The Governor aka The Gov is a multi-talented musical producer, songwriter, performer, music executive/CEO now author. Born and raised in Oakland California, he is involved in a variety of genres from poetry, comedy, and urban ghetto stories. He hopes that by pouring his street knowledge and musical career into his books, it will provide a vivid visual for connecting with viewers from the different aspects of life. (Amazon, 2023)
“Off The Dribble” – This is an excellent work of urban fiction that centers around young Maxwell Pixar who grew up in East Oakland, California. His story begins during his youth, as he references the days, and his life’s struggles, which he compares to basketball and uses sports metaphors throughout the book. Based on his knowledge growing up, his life is made up of four levels: the gansta, player, Mack and hustler and even as a young boy, he was always looking around, absorbing everything around him and he learned lessons that served him as he grew older. Some of these included how there are two sides to every story and the importance of getting both before forming an opinion and that ‘the hood’ needs to be openminded and optimistic in order to grow and progress.
Further, he comments on the biases and the justice system and how they effect different types of people and in multiple ways. It is an interesting take on the judicial structures through the eyes of a young African American male. It brings out topics such as the fourteenth amendment and the issue of privacy between a detainee and his/her attorney. There is very interesting word play, which I am only assuming the author uses to give the story authenticity. It is a quick read and should interest readers who like urban fiction, reflected through the views of Black/African American voices.
*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.
Mile Twelve’s new album Close Enough to Hear will be out February 3, 2023. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Mile Twelve, Boston’s modern string band, is back in motion. From the first manic downbeat of their virtuosic new record, CloseEnough to Hear, you will discover a band that is ready to explode from a restless pandemic-induced hiatus. You will hear the same warmth and innovation that earned the band IBMA’s 2019 Album of the Year nomination and 2020 New Artist of the Year Award, which has gained them an international reputation as one of the most dynamic bands in contemporary acoustic music. Heard as a whole, Close Enough to Hear displays the vast creative potential of the bluegrass quintet—banjo (BB Bowness), mandolin (Korey Brodsky), fiddle (Ella Jordan), acoustic guitar (Evan Murphy), and upright bass (Nate Sabat)—in the hands of world-class musicians. (Mile Twelve, 2023)
Fans of Mile Twelve will notice the presence of two new members on Close Enough to Hear: fiddler and vocalist Ella Jordan and mandolinist Korey Brodsky. Take note of the new dimension they add to the band and their ability to lock in with founding members Evan Murphy, Catherine Bowness, and Nate Sabat. These are not session players; this album captures the formation of a new coherent unit.
Both of the bands’ previous full-length albums, as well as their guest star-packed EP, were recorded in Nashville but the new challenges of traveling and dodging positive Covid tests kept the band closer to home. They chose Sam Kassirer’s legendary Great North Sounds in the woods of Parsonsfield, Maine, a studio that has played host to a murderer’s row of Americana acts and has become a fixture of the New England recording scene. Leading up to the making of their new album, Mile Twelve—a flourishing act whose output has helped push the envelope of New England’s progressive bluegrass and string-band scene—learned a whole new level of perseverance, patience, and performance.
Fans can watch the music video for “Close Enough to Hear” and pre-order or pre-saveClose Enough to Hear ahead of its February3 release.
This is a band looking forward—simultaneously shoring up their bluegrass foundations (in the transfixing acapella opening of “If Only,” for example) while also pushing their musical boundaries and driving into new territory. You will detect flavors of jazz (“Red Grapes on the Vine”), acoustic pop (“Take Me As I Am”), and trance music (“Light of Angels”). Heard as a whole, CloseEnough to Hear displays the vast potential of acoustic string band music in the hands of capable players.
Close Enough to Hear track list: Romulus Johnny Oklahoma Close Enough To Hear Red Grapes on the Vine Light of Angels Hopping Around Telluride Waiting Anywhere Town Take Me As I Am If Only
Ken Lindner is the founder of Positive Life Choice Psychology™ and the Positive Life Choice Psychology Lifestyle™. His calling is to envision what can be in people and to craft the steps that turn their great potential into a highly positive and productive reality. Ken Lindner graduated from Harvard University (magna cum laude) and from Cornell Law School. In “Aspire Higher: How to Find the Love, Positivity, and Purpose to Elevate Your Life and the World!,” he encourages you to truly love yourself, lead your very best and highest life, and spread that love to the world around you. (Ken Lindner, 2023)
“Aspire Higher” – The COVID-19 pandemic has wrought global devastation along with rampant violence, vitriol, racism, distrust, and anger. The world is in serious need of love, repair, and healing and so are all of us as individuals. There has never been a better time than right now to seize the life you truly crave, be your greatest self, and share that positivity with others in order to make the world a more loving and positive place. Most of us want love and peace in our hearts and in the world, but in this book, Ken Lindner, author, renowned celebrity career coach, and founder of Positive Life Choice Psychology, shows you how to actually achieve that goal through clear, actionable steps and strategies. He teaches you how to develop true, empowering inner love and organically share it with others, raise your feelings of self-esteem and self-worth, embrace positive emotions, and help create a far more respectful, civil, and empathetic country and world. It is divided into four parts: Part 1: Your Heart-of-Hearts, Part 2: How toMake Cognitively Clear Choices That Reflect Your Highest Values and Highest Self,Part 3: Know What Your Highest Values and Goals Are, and Part 4: The PLCP Philosophies, Aspirations, Ideals, and Words That Will Fill Your Heart-of-Hearts with Love. In the Author’s Note, he explains that the foundation of the book is Positive Life Choice Psychology,™ or “PLCP.” It is “a set of clear, logical, and accomplishable steps and strategies that will equip, enable, and – in the true sense of the word – empower you to make positive choices throughout your life.” The Appendix includes exercises to get the reader to further explore their own personal goals and accomplishments.
In these modern challenging times, we all need some positive and encouraging words to help us put our best foot forward. “Aspire Higher” is a positive, inspiring, and motivational book that gives step by step advice on achieving a more positive outlook and sharing it with others. The language is simple and easy to understand and the layout makes the information easier to take in visually. The exercises at the end are helpful and insightful. His tone is compassionate without coming across as condescending. Since the chapters are short, it is easy to read a chapter and contemplate on the topic afterwards. Highlights include Part 1, Chapter1: The Negativity Bias where he explains that we tend to focus more on negative experiences, that they have more lasting effects and cause trauma, and that they are more contagious than positive experiences; and Part 2, Chapter 13: Correction Day where he reiterates that when you make a mistake, it is best to identify it, figure out how you can make better choices going forward, and the importance of not repeating the same mistake. Most importantly, he states that we should practice ‘selective amnesia:’ learning from our mistakes and carrying them with us into the future. His philosophies and advice come from a positive place and are intended to help readers improve their lives. “Aspire Higher” is an empowering book for the times and is recommended for readers interested in self help and motivational books.
“There are things in life that you can’t control, but you can control your choices, values, attitudes, perceptions, actions, and who and what you choose to include in your life.”
*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.
The JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa’s Annual Lonestar Lover’s Weekend will take place on February 10 – 12. Photo: The JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa, used with permission.
Join The JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa for their Annual Lonestar Lover’s Weekend on February 10 -12. On Saturday, February 11, The LCR Culinary Team will be offering an exquisite 5-course romantic dinner for two in celebration of Valentine’s Day. Extend the celebration with your sweetheart by booking for the weekend in one of the luxury cabins or spacious guest room accommodations. To further enhance your stay for you and your special someone, take advantage of the wide assortment of activities and spa services available. Our guest service team will be happy to assist you in planning the ultimate Lonestar Lover’s Weekend experience. (The JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa, 2023)
That special day is quickly approaching, so make sure and plan ahead. Make your reservations now to ensure you are ready to celebrate your love in luxury with The JL Bar team. To make reservations for the Lonestar Lover’s Dinner for Two or schedule activities for your weekend, email guest services or call (855) 414-3337. Seating options: 6p.m. and 8p.m. – $150 per couple. Dining menu available online.
Randi Braun’s ‘Something Major: The New Playbook for Women at Work’ will be released March 1, 2023. Photo: Amazon
Randi Braun is an expert at empowering women who have demanding jobs and bold ambitions. As a certified executive coach and the CEO of the women’s leadership firm Something Major, she helps women thrive. In her women’s leadership book “Something Major: The New Playbook for Women at Work,” Braun infuses conversations with life-changing ideas, advancing women leaders one wildly entertaining story at a time. A sought-after thought leader and speaker, Braun’s insights have been featured in The Washington Post, Forbes, and Parents Magazine, and others. Braun has coached women around the globe and partnered with more than 50 organizations across diverse sectors, including the Fortune 500, healthcare, start-ups, Big Law, public relations, entertainment, trade associations, government, non-profits, and others. The book will be released March 1, 2023 and is available for pre-order from Amazon. (Randi Braun, 2023)
“Something Major: The New Playbook for Women at Work” – The book gives Braun’s highly sought-after expertise a more accessible reach, and addresses the real reason why women are not happy at work, and how they can positively turn things around. It includes the true stories of women leaders. Relatable and fresh, it is backed by research and filled with actionable takeaways, as well as dashes of humor.
“Every woman wants to believe she is on the precipice of something major, and this book gives you the tools to get yourself there. Randi Braun has created a fun and practical way forward for women who are looking to channel their inner badass, crack the leadership code and soar!” – Jen Mormile, Chief Business Officer of Condé Nast
“The ideas in my book are meaty, but trust me, it is also a very entertaining read. I include tactical tools so women can make career moves that matter, while also increasing their confidence and overall fulfillment. But I do it conversationally. It’s like we’re sitting down, chatting over coffee and unraveling life-changing strategies together.” – Randi Braun
Braun notes that millions of women have left the workforce, and progress creating meaningful diversity at the highest levels of leadership and on corporate boards is moving too slowly. “The gender pay gap is increasing, and so are women’s levels of burnout. Our system is broken and our old playbook is outdated. That’s why I have written a new playbook to help women thrive— not just survive—as our workplace cultures evolve, even if they’re not evolving quickly enough.”
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‘Lucy and the Lake Monster’ is the story of a nine-year old orphan named Lucy searching for the sea serpent Champ. Photo: Amazon
Co-written by Academy-Award-considered filmmaker Richard Rossi and retired school teacher Kelly Tabor, “Lucy and the Lake Monster” is a children’s series and soon-to-be feature film that masterfully illustrates how to overcome mental health challenges like worry, depression, and anxiety with childlike faith. It is currently being adapted into a major motion picture. (Richard Rossi/Kelly Ann Tabor, 2023)
“Lucy and the Lake Monster” – Lucy Lago is a nine year-old orphan. She believes that Champ, the Lake Champlain Sea Serpent, lives and lurks in the lake by her cabin in Crown Point. She lives there with her grandpa, who she calls “Papa.” Despite mockery and mercenary forces opposing them, Lucy and Papa determine to venture out on their rickety rowboat and bring awareness of America’s Loch Ness Monster to the world.
“For me, growing up in Crown Point was magical. Hearing stories of our legendary Champ, captivated my interest as I swam and explored the shorelines and waters of Lake Champlain. As a teacher, I later took those stories and experiences I had with me into the classroom and shared them with hundreds of students over the years, piquing their interest.” – Kelly Tabor, Co-Writer
“Champ, the sea serpent, is an allegory for God. The pure in heart, like Lucy, see Champ as good. Others teach Champ is a monster for mercenary purposes, the way manipulative ministers scare people today.”- Richard Rossi, Academy-Award Considered Filmmaker, and Co-Writer
Tickets are now available for the Michael Ray concert at The JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa. Photo: The JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa
On Saturday, April 22, The JL Bar Ranch, Resort, & Spa is excited to welcome Michael Ray as part of the JL Bar Concert Series lineup for 2023. The concert will take place at the FBO Private Airport Hanger and tickets are available now. Michael Ray is a singer, songwriter currently signed to Warner Music Nashville and has released two albums: Michael Ray and Boats and Hoes. (The JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa, 2023)
Guests can turn this Saturday night event into a well-deserved weekend getaway by reserving a room in the luxury guest accommodations and booking other activities known to enhance The JL Bar experience. Additional event details are available online.
Event details: Venue doors and bar open at 6:30p.m. (times subject to change) Opening and featured performance: details coming soon
Concert reservations: General Admission tickets: $55 VIP private table: $999 (includes 8 event tickets and 2 drink tickets per person – 16 tickets per table)
Partnered hotel availability: (mention The JL Bar Event when making reservations) Quality Inn, Sonora location: $100/night (single); $120/night (double) Holiday Inn Express, Junction location: $100/night
In celebration of National School Choice Week, families can visit with nearly 30 participating schools. Photo: San Antonio Charter Moms, used with permission.
San Antonio Charter Moms continues the School Discovery Day event series with its largest event yet to be held at The DoSeum on Saturday, January 21 from 11a.m. to 2p.m. In celebration of National School Choice Week (January 22 – January 28), families will have the opportunity to meet school representatives from nearly 30 top San Antonio choice schools, ask questions, get on interest lists and learn about application processes and deadlines. School Discovery Days are free events that connect families with schools in a face-to-face format that enables them to interact directly with multiple school representatives in one convenient location. Families can receive hands-on guidance from the San Antonio Charter Moms team on navigating the nonprofit’s online tools and resources designed to simplify the search and application process. (San Antonio Charter Moms, 2023)
With over 150 schools of choice in the San Antonio area alone, parents and caregivers can quickly become overwhelmed trying to find the right fit for their child’s individual learning needs. Considered the leading authority for assisting local families in their school search, San Antonio Charter Moms (SACM) is designed to help parents and caregivers make informed decisions by providing easy access to extensive school resources such as online discussion groups with over 10K members, articles, live videos, enrollment guides, podcasts, a school finder app and perhaps the most anticipated and impactful of all, their in-person School Discovery Day Series held annually during enrollment season. The series is the largest of its kind in San Antonio, a free school fair event series focusing on charter and choice schools in the area. The events are free, open to the public, and a huge asset to families trying to make sense of the myriad of great school options in San Antonio.
School Discovery Day at the DoSeum (Flagship Event | National School Choice Week) The theater at The DoSeum, 2800 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209 School Discovery Day is a free event in The DoSeum’s theater space. Guests will be greeted by the beats of the young DJs of The AM Project. With admission, guests can navigate The DoSeum’s 68,000 square feet of wow-worthy galleries designed to cultivate curiosity, ignite learning, and discover the power of play through interactive fun.
National School Choice Week, January 22–28, is a celebration of the process of allowing every family to choose the K–12 educational options that best fit their children. SACM will host nearly 30 schools during this, the flagship event of the series.
Participating Schools: Anne Frank Inspire Academy, BASIS Charter Schools, Brooks Academies of Texas, CAST Schools, Compass Rose Public Schools, Edgewood ISD Schools of Innovation, Essence Prep, The Gathering Place, Great Hearts of Texas, Harmony Public Schools, IDEA Public Schools, Jubilee Academies, KIPP Texas – San Antonio, Learn4Life Edgewood, Legacy Traditional Schools – Texas, Lighthouse Public Schools, New Frontiers Public Schools, Pre-K 4SA, Prelude Prep, Promesa Academy, Royal Public Schools, SA Prep, SAISD Choice Schools, School of Science and Technology and Southwest Prep.
Other scheduled events: School Discovery Day at Second Baptist Church – Saturday, February 4, 11a.m. – 2p.m. Second Baptist Church Community Center, 3310 E. Commerce St., San Antonio, TX 78220 Second Baptist Church is a historic Black congregation dating back to 1879 now located on the Eastside of San Antonio near the AT&T Center. Inside the Community Center, event guests can sample specialty hot dogs by Doolittle’s Mobile Kitchen, dance to the beats of The AM Project, catch Once in a Wild mobile zoo’s animal program, and get creative with face painting.
School Discovery Day at Hangar 9 – Saturday, February 18, 11a.m. – 2p.m. Hangar 9 at Brooks, 8081 Inner Circle Dr., San Antonio, TX 78223 Hangar 9, built in 1918, is the oldest wooden aircraft hangar of its kind still standing in its original location; now it is an event space at Brooks, a vibrant community on the site of a former Air Force base. Guests at School Discovery Day at Hangar 9 can meet with 25 top schools as they sample specialty hot dogs by Doolittle’s Mobile Kitchen, dance to the beats of The AM Project, catch Once in a Wild mobile zoo’s animal program, and get creative with face painting.
School Discovery Day at Hemisfair (Spring) – Saturday, March 4, 11a.m. – 2p.m. Central Games Plaza in Yanaguana Garden at Hemisfair, 434 S. Alamo St., San Antonio, TX 78205 Hemisfair is a landmark park in downtown San Antonio. Families visiting School Discovery Day at Hemisfair can meet with over 15 top schools as they enjoy the fantastic amenities of Yanaguana Garden, including a splash pad, sand play area, table games, swings, climbing structures, picnic area, restaurants, and more.
The Runaway Grooms will release This Road on February 10, 2023. Photo: Google
For many years, Colorado has been the birthplace for a myriad of unique musical gems and The Runaway Grooms are no exception. The Runaway Grooms’ classic sound is a refreshing take on contemporary jam band music as it celebrates the authenticity and wholesomeness of traditional American roots music through tonality, lyricism, and instrumentation. After finishing their 6th national tour, The Runaway Grooms are now creating a buzz in many different musical communities around the country, sharing bills with nationally renowned and Grammy nominated artists like Umphrey’s McGee, Robben Ford, Leftover Salmon, Twiddle, Trombone Shorty, North Mississippi Allstars, and many more. Their newest album, This Road, is a blending of their previous two albums, marking the band’s return to an American roots rock style of songwriting, while simultaneously sending listeners on extended instrumental journeys through rich and colorful sonic landscapes. (The Runaway Grooms, 2023)
On February 10, the Grooms—guitarist and vocalist Adam Tobin, keyboardist Cody Scott, bassist and vocalist Zach Gillam, drummer Justin Bisset, and guitarist and vocalist Zac Cialek—are releasing their third studio album, This Road, into the world and onto stages nationwide. Recorded on the road at Paloma Sound Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, with former Ardent Studio engineer Jeremy Horn, the Grooms’ third LP marks the band’s return to more of an American roots rock songwriting style, all while keeping one foot in the tight-knit jam band circle from which they emerged. Equally inspired by jazz-fusion exploration from the likes of Steely Dan, Atlanta Rhythm Section, and Yes, and the guitar-driven prowess of Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Grateful Dead, This Road dives in and out of grooves and moods, turning on a dime, but always focusing on what the band sees as the most important aspect; the song. In addition to telling stories and gleaning wisdom from life, love, and struggle, This Road captures an array of emotions and moods drawn from the dramatic narrative of living on the road in a touring band.
