Meet the Artist Monday: Charles DeSaxo

 
Name: Charles Lucy DeSaxo

Tell us about you:

I am a full-time voiceover artist with an acting and musical background – you may have seen me on TV or YouTube, where I have made appearances on shows such as LOST, North Shore, and several independent films. My background in the arts means that I am ready and more than able to study, learn, and conquer any characters in authors’ stories – to give them a new life beyond the pages of prose.

Further, I am also a writer and have successfully authored, published, and marketed several books on Amazon (both through print and Kindle) – and continue to sell books to this day. I have also directed the audiobook narration of a children’s book, which featured a performance from Jordan Segundo: the first finalist from Hawaii on the hit TV show, American Idol.

This unique background enables me to empathize and understand what it’s like to be in the author’s seat – because I am also one!   Beyond narration, I have an extensive work portfolio where I’ve done video game characters, YouTube announcements, radio jingles, corporate presentations, business voicemails, and even Android apps.

Tell us about your work:

I have a large assortment of titles narrated for authors on the ACX platform (and also work with Findaway Voices and directly with publishers).  My two most favorite genres to produce are women’s romance and inspirational stories.

Not many guys like to deal with women’s romance and erotica, but I find the genre both challenging and enjoyable.  Many of the novels I’ve produced, including those for Cara, actually do have relatable story lines and entertaining characters.  I appreciate it when the authors of these works inject a bit of humor and over-the-top situations here and there, in order for the reader (and narrator) to have a bit of a laugh and a reminder that the book is designed for enjoyment.

Tell us about the piece you are promoting:

I would like to promote Axis of Action: Hollywood Nights by Cara, as it’s the first title I’ve produced for her in particular.  The Audiobook is nearly finished with ACX QA and I estimate it will be released at the ending of April/beginning of May 2020.

Axis of Action has believable characters, yet funny moments (especially where a massage table is concerned).  I was able to flex my acting skills a bit by voicing all of the characters in the novel.  My favorite character, of course, was the male lead, Caleb, who is a Hollywood movie star with a complicated view regarding women and relationships.

Where can we find you on Social Media?

You can currently find me at charlesdesaxo.weebly.com, which contains a link to my official ACX profile.

Any live events you will be at this year? If so when and where/link if available:  None yet 😉  I hope to make a showing starting in 2021!

Meet the Artist Monday: Karen Lopez

Name: Karen Lopez

 

Tell us about you: I live in south Louisiana.  I love Louisiana and it has always been home, however, I love to travel.  I have a goal to learn to speak more Spanish in 2020, since so many of my family members are Spanish speakers and/or bilingual.  I am the oldest of four siblings, who I have a great relationship with.  Our parents are no longer living.  When I’m not writing, I coach people on their health goals.  Health is a broad term because to be truly “healthy” we need to be happy and to have our whole being well as in our emotional, mental and physical being.

 

Tell us about your work:  I enjoy writing books of fiction.  I have written several non-fiction pieces, but I’d like to focus on the fiction books and ideas for future writing.  SHAW POINT is my first published book.

 

Tell us about the piece you are promoting:  SHAW POINT is a historical fiction set during WWI in Virginia.  Martha is a young war widow whose life is greatly disrupted.  Her brave and bold decisions create some hardships and joy she would not have imagined.

 

Where can we find you on Social Media?

Facebook

Twitter

Amazon

Meet the Artist Monday: S. Johnson

Name(s): S.Johnson

Tell us about you: I am an Audiobook Narrator; my work covers the genres of Contemporary Romance and Self-Development.

Tell us about your work: 

I greatly enjoy narrating audiobooks and am finding the Romance genre to be a lot of fun. I get to explore different characters whether the romance is clean and wholesome or a little steamy!! Either way, the situations are out of the box and offer an adventure for the listener. My work in the self-development genre so far have been quite emotional and thought provoking. I leave that emotion in the recording because I suspect the reader feels it in the words they read; so, the listener should also. I would characterize my voice as calm and smooth; my wish is that listeners of books narrated by S. Johnson can hear that trait.

