as a PI. Not since The Firm by John Grisham, have I read such a beautifully-written page-turner that I was able to complete it in under 24 hours. I'll be looking forward to Konrath's follow-up Stirred, which will be on sale in 2011.

5 Stars

Shaken, by JA Konrath is now available on Amazon.

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

Heirs of Mars: Book Review

2010-12-27T11:40:00.001-08:00

Book Blurb

The dream that was Mars has become a nightmare for the children born there. To save New Troy from falling birth rates, Asher secretly clones people in his truck. To save New Troy from despair, Claudia hosts the most popular racing show on two worlds. And to save the city from destruction, they’ll rally persecuted cloners, resurrected colonists, and racing celebrities to fight homicidal AIs.

Review

I was given a copy of this novel by the author for review. It is set in the future on Mars and although this is science fiction, there are several elements of the story that people can relate to today. The main one being the ethics of cloning. There are the humans that believe that cloning is essential for the survival of life on Mars since there are too many professionals that are dying as a result of the ongoing war with robots—who, interestingly see the clones as a threat to their existence. Then there are the humans that don’t accept the clones as individuals with equal rights.

I had a bit of difficulty keeping up in certain parts because of the number of characters, and at some points it was difficult to tell the protagonists from the villains, but it did not prevent me from enjoying this story.

3 Stars

Heirs of Mars, by Joseph Robert Lewis

Available now on Amazon and Smashwords

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

Thanks For Nothing, You Bastards! An open letter to the 60 House Members who voted against the 9/11 Health Care Bill.

2010-12-23T14:39:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

Dear House Members,

My name is Russell Brooks and I’m a thriller novelist. Although I live in Montreal, Canada, there are many things that Canadians share with Americans. There are holidays, our love for fast food restaurants, broken New Year’s resolutions, and NAFTA. I try my best not to criticize US policies, but there was an event that occurred this week that I found to be very disturbing. You all attempted to block a bill that would have allowed the first responders of the 9/11 terrorist attacks to receive health care benefits. It is my understanding that some of those first responders have either died or are suffering from long-term health problems due to being exposed to the toxic ash that engulfed lower Manhattan. Although I’m sure that you all have your reasons (selfish as they may be) for ignoring the needs of these heroes, it is very incomprehensible that although the safety of Americans—home and abroad—is a high priority for everyone, you did not recognize the First-Responders. They may not be fighting overseas with assault rifles, grenades, and rocket launchers. They came into lower Manhattan with fire hoses, EMT equipment, and their ability to direct traffic and crowds to safety. Their own selfless acts of risking their own lives for the benefit of others without receiving any orders from the White House is what makes them the real heroes of 9/11.

I’m sure that you may have pledged allegiance to your flag on numerous occasions to illustrate your patriotism. But I must add that your choice to block the 9/11 Health Care Bill was anything but patriotic. It was a flagrant slap in the face to ordinary citizens that risked their lives to help others in need on that dreadful day. This would’ve occurred while many of you had the luxury of hiding out in one of the underground bunkers that are located between Maryland and Virginia. By voting against the bill you attempted to sign their death sentence, something I’m sure would've pleased Osama Bin Laden considering you’ve continued the job of increasing the death toll from the 9/11 attacks.

I can’t guaranty that another terrorist act will not occur on North American soil in the near future. At best, the terrorists don’t need to do much to attack American citizens since they’re aware that it’s a lot cheaper and convenient for them to let you guys do the job for them. The sad truth is that by voting against the bill, you were all serving Al Qaeda—not your country—an act for which you all deserve to be arrested and charged with treason. Furthermore you ought to be barred from politics for the rest of your lives.

I’ve read some excellent novels and watched some great movies. As an author I’ve always told others that villains will either make or break a story. I’ve been asked what was the inspiration for the villains in my novel. The answer is simple, I always base some of my characters—even the villains—on real people. Today I can say with confidence that if I were to model a villain after any of you in my next novel, it’s unlikely that I would be criticized for creating an unrealistic character.

Fortunately, your efforts failed this week, and at a right time considering that this would be a long overdue Christmas present for the First-Responders. The best Christmas present to America and the rest of the world would be for you all to be exposed and remembered for your actions (or inactions, which ever way you look at it), especially the next time elections come around.

Yours Very Truly,

Russell Brooks
Author of Pandora's Succession.

So for my gift to everyone, I’ve taken the liberty to list the names of the 59 Republicans and the 1 Democrat (non-italic) for your convenience. Hopefully the American voters will not be as asinine in their votes as these House Members have been.

Akin, Alexander, Bachmann, Bachus, Bartlett, Bilirakis, Bishop (UT), Boozman, Brady (TX), Cantor, Cassidy, Coffman (CO), Conaway, Diaz-Balart, Ehlers, Fleming, Foxx, Franks (AZ), Goodlatte, Graves (GA), Guthrie, Hall (TX), Hensarling, Herger, Hoekstra, Inglis, Jenkins, Jordan (OH), King (IA), Kingston, LaTourette, Latta, Lewis (CA), Lummis, Manzullo, McClintock, McCotter, Mica, Miller (FL), Myrick, Olson, Paulsen, Posey, Rehberg, Rogers (KY), Royce, Scalise, Schmidt, Sessions, Shuster, Smith (NE), Stutzman, Taylor, Terry, Tiahrt, Upton, Walden, Whitfield, Wilson (SC), Wittman.
*
Russell Brooks is the author of the action/thriller, Pandora’s Succession. Available Now.

*( http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2010/roll664.xml#N)

The Russell Show: Christmas 2010

2010-12-19T20:57:00.001-08:00

Here's an excerpt of the solo I sang this evening for the Trinity Memorial Church annual Christmas Concert.
Happy Holidays.

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

The Barry Eisler Spotlight, Part IV: The Russell Show, featuring Inside Out.

2010-12-11T20:13:00.000-08:00

As the saying goes, All good things come to an end. But from my point of view, we'll always have Barry Eisler's books with us. And in our last communication, he confirmed to me that he was busy on his next novel. So we all have something great to look forward to.

