Austin’s Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol. Photo: Chris Wilson, used with permission.
New Music: Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol Drop Melodic Sludge-Bomb “The Disappearing Man”
Austin’s favorite “doom wop” and heavy metal trio, Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol, is back with a brand new single: “The Disappearing Man.” (US/THEM Group, 2026)
The track comes as a fresh taste of their highly anticipated forthcoming album, CA$H GRAB. Formed in 2017 by Boston-area transplants Leo Lydon (lead vocals/guitar) and Sean St. Germain (drums), alongside Georgia native Aaron Metzdorf (bass/backing vocals), the band has spent years perfecting a wildly unique sonic lane.
With “The Disappearing Man,” they showcase an absolute mastery of heavy, hook-filled riffs and rhythms couched in an earworm melody that would make Green Album-era Weezer jealous.
Loud, Lean, and Relentlessly Catchy
The new single doubles down on the band’s signature blend of crushing riffs and off-kilter melody. It’s loud, lean, and balancing sludgy heaviness with an infectious groove that refuses to let go.
Beneath the wall of fuzz lies an undeniable melodic instinct, proving the band can deliver massive hooks without sacrificing an ounce of raw power. It’s a confident preview of an album that promises to push their self-proclaimed “big dumb riffs” philosophy even further. If this single is any indication, CA$H GRAB is shaping up to be their strongest release yet.
The Album Update: While CA$H GRAB is still in production—with official release details dropping at a later date—you can already stream the phenomenal run of singles leading up to it: “The Disappearing Man,”“Bough Down,” and “Peaches.”
Catch Them on the Road
RBBP just wrapped up a massive, highly successful 6-week headlining tour across North America, packing out rooms with multiple sold-out shows alongside fellow Austin punk-metal trio American Sharks.
If you missed that run, you’re in luck. The band recently announced they will be hitting the road again for Fall 2026 supporting the legendary Death From Above 1979.
Check out the full list of live dates below and secure your spots early!
Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol: 2026 US Tour Dates
09/05 Cookeville, TN – Muddy Roots Music Festival 10/01 Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades * 10/02 Berkeley, CA – UC Theater * 10/03 Monterey, CA – Golden State Theatre * 10/04 San Luis Obispo, CA – Fremont Theater * 10/06 Ventura, CA – Ventura Music Hall * 10/08 Los Angeles, CA – The Belasco * 10/09 Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory OC * 10/10 San Diego, CA – The Observatory San Diego * 10/11 Tempe, AZ – The Marquee * 10/13 Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre *
July at Pullman Market means Chef collabs and Mariachi Nights. Photo: Robert J. Lerma, used with permission.
There’s something for everyone at Pullman Market this July! From returning favorites like Two Step Tuesdays and Mariachi Nights to a month-long collaboration with Porc Slab and an exclusive guest chef dinner at Isidore, there is something for every food lover this month. (Pullman Market, 2026)
Here is your ultimate guide to July at Pullman Market.
📅 July Programming & Events
🤠 Two Step Tuesdays
When: July 7 & 14
The Details: The weekly series continues on the Karnes Patio. Dust off your boots for a free lesson at 7 p.m. followed by live music at 8 p.m.
🍕 Fife & Farro x Porc Slab Collaboration
When: July 1 to 31
The Details: Chef Javi Gutierrez’s Porc Slab pop-up is joining forces with Fife & Farro all month long. Stop by to try the limited-time porchetta pizza—5% of all proceeds will benefit the San Antonio Food Bank.
Reservations for Fife & Farro are available on OpenTable.
🦪 Tides of Texas
When: Weekly (Fridays–Sundays & Tuesdays)
The Details:
Fri–Sun: Enjoy $2 oysters all day at The Raw Bar.
Tuesdays: Learn to make fresh ceviche from scratch during Pullman Market’s interactive ceviche-making classes (with optional wine pairings available!).
Tickets for the weekly ceviche-making class are available on OpenTable.
🎺 Mariachi Nights at the Mezcaleria
When: Every Thursday
The Details: The Mezcaleria kicks off Thursday evenings with happy hour specials from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., followed by tequila tastings starting at 6 p.m. Stick around for live mariachi music beginning at 7 p.m.
🍽️ Texas Anthology Dinner Series at Isidore
When: Sunday, July 12 | 5:00 p.m.
