David Bowles’ new book ‘They Call Her Fregona’ will be released September 6, 2022. Photo: Amazon
David Bowles grew up in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, where he teaches at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He is the author of several award-winning titles, including “They Call Me Güero,” “The Smoking Mirror,” the 13th Street series, and “Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky: Myths of Mexico.” His picture book debut, “My Two Border Towns,” is available in English and Spanish. In 2020, David co-founded #DignidadLiteraria, a grassroots activist hashtag and movement dedicated to promoting equity for Latinx people in publishing. His new book “They Call Her Fregona: A Border Kid’s Poems” will be released on Tuesday, September 6, 2022. Honoring multiple poetic traditions, “They Call Her Fregona” is a bittersweet first-love story in verse and the highly anticipated follow-up to “They Call Me Güero.” (Amazon, 2022)
“They Call Her Fregona” – “You can be my boyfriend.” It only takes five words to change Güero’s life at the end of seventh grade. The summer becomes extra busy as he learns to balance new band practice with his old crew, Los Bobbys, and being Joanna Padilla’s boyfriend. They call her “fregona” because she is tough, always sticking up for her family and keeping the school bully in check. But Güero sees her softness. Together they cook dollar-store spaghetti and hold hands in the orange grove, learning more about themselves and each other than they could have imagined. But when they start eighth grade, Joanna faces a tragedy that requires Güero to reconsider what it means to show up for someone you love.
Stephen King’s new book ‘Fairy Tale. Photo: Amazon
Stephen King is the author of more than sixty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His recent novels include “Billy Summers,” “If It Bleeds,” “The Institute,” “Elevation,” “The Outsider,” “Sleeping Beauties” (cowritten with his son Owen King), and the Bill Hodges trilogy: “End of Watch,” “Finders Keepers,” and “Mr. Mercedes.” His novel “11/22/63” was named a top ten book of 2011 by The New York Times Book Review and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller. His epic works “The Dark Tower,” “It,” “Pet Sematary,” and “Doctor Sleep” are the basis for major motion pictures, with It now the highest-grossing horror film of all time. In his new book “Fairy Tale,” which will be released Tuesday, September 6, the legendary storyteller goes into the deepest well of his imagination in this spellbinding novel about a seventeen-year-old boy who inherits the keys to a parallel world where good and evil are at war, and the stakes could not be higher—for that world or ours. (Amazon, 2022)
“Fairy Tale”– Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid: good at baseball and football, a decent student. But he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was ten, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself—and his dad. When Charlie is seventeen, he meets a dog named Radar and her aging master, Howard Bowditch, a recluse in a big house at the top of a big hill, with a locked shed in the backyard. Sometimes strange sounds emerge from it. Charlie starts doing jobs for Mr. Bowditch and loses his heart to Radar. Then, when Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie a cassette tape telling a story no one would believe. What Bowditch knows, and has kept secret all his long life, is that inside the shed is a portal to another world. King’s storytelling in “Fairy Tale” soars. This is a magnificent and terrifying tale in which good is pitted against overwhelming evil, and a heroic boy—and his dog—must lead the battle.
‘Roar Like a Goddess’ is the new book by Acharya Shunya. Photo: Amazon
Acharya Shunya is a truth teller who facilitates authenticity, self-remembrance, and Divine Feminine pathways to awakening within. The first female head of her 2,000-year-old Indian spiritual lineage, Shunya reinterprets and recontextualizes ancient teachings for modern times, empowering people everywhere to lead fulfilled, fearless, and enlightened lives. She is president of The Awakened Self Foundation in California and author of “Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom” and “Sovereign Self.” Her new book “Roar Like a Goddess: Every Woman’s Guide to Becoming Unapologetically Powerful, Prosperous, and Peaceful” is a rallying cry for women everywhere to break free from the shackles of patriarchy and awaken their true nature, brought to life through India’s primary goddess archetypes. The release date is September 6, 2022. (Amazon, 2022)
“Roar Like a Goddess” – Within you is a wellspring of strength and resilience, the ability to create and enjoy abundance, and an expansive sense of inner freedom and divinity. Yet after centuries of living in patriarchal societies, many women do not realize how powerful they are―or how much they have been enculturated to keep their true nature hidden. “In Roar Like a Goddess,” trailblazing Vedic spiritual teacher Acharya Shunya empowers women everywhere to step into their divine immensity and lead powerful, abundant, and wise lives through her revolutionary revisioning of ancient India’s primary goddess archetypes: Goddess Durga, Goddess Lakshmi, and Goddess Saraswati.