To conclude Eisler's spotlight feature, I do a dramatic reading of an excerpt from Inside Out, his latest bestseller.

Please visit Barry Eisler's website at http://www.barryeisler.com/ and check out his blog, The Heart of the Matter. I also must recommend his previous books, starting with Rain Fall, the first in the John Rain series about a Japanese-American assassin. I have a strong feeling that John Rain will be in Eisler's follow-up to Inside Out, so it would be a good idea to start from the beginning. You'll be in for an excellent thrill ride.

Russell Brooks is the author of the action/thriller, Pandora's Succession, now available. Details.

Barry Eisler Spotlight, Part III: Review of Inside Out.

2010-12-02T19:52:00.000-08:00

Conspiracy-theory buffs are in for a treat. Inside Out features the return of Ben Treven—an American Black-Ops soldier. In this sequel to Fault Line, Treven isn’t on the run, but doing the hunting instead. A rogue Black-Ops soldier, Daniel Larison, has stolen ninety-two CIA interrogation tapes and has blackmailed the US Government . Treven—who was imprisoned after a bar fight he was in resulted in the death of one of his attackers—is released from jail with the aid of his former commander, Colonel Scott Horton. Treven’s release comes at a price: He must track down and eliminate Larison. Along the way, he is joined by Paula Lanier—a sexy FBI agent with an attitude—who is not only an annoyance to Treven, but later becomes an ally. What complicates matters further for Treven is that other hit squads have been dispatched to hunt for Larison, leaving Treven to suspect that he may be a pawn in a bigger picture.

Inside Out contains some well-paced action, martial arts, and a believable conspiracy that will leave the reader wondering if all of it is really fiction. FBI agent Lanier brings about an excellent balance to complement Treven’s character. This is illustrated by her naivety in handling certain situations that risk exposing them. At times, I had a chuckle picturing how pissed off Treven must have been every time she made a gaff. What I also enjoyed was that Eisler allowed readers to enter into the minds of both Treven and his target, Larison, illustrating his first-hand knowledge of surveillance and reconnaissance techniques. The fight scenes were very believable, and the hand-on-hand combat scenes were meticulously well done.

In addition, readers will learn why it’s not a good idea to read important documents—electronic or hard copy—or have a private conversation while you’re traveling in first class. Conspiracy fiction fans will love the subject matter of the CIA’s interrogation tapes that was top news several months ago. I wouldn’t be surprised if discussions about this have been given a boost, due to Eisler’s interpretation of what could’ve really happened to the CIA interrogation tapes.
Oh yeah, if you’ve ever wondered whatever became of Japanese-American assassin, John Rain, from Eisler’s previous novels, you’re in for a treat.

3 1/2 Stars.

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

SPOTLIGHT: Barry Eisler. Part II The Russell Show featuring Fault Line.

2010-11-26T15:21:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia This week I continue with my spotlight of former CIA operative and bestselling thriller author, Barry Eisler, where I do a dramatic excerpt from Fault Line on The Russell Show. (Excerpt chosen by Barry Eisler and done with his permission).

Book Blurb: Silicon Valley: the eccentric inventor of a new encryption application is murdered in an apparent drug deal. Istanbul: a cynical undercover operative receives a frantic call from his estranged brother, a patent lawyer who believes he’ll be the next victim. And on the sun-drenched slopes of Sand Hill Road, California’s nerve center of money and technology, old family hurts sting anew as two brothers who share nothing but blood and bitterness wage a desperate battle against a faceless enemy.

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

SPOTLIGHT: Author Barry Eisler. Part I Review: Fault Line.

2010-11-18T05:48:00.000-08:00

Fans that were hoping to see Japanese-American assassin, John Rain, in a followup to Eisler’s bestselling series will be in for something slightly different in Eisler’s first stand-alone thriller, Fault Line. The first paragraph opens up with a hook that will lock in Eisler’s fans and many more. Readers unfamiliar with Eisler’s work will be instantly drawn into a page-turning experience.

The story focuses on a young patent lawyer, Alex Treven, who expects to strike oil when his latest client, Richard Hilzoy, presents him with a revolutionary technology called Obsidian. Alex anticipates being the talk of Silicon Valley and becoming partner in the firm. However, Hilzoy is murdered in an apparent drug deal, the patent examiner dies, and Alex barely escapes with his own life after an alleged burglary in his own home. When the police offer little assistance, Alex turns to his estranged brother, Ben—a special-ops soldier—for help. Ben rushes to Alex’s aid and forces Alex’s Iranian-American associate, Sarah Hosseini to go underground with them because of her knowledge of Obsidian. Ben distrusts Sarah and believes that she is working for clandestine powers that are bent at stealing Obsidian. As a result, Alex is thrown head first into Ben’s world and must follow his brother’s rules in hopes of surviving further attempts on his life by the forces they hope to expose.

Ben’s paranoia and methods of survival are reflected in Eisler’s experience as a covert operative. Eisler has mastered the art of creating situational tension while weaving in character tensions. Ben’s main objective of keeping Alex and Sarah safe is complicated by unresolved family issues that led to Ben’s estrangement. Further complications also result from the animosity Ben and Sarah have towards each other. There is excellent character development that is not overdrawn. There are also interesting plot twists which make Fault Line a gripping and easy read.

Russell Brooks is the author of the action/thriller, Pandora's Succession. Now available through Amazon.com, Amazon UK, BarnesandNoble.com and www.RussellParkway.com.

Winners of the STOP THE SUCCESSION virtual book tour.

2010-11-16T04:34:00.000-08:00

Hello, Everyone.

It's been a long and fun three weeks of my first ever virtual book tour for my debut action/thriller, Pandora's Succession. Thanks to everyone that participited by leaving their emails in the body of their comments. You will all receive an autographed ebook cover shortly. Now for the moment that you've all been waiting for, the winners of the STOP THE SUCCESSION virtual book tour.

October 26 Mini-Contest.

In this mini-contest, commenters were asked to guess the identity of the actress that was the inspiration for Ares defector, Sveta Stechina. Everyone got the right answer. However the award goes to the first person to get the answer right. So you've all guessed it. The actress is none other than...