Tell us about the piece you are promoting:

Betrayal by Grantley Lewis

The Doctor’s Inn: A Private Practice by N.V. Hill

The High Price of Desire by Shauna Davis

Second Chances by Shauna Davis

Blue Girl Turned Gold: Vol 1 by Myesha Monique Collins and Various Authors

Blue Girl Turned Gold Volume 2: Transformation Within the Experience by Myesha Monique Collins and Various Authors

Night Music by Tara Fox Hall

The Real Wiz Kids (Book 1) by Mary Watson

Just Once More by Tammy Lynn

Ava’s Daily Inspiration: Life Changing Daily Quotes by Dr Ava Eagle Brown

Sweet Romance Novellas Collection Once by Kimberly Grell

Where can we find you on Social Media? 

Instagram

Facebook

Audible codes: sjohnnsonnarrator@gmail.com

Note from Cara: S. Johnson is also working on two Cara North titles!

Meet the Artist Monday: Stephen A.M. Johnson

Name: Stephen A.M. Johnson

Tell us about you: I am the creator, producer, writer and lead programmer (for the video games) of all things Everborn
Tell us about your work: Everborn is a collection of comic books novels and video games, each following different characters and tells the same story from their vantage points.
Tell us about the piece you are promoting: Everborn: Prince of Arcadia – Chapter 2

Where can we find you on Social Media?

Instagram

 

Meet the Artist Monday: Madeleine Holly-Rosing

Name(s): Madeleine Holly-Rosing

The writer/creator of the Boston Metaphysical Society graphic novel series, companion novel, and short stories, Madeleine has also run a number of successful crowding campaigns and published the book, Kickstarter for the Independent Creator.  She was also the winner of the Sloan Fellowship for screenwriting, and the Gold Aurora and Bronze Telly for a PSA produced by Women In Film as well as having won numerous awards while completing the UCLA MFA Program in Screenwriting.  Source Point Press is set to publish the first six issues and the trade paperback of Boston Metaphysical Society original graphic novel in 2019/2020.

Boston Metaphysical Society webcomic was the recipient of an Honorable Mention at the 2013 Geekie Awards and was nominated for Best Comic/Graphic Novel in 2014. The comic has also been nominated for a 2012 Airship Award as well as a 2013, 2014 and a 2015 Steampunk Chronicle Reader’s Choice Award. Her novella, Steampunk Rat, was also nominated for a 2013 Steampunk Chronicle Reader’s Choice Award.

Other comic projects include the short story, The Scout (The 4^th Monkey anthology), The Sanctuary (The Edgar Allan Poe Chronicles anthology), The Marriage Counselor (Cthulhu is Hard to Spell anthology) and the upcoming The Airship Pirate (The Rum Row anthology) and The Birth, (Stan Yak Vampire anthology).

The first novel in the series, Boston Metaphysical Society: A Storm of Secrets, was awarded a Silver Medal in the SciFi/Fantasy category as well as The Write Companion Award for Best Overall TOP PICK – Adult, Children’s and Young Adult categories in the Feathered Quill 2019 Book Awards.

Formerly a nationally ranked epee fencer, she has competed nationally and internationally. Madeleine is an avid reader of comics, steampunk, science fiction, fantasy, and historical military fiction.

Tell us about your work: For those not familiar with the series, it’s about an ex-Pinkerton detective, a spirit photographer, and a genius scientist who battle supernatural forces in late 1800s Boston.

It began as a TV Pilot I wrote when I was in the MFA Screenwriting Program at UCLA.  A friend suggested that I adapt it into a graphic novel. I took his advice, went back to school to learn how to write a comic and then produced the six issue mini-series. I know that makes it sound kind of easy, but it was anything but. I went through nine different artists before I found Emily and it took five years to produce all six issues while traveling to sell at conventions, learning how to run successful Kickstarters (and write a book about it), and maintaining the website. So whew!

Since the original series was completed, I’ve produced three short graphic novel sequels (The Scourge of the Mechanical Men, The Spirit of Rebellion, and Ghosts and Demons), as well as an anthology of short stories and novellas as well as a prequel novel and a coloring book all set in the Boston Metaphysical universe.

