Upcoming new album release: Rio Bravo – Scott Ballew

Texas’ modern renaissance man Scott Ballew announces new album Rio Bravo due out March 29. Photo: Google/Viberate

Austin-born Scott Ballew’s resume is staggering, from his work as Yeti’s Head of Content, directing shorts featuring Ryan Bingham, to more recent independent ventures, including a documentary on Terry Allen and a film, All That is Sacred. A true artistic visionary, Ballew’s latest undertaking is a near-obsessive pursuit of quality songwriting. The medium has changed, but his razor-sharp ability to tell a story hasn’t. Sonically, his music–specifically Rio Bravo–is if Townes Van Zandt was produced by Ennio Morricone. Ballew’s writing is a world of contrasts–poignant but humorous, relatable but cerebral, simple but cinematic. “If you can make someone laugh and cry in the same paragraph, there’s no closer reflection to real life.” (Scott Ballew, 2024)

After an introduction to Terry Allen by mutual friend Ryan Bingham, Ballew’s approach to art (and life) was drastically altered. “[What Terry taught me is that] the audience is irrelevant. What’s important is that you wake up and you show up and you follow whatever it is that’s in your head or your heart.” The ‘showing up’ can be heard on Rio Bravo, a 9 song collection releasing March 29, 2024, via independent powerhouse, La Honda Records.

“People, they don’t change,” sings Scott Ballew on the first line of the first song of his junior album, Rio Bravo—an unexpected remark from a man whose life has been punctuated by personal evolution. A reductive synopsis would be as follows: Texas football star turned film director turned junkie turned musician.

“Writing has become a survival mechanism,” says the songwriter, musician, filmmaker and Texan. “This came to me later in life. I have four decades of experiences, anxieties, and thoughts that I am purging and have found that idle time is not healthy for me.”

Ballew recently shared “Suicide Squeeze,” the first single to be heard from Rio Bravo ahead of its March 29 release on La Honda Records. “I wrote this on a napkin inside Alamo Drafthouse Movie Theater watching ‘Licorice Pizza’ by Paul Thomas Anderson,” Ballew recalls. “Inspired by perfect running montages, I resonated with the kid who had ambitions to take a huge bite out of life.” The screening conjured up feelings from Ballew’s childhood like grandiose schemes or desires for widespread acclaim, or in his words, “the feeling that an older woman, or sports accolades, or some degree of celebrity was necessary to achieve success.”

“Suicide Squeeze” can be streamed today at this link, and Rio Bravo is available to pre-order or pre-save ahead of its March release right here.

Rio Bravo track list (Courtesy Photo)
True Love Can’t Surf
Trouble Darling
Suicide Squeeze
Can You Hear Me Smile
Rio Bravo
Impossible Smile
Mutiny
Old Fashioned
All That Is Sacred
A Funny Masterpiece

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Making it as a streamer

Black flat screen computer monitor on wooden desk. Photo: Roberto Nickson/Pexels.

While it used to be something on the outskirts of the culture, now streaming is a hugely popular thing to do. Not only that, it can even be very lucrative, with many people making quite a lot of money this way. You can approach streaming in so many different ways – gaming is a particularly popular genre – and it’s something that you can bring your creativity to easily in order to make the most of it. Here are some tips that you may want to consider if you are trying to make it as a streamer.

Find Your Niche

First of all, you should think about finding a niche that you can get into. While you might already know the genre of streaming you want to try, you’ll ideally want to get more specific than that and land on a particular type of streaming. So rather than just gaming, are you going to be playing certain kinds of games, or talking about particular topics within gaming? These are the kinds of things you need to be asking yourself if you want to make it as a streamer. It will help you to make much more of your experience and get a lot more out of it.

Behind the scenes of a female content creator. Photo: Ivan Samkov/Pexels

Develop An Audience

It can take time to build an audience with anything, and that’s no different when it comes to streaming. But if you want to make sure that you are developing an audience as well as you can, there are quite a lot of ways in which you can do this, and it’s something that you are definitely going to want to think about. Mostly it’s a case of just doing your thing and seeing who follows, but you might also find that some practical marketing can help too, especially if you want to start making money from it.

