Monday 20 August 2018

Cover Reveal: Shine Through the Noise 2!


Buenos Dias y'all!


Today marks a Special & Momentous day here on the AlfonzoWords blog, as we get an *Exclusive First Look* at the Cover of the highly anticipated sequel book,
 Shine Through the Noise 2  by Akasha Garnier!!!

The first book was an immense inspiration to me & a large contributor to my success today as a Social Media Influencer, Author & Blogger. My story of success is featured in the book!

Woooohooo! I'm beyond excited for the release of this book & cannot wait to share the amazingly beautiful cover with you. If you recall we did the cover reveal for her first book Secrets to Shine Through the Noise. Akasha has also joined us for a quick Movie Tag on the 9th of June 2016, read more about it Here.

Author, Producer, Filmmaker

Akasha first started writing Gothic stories to entertain her Halloween guests in St. Paul, Minnesota. She went to college in Minneapolis where the radio station nominated her to be Production Director and “The voice of WMMR”. Akasha enjoyed a wide range of musical influences from The Beatles, The Who, Prince, U2, Pearl Jam, The Replacements and house music. She then honed in on a show featuring dance music hosted with her honors’ writing classmate. Fortunately, the first PR proposal she ever wrote said ‘Yes’! Voila, First Avenue of “Purple Rain” fame sponsored her award-winning radio show. Akasha continued to round out her writing, PR and producer skills in alternative radio, event and video production, then travel from sea to shining sea.

Akasha’s proud of her work as a writer, producer, and actress; she balanced branding work as a writer and producer in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, London, Paris/Cannes, Maui and Hawaii. She excels at helping clients shine with 15 awards/accolades since 2007.

Akasha also enjoys giving back through her Promo Partners
The main partner right now is The Who’s Charity: Teen Cancer America and her Italian family’s Fantastic Restaurants; Nando Milano
As well as Helping people balance business and creative skills as amplifying their brand value. Akasha will celebrate the book’s release in a few select cities, and then finish negotiating her travel thriller series for release in best-selling book and film form.

Akasha was invited to write a motivational book based on her branding expertise, love of travel and the ability to inspire with the right blend of business and creative skills

From Left to Right: Akasha with the Stanley Cup from Chicago Blackhawks
&
America’s Cup, Oracle Team USA reign
Before the reveal here's a quick word from the Legend Herself:
"Dear Readers,

I come to you Ricoh and dear readers with the same melange about my #ShineThroughtheNoise sequel: excitement, anticipation, inspiration, and relief. I've incorporated feedback and addressed top comments. We celebrate progress and success and continue to encourage each other. Life is better and beautiful...but never flawless. We all have ebbs and flows, even if we do not share them as publicly as other moments we want to project in our posts.

I feel it's important to talk about disappointment as a natural state as we start on our path. We must let go of more expectations to be open to ideas and feedback to spark creativity and chances...and even to failing along the way. There is no perfect 10, no ideal answer that suits us all.

I explore the idea of: “Shining through" instead of just "shine on”.

By acknowledging more ups and downs and the fact that we are not always picture perfect we are being authentic.

This will help you:
  • Make room for breakthrough. 
  • Hear your voice intuition and inner guidance. 
  • Know when you're on the right path when you see/feel alignment of people, ideas and opportunities. 
  • I am encouraged by the number of deeper connections I've been able to make with readers, followers, travelers, writers, entrepreneurs and friends. I am expanding ideas into a workshop and seminar as I write this and meeting with sponsors in October to find a good fit. 
I'm excited to share more of Ricoh's story and success (in the Shine 2 book and workshop) and for you to continue carving out your path!! I'm continuing my community partnership with Teen Cancer USA (TCA) for the Shine sequel and series. TCA has made great progress too. They partnered with Northwestern and Lurie's Children's Hospital in Chicago this summer (https://teencanceramerica.org/community-stories/roger-daltrey-presents-donation-northwestern-memorial-lurie-childrens-hospital-chicago ).