The Details: Join Isidore for the next installment of its Texas Anthology Dinner Series. Chef Toby Archibald of Dallas’ Quarter Acre is joining the team for a collaborative dinner highlighting regional ingredients, thoughtful cooking, and a shared commitment to honoring the Texas landscape.
The Details: After a month of incredible pizza, Fife & Farro and Chef Javi Gutierrez’s Porc Slab pop-up are teaming up one last time for a one-night-only collaboration dinner. Enjoy an exclusive, specialty menu available only that evening. Just like the pizza collab, 5% of proceeds will benefit the San Antonio Food Bank.
Click HERE for more information and to make your reservation.
🏛️ About Pullman Market
Located at Pearl in San Antonio, Pullman Market is a massive 53,000-square-foot culinary destination by the award-winning Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group. Created as a celebration of Texas ingredients and community connection, the space features a specialty grocer, whole animal butcher, sourdough bakery, tortilleria, five quick-service eateries, and four full-service restaurants.
📍 Location & Visit
Pullman Market 221 Newell Ave. San Antonio, TX 78215
‘How to Build an AI-Powered Business’ is Book 2 in the AI for Small Businesses series of books by Mo Rousso. Photo: Amazon
📚Book Spotlight: How to Build an AI-Powered Business Without Losing Control, Trust, or Your Mind (AI for Small Businesses Book 2)
By Mo Rousso
AI is already changing how decisions are made inside your business, often without your explicit consent.
Teams are using artificial intelligence to draft plans, analyze data, shape customer communication, and move faster than ever. While productivity might be up, accountability is becoming less clear. Many leaders feel pressure, noise, and a creeping loss of control, even when results look fine on the surface.
This book explains why.
How to Build an AI-Powered Business Without Losing Control, Trust, or Your Mind is a practical leadership guide for executives, founders, and managers navigating artificial intelligence in real organizations. This is not a technical manual; it’s a leadership and management book focused on decision rights, accountability, trust, and organizational discipline.
In this fully revised Second Edition, Mo Rousso shows leaders how to use AI as a business tool without surrendering judgment or culture.
What You’ll Learn
Each chapter includes real-world business case examples that show how AI adoption succeeds—or fails—in everyday companies, from operations and sales to leadership teams and customer service. By reading this guide, you will learn how to:
Define clear decision-making authority between humans and AI
Prevent artificial intelligence from quietly eroding accountability
Build guardrails that scale across teams and departments
Improve operational throughput instead of creating more noise
Protect customer trust while increasing speed and efficiency
Lead calmly and decisively in an AI-driven business environment
This Book Is Ideal For:
Business leaders and executives looking for strategic direction
Founders and entrepreneurs scaling their companies
Managers responsible for AI adoption and implementation
Organizations integrating AI into daily operations
Anyone interested in the intersection of artificial intelligence, leadership, and management
AI will continue to accelerate. Tools will keep changing. Leadership responsibility does not disappear. This book helps you stay in control when AI is everywhere.
Mo Rousso’s clients know him as the catalyst for change, transforming potential into measurable growth. During his journey as a founder and CEO, he’s faced the same scaling challenges you’re grappling with. He doesn’t just talk about overcoming obstacles, he helps you break through them using proven business frameworks and a relentless commitment to building exceptional teams and cultures.
Having built and scaled multiple companies, Mo understands the roadblocks and frustrations firsthand. He’s leveraged frameworks like Scaling Up and Metronomics to create a business acceleration system that delivers exponential growth and lasting transformation. His journey is proof that when leadership, teamwork, and culture are aligned, businesses not only overcome obstacles, they thrive.
His business books will give you the clarity, confidence, and strategy to embrace AI without fear or confusion. He strips away the tech jargon and delivers real-world insights through engaging storytelling and practical, step-by-step guidance. Whether you’re a skeptical traditionalist or a forward-thinking entrepreneur, Mo shows you how AI can streamline operations, boost efficiency, and drive growth, all without losing the personal touch that makes your business unique.
If you want to stay competitive, work smarter, and future-proof your company, this series is your ultimate roadmap to success.
Book Review: Reaping of Hellfire by Aurora Ramsden
Synopsis
Reaping of Hellfire is the scorching second installment in the Guardians of Death series, continuing the paranormal chaos through the eyes of the wildest Blackwood sister, Rue. Rather than a standalone, this novel serves as a crucial chapter in a planned four-book dark romantasy saga.
The Blackwood sisters—Nyx, Opal, and Rue—are triplet hellhounds who were abandoned as babies and adopted by a kind, loving couple.
The Backstory
The novel kicks off with a prologue set 104 years in the past. On his 12th birthday, an orphan named Xander Drakonis undergoes the ceremony where a scythe chooses its master. Desperate to escape his boys’ home, Xander is transformed into a reaper and granted twin scythes: Terra and Shade.
The Present Day
In the modern timeline, Rue, Nyx, and Opal are celebrating their 25th birthday with their adoptive parents. It’s an important day for Ryker Calix (Nyx’s mate), who is meeting the parents for the very first time.
But the cozy family time doesn’t last long. The sisters are gearing up for their second year at Death University in the Soulmere Realm. They’re hoping for an easier year—fewer near-death experiences, more advanced courses, and plenty of naps.
They are in for a rude awakening.
Welcome to the Abomination Games
Upon returning to campus, they are immediately summoned for the Bone Rite. Headmaster Calix delivers the grim news: they have been selected to compete in the deadly Abomination Games. The order comes directly from Grand Deity Zeraphina, a volatile, five-year-old, glitter-happy deity. Saying “no” to her is the fastest way to get smote into cosmic confetti.
Between grueling coursework and a lethal competition, Rue also has to manage her growing obsession with Xander, a man who is fast becoming impossible to ignore. This year is shaping up to be one hell of a ride, and Rue plans to enjoy every sinful, sparkly second of it.
Review: Hellfire, Humor, and Unapologetic Spice
Reaping of Hellfire turns up the heat, delivering a wildly entertaining blend of dark fantasy, sharp humor, romance, and nonstop chaos. The story wastes no time throwing readers directly into the deadly Abomination Games, where survival is anything but guaranteed.
Character Dynamics & Perspectives
Told through a dual first-person narrative shifting between Xander and Rue, Ramsden gives us an intimate look at two incredibly compelling leads:
Rue Blackwood: An irresistible heroine whose sarcastic wit, reckless decision-making, and unapologetic personality make every chapter a joy to read. Her inner monologue is packed with laugh-out-loud moments that perfectly balance the book’s darker elements. Beneath her chaotic exterior lies a deeply resilient competitor.
Xander: The romantic tension simmers beautifully throughout the novel. The men in Rue’s life provide an intoxicating mix of sinful temptation and explosive chemistry, driving an irresistible dynamic that expertly balances suspense with playful “smut-book” tropes.
World-Building and Prose
Ramsden brilliantly expands her imaginative world this time around, introducing dangerous new creatures and unpredictable magic. The pacing is relentless; as alliances shift and secrets unfold, you can’t help but stay hooked.
What elevates this book above standard romantasy is Ramsden’s beautifully poetic prose. She seamlessly transitions from laugh-out-loud comedy to striking, visceral imagery:
“I scream without air—a sound ripped from somewhere deeper than lungs, deeper than ribs, deeper than bone.”
Core Themes
Agency vs. Divine Control: The characters must constantly navigate the reality of being mere pawns for unreliable, fickle deities.
Found Family and Survival: The fierce bond between the sisters anchors the story, contrasting the grim, dark magic of the university with glittering humor.
The Verdict
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (An absolute must-read for dark romantasy fans!)
Reaping of Hellfire by Aurora Ramsden is a thrilling, addictive ride that perfectly captures the joy of embracing the chaos. If you love morally gray characters, supernatural competitions, and high-stakes romance, you will devour this book.
This sequel leaves readers desperate for the next adventure in the series—which will feature Opal taking center stage!
“A pack is what a hellhound treasures most. Family-whether by blood or bond. Pack can be defined through love, loyalty, or friendship.”
Intended for mature readers (18+). It contains graphic and potentially triggering material such as:
Strong language and frequent profanity
Explicit sexual content and dominant/submissive dynamics
Graphic violence, blood, gore, and dismemberment
Supernatural, horror, and demonic elements
On-page and ritualistic killing
** Thank you to Aurora Ramsden for my gifted ARC for review consideration. I haven’t been compensated for this review and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
Paris Baguette is celebrating the Fourth of July with festive limited-time treats. Photo: Paris Baguette, used with permission.