Myriam D'Abo. The former Bond Girl in the James Bond epic, The Living Daylights.

Congratulations to Tiffany Laurie who was the first to guess the answer correctly. Tiffany will receive a copy of the sample graphic novel version of Pandora's Succession that I once queried.

Winners of the autographed ebook.

I was a bit late asking my neighbor to wear a sexy dress and draw the winners at random, so I had Clinton the Cat draw the names instead. The winners are chosen and announced in the following episode of The Russell Show.

So there you have it. Congrats to all the winners. I had a great time participating in the vitual book tour. Thanks again to all of the book bloggers that hosted me, and the book reviewers that helped me out by posting their reviews to their blogs, Amazon, Goodreads, and other forums. It is much appreciated. And also thanks to those that have read and spread the word about Pandora's Succession.

Best,

Russell Brooks

Pandora's Succession is now available as an ebook, here and here(UK)

"Stop the Succession." The Virtual Book Tour.

2010-10-18T04:55:00.000-07:00

Stop the Succession

The Virtual Book Tour

From October 24 to November 14, 2010

Participate in the virtual book tour.

Visit www.russellparkway.com for contest details.

The Russell Show: Featuring Lancelot's Lady, by Cherish D'Angelo.

2010-10-01T20:41:00.000-07:00

I'm honored to be hosting Romance/Suspense novelist, Cherish D'Angelo, author of Lancelot's Lady. This is the first time that I am hosting an author on a blog tour. When I was approached by Ms D'Angelo to host her on her Cherish the Romance book tour, I was originally supposed to do what other book bloggers do—either interview or allow them to do a guest blog. I decided to do something different: recite an excerpt from Lancelot's Lady.

Enjoy!

Lancelot's Lady is available in ebook edition at KoboBooks, Amazon's Kindle Store, Smashwords and other ebook retailers. Help Cherish celebrate by picking up a copy today and "Cherish the romance..."

You can learn more about Lancelot's Lady and Cherish D'Angelo (aka Cheryl Kaye Tardif) at http://www.cherishdangelo.com/ and http://www.cherylktardif.blogspot.com/. Follow Cherish from September 27 to October 10 on her Cherish the Romance Virtual Book Tour and win prizes.

What do you think about this video?

Leave a comment at below, with email address, to be entered into the prize draws. You're guaranteed to receive at least 1 free ebook just for doing so. Plus you'll be entered to win a Kobo ereader. Winners will be announced after October 10th.

Thank you!
Cherish

Russell Brooks is the author of the soon-to-be-released action/thriller, Pandora's Succession.

I'll be joining you later to sniff coke. I won't be long, it's only a DWI.

2010-09-17T04:48:00.000-07:00

DWI victims spun in their graves this week when former WHAM! singer, George Michael, was only sentenced to eight weeks in jail for driving under the influence of drugs. The remaining fourteen weeks will be spent under the supervision of the probation service. Considering that he has a prior offence for lewd behaviour and a laundry list of other drug-related offences (The List), one must again wonder whether judges are too lenient on some people when they commit serious offenses—especially when they are repeat offenders.

Paris Hilton is one of the best examples of a repeat offender. The spoiled heiress to the Hilton hotel chain and renowned sex-video superstar, was arrested in September 2006 for a DWI. She was sentenced to 36 months probation and fined $1500. Since her blood alcohol level was 0.08%, she was left with a suspended licence. As though that wasn’t enough to teach her a lesson, less than a year later in January 2007, she was pulled over for driving with a suspended licence, and yet again a month later for driving 70 mph in a 30 mph zone. Oh yeah, did I mention that she still had a suspended licence? Her sentence was forty five days in jail. However due to a "Phantom" medical conditImage via Wikipediaion she was released two days later. She was then re-sentenced to 40 days home confinement with an electronic monitoring device (2).

Here we are in 2010 and her ass has been arrested again. The charge: cocaine possession. Her defence? “It’s not my purse.” The latest report is that she’s been offered the chance of a plea bargain. Although specifics were not disclosed, a spokeswoman for the Clarke County District Attorney’s Office said: “Possession of a controlled substance is a felony punishable by a minimum term of one year and a maximum of four years. (Hilton) may be fined up to $5000. This charge is probationable so the court could sentence her to a term of probation, rather than prison time.” (3).

Both Michael and Hilton displayed inexcusable behaviour where the consequences could have ended with in serious injury or even death—either to themselves or to others. The fact that Hilton`s in trouble with the law again illustrates that she did not learn from her previous arrests. Maybe if she’d get off her high horse and start doing some real work for a change—likeImage by ballookey via Flickr the rest of us normal taxpayers—she’d be too busy being productive that she wouldn’t have time to be so stupid.

As for Michael’s eight-week prison term, it’s both a joke and an insult. It was reported recently that he’s being kept in solitary confinement since he’s in the same unit as pedophiles and rapists. However a snitch disclosed that George is being treated like a king and that his cell is dubbed The Ritz. This is because his cell comes complete with duvets, cushions, and even its own digital TV box (4). I could hear the gnashing of teeth from the fine citizens of the UK, as they learn where some of their tax dollars are being spent. This ought to leave one to wonder whether reports of George Michael crying like a bitch is nothing more than an act to make us feel sorry for him, thus tricking the judge into reducing his sentence.

Guess what, George? I’m not falling for it. Your DWI is no less a crime than the DWIs that ruin scores of lives every year—even scarring the lives such as that of my friend, whose girlfriend was killed by a drunk driver a few years ago. As long as the courts keep going easy on drunk drivers, one day judges will only have themselves to blame if the next victim of an impaired driver is one of their loved ones. On a positive note, a real prison term for George Michael would do him some good. Give him a few pens and a lot of paper so he could write music, which is what many of us have grown to love him for. By the same token, he’d be taking responsibility for his actions. After all, isn’t that one of the characteristics of being a Father Figure?

Russell Brooks is the author of the action/thriller, Pandora's Succession. Available Fall 2010.

Not a chapter, but still a teaser.

