A young woman’s body floats in the Dubai marina. Her death alters the fates of six people, each one striving for a better life in an unforgiving city.
A young Irish man comes to stay with his sister, keen to erase his troubled past in the heat of the Dubai sun. A Russian sex worker has outsmarted the system so far – but will her luck run out? A Pakistani taxi driver dreams of a future for his daughters. An Emirate man hides the truth about who he really is. An Ethiopian maid tries to carve out a path of her own. From every corner of the globe, Dubai has made promises to them all. Promises of gilded opportunities and bright new horizons, the chance to forget the past and protect long-held secrets.
But Dubai breaks its promises, with deadly consequences. In a city of mirages, how do you find your way out?
Diving For Pearls is published on the 3rd June 2021 in ebook and hardback. You can pre-order your copy using one of the links below.
I thought Diving For Pearls was a well written, absorbing read which was very thought provoking.
The book is told from the points of view of six main characters who have all had very different experiences of life in Dubai. We have Siobhan who likes her expat lifestyle and tends to spend a lot of money, her brother who is visiting, their maid Gete who is from Ethiopia, Tahir a taxi driver and Lydia a Russian prostitute. Through these characters the reader starts to understand a bit more about Dubai and to understand that it isn’t as glamorous as it first might appear.
As the story unfolds, we learn more about each of the characters and discover that each of them are trapped in their own way which was quite poignant to read about at times. My heart particularly went out to poor Tahir having to work long shifts in a hot taxi to come home to a shared dorm room with not much food. The fly on the wall glimpse made me feel that I knew the characters personally and I started to feel quite upset with how things were for them. I found myself wishing I could somehow go into the book and help.
Overall I really enjoyed this book which I found hard to put down at times. It was very interesting to get to know the characters and to find out a bit more about Dubai which is a city I’ve always found fascinating, though one I might not be visiting now. The murder mystery side of the story kept me guessing until the end which I always enjoy. The different storylines were very thought-provoking and I have found myself thinking about the story long after I have finished reading the book. It’s definitely made me think about what secrets and people big cities may be hiding. If you are after a book for a book club or would like a great book to enjoy on the beach this summer then I’d definitely recommend this book.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Double Day for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Jamie O’Connell has had short stories highly commended by the Costa Short Story Award and the Irish Book Award Short Story of the Year. He has been longlisted for BBC Radio 4 Opening Lines Short Story Competition and shortlisted for the Maeve Binchy Travel Award and the Sky Arts Futures Fund. He has an MFA and MA in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. He has worked for Penguin Random House, Gill Books and O’Brien Press. Diving for Pearls is his first novel.
Good morning everyone and welcome to another Music Monday. Today I’m featuring Without The Fear which is the fantastic new single from British musician Joshua Woo.
Josh is one of my favourite music streamers on twitch and I always look forward to his streams. He’s insanely talented on the guitar and always writes some amazing songs that I love to listen to on repeat.
Today I’m extremely excited as I have a great interview with Josh to share with you today.
You can follow Josh on social media by clicking on the links below.
Josh’s new single Without The Fear is one of my favourite songs he’s released and one he says he’s particularly proud of.
Josh says, “In simple terms this song is about ‘overcoming fears’ but it’s more about not being afraid to be vulnerable and along the way, slowly but surely, step by step you’ll get there.”
You can listen to Without The Fear below or by clicking the links underneath the video.
I’ve honestly been singing since I was 5 years old so I’ve always been into music in some way or another! I didn’t seriously get into music until I was about 14 when I started learning the guitar. That was when I really got into songwriting and my music taste started forming properly.
Who inspired you to make music?
I always point the first time I started thinking that I wanted to write my own songs to the first time I heard The Bends by Radiohead. It really resonated with me and made me realise that you didn’t need to be super extroverted and confident to write and perform your own music.
How would you describe the music that you typically create?
I often write about mental health. I also try to take a dark situation or something sad and find the light in it. I think one of the things music is best at is capturing the in between emotions. Somewhere between happiness and sadness. I often aim to hit that balance where hope lives.
What is your creative process like?
