Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite, authors of the powerful story, ONE OF THE GOOD ONES




LISTEN | WATCH
(note: the audio is the full conversation - video is a 12 min clip)


A HIGHLY ANTICIPATED BOOK BY POPSUGAR, MARIE CLAIRE, 
BUZZFEED, SHEREADS, AND THE EVERYGIRL… 

THE HATE U GIVE MEETS GET OUT IN AN HONEST AND POWERFUL EXPLORATION OF PREJUDICE IN THIS STUNNING NOVEL FROM SISTER-WRITER DUO AND AUTHORS OF DEAR HAITI, LOVE ALAINE… 

ONE OF THE GOOD ONES 

Maika Moulite & Maritza Moulite

Maika Moulite: My-yee-kuh Moo-leet

Maritza Moulite: Muh-rit-zuh Moo leet 

PRAISE FOR ONE OF THE GOOD ONES 

“…An emotionally hard-hitting account of police brutality, following martyred activist Kezi, her grieving younger sister, and the siblings’ ancestors, nearly a century before, facing a similar racially motivated loss… [A] riveting story about an all-too-familiar series of tragedies and the all-too-familiar attitudes that surround them.” –Publishers Weekly

“…Brilliant storytelling, sharp dialogue… An explosive look behind the hashtags at race and history, taking readers on a road trip mapped by love and grief. Close to perfection.” –Kirkus Reviews, STARRED Review

“A thrilling read for fans of historical and realistic fiction.” –School Library Journal, STARRED Review

“One of the Good Ones is more than a spectacular thriller — it’s also a compass, seeping into your soul and helping you redefine your true north. Impactful, insightful, and perfectly timed. Get ready. Maika and Maritza Moulite are the real deal.” –Brad Meltzer, bestselling author of The Escape Artist

“Thrilling and thrillingly intricate, genre-bending ONE OF THE GOOD ONES investigates intergenerational racial trauma through the eyes of three very different sisters while it testifies to the power of love and hope in spite of it. Astonishing!” —Laura Ruby, Two-Time National Book Award Finalist and Author of Bone Gap

“Maika and Maritza are illusionists; contortionists jam-packing 400 years of family and joy and humor and grief into a trunk; conjurers unearthing strange and sublime ways to tell a story that's both America's oldest and today's newest. One of the Good Ones is a magic trick.” –Damon Young

This winter, Inkyard Press is honored to be publishing Maika and Maritza Moulite’s second novel, ONE OF THE GOOD ONES (On-sale: January 5, 2021), which explores the raw and real terror of losing a sibling after a social justice rally, and what it means to be deemed “worthy” when you’re Black. 


ABOUT THE BOOK
When teen social activist and history buff Kezi Smith is killed under mysterious circumstances after attending a social justice rally, her devastated sister Happi and their family are left reeling in the aftermath. As Kezi becomes another immortalized victim in the fight against police brutality, Happi begins to question the idealized way her sister is remembered. Perfect. Angelic. One of the good ones.

Even as the phrase rings wrong in her mind—why are only certain people deemed worthy to be missed?—Happi and her sister Genny embark on a journey to honor Kezi in their own way, using an heirloom copy of The Negro Motorist Green Book as their guide. But there’s a twist to Kezi’s story that no one could’ve ever expected—one that will change everything all over again.

In ONE OF THE GOOD ONES, Maika and Maritza Moulite have written a powerful story that transcends the pages and takes a hard look at what it means to be “one of the good ones,” when being human should be enough.




ABOUT MAIKA
MAIKA MOULITE is a Miami native and the daughter of Haitian immigrants. She earned a bachelor’s in marketing from Florida State University and an MBA from the University of Miami. When she’s not using her digital prowess to help nonprofits and major organizations tell their stories online, she’s sharpening her skills as a PhD student at Howard University's Communication, Culture and Media Studies program. Her research focuses on representation in media and its impact on marginalized groups. She’s the eldest of four sisters and loves young adult novels, fierce female leads, and laughing.


ABOUT MARITZA
MARITZA MOULITE graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s in women’s studies and the University of Southern California with a master’s in journalism. She’s worked in various capacities for NBC News, CNN, and USA TODAY. Maritza is a PhD student at the University of Pennsylvania exploring ways to improve literacy in under-resourced
communities after being inspired to study education from her time as a literacy tutor and pre-k teacher assistant. Her favorite song is “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire.



Monday, February 22, 2021

Award-winning author Dr. Antonio Gomes talks about his new medical fiction novel, Have a Heart





Award-winning author Dr. Antonio Gomes shares his book, Have a Heart (Serving House Books, September 2020) explores the intertwined romantic and professional lives of three individuals. It explores a torpid romance between a patient, Anna, and her doctor, Ali, the clash of cultures, the political upheavals of our times, the tribulations of waiting for a heart transplant, and the search for inner truth. Fans of dance and the performance arts, films like The Red Shoes and Black Swan, and shows like ER and Grey’s Anatomy will love diving into this story.