2010-09-14T16:36:00.000-07:00

Several people wrote me asking me to post another chapter of Pandora's Succession. Well, I could continue posting more and more chapters. Unfortunately for me to do so would give away major plot spoilers. So I've decided to do something else to appease a few appetites. I'll post a small section further on in the story where nothing much is revealed, but will be enough to set a mood for any reader so that they can guess what's in store for them when the ebook is available this fall.

Enjoy.

The one thing that Fox knew that Ares operatives excelled in was their torture techniques—using medieval or ancient methods as a signature. He recalled uncovering one of their victims in the past. The shirtless man had been strapped to a table with a cage on top of his stomach. Fox still had memories of the foul smell in the room before he had seen the large hole in the victim’s stomach—with a rat gnawing away inside. Apparently the cage that housed the rat had been heated, freaking out the rodent so that it had burrowed its way through the man’s stomach and intestines in order to escape.

The only thing that Fox imagined that could be worse, was a sadistic torturer that maintained the suffering as long as possible, not allowing his victim to die.

So that's all I can share for now. In the meantime, keep checking back as I'll post the dates of my virtual blog tour for the month of October. And if all goes well, there will be a second book trailer.

Cheers,

Russell

The Succession is coming... Fall 2010

Who's America's Biggest Enemy, itself?

2010-09-03T21:35:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

I spent some time on a conspiracy website, AboveTopSecret.com this week because I thought that it would be a cool way to see some of the interesting conspiracy theories that are floating around—and pick up some ideas for subject matter for a future novel. One topic that grabbed my attention the most was the 9/11 conspiracy thread that argued that those terrorists attacks were an inside job. Apparently the smoking gun that corroborates that theory comes from video footage of World Trade Center 7 (WTC 7). In the video, WTC 7 is seen collapsing on itself. While evidence suggests that Al Qaeda leader and alleged former CIA operative—Osama Bin Laden—was responsible for the plane crashes, one theory that is arguably plausible as any is that the Twin Tower crashes were allowed to happen in order to turn our attention away from the alleged controlled demolition of WTC 7. This would’ve been done in order to cover-up secrets that were hidden inside WTC 7.

Debunkers of conspiracies theories regarding WTC 7 argue that WTC 7 collapsed because it was struck with flying debris from the Twin Towers. However, at least two witnesses—a now-retired NYPD officer and Barry Jennings, the Deputy Director Emergency Sevices Department—both claimed that they heard explosions inside the building prior to WTC 7 collapsing. Further video footage shows WTC 7 collapsing in its own footprint as would a building that was demolished by professionals as opposed to an internal fire.

Considering that the United States has the Central Intelligence Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as other elite intelligence agencies whose main goal is to collect and analyse intel in order to prevent catastrophes such as 9/11 from occurring, it’s unfathomable that former President George W Bush did not know that Al Qaeda was planning an attack on American soil on that day. For him not to act and allow the 9/11 attacks to occur in order to have an excuse to start a war with Iraq has been a popular theory. Is it possible that 9/11 was engineered to distract attention from what was actually going on in WTC 7?

Russell Brooks is the author Pandora's Succession, coming Fall 2010. Teaser chapter.

Harper moving in on the CRTC: A step closer to dictatorship?

2010-09-02T05:58:00.000-07:00

As if turns out, Canada's Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, was spotted dining in New York City last year with Roger Ailes, the president of Fox News, and Rupert Murdoch, the owner of Fox News and coincidentally the inspiration behind the James Bond villain, Elliot Carver. If Mr Harper were to have it his way, Canadians would have a Fox News-style cable station established as early as 2011.

But wait a minute, we have the Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), there's no way that the trash that Fox News spreads will ever get past them if they were broadcasting up here, right? Not so fast, Harper wants to replace the heads of the CRTC with his own cronies in order to do his bidding. According to the Globe and Mail, Harper wants Konrad von Finckenstein, the head of the CRTC, and vice-chair, Michel Arpin, out the door. Arpin's as good as gone since his term would've expired by this time. Finckenstein's term doesn't end until 2012. But according to reports, he's been offered ambassadorships and judgeships. So far he hasn't taken the bait.

It would appear that little Mr Harper wants to have more control over what Canadians watch. What's next on his agenda? Will he try to control what we listen to on the radio, or what we read in the newspapers, or what we view on the internet? Fortunately Canadians are not so gullible as to believe the biased crap that comes from Fox News and will hopefully excercise their right to not tune into the station once it becomes a part of our cable packages.

However there's a bright side to all of this. I've always said that Jon Stewart of the Daily Show owes Fox News, Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and Sarah Palin, a huge debt of gratitude for all of the times that they've set themselves up for failure. If it wasn't for them, The Daily Show would not have the comic material that has kept us North Americans, both north and south of the border, laughing for hours. Who knows, if this so-called, Fox News North makes it to Canada, they'd make such asses of themselves that the writers of the Daily Show would never have a case of writer's block.

So to you, Mr Harper, I say, "BRING IT ON!" Let Fox News North become a reality. I'll keep watching the Daily Show instead along with most Canadians. We can all use a good laugh, especially when it's about you.

Russell Brooks is the author of the upcoming action/thriller, Pandora's Succession. The excerpts, the trailer, the mailinglist.

Book Cover Design

2010-08-27T15:08:00.000-07:00

As you are all aware, my action/thriller, Pandora’s Succession, will be available digitally as an ebook this coming fall. Was it easy to write? Absolutely not. First novels generally are not the easiest ones to write, and not necessarily the best ones that an author will write. Thankfully, I’ve been blessed with a writing coach and an independent editor. In addition, I had to properly research subject matter, brushing up on what I learned in biology and chemistry classes. And last but not least, it took a lot of imagination in order to bring to life my protagonist—CIA operative, Ridley Fox—as he attempts to stop a worldwide disaster.

However, no matter how well a book is written, if it is not marketed well and properly distributed, it will flop. There’s another aspect that’s important for the sales of a book—and that’s the book cover. I know, I know. We all grew up being told not to judge a book by its cover. Let’s be honest. We’ve all judged a book by its cover and trust me, the people who told us not to do so are doing so themselves.

