Tag Archive for 'Sink or swim'

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Reality Show Rundown Interview with Dating & Relationship Expert Hashim Trends Locario of “I Love New York”

Published on June 15, 2011 in Reality Show Rundown. Closed Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

This is the seventh in a series of interviews with former reality show contestants, an idea inspired by my new reality show-themed mystery novel Sink or Swim, Where Reality TV Turns to Murder. For more information on Sink or Swim, and the interview schedule which features contestants from Survivor, Top Chef, Beauty and the Geek, Shark Tank, Bachelor Pad, Big Brother and I Love New York, please visit this link.

Today’s interview is with Hashim Trends Locario, an author and expert on relationships and dating who is no stranger to television. He has appeared on I Love New York on VH1, ABC’s Family’s Switched Up, You Rock Let’s Roll and The Weekly Riff on Fuse, The Tyra Banks Show, The Montel Williams Show, and he also used to host a show on The Dish Network called Live from Midtown.

1. If you could boil down your experience on the reality show I Love New York to one paragraph, what was your overall feeling about being on this show?
I was so excited when I found out I was going to be on that show. I knew that it was going to be big, but I didn’t realize how big it was going to be. Overall, I had a great time but I wished that I could have stayed on the show longer.

2. What was the premise of the show/season that you were on?
The show was 20 guys trying to get with this girl “New York” who was one of the contestants off of “Flavor of Love”. She tried to get with Flava Flav on that show, and since it didn’t work out, they gave her a show to try to find love.

3. What was it like to have cameras rolling all the time? How hard was it to get used to being in the public eye?
I was used to it. I’ve been on reality shows before this one and I’ve done films so I’m used to that type of atmosphere. The difference with this show was they would film almost 24 hours a day.

4. What was the best part about being on the show?
The best part about being on that show was when it actually aired on television. That was a crazy experience because everywhere I went, people recognized me.

5. What were your favorite challenges on the show? Least favorite?
I don’t think I had a favorite. There was a part of the show where we had to model in underwear for New York. I wasn’t really feeling that.

6. What advice would you give to someone who is considering applying for a reality show?
I would tell them to not hold back. If you hold back, you don’t make good TV and they will cut out a lot of your screen time. I would say be yourself, but bring out the part of yourself that is the most interesting.

7. You’re an expert on relationships and dating. How has appearing on reality shows helped your career?
I think it helped a little as far as promoting me and getting my name out there.

8. What have you been up to lately?
I’ve just been writing a lot and I’m coming out with a new book for men called How to Have Sex with 2 Women a Day. I also have a short movie coming out with the same title. I also have two other books out right now called The Magnificent 10 Crucial Dating Tips for Men and I have a book for women called It’s Your Fault You’re Single: Tips on Finding Mr. Right for women. I also started a web series called The Truth About Relationships. You can check all of this out on my website www.mrlocario.com

9. Where can fans find you online?
You can find me at www.mrlocario.com or my blog site and you can follow me on twitter @realmrlocario

My next interview is with Bachelor Pad winner Natalie Getz on June 20. Bookmark the full interview schedule, with clickable links to the interviews as they become available, here. Do you have a few minutes to help me give some buzz to Sink or Swim? Get 8 ideas here that can make a big difference!

Reality Show Rundown Month Media Release – Get the Full Scoop

Published on June 14, 2011 in Reality Show Rundown. Closed Tags: , , , , , , , .

Please share the below press release detailing Reality Show Rundown Month. Here’s the full scoop about what this month is all about – the who, what, why, when and where!

Reality Show Rundown Month: Examining the Relationship Between Reality TV and Us

Published on June 11, 2011 in Reality Show Rundown. Closed Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , .

I was fortunate that talented writer Steve Kamps was willing to create an article for my blog specifically to celebrate Reality Show Rundown Month,
my series of interviews with former reality show contestants. Reality Show Rundown Month was an idea inspired by my new reality show-themed mystery novel Sink or Swim, Where Reality TV Turns to Murder. For more information on Sink or Swim, and the interview schedule which features contestants from Survivor, Top Chef, Beauty and the Geek, Shark Tank, Bachelor Pad and I Love New York, please visit this link.