August 17 I attended a community event in Los Angeles hosted by Judd Apatow that will raise $5-8 million for Teen Cancer America. I'll follow up with the final numbers. And believe me, the venue for the private benefit is right out of a glamorous scene from my #Davanti thriller series, which is set in LA, Chicago and several gorgeous rivieras. More news coming on Davanti thriller in book and film form too! I know this event and Shine 2 launch was meant to happen first. I'm honored to share it with you!!

Thanks again for reading, for writing to me and for listening.

And wherever you are on our journey, believe it's worth the trip!

Sincere Aloha,

Akasha Lin"


So without further ado its time for that 
Exclusive First Look at the Cover of this inspirational book.
***Drum Roll Please***

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AAAARRRrrrre you ready?

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AAAARRRrrrre you Excited?!
I know I am
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CLICK TO WATCH
 #ShineThroughtheNoise2  by Akasha Garnier πŸŽ
Cover Reveal Trailer:
Front Cover:

Front & Back Cover:

WOW! Epicness! Legend...Wait for It....DARY! Se Manifique, it looks like the cover of a beautiful movie and knowing Akasha, I'm sure it will be soon. {Wink Wink, Hint Hint}

All I want to do is turn the page and begin reading!! Don't you?

ORDER the First Book #ShineThroughtheNoise NOW!!!


Sign up to Akasha’s A-List for special offers, invitations, and inspiration
via her Website

Follow her Amazing Journey on:
I; Enricoh Alfonzo; undoubtedly, vehemently, and whole-heartedly recommend this book!

© Enricoh Alfonzo ~ Alfonzo Words
  • I’d love to keep connected with you! 
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~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres

Tuesday 7 August 2018

#TEMPER by Nicky Drayden: All you needed to know about the Vices & more!


HAPPY RELEASE DAY!!!
#TEMPER 
by 
Nicky Drayden
Or your local indie!

Help Spread the BUZZ! Retweet the below or tweet out your own using the Hashtags 



Launch Tweet 1
Launch Tweet 2
Launch Tweet 3
Launch Tweet 4
Launch Tweet 5
Launch Tweet 6


The Virtue and Vice system in TEMPER:
  • One of the fantastical elements of TEMPER is that nearly everyone is born with a twin, and those twins split seven vices among them, each getting branded down their arms early in childhood. I’m a sucker for good twin/bad twin stories, but for this one, I wanted to tell the story from the point of view of the bad twin, Auben, who has six of the seven vices.
The vices are:
  1. Vainglory, or vanity and the consumption with one’s own beauty
  2. Envy, or the intense desire to have what others hold dear
  3. Duplicity, or the propensity to tell lies and otherwise deceive people
  4. Doubt, or the uncertainty of self
  5. Lechery, or the drive to indulge in sexual or mental pleasures (in this context, practicing science is seen as a form of lechery)
  6. Greed, or the desire to accumulate wealth and material goods past the point of need
  7. Temper, or the violent loss of self-control
Are the Vices like the Seven Deadly Sins? If so, does it relate to Christian Themes?
  • They are very similar, but I wanted to put my own spin on it. For one, these vices are literally branded upon your arm for all the world to see. They drive your actions, but if your twin is close by, they’re more or less diluted or tempered into something manageable. When twins separate for an extended amount of time or distance, those vices run wild, and someone with vainglory as a vice might find themselves consumed with their reflection in a mirror, forgetting to eat, forgetting to sleep. But virtues run wild, too, and a charitable person might be driven to give every bit of their life away, including the shirt off their back. Either extreme could mean death for one or both twins if they’re not brought back into proximity of one another.
List the virtues:

The virtues that run counterpoint to vices are:
  1. Humility
  2. Conscience
  3. Sincerity
  4. Diligence
  5. Chasity
  6. Charity
  7. Grace
  •  The chapters are named after Auben’s six vices and his one virtue, Charity.

