Brian Collins’ Post

Here’s a well-written and deeply researched review of my new book, 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗬𝗮𝗸𝘂𝘇𝗮 via Noah Oskow It is indeed a spiritual sequel to #TokyoVice “A sweeping narrative of the yakuza on both a macro and personal level, helping the reader understand the whats, whos, and, most importantly, whys of organized crime in Japan." "We see backstabbings, revenge, and the occasional bout of compassion. And we come out on the other side with a better understanding of one of the major societal forces that shaped Japan over the past century.” https://lnkd.in/gAPAB7iM

The Gift of Failure: And I’ll Rethink the Title If This Book Fails! (Unabridged) Dan Bongino This audiobook version of The Gift of Failure contains spontaneous added commentary from Dan Bongino, not available in print. Dan Bongino’s brutally honest, deeply personal, and unforgettable stories about how he transformed failures into victories will enthrall, entertain, and inspire listeners. In The Gift of Failure, leading conservative commentator Dan Bongino identifies failures in his life and how those failures led to bigger and better things. With the same laser-focused intensity that has made him one of America’s most popular voices, Bongino uncompromisingly cuts to the heart of failure with a collection that is inspirational, motivational, entertaining, touching, and redemptive. The former Secret Service agent currently hosts one of the country’s most listened-to radio programs along with a top-rated podcast and the popular Fox News television show Unfiltered. Throughout his career, Bongino has helped trailblaze a fight for free speech and free expression, garnering many national headlines for taking on some of the biggest tech companies in the world to challenge their seemingly draconian censorship policies. Along the way, through his many David versus Goliath battles, Bongino has learned the hard way why failure matters. In The Gift of Failure, he shares, in vivid detail, many of these experiences—from high-profile, front-page stories involving the drama behind Parler and Rumble, to never-before-shared personal tales covering his childhood, the Secret Service, the media, a recent serious health battle, and much more. Bongino’s vulnerability, coupled with his unapologetic honesty and humor, help illuminate many life lessons. This is unforgettable storytelling as only Bongino can deliver. Whether you agree with him or not, there’s something here for everyone. Content Link: https://ebay.us/bjHMj0

Have you ever wondered what happens at a BOOK Launch Party?  (Here’s an insider scoop from one that I just hosted). TONIGHT, I just hosted an INCREDIBLE Book Launch Party for a new URBAN FICTION Author. This book launch party was a PRIVATE event, for VIPs only.  VIPs are very important people that typically include family & close friends.  We had a full program with motivational speakers & an audience with ENERGY that was off the charts! Our keynote speaker talked about how he grew up with the Author and has witnessed his evolution.  He also told a story about how they used to have “jam sessions” inside his grandmother’s basement when they were teenagers.  That was back in the day when the Author was producing music.  (Creatives are creatives y'all). The BEST thing about this book launch party is that- EVERYONE got to be a part of the program.  This means that everyone had a chance to speak and give kind words to the Author.  At the end we had a short Q&A, followed by a LIVE reading. Oh, yes……….the highlight of the evening was a LIVE reading where the Author read a few pages aloud in front of the audience.  Each member of the audience was on the edge of their seat as we concluded the party with a juicy cliff hanger.  If you missed this event, don’t be jealous. We will invite you to the next one! We have several BOOK signings already scheduled for January 2024.  -And- this author had agreed to allow me to tag along with him on his multi-city tour in the summer of 2024.  Do you like to read URBAN FICTION?  We want you at our next event. Drop a raised hand emoji for details. #stophiding #stopprocrastinating #stopwaiting #nomoreexcuses #writeyourstory #writeyourbook #getpublished #urbanfiction

Radio’s Mike Read Delves Deep Into The City’s Greatest Thoroughfare In New Book, A Thousand Years Of A London Street: Cheapside On The Table Read Magazine, “the best book magazine in the UK“, A Thousand Years Of A London Street: Cheapside by Mike Read takes readers back to Roman times to spotlight the good, the bad and the intriguing aspects of Cheapside’s millennium long history. Thousand Years Of A London Street: Cheapside In A Thousand Years Of A London Street: Cheapside, Mike Read immerses readers in his palpable love of London’s past and the backstories that make the streets of the capital city so compelling. This is Read’s second book in his series, the first book focused on London’s Denmark Street, in which he documents a thousand years of selected London streets and their respective histories. Some streets have their roots and foundations in places of worship, others were locations for trading, others are notable because of their geographical location or particular topography. Cheapside goes back further than a thousand years, with St Paul’s at its western end and St Mary-le-Bow as its centrepiece, and all the way to the Romans and beyond. Read regales readers with fascinating and edifying tales of Cheapside’s colourful history including kings, queens, poets, playwrights, murderers, criminals, broadcasters, inventors, politicians, pioneers, philanthropists, religious fanatics, revolutionaries, diarists and architects. Everything in this fascinating exploration played a part in making Cheapside what Charles Dickens Jnr called the greatest thoroughfare in the City of London. The book bursts with forensically detailed research and a boundless peppering of arcane facts about how the Romans, The Great Fire of London, Wren and multitude of others have made their mark on Cheapside’s pavements. With London’s streets holding a huge number of long lost stories ready for the describing, Mike Read’s A Thousand Years Of A London Street series has endless potential.  The main question that remains is which road will provoke the curiosity of this broadcaster turned supersleuth next? #bookpromotion #nonfiction #london #londonhistory #ukhistory #historybook #cheapside #bookrecommendations READ MORE NOW https://lnkd.in/eaENYBQQ

perhaps the best way to become a bestselling author? becoming dead ... "We don’t know exactly why, but death does appear to be good for business. As Gore Vidal said when told of the death of Truman Capote, 'a wise career move.' Vidal was onto something. The most careful work comes from Italy, where the economists Michela Ponzo and Vincenzo Scoppa studied the effects of a writer’s death on book sales. The central finding is that in the period after an author dies, the probability that he or she will be on the bestseller list leaps dramatically. Indeed, it increases by more than 100 percent! Ponzo and Scoppa also find if you want to make the bestseller list, you are a lot better off dying young. Writers who died at or under the age of 65 enjoy a significantly bigger 'death bonus' than do writers who died over that age. In addition, media attention makes a big difference. For book sales, the beneficial effect of death is concentrated in writers whose death is on the front page and is otherwise covered prominently and often. Broadly similar findings have been made for artists: the price of their paintings increases after death, and the effect has been found to be larger for artists who die young."

What does it mean to tap into empathy and reimagine the life and experiences of someone only mentioned in a few sentences in history, whose story remains untold? My guest is Esther Goldenberg, educator and author of the Biblical fiction novel, The Scrolls of Deborah. We discuss how a few lines in the Bible sparked Esther's curiosity to imagine this woman's entire life story and perspective, how seeing historical events from other points of view can be so valuable and fill in gaps or change hearts, and how books and stories help us nourish empathy and relate to others from a safe distance. We also talk about how writing can be a lonely endeavor and what creating something for the world that only exists in your head feels like. Esther even reads us a passage from the novel that is a shining example of an empathetic conversation so pay attention to that debrief as well! Key Takeaways: -Build a practice of engaging in literature, music, documentaries, movies, and other media created by people and about people who have different life perspectives than you. It will build and foster empathy. -As human beings, we can become numb to large numbers surrounding tragic events. By bringing it into the story of one person or one family, such as in historical fiction, it can remind the readers that it is about the one, even among the many. -Scenes in books and movies can model empathy for those who do not necessarily see it in their daily lives. TUNE IN HERE: https://lnkd.in/g9-dmet5 #podcast #empathyedge

My latest blog has some thoughts on centrism and a few book recommendations. Enjoy. https://lnkd.in/eDPZQf8E

THE CHINESE HONEYMOON PERIOD on Audible!   Do you want a free copy? I'm giving away 25 free coupons to the first 25 people who leave a comment with 'Yes,' and I will DM you with your one-time use code.   SYNOPSIS   Learn 10 Chinese cultural concepts plus dozens of common Chinese phrases and sayings that reveal HOW to play and win the China game inside the Chinese arena.   My journey into the Chinese mainland began in 2004 when I disembarked a ferry boat in Shekou, Shenzhen, and entered a dystopian Shangri-la. These contradictory words are the best I can describe a bizarre yet wondrous new experience in China.   "A land of contradictions" was immediately visual and experiential between the ferry terminal and Nan Hai Hotel's security gate. Exiting Shekuo terminal revealed a vast array of dirty Asian sidewalks, homeless kids, street vendors, and peddlers mixed with bike riders, scooters, and taxis spewing smog that swirled with the ocean breeze to create an exotic scent. But the backdrop was stunning views of manicured forests and Hong Kong's cityscape across the bay. Passing the gated hotel security about 100 meters from the lobby entrance opened the door to an oasis with Chinese characteristics that divided two contrasting realities, ordinary Chinese life on the outside and a privileged one inside.   There is always a proverbial Chinese honeymoon period that continues endlessly in different forms as Guanxi deepens, creating cultural landmines within the Chinese arena and a confusing paradox for most foreigners to grasp.   Whether relationships continue a mutually beneficial trajectory depends on your ability to know exactly what to say and not say, when to stay silent and why, and how to be intentionally vague to avoid creating a cultural impasse.   Note to the listener: This audiobook comprises the 10 original episodes of the China Myth Podcast, recorded before the book was written. Each episode covers one of 10 Chinese cultural concepts essential for anyone seeking to improve their business fortunes in China. The Chinese Honeymoon Period was later published to take the listener deeper into each Chinese phrase.   https://lnkd.in/drC38SBS   #chinabusiness #chineseculture #mandarin #chineselanguage #chinaexpat #audiobooks #audible

Every week I check in with one of Australia’s favourite authors to bring you their latest news, and this week I’m delighted to welcome my lovely friend A.J. Betts, whose latest YA novel One Song was just announced this week as a Notable Book by the Children’s Book Council of Australia! ABOUT A.J.: A.J. Betts is a Fremantle-based author, speaker, teacher, columnist and cyclist. Her latest work is a contemporary young-adult novel called ONE SONG, about a teenage band trying to record a song to enter into the prestigious Triple J Unearthed High competition. Her earlier books include the two-book speculative fiction series comprising HIVE and ROGUE, ZAC & MIA (which was adapted into an Emmy Award-winning Hollywood television series), WAVELENGTH and SHUTTERSPEED. In 2019, A.J. was awarded a PhD on the topic of wonder (Edith Cowan University), and won the inaugural Western Australian Premier's Fellowship. A.J. has worked in secondary schools as a teacher for over twenty years, and has also taught creative writing in universities. She is originally from Queensland but has lived in Western Australia since 2004. So, A.J., tell us what you are... READING: Currently, 'Comedy, Comedy, Comedy, Drama', the memoir of actor-comedian Bob Odenkirk. Before that was 'The Hummingbird Effect' by Kate Mildenhall. WATCHING: The latest series of 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'. Soon I'll be watching 'The Greatest Night in Pop' and the Michael J Fox doco 'Still'. LISTENING TO: Music: I've been in an Elbow mood lately. Podcasts: Bang On, The Book Show, The Book Shelf, TOFOP, and plenty more. THINKING ABOUT: Today: my new manuscript ... plus how to manage this writing-working life (thinking TBC) WORKING ON: A new manuscript! I'm not ready to say much about it except that it's very different to my previous books, in a genre that resists classification. I'm about 35,000 words in and, unusually for me, I don't have the rest of the story mapped out. Every day involves discovery and surprise. (Today I was surprised when my character fled the scene, for instance.) I have no idea if other people will enjoy the story but I'm having a tonne of fun with it, which is the most important thing right now. A.J.’S LATEST BOOK: My latest novel, One Song, is a fun, contemporary realistic story about a teenage rock band. Set over one weekend in Perth, it charts their attempt to create and record a new song to enter into the prestigious Triple J Unearthed High Competition - and things don't go to plan. Part 'The Breakfast Club', part music doco, part coming-of-age story, it's an emotionally-charged tribute to creativity, ambition, authenticity, hope and love. FIND OUT MORE AND FOLLOW A.J.: Website: http://www.ajbetts.com/ Facebook: https://lnkd.in/gBtM72xp Instagram: https://lnkd.in/g2th9Us3 Thanks for checking in, A. J.!