Steve’s article makes a wonderful addition to this series as it examines the relationship that television viewers have with reality TV and how reality shows have evolved over the years. Here are his words below.

If you ask anyone what they think of reality TV, you will get a lot of different perspectives on the subject. Most common will be “no” because of the image that many people perceive about the subject: it’s stupid. These opinions are not invalid, but sometimes these opinions are only voiced to fit in. Inversely, many people also only watch reality shows in order to fit in. Maybe it’s what everyone talks about at the office. Either way, you can’t downplay reality TV; there is a reason it is still around.

Reality TV sprang up in the late 90’s and early 2000s. One of the first shows was Survivor. I remember that my dad and I would watch it together every night. I can’t say that I agreed with everything that went down on the show. I consider myself a very loyal individual, who could never backstab another individual in order to win a large cash prize, or at least I don’t think I can. One of the reasons why people watch these shows is for just that reason: drama.

This is a real situation. The drama is real. What was being said in front of the camera was so savory, it kept viewers coming back for more every episode. This wasn’t a sitcom or written drama, this was real people. Real people who had regular jobs and had regular lives outside of this documentary. The competition was real. Individualism. It began with a team, but ended with one lone survivor. Who was it going to be? Obviously the one with the least scruples of engaging in dirty strategy. And we bought it. Why not? We also formed relationships with these people. We hated those conniving schemers and encouraged the straight arrows. It was like a real good versus bad. And sometimes we won and sometimes we lost. Incredibly brilliant in keeping viewers to the last episode.

Reality TV also gave us the chance to be stars. As I stated above, these were real, regular people who made it on TV and sometimes they retained their new celebrity. For example American Idol contestant Kelly Clarkson. American Idol is a great example of this. In the beginning of each season, viewers get to see the weeding process. The three judges go through the auditions and choose who is going to perform on the show for the rest of the season. This filled the chasm between A list celebrities and the normal person.

Unfortunately, we as a people have an unstable fascination with celebrities. We all want a chance to be one and live the penthouse life. And after this show, so many other shows sprang up, including America’s Got Talent. This show in particular is even more interesting because viewers get to see any sort of talent. From those who aren’t so talented and those who are ridiculously talented.

The last thing that Reality TV has that keeps us coming back is the dose of real people living real life. I’m not talking The Simple Life! When William Hung gave his performance and Simon Cowell laughed at him, we were surprised how well Hung took it. He was happy that he at least tried and he said he had no regrets. Things like that really hit hard. The underdog at least giving his all and whether he succeeds or not, still seeing the sunny side. It was a very mature reaction considering all the others who stomped off thinking Simon didn’t have a clue.

There are also many shows that show people doing amazing things for people who can’t do things for themselves. Holmes on Homes did an episode where a man was living in an unstable house with his children and he was unable to make the changes that needed to be done. Holmes fixed the entire home and it looked amazing. That story really hit me too. Just another good man doing a good deed for another.

Whether you like reality TV or not, it’s irrelevant. It’s here to stay and there will be plenty of good and bad moments to see. Hopefully if you haven’t seen any, you will give it a try. You might be amazed to see some of the character that real people have.

Thanks, Steve! Check out the full Reality Show Rundown Month interview schedule, with clickable links to the interviews as they become available, here. Do you have a few minutes to help me give some buzz to Sink or Swim? Get 8 ideas here that can make a big difference!

Reality Show Rundown Interview with Season 4 “Beauty and the Geek” Winner David Olsen

Published on June 9, 2011 in Reality Show Rundown. Closed Tags: , , , , , , , , .

This is the fifth in a series of interviews with former reality show contestants, an idea inspired by my new reality show-themed mystery novel Sink or Swim, Where Reality TV Turns to Murder. For more information on Sink or Swim, and the interview schedule which features contestants from Survivor, Top Chef, Beauty and the Geek, Shark Tank, Bachelor Pad Big Brother and I Love New York, please visit this link.

For today’s interview, I’d like to welcome David Olsen, who won the fourth season of Beauty and the Geek with his partner Jasmine. What is it like to make it till the end of a reality show and be declared a winner? Read David’s exciting story below!

David Olsen holds fellow contestant Katie Roberson during the Prom Challenge.