So today, I’m going to do something a bit different. I’m going to invite everyone that is reading this to help me design the book cover. My cover artist wants me to select a celebrity in which he could mould the Greek Goddess, Pandora, after. So I’ve narrowed it down to three beautiful women. So let’s hear it. Which one of the three do you feel could be a Greek Goddess?

1. Famke Janssen

2. Monica Bellucci

3. Angelina Jolie

You can all participate by leaving your answers in the comments section below. Or if you can't post them below, leave them on my page on facebook at: www.facebook.com/russellparkway. The one with the most votes will be chosen.

The first five chapters of Pandora's Succession can be read at www.russellparkway.com/

I'm Black and Therfore Own All Rights to say the N-Word.

2010-08-14T05:26:00.000-07:00

Over nine million listeners—soon to double that amount by the time that I finish writing this essay—listened to Doctor Laura Schlesinger this week when she got into an argument on her radio show with a listener named Jade. For those unfamiliar with what happened, Doctor Laura—in an attempt to make a philosophical point that African-American comedians on HBO incessantly say the N-word without offending viewers—said the N-word repetitively. Although Jade told Doctor Laura that her use of the N-word bothered her, Doctor Laura still said it again. Furthermore, Doctor Laura stated that she was not calling anyone a N*g*er, that she was just making a point.

Now hold on. This is Doctor Laura, an educated and presumably very intelligent woman of some renown in the T.V psycho-babble entertainment word who is regarded by many to be a leader in that profession. She felt that she was doing the right thing. Wrong. Just because an African-American freely calls out the N-word doesn’t mean that they are right to do so—which is what Jade also told Dr. Laura before being rudely interrupted. One would think that someone of the stature of Doctor Laura would have learned from Michael Richards—formerly known as Kramer from TV’s Seinfeld—when he screamed out the N-word in public. Doctor Laura should’ve known better.

Doctor Laura’s argument that she should be allowed to say the N-word freely as long as she’s not calling anyone a N*g*er is patently ridiculous and it made me wonder. Before that now awfully revelatory call from Jade, has she ever freely said the N-word in the presence of friends of like colour? For sure she would not have freely said the N-word in the presence of her bodyguard—who happens to be black? Considering that she’s a public figure, had she done that, I doubt Doctor Laura would’ve gotten away without causing a media stir that she wished to have avoided at this moment.

Doctor Laura has since apologized for her careless use of the N-word. I imagine that she’s had time to listen to the broadcast, to reflect and become more self-aware of her public role and admit that she has made a serious ethical error. I’m curious to know at which point Doctor Laura realized this. Was it the moment when she deviated from the topic and talked about President Obama and interjected that African-Americans voted him into power just because he had more melanin than his challenger? Was it when she accused Jade of being hypersensitive because Jade’s neighbour kept stepping on the line by obsessively singling out African-Americans in every conversation? Or was it when she interrupted Jade as she was about to mention that the N-word was thrown about in her house by family as though she was absent?

After having listened to the broadcast several times I’ve concluded that Jade had every right to be bothered by what went on in her household. Accusing Jade of being hypersensitive was insulting and demeaning because Jade stated that her dilemma had gone on for quite some time before she had reached the point of frustration.

As for bringing up President Obama, not only was it off topic but Doctor Laura herself was being racially insensitive when she said that blacks only voted for him because he was black. I’ll admit that if I was an American citizen, I would’ve voted for Obama, not because he’s black but because I feel that he’s more qualified to lead the country. Had it been Hillary Clinton versus Ms Condoleezza Rice or worse yet, Michael Steel, I would’ve voted for Mrs Clinton. Please note, that in the above reference to President Obama, I do not accuse Doctor Laura of being a racist, but that she was racially insensitive. Furthermore, the broadcast hasn’t convinced me that she is a racist, and I am saying this having repeated listened to it. Doctor Laura could have helped Jade had she listened to her more attentively!

Russell Brooks is the author of the upcoming thriller, Pandora's Succession, to be released in the Fall of 2010. Visit http://www.russellparkway.com/ for details.

The Russell Show, Erotic Poetry Series Part II

2010-07-31T19:41:00.000-07:00

Russell Brooks is the author of the upcoming action/thriller, Pandora's Succession. First chapter available here.

The Russell Show 8: I want Me A White Woman.

2010-07-25T22:55:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-21T18:30:00.000-07:00

It is my honor to re-introduce professional ghostwriter and editor, Victory Crayne, as a guest blogger.

What to Add in Drafts

to Make Your Story Sell Better
By Victory Crayne (c) 2010

Ah, that sweet spot when you’ve completed the first draft of a new story. In your excitement, you may want to show others your creation. After all, if you had so much fun writing it, it MUST be good, right?
Hold it right there!
First drafts can always use some revisions and, in some cases, SERIOUS rewriting. You wouldn’t want people to read your half-baked draft and think that it is your BEST work, would you?

First, let your draft sit for a few days. You’ll ALWAYS come up with improvements that you can’t see in the excitement of just finishing the first writing. Your first draft is to get your intention about the story out. Your subsequent versions are to refine your execution of the story.

Here are some ideas on what you can do in your subsequent drafts to “dress up” your writing.

1. Add descriptions of your settings to help the reader feel he/she is “in the scene” with your characters. You may picture the scene in your mind, but unless you give your readers enough clues about that scene, you won’t transport them into your story. Avoid the “white room” syndrome. Use all of the senses, not just visual: smell, taste, feel, sound, colors, shapes, etc.

2. Genre: Add enough clues to satisfy readers that this story fits the genre. Do this on the first page or they may return the book to the shelves with “no sale” for you.

3. Add physical descriptions of your characters, just enough to help the reader feel they are “in the presence” of each person. The first thing we do when we meet someone is evaluate their gender, size, shape, hair, colors, clothing, etc. Introduce each character so your reader feels they have met this person.