JamBase premiered the first track from This Road, the piano-driven rocker “Jenny.” Written by Tobin as a letter from his late grandmother to his mother, “Jenny” is a story about love, life, family, and the passing of time. Recorded live in the studio to capture the organic energy found in The Runaway Grooms’ live show, “Jenny” winds higher and higher, punctuated by Cialek’s piercing lap steel guitar and Scott’s change from rhythmic piano to swirling B3 organ. The up and down dynamics of the song’s instrumentation flows beautifully with its lyrical content, exactly as the band intended, and is capped off by an all-engulfing slide guitar solo before the song effortlessly fades into the album’s next track. Westword included the track in their new music column this week, calling it “six minutes of classic-rock bliss that’s equal parts The Band and the Allman Brothers.”
Fans of the aforementioned bands and more modern contemporaries like Goose or Billy Strings should check out “Jenny”today and stay up to dateon all things ahead of their February 10 release.
This Road track list: Jenny Mister Ford Here I Come Again This Road Heartwork
‘The Peacekeeper’ is the newest novel by B.L. Blanchard. Photo: Amazon
B.L. Blanchard is a graduate of the UC Davis creative writing honors program and was a writing fellow at Boston University School of Law. She is a lawyer and enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. She is originally from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan but has lived in California for so long that she can no longer handle cold weather. Her new novel “The Peacekeeper: A Novel” is set against the backdrop of a never-colonized North America, where a broken Ojibwe detective embarks on an emotional and twisting journey toward solving two murders, rediscovering family, and finding himself. (Amazon, 2023)
“The Peacekeeper” – North America was never colonized. The United States and Canada do not exist. The Great Lakes are surrounded by an independent Ojibwe nation and in the village of Baawitigong, a Peacekeeper confronts his devastating past. Twenty years ago to the day, Chibenashi’s mother was murdered and his father confessed. Ever since, caring for his still-traumatized younger sister has been Chibenashi’s privilege and penance. The story begins as another woman is slain on the same night of the Manoomin harvest. She is his mother’s best friend and this connection takes Chibenashi far from the only world he has ever known – to the big city of Shikaakwa. The city is home to the victim’s estranged family – two people Chibenashi never wanted to see again: his imprisoned father and the lover who broke his heart. As the questions mount, the answers will change his and his sister’s lives forever because Chibenashi is about to discover that everything about their lives has been a lie.
Regardless of location and time, there will always be family drama; such is the human condition. This story takes place in an alternate reality where North America was never colonized, the Native people live and thrive there, and Europeans are only visitors. Yet it is far from a perfect society because there is still division of the classes via a caste system and the working class is shunned. Such is the world where Chibenashi lives and as a Peacekeeper, he is tasked with investigating the small town’s newest homicide. Due to extensive character development, most characters, with the exception of Ashwiyaa (Chibenashi’s sister), who comes off as distant, cold, and childish despite being an adult, are relatable and likeable. The language is at times poetic “The watery purple light of early dawn seeped into the room” and helps move the action along at a steady pace. Some of the characters’ names are difficult to get through but that is the uniqueness of the culture. It is interesting to read about how when someone dies, his/her personal belongings are taken to “the recyclers or redistributed to the community” and about a justice system that is restorative instead of punitive. It has just enough plot twists to keep the story from becoming too predictable. “The Peacekeeper” is an excellent crime novel set in an alternate modern society where a murder mystery threatens to tear a family apart. It is recommended for fans of Native American story lines and alternate universes.
“He had slight paranoia that it [a tall skyscraper] would fall down. It reminded him of the way many of the tourists in Baawitigong would express fear that the tall trees in the woods would fall on them, which Chibenashi had always found ridiculous.”
*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.
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