Can a person have all vices & no virtues? Or vice versa, all virtue & no vices?
  • The number of vices a person has can severely limit their potential in society. It determines what jobs they’re eligible for, what neighborhoods they live in, and who they marry. Having four vices is common. Five, less so, about ten percent of the population, and those with six, like Auben, are fairly rare, about one in three hundred. No one has been born with all vices and all virtues since the original twins, Grace and Icy Blue, the deities that created humanity.
How does the "demonic possession" & "demons" tie in with the vices & the twin phenomenon in this version of South Africa?
  • The big horror element in the novel is that there are demons lurking around, and they particularly get up to no good when the weather turns cold, the Narrow Season in this book. People participate in rituals that will keep the demons away, like putting out cinnamon-scented candles and hosting feasts, so that family stays close and they can keep an eye on each other during this dangerous time of year.
  • Possessions are common enough that the local churches or sanctuaries offer buy-one-get-one-half-off exorcisms during the Narrow Season. Most possessions are an annoyance, but sometimes particularly strong demons can cause people to black out, to perform violence, and lose their minds. Auben is afflicted by such a beast, and must figure out a way to exorcise the demon before it destroys his life.
What do you think is the worst vice & the most common vice among people in or out of the book?
  • Well, it’s tempting to say temper, since so much violence is born out of it, but really the most damaging, in and out of the book, is doubt. Doubt kills dreams. Squashes hopes. There’s so much potential for good out there, but we are often brought down, and not by some nefarious villain, but oftentimes by our own family and friends. Tempers flare, but fade eventually. Doubt lingers. Burrows through your heart, steals away your happiness, and consumes you from within. 
If you could choose just one message this book would deliver to a reader, what would that message be?
  • That for better or worse, we are all connected. Our ties to family and friends can feel like both a burden and a gift, depending on the day, but we need to actively cultivate those relationships, or they’ll whiter away. Even relationships between people who are tied as closely together as twins.
Check out the Editor's Reasons to read #TEMPER Now:
Twitter {THREAD}
It's been on numerous "what to read" and "best of August" SFF lists, including @AndrewLiptak's article on @TheVerge: https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/1/17613652/sci-fi-fantasy-books-recommendations-august-2018 … 2/

The @BNSciFi, with the help of @JimLK, had it on their "Best of August" list: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sci-fi-fantasy/the-best-science-fiction-fantasy-books-of-august-2018/ … "Nicky Drayden’s followup to the her gonzo science fantasy debut The Prey of Gods is just as delightfully out there." 3/

It is also an Amazon SFF pick of the Month! https://amzn.to/2Mrlums That's some pretty sweet company! 4/


TEMPER was also on @KirkusReviews' Best of August SFF list (via @sfsignal), saying of the book: "an enticing blend of science fiction, horror and magic combined with dark humor." https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/augusts-best-science-fiction-fantasy-books/ … 6/

Not done just yet, because @SyfyWire ALSO included it on their Best of August list! http://www.syfy.com/syfywire/8-sff-book-picks-to-get-you-through-augusts-gross-hot-weather … @syfy 7/

Pretty sure there will be more (it's a really good book), but I wanted to be clear that it's not just me shouting TEMPER from the rooftops. Happy pub day, @nickydrayden! 8/8

#TemperCityTour - A 10 day virtual tour where you can win NEW RELEASES!

Announcing the start of a 10 day #TemperCityTour on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, where I'll be giving out prizes for tagging an image of TEMPER with the hashtag above and a message like "Losing my Temper in [City Name]" or "Temper spotted in [City Name]" or whatever else is book related.
It can be a picture of you reading the book, a picture of it on a library or bookstore shelf, a photoshopped image of the book cover with a city monument or attraction in the background, a cool "bookstagram" image, whatever!

Prizes include daily drawings for a 2018 release paperback of the book of your choice (under $20), with additional prizes chosen by me for funniest, cutest, and best overall post. If we get 50 cities, I will have bonus prizes!

Open Internationally, ages 18+.

SWAG BRAG!

Also thanks to everyone who's done swag brags! I've seen you out there! (These are just a few.) You are all amazing! Keep it up!

GET YOUR #TEMPER BOOK NOW!!!
Or your local indie!
I; Enricoh Alfonzo; undoubtedly, vehemently, and whole-heartedly recommend this book!

© Enricoh Alfonzo ~ Alfonzo Words
  • I’d love to keep connected with you! 
Follow on Twitter | Like on Facebook Join my Instagram community | Watch me on Pinterest | Subscribe to blog post Updates |

~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres