Meet Russell, #Author of #Gavin – @Russell_Writer

Hello, bloggers!!

We are almost finished with another month in 2017. This year is flying by!! Crazy, right?!?

Well, to help me finish the month off right, we have a fantastic guest Author, Russell! I am so excited to welcome this guest to the site today because he has a great post in store for my awesome readers. We’re talking books, Chicago and music. Plus, he’s giving away copies of his book, GAVIN!! And, I mean, who doesn’t love a good giveaway?!?  😉

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Why I Chose Chicago as a Setting

From the opening scene to the very end, my new book, GAVIN, transports the reader to the heart of Chicago. Because of this, Gavin’s apartment is situated amongst the towering cityscape and activity of life. Indeed, Chicago was a just a natural choice as a setting. Primarily, Chicago has a rich and somewhat dark history. Between its historic landmarks and buildings, the hauntings of yesteryear can whisper about the great Chicago Fire, the infamous gangsters, the 1893 World’s Fair, and the fated Chicago Stockyards and even more. One can only imagine the streets of the burgeoning city in the Industrial Era, changing landscapes as buildings rose to the heavens in midcentury and the modern expanse circumventing the city to spiral out in the neighborhoods. In addition, Chicago becomes a tertiary character in my book. Echoing New York City and Los Angeles, Chicago’s bustling city life does not cease. The fluidity of its people from the very center of the city to the far-reaches of the suburbs are on a constant move. Within the subtle shadows of GAVIN, Chicago can be seen as constant moving mechanism as it always stirs at any given point of the day. Even more, I attempt to encapsulate the very sounds and smells of Chicago as the story unfolds. Finally, and rather humbly, I lived in Chicago for nearly two decades. Having been born and raised in Milwaukee, WI, I did not know of anything larger but through books and pictures. When I was eleven, my older sister and I travelled to Chicago, which had such a profound effect on me. The grandeur and beauty of the city stole my imagination, and then, I was immediately smitten with the city. Fifteen years later, an opportunity rose up to relocate to Chicago. With much excitement and trepidation, I soon grew to love the city and became immersed by touring and visiting as many sites, locations, museums and neighborhoods throughout the area. Even though I currently live in Up State New York, I often go back to my pseudo-hometown and admire the beautiful glass and steel scenery. Thus, Chicago was only fitting for GAVIN to take place.

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A Soundtrack to GAVIN

When I typically write, music is always in the background. Perhaps, subconsciously, the melodies ignite my imagination and the words come to me more easily and then onto the page. (Or perhaps, I tune out my kids running around the house so I can concentrate.) No matter, I cannot have silence in the house especially since I live on the edge of nothingness. For GAVIN, my dear reader, I listened to my favorite genre, Hard Alternative Metal. Believe it or not, the steely riffs of the guitar and guttural nuances of the band screaming in the microphone relaxes me. More so, I do listen to it when I work out or go for my long runs. Hmm, could this be why Gavin is listening to Slipknot when he’s running in Chapter One? Needless to say, I created a playlist on Spotify which I pasted below. In addition, I created a small subsequent list of chosen songs with their video link. Most importantly, I quote from the first six songs. The rest are just fun…Please enjoy!

Spotify:User:Russell_writer:playlist: 0JT2XsNVzEAyncoUMfveoQ

From GAVIN:
*All That Remains, This Calling
*Sevendust, Face to Face
*Five Finger Death Punch, The Wrong Side of Heaven and The Righteous Side of Hell
*Killswitch Engage, My Curse
*Slipknot, The Devil in I
*Dio, Holy Diver

Others that might tickle your fancy…
*Pop Evil, Torn to Pieces
*Sevendust, Denial
*Avenged Sevenfold, Afterlife
*Stone Sour, Through Glass
*Sixx A.M., Life is Beautiful
*HELLYEAH, Human
*Five Finger Death Punch, I Remember Everything
*All That Remains, This Probably Won’t End Well
*Mastadon, Curl of the Burl
*Mudvayne, Happy?
*Slipknot, Sulfur

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The Chicago summer is heating up…

In a luxurious hotel off Michigan Avenue, Detective Gavin Nolan arrives on a grisly scene. Two men have been brutally murdered, and one of the victims has a familiar face. The twisted display is like nothing Gavin has ever seen, but it’s the message scrawled in blood on the bathroom mirror that leaves him reeling: Gavin, you could have saved me.

Other men have been viciously slain as well over the last few weeks. As he dives further into the victims’ lives, Gavin and his partner, Derrick, discover that each of the men have a common thread—one that Gavin shares. It’s a reality he has suppressed for years.

On top of Gavin’s personal chaos, the killer is displaying the bodies in a series of specific designs to depict a long ago memory. Recognizing the pattern, Gavin soon is forced to recall the dark event. In order to catch the killer, Gavin must reconcile his past.

Before he becomes the final victim himself.

GAVIN is a sexual thriller that will leave you breathless…

WARNING: This book contains graphic scenes, explicit language, and violent, sexual situations.

Excerpt 1
Excerpt 2
Excerpt 3

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

For nearly two decades, Russell was an executive chef in the restaurant industry, in which he created succulent entrees and managed various types of kitchen operations. In the last seven years, he began to teach future culinarians how to achieve their professional goals in hands-on classroom and lecture settings. With his recent graduate work in the field of sociology, his interests center on organizational behaviorism, social theory, and food insecurity.

Russell has been writing for the majority of his life. Last year, he published a second edition of his freshman novel, The Tale of Old Man Fischer. Slipping into alternative universes allows Russell to enjoy the process of creativity from the novel’s conception to its final draft. Most importantly, inspiration is a continuous piece of his work and results from the world around him. Currently, he lives in Up State New York with his wife, two
children, and several cats.

Please visit Russell on these social media platforms:

Facebook: Russell (The Author)
Twitter: @Russell_Writer
Instagram: @Russell_Writer

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Thank you so much for visiting with us today. Please help me in supporting today’s guest with likes, shares, and comments. The more you help in supporting Russell, the better chance you have of winning a copy of his book, GAVIN!

Until next time, lovelies…………………Happy Reading & Reviewing!!!