Have a Heart is perfect for fans of dance and the performance arts, films like The Red Shoes and Black Swan, and shows like ER and Grey’s Anatomy. It’s engaging and heartwarming storytelling keeps readers interested from the start and hooked on every twist. A mix of cultures and historical moments make it easy for readers to connect.

ABOUT
António Gomes, also known as J. Anthony Gomes, is a Professor of Medicine at The Mount Sinai Medical Center, NYC. He has published extensively in Medicine including two textbooks of Cardiology, Signal Averaged Electrocardiography: Basic Concepts Methods and Application (Kluwer Academic Press, London/Amsterdam, 1993) and Heart Rhythm Disorders: History, Mechanisms and Management Perspectives (Springer-Nature, 2020). He has also published articles in the humanities in anthologies, books, newspapers, and magazines; two books of poetry entitled Visions from Grymes Hill (Turn of River Press, Stanford, Connecticut, USA, 1994) and Mirrored Reflections (GOA 1556 and Fundacão Oriente, 2013); and a novel, The Sting of Peppercorns (GOA, 1556 & Broadway Books, 2010); 2nd edition, Amaryllis, New Delhi, India, 2017) and Nas Garras Do Destino, published in Portugal and Brazil in May 2019 by Chiado Editora, Brake Media, Lisbon, Portugal.

Writer/director Anna Kerrigan talks about her powerful film, COWBOYS, a soulful connection of two misunderstood outsiders




Writer/director Anna Kerrigan’s COWBOYS, a soulful connection of two misunderstood outsiders which blazed a trail through the festival circuit (Tribeca - Best Screenplay & Best Actor, Outfest, NewFest, etc), and will release in virtual cinemas and on VOD February 12th from Samuel Goldwyn.

The modern-day intimate western is a deeply touching family story - Steve Zahn stars as a troubled but well-intentioned father who has recently separated from his wife Sally, played by Jillian Bell. Aghast at Sally’s refusal to let their trans son, played by talented newcomer Sasha Knight, live as his authentic self, he runs off with their son into the Montana wilderness, with the local police force, led by Faith (Ann Dowd), in hot pursuit.

Releasing in Virtual Cinemas and on VOD February 12

Writer/DirectorAnna Kerrigan

Starring:
Steve Zahn, Jillian Bell, Ann Dowd, Gary Farmer, Bob Stephenson, Chris Coy, John Reynolds, & introducing Sasha Knight

Synopsis:
Steve Zahn stars as Troy, a troubled but well-intentioned father who has recently separated from his wife Sally (Jillian Bell). Aghast at Sally's refusal to let their trans son Joe (Sasha Knight) live as his authentic self, Troy runs off with Joe into the Montana wilderness. Meanwhile, police detective (Ann Dowd) pursues them, but her resolve about the case is tested the more she learns about Joe's family. COWBOYS, a modern day Western from director Anna Kerrigan, is a tale of rescue, family betrayal and a father and son on the run.

Genre: Drama
Runtime: 83 minutes










Saturday, February 20, 2021

Coming up on KUCI 88.9fm! Chelsea Christer- Director Of Bleeding Audio - Slamdance Official Selection

 







ABOUT BLEEDING AUDIO
A documentary about The Matches and their experience with the changing music industry.

Told through the eyes of quirky, charming, and humble bandmates: Shawn, Jon, Matt, and Justin, Bleeding Audio is an intimate portrait detailing The Matches' promising career, defeating break up, and inspiring reunion, as they reflect on what success truly means for musicians in today's digital industry.
The Matches’ story overlaps with the drastic changes the music industry has undergone in the past several years. From declining record sales, to excessive touring, to illegal downloading and streaming. This documentary uses The Matches history and recent reunion to dig deeper into the root of the challenges the average musician faces in the digital age of the industry, and how artists can navigate their careers today.

Bleeding Audio features interviews from The Matches, their family and music industry friends; including Nick Hexum of 311, Mark Hoppus of Blink 182, Cassadee Pope from The Voice, Biffy Clyro, Plain White T’s, Motion City Soundtrack, Zebrahead, and more!


Chelsea Christer
Director | Producer | Filmmaker


ABOUT CHELSEA

Originally from the wild west of Colorado, Chelsea Christer currently works as a filmmaker in San Francisco. She’s directed two fiction short films (We’re Just Like You, 2010, and Sierra, 2012). Both have screened at multiple festivals domestic to the US including the Arizona International Film Festival and the BleedFest Film Festival, and internationally at the Jennifer’s Bodies Horror Film Festival in Scotland and Women in Media & Arts Film Festival in Australia. She is in post production on her first feature documentary, Bleeding Audio, which is set to premiere in 2020.

With several new narrative scripts in the early stages of development, Chelsea is passionate about creating intimate films that subvert the understanding audiences have of the mental, physical, and economical struggle musicians face in the digital era of the industry today. Outside of music, her stories focus on individual human experiences and how that affects our relationships with each other and our communities.