1. If you could boil down your experience on Beauty and the Geek to one paragraph, what was your overall feeling about being on this show?
Well, that’s pretty difficult task. The whole process, start to finish, took nearly a year of my life (a fantastic year) and that’s not easy to summarize. I loved the whole experience (even the parts I hated if that’s not too paradoxical) and it was a roller coaster ride of emotion. I’ve often compared it to a semester in college on speed, but I could also say it was a heightened moment of life. Everything felt more intense from joy to sadness. For me, as someone who studies narrative structure, I also was very self-aware that I was in a story. Now I’ve often felt that as I’m a role-player, but this was unusual since it was also real. It’s a difficult sensation to describe, but it was a weird post-modern feeling as I sometimes analyzed my life as a protagonist in a story arc.

2. What was it like to have cameras rolling all the time? How hard was it to get used to being in the public eye?
It’s like ordinary life. People in the 21st century are on camera all the time, especially in urban environments; they just might not realize it. The big difference was that the cameras were a little more obvious. That said, my attitude did change over time. Near the beginning, I was a little more circumspect about what I said, deeply aware how my words could serve as the source of deep embarrassment and was sometimes relieved when the cameras left me alone. Over the course of the show, I felt more pressure to be entertaining and say witty things so I could be seen more. To be clear, this was self-induced pressure and not external from the producers. But if a camera crew was filming a conversation and suddenly walked away, I would be insulted that I wasn’t “interesting” enough for them to pay attention to me.

3. What was the best part about being on the show?
Well, winning a lot of money definitely ranks up there. Though I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the fact that I made many new friends. We may not have known each other long, but when you’re in that pressure cooker of a situation, the friendships formed are true.

4. What were your favorite challenges on the show? Least favorite?
This is an interesting question because it depends. My favorite challenge to watch was my least favorite to do and vice-versa. At the time I absolutely hated making a superhero costume for my partner, but watching my trials and tribulations as a viewer long after the fact was actually humorous. Conversely, massaging all the girls was kind of fun at the time, but boring to watch. Though my favorite moment was winning the wine-making challenge, since no one expected us to win that and we pummeled the competition. I was actually happier in that moment than when I won the show itself. Still, from an actual growth perspective, I have the deepest appreciation for the rap challenge. When we first were given it, I had no idea how I’d write and perform an autobiographical rap in less than 24 hours, and while my performance wasn’t as good as it could have been (since I forgot most of my lyrics), it challenged me in a way that made me grow as a human being and I was pleased with what I ultimately came up with.

5. What advice would you give to someone who is considering applying for a reality show?
If I had the silver bullet to get on a reality show, I’d use it myself as I had too much fun and have been trying to get back into that world, so I don’t know any top secret information that will get someone a callback. That said, there are some tricks. As much of a cliche that it is, be yourself. Casting directors are very good at spotting phony people and they’re looking for authenticity above all. Another is try to be unique. If everyone is playing the Jersey Shore angle by appearing like a dirtbag, wear a suit (but only if you feel comfortable in one, as per my first piece of advice). Finally, there’s the old show biz adage of show, don’t tell. Don’t say you’re edgy, be edgy (I leave it as an exercise to the reader of how exactly one becomes edgy).

6. What effect did winning have on you — did you have any special use for the prize money? What was it like going about your normal life after so many people saw you win on TV? Were you surprised to win?
This is going to sound really boring, but I just invested the prize money. It seemed like the wisest course of action. Going back to my normal life was frankly a little too easy. I was hoping it might springboard into something more, but it never really did. Sure, I occasionally got recognized on the street, which is always fun and a boost to the ego, but aside from having a fun story to tell people you just met at cocktail parties, it wasn’t all that impactful. Although I didn’t really tell anyone at the time (for fear of jinxing it and looking arrogant), I could read the tea leaves of the various internet message boards that it was highly likely I’d end up winning, so while pleasant to receive confirmation of that, it wasn’t terribly surprising when I did actually win.