Monetize It

Speaking of which, you’ll have to figure out what you can do to monetize the streaming that you are considering. This is something that can be quite simple to achieve, but there are a lot of potential ways to do it and you’ll have to make sure that you are aware of what approach is best for you. As well as that, you’ll need to put the systems in place to accept money. Knowing how to accept credit cards as an adult entertainer is going to help a lot, and it’s worth looking into as soon as possible.

Keep Going

Ultimately, with this kind of thing you really then just need to persist. If you can do that, and keep going, you are going to find that it helps you to make it as a streamer much more effectively, and it’s amazing how much that can help. So make sure that you are keeping at it no matter how hard it seems to get. If you can do that, you’ll find that you end up in a situation where you are really able to make it work for you.

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Spring Break activities at the Briscoe Western Art Museum

Spring into the West for extra hours and hands-on programming during Spring Break Round Up at the Briscoe. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.

Spring into the west without ever leaving the River Walk at the Briscoe Western Art Museum. Normally closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, extended hours during spring break mean the Briscoe will be open 10a.m. – 5p.m. each day March 7 – 18, giving everyone the opportunity to lasso some western fun this spring. With the museum’s location in the heart of the River Walk, it’s the perfect stop for families exploring downtown – and anyone enjoying the St. Patrick’s Day parades and festivities March 16-17. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2024)

The Briscoe is also hosting its annual Spring Break Roundup March 11-16. Art and craft activities, building with LEGOs, stories and fun capture the excitement and adventure of the West for all ages, while adults can get in on the fun with an evening painting session served with a side of margaritas. The come-and-go family programs includes activities that celebrate the heritage and culture of the American West. Different activities will be available each day, bringing the West to life in a variety of hands-on ways.

Spring Break Roundup is included in museum admission, with no charge for craft supplies and no reservations required. The adults-only painting session is a ticketed event for those 21 and up. Children 12 and under and active duty military members always receive free admission to the Briscoe, making it a wonderful destination for family fun. Caregivers must accompany participating children for each activity.

Spring Break Roundup scheduled programming includes:

Monday – Friday, March 11 – 16: Hands-on Arts & Crafts, 10a.m. – 5p.m.

Head West for hands-on fun any time during the day to make and take fun crafts that tie to the pillars of Western art – cowboys, Native Americans, wildlife and vaqueros, all themes celebrated by the Briscoe’s popular Community Days. Stop in and make bison masks, a fun balancing cowboy or weave your own basket. Families can choose and create one – or all! – of the crafts using the free supplies provided. This is a drop-in event included with museum admission.

Thursday, March 14:  Building the West: Native American Homes, 11a.m. – 2p.m.

Drop by the Briscoe to explore the museum’s collection of Native American paintings and sculptures, then create your own Native American home or village. Honor the environment and the native beauty of the West by using recyclable and found materials to build a tipi, longhouse, wigwam or other type of traditional Native American shelters. Decorate it and take your creation home.

Thursday, March 14: Painting with DiZurita!, 5:30p.m. – 8p.m., $45, $35 for museum members

Kick back and enjoy your Spring Break during a painting session with energetic and charismatic international artist DiZurita. Based in San Antonio, DiZurita tells stories through her art, an everlasting transformation of life experiences. Enjoy a relaxing evening sipping margaritas while painting an agave plant – a Western plant and the source of tequila. Create your own agave acrylic painting on an 11 x 14 canvas in a hands-on session as DiZurita guides guests in creating their own work of art. Registration for this 21+ event is per person and includes drinks and all supplies. Class size is limited, so register today to secure your spot.

Friday, March 15:  Building the West: Stop Motion LEGOs, 11a.m. – 2p.m.

Explore the West at the Briscoe, then create a short stop-motion video with LEGOs featuring the Alamo, a train station or other western scenes found in the museum’s collection. Get imaginative at the LEGO creation station and build your own scenes, then create a video using your own phone or device.

Saturday, March 16: Storytime Stampede: Cowboys, 10:30a.m. – 11a.m.

Families and caregivers of young children can enjoy western fun and stories each month at the Briscoe’s Storytime Stampede. Featuring 30-minute programs designed for young children ages 18 months to 5 years, each event includes stories told and acted out, books read aloud, movement activities, songs and art fun.

The spring break story is “Cowboys”  by Lucille Recht Penner. Learn all about the day-to-day life of a cowboy in the Old West, from round-ups and trail drives to meals around the campfire and nights under the stars. Then make a cowboy hat you can wear home.

Adults bringing children to the Storytime Stampede receive half-off general museum admission and children 12 and under always receive free admission at the Briscoe, turning Storytime Stampede into affordable family fun.

Building the West: Stop motion LEGOs. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.

Book to series adaptation: ‘Shōgun’ by James Clavell

‘Shōgun’ by James Clavell has been adapted into a 10 episode series for FX. Photo: Amazon

If you are a fan of historical drama, this new series is worth checking out. Shōgun is airing on FX and streaming on Hulu and is based on the novel of the same name by James Clavell.

James Clavell was a bestselling author and unparalleled master of historical fiction best known for this epic Asian Saga novels. The son of a Royal Navy family, he was educated in Portsmouth. The Japanese captured him at the Fall of Singapore when he was a young artillery officer. It was on this experience that his bestselling novel “King Rat” was based. He maintained this oriental interest in his other great works: “Tai-Pan,” “Shōgun ,” “Noble House,” and “Gai Jin.” “Shōgun ” is the best selling classic epic novel of feudal Japan that captured the heart of a culture and the imagination of the world. It was previously adapted into a 1980 limited series and has now been adapted to television. The series premiered with the first two episodes on February 27 on Hulu and FX with new episodes of the 10-episode series then releasing weekly. (Amazon, 2024)

“Shōgun ” – After Englishman John Blackthorne is lost at sea, he awakens in a place few Europeans know of and even fewer have seen–Nippon. Thrust into the closed society that is seventeenth-century Japan, a land where the line between life and death is razor-thin, Blackthorne must negotiate not only a foreign people, with unknown customs and language, but also his own definitions of morality, truth, and freedom. As internal political strife and a clash of cultures lead to seemingly inevitable conflict, Blackthorne’s loyalty and strength of character are tested by both passion and loss, and he is torn between two worlds that will each be forever changed.

Powerful and engrossing, capturing both the rich pageantry and stark realities of life in feudal Japan, “Shōgun” is a critically acclaimed powerhouse. The heart-stopping, edge-of-your-seat action combines seamlessly with intricate historical detail and raw human emotion. Endlessly compelling, this sweeping saga captivated the world to become not only one of the best-selling novels of all time but also one of the highest-rated television miniseries, as well as inspiring a nationwide surge of interest in the culture of Japan. Shakespearean in both scope and depth, “Shōgun” provocative, absorbing, and endlessly fascinating, there is only one: Shōgun.

The Puppy Gazette keeps dog parents informed

The Puppy Gazette is a website dedicated to all topics related to dogs. Photo: Google/Wishbone Pet Foods

Dog lovers everywhere can agree that having a dog can bring so much joy into our lives. But taking proper care of one can be a challenge. Personally, the first time I got a dog I was overwhelmed. There was so much to learn, including what to feed her, how to train her, and most importantly, how to keep up with all her health needs. Looking back, I wish I had had access to a website that would address all these issues.

That is why when I heard about The Puppy Gazette, I just had to share how important it is. Allen Kimble has created a place for dog lovers out there to indulge in everything dog related. He is a fellow dog lover who has had dogs in his life since childhood and knows how crucial it is to be informed. His goal is to be your new source for dog related information. From behavior tips and health guidance to grooming and training, the site covers ever topic related to puppies and dogs. Interesting and helpful topics and posts are just a click away. (Allen Kimble, 2024)

You can sign up for the free Checklist For New Puppy Parents while you are browsing the site. Categories discussed include Health, Training, Food, Toys, and Equipment.

Recent posts include:
Unlocking the Secrets of Your Dog’s Intelligence
The Essential Guide to Happy Dog Interactions!
Integrating Puppy Care with Smart Home Devices

So whether you are a new dog parent or just want to keep up with the latest and greatest in dog news, check out The Puppy Gazette. Most importantly, share the news with your fellow dog lovers. I know I will definitely ‘read all about it.’ Thanks, Allen, for creating such a useful and essential site for dog parents everywhere. Responsible dog parenting is vital.

Photo: The Puppy Gazette

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Vinny The Pug mug giveaway

Enter the giveaway to win your own Vinny The Pug mug. Photo: Allen Kimble Jr, used with permission.

Over the past few months, I have been featuring the heartwarming story of Vinny The Pug. When his family had to move in search of a better life from Florida to Arizona after the September 11 attacks, Vinny had to adjust from living in lush and green surroundings to an arid desert. He adapted, of course, and learned to pose atop boulders. You can follow Vinny’s journey in the adorable picture book “The Life And Times of Vinny The Pug” by Allen Yhorst Kimble Jr. This book is perfect for dog lovers everywhere and includes pictures and coloring projects. It is suitable for all ages. (Allen Kimble Jr, 2024)

Now the author has created a beautiful collection of coffee mugs featuring different Vinny and is launching a Free Coffee Mug Giveaway. Here is your chance to own your very own Vinny The Pug mug. Over the next 12 months, he will be giving away one coffee mug every month and winners will be able to choose one of 100 Vinny The Pug designed mugs. On the first day of each month starting April 1, a winner will be chosen from those who’ve signed up over the previous month. If you wish to enter the giveaway, you can register by emailing the author at: vinnythepugmugs@gmail.com. The collection is available to view online at: https://d82713-c7.myshopify.com. The entry must contain your name, email address, and number of the mug you would choose if your name is drawn. Mugs are numbered #001 through #100.

About the author: Allen Yhorst Kimble Jr is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana and grew up in the mid-1950s. Upon turning a young man, he entered the United States Air Force and served one year in Vietnam, eight years in Asia, and a total of 11 years total service time. While in South East Asia, he picked up photography as a hobby, which he still enjoy today. In 2001, he acquired a little pug in Orlando, Florida and named him Vinny. As a result of the 9-11 Terrorist Attacks, he took the family out west to Phoenix where Vinny learned to climb and pose atop boulders. His book “The Life And Times of Vinny The Pug” is a picture story book of his best friend Vinny.

About the book: “The Life And Times of Vinny The Pug” is a true-life picture book of the life and times of Vinny The Pug. It began on September 12, 2001 following the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. Florida’s economy was left in shambles after the attacks. Overnight Orlando’s tourism industry ground to a halt, forcing Vinny’s human to move the family. They went out west to Arizona to find better employment opportunities.

When they arrived, Vinny was still just a puppy, not yet one year old. However, he was mature enough to be surprised by what he saw. Arizona was very different from what he remembered back home in Florida. Orlando was lush with greenery; there were trees, vegetation, and lakes everywhere. All at once it hit the little pug; his new home in Phoenix, Arizona was in the desert. This book of photographs shows how the little pug adapted to the harsh realities of living in Arizona. It shows how Vinny The Pug came to appreciate his new home in the the desert. Before a year had passed, he had even launched a challenge to set a new Guinness World Record.

Vinny The Pug’s picture book is an enjoyable experience that will work well in classrooms. It is suitable for all ages from 5 through adults.

It includes:

  • 50 – Color Pictures
  • 87 – Black & White Graphic Arts
  • 5″ x 11″ pages for best viewing
  • Includes coloring projects

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Texas Food & Wine Alliance announces Live Fire! and Rick Bayless meet and greet

Tickets are now on sale for can’t miss Texas Food & Wine Alliance fundraisers. Photo: Texas Food & Wine Alliance, used with permission.