With her extensive experience in the documentary space, she is a strong interviewer and is able to ease her subjects to get vulnerable and authentic stories told no matter what the topic. She has an interest in everyone’s journeys and what drives them, and it shows when she engages her subjects in on-camera interviews.

Chelsea has traveled the world, producing and directing films for companies like Google, Adobe, HP, and Dolby. These productions have taken her all across the US and abroad to Japan, across Europe, Australia, and rural India. She works as a producer and director for Across the Pond, an award winning production agency.

3 random fun facts:

  1. I’ve had blue hair since 2008 & haven’t turned back. Why? It’s fun & I love it.

  2. I have a black & white pattern addiction: there is an 84% possibility that I am wearing black & white stripes or houndstooth at any given moment. There is a 100% possibility I’m wearing one of them as I type this. There is a 50% chance you will guess which one.

  3. I’m a bonafide cowgirl, and an excellent horseback rider.


www.chelsmark.com

Friday, February 19, 2021

Chang-Rae Lee discusses MY YEAR ABROAD, one of the most anticipated books of the year




Chang-rae Lee is the author of Native Speaker, winner of the Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award for first fiction, as well as On Such a Full Sea, A Gesture Life, Aloft, and The Surrendered, winner of the Dayton Peace Prize and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. He teaches writing at Stanford University.




"Native Speaker, Lee's ground-breaking debut, paved the way for an entire generation of novelists responding to the ever-changing face of America, myself included. For a quarter century now, from book to book, he has explored the ever-urgent themes of alienation, assimilation, and identity with unmatched assurance and acuity. He has redefined not only what it means to be American, but the fabric of the Great American Novel itself." — JHUMPA LAHIRI


ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF THE YEAR

MY YEAR ABROAD

FROM AWARD-WINNING & CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF

NATIVE SPEAKER, A GESTURE LIFE, ALOFT, THE SURRENDERED & ON SUCH A FULL SEA

CHANG-RAE LEE




“An extraordinary book, acrobatic on the level of the sentence, symphonic across its many movements—and this is a book that moves…My Year Abroad is a wild ride—a caper, a romance, a bildungsroman, and something of a satire of how to get filthy rich in rising Asia.” —VOGUE.COM

“Chang-rae Lee's electric new novel has the kind of kinetic energy that makes reading it feel like a full body experience, leaving you wondering and in awe of where exactly it will take you next… a virtuosic, wildly original book — one that cements Lee's status as one of the most exciting writers working today.” —REFINERY29

“Dickens meets globalism in this new work from one of our most celebrated writers.” —OPRAHMAG.COM


“This literary whirlwind has Lee running on all cylinders.”—«PUBLISHERS WEEKLY«


“Lee is supreme, and this high-velocity, shocking, and wise novel…is emitting an irresistible magnetic force.” —«BOOKLIST«


“Lee is masterful from passage to passage…A sage study in how readily we’re undone by our appetites.” —KIRKUS REVIEWS


“My Year Abroad is a novel of astonishing wit and wisdom and scope, a globe-spanning story about those powerful first youthful encounters with love and evil and heartbreak and beauty. It’s also, by the way, enormously fun to read.

Chang-rae Lee is, clearly, a master.” —NATHAN HILL


“With great generosity, and in a searching, democratic spirit, Chang-rae Lee describes the enticements, mirages, pleasures and catastrophes that attend not only the pursuit of wealth but the pursuit of happiness in all its forms, romantic, domestic, and, yes, gustatory. In Pong Lou, he has given American literature a character who deserves his place among other tragic dreamers, from Gatsby to J.R.” —JEFFREY EUGENIDES

WITH VIRTUAL EVENTS SCHEDULED THROUGHOUT FEBRUARY 2021

A deeply influential writer about race, class and immigrant life in America, Chang-rae Lee has built a dazzling reputation as “a spellbinder” (The Hartford Courant), “a master craftsman” (The Washington Post), and “one of our most silken storytellers” (The Boston Globe) and been honored with top prizes including a PEN/Hemingway Prize, Dayton Literary Peace Prize, Asian American Literary Award, Pulitzer finalist and Neustadt International Prize for Literature nomination. After the publication of his last novel On Such a Full Sea the Los Angeles Times declared: “Who is a greater novelist than Chang-rae Lee today?”

Already named one of the most anticipated books of 2021 by Vogue.com, OprahMag.com, CNN and more, MY YEAR ABROAD (On sale February 2, 2021) marks Lee’s return to the bright, rich exuberance that first made his name 25 years ago on Riverhead's very first list, with Native Speaker.