7. What have you been up to lately?
Man, I wish I could tell you something truly awesome. I bought a condo in Cambridge, Massachusetts about a year ago, which has been great. Being on the show awakened in me an interest to work more with media so I’ve done background movie work as an extra, though it’s not quite the same as being the focus of the camera. I did some work on a video game recently so if you have a PlayStation 3, you should buy Slam Bolt Scrappers because it’s a really fun game and I’m not just saying that. I’ve actually done some preliminary work on a new reality show idea, but unfortunately, that’s stalled out for the moment. So, I’m actually sort of looking around for my next project; if anyone has any great ideas, they should let me know!

8. Where can fans find you online?
I think I’m on all the social networking sites, but hardly use any of them. Most fans seem to gravitate to my Facebook page where I’m the
most active (which isn’t saying much), though I also have a blog hidden in plain sight on Livejournal which I post to irregularly. It’s public, though not obvious and I just write about whatever I happen to be thinking about that day.

My next interview is with Leslie Haywood of Shark Tank on June 13. Bookmark the full interview schedule, with clickable links to the interviews as they become available, here. Do you have a few minutes to help me give some buzz to Sink or Swim? Get 8 ideas here that can make a big difference!

Walking The Plank: Excerpt From Reality Show Mystery Sink or Swim

Published on June 8, 2011 in Reality Show Rundown. Closed Tags: , , , , , , .

Reality Show Rundown Month seems like the perfect time to publish a couple of excerpts from my book Sink or Swim, which is a cross between a cozy mystery and a romantic suspense novel. How do you change the channel when reality TV turns to murder? After starring on a hit game show set aboard a Tall Ship, personal trainer Cassidy Novak discovers that she has attracted a stalker. Soon, she will need to call SOS for real. The below scene is from Chapter 1. For more excerpts, a book trailer, reviews, and retail links, please visit my Sink or Swim page.

Cassidy Novak stared into the seething water. It couldn’t end this way.
Gray waves buffeted against the 179-foot schooner and fog billowed through the spiderweb of rigging that snarled skyward. Heavy white sails furled, the Atlantic Devil’s triple masts lumbered in formation like dead trees.

Gabriel stalked from the bow to mid-ship, his black turtleneck and slacks contrasting with his pale face. Cassidy’s pulse hammered in her throat as she searched his sober expression.


His full lips curled into what would have been a grin for most people. For Gabriel, the Grim Reaper, it mimicked a sneer.

He withdrew a saber from the metal sheath belted at his waist and gripped the hilt beneath the curve of the scoop-shaped hand-guard. Above the main mast, the black and white skull and crossbones flag thrashed in a wind dance.

Cassidy glanced at Reggie, the last surviving competitor besides herself. He rubbed the back of his shaved head and connected his fingers behind his neck. Her own posture locked tight. One of them would go home a millionaire.
The other … she wouldn’t reflect on that.

After three months isolated from society on the new reality show Sink or Swim, Cassidy wanted that prize money and the fame that accompanied it. Hope fortified her very bones. Maybe her days of scrambling to pay off debts and working a lousy job were over.
It’s yours. It has to be.

Just then, Gabriel caught her eye and gestured over his shoulder. Cassidy followed his index finger toward the gangway. To the plank.

Cassidy’s daredevil smile, practiced in the mirror before setting sail, faded like mist.
Her clever comebacks, which she’d imagined quoted at the water coolers of America, were not heard.
Her cascading red hair that she’d tossed like a drama queen – an invention strictly for TV – went taut around her finger.

She’d lost. The overall point tallies had come in, and she’d lost. Her dreams weren’t coming true after all.
“Game over. You lose. Close call though, Reggie beat you by five points.” Gabriel dragged her across the deck by the arm and pushed her up onto the wooden board that projected over the water.

Want to read more excerpts from Sink or Swim? Download the free mystery short story Laundry Day and the Stacy Juba Mystery Sampler. Click on the cover for download information.

Cassidy winced, emptiness invading her body like a physical hurt. Five points. If only she hadn’t screwed up furling and unfurling sails during the first episode, or if she’d done a better job mopping the deck that time she had a cold. After all Cassidy had been through, two simple mistakes cost her the game.