Throughout “Roar Like a Goddess” Shunya honors her progressive Vedic roots while breaking the shackles of tradition to bring modern-day women an inclusive, feminist spirituality. Sharing classic myths, original insights, and empowering practices, Shunya offers a profound process for awakening the many faces of goddess within. “It is time for all women to come out of the closet and roar with all their spiritual power,” she writes, “because that is our true sound.”
Our American Family opens in theaters in New York and Los Angeles and Video on Demand. Photo: Giant Pictures, used with permission.
Our American Family will be released in the United States theatrically in New York (Cinema Village), Los Angeles (Laemmle Monica) on September 2 and on Video On Demand in the United States, Canada, UK, and major territories on September 6, both timed to National Recovery Month. Video on Demand platforms include US – Apple TV/iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, Canada- Apple TV/iTunes, Google Play, and UK- Apple TV/iTunes. (Giant Pictures, 2022)
Winner of the Woodstock Film Festival 2021- Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature Addiction is an all-encompassing force, in not only of the lives of the afflicted, but also those around them. Our American Family provides an honest, unfiltered look at a close-knit Philadelphia family dealing with generational substance abuse. Captured at a pivotal “nothing to lose” moment, for over the course of a year, five family members tired of life with addiction on center stage, each struggle to transcend their crippling histories.
What will it take to shift this entrenched, wrenching pattern in their lives? Will they be able to make significant shifts to help their next generation? The members of Our American Family invite us into their lives to find hope and to explore what is possible. Though they often falter, their familial loyalty is powerful, demonstrating how through love and dedication people can rise out of the deepest depths. For a touching, eye-opening look into one of America’s most pressing crises, look no further.
Our American Family opens in September timed to National Recovery Month, a national observance held every September to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the emergence of a strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and community members across the nation who make recovery in all its forms possible.
Hallee Adelman is a writer, filmmaker, and co-founder of World of HA Productions. She is an executive producer on the Emmy-winning documentary “The Social Dilemma,” and the Oscar-nominated international film “Writing with Fire.” Other titles include the Academy shortlisted, “The Truffle Hunters,” the Sundance premiere “UsKids,” and the soon to be released, “Art & Krimes by Krimes.” Recent festival premieres, “Aisha,” “Broadway Rising,” and “Your Friend, Memphis.” Adelman is a Board Member of the International Documentary Association. Adelman co-directed and produced Our American Family after a writing project deepened her connection with the brave participants featured in the film.
The Alternate is one of the movies that will be available this September on digital platforms. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
A new month means a whole new batch of movies coming up in a variety of genres, from horror, to documentaries, and romance. I prefer science fiction movies dealing with time travel/alternate universes so The Alternate looks good to me, but below is a list of upcoming movies that will be available on digital platforms. (October Coast, 2022)
OUT NOW We Are Gathered Here Today Drama | Cinedigm | Digital Platforms (U.S, CANADA) Director: Danny Boyd, Cast: Danny Huston, Lin Shaye, Phoebe Tonkin, Javicia Leslie Synopsis: We Are Gathered Here Today is a film about a multi-generational mixed-race family coming together to say their last goodbye to the patriarch of the family, while at the same time dealing with other underlying issues that family gatherings can bring.
SEPTEMBER 2 (limited digital), SEPTEMBER 16 (global national digital release) Surrogate Paranormal thriller | Indie Rights | Digital Platforms (U.S, AU, UK, NZ, CANADA) Director: David Willing, Cast: Kestie Morassi and Jane Badler Synopsis: Written by Beth King and David Willing, in his feature directorial debut, Surrogate tells of Natalie Paxton (Morassi), a single mother and nurse, who falls mysteriously ill and struggles to stop her family from being destroyed.