At the heart of MY YEAR ABROAD is Tiller, an unassuming college student whose ordinary life is turned upside down when he embarks on a wild trip around the globe with a charismatic, irresistible Chinese American business man named Pong. With Pong's richly varied interests and skills, enviable resources, and loyal circle of friends and business partners, he represents a life that Tiller has never imagined. Tiller is catapulted into a world of luxury, but in the process he's pulled into a series of wholly unexpected experiences--some humorous, some heartbreaking, some darkly shocking, and all of which will alter the course of his life. A year later, he finds himself living with an older woman and her son, and quickly slips from one life to another as he processes all he's experienced. Told in alternating storylines, Tiller's tale weaves back and forth between his outlandish, memorable year with Pong, and the domestic adulthood that replaces it.

As we observe Lee’s vibrant cast of characters eat, drink, work and play to the extreme, we’re left to wonder: Why are we so hungry? What are we so yearning from this world and this life, and what might we do in our desperate search for it? In prose that is endlessly energetic and tender, MY YEAR ABROAD is at once funny, profound, and moving as it explores contemporary ideas of cultural immersion, capitalism, racial stereotypes and even mental health – all with that startlingly imaginative writing readers expect from Chang-rae Lee.


ABOUT
Chang-rae Lee is the author of Native Speaker, winner of the Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award for first fiction, as well as On Such a Full Sea, A Gesture Life, Aloft, and The Surrendered, winner of the Dayton Peace Prize and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. He teaches writing at Stanford University.


MY YEAR ABROAD • Chang-rae Lee • Riverhead Book





Monday, February 15, 2021

Janeane speaks with producer/director Céline Cousteau (of Cousteau family legacy) about her documentary TRIBES ON THE EDGE




Synopsis:

Building on a family legacy of exploration and environmental filmmaking, director Céline Cousteau journeys to the Brazilian Amazon at the request of tribal leaders in order to bear witness to the indigenous communities' fight for survival. Cousteau shares their rarely seen stories of cultural pride and traditional way of life set against the legacy of colonialism, and documents the ever-present threats to their land and health crises triggered by contact with outsiders. Tribes on the Edge follows these indigenous communities fighting to protect their home – a home that is critical to the ecological balance of our planet, and as a result...these communities protect us. 

Take a look at trailer here: : https://vimeo.com/322789465


     photo credit: www.célinecousteau.com


Directed by Céline Cousteau

RT: 78 mins / Not Rated


‘Their survival could be ours’


TRIBES ON THE EDGE follows filmmaker Céline Cousteau as she returns to the Brazilian Amazon after a fateful email from Beto of the Marúbo tribe beckons her back to help tell his people’s story. Céline ventures into the heart of the jungle to explore the health crises and the threats to land and human rights of the Indigenous Peoples of the Vale do Javari, expanding the view to how this is relevant to our own lives. From a history of invaders bringing devastating diseases all the more relevant in our current global pandemic, to the ongoing illegal activities including hunting, gold mining and deforestation, to the alarming dismantling of all protection of their land and human rights by the Brazilian government. Much more than a narrative of tribal reality in the Amazon, the film provides a perspective on how our future is interwoven with theirs and with nature. The indigenous communities are fighting to protect their home, critical to the ecological balance of our planet, and as a result...they protect us.


TRIBES ON THE EDGE is directed, produced and co-written by Céline Cousteau. Céline comes from a prominent lineage of explorers, and as a humanitarian and environmental activist she works with a variety of mediums that range from documentaries to art, from consulting with corporations and foundations to public speaking. She is also the founder and executive director of CauseCentric Productions. Extending her family legacy and her expertise, Céline co-founded The Outdoor Film Fellowship, a nonprofit program whose mission is to empower the next generation of filmmakers, creatives, and activists to inspire change through leadership, film, and the arts. Céline is ambassador for the TreadRight Foundation and on the board of directors of the National Aquarium in Baltimore. TRIBES ON THE EDGE is Céline’s first full feature documentary. The film is co-written by Joseph Kwong and Executive Produced by Bill Miller, Mercedes Zobel, James Cox and Çapkin Van Alphen.


TRIBES ON THE EDGE took home the Special Jury Award at the Brazil International Film Festival, and the Impact Award at the Philadelphia Environmental Film Festival. Additional festivals include Black Hills International Film Festival (Global Reach Award), ART & TUR International Film Festival (Ethnography and Society Award), United Nations Association Film Festival, San Diego International Film Festival, Earth X Festival, Jackson Wild Media Summit, Vision Du Reel Film Festival, San Francisco Green Film Festival, National Geographic Exodus Aveiro Festival (Portugal) and One Earth Film Festival.



TRIBES ON THE EDGE premieres on VOD beginning February 2

including iTunes, Amazon, Vudu, Google Play and YouTube

Visit official website for full list of available platforms: https://tribesontheedge.com/


Trailer:

https://vimeo.com/322789465


Connect with us here:

Facebook: @TribesOnTheEdge

Instagram: @TribesOnTheEdge

Twitter: @celinecousteau


Session musician, solo artist and founder of Guitar Cloud Symposium - Jennifer Batten, who has played with Michael Jackson, Jeff Beck and so many others



DWEEZIL ZAPPA GUEST STARS AT GUITAR CLOUD SYMPOSIUM,
FEBRUARY 19-22

Online Immersive Learning Course Features Founder Jennifer Batten and Superstar Instructors Nili Brosh, Vicki Genfan, Daniele Gottardo, Mark Lettieri, Gretchen Menn, and David Walliman


FEBRUARY 19 -22, 2021 • Register Here






Portland, OR – February 4, 2021 – The astounding guitarist Dweezil Zappa — who is also the foremost musicologist, interpreter, evangelist, and performer of the Frank Zappa catalog — joins the party at the February 19-22 Guitar Cloud Symposium.