The Ultimate Texas 4th of July Weekend Guide: Where to Eat, Celebrate, and Relax
Independence Day weekend is here! Whether you are looking for rooftop fireworks with a DJ, a family-style Texas barbecue, or a relaxing post-holiday spa day, Texas has something spectacular lined up for you.
From San Antonio to Austin and Frisco, here is your curated guide to the best food, events, and celebrations for the Fourth of July. (The Gunter Hotel, Paris Baguette, La Panadería, Freight Fried Chicken, Kimpton Santo San Antonio Riverwalk, Otto’s Ice House, Plaza San Antonio Hotel & Spa, The Faust Hotel, Briscoe Western Art Museum, Omni Hotels/2026)
Celebrate the Fourth at Jots, the Gunter Hotel’s signature restaurant. Indulge in a special holiday dish or stick around for their famous Sunday Jazz brunch.
The Special: Steak & Frites ($35) on Saturday, July 4.
Jots’ Jazz Brunch: Sundays from 10 AM – 1 PM featuring live music from The Dirty River Jazz Band and a historic supper-club-inspired menu.
Satisfy your sweet tooth with limited-time patriotic treats perfect for any holiday gathering.
Stars & Stripes Berry Trifle Cake: Three layers of vanilla sponge cake filled with soft cream, strawberries, and blueberries. Serves 8. (Available now through July 5)
Red, White & Blue Mochi Donut: A colorful, seasonal festive donut. (Available now through July 19)
Heading to the downtown parade? All San Antonio locations will be open serving artisan pan dulce, pastries, and café favorites.
Pro-Tip: The Houston Street downtown location is the perfect pitstop before or after the city’s Stars & Stripes on Houston Street Fourth of July Parade.
312 Pearl Parkway, Building 6, San Antonio, TX 78215 James Beard-nominated chef and veteran Nicola Blaque invites veterans and community members to enjoy her nationally recognized recipes.
The Special: A limited-time fried chicken plate (two pieces of fried chicken with any side) for just $10.
When: Saturday, July 4 through Sunday, July 6.
Hours: Friday – Saturday (10 AM – 10 PM), Sunday (11 AM – 9 PM).
111 Newell Ave., San Antonio, TX 78212 If you are looking for a casual, all-day hangout along the San Antonio River, this is your spot. Located right near Pearl’s shops, it’s an easy go-to for cold drinks and quality time with family.
Holiday Weekend Hours: Friday – Saturday (11 AM – 12 AM), Sunday (11 AM – 10 PM).
Tenfold Rooftop | Red, White & Blue Skies Celebrate Independence Day above the city at this all-day pool party sponsored by Aperol. Expect rooftop poolside vibes, specialty cocktails, live DJs, and prime views of the city’s official firework demonstration at Hemisfair.
Dean’s Steak and SeafoodEnjoy incredible fine dining alongside a unique pop-up experience. Tried & True Leather will be at the bar offering custom and pre-made leather works for the holiday.
When: Saturday, July 4 from 6 PM – 10 PM.
Reservations: Strongly encouraged through OpenTable.
Corinne San Antonio & Anaqua Garden Bar Enjoy family-style barbecue favorites, festive summer cocktails, live music, and outdoor dining on the shared downtown patio. Budweiser will also be on-site as the featured beer vendor.
The Spa Plaza San Antonio | Wellness in the Garden: Reset Day Recover and recharge after the holiday. This rejuvenating experience invites you to slow down, refresh, and prioritize self-care in a relaxing outdoor setting.
Wilhelm & Werner – 229 South Castell Ave., New Braunfels, TX 78130 Escape to New Braunfels for an elevated Texas-style brasserie lunch and brunch service inside this historic hotel.
When: Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM.
Celebrate America’s 250th birthday with heavily discounted and free admissions while checking out the stunning Selena Forever / Siempre Selena photography exhibition.
700 San Jacinto Blvd. Austin, TX 78701 Head up to the rooftop pool and Cloud Bar for a special 4th of July edition of their popular Summer Saturdays series.
When: Saturday, July 4 – Sunday, July 5.
Access: Complimentary for overnight guests; public day passes start at $60 via ResortPass.
8212 Barton Club Drive, Austin, TX 78735 Celebrate under the Hill Country sky with classic Texas barbecue, lawn games, a fireworks finale, and live music from multiplatinum country artist Neal McCoy (with opener Mason Lively).
When: Friday, July 3.
Admission: Open to resort guests and country club members.
Upgrade: The Star-Spangled VIP Experience ($160/person) offers premium food/drinks and front-row terrace views of the fireworks.
4341 PGA Parkway, Frisco, TX 75033 Grammy Award-winning artist Darius Rucker takes the stage for an unforgettable evening! The event features a massive combined drone and fireworks display, carnival games, face painters, and festive food.
When: Saturday, July 4.
Tickets: Available via Eventbrite (Resort packages available for guaranteed access).
212 W Crockett St, San Antonio, TX 78205 If you want to skip the crowds entirely, celebrate self-care all month long. The Forbes Four-Star rated Mokara Spa is offering a specialized Red, White & Bloom Facial for $155.
When: Available all month long in July.
For anyone looking to make a weekend of it, take advantage of Omni’s America is Calling offer, which extends 15% off two nights and 20% off three or more nights. Additionally, kids 10 and under eat free from the Omni Kids menu for breakfast and lunch through September 7.
Have a safe and happy Fourth of July! Which event are you hitting up first? Let me know in the comments below.
A.A. Williams’ new album Solstice is out now. Photo: another side, used with permission.
Cinematic Darkness & Radiant Renewal: A.A. Williams Releases ‘Solstice’
A.A. Williams steps into a new era. Out now via RPM, Solsticearrives as Williams’ most powerful and poetic work to date, an album shaped by extremes of light and darkness, weight and fragility, devastation and renewal. (another side, 2026)
Thunderous highs, intimate lows, and vivid emotional shifts unfold across a record that feels both deeply personal and cinematic in scale.
A Sonic World of Extremes
Long celebrated for her haunting vocals, immersive dynamics, and striking emotional clarity, Williams expands her sonic world with an album that moves like a ritual through changing seasons.
The Instrumentation: Guitars churn like gathering weather, while strings glow with a fragile warmth.
The Vocals: Her voice unfolds seamlessly from restrained intimacy into a commanding emotional force.
Solstice captures A.A. Williams at a major creative turning point. Inspired by years of global touring, acclaimed collaborations, and genre-defying reinterpretations, the album finds her fully embracing both vulnerability and power.
Balancing crushing heaviness with moments of startling beauty, Solstice invites listeners into a world where silence can feel as immense as sound itself. It’s intimate, dramatic, and quietly radiant; music for endings, beginnings, and the long road between the two.
About A.A. Williams
Making her debut live appearance at the prestigious Roadburn Festival in the Netherlands off the back of a self-titled EP, A.A. Williams has since toured across the globe with heavyweights like:
Cult of Luna
Explosions in the Sky
Russian Circles
Sleep Token
The Sisters of Mercy
Alongside these massive support slots, she has established herself as a formidable headline artist, including a landmark show at the iconic Queen Elizabeth Hall inside London’s Southbank Centre.
A Track Record of Critical Acclaim
Her standout festival appearances have dovetailed with two widely acclaimed album releases: 2020’s Forever Blue and 2022’s As The Moon Rests. Both records placed Williams at the forefront of a wave of artists taking textured, epic, and folk-rooted heavy music into progressive new directions. A live BBC session at the legendary Maida Vale Studios further bolstered her credentials.
Pushing Boundaries & Companion Pieces
Never one to rest on her laurels, Williams has continuously released innovative companion projects, including:
“Exit In Darkness”: A collaborative single with Japanese post-rock titans MONO.
Songs From Isolation (2020): A solo covers collection recorded during the pandemic lockdown that drew praise from icons like The Cure’s Robert Smith and Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan.
arco (2021): Perhaps her most impressive feat, where the multi-instrumentalist drew on her classical training to completely rework her debut EP from rock instrumentation into a stunning string ensemble.
Solstice is out now via RPM. Stream or purchase the album here.
Explore stars, black holes, and galaxies in a fully immersive journey beyond Earth that brings the universe within reach like never before. Photo: Smithsonian Starstruck, used with permission.
The Universe Awaits: ‘Smithsonian Starstruck’ Immersive Experience Launching in San Antonio
The universe is officially within reach, Texas! San Antonio is about to become a major gateway to the cosmos with the arrival of Smithsonian Starstruck: An Immersive Experience. (Smithsonian Starstruck, 2026)
Opening this week at The Shops at Rivercenter, this free-roam, interactive journey invites visitors to witness the birth and death of stars, explore distant galaxies, and come face-to-face with a black hole, all without ever leaving downtown San Antonio.
Here is everything you need to know about this upcoming celestial adventure.
📅 Event Details at a Glance
Feature
Details
Opening Date
Thursday, July 2, 2026
Location
The Shops at Rivercenter, Lower Level (San Antonio, TX)
Science Meets Magic: Built From Real Astronomical Data
Developed in collaboration with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO)—a pioneering research center founded in 1890—Starstruck draws on decades of genuine astronomical research.
This isn’t just a standard digital exhibition. By translating complex scientific data into a fully immersive, walkable universe, the experience dissolves the boundary between the observer and the observed. Visitors will be able to touch, hear, and navigate the wonders of the cosmos using all of their senses.
🚀 Cosmic Travel Partners: During the journey, guests will travel alongside humanity’s most powerful space observatories, including the Hubble Space Telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and the Chandra X‑ray Observatory.
🌟 Experience Highlights
What can you expect once you step inside? The journey breaks down into some truly breathtaking segments:
Launch from the Summit: The experience begins atop SAO’s Whipple Observatory, where a cosmic guide named Astro awaits to launch you into deep space.
A 3D Galactic Drift: Glide past thousands of galaxies, race through the Milky Way, and soar close to the Sun to witness its immense energy.
The Edge of Infinity: Encounter extreme exoplanets, stand beside a dying star, and walk right up to the edge of a supermassive black hole.
Celebrating Innovation & Human Accomplishment
Beyond the stunning visuals, Starstruck honors centuries of scientific curiosity. From the Big Bang to our modern solar system, the experience places you inside the story of discovery itself, reminding us that humans are not just observers of the cosmos, but an active part of it.
“This project demonstrates how immersive experiences can make complex scientific ideas more tangible and engaging. It’s exciting to see astronomical data translated into an experience that encourages curiosity and exploration.” — Randall Smith, Associate Director for Science at the Center for Astrophysics at SAO.
Bringing Starstruck to San Antonio marks the latest addition to Fever’s growing worldwide portfolio of cultural experiences, aiming to make science and art completely accessible through cutting-edge technology.
♿ Commitment to Accessibility
Developed in close collaboration with the Smithsonian Office of Visitor Accessibility, Starstruck has been thoughtfully designed to ensure a welcoming experience for everyone. Accessibility features include:
Captions and visual descriptions
Wheelchair-optimized viewing pathways
Assistive listening devices
Complimentary companion access
Monthly low-sensory days alongside a fully trained staff
About the Organizers
About the Smithsonian
Since 1846, the Smithsonian Institution has been the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex. It consists of 21 museums, the National Zoological Park, and various research facilities housing roughly 157 million objects and specimens.
About the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO)
As part of the largest astrophysics research center in the world, SAO has been a pioneer in space exploration since 1890. Today, they perform groundbreaking research and operate multiple satellites, including NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Minor Planet Center tracking solar system asteroids.
Ready to explore deep space? Head over to Fever to secure your tickets for opening week!
In ‘Wiring Intelligence,’ Dr. Bobby Low explains why high performers fail under pressure and how to address it. Photo: Amazon
Book Spotlight: Wiring Intelligence
From Reactive to Proactive: 8 Mindsets to Control Performance Under Pressure
By Dr. Bobby Low
Most people don’t fail under pressure because they lack talent, discipline, or desire. They fail because their mind gets hijacked and activates thinking patterns they never chose.(Amazon, 2026)
They weren’t mentally tough.
When it’s time to perform, your brain defaults to whatever thinking patterns have been wired through repetition. For many people, those patterns are reactive, driven by fear, doubt, and avoidance. And when they take over, performance breaks down in the moments that matter most.
In Wiring Intelligence, Dr. Bobby Low explains why this happens and, more importantly, how to change it.
The Science of Peak Performance
Grounded in neuroscience, sport psychology, and years of applied work with elite athletes and high performers, this book reveals how thinking patterns are formed, why pressure activates them, and how they can be retrained. You’ll learn how to shift from reactive thinking to proactive control, so you reach your peak performance under pressure.