4. Add enough dialogue, action, and description to show what their personalities are like. Stories are about people. Make your people come alive. For examples: (1) Jack looked up and slammed his palm down on his desk. “Hey! Did you hear me?” Jack was more effervescent, easily able to express his moods. He claimed it helped him come up with more ideas outside of the box. At an even six feet, Jack was built lean and wiry. He kept in shape with a three-mile jog almost every morning. (2) Don took off his dark-rimmed glasses, frowned at them, and picked up a tissue. “You’re always so darned eager to jump ahead.” He sighed as he wiped his lens.

5. Change how you relay some information by using dialogue instead of narrative. Readers love dialogue, the lifeblood of every story.

6. Add facial expressions, body language, and perhaps some internal dialogue to show the emotions of your characters. Dialogue is easy to write, but we humans learned to show emotion on our faces and bodies long before we had language. Even babies do it. If you appeal to the part of your reader’s brain that processes visual clues of emotion, you’ll be adding depth to your characterization.

7. Add likes and dislikes for your characters to endear them to readers. To discover what that might be, ask yourself: My character wants ____ but is blocked by ____. For examples: (1) John loves playing his piano in the evenings but is blocked by his wife’s insistence on watching sitcoms so loud. She says she needs the break from her stressful job as a commodities stock broker. Is it any wonder he drinks too much and argues a lot? He hates himself for doing that, so he drinks even more. (2) Serena loves to garden but finds it hard to do when there is so much damned housework left.

8. Add author’s or character’s voice to the settings, emotions, etc. This can be as simple as an observation or a comparison, for example, (1) “He kept expecting her to call him from the next room. Without her, the house seemed like an Egyptian museum after hours--cold and lifeless.” or (2) “He lifted one arm and took a sniff of his armpit. Who let a dead chipmunk in here?”

Victory Crayne, Ghostwriter and Editor, victory@crayne.com, http://www.crayne.com/
I help people who want to write books achieve their dreams.

The Russell Show Erotic Poetry Series, Part 1

2010-07-17T17:56:00.000-07:00

I'm the author of the upcoming action/thriller, Pandora's Succession. Details.

The Russell Show 6

2010-07-10T19:29:00.000-07:00

Here I am, after I was dared to sing: So Beautiful, by Simply Red

I am the author of the upcoming action/thriller, Pandora's Succession. Chapters 1 and 2 are available here.

The Russell Show 5

2010-05-07T15:40:00.001-07:00

The Russell Show 5

2010-05-07T15:40:00.000-07:00

I was fired today for voicing my opinion. I guess I should've shut up.

2010-02-27T21:06:00.000-08:00

Conflicts arise in many forms, the most common being political and personal. The nastiest ones involve one side gaining the upper hand at undermining the other side’s ability to effectively defend themselves, or express their case, or perspective on the issue. Take for instance the case of Valerie Plame Wilson, the ex covert CIA operative who made international headlines on July 14, 2003, when she was callously outed by Washington Post journalist, Robert Novak, in his column. As a result, Plame’s career as a couterproliferations (CTP) agent came to an end.

Although the Plame scandal, otherwise known as Plamegate, may be considered as old news, there are still many valuable lessons to be learned from that scandal—especially those related to pursuing the guilty, regardless of station, and holding them accountable for their actions. Regardless of status, if one is the victim of an unjustified malicious act that is either aimed at discrediting, belittling, defaming, or humiliating you, allowing the guilty party to silence you only gives the perpetrator more power over you.

Cover via AmazonIn Plame’s memoirs, Fair Game: My Life as a Spy, My Betrayal by the White House, she describes the tumultuous events that she and her husband, former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, faced once Novak’s infamous article was published. For those that are not familiar with Plamegate, allow me a summary. Joe Wilson was sent to Niger by the CIA to determine whether Iraq had ever attempted to purchase yellowcake uranium. In his debriefing by the CIA, he told them that he did not find any evidence of the sort. The CIA then relayed their results—based on Wilson’s claims—to the White House. Yet, the Bush administration still invaded Iraq in 2003 under the pretext that the US Government had obtained proof that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. Four months later, Wilson wrote an op-ed in the New York Times titled: What I didn’t find in Africa. The article detailed how the Bush administration twisted intelligence in order to justify the invasion of Iraq. In retaliation, senior White House officials leaked the identity of his wife to the press in order to discredit him. Although the Wilsons faced problems that ranged from severe financial difficulties and death threats, they fought back. And despite the fact that all odds were against them, their plight inspired others to come forward and support them. As a result, Plamegate ended with the indictment and conviction of I “Scooter” Libby, the Chief of Staff to former Vice President, Dick Cheney. Although Libby was the only White House staff member to face jail time (brief as it was), others such as Karl Rove, Richard Armitage, and Cheney—the Big Dick of them all—did not walk away from the incident without their reputations being severely tarnished.

Many victims of harassment, either sexual or psychological, could learn from the Wilsons. In many cases, many victims of harassment would rather take the easy route and walk away. For example, many victims of workplace harassment would rather change jobs rather than stick up for their own civil rights. The act of walking away plays into the hands of bullies and gives the success and psychotic euphoria they crave. Furthermore, people who do not stand up and defend themselves against personal injustice supply their victimizers with more daImage via Wikipediangerous power to inflict pain and wreck havoc on other lives.

The Wilsons fought back against one of the highest offices in the nation. Yes, the battle was lengthy, stressful, and at times even fraught with danger. But in the end they emerged victorious and much stronger than those who tried to smear and ruin them. Many victims of harassment or other forms of psychological torment, for reasons of a personal nature, chose not to go the same path as the Wilsons. However, the lesson to be learned from their experience is clear. You don’t have to be a giant to stand up for your rights and face the bully, you only need courage and intelligence.

Donations to the Joe and Valery Wilson Legal and Support trust available here.
Russell Brooks is the author of the action/thriller, Pandora's Succession, and the short story, To the Last Bite

Did Eddie Murphy and Nickelodeon profit dishonestly?

2010-02-21T19:05:00.001-08:00

Teacher, writer, and producer, Gregory L. Hudson, joins the Artist Lounge Radio Show to discuss his pursuit against Eddie Murphy for copyright infringement. Cartoonist, Troy Walker, the uncredited creator of Spongebob Squarepants, stops by.