It changes. Most often I start with the music and just improvise until I end up with a song. I’m always thinking somewhere in the back of my mind, in my day to day life, that every experience, anything I see or learn could be used in a song. So I’m constantly absorbing things. I will write little phrases down and record small guitar ideas or melodies in my phone. It’s just about always being open to when the muse might strike.
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
This is a hard one… but I mean it has to be Paul McCartney right? Who wouldn’t want to collaborate with a Beatle?
If you could go open a show for any artist who would it be?
Again there’s so many but it would probably have to be Radiohead as they very much got me on the path I am on now!
What is one message you would give to your fans?
Things get better they always do! And if they’re good right now enjoy it but try and shine a light to someone who may be in a darker place if you can!
What is the most useless talent you have?
I can make a pretty good mouth trumpet sound… although that may make it’s way on a recording one day!
Do you sing in the shower? What songs?
I actually do a lot of writing in the shower haha!
What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?
I honestly don’t think I am capable of anything except music but most likely I’d be a teacher of some sort, both my parents are teachers so it makes sense.
How do you feel the Internet has impacted the music business?
It’s made everything much more accessible and more intimate. Which I think is a good thing! It’s not perfect right now but I’m optimistic about the future. I honestly feel we’re in a transitionary stage in the world in general at this very point in time. No one really knows how it’s going to to turn out. Technology has evolved so fast and the way we do things and work has changed so quickly. I don’t think we’ll really see the full extent of how the internet has impacted the music industry until a few years time. I think it’ll all work out though because it has to. People love music and need it.
What is your favourite song to perform?
Right now it’s honestly Without The Fear. I’m really proud of it and it makes me feel good to play it! It has that feeling of taking off, it’s really exhilarating to perform.
Which famous musicians do you admire?
The list is endless honestly. Everyone from David Bowie to Billie Eilish, Neil Young to Kendrick Lamar. I just love music really. I do have a special admiration for artists and musicians who are able to go against the grain and put their own mark on things.
What is the best advice you’ve been given?
To live in the moment for sure. Although it’s really difficult ha!
What’s next for you?
Lots more music. Both solo releases and with my band! I’m excited!
Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions Josh!
You can now listen to Without The Fear and all other previously featured Music Monday artists on a special playlist linked below.
Titus Llewellyn-Gwlynne, actor/manager of the Red Lion Theatre, has lost a backer who was going to fund a theatrical tour – when unexpected salvation appears.
Their home theatre in the East End of London having been bombed during the war, The Red Lion Touring Company embarks on a tour of Britain to take a play written by their new benefactress into the provinces.
As they make their vagabond, singing way, they remain unaware that they leave behind in London a man consumed with thoughts of revenge. Revenge which follows them obsessively from town to town, ending in its final act before the last curtain.
This charming series transports the reader to a lost post-war world of touring rep theatre and once-grand people who have fallen on harder times, smoggy streets, and shared bonhomie over a steaming kettle.
Love And Miss Harris is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the links below.
Love And Miss Harris is a delightful and hugely enjoyable book which takes the reader on a nostalgic journey through the 1950s.
The author has written an fantastic book with some unforgettable characters who I enjoyed following throughout the book. I loved the little details the author has added so that the characters really seem to come to life. This was also true of the villains in the book who were very well written and believable.
I don’t think I’ve read a book about a theatre company at this time so I found it very interesting to learn more about what life would have been like. The reader is given an inside glimpse into their lives on the road from where they lived to what they ate which I loved. The other side of things is also shown with descriptions of the gang warfare at the time, including some of the weapons they used which sounded completely terrifying.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more in the series. The 1950s has always been one of my favourite eras so I drank in all the fabulous period details the author included, especially some of the songs that were popular at the time which I thought was a great inclusion to the book. If you are a historical fiction fan and are looking for a great new series or just looking for a fun, enjoyable read then I suggest giving this book a go.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Farrago books for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Peter Maughan’s early career covered many trades, working on building sites, in wholesale markets, on fairground rides and in a circus. He studied at the Actor’s Workshop in London, and worked as an actor in the UK and Ireland, subsequently founding a fringe theatre in Barnes, London. He is married and lives currently in Wales.