Mister Limbo Sci-fi/Comedy/Horror | Terror Films | Digital Platforms (U.S/CANADA) Director: Robert G.Putka, Cast: Hugo de Sousa, Vig Norris, Cameron Dye, Hugo Armstrong Synopsis: A young man in a parachute lands in the middle of a desert. He does not remember who he is or how he got there.
SEPTEMBER 6 Kingdom of the Dinosaurs Sci-fi/Horror | Uncork’d Entertainment | Digital Platforms/DVD (U.S/CANADA) Director: Scott Jeffrey, Cast: Mark Haldor, Darcie Rose, Chelsea Greenwood, Chrissie Wunna Synopsis: In 2030 during World War III a small group of survivors make it into a bunker. Two years later they have to exit to find new supplies, but they are greeted by dinosaur predators.
Something in the Woods Sci-fi/Horror | Uncork’d Entertainment | Digital Platforms/DVD (U.S/CANADA) Director: Alex T. Hwang, Cast: Nicole Cinaglia, Robbie Dias Synopsis: The creature feature tells of two women who battle a frightening monster in the woods and stars Nicole Cinaglia.
This Land Drama/Documentary | Gravitas Ventures | Digital Platforms/DVD (U.S/CANADA) Director: Matthew Palmer Synopsis: From executive producer, Sundance and SXSW winner Jim Cummings (Thunder Road, The Beta Test), This Land is a film exploring six groups of Americans as they experience Election Day across the United States.
SEPTEMBER 13 Gameboy: The Movie LGBTQ+/Romance | Dark Star Pictures | Digital Platforms/DVD (U.S/CANADA) Director: Ivan Andrew Payawal, Cast: Kokoy de Santos and Elijah Canlas Synopsis: Gamers turned lovers Cairo and Gavreel spend time together a few weeks before Cairo returns to his province. Their relationship is tested as they have to deal with distance, the pandemic, fate, and circumstance.
Greywood’s Plot Horror-comedy | Terror Films | Digital Platforms (U.S, UK, AUSTRALIA, NZ, CANADA) Director: Josh Stifter, Cast: Josh Stifter, Daniel Degnan Synopsis: Two friends venture into a forest to see if a monster sighting is real. Has won acclaim on the festival circuit. Stifter’s follow-up to cult favorite The Good Exorcist.
The Alternate Sci-fi/Thriller | Uncork’ d Entertainment | Digital Platforms/DVD (U.S, CANADA) Director: Alrik Brussell, Cast: Ed Gonzalez Marino Synopsis: Upon unlocking a portal to an alternate dimension where all his dreams have come true, struggling filmmaker Jake is forced to confront his idealized self.
SEPTEMBER 15 How Dark They Prey Horror | Film Valor| Digital Platforms, WatchMoviesNow (U.S, CANADA) Director: Jamison M. LoCascio and Adam Ambrosio, Cast: Josiah Schneider, Timothy Paul Jobe, and David Johnson. Synopsis: Four dark tales about the haunting nature of man and the unknown from WWII to Alien investigation, finding the occult, and kidnap with torture, the highly anticipated horror anthology is written by Adam Ambrosio, Anthony LoCascio and Jamison M. LoCascio.
SEPTEMBER 30 The Wild Man Horror | Terror Films| Digital Platforms (U.S, UK, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, CANADA) Director: Ryan Justice, Cast: Michael Pare Synopsis: Young women have been going missing in Ochopee, FL, without a single suspect in custody. A young journalist, Sara, convinces her crew to join her investigation as she travels to Ochopee to document her discoveries, but they soon realize their presence in this town is not welcome. Determined to find her story, Sara convinces her friends to stick with her, because they are onto something big. Upon meeting Dale, the town’s notorious conspiracy theorist, she is convinced he knows more than he is willing to share. The crew humors Dale’s ridiculous theories, even accompanying him into the Florida swamps on his quest to show them “The Wild Man,” hoping he will somehow reveal his guilt. But what the crew discovers is a secret much deeper than fairy tales and legends. What they discover is much darker and more sinister than they bargained for.