The Texas Food & Wine Alliance (TFWA) has released a schedule of fundraising events featuring beloved TV personalities, Top Chef all-stars, and James Beard Award honorees. (Texas Food and Wine Alliance, 2024)

Ahead of his appearance at the Potluck feast at Willie Nelson’s ranch, iconic restaurateur, television host, and cookbook author Rick Bayless will be in Austin for a book signing and meet-and-greet at Nixta Taqueria. On Tuesday, March 12 from 4p.m. – 5:30p.m., foodies will have a chance to chat with the Michelin-starred master chef as he signs copies of his classic cookbook, “More Mexican Everyday: Simple, Seasonal, Celebratory.” The $50 ticket price, available online, includes a copy of the book, wine and beer, and light bites from Nixta’s kitchen.

Then, Live Fire!, Austin’s favorite cookout, returns to Camp Mabry on Thursday, April 11 from 6:30p.m. – 9p.m. with a dynamic lineup of award-winning chefs. General admission tickets for the sell-out event are now on sale for $125 HERE. All proceeds will benefit the Alliance’s culinary grant program.

This year, Live Fire! is celebrating global culinary traditions with a blazing party showcasing open-flame cooking, premium wine and beer, and cocktail craftsmanship. Top-notch chefs from across the state will showcase the versatility of Texas beef in innovative bites cooked on-site. 

Keeping with tradition, a lineup of nationally recognized chefs and statewide favorites will turn up the heat. Some of the nation’s most recognized chefs will be participating, including beloved Top Chef finalists, James Beard Award nominees, and emerging pitmasters.

Minding the grills will be:

  • Chef Laila Bazahm — El Raval (Austin) 
  • Chef Mattison Bills — Three Six General (San Marcos), Howdy Child (San Antonio)
  • Chef Aaron Bludorn — Bludorn Restaurant, Navy Blue (Houston)
  • Chefs Chuck Charnichart, Alexis Tovías Morales, and Haley Conlin — Barbs B Q (Lockhart)
  • Chefs Krystal Craig and Ian Thurwachter — Poeta (Austin)
  • Chef Jakub Czyszczon — Garrison (Austin)
  • Chefs Mike Diaz and Laura Sawicki— Oseyo (Austin)
  • Chef Todd Duplechan — Lenoir (Austin)
  • Chefs Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu — Top Chef, Jūn (Houston)
  • Chef Levi Goode — Credence, Sidebar, Goode Company Restaurant Group (Houston)
  • Chef Robert Hale with special guest Chef Rick Neal — Beef Loving Texans
  • Chef Rebecca Masson — Top Chef: Just Desserts, Fluff Bake Bar (Houston)
  • Chef Jess Pryles — Hardcore Carnivore
  • Chef Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman — José (Dallas)
  • Chef Nic Yanes — Murray’s Tavern (Austin)

Chef Jason Dady of San Antonio’s Tre Trattoria will also fire up the ovens for the Live Fire Pizzeria activation. More culinary talent will be announced in the upcoming days.

In addition to the fiery grand tasting, the 2024 edition of Live Fire! will also feature an exclusive VIP experience. The Live Fire! Steakhouse will transport guests to a midcentury supper club, complete with cocktail carts and flaming desserts. Featured chefs include Andy Knudson of All Pro Smokeshow, John Bates of Interstellar BBQ, and special guests to be announced. VIP tickets are $175 and include early admission at 6p.m.

“We are thrilled to work with some of Austin’s most talented chefs and excited to bring in so much culinary talent from out of town. We’re fired up to show Austin everything they have to offer.” – TFWA Executive Director Erika White

Proceeds from the signature tasting event will help TFWA give back to the local culinary community through a vibrant grant program for chefs, farmers, artisan producers, and nonprofits by funding projects focused on culinary innovation. Since 2012, AFWA has awarded $528,500 in grants to fund local culinary projects. 

As the sole beneficiary of the Austin Food + Wine Festival, held every year in November, the Texas Food & Wine Alliance also features educational programming and culinary events showcasing Texas chef talent, artisan and local producers, world-class wine and spirit makers, and craft brewers.