She’d been five points away from a new life.
Under the show’s set-up, twelve contestants had competed in four teams. The crew awarded marks based on skill and neatness, with team members pooling their numbers to win privileges like movie nights or dinners in the officers’ mess. Every Monday, a low-scoring contestant walked the plank and went home on a rendezvous ship. Cassidy had lasted until the final cut.

Gabriel’s sword blade brushed her back. Not only were her dreams drowning, she was about to undergo torture. The humiliating kind.
Her breath rasping, she eyed the twenty-foot drop. The end of the plank seemed miles away, though it was only ten feet. Trying not to look down, Cassidy inched forward. At the verge, she halted and willed her gaze toward the dark cold water below.

Gabriel stepped up behind her and touched the cold sharp steel to the nape of her neck. “Time to sink or swim.”
Don’t show emotion. You’ve got to lose with dignity. Cassidy said a silent prayer, folded her arms across her chest and vaulted off the plank.

Reality Show Rundown Interview with Shawn Bakken of “Beauty and the Geek”

Published on June 7, 2011 in Reality Show Rundown. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

This is the fourth in a series of interviews with former reality show contestants, an idea inspired by my new reality show-themed mystery novel Sink or Swim, Where Reality TV Turns to Murder. For more information on Sink or Swim, and the interview schedule which features contestants from Survivor, Top Chef, Beauty and the Geek, Shark Tank, Bachelor Pad, Big Brother and I Love New York, please visit this link.

Today, I’ve enjoyed learning more about Shawn Bakken, a cast member on Season 1 of Beauty and the Geek, a show in which eight “beauties” and 8 “geeks” were paired up to compete against the other seven couples for $250,000 and other prizes. Shawn and his partner Scarlet finished in third place and made it to the second-to-last episode. Shawn is an assistant scoutmaster, a blogger, and is enrolled in the MBA program at Augsburg College in Minneapolis.

1. Shawn, if you could boil down your experience on Beauty and the Geek to one paragraph, what was your overall feeling about being on this show?
Being on Beauty and the Geek was unforgettable. Some experiences were an absolute delight and some I may regret for the rest of my life (primarily because my friends love to torment me about them), but I’m truly glad that I was on the show. I learned some new skills, made some good friends and done things that I never would have considered beforehand because I didn’t have the experience or confidence to try them.

2. What was it like to have cameras rolling all the time? How hard was it to get used to being in the public eye?
I was self-conscious at first. They could show any of it to the entire country, but more importantly, my family would be watching. Eventually, I got used to having the cameras around and wouldn’t think about them too much. (If I wanted them to go away, I’d read a book for 30 seconds.) It may have been easier to ignore them than if I’d been on another reality show because we spent most of our time in a mansion; when we were outside and interacting with the public, they kept the cameras well-hidden.

Shawn and Scarlet

3. What was the best part about being on the show?
The best part was probably just spending time with so many attractive girls and smart guys in the mansion. Back home, I had a very limited social life. During the first episode, someone mentioned how one of the guys “only goes out twice a month.” She was referring to me. I was living in a basement, working with one other person and not interacting with many people on a regular basis. Suddenly, I had a bunch of housemates and being able to spend all my time with them was awesome.

4. What were your favorite challenges on the show? Least favorite?
I think my favorite challenge was giving a massage to the beauties. I may not have done well, but after learning what not to do, I’m much better at giving people neck or shoulder rubs now. The outdoor challenge didn’t go over well. As the “Assistant Boy Scout Master”, my partner and I were expected to win the race. I ended up getting dehydrated and exhausted and threw up on the side of the mountain. Needless to say, we didn’t win and my partner spent the rest of the day yelling at me about it.

Honestly, though, I disliked getting phone numbers the most for two reasons. One: we were in an outdoor mall, most of the women were shopping and I don’t like interrupting people when they’re busy. Two: we could tell them anything except the truth. “If you say it’s for a reality show, it doesn’t count.” Boy Scouts are supposed to be trustworthy. Getting phone numbers under false premises… I honestly felt dirty afterward.

5. What advice would you give to someone who is considering applying for a reality show?
Aside from “Don’t do it”? Someone asked me about that while the show was on the air (he ended up getting cast for Season 2) and I told him, “Just be yourself.” The problem is that being yourself in front of the cameras isn’t always what ends up on people’s TV screens. If you want to be on a reality show, don’t be surprised if the producers decide to flush your reputation down the toilet.