SHORT BOOKS AND GREAT STORIES TACKLING THE ADULT LITERACY CRISIS
One in six adults in the UK – approximately 9 million people – find reading difficult, and one in three people do not regularly read for pleasure. Quick Reads, which celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, plays a vital role in addressing these shocking statistics by inspiring emergent readers, as well as those with little time or who have fallen out of the reading habit, with entertaining and accessible writing from the very best contemporary authors.
OYINKAN BRAITHWAITE: The Baby is Mine (Atlantic)
LOUISE CANDLISH: The Skylight (Simon & Schuster)
KATIE FFORDE: Saving the Day (Arrow)
PETER JAMES: WishYou Were Dead (Macmillan)
CAITLIN MORAN: How to Be a Woman, abridged (Ebury)
Over 5 million Quick Reads have been distributed since the life-changing programme launched in 2006. From 2020 – 2022, the initiative is supported by a philanthropic gift from bestselling author Jojo Moyes. This year, for every book bought until 31 July 2021, another copy will be gifted to help someone discover the joy of reading. ‘Buy one, gift one’ will see thousands of free books given to organisations across the UK to reach less confident readers and those with limited access to books – bring the joy and transformative benefits of reading to new audiences.
Book Synopsis:
They can’t see her, but she can see them…
Simone has a secret. She likes to stand at her bathroom window and spy on the couple downstairs through their kitchen skylight. She knows what they eat for breakfast and who they’ve got over for dinner. She knows what mood they’re in before they even step out the door. There’s nothing wrong with looking, is there?
Until one day Simone sees something through the skylight she is not expecting. Something that upsets her so much she begins to plot a terrible crime…
From the author of Our House, the British Book Awards Crime & Thriller of the Year.
You can now buy all 6 Quick read titles in paperback and ebook for the amazing price of £1. Up until the end of July 2021 every time a book is bought one will be gifted to help more people discover the joy of reading.
Please click on the link below to get your copy or why not visit your local indie bookstore.
As most of my friends will tell you I’m a huge advocator of reading. I love discussing and sharing books with people so in my mind the Quick Reads program is an amazing idea, especially as it means I have more people to share my passion with. The main reasons I hear for people not reading are they haven’t got the time or they think they aren’t smart enough, both of which, I feel, are addressed in the Quick Reads selection of books. They are all designed to be easy reads that will appeal to everyone and are all about 100 pages long so can fit into a limited time frame. I chose to review The Skylight as I’m a huge fan of this author so I was intrigued to read a short story from her.
The author does a great job of quickly absorbing the reader into the story and the setting for the book. We are introduced to the interesting main character Simone who seems a bit of an insecure and needy person. My opinion of her changed as the story went on and while I initially felt sorry for her I quickly grew to dislike her. In my opinion none of the characters were very likeable but it was fascinating to learn more about them, especially how they interacted with each other which I thought gave away a lot of their personality.
I must admit that I haven’t read many short stories but I was impressed with how the plot unravelled with the author managing to fit a lot into the pages, including a few flash backs which I thought very clever. The book is gripping from the start and the atmosphere increased until I wasn’t able to put the book down. I found myself both wanting to continue reading as I wanted to find out what happens but also to stop as I was feeling increasingly uneasy about Simone and wasn’t sure I wanted to know what she would do next.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be recommending it to friends. I’ve actually treated myself to the other Quick Read books which I hope to read soon.
Huge thanks to Hannah Bright from Midas publicity for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Louise Candlish is the Sunday Times bestselling author of fourteen novels. Our House, a #1 bestseller, won the Crime & Thriller Book of the Year at the 2019 British Book Awards, was longlisted for the 2019 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, and was shortlisted for the Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award. It is soon to be a major ITV drama made by Death in Paradise producers Red Planet Pictures. Louise lives in London with her husband and daughter. Visit her at LouiseCandlish.com or connect with her on Twitter @Louise_Candlish.
By the third, Delphie thinks nothing could surprise her. But she’s wrong . . .
Delphie is enjoying her brother’s wedding. Her surprise last-minute Plus One has stunned her family – and it’s also stopped any of them asking again why she’s still single. But when she sees all the missed calls that evening, she knows it can’t be good news. And she’s right.
Delphie has been living her best life, loving her job, her friends, her no-strings relationships and her dream house by the sea. Now she has to question everything she believed about who she is and what she wants. Is her mum right – is it time to settle down? Or does she want to keep on trying to have it all?