At the core of the book are eight essential performance mindsets—a practical framework for:
Building self-awareness
Regulating emotion
Sharpening focus
Using your words to train the mind
Through research, real-world examples, and proven tools, Dr. Low shows how high performers wire intelligence into their thinking, not through hype or positive thinking, but through deliberate mental training.
This is how you become mentally tough. This is how you unlock your peak performance. This is how you control your mental game. This is how you perform under pressure.
Wiring Intelligence is a practical guide for athletes, coaches, parents, and high achievers who want to stop letting their mind get hijacked and start performing when it matters most.
Dr. Bobby Low is a Mental Performance Doctor who trains athletes, teams, and high performers to build the mental patterns required to perform under pressure.
As a former NCAA All-American and professional pole vaulter, he learned firsthand a powerful truth: performance doesn’t break down because athletes lack talent, it breaks down because the mind gets in the way and interferes with execution when it matters most.
After retiring from track and field, Dr. Bobby earned his PhD in Sport & Performance Psychology and spent years studying how elite performers think, respond, and execute under pressure. Through his research and work with athletes, he discovered that the best performers don’t rely on positive thinking alone, they train their minds to respond differently.
Today, Dr. Bobby works with athletes at BYU and supports elite performers across professional sports, helping them train the mental patterns required to perform under pressure. But what drives him most is helping younger, developing athletes gain access to the same training and systems that are typically reserved for the highest levels of sport.
His Mission: To make world-class mental performance training accessible to every athlete, team, and family. Through the MOTYV8 platform, athletes train directly inside his system, building confidence, focus, resilience, and emotional control through daily repetition.
‘Voyagers’ is Meg Charlton’s debut novel. Photo: Barnes & Noble
Book Review: Voyagers by Meg Charlton
The Story
Years ago, when Alex and Ana were six years old, they vanished for thirty-six hours during a sleepover while on vacation near Palm Springs. When they returned, dazed but unharmed, their account had all the traits of an alien abduction. The media frenzy that followed made them famous, and the long months of child stardom—of talk shows and sitcom cameos—created a seemingly unbreakable bond between them, until the mystery behind their disappearance began to tear them apart.
In the present, “the Signal,” a mysterious transmission pulsing from the edge of the solar system, arrives, changing the world overnight. Planes are grounded, satellites fail, and speculation abounds. While humanity holds its breath for first contact, the Signal feels deeply personal to Alex, now a thirtysomething lawyer who has spent years distancing himself from the unexplainable. It is the opening of an old wound.
With the world on edge and the Signal growing stronger, Alex is drawn back to the one person who might have answers. Ana, now a professional advocate for experiencers of extraterrestrial contact, is leading a retreat near Palm Springs, close to the site of their childhood disappearance. As the former best friends tentatively reunite, what starts as a quest to confront the reality of their original experience becomes a larger reckoning with friendship, faith, family, and truth itself.
Review
Voyagers by Meg Charlton reframes a popular sci-fi premise—a world-altering cosmic transmission—into a profoundly intimate character study. While humanity holds its breath over potential first contact, Alex is forced to confront a childhood trauma he spent decades burying.
Charlton beautifully balances global intrigue with deep character development. The mystery surrounding Alex and Ana’s disappearance keeps the pages turning, while their complicated reunion adds emotional weight to the unfolding narrative. As the tension of the global phenomenon grows, it perfectly mirrors the internal reckoning between the two protagonists. Rather than relying solely on extraterrestrial speculation, the novel uses the themes of memory, belief, and the stories people construct to make sense of their lives.
The pacing is steady, with suspense building naturally as the Signal grows stronger and long-buried questions demand answers. The writing is thoughtful and atmospheric, creating a sense of wonder without sacrificing emotional authenticity. Written in a non-linear narrative, the story unfolds beautifully through Alex’s first-person perspective:
“I saw all my younger selves stretched out like skeins of geese across the sky, crisscrossing in the air, the six-year-old Alex still flying away from California, the adult flying back toward it.”
Key Themes & Concepts
Most Intriguing Concept: Is Allen just Alex and Ana’s imaginary friend, or is he a real memory?
Core Themes: Family, Friendship, and Identity.
Genre: Blend of literary fiction and science fiction.