6. What was it like going about your normal life after so many people saw you on TV?
I’m sure life would have changed a lot more if Beauty and the Geek had aired on a major network instead of the WB, but I still got recognized on the street from time to time. People would pause, look at me for a bit, then build up the courage to ask if I had been on TV. Or sometimes they would start with “You look really familiar” and I would give them hints until they figured it out. It wasn’t like a constant stream of interruptions during the day and they were always pleasant exchanges, so it wasn’t a big deal.

7. What have you been up to lately? Can you tell us about your blog?
I’m currently enrolled in the MBA program at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, MN. (Some people have suggested that I’m addicted to being in school.)
My blog doesn’t follow a single theme. The posts range from entries about Beauty and the Geek to “Sayings of the Day” to pointing out that the clothing company Wet Seal sells a shirt that reads, “If Your Single, So Am I.”

8. Where can fans find you online?
My blog address is www.shawnbakken.net and I write occasional tweets on @shawnbakken. As you can see, I’ve gone to great lengths to conceal my identity.

My next interview is with David Olsen, Beauty and the Geek Season 4 winner, on June 9. Bookmark the full interview schedule, with clickable links to the interviews as they become available, here. Do you have a few minutes to help me give some buzz to Sink or Swim? Get 8 ideas here that can make a big difference!

Reality Show Rundown Interview with Chef Betty Fraser of “Top Chef” Season 2

Published on June 3, 2011 in Reality Show Rundown. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

This is the third in a series of interviews with former reality show contestants, an idea inspired by my new reality show-themed mystery novel Sink or Swim, Where Reality TV Turns to Murder. For more information on Sink or Swim, and the interview schedule which features contestants from Survivor, Top Chef, Beauty and the Geek, Shark Tank, Bachelor Pad, I Love New York and Big Brother, please visit this link.

Today, I’ve enjoyed learning more about Chef Betty Fraser from Top Chef Season 2. Betty is the owner of the award-winning Hollywood, CA restaurant Grub, (pictured below) the long-established catering company As You Like It Catering, and also runs the caf-style commissary at Hollywood’s Red Studios. Betty’s exposure on Top Chef has opened the door to a great many opportunities. She has become a frequent guest chef at food and wine events throughout the nation, has appeared on numerous local L.A. TV shows, and just recently appeared as a guest panelist at the first reality show convention, Reality Rocks.

1. Betty, if you could boil down your experience on Top Chef to one paragraph, what was your overall feeling about being on this show?
The Top Chef experience was two parts excitement mixed with a big serving of stress. While I think most people understand that the ‘reality’ in reality show can mean a lot of things, on Top Chef those competitions are real. And what was a big eye-opener for me was that I was actually a competitive person. I went in to it thinking it was just going to be a lot of fun, but all it took was to hear the word “Go” on the first challenge and I turned in to Kobe Bryant!

2. What was the best part about being on the show?
Having the chance to meet so many great chefs and watch them work was something I really enjoyed. I still stay in touch with a lot of them. I think we’re all pulling for each other because of the shared experience we have. But the most fun came afterwards. I’ve had the chance to travel and make a lot of guest appearances at food events around the country which I love doing. And when I’m out and someone comes up to me with, “Aren’t you…?” that’s a wild feeling that reminds me of the reach of television and how many people enjoy the show.

3. What were your favorite challenges on the show? Least favorite?
Considering that my restaurant Grub serves California Comfort Food, it’s pretty easy to put the “Comfort Food Challenge” at the top of the list. And then winning it and having a chance to cook with Al Roker on the Today Show and having the recipe served at TGIF’s was amazing. My least favorite challenge was a “Sushi Challenge.” Not because of the challenge itself, but because they got us up at 3:00 in the morning to go to a fish market. I like fish…but not before the sun comes up.