Appearing at an exclusive Monday February 22 hang-out for registrants of the four-day online seminar, Zappa will be available to talk about his legendary father, discuss his Runnin' with the Dweezil podcast on the late Eddie Van Halen, detail the "humane technology" of his Reward Music initiative, share his views on guitar gear and technique, and much more! Free sponsor giveaways are also scheduled during the Dweezil Zappa meet and greet.

Jennifer Batten's acclaimed Guitar Cloud Symposium guitar mastery program teaches deep creative concepts, innovative techniques, and targeted stylistic disciplines — all designed to nurture and empower guitarists who wish to truly advance their skill set on the instrument.

The exclusive February 19-22 curriculum offers the following learning modules and teachers:

Jennifer Batten: The GCS founder and former guitarist for Michael Jackson and Jeff Beck offers Tapping 2.0 Basics (and Going Deeper), Intervallic Playing 2.0, and Enhanced Expression Using the Tremolo Bar and Whammy Pedal.

Nili Brosh: Fresh from joining Danny Elfman's band (and formerly with Tony MacAlpine and Cirque du Soleil), Brosh teaches Aspects of Melodic Soloing (note choice, creating tension and release, emotive articulations through slides and bending techniques, and the fundamentals of phrasing).

Mark Lettieri: The phenomenal Snarky Puppy guitarist reveals his approach to Funk Rhythm Guitar.

David Walliman: Finding Your Hook, Reconnecting to Your Inner Musician and bringing out all the ideas that are inside of you through the guitar.

Daniele Gottardo: Chordal Tapping II, Adding Rhythmic Variety to Your Leads.
Vicki Genfan: Acoustic Percussive Techniques 2.0, Jamming in Open D, Fingerpicking Fundamentals.

Gretchen Menn: Developing Your Ear, Music Theory II: Modes, Harmonics II.

In addition, the February 19-22 Guitar Cloud Symposium session ensures there are ample "question periods" for students to personally interact with the instructors after each module. And, of course, Guitar Cloud Symposium experiences are all about mentoring opportunities and having fun while learning.

The growing GCS community features an active Members Only Facebook page and free monthly Zoom chats for alumni, as well as alumni registration discounts.
Register now at https://guitarcloudsymposium.com/register




About Guitar Cloud Symposium:
Guitar Cloud Symposium (GCS) is an all-new virtual guitar mastery program, and the brainchild of Jennifer Batten (Michael Jackson/Jeff Beck guitarist). GCS was born from her desire to empower the modern musician with lessons learned from her decade-long world tours with Michael Jackson and playing alongside guitar icon Jeff Beck.

One of the early graduates of Musicians Institute (MI), Batten was also an instructor, and became known for her musical versatility, creativity, and innovation, as well as her excellence in guitar education. Jennifer Batten’s Guitar Cloud Symposium instructors are personally vetted by Batten and meet her rigorous criteria. The Guitar Cloud Symposium brings students of all levels a mix of techniques, styles, wisdom, insights, and fun!

The roster of instructors includes Jennifer Batten, Angela Petrilli, Vicki Genfan, Gretchen Menn, Nili Brosh, and Daniele Gottardo, and is quickly growing to include other world-class guitarists. Instructors offer a wealth of knowledge from their onstage experience, in the recording studio, and from their years of teaching musical subjects they are passionate about. Their desire is to connect with players around the globe and help students unlock their creative potential. Learn more: guitarcloudsymposium.com.


Thursday, February 11, 2021

Watch David Fishof, COO Rock N' Roll Fantasy Camp, talk about the making of ROCK CAMP - THE MOVIE, his background as a sports agent, entertainment executive and music producer, and how he started the hugely successful Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp in 1996 with rock star "counselors" such as, Roger Daltrey, Alice Cooper, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, Nancy Wilson, Joe Perry, Jeff Beck, Slash, and countless other rock legends.



ABOUT ROCK CAMP

Get a backstage pass into the inspiration behind Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp, follow four campers through their journey to shred with their heroes and see how they overcome their fears and transform their lives. Rock stars remember their humble beginnings and reconnect with their love of music.