Each wedding of a glorious summer brings a new surprise. And as everything Delphie thought she had is threatened, she has the chance to reshape her future . . .
Three Weddings and A Proposal is available in ebook and hardback now. You can purchase your copy using the links below.
Three Weddings and A Proposal is an absorbing, uplifting book which was much more than I was expecting it to be.
Firstly I absolutely loved the main character Delfie and I really enjoyed following her through the book. I actually didn’t think I’d like her at the start as she seemed too perfect but as the story went on the reader gets to see what she’s made of and I found my opinion of her changing. It was very inspiring to watch her pick herself up and to see her have the courage to do the things she wants to do.
This book has some very interesting themes in it surrounded gender which I found fascinating to explore. I was very sad to learn certain expectations are still put on women so that they feel they have to choose between their career or having a family. It seems so unfair and I found myself getting frustrated with the situation on Delfie’s behalf. It was interesting to think about these issues as I read and to wonder how I would have dealt with things if I was it the same situation.
Overall I really enjoyed this book which was just the escapist read I needed at the moment. I was expecting it to be a purely romantic book so I was excited to learn there was more to the story then I thought. Whilst I thought this was a fairly easy read it still had plenty of surprises, some darker than expected, which ensured I kept reading. There is a bit of romance but that wasn’t the main focus of the book and helped provide some of the lighter moments, along with Delfie’s fabulous girlfriends.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Headline for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Sheila O’Flanagan is the author of nearly 30 bestselling novels including The Women Who Ran Away, Her Husband’s Mistake,The Hideaway,What Happened That Night and The Missing Wife. She lives in Dublin with her husband.
When paramedic Megan Lowe is called to the scene of an attempted murder, all she can do is try to save the victim. But as the man is lifted onto a stretcher, she realises she knows him. She despises him. Why should she save his life when he destroyed hers?
Jess Foster is on her way home when she receives a text from Megan. Once best friends, the two women haven’t been close for years, not since the night when they were just the teenage girls whom no-one believed; whose reputations were ruined. All Jess can think is, you had it coming.
Now Megan and Jess are at the centre of a murder investigation. But what secrets are they hiding? Can they trust one another? And who really is the victim?
Perfect for fans of C.L. Taylor, Lucy Foley and Lisa Hall, You Had It Coming is a thrilling tale of suspense and dark secrets.
My Review:
You Had It Coming is a intriguing, tense and very twisty thriller from a new author for me.I was quickly absorbed into the story and found the book hard to put down so it’s perhaps best to not start this last thing at night like I did.
The story is told from the point of view of Megan, Jess and Detective Sergeant Bridget Kennedy which helped show the reader all the different sides to the story. The characters are all great creations which who I enjoyed reading about. I liked that the author spends time developing the characters in the first half of the book so that the reader feels they really know them and understanding what makes them tick. I felt very sorry for the two girls Megan and Jess having to relive everything they went through in their past. This story does cover some difficult subjects but the author does this with great sensitivity so it’s never graphic which might cause upset.
The pace of the book gradually increases as the book goes on and the many twists helped keep me guessing. Just when I thought I had figured out who the killer was something would happen to make the story spin off in a completely different direction. All the characters seemed to have a motive and I think I suspected all of them at one point. I found it very enjoyable to follow the case whilst trying to work out who the killer was. This was the first book I’ve read from this author and I’d definitely be interested in reading more from them in the future.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Viper for my copy of this book via netgalley.
About The Author:
B.M. Carroll was born in Blarney, a small village in Ireland. The third child of six, reading was her favourite pastime (and still is!). Ber moved to Sydney in 1995 and spent her early career working in finance. Her work colleagues were speechless when she revealed that she had written a novel that was soon to be published. Ber now writes full-time and is the author of ten novels, including Who We Were, published by Viper in 2019. Find her on Twitter @bmcarrollauthor.
A stunning novel about motherhood and betrayal, for readers who love Sarah Vaughan and Louise Candlish.
‘Deliciously dark and totally twisted’ ERIN KELLY
‘Very acute on class, aspiration, women and status’ SARAH PERRY, author of THE ESSEX SERPENT
Kate trusts Della, and Della trusts Kate. Their downfall is each other.
When Kate moves to London after the disappearance of her sister, she’s in need of a friend. A chance meeting leads Kate to Della, a life coach who runs support groups for young women, dubbed by Kate as ‘the Janes.’
Della takes a special interest in Kate, and Kate soon finds herself entangled in Della’s life – her house, her family, and her husband. It’s only when she realises that she’s in too deep that Della’s veneer begins to crumble, and the warnings from ‘the Janes’ begin to come true.
Why is Della so keen to keep Kate by her side? What does Kate have that Della might want? And what really lies beneath the surface of their friendship?
A twisty psychological thriller for fans of Louise Candlish and Harriet Tyce.
The House Guest is available in ebook and hardback now. You can purchase your copy using one of the links below.
The Guest House was an intriguing, clever read which I couldn’t believe was a debut book.
I was immediately drawn into the story and into the characters lives, my interest immediately piqued by the situation the characters find themselves them. I had to read more and often found myself reading too late at night as I was desperate to discover what would happen next.
The characters were all fantastic creations that I enjoyed learning more about. They two main characters were both fairly unlikable but that actually made the book more fun for me as I didn’t have to choose a side . I actually wish there had been a little more about Della as I thought she was a particularly interesting, complex character and I’d have liked to be able to get into her head a little more but maybe that is for a different book.
I thought this was quite a dark story in places with some if the scenes being quite unsettling but this helped build the atmosphere. The author cleverly increases the tension and unease in the book so that I was soon unable to put the book down. I found myself reading faster as I both wanted to know what would happen next but was also slightly nervous about it. There are lots of twists that kept me guessing to the end and I thought the ending was very well done as it completely surprised me which I always enjoy. It’s one of those books that I’d like to read again now as I’m wondering if I missed so clues on the way.
Huge thanks to Emily from Harper Collins for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book via netgalley.
About The Author:
Charlotte Northedge is the joint editor of Guardian Review and Head of Books for the Guardian. Charlotte has previously written for a range of newspapers and magazines, including the Guardian, Psychologies and Cosmopolitan. She has an MA in Modern and Contemporary Literature from Birkbeck and is an alumni of the Curtis Brown Creative writing course.
The Secrets of the Lake is a gripping wartime novel, by the author of The Silk Weaver, Liz Trenow.
‘Masterful storytelling, immersive locations, and characters that inhabit your heart from the first page’ – Gill Paul, author of The Secret Wife.
The war may be over, but for Molly life is still in turmoil. Uprooted from London after the death of her mother, Molly, her father and younger brother Jimmy are starting again in a quiet village in the countryside of Colchester. As summer sets in, the heat is almost as oppressive as the village gossip. Molly dreams of becoming a journalist, finding a voice in the world, but most of the time must act as Jimmy’s carer. At just ten years old he is Molly’s shadow, following her around the village as she falls under the spell of local boy Kit. Kit is clever, funny and a natural-born rebel. Rowing on the waters of the lake with him becomes Molly’s escape from domestic duty. But there is something Kit is not telling Molly.
As the village gossip starts building up with whispers against Molly’s father over missing church funds, everything Molly thought she knew is turned upside down. And on one stormy night, when she sneaks out of the house to try to put things right, Jimmy vanishes. Never to be seen again.
Decades later, Molly is an elderly woman in sheltered housing, still haunted by the disappearance of her brother. When two police officers arrive to say that the remains of a body have been found at the bottom of the lake, it seems like Molly will at long last have her answer . . .
The Secrets Of The Lake is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using one of the links below.
The Secrets Of The Lake is an atmospheric, absorbing dual timeline read from one of my favourite authors.
As always I felt completely drawn into the story and into Molly’s life. The author’s brilliant descriptions helped put me into the story and into the sleepy village that Molly’s family go to life in. I felt I could envision the beautiful countryside and the lake so well that I could almost feel the cold water myself. The village is definitely an interesting place which seems an idyllic place to live but which quickly becomes apparent has some sinister undercurrents in it. I really enjoyed learning more about the village and getting to know the eclectic mix of villagers that live there.