Final Thoughts
Voyagers is thought-provoking and beautifully written. A suspenseful exploration of friendship and family dynamics, it’s rich with science fiction, mystery, and emotional drama. It uses an extraterrestrial backdrop to dissect the fragility of human memory and poses the question: is discovering the truth always worth the cost? Most importantly, it explores the psychological aftermath of early stardom, public scrutiny, and shared childhood trauma.
Highly recommended for readers who enjoy intelligent speculative fiction with strong, character-driven arcs.
“It is very painful to be called out for believing something that isn’t so. The instinct is not to cut one’s losses and confess to being wrong but to double down, to stay committed to your foolishness for so long that it takes on a kind of power.”
Meg Charlton was born and raised in New York City. She holds an MFA in fiction from Brooklyn College, and Voyagers is her brilliant debut novel.
** Thank you to Sarah Jean Grimm and Broadside PR for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) for review consideration. I haven’t been compensated for this review and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
Harlan Coben’s ‘I Will Find You.’ Photo: Barnes & Noble
From Page to Screen: Harlan Coben’s ‘I Will Find You’ Comes to Netflix
Few authors have mastered the art of suspense like Harlan Coben. His novels captivate readers with intricate plots, unexpected twists, and relatable characters whose ordinary lives are suddenly turned upside down. Each story keeps readers guessing until the final pages, making his books nearly impossible to put down.
That same storytelling brilliance has translated seamlessly to the screen, with numerous Netflix adaptations becoming massive international hits. Series like Fool Me Once, Stay Close, and The Stranger have introduced Coben’s gripping mysteries to an even wider audience. Whether on the page or on the screen, Harlan Coben consistently delivers edge-of-your-seat entertainment.
The latest adaptation to join this thriller lineup is I Will Find You, an eight-episode limited series that premiered on Netflix on June 18, 2026.
📺 The Series: ‘I Will Find You’
Based on Coben’s #1 New York Times bestselling novel, I Will Find Youfollows David Burroughs, an innocent father serving a life sentence in a maximum-security prison for the murder of his own son, Matthew.
Five years into his sentence, David receives shocking word from his sister-in-law, Rachel, that Matthew may actually be alive. To uncover the truth, he must embark on a high-stakes mission that leads him out of prison and into a dangerous world of deceit and despair.
🎭 Meet the Cast
Actor
Role
Sam Worthington
David Burroughs
Britt Lower
Rachel Mills
Milo Ventimiglia
Hayden Payne
Logan Browning
Sarah Greer
Chi McBride
Max Williams
Madeleine Stowe
Gertrude Payne
📖 The Book Synopsis
For those who want to dive into the source material, here is the official setup for this breathtaking thriller:
David Burroughs was once a devoted father to his three-year-old son, Matthew, living a dream life just a short drive away from the working-class suburb where he and his wife, Cheryl, first fell in love. Until one fateful night, David woke to discover Matthew had been murdered while David was asleep just down the hall. (Barnes & Noble, 2026)
Half a decade later, David’s been wrongly accused and convicted of the crime. Grieving and wracked with guilt, he didn’t have the will to fight the system, leaving the world to move on without him.
Then, Cheryl’s younger sister, Rachel, makes a surprise appearance during visiting hours. She brings a strange photograph, and in the background—just barely in frame—is a boy bearing an eerie resemblance to David’s son. David knows it instantly: Matthew is still alive.
Determined to achieve the impossible, David plans a harrowing prison escape to save his son, clear his own name, and discover the real story of what happened. But with his life on the line and the FBI following his every move, can he evade capture long enough to reveal the shocking truth?
✍️ About the Author
Harlan Coben is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of the world’s leading storytellers. His suspense novels are published in 46 languages and have topped bestseller lists in more than a dozen countries. His celebrated Myron Bolitar series has earned him the prestigious Edgar, Shamus, and Anthony Awards.
Coben is also the creator and executive producer of numerous television shows. Beyond Netflix hits like Missing You, Fool Me Once, The Innocent, and The Woods, he is the creative force behind Amazon Prime’s Shelter and Lazarus. With Run Away and I Will Find You anchoring his latest screen adaptations, Coben has plenty more thrilling projects in the works.
Have you started watching I Will Find You on Netflix yet, or are you planning to read the book first? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