Directed by Doug Blush & Renée Barron
Produced by Jeff Rowe & Doug Blush


INCLUDING

Alice Cooper
Roger Daltrey
Sammy Hagar
Judas Priest
Joe Perry
Gene Simmons
Paul Stanley
Nancy Wilson
Teddy “Zig Zag” Andreadis
Vinny Appice
Tony Franklin
Rudy Sarzo
and many more…






FROM FILMMAKER DOUG BLUSH WHOSE EDITING AND PRODUCING CREDITS INCLUDE THREE OSCAR-WINNING FILMS 20 FEET FROM STARDOM, PERIOD. END OF SENTENCE. AND ICARUS

IN THEATERS / VIRTUAL CINEMAS
STARTING THIS FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2021
IN NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES, SAN FRANCISCO, CHICAGO, MIAMI, WASHINGTON, DC AND 100+ ADDITIONAL CITIES NATIONWIDE – SEE BELOW

THEN: ON DEMAND EVERYWHERE
INCL. APPLE TV & AMAZON VIDEO
STARTING FEBRUARY 16, 2021

TRAILER - WATCH NOW!

As seen on ABC News, RollingStone.com, Billboard,
Consequences of Sound, and more!




SYNOPSIS

Summer camp meets Spinal Tap as we journey to Rock' n' Roll Fantasy Camp, where dreamers from across America and around the world gather to shred with their heroes - and learn to rock like the legends.

Rock Camp is an institution and cultural phenomenon that has been going on in Los Angeles, New York, and other cities since 1996. Rock Camp is the brainchild of music producer David Fishof. It boasts a jaw-dropping array of rock star "counselors" that include Roger Daltrey, Alice Cooper, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, Nancy Wilson, Joe Perry, Jeff Beck, Slash, and countless other rock legends.

Directed and produced by Doug Blush, co-directed and edited by Renee Barron, and produced by Jeff Rowe, Rock Camp, The Movie takes us back more than four decades to the beginnings Fishof's career as a sports agency and eventually an entertainment executive and music producer. Fishof founded Rock' n' Roll Fantasy Camp, which has been making dream comes true for more than 25 years. The camp brings together musicians from all walks of life for an unforgettable experience with legendary rock stars. These musicians teach, inspire, and jam with the campers over four days., concluding with a life performance at a famed venue.

The experience takes music lovers from spectator to the stage, sharing the limelight with their musical heroes. Rock Camp, The Movie follows four campers (and their families) through their journeys to shred with their heroes and see how they overcome their fears and transform their lives.

Blush is an award-winning director, producer, editor, and cinematographer. His credits include, as editor, the Oscar and ACE Eddie Award winning 20 Feet from Stardom (2013), as executive producer, the Oscar winning Period. End of Sentence. (2018) and, as consulting producer and editor, the Oscar winning Icarus (2017).



THEATRICAL BOOKINGS – VIRTUAL CINEMA RELEASE

OPENS THIS FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2021


NEW CITIES/THEATERS ADDED – OPENS FRIDAY 1/15

NYC based singer-songwriter, Joanie Leeds, joins Janeane to talk about her GRAMMY nominated album, "ALL the Ladies"






NYC based singer-songwriter Joanie Leeds has won 1st place in the USA Songwriting Competition, an Independent Music Award, a Gold Parents’ Choice Award, NAPPA Gold Award, Family Choice Award and is a John Lennon Songwriting Award Finalist and an International Songwriting Competition Finalist. Joanie has played at Lollapalooza, Clearwater Festival, The Kennedy Center & Lincoln Center, Wolftrap and Levitt Pavilion.

 Her music has been featured in The New York Times People Magazine, Parents Magazine, Billboard and The Washington Post. Joanie’s 9th Children’s album, All the Ladies is a female empowerment folk collection produced by Lucy Kalantari and just released in April 2020.


 "ALL the Ladies" album was nominated for a GRAMMY®.

 

The album is currently up for:

BEST CHILDREN'S ALBUM

Album name: All the Ladies

Artist: Joanie Leeds

To listen, videos & press, feel free to visit joanieleeds.com

As the only female nominee in the children's category this year, All the Ladies' message proves to be more important than ever. On the surface, the 11 children's songs focus on gender equality, female empowerment, breaking glass ceilings, lifting up other women and telling the story of late Supreme Court justice, RBG. Underneath, the album is a call to action: More female representation in the music industry.

I was inspired to create my album with an all-female team consisting of 20 diverse women. I wrote most of the songs while in the middle of a divorce & custody battle over my then 3 year old daughter and often alternated days in court and days recording in the studio with producer, engineer & arranger GRAMMY® Winner, Lucy Kalantari.


All the Ladies released with a powerful online music festival with 17,000 viewers at the start of the pandemic, just after International Women’s Day, RBG's birthday and in the same year as the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment, which granted women the right to vote in 1920.



Wednesday, February 10, 2021

From Super Bowl champion and literacy crusader Malcolm Mitchell comes an exciting new story that shows even reluctant readers that there is a book out there for everyone! My Very Favorite Book in the Whole Wide World by Malcolm Mitchell


From Super Bowl champion and literacy crusader Malcolm Mitchell comes an exciting new story that shows even reluctant readers that there is a book out there for everyone!