Tell us about the piece you are promoting:  Boston Metaphysical Society: The Complete Series trade paperback is the original six issue mini-series which includes the short story, Hunter-Killer. (The short story is exclusive to the trade paperback. The art is by Emily Hu with coloring by Gloria Caeli and Fahriza Kamaputra.)

The Boston Metaphysical Society: The Complete Series (Source Point Press) will be available to order from your local comic book store or Source Point Press starting March 27. So please support your local comic book store and Source Point today!

 

Where can we find you on Social Media?

Social Media:

Website: http://www.bostonmetaphysicalsociety.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BostonMetaphysicalSocietyComic/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mhollyrosing

Instagram:  http://www.instagram.com/mcholly1

Any live events you will be at this year? If so when and where/link if available:

Clockwork Alchemy. Hyatt Regency SFO, Burlingame. March 20-22

WonderCon. Anaheim Convention Center. April 10-12

Denver Pop Culture. Denver Convention Center.  July 2-5

San Diego Comic Con. San Diego Convention Center. July 22-26

Rose City Comic Con. Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR.  Sept. 11-13

LA Comic Con. Los Angeles Convention Center (Source Point Booth). Sept. 25-27

Gaslight Expo. Mission Valley Marriott, San Diego. Oct. 1-4

Meet the Artist Monday: Onrie Kompan

Name(s): Onrie Kompan

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tell us about you: Onrie Kompan is the Greatest Showman in Modern Comics! As the Creator/Writer/Producer of the YI SOON SHIN Trilogy and MARX: A TALE OF NEGLECT, Onrie has single handedly sold over 100,000 comics and graphic novels outside of the direct market.  Operating on the floor of comic conventions worldwide, he is the only creator in history to tackle and complete the 1500 Comic Book Battle at six of the largest conventions in the US.  A native of Chicago, Onrie is currently working alongside comics veteran David Anthony Kraft and a renowned film producer to bring YI SOON SHIN to the big screen.

Tell us about your work:  YI SOON SHIN is based on a true story set in the late 1500’s.  It tells the story of a warrior of real and epic proportions who is sworn by duty and honor to protect his people at all costs from the devastating and brutal Japanese regime that threatens to conquer his country.  All that stood against an invading army of samurai was one man who could not be defeated in battle.

 

 

 

Tell us about the piece you are promoting:  I am promoting my comic series, YI SOON SHIN and MARX.  I just want to let people know what it is and where they can find it!

 

 

Where can we find you on Social Media? 

 

 

Facebook: Onrie.Kompan

Twitter: @OKompan

Instagram: @okompan

Any live events you will be at this year?

I will be at a number of comic conventions this year including but not limited to—C2E2, ECCC, Planet Comic-Con, Indiana Comic-Con, Mega Con, Awesome Con, East Coast Comic-Con, Comicpalooza, Heroes Con, SDCC, Wizard World Chicago, Dragon Con, Fan X Salt Lake, LA Comic-Con, NYCC, Baltimore Comic-Con, Grand Rapids Comic-Con.

Meet the Artist Monday: USA Today Bestselling Author Russell Nohelty

Name: USA Today Bestselling Author Russell Nohelty

Tell us about you:

Russell Nohelty is a USA Today bestselling author, publisher, and speaker. He runs Wannabe Press , a small press that publishes weird books for weird people. Russell is the author of many novels, including Sorry for Existing, Invasion, The Vessel, My Father Didn’t Kill Himself, and for books in his popular Godsverse Chronicles universe, along with the creator of the Ichabod Jones: Monster Hunter, Gherkin Boy, Pixie Dust, and Katrina Hates the Dead graphic novels. He also edited the Monsters and Other Scary Shit and Cthulhu is Hard to Spell anthologies, which both raised over $25,000 on Kickstarter. To date, Russell Nohelty has raised over $135,000 on Kickstarter across nine projects.

You can check out his books for yourself by joining his mailing list where he’ll send you a collection of his books for free.

Tell us about your work: I am a writer of fantasy, sci-fi, and horror novels and graphic novels. The books I have released are listed above.

