Book Trailer Blast: Nailed by Avery Daniels

About the Book:

Title: NAILED: RESORT TO MURDER II
Author: Avery Daniels
Publisher: Blazing Sword Publishing, Ltd.
Pages: 284
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Amateur Sleuth

BOOK BLURB:

Julienne is snow bound in the middle of the Rocky Mountains with a killer striking at will.

Julienne LaMere gets to attend a Resort Management conference at a prestigious ski resort in the Colorado Mountains. What should be an enjoyable getaway attending workshops by day and shopping and enjoying the resort by night comes to a screeching halt when a loud-mouthed guest is murdered plus the roads and town shut down for an epic blizzard.

In addition to attending the conference, dodging a smitten teen boy, and seeking clues among the gossiping - and increasingly tense - guests, her best friend’s heart has warmed to an unlikely man and may get broken. As if her mind isn’t already fully occupied, Julienne and her new boyfriend Mason are skiing down troubled slopes in their relationship. Will Julienne put the scant clues together and unveil the culprit before a murderer gets away?

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Book Excerpt:

Alpine Sun Resort had touches of the classic white exterior with alpine timber framing and balconies fitted with window boxes for flowers in spring and summer.  Aspens and evergreens surrounded the sides and back where a stream meandered past. The research I’d compiled hadn’t done it justice.  I felt like I’d been transported to a luxury version of a Brothers Grimm fairytale.

To the right of the entrance driveway stood a large snowman around six feet tall sporting a top hat, with a tree branch speared through its head, and a bright blood red scarf around its neck greeted me.  It seemed gruesome to me and a feeling of dread washed over me.

“A slice of Germany.  Feels quaint and cozy, don’t you think?  Hope they have a German hunk available.” Porsche smiled.

“If there’s one on this entire mountain, I’m sure you’ll find him.”  Porsche attracted men with her sense of assurance and she changed boyfriends as often as her nail polish.

“With any luck.”  She winked.  “You know me, I’ll find a diversion.  Don’t worry about me entertaining myself.”

A uniformed valet was opening my car door before I could register his presence.  At the entrance, I turned and drank in the view with a deep breath tinged with the scent of pine.  The snow-draped ski slopes to the one side and the quaint town on the other were idyllic. 

The ominous sky, roiling gunmetal and smoky gray clouds choking out the sun, was the only blemish in the lovely tableau stretched before me.  This storm system was setting up to give us a good dump of powder and the skiers would be thrilled.  I wasn’t too concerned.  The roads were usually the main issue.  Colorado is fortunate to only occasionally experience road closures.

About the Author

Avery Daniels was born and raised in Colorado, graduated from college with a degree in business administration and has worked in fortune 500 companies and Department of Defense her entire life. Her most eventful job was apartment management for 352 units. She still resides in Colorado with two brother black cats as her spirited companions. She volunteers for a cat shelter, enjoys scrapbooking and card making, photography, and painting in watercolor and acrylic. She inherited a love for reading from her mother and grandmother and grew up talking about books at the dinner table.

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The Heartfulness Way by Kamlesh D. Patel and Joshua Pollock @heartful_ness

THE HEARTFULNESS WAY by Kamlesh D. Patel and Joshua Pollock, Nonfiction/Spiritual/Meditation, 190 pp., $13.48 (paperback) $9.99 (Kindle)

Title: THE HEARTFULNESS WAY  
Author: Kamlesh D. Patel & Joshua Pollock  
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications  
Pages: 190  
Genre: Nonfiction/Spiritual/Meditation

“A must-read for anyone interested in incorporating meditation into their lifestyle.”
––Sanjay Gupta, MD, chief medical correspondent for CNN

Heartfulness is an ideal, a spiritual way of living by and from the heart that is inclusive of all ideologies, beliefs, and religions. In this heart-centered book, a student in conversation with his teacher, Kamlesh D. Patel—affectionately known as Daaji, the fourth and current spiritual guide of the century-old Heartfulness tradition—present a unique method of meditation with the power to facilitate an immediate, tangible spiritual experience, irrespective of a person’s faith.

Our modern, fast-paced world can be an overwhelming place. Every day, we’re bombarded with messages telling us that in order to be happy, fulfilled, and worthy, we must be better, do more, and accumulate as much material wealth as possible. Most of us move through our busy lives with our minds full of these ideas, multitasking as we strive to navigate the responsibilities and expectations we must meet just to make it through the day. But what if there is another way? What if, rather than letting the busyness of life overtake our minds, we learn to be heartful instead?

Based on Daaji’s own combination of approaches and practices for the modern seeker—which draws from the teachings of Sahaj Marg, meaning “Natural Path”—Heartfulness is a contemporized version of the ancient Indian practice of Raja Yoga, a tradition that enables the practitioner to realize the higher Self within. While many books describe refined states of being, The Heartfulness Way goes further, providing a pragmatic course to experience those states for oneself, which, per the book’s guiding principle, is “greater than knowledge.”

Heartfulness meditation consists of four elements—relaxation, meditation, cleaning, and prayer—and illuminates the ancient, defining feature of yogic transmission (or pranahuti), the utilization of divine energy for spiritual growth and transformation. Using the method, detailed practices, tips, and practical philosophy offered in this book, you’ll reach new levels of attainment and learn to live a life more deeply connected to the values of the Heartfulness way—with acceptance, humility, compassion, empathy, and love.

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We never know what life has in store for us, what is just around the corner, and that is part and parcel of the mystery and beauty of living. I have received many blessings during my six decades on this Earth, and one of those happened while I was a teenager, studying pharmacy in Ahmedabad in India in 1976. Thanks to one of my college pals, I came across Heartfulness meditation, and a few months later was face-to-face with the remarkable man who immediately became my first guru, who guided me in this practice. His name was Ram Chandra, and we called him Babuji.

The effect of the very first Heartfulness meditation on me was so profound that it was clear I had found my direction and anchor in life. But the effect of meeting Babuji was beyond even that – something so precious and subtle in its essence that it defines description. While universes and dimensions have opened in my inner world since that time, it is only one aspect of what has unfolded during these last four decades. What is even more wonderful is the walth of everyday qualities that have come through Heartfulness practice – qualities such as love, acceptance, humility, service, compassion, empathy, and a higher purpose to existence.

KAMLESH D. PATEL is known widely as Daaji. His teachings arise from his personal experience on the path of Heartfulness, while reflecting his deep spirit of enquiry and respect for the world’s great spiritual traditions and scientific advancements. Daaji practised pharmacy in New York City for over three decades before being named the successor in a century-old lineage of spiritual masters. Fulfilling the many duties of a modern-day guru, he travels widely, extending his support to spiritual seekers everywhere. A self-professed student of spirituality, he devotes much of his time and energy to research in the field of consciousness and spirituality, approaching the subject with scientific methodology – a practical approach that stems from his own experience and mastery in the field.

Joshua Pollock is a student of Kamlesh D. Patel. After experimenting with various meditative practices, Joshua started practicing Heartfulness in the United States in 2002 and has taught it since 2007. He regularly teaches Heartfulness at universities, corporations, government institutions, and at public seminars. An accomplished violinist, Joshua has performed and taught all over the world. He holds a Bachelor of Musical Arts from Indiana University and two Masters degrees from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. In August of 2015, he was invited by Daaji to co author this book.

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LaLa Feels Blah-La by Tela Kayne @telakayne #children #vbt

LALA FEELS BLAH-LA by Tela Kayne, Children, 28 pp., $8.89 (paperback) $3.99 (Kindle)

Title: LALA FEELS BLAH-LA Author: Tela Kayne Publisher: The Virtue Agency Pages: 30 Genre: Children’s Picture Book

Welcome to LaLa’s World: Where kids learn how to be the change!

In this newly released children’s book, “LaLa Feels Blah-La,” a young girl and her stuffed bear wake up feeling blah for no apparent reason. LaLa’s mom teaches her to be mindful of her feelings and turn her mood around with the flip of a coin. Perfect for young readers, LaLa Feels Blah-La , teaches children to be more mindful of their feelings and manage their mood swings.

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Lala wakes up and feels rotten, but she's not sure why. She's not sick, and the sun is shining. Lala is blah-la.

She stomps downstairs for breakfast. 

Stomp, stomp, stomp.