Molly was a fantastic main character who I quickly grew to like and felt a great deal of sympathy with. My favourite character had to be Jimmy who was easy to fall in love with and through him it was interesting to see the attitudes of the time towards people with learning disabilities. My heart hurt to read about how awful people were towards him and how much Molly had to protect him.
Overall I thought this was a well written story that just flowed beautifully. The story is interspersed with bits of a children’s book that Molly had written for Jimmy about some of the local folklore that surrounds the village. This helped add a different quality to the book that was almost magical and made the book a fantastic read. I will be definitely be recommending this book to all fans of dual timeline historical fiction or just anyone looking for a brilliant read.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Pan Macmillan for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Liz Trenow is the author of several historical novels, including The Last Telegram, The Forgotten Seamstress, and The Poppy Factory. Liz’s family have been silk weavers for nearly three hundred years, and she grew up in the house next to the mill in Suffolk, England, which still operates today, weaving for top-end fashion houses and royal commissions. This unique history inspired her first two novels and her fourth novel, The Silk Weaver.
Liz is a former journalist who spent fifteen years on regional and national newspapers, and on BBC radio and television news, before turning her hand to fiction. She lives in East Anglia, UK, with her artist husband, and they have two grown-up daughters.
Good morning everyone and welcome to another Music Monday! Today I’m hugely excited as I have my first ever Music interview with the fantastic Dead Shoto to celebrate the release of his new EP God Eater.
Dead Shoto is from New York City. When he’s not creating amazing music he works as a graphic designer and is the owner of a skateboard company. He also streams a variety of games on twitch and his streams are always great fun to watch. He is working on possibly starting to stream music too.
If you would like to follow Dead Shoto on social media or check out his streams on twitch click the links below.
I first got into music, Rap music specifically, because I was captured by the rhythm and rhyme schemes some of the Artists were doing back in the day on TV. Just painting pictures and telling stories by putting clever words together was so interesting to me. I wanted to be as creative as some of the people I looked up to so I started working on my craft at the age of 14.
Who inspired you to make music?
I was first inspired to make music from 50 Cent and Eminem. Listening to that duo religiously while I was growing up and seeing their chemistry with each other and the beats they were making music over, I wanted that.
How would you describe the music that you typically create?
I would say the music I make falls under “Experimental Rap”. I have some traditional elements to the genre but do like to get creative with the overall sound and I definitely don’t sound like anyone else. I make music you can crank the volume all the way up to.
What is your creative process like?
Hmm, this is an interesting question because it’s really different every time. One day, I can hear a sick beat, create a melody in my head and start writing from beginning to end. Then record immediately after. Other times, I can be on the toilet and find inspiration with no beat and start writing. I guess you never know when inspiration will strike so I always keep my phone nearby.
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
I would definitely love to create a song with A$AP Ferg or Megan Thee Stallion. Me and Ferg are both from New York and I feel our styles will make a hit song that’ll be everyone’s guilty pleasure, capturing that true New York sound. With Meg Thee Stallion, I feel like our song will be lyrically brilliant and have Top 100 potential.
If you could go open a show for any artist who would it be?
To be honest, I would love to open for Lana Del Rey. I just love her and her music so much.
What is one message you would give to your fans?
As cliché as it sounds, never stop pushing towards your goals. No matter how hard it gets and even if no one is there to support you, don’t give up and I guarantee you will reach that finish line. Consistency is key to everything in life.
What is the most useless talent you have?
My useless talent is that I can tap my temple and make my eyebrow twitch on command. I’ll probably be the world’s most useless superhero with that one. Call me, “The Incredible Winker”.
Do you sing in the shower? What songs?
YES. The shower is where my vocal talent shines the brightest. Two songs I love singing the most are How To Save A Life by The Fray and Before He Cheats by Carrie Underwood. You will catch me singing these at karaoke too.
What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?
I will probably be doing Graphic Design full time. It’s what I went to school for and I still have a burning passion for it.
Where have you performed? What are your favourite and least favourite venues? Do you have any upcoming shows?
I have performed at Pianos NYC which is a pretty popular small venue in downtown New York City. Based on videos and photos, SOB’s in New York is probably one of my favorite looking venues. A lot of big rappers such as Drake started performing at that location. No upcoming shows right now but I’ll soon be on the search to perform again once Covid settles down.