4. What advice would you give to someone who is considering applying for a reality show?
First thing I’d suggest is to learn about Pandora’s Box. Because once you reach people in their living rooms, that box is opened and there’s no going back. Reality shows are entertainment so big personalities have become a prerequisite. But what a lot of people don’t think about is the criticism you are opening yourself up for. I think people watch reality TV as much for who they like as who they don’t like. And people aren’t shy about sharing their feelings on chat boards. When the comments are nice, you feel great. But when they lay in to you, especially when they have no idea of the kind of person you really are, it can really hurt. If you don’t have a thick skin, then being on a reality show might not be the best decision.


5. Tell us about Grub and what else you have been up to lately?
Thanks for asking and Grub is doing great! It’s going on ten years now and it’s still a joy to go to work. Grub is set in a 1920’s converted bungalow in Hollywood so everything we do is to create a sense of “home.” And that means we see our guests more like family than just customers walking in off the street. It’s a high-energy place, and can get a little crazy, but at the center of it all is a lot of fun and some great food. We’re all really proud of what we’ve been able to create and hope to continue riding the wave.

6. What are a few of your favorite dishes to cook?
The most fun for me as a chef is taking a classic dish and updating it to create something new. And the concept is something I love sharing with home chefs when I’m teaching a class. My favorite right now is braised short ribs. I also run a catering company and it was requested by a client about a month ago. It has set me off on trying all types of new ways to serve it. My thinking is that food should be fun and serve as a platform for individual creativity. We play a game in the restaurant called “Add Three” where we’ll take a classic recipe, say a Mac & Cheese, and then add three ingredients you wouldn’t expect. Sometimes it’s a big miss but those times when it works it feels like you’ve created something special. So don’t be afraid to experiment in the kitchen. It’s like they say, “Try and fail but don’t fail to try.”

7. Where can fans find you online?
We update our Grub website at www.grub-la.com with some of the new things we have going on. I try to get in to my Facebook page as much as I can and update. That runs the gambit between an appearance I may be making or something special we’re doing at Grub to the fact that one of my dogs got “skunked!”

My next interview is with Shawn Bakken of Beauty and the Geek on June 7. Bookmark the full interview schedule, with clickable links to the interviews as they become available, here. Do you have a few minutes to help me give some buzz to Sink or Swim? Get 8 ideas here that can make a big difference!

Reality Show Rundown Month – Interview With Michelle Costa of Big Brother 10

Published on June 2, 2011 in Reality Show Rundown. Closed Tags: , , , , , , , , .

This is the second in a series of interviews with former reality show contestants, an idea inspired by my new reality show-themed mystery novel Sink or Swim, Where Reality TV Turns to Murder. For more information on Sink or Swim, and the interview schedule which features contestants from Survivor, Top Chef, Beauty and the Geek, Shark Tank, Bachelor Pad, Big Brother and I Love New York, please visit this link.

Today I’m thrilled to have Michelle Costa of Big Brother 10 , The Portuguese Princess, joining me. This is a special interview for me as Michelle has been so supportive of Sink or Swim. Her endorsement appears on the back cover of the paperback and inside the e-book editions, and she also invited me to be a guest on her radio show and has been actively promoting the book on her social networks. I’d really love to see Michelle on Big Brother All Stars! But first, let’s hear her thoughts about being on Big Brother 10.

1. What was the most challenging part about being on Big Brother?
There were a few challenges I faced being in the Big Brother house. I had no access to TV, phone, Internet, reading, writing and singing. And of course, being away from your family and friends for over three months.

2. What was it like to have cameras rolling all the time? How hard was it to get used to?
There were cameras everywhere. We never saw a cameraman as they are behind the walls behind a two-way mirror. I was actually told to stop talking to the cameras so I had no troubles there, lol.

3. What was the best part about being on the show?
The entire experience was amazing during and now the aftermath. The only thing I would have changed was to be the winner and take home the $500,000, ughhhh.

4. What advice would you give to someone who is considering applying for a reality show?
The best advice I can give is to be yourself. Never try to be who you think they want. BE YOURSELF.

5. Tell us about your radio show.
My radio show is called MANIC MONDAYS with RAD RON. It’s on blogtalkradio.com and stream thru podcast. We discuss reality TV and sports, but mainly reality TV. It’s been over two years and I love it. (Note: Michelle’s co-host, RAD RON, Ronald “Ron” Radkiewicz, passed away May 31, 2011 shortly after this interview was completed