As the daughter of a librarian, Tela Kayne grew up reading countless literary works of all genres in quiet corners of the local library. She developed the love of writing at an early age, penning theatrical productions that were performed in the family living room for an audience of loved ones. She officially began her creative career as a young actress in Atlanta, having appeared on stage in a variety of roles including Puck of Midsummer Night’s Dream and Alice in Alice in Wonderland.
After graduating college Summa Cum Laude from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and working a short stint in the “real world,” she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film. After securing her Screen Actor’s Guild membership through appearances on television shows like G vs E, The Parkers and Get Real as well as films like Down to You, Almost Famous, and Disney’s The Kid, she decided to garner more behind-the-camera experience. She secured internships at Scott Rudin Productions, one of Hollywood’s most prolific and demanding producers and Mostow Lieberman Productions (U-571) at Universal Studios. She soon accepted a paid position with executive producer Chris Sievernich and discovered her love of screenplay development, running the coverage department for Kinowelt USA and assisting in the development of projects like Nurse Betty, The Wedding Planner and Welcome to Collinwood. After several years of working in Hollywood, she returned home to Atlanta in 2001 to focus on a career in strategic marketing.

As president and founder of The Virtue Agency, an integrated content development and marketing agency, Tela has spent the last fifteen years writing content and maximizing brand exposure and engagement for clients. She has authored articles that appear on MarketWatch (WSJ), Yahoo! Finance, MNN.com, EWG.org, and HealthyChild.org. She is also entering into the literary world with the release of LaLa Feels Blah-La, Book 1 of her debut children’s series, LaLa’s World.

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The Freedom Club by Cindy Vine @cindyvine #YA

THE FREEDOM CLUB by Cindy Vine, YA, 184 pp., $4.99 (Kindle)

Title: THE FREEDOM CLUB Author: Cindy Vine Publisher: Createspace Pages: 184 Genre: YA

“We could be anybody and everybody. A group of high school stereotypes with one thing in common.  Every one of us has a story.”

Every high school has the bullies, the freaks, and the weird kids that make you feel uneasy.  Rourke High has more than their fair share.  A few months before the end of their senior year, a group of seemingly mismatched kids get together to form The Freedom Club, hoping that they can support the victims of bullying, before they graduate.  As they uncover secrets and lies they plot revenge – and discover love, friendship and truths about themselves, building up to a shocking climax that will leave you reeling.

Do you ever really know the person next to you?