How do you feel the Internet has impacted the music business?
To put it vaguely, it’s a gift and a curse. It has given so many artists such as myself a platform to easily upload your music and get heard by hundreds without breaking the bank. But at the same time, it has diluted the industry a lot. So many people doing the same thing, not giving a chance for the real talent to be discovered since we sometimes get overshadowed by bad music.
What is your favourite song to perform?
Based on my first show, I loved performing my song Yellow Bone. I used it as an opener and got the crowd pumped! It’s raunchy but also a song you can dance to.
Which famous musicians do you admire?
I admire Eminem because I’ve learned so much about Rap/Hip-Hop from him. Truly a top tier Artist if I do say so myself.
What is the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?
Once when I was in high school, me and a couple of friends were playing man hunt (the grown up version of tag) and to try and escape from being caught, I found myself in the girls locker room. I was soon discovered by security guards and suspended from school for a few days. I still laugh about this till this day. Luckily, the locker room was empty at the time.
What is the best advice you’ve been given?
Never stop pushing. Even when it feels like no one is listening, keep going as if the room was filled with thousands of people.
If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?
I would change the fact that garbage music floods the internet and radio. To each their own but I wish there was a certain threshold you had to reach in skill and passion before your music can reach the masses. Like, have all music heard by the Hip-Hop Gods and they decide who moves forward and who doesn’t but everyone has an equal chance. This way, every single Artist would have an equal opportunity to shine. One can only dream, right?
What’s next for you?
Now that I finally released my God Eater EP, I will release a butt load of fun singles and collaborations without the pressure of releasing a project. I truly feel the rest of the year will be an exciting one for me with my music. Get excited and look forward to what’s coming because I WILL NOT BE STOPPED! Oh yea, I’m also hoping to perform again by the end of the year in New York City so be on the lookout for that too.
God Eater EP:
Dead Shoto’s new EP, God Eater, consists of four songs that are very different to each other. As always the four songs have some amazing, creative lyrics which are great to listen to. I have included the two youtube videos of my favourite songs below for easy listening. Dead Shot jokingly refers to Give Me Space as his Covid19 anthem as some of the lyrics in the song refer to lockdown and social distancing.
You can now listen to Dead Shoto and all the previously featured Music Monday artist in a special playlist I have created on Spotify. If you like the playlist why not give it a follow!
Unique Investigator Colter Shaw is searching for the answer to his father’s final, posthumous riddle. It will lead him to evidence that will topple the secretive espionage company, BlackBridge.
Twist right.
He believes BlackBridge to be responsible for his father’s murder and brother’s disappearance. They can outmanoeuvre anyone, as the long trail of bodies behind them can confirm. But they haven’t yet met Colter Shaw.
Don’t slip up.
This time the stakes are huge – the fate of a nation is in Colter’s hands. He must find the solution as to why his father died – but to do that he needs to stay alive…
The Final Twist is another addictive and entertaining thriller from Jeffery Deaver. I always look forward to this author’s books as they are always amazing and this book was no exception.
Firstly I really like the main character in this book who helps give the book an unusual edge to it. His unusual upbringing has given him some unusual skills which help make him an intriguing investigator as well as a slightly unpredictable enemy as your never sure how he’ll get out of situations. The author manages to describe events so that at times it felt like I was Shaw and I was experiencing things as he did which I thought was very clever.
This book gripped me from the first page and I found the book very hard to put down as there was always lots of action to ensure I was glued to the page. There were lots of twists and plenty of misdirection that made the book a very exciting read. Just when I thought I’d figured things out something would happen to send the story in a completely different direction which I always enjoy.
This is the third book in the trilogy and while it could perhaps be read as a standalone it’s probably best to read the books in order so that you get more background about what has been so far.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Harper Collins for my copy of this book via netgalley.
About The Author:
Jeffery Deaver is the #1 international bestselling and award-winning author of more than forty novels, three collections of short stories, and a nonfiction law book. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into twenty-five languages. A former journalist, folksinger, and attorney, he was born outside of Chicago and has a bachelor of journalism degree from the University of Missouri and a law degree from Fordham University.
Over The Rainbow Blog 