I'm the author of Pandora's Succession. Excerpt available here.

Along Came a Spider.

2010-01-31T20:12:00.000-08:00

I recite a poem, EYE-Phone, by Carlos (1:36), and an excerpt from Along Came a Spider, by James Patterson (my Gary Soneji impression, lol) (2:17)

The Action/Thriller, Pandora's Succession.

The Russell Show, Episode 3. Cherry Bomb by JA Konrath.

2010-01-22T17:03:00.000-08:00

Russell Brooks is the author of the action/thriller, Pandora's Succession, on sale now Details

The Crayne Business Model for writers

2010-01-15T11:50:00.000-08:00

Today I have my first guest blogger, Ms Victory Crayne, an independent editor. She has several years experience in the literary and the publishing industry, and offers many services for writers and aspiring authors.

Full Disclosure: I have been a client of Ms Crayne since September 2008 and have found her to be very professional and helpful in the services that she offers.

The Crayne Business Model for Writers

The Russell Show, Episode 2

2010-01-11T21:02:00.000-08:00

The Russell Show, Episode 2
The Show
Erotica

I am the author of the action/thriller, Pandora's Succession. Chapter 1 Excerpt.

The Artist Lounge Radio Show January 10, 2010

2010-01-11T11:43:00.000-08:00

I recite 3 poems.
Some content might be offensive to some listeners.

I'm the author of the action/thriller, Pandora's Succession. Chapter 1 excerpt.

The Russell Show Episode 1

2010-01-05T21:30:00.000-08:00

The Russell Show

My first attempt at reciting poetry on cam.

I'm the author of the new book, Pandora's Succession. Details

To the Last Bite

2009-12-21T20:17:00.000-08:00

Hello, everyone.

Here is the link to my debut short (crime) story, To the Last Bite. Please be advised not to eat while reading.

http://bit.ly/6qAIXj

Russell

The Artist Lounge Radio Show, December 13, 2009

2009-12-13T20:00:00.000-08:00

Tonight I received five poetry requests, my largest number yet. And, oh, I even sing near the end ;)

I come in around 29 minutes with my first recite.

Pandora's Succession, is Russell Brooks's debut novel. Fans of The Bourne Identity will enjoy this edge-of-your-seat action/thriller. Visit here and join the mailing list for free to receive excerpts.

I also slept with Tiger Woods. So when do I get paid to tell my story?

2009-12-11T11:03:00.000-08:00

By Russell Brooks

“I’m a former Canadian Track and Field team member, specializing in the 100 and 200 meter sprints as well as the 4x100 meter relay. I too slept with Tiger Woods. And yes, I’m a guy. The picture to the right is of me when he used to come see me for a lap dance.”

This statement, if it were true, would definitely create a media firestorm had it been published. Let’s face it. We all love gossip. Never mind that a lot of celebrity gossip damages reputations, ruins lives, and destroys families. This is why it does not surprise me to read about several women who are suddenly coming out of the woodwork claiming to have been Tiger Woods’s mistress. One should ask why is it that they’re coming out now? Why didn’t any of them come out before? Cocktail waitress, Jamie Grubbs, went as far as accepting an interview on the TV show, Extra, in order to express remorse for what she put Woods’s wife through. Rubbish! Whatever happened to a phone call, or email? Why was it so important that she go on a nationally syndicated television program to say that she had an affair with Tiger Woods? Grubbs’s case as well as all of the other women that came out (with more expecting to come) obviously illustrate their selfish desires to promote themselves at the expense of a well-known celebrity.

People that are otherwise unknown in media circles before celebrity scandals erupt, thus allowing them to profit from it, is nothing new. Take for instance, Ashley Dupre aka Elliot Spitzer’s call girl. Teeth gnashed across New York State in February 2008 when its residents learned how Governor Elliot Spitzer was spending their tax dollars. For those who are reading about Elliot Spitzer for the first time, allow me to summarize what he did that got him into hot water. Briefly put, Elliot Spitzer, Ashley swallowed; FBI agents catch them and get a free porn show at the same time; Spitzer loses job; Ashley’s music career (among other things) gets a huge thrust; The end.

One should appreciate that most celebrities, from famous actors to athletes, got to where they are today from using their talents, their intelligence, and their perseverance. That is exactly how Tiger Woods got to be the world’s greatest golfer and a household name. Yours truly dreams of being the next James Patterson, Barry Eisler, or Ian Fleming. Although self-promotion is an arduous task, I would definitely not choose to profit by bringing down a well-respected celebrity. Many celebrities have messed up at least once in their careers. Bill Clinton, John F Kennedy, and David Letterman—to name a few—have made serious blunders in their careers. Do most of us only think about their blunders whenever we read about them, or do we admire them for what they've done? Hopefully when Tiger Woods’s current problems blow over, he will still be remembered as a famous golfer. As for all of the so-called mistresses that believe that they have something to gain from selling their stories—knowing that it will damage Woods’s reputation, hopefully people will be smart enough to see through them and ignore them. As for Ashley Dupre, whether she wants to call herself a talented musician, or television personality, she will always be high-price prostitute to me.

Visit here to join the mailing list of my upcoming action/thriller, Pandora's Succession

Pandora's Succession. 1st three excerpts

2009-12-04T13:51:00.000-08:00

Pandora's Succession

Imagine if a destroyer of ancient civilizations was dormant under the polar ice caps...until now.

Excerpt 1

Excerpt 2

Excerpt 3

The first three excerpts of the action/thriller, Pandora's Succession, have been recorded and scored just like in the movies. If you want to find out what happens next, either visit www.Pandorabook1.com and subscribe to the mailinglist or email me at:

RussellBrooksWriter@gmail.com and I'll send you all ten excerpts.

So just sit back, relax, and enjoy the podcast.

How do Celebrity Books hurts real authors.

2009-11-28T11:43:00.000-08:00

How do Celebrity ~~Junk~~ Books hurt real authors.