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Chapter 1 Maddie
In Grade 5 my class teacher assigned us all a task. We had to keep a Thought Journal for a period of three weeks. In the notebook she provided, we had to record anything we saw or heard, random things we thought about, newspaper clippings, magazine articles - basically anything that was of interest to us. The object of the task was to have group discussions at the end of the three weeks about the issues that we felt strongly about. The teacher believed that our Thought Journals would help us identify those issues. Once we had discussed them in our groups, we would then be able to decide which issues we had in common and which were the most important to us all. The next step would be to research the important issues we had identified as a group, then put together a presentation which we would show our parents one evening after school.
It sounds good in theory, right? The problem was only a few of us took the Thought Journals seriously. Writing down some very random thoughts the night before the due date defeated the whole object of the exercise. I had never been a ‘Dear Diary’ type of girl, although I had always loved to write. Diaries with little locks on, given to me as presents on birthdays and Christmas, have always remained unopened and untouched amongst other junk in the bottom drawer of my dresser. There was something about them that seemed both frivolous and soppy. I’m sure people who kept diaries didn’t really start each entry with ‘Dear Diary’, but in my mind they did and that’s what made it seem all a little pathetic.
But even though a Thought Journal did the same thing as a diary, it felt different somehow. Thought Journal sounded more serious, more intellectual than a silly diary. Recording my thoughts made me feel important, as if my thoughts really mattered. A notebook instead of a pink hard cover diary with flowers, bows and a lock, made me feel as if I was above silly thoughts about boys I liked and girlie gossip. The notebook made me feel as if I had something important to say and that if the world ended, then the next inhabitants of Earth would find my Thought Journals and know what it was like when I lived. Well, that’s what I thought when I was in Grade 5. Now I’m in my senior year of High School and my Thought Journal is all that keeps me alive.
Chapter 2 Arek
The sirens and flashing blue lights brought everybody outside. There is something about someone else's drama that attracts fellow humans, rather like flies to a pile of dung. Or bees to a can of soda. How many people stop to look at a bad car accident? It's not because they want to help. It's because they want to see. People want to be grossed out. They want to see torn-off limbs propped up next to a car tire. They want to see that body covered in blood and shards of glass. They want to exclaim and gag and gasp at the horror of it all. People are drama queens and that's no lie.
Hot on the heels of the first responders and emergency services are the press. News vans, cameramen and reporters with over-sized mikes. Desperate to display people's misery for the world to see. Shoving mikes in bystanders ́ faces - “What did you see? What did you hear? What do you know about the victim?” And of course the unspoken question, “What little bit of shitty gossip can you share about the victim?” And so the victim of a particular disaster is stripped of everything. Nothing is too sacred or too private not to be shared with the vultures eagerly gulping down every tidbit of information. The worst though, are the people who come forward pretending to have known the victim, making up the anecdotes they share on the fly.
It's almost worth living just to hear the shit they share. Lie after lie. Relating false memories in a sort of parallel universe. Creating their own reality. Pity none of it is true. Fake news, maybe there’s something in that after all.
And so, as Todd ́s gurney holding his body bag is rolled into the waiting ambulance, you can hear the collective sighs of the onlookers. “If only we'd known. If only he'd told us he was depressed we would have helped him. If only he had said he was planning on hanging himself in the bedroom we would have been there for him.”
If only.
If only you actually gave a shit.
If only those fake tears rolling down your cheeks
meant something.
If only you had made the time to actually know
Todd.
If only.
Too late.
Another teen lost to suicide.
Another family heartbroken and emotionally
shattered.
Kids at our high school will try and picture what he
looked like and share reminiscences that are actually of somebody else. And those who should be held culpable will carry on as if nothing happened and even make suicide jokes.
Nobody will be held accountable.
No amount of casseroles and lasagnas dropped off at the grief-stricken family ́s home will bring Todd back. The community rallying around? What a joke! All
they want is to find out the gory details. Nothing is going to change. Nothing is ever going to change.
The crowd swells as more neighbors come to gawk. People start talking to neighbors they haven’t spoken to in years. There’s nothing like someone else’s drama to get communication going again.
Too bad.
How sad.
I was standing behind Principal Timmins when he
turned to an officer and I heard him say, “Thank goodness he only committed suicide and didn't go gun ́crazy at school. At least it's just him and not a whole lot of others.”
Seriously?
We wouldn't want our school to look bad, would we? Good to hear our esteemed principal really cares
about us kids. I moved away before the officer had time to reply to Timmins’s insensitive comment. I always thought Timmins was a dick. Great to know what I thought has been confirmed.
Todd wasn’t my friend and I’m not going to pretend he was. But he was more than just an acquaintance. He always aspired to be one of the Cool Kids, which meant he ignored me at school. But as we lived in the same street, we often walked home together and Todd would try and impress me with the things he got up to with the Cool Kids. So I knew quite a bit about what was going on in his life. I also knew from things he said that he didn’t quite fit in, no matter how hard he tried. What I could never have foreseen, was that he would end up killing himself. Something bad must have happened to make him think that life wasn’t worth living. My gut feeling, is that the Cool Kids are somehow involved.
As I walk away from the crowd and head home to dinner, I mull over in my mind the last conversations I had with Todd. Trying to find clues in the things he had said. Looking for answers. Why kill yourself? What did they do to you?
There are days when I feel what’s the point of everything. Why bother getting out of bed just to go to school to pretend to learn when all you do is try to survive the day unscathed. But even though I often think life is pointless, I’m not sure I’d ever go to the extreme of killing myself. Why give them the satisfaction?
Living might be the only way to defeat them.
Then again, who knows and would they really care? And with that sobering thought, I open the front door to the house where we do not talk to each other.

Cindy Vine was born in South Africa and has lived and worked in many different countries as a teacher.  Cindy is currently living and working in Norway. She has three adult children who have all inherited her love of traveling and who all live in different countries.  Cindy likes to write about the difficult subjects that make you think.  Besides writing and traveling, Cindy loves cooking and fixing up houses.

Her latest book is the YA, The Freedom Club.