For the last several years, Russell has cataloged and documented his own journey to build a creative business. He interviewed hundreds of other successful creators and dissected their stories to find out how they built and sustained their careers. He compiled all the lessons, successes, and failures he learned into his creative academy, The Complete Creative, which includes, courses, a podcast, a blog, and two books How to Build a Creative Business, a practical guide to building a sustainable business as a creative, and How to Become a Successful Author, a focused compendium of everything Russell has learned becoming a six-figure author

Tell us about the piece you are promoting: you can find more about the project on Cthulhu is Hard to Spell

Where can we find you on Social Media?

Twitter
Instagram
Facebook

Any live events you will be at this year?  A list of all my appearances can be found here.

Meet the Artist Monday: Christie Shinn

Name(s): Christie Shinn/ HoraTora Studios
Tell us about you: I am an artist and I draw and say terrible things no one wants to address or talk about. I can draw pretty things, but at times I don’t feel like it.

Tell us about your work: So far my work has been addressed to the psyche or just shit people don’t like to talk about. I like exploring from my own personal experience healing and unfucking yourself as much as possible and somehow a lot of people like it. It gives them permission and space to actually feel all the things that we aren’t allowed to feel how we’re supposed to feel them, and somehow that makes people forgive. Demon Bitch is all about addressing hatred towards someone or people that have hurt you, and all the shit that comes from that and laughing at them. Then you forgive them because you’ve worked it out.

Tell us about the piece you are promoting: Demon Bitch has a Kickstarter called “Off the Wagon Panhandling Tour”. Her story is that she is a meat-bag of a she-demon who comes from the 13th level where people throw their dog shit and gum wrappers. She wants to bring the second coming of Armageddon but the first one never happened – because she is DUMB. I also had a pancreatic tumor removed last September, and I’m restricted in drinking – so that was commemorated by Tony making horrible alcoholic recipes that are well-crafted into this book.

Where can we find you on Social Media?
HoraToraStudios
Twitch
Patreon

WEBTOON link!

Facebook Live is on my Facebook: christie.shinn
IG, TWITTER, TIKTOK: @HoraToraStudios
IG: @DemonBitchOfficial
Twitter: @IAmDemonBitch

Any live events you will be at this year?
SheroCon: Westfield Culver City Mall 3/7/20
WonderCon: Anaheim Convention Center Artist’s Alley E-54 4/10-4/12
San Diego Comic-Con:  San Diego Convention Center N-05 Small Press 7/22-7/26

Book Spotlight: Personal Assistant

 

The Book

Frankie put in the application to be a personal assistant without thinking she would actually get the job. She did. Working for one of Hollywood’s most desirable actors and unabashed flirt proves to be more challenging than any job she has had before.
Of course, when the lines between work and play get blurry, she has to let him break a few rules to avoid breaking her heart.

The Backstory

Everyone knows I adore Jake Gyllenhaal so it was no surprise that I eventually started writing celebrities. The more I researched my Muse, the more I learned about actors and movies and television and so on and so on…until I had to do something with all of that information. Enter, Hollywood Nights. I have many books in this series now because I am having a great time writing them. So many of the experiences I give my characters is so far from my life and the lives of those I know best, it is just fun to go wild with them.

I have a couple titles for this series and I may call it an end, but I never know. The Muse inspires what he inspires.

Meet the Artist Monday: Sandra Johnson

Name(s): Sandra Johnson, Voiceover, the You Tube Channel

Tell us about you:

I am a Voiceover Artist. I have auditioned for quite a few projects with no success. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!!! My YouTube channel features my voice work.

 

I am an Audiobook Narrator, named S. Johnson on Audible and I have book excerpt videos for the books I have narrated.

My videos, however, have no live action. The videos are abstract digital art featuring voice and music. It is a little out of the ordinary; but it is catching on!

Tell us about your work:

Most of the videos are a romance journey; the flirty, the sexy, the sad, and the angry. We are all acquainted with this and my channel is my artistic portrayal of romance experiences. One playlist is an ongoing storyline. The audience hears how the couple met and their various interactions. I like to think the videos in this playlist are reminiscent old-time radio shows!

Tell us about the piece you are promoting:

Check out my channel! YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2GeD8bL

Where can we find you on Social Media? Instagram