I took part in a radio broadcast in October of this year where one caller asked me why is it that some of the most hated celebrities get book deals through the back door whereas real writers constantly get overlooked. I told her that although thousands of people may not like a particular person that may have gotten a book deal, publishers would take an interest in that person simply because the individual has a platform. In other words, the individual has a large enough fan base. And regardless of the person’s talent and credibility—or lack of in most cases—publishers stand to profit more on their investment than if they were to publish a novel from a lesser-known but more deserving author. Is this fair? No it isn’t. However in this day in age it has become a necessary evil in the publishing world to put money before talent. Bestselling author, John Irving (pictured on the right), said in an interview that he worries for new writers and admitted that his first novel would never have been published had it been written today. Why has this trend evolved? Is it because of the economy? Is it because of the rising popularity of digital over print media? Those may be the answers. However one fact that is overlooked is that readers also control the publishing industry. That’s right. It all comes down to the ones that choose to buy Celebrity Books. And I specify Celebrity Books and not books written by celebrities because almost all of them are ghostwritten. The only way that this unfortunate trend will change is if book lovers boycotted Celebrity Books just because they are celebrities and focus on writers with credibility.

A very good online acquaintance of mine and fellow author, Donna Carrick, said that when she approached agents with her book, she was turned down by all of them. Many of them gave her the same excuse: that Americans would not be interested in a story that takes place in China. I laughed when I read this, considering that The Bourne Supremacy (the novel, not the movie) took place in China and is a bestseller. The truth is that agents are gatekeepers for publishers and have established relationships with acquisition editors. Agents know what publishers are looking for, and it’s what’s hot at the moment. Take for instance, Sarah Palin. She’s had so much bad press in the past several months—mainly due to the fact that she could never back up her quotes (Remember the Katie Couric interview? ‘Nuff said). Yet, her book outsold Dan Brown’s latest thriller. Rupert Murdoch biographer, Michael Wolff, wrote in his column that Palin’s publisher, HarperCollins, “Does not really believe Sarah Palin has written a valuable book—or even that it is really a book, not in the way that HarperCollins has historically understood books, or in the way that people have counted on HarperCollins to have understood a book.” Add insult to injury, Palin did not even write her own book. This illustrates how publishers are so desperate that they will peddle celebrity junk to bookstores before effectively marketing quality books that are written by real authors.

The literary world is continuously going through major changes. Publishers are desperate to recover the millions that they’ve lost in books that either broke even on their initial investment or haven't sold well. Remember Joe The Plumber’s book? Yeah, he had a book too. At a book signing at Borders in Washington, DC in February, 2009, only eleven people attended, fewer remained behind to buy his book. Oh yeah. It crashed and burned, which serves his publisher right. This is the type of message that readers need to send to publishers more often. If more people exercised proper judgement, publishers would have no choice but to drop the fake Celebrity Books and invest more in quality fiction and non-fiction that are written by real authors. As for Palin’s book, all I’ll say is this. I already watched her numerous times on television make an ass of herself—for free. I won’t spend money reading about her doing it.

Russell Brooks is the author of the upcoming action/thriller, Pandora's Succession. Visit here to join the mailinglist to hear excerpts and receive updates.

Jacket blurb for the action/thriller, Pandora's Succession

2009-11-15T20:06:00.000-08:00

Imagine if a destroyer of ancient civilizations lay dormant under the polar ice caps…until now.

CIA operative, Ridley Fox, never stopped hunting his fiancé’s killers—a weapons consortium called The Arms of Ares. When an informant leads him to an old bunker outside of Groznyy, Chechnya, Fox is captured and left for dead. When the informant rescues him, Fox learns that his capture was no coincidence: someone had set him up—possibly another government agent. Fox barely escapes after learning that Ares has acquired a hyperdeadly microbe—called Pandora—that is believed to have wiped out ancient civilizations. The trail leads Fox to Tokyo where he discovers that other forces —including agents within Japanese Intelligence—want Pandora for themselves. The only ally Fox turns to is a woman from his past who he nearly got killed.

The first three chapters of the upcoming action/thriller, Pandora’s Succession, have been recorded and scored as they do in the movies. Visit http://www.pandorabook1.com and subscribe for free to receive serialized excerpts each week.

The Big Picture

Yeah, sucka. I got me a book deal. All I had to do was get my ass thrown in jail.

And the actor to star as Eddie Barrow, Jr., is...

Chill Run in pictures, Part II

Chill Run in pictures.

A big Thank You.

The Russell Show: Chill Run Contest Winners.

Win a Free eBook copy of Chill Run

You Gotta Read Covers

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

The Chill Tour.

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

How I'm preparing for a book launch.

Countdown to Chill Run--Part VIII

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

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

Countdown to Chill Run VII

Countdown to Chill Run--Part VI

Countdown to Chill Run--Part V

Countdown to Chill Run--Part IV

Countdown to Chill Run--Part III

Countdown to Chill Run--Part II

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

Coming soon...

Book Review: Chidren of the Fog.

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

The Russell Show: Clinton vs Jack.

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

The Russell Show: Nine Months and Going...Going...Gone!

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

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

Review - Paris is a Bitch, by Barry Eisler

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

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.

Paperback release

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

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

The Russell Show, featuring Justice Chikandamina.

So you got a bad review. Grow the f*ck up and move on!

What's next on the menu?

"Hey mom, I got suspended for defending myself."

The Russell Show, Featuring Into the Shadows, by Karly Kirkpatrick.

The Russell Show: How the neighbour pissed me off!

Dear Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Canadians came up with the idea first

The Russell Show February 2011

Lancelot's Lady: Book Review

Shaken, by JA Konrath: A book review.

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Thanks For Nothing, You Bastards! An open letter to the 60 House Members who voted against the 9/11 Health Care Bill.

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I'll be joining you later to sniff coke. I won't be long, it's only a DWI.

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Not a chapter, but still a teaser.

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The Russell Show, Erotic Poetry Series Part II

The Russell Show 8: I want Me A White Woman.

The Russell Show Erotic Poetry Series, Part 1

The Russell Show 6

The Russell Show 5

The Russell Show 5

I was fired today for voicing my opinion. I guess I should've shut up.

Did Eddie Murphy and Nickelodeon profit dishonestly?

Along Came a Spider.