The California Honeydrops let loose in the studio for new album Soft Spot, due out October 7, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
In their fourteenth year together, bay-area soul/R&B favorites The California Honeydrops hits the post-lockdown ground running. Tour dates and festivals returned, including the Honeydrops’ first headlining show at Red Rocks, and, much to the delight of the band and fans alike, the group returned to the recording studio to lay down a new full-length album. The Honeydrops are sharing the very first taste of their upcoming release Soft Spot—out October7, 2022. (The California Honeydrops, 2022)
The first single “Takin’ My Time” kicks off with a slinky groove that the Honeydrops are known for, having made a career out of their signature blend of Bay Area R&B, Southern soul, Delta blues, and New Orleans second line. With tasty horn-section interjections dancing around well-timed background vocals, “Takin’ My Time” embodies exactly what guitarist, trumpeter, and lead singer Lech Wierzynkski wanted to channel with the song’s lyrical content—as he describes, “Slow down, erase your social media, smoke some weed, watch the sunset, get out of the rat race.”
The Honeydrops have come a long way since Wierzynkski and drummer Ben Beaullieu started busking in an Oakland subway station, but the band has stayed true to that organic, street-level feel. Listening to Lech sing, it can be a surprise that he was born in Warsaw, Poland, and raised by Polish political refugees. He learned his vocal stylings from contraband American recordings of Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, and Louis Armstrong, and later at Oberlin College and on the club circuit in Oakland, California. With the additions of Johnny Bones on tenor sax and clarinet, Lorenzo Loera on keyboards, and Beau Bradbury on bass, they’ve built a powerful full-band sound to support Wierzynski’s vocals.
Soft Spot track list: Honey and Butter Gonna Be Alright Nothing at All I Miss You Baby, Pt. 1 Tumblin’ Takin’ My Time The Unicorn Soft Spot In Your Arms Lil Bit of Love Sneakin’ into Heaven I Miss You Baby, Pt. 2
Catch The California Honeydrops On Tour: September 9 – St. Helena, CA – Charles Krug Winery September 10 – San Luis Obispo, CA – SLO Gathering September 11 – Perris, CA – Same Same But Different Festival 2022 September 19 – Buena Vista, CO – Ivy Ballroom at Surf Hotel September 20 – Crested Butte, CO – Center for the Arts September 22 – Telluride, CO – Sheridan Opera House September 24 – Aspen, CO – Belly Up October 14 – Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theatre October 16 – Flagstaff, AZ – Yucca North October 18 – Durango, CO – Animas City Theatre October 19 – Santa Fe, NM – Meow Wolf October 21 – Denver, CO – Mission Ballroom October 22 – Kansas City, MO – Knuckleheads October 23 – St. Louis, MO – The Big Top October 25 – St. Paul, MN – Turf Club October 26 – St. Paul, MN – Turf Club October 27 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall October 29 – Indianapolis, IN – HI-FI Annex October 30 – Ferndale, MI – Magic Bag October 31 – Kalamazoo, MI – Bell’s Brewery November 2 – South Burlington, VT – Higher Ground November 3 – Portland, ME – Aura November 5 – New York, NY – Sony Hall November 6 – Boston, MA – Royale Boston November 8 – Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe Live November 9 – Washington, DC – Lincoln Theatre November 11 – Charlottesville, VA – The Jefferson Theater November 12 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel November 13 – Highlands, NC – Highlands Food and Wine Festival 2022 January 15-22, 2023 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Sandy Beaches Cruise 2023
Jonathan Terrell welcomes you to his home state on new single ‘Texas’ from his new EP A Couple, 2,3. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
“To be from Texas means to be a good neighbor and to be a good friend to that neighbor,” says Austin-based recording artist Jonathan Terrell. His new single “Texas,” out now on Range Music, reads like a postcard and acts as an open invitation to anybody wanting to visit the great state of country music, barbeque and Willie Nelson. Written by Terrell and Jess Carson of Midland, “Texas” is a ‘come as you are’ anthem for all walks of life. (Jonathan Terrell, 2022)
Terrell recently released the music video for “Texas,” in partnership with Desert Door Texas Sotol’s Unreleased music series, which supports local Texas artists. Raised Rowdy premiered the single as well, calling it, “velvet-warm with a healthy dose of soul.” Produced by Beau Bedford at Dallas’s beloved Modern Electric Studios, like the rest of A Couple, 2, 3, “Texas” is available to stream or purchase. Fans can also pre-save or pre-orderA Couple, 2, 3 ahead of its September 9 release via Range Music.