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Scornful Scones by Mildred Abbott #bookblast #cozymystery #mystery

SCORNFUL SCONES by Mildred Abbott, Cozy Mystery, 300 pp., $8.99 (paperback) $.99 (kindle)

Title: SCORNFUL SCONES
Author: Mildred Abbott
Publisher: Wings of Ink Publications, LLC
Pages: 300
Genre: Cozy Mystery

With summer approaching, Estes Park is abuzz with flowers, baking, tourists, and… murder.
Tourist season is about to begin, and the lovely weather has Winifred Page and her corgi sidekick, Watson, leaving the comfort of the Cozy Corgi Bookshop and Bakery to reluctantly attend a celebration at the Black Bear Roaster coffee shop. But a chill of uncertainty settles over Fred when a choking death doesn’t seem so accidental—despite the dry, hazardous scones.

As Fred and Police Sergeant Branson Wexler rekindle a possible romance, Fred shares her suspicions. But is she seeing murder at every turn? Learning to trust her gut feelings, Fred risks the ire of the coffee shop owner to investigate not one, but two, deaths.

As suspects and motives abound, old resentments are uncovered, and Fred and Watson build new friendships even as they follow the crumbs to find clues to a killer.

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A piercing scream shattered the peaceful ambience of the bookshop. We’d closed the store ten minutes before, and I’d stolen a moment to curl up and read on the Victorian divan. At the sound, I let out a yelp and flung the book from me. Luckily it landed a few feet from the fireplace.

A clatter of claws came from the other room.

I looked over to find Watson scrambling to a standing position as quickly as his little corgi legs would allow. He glared at me as if I was the one who’d disrupted his nap in the sunshine.

Before I could make sense of a scream coming from the bookshop—it had to have come from there, as loud and clear as it had been—there was a pounding above my head followed by a squeal.

Katie?

Must be. Though I’d never heard my best friend and business partner make such a sound before.

Leaving the book on the floor of the mystery room, I hurried to the main portion of the bookshop and rushed up the stairs to the bakery two at a time, having to hike my pea-green broomstick skirt slightly to keep from tripping.

Nails still clicking on the hardwood floor, despite his slow start, Watson passed me on the staircase and entered the Cozy Corgi bakery a few strides ahead of me.

I found Katie instantly, standing behind the marble-topped bakery counter, and the mystery of the pounding was solved as she clenched her fists over her chest, performed a little jig, and let out another squeal.

Okay, apparently she wasn’t in danger of dying. Although, perhaps she was possessed.

Katie caught me watching, and though a blush rose to her round cheeks, she didn’t seem able to stop from giving another excited jig. With her brown curly hair bouncing around her face, she was like a little kid walking in on a surprise birthday party.

I cast a quick glance around the bakery. Atypically, the randomly arranged antique tables, rustic chairs, and overstuffed couches were unoccupied in front of the wall of windows overlooking the downtown of Estes Park. Oh, right, not that atypical, I had to remind myself; we’d closed the shop in the middle of the day.

“I’d accuse you of trying to scare away the customers, if we had any. I know we’ve been slammed and it’s nice to have a break, but I’m pretty sure people probably heard you on the street.”

“Good!” Katie squealed a third time. She literally seemed like she might be on the verge of a seizure. “I want them all to hear. And after this, we’ll have a whole new definition to the word slammed. We’re going to be so packed they’ll be lining up all the way down the block.” Another squeal.

“Katie.” I crossed the bakery and took her hand over the counter. “You screamed like you just discovered zombies were real, and now you’ve squealed four times.” I cocked an eyebrow at her but wasn’t quite able to hold back the grin. “Who are you and what have you done to my best friend?”

She whipped her hand free, grasped the laptop, and spun it in my direction. “Check this out!”

Other Books in the Series

Reading the Cozy Corgi series is pretty much all you need to know about Mildred. In real life, she’s obsessed with everything she writes about: Corgis, Books, Cozy Mountain Towns, and Baked Goods.  She’s not obsessed with murder, however. At least not at her own hands (nor paid for… no contract killing here). But since childhood, starting with Nancy Drew, trying to figure out who-dun-it has played a formative role in her personality.  Having Fred and Watson stroll into her mind was a touch of kismet.

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GIVEAWAY!

Mildred Abbott is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Terms & Conditions:

• By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
• One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter
• This giveaway ends midnight July 27.
• Winner will be contacted via email on July 28.
• Winner has 48 hours to reply.

Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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What You Don't Learn in Film School by Shane Stanley #nonfiction @shanestanley

WHAT YOU DON'T LEARN IN FILM SCHOOL by Shane Stanley, Nonfiction/Film/HowTo, 199 pp., $19.99 (paperback) $8.99 (kindle)

Title: WHAT YOU DON’T LEARN IN FILM SCHOOL: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO INDEPENDENT FILMMAKING

Author: Shane Stanley
Publisher: Industry Insider, LLC.
Pages: 199
Genre: Nonfiction/Film

Multi Emmy-Award winning filmmaker Shane Stanley, a lifelong entertainment industry insider, has worked in every aspect of the film industry, covering a multitude of movies, television shows, and other projects. In his valuable new book, WHAT YOU DON’T LEARN IN FILM SCHOOL: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO INDEPENDENT FILMMAKING, Stanley takes a candid look at the film business and offers ambitious young filmmakers important information on how to navigate every aspect of making movies, from initial pitch to distributing a finished product. The book “is written for anyone who hopes to have a career in the industry at any position, but (is) geared for (the) total filmmaker,” Stanley says.

Producer Neal H. Moritz (“Fast & Furious,” “S.W.A.T.,” “21 and 22 Jump Street”), says that WHAT YOU DON’T LEARN IN FILM SCHOOL “pulls no punches. It’s one of the most insightful and accurate books ever written on the subject, a master class bridging the gap between school and real-life experience that will save you years of heartache. A must-read for anyone interested in pursuing a career in film.”

Jane Seymour, two-time Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner, actress, producer and founder of the Open Hearts Foundation, declares that Stanley’s “step-by-step guide is a must-read for anyone hoping to break into the world of independent cinema, along with many useful tips for those who desire to work within a studio or network system.”

Jeff Sagansky, former president of Sony Entertainment and CBS Entertainment, notes that “Shane Stanley takes you to a film school that only years of practical experience can teach. He covers both the business of independent filmmaking as well as the hard-earned secrets of a successful production. A must-read for anyone who wants to produce.”

A lifelong veteran of the film world, Stanley has directed and produced hundreds of film and television projects, including the 2006 No. 1 Box Office hit “Gridiron Gang,” starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. His clearly-written guide to navigating the shoals of independent filmmaking comes from his hands-on experience, covering such topics as choosing what material to produce, raising independent capital, hiring a production crew and selecting the right cast.

WHAT YOU DON’T LEARN IN FILM SCHOOL is an essential book written by someone who clearly understands the independent film business from the inside.

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I always advise new filmmakers to play in an arena they’re not only passionate about but also comfortable in. As you find your legs I think it’s wise to have all the bases covered of your chosen genre, which will aid when executing creative discussions with your filmmaking team and onscreen talent, but more so when pitching your project to potential investors. They’ll appreciate your expertise on the subject and sense the passion you possess as the gibberish naturally rolls off your tongue.

Remember, when you pitch an investor to finance a film, you’re selling something different. You’re selling the magic and the sizzle of Hollywood and most importantly, you’re selling yourself along with the upside (or fallacy) of what their investment might return. If someone is really in the position to write a check to finance a film, they’re probably pretty savvy. Trust me, they have been pitched everything from financing movies, to night clubs, clothing lines and widgets by someone a lot slicker and more qualified than you. Investors know they hold the key to unlocking the door to the dreams that can change your life, so go deep in thought when creating a presentation…because you’re pitching them on a fantasy (smoke and mirrors), not real estate or something they can look, touch or feel at the moment.

Multi-Emmy Award winning filmmaker Shane Stanley has worked in almost every capacity on and off the set starting with hit shows like “Entertainment Tonight” and “Seinfeld.”

Along with his father, Stanley produced “The Desperate Passage Series,” which was nominated for 33 individual Emmy Awards and won 13 statues. In this series, five of the seven specials went No.1 in Nielson Ratings, which included “A Time for Life” and “Gridiron Gang.”

Stanley has produced films starring Marlon Brando, Mira Sorvino, Thomas Hayden Church, Donald Sutherland, Marisa Tomei and Martin Sheen. He co-wrote two of the films and has worked closely with top Hollywood executives.

Stanley has taught workshops at many film schools and universities. He is the founder of Visual Arts Entertainment, a production company based in Los Angeles. He is still active in teaching, working with several schools, film students, and recent grads as a mentor and guide.

His latest book is What You Don’t Learn in Film School: A Complete Guide to Independent Filmmaking.

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