The Texas Food & Wine Alliance is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering awareness and innovation in Texas culinary communities through grants, educational programming, and events. Guided by an all-volunteer board of directors and committees made up of culinary and community-minded professionals, the Alliance’s commitment is to promote Texas food, wine, spirits, and craft brews and to increase appreciation of Texas’ culinary impact.

New album release: Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom – Meatbodies

Meatbodies released ‘Billow’ single and video from new album Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom. Photo: Amanda Adam, used with permission.

Meatbodies is an American psychedelic rock band formed in 2011 in Los Angeles by Chad Ubovich. The band recently shared the new single/video Billow from their new album Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom, due out March 8. (Meatbodies, 2024)

Billow plays like a long-lost single from the Creation Records heyday with a space-y Stone Roses-type groove that is immediate and unforgettable. It’s nothing short of an instant classic built on harmonizing vocals and tons of tambourine—blossoming from darkness into a hopeful groove bathed in sunlight and lysergic acid. The track is just one of thirteen expertly crafted tracks to appear on Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom, due in just one month via In The Red.

Flora is the pinnacle of the Meatbodies’ catalog thus far and an effort bound to be on the tip of the tongue of their fans and in-the-know heads the world over. The borderline lost album is their most realized work to date on which frontman/lead guitarist Chad Ubovich faces the trials of sobriety, redemption, reinvention – all while literally learning to walk and play again.

“The last record was more of a cartoon version of who we were– simple and fun without delving into heavy concept. The whole thing before with Meatbodies was never sit down, next part, next part, but I wanted to make something with more depth. After everything that had happened, and my personal life, I was left with this feeling of emptiness and loss. So I wanted to make music that was absent from things– songs that were more about conveying feeling.”- Chad Ubovich

And so here we are, with Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom, an album completed by an ironclad will and steely determination. A massive step forward, both by conventional standards and considering its tumultuous path toward completion. Fan can pre-save/pre-order the album here.

Come Spring, Meatbodies hit the road on a North American run that kicks off with a hometown release show at LA’s Lodge Room. See below for a full list of dates:

Mar 23: Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room
Apr 03: San Francisco, CA – The Chapel
Apr 04: San Luis Obispo, CA – SLO BREW
Apr 05: Santa Cruz, CA – Crepe Place
Apr 06: Reno, NV – Lo Bar
Apr 11: Seattle, WA – Barboza
Apr 12: Portland, OR – Lollipop Shoppe
Apr 13: Vancouver, BC – The Pearl
Apr 15: Boise, ID – Neurolux
Apr 16: Salt Lake City, UT – International Artists Lounge
Apr 17: Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge
Apr 19: Minneapolis, MN – 7th St. Entry
Apr 21: Chicago, IL – Schubas
Apr 22: Detroit, MI – Lager House
Apr 23: Toronto, ON – The Garrison
Apr 24: Cleveland, OH – Grog Shop
Apr 25: Troy, NY – No Fun
Apr 26: Philadelphia, PA – PhilaMoca
Apr 27: Brooklyn, NY – Market Hotel
Apr 29: Charlotte, NC – Snug Harbor
Apr 30: Asheville, NC – Different Wrld
May 01: Atlanta, GA – 529
May 02: Louisville, KY – The Whirling Tiger
May 03: Nashville, TN – Third Man Records at The Blue Room
May 04: New Orleans, LA – Siberia
May 07: Denton, TX – Rubber Gloves
May 09: San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger
May 10: Austin, TX – The 13th Floor
May 12: Albuquerque, NM – Sister
May 13: Tucson, AZ – Club Congress
May 14: Phoenix, AZ – Rebel Lounge
May 16: San Diego, CA – Soda Bar
May 18: Costa Mesa, CA – The Wayfarer

Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom Track Listing:

  1. The Assignment
  2. HOLE
  3. Silly Cybin
  4. Billow
  5. They Came Down
  6. Trapped?
  7. Move
  8. I believe in pink (interlude)
  9. Criminal Minds
  10. ICNNVR2
  11. Psychic Garden
  12. (Return of) Ecstasy
  13. Gate
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Call for Luminaria 2024 festival artists now open

Interested artists can apply online to be feature in this year’s Luminaria. Photo by Mike Farquhar, courtesy Luminaria

Attention artists: Luminaria recently put out a call for artists for their next Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival tentatively scheduled for Saturday, October 19, 2024. The locations is TBA later but all interested artists are welcome to apply online.  (Luminaria, 2024)

Visual artists, theater performers, digital artists, installation artists, musicians, poets, and all other form of artists interested in showcasing their artwork at the Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival 2024 can apply. There are stages and buildings eagerly waiting to be filled with the talented work of a few creative and passionate artists to be selected by extraordinary curators.

Applications will be evaluated by a curatorial committee made up of local working artists and art experts. Featured Artists will be notified in April followed by site-visits, consultations, mentorship, a photo shoot, spotlight videos, media interviews, and networking opportunities. A public announcement of the festival line-up will be held in September.

Luminaria is a dynamic nonprofit arts organization dedicated to producing and promoting the arts to the city of San Antonio. Luminaria is an inclusive organization celebrating the visual and multimedia arts in San Antonio through public engagement and active support for artists. It was founded in 2008 by local arts advocates wanting to create a communal celebration for the city’s arts organizations and artists. Since adopting a new strategic plan in 2021, Luminaria is dedicated to the innovative interpretation of San Antonio’s culture, history, and environment through creative placemaking and site-specific arts integration. Luminaria coordinates with anchor arts institutions, cultural and heritage organizations, and other community partners to foster a vibrant and internationally resonant arts culture in the city.

Upcoming new book release: ‘The Bucharest Legacy’ by William Maz

‘The Bucharest Legacy: The Rise of the Oligarchs’ by William Maz will be released on June 20, 2024. Photo: Amazon

Who doesn’t love a good spy thriller? They are filled with action, suspense, mystery, and political plots, often with international locations. Coming up in June is a new thriller by William Maz. In “The Bucharest Legacy: The Rise of the Oligarchs,” CIA agent Bill Hefflin is back in Bucharest and finds himself immersed in a cauldron of spies and crooked politicians. It is book 2 in the Bill Hefflin Spy Thriller Series and the sequel to “The Bucharest Dossier,” though it is a stand alone novel. This spy thriller is perfect for fans of John le Carré and Brad Thor.

Born in Bucharest, Romania, William Maz emigrated to the U.S. as a child. He is a graduate of Harvard University and Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Following a residency in anesthesiology at Yale, he practiced medicine, and during that time, he developed a passion for writing fiction. He studied writing at Harvard, The New School, and The Writer’s Studio in New York City, and he is now writing full time. Maz divides his time between Pennsylvania and New York City. “The Bucharest Legacy: The Rise of the Oligarchs” is his latest novel and the sequel to “The Bucharest Dossier.” It will be released June 20, 2023 and is available for pre-order on Amazon. (Meryl Moss Media, 2024)

“The Bucharest Legacy: The Rise of the Oligarchs” – The CIA is rocked to its core when a KGB defector divulges that there is a KGB mole inside the Agency. They learn that the mole’s handler is a KGB agent known as Boris. CIA analyst Bill Hefflin recognizes that name—Boris is the code name of Hefflin’s longtime KGB asset. If the defector is correct, Hefflin realizes Boris must be a triple agent, and his supposed mole has been passing false intel to Hefflin and the CIA. What’s more, this makes Hefflin the prime suspect as the KGB mole inside the Agency.

Hefflin is given a chance to prove his innocence by returning to his city of birth, Bucharest, Romania, to find Boris and track down the identity of the mole. It’s been three years since the bloody revolution, and what he finds is a cauldron of spies, crooked politicians, and a country controlled by the underground and the new oligarchs, all of whom want to find Boris. But Hefflin has a secret that no one else knows—Boris has been dead for over a year.

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