Terrell will be supporting wildly popular country trio Midland on a string of U.S. dates starting where he will also be performing as part of their touring band.
A Couple, 2, 3 track list: Samantha I Know Paint By Lightning Texas Place Out Back Better For You
With his new EP, A Couple 2, 3, the singer-songwriter now signed to Range Music has translated his philosophy into a staggeringly coherent, funny, heartbreaking, and gorgeous project. Highlighted by brilliant singles like “Better For You,” which comes alongside a self-directed video with frequent collaborator Shakey Graves onboard as a producer, it is clear that two decades into this game, Terrell is firmly in his prime. There is a bravery in Terrell’s storytelling on this new project that only comes from repetition and honing the craft. The way he owns these songs—honors the stories he tells with joy and bravado—comes from his tenacious work ethic; all those days on the road, engaging in musical conversations with his fans to figure out what works best.
Catch Jonathan Terrell on tour: September 8 – Cheyenne, WY – Outlaw Saloon w/ William Clark Green September 10 – Billings, MT – Pub Station w/ William Clark Green September 11 – Great Falls, MT – The Newberry w/ William Clark Green September 15 – Spokane, WA – Lucky You Lounge w/ William Clark Green September 16 – Portland, OR – Ponderosa Lounge w/ William Clark Green September 17 – Medford, OR – The Rocky Tonk Saloon w/ William Clark Green September 20 – Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern w/ William Clark Green September 21 – Boise, ID – The Olympic w/ William Clark Green October 21 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Union w/ Midland October 22 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks w/ Midland November 12 – Kennewick, WA – Toyota Center w/ Midland November 16 – Bellingham, WA – Mount Baker Theatre w/ Midland December 7 – Annapolis, MD – Rams Head On Stage w/ William Clark Green December 8 – Richmond, V – The Broadberry w/ William Clark Green December 9 – Sellersville, PA – Sellersville Theater w/ William Clark Green December 10 – Worchester, MA – Off The Rails w/ William Clark Green
‘Aurora’ is the new novel by David Koepp. Photo: Amazon
David Koepp is a celebrated American screenwriter who has written more than two dozen feature films in a wide variety of genres, including the first two Jurassic Park films, Death Becomes Her, Carlito’s Way, The Paper, Mission: Impossible, Spider-Man, Panic Room, War of the Worlds, Angels and Demons, Inferno, and Kimi. Some of the films he has both written and directed are Stir of Echoes, Secret Window, Ghost Town, and Premium Rush, the latter two co-written with John Kamps. Koepp is also the author of the novel “Cold Storage.” In his new book “Aurora: A Novel,” a worldwide cataclysm plays out in the lives of one complicated Midwestern family. It will soon be a major motion picture from Netflix and Academy-Award winning director Kathryn Bigelow. (Amazon, 2022)
“Aurora” – In Aurora, Illinois, Aubrey Wheeler is just trying to get by after her semi-criminal ex-husband split, leaving behind his unruly teenage son. Then the lights go out—not just in Aurora but across the globe. A solar storm has knocked out power almost everywhere. Suddenly, all problems are local, very local, and Aubrey must assume the mantle of fierce protector of her suburban neighborhood. Across the country lives Aubrey’s estranged brother, Thom. A fantastically wealthy, neurotically over-prepared Silicon Valley CEO, he plans to ride out the crisis in a gilded desert bunker he built for maximum comfort and security. But the complicated history between the siblings is far from over, and what feels like the end of the world is just the beginning of several long-overdue reckonings—which not everyone will survive . Aurora is suspenseful storytelling—both large scale and small—at its finest.
Movers Ultimate is available to rent on digital platforms. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
The feature length bromantic comedy about movers you have been waiting for is here. Watch those valuable glasses. Tape up that heavy box. Do not forget to pass on details to the new address. MoversUltimate is now available to stream. (Movers Ultimate, 2022)
Movers Ultimate is written and directed by Ben Rood and stars Shawn Knox, Chaney Morrow, Sé Marie, Annalese Poorman, Andy J. Carlson, and Grant Kennedy Lewis. It is the story of two best friends who must get off work in time to make it to their 10-year high school reunion and reconnect with the girls who got away. And yes, they are being careful not to break the China.
The Liar will be out September 30 via Blue Dirt Records and Thirty Tigers. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Since his critically acclaimed album Songs, the public at large has not heard much from John Fullbright. Eight years seems unthinkable for someone with so much hype—including a GRAMMY nod, an Americana Music Association Emerging Artist nomination and awards from ASCAP and the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame—surrounding his early career. On September 30, Fullbright is set to end the dry spell with the release of his new LP, The Liar, opening up his newfound trust in musical collaboration for the world to hear. (John Fullbright, 2022)
Fullbright released the first taste of The Liar with the album’s ever-developing second track. “Paranoid Heart” starts out as a plaintive little folk song and explodes into a memorable, Petty-esque rocker bolstered by drummer Paddy Ryan and Jesse Aycock’s just-unhinged-enough slide guitar solo. “Paranoid Heart” is an indicator of what is to come from Fullbright’s newly minted, community-driven output. Fans can hear “Paranoid Heart” now and pre-order or pre-saveThe Liar ahead of its September 30 release via Blue Dirt Records and Thirty Tigers.
The Liar was recorded at Steve and Charlene Ripley’s farm-to-studio compound in northeastern Oklahoma. After Steve’s passing, Charlene flirted with the idea of selling the studio property, so Fullbright quickly mobilized to make sure he was able to record there before it changed hands. He threw together a band made up of, as Fullbright calls them, “the usual suspects.” Anyone vaguely familiar with Oklahoma music will recognize the roster, which includes Jesse Aycock, Aaron Boehler, Paul Wilkes, Stephen Lee, and Paddy Ryan, all of whom are in more bands than seems possible. Along with a few more friends stopping in to lay down takes, they finished the songs and tracked the album with engineer Jason Weinheimer in a whirlwind four days.
The grab-and-go momentum landed Fullbright in the studio with some old songs (“Unlocked Doors” also appeared in 2009’s Live at the Blue Door), some new, and some unfinished, making his newfound trust in musical collaboration essential to the arrangements and reflected fully on the final album. The Liar, as a result, utilizes emotional and instrumental dynamics in ways Fullbright has not allowed himself to fully explore before. There is a noticeable slack here, an indulgent instrumental break there, and the general feeling that the tight-lipped John Fullbright who agonized over the writing process and then hesitated to talk about the meanings behind his songs in the past has eased up.
The Liar track list: 1. Bearden, 1645 2. Paranoid Heart 3. Stars 4. The Liar 5. Unlocked Doors 6. Where We Belong 7. Social Skills 8. Lucky 9. Blameless 10. Poster Child 11. Safe To Say 12. Gasoline
Catch John Fullbright on tour: August 26 – Muskogee, OK – Hatbox Field August 27 – Enid, OK – Park Street Palooza September 3 – Martinsville, OH – Nowhere Else Festival September 8 – Tahlequah, OK – Diamond Head Resort September 25 – Glen Ellen, CA – Jack London State Park September 30 – Oklahoma City, OK – Blue Door October 1 – Oklahoma City, OK – Blue Door October 2 – Tulsa, OK – Fassler Hall October 8 – Austin, TX – C-Boys Heart & Soul October 9 – The Woodlands, TX – Dosey Doe October 13 – Kansas, OK – Bushyhead Farm Fall Festival October 23 – Pittsburgh, KS – Mountain Stage