ABOUT THE BOOK
Meet Henley, an all-around good kid, who hates to read. When he's supposed to be reading, he would rather do anything else. But one day, he gets the scariest homework assignment in the world: find your favorite book to share with the class tomorrow.

What's a kid to do? How can Henley find a story that speaks to everything inside of him?

Malcolm Mitchell, bestselling author of The Magician's Hat, pulls from his own literary triumph to deliver another hilarious and empowering picture book for readers of all abilities. Through his advocacy and his books, Malcolm imparts the important message that every story has the potential to become a favorite.

Dr. Ramos, an Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor at Keck University of Southern California School of Medicine joins Janeane on KUCI 88.9fm




Dr. Ramos, a health professional with the American College of Obstetricians
 and Gynecologists (ACOG) joins Janeane on KUCI 88.9fm.

ACOG has been the nation’s leading group of experts in women’s healthcare for 60+ years, caring for millions of women. And now the organization is releasing a new book that empowers pregnant women and new moms. There are obviously a lot of pregnancy books out there, but this one is truly a gamechanger for women.

"Your Pregnancy and Childbirth: Month to Month" (releasing on Jan. 26) is focused on shared decision-making in healthcare, so women can feel empowered in their choices rather than having medical decisions dictated to them. The language is more conversational and includes some updates on how to manage work, travel prenatal visits and breastfeeding during COVID.


Diana Ramos, MD talks about:
  • Exercise during and after pregnancy – what exercises are safe during and after pregnancy
  • Weight management including the proper diet and exercise plan
  • Maternal mortality - common causes and ways to prevent or treat life-threatening pregnancy-related conditions
  • Complications in pregnancy such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes

ABOUT
Laguna Beach resident Dr. Diana Ramos, adjunct assistant clinical professor at USC’s Keck School of Medicine, who is the first Latinx woman, as well as the first public health physician, to hold the position of president of the Orange County Medical Association.


Monday, February 8, 2021

Janeane speaks with Nikki Duslak and Amber Karlins, Founders of CREATE Conservatory, STEM Education Through Arts Integration


CREATE Conservatory’s mission is to build strong educational foundations in STEM education through arts integration. Up-and-coming private elementary school.
createconservatory.com



ABOUT NICOLE
Nicole Duslak (CREATE Founder and Head of School) had been dreaming about revolutionizing education for years, but it was the experience of having a gifted, creative young son with limited primary school options that prompted her to take the leap and bring her vision to life in central Florida.

Nicole holds a BFA in Fine Arts, an M.Ed. in Secondary Education, and an M.Ed in Education Leadership and Policy Studies and is an award-winning educator with extensive administration experience who has been involved with the education system from kindergarten through higher education. She has published work in school counseling, arts integration, the Pearson Formative Writing Assessments, and the Drama Standards for the state of Florida.

Nicole brings to central florida education "Relationship-Centered Leadership." Her empathy, integrity, passion for creative development, and desire to improve both education options and leadership standards have made CREATE Conservatory the new rising star in Lake County schools.



ABOUT AMBER
Amber Karlins (CREATE Conservatory Board Chair) is an award-winning writer and educator who works in a variety of styles, mediums, and genres. As a screenwriter, she has won nearly 2-dozen international awards, including Best Screenplay at the Charleston International Film Festival. Her nonfiction writing has been published everywhere from McSweeney's Internet Tendency to Oxford University Press, and her book-length work of creative nonfiction, My Year of Living Fearlessly, was published by Gollehon Books in 2011. She is also a novelist and produced playwright.

In 2015, she also began serving as a contributing editor at the Heroine Collective, a London-based web magazine dedicated to sharing the stories of extraordinary women throughout history. That project has inspired a children's book, which is forthcoming. In addition to her work with the Heroine Collective, she also volunteers her time as a writer with the United Nations, where she has helped edit and create content for NGOs working to increase access to quality education and break the generational cycle of poverty.

When she's not writing, Amber is busy working as a full-time professor of English at Lake-Sumter State College, where she teaches courses in composition, creative writing, theatre, literature and film. In 2017, she was named the Association of Florida College's Professor of the Year in recognition of her innovative, engaging instructional practices. She is a summa cum laude graduate of the University of South Florida, and she holds a master's degree in Drama from Tufts University.


Thursday, February 4, 2021

Gretl Claggett was named the inaugural winner of AMC Network’s BEST FEMALE CREATOR Award at Stareable Fest 2020 for her independent short film / long-form narrative pilot, STORMCHASER. She chats with Janeane about her inspiration behind climate- and socio-political driven themes in storytelling.



One only has to follow the news — Global Warming, Disaster Capitalism, Trump, Bullying, #MeToo, Ageism, Sexism, Racism, a Country Divided and Shrinking Middle Class — to see the consequences of a predatory society. STORMCHASER aims to explore these inflammatory issues by looking at both the noble ambitions and dog-eat-dog urges that make people so damn complicated, asking: How do we stop the storm of violence in our culture where we’re all complicit — even when we’re oppressed by forces that seem so much larger than ourselves?

STORMCHASER has been selected by 45 festivals to date, and has won multiple Best Director, Best Short Film/Pilot, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Acting/Best Ensemble Cast, Best VFX and Best Original Score Awards.




Gretl is currently developing STORMCHASER into an episodic anthology series, while writing/developing two other female-forward shows/films that also grapple with socio-political issues in entertaining, surprising ways.

Here is the Creator’s Message which includes the trailer as a sneak peek into the film.
STORMCHASER CREATOR STATEMENT WITH TRAILER

Director. Writer. Filmmaker

Experiential Creative Director.
IMDb
gretlclaggett.com
STORMCHASER Trailer
STORMCHASER Website
FLIP THE SWITCH Trailer
FLIP THE SWITCH Website
Happy Hour
Happy Hour Trailer
LinkedIn

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

Sharon G. Flake’s bestselling, Coretta Scott King Award-winning novel, The Skin I’m In, redefined young adult literature when it was first published in 1998. Sharon G. Flake chats with Janeane about her forthcoming book, The Life I'm In



Since it's groundbreaking debut more than 20 years ago, The Skin I'm In, had a tremendous impact which has stood the test of time, continuing to influence teens, parents, teachers, and educators, among others. Sharon G. Flake takes on tough issues around race, self-esteem, self-protection and empowerment. Prior to becoming an author, Sharon was a counselor for teens at a foster placement agency, a job which she excelled at and also gave her insight into teens, adoption, foster parenting, and more. 


“Before incredible movements and monikers like Black Girls Rock, Black Girl Magic, and Well-Read Black Girl, there was The Skin I’m In.” —Jason Reynolds


THE LIFE I’M IN

A SISTER NOVEL TO THE BESTSELLING, THE SKIN I’M IN

BY THREE-TIME CORETTA SCOTT KING AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR,

SHARON G. FLAKE


★ “A VIVID AND IMPORTANT DEPICTION OF THE STRUGGLES

OF TOO MANY TEENS.”—KIRKUS REVIEWS, STARRED REVIEW

★ “A MUCH-DESIRED SISTER NOVEL”—BOOKLIST, STARRED REVIEW



"The best part of my gig is that I get to meet, hug and engage with young people. And that years later, many of those young people (along with their teachers and parents) say that my work has impacted their lives in some significant way. If I had to do it all over again, I would still want to be an author who writes for young people of all ages." —Sharon G. Flake


Sharon G. Flake’s bestselling, Coretta Scott King Award-winning novel, The Skin I’m In, redefined young adult literature when it was first published in 1998. It presented characters, voices, and real-world experiences that had not been fully seen before, and has since gone on to become a modern classic. Now, over twenty years later, Scholastic Press is proud to publish its powerful and long-anticipated sister novel, THE LIFE I’M IN (On sale January 5, 2020). Told from the perspective of the bully in The Skin I’m In, THE LIFE I’M IN presents the unflinching story of Char, a young woman trapped in the underworld of human trafficking.


In THE LIFE I’M IN, readers follow Charlese Jones, who, with her raw, blistering voice speaks the truths many girls face, offering insight to some of the causes and conditions that make a bully. Turned out of the only home she has known, Char boards a bus to nowhere where she is lured into the dangerous web of human trafficking. Much is revealed behind the complex system of men who take advantage of vulnerable teens in the underbelly of society. While Char might be frightened, she remains strong and determined to bring herself and her fellow victims out of the dark and back into the light, reminding readers why compassion is a powerful cure to the ills of the world.

Skillfully peeling back the layers of Char’s inner world to show bullies don’t just appear, they’re mean for a reason, THE LIFE I’M IN is at once a timely, radical story of a girl on the brink, and a gripping exploration in to the power of human empathy.

SHARON G. FLAKE exploded onto the literary scene with her novel The Skin I'm In, in 1998, and was named a Publishers Weekly Flying Start. Since then she has become a multiple Coretta Scott King Author Honor Award winner and many of her novels have received ALA Notable and Best Books for Young Adults citations from the American Library Association. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Please visit Sharon's website at sharongflake.com.

Awards & Recognition


Coretta Scott King Honor Award


Kirkus Review Top Ten Book of the Year


NAACP Image Award Nominee


YWCA Racial Justice Award


IRA Notable Book For A Global Society


Detroit Public Library Outstanding Book of the Year Award


Chicago Public Library Best of the Best


American Library Association Best Books for Young Young Adult Readers


New York Public Library Top Ten Books for the Teen Age


Top Twenty Recommended Books to Read by the Texas Library Association


Junior Library Guide Selection


100 Books Every Teenage Girl Should Read


Coming up! UCI Claire Trevor School of the Arts - Joel Veenstra, Chair, Department of Drama, Head of Stage Management

Chair, Department of Drama Head of Stage Management Joel Veenstra is a professional stage manager, production manager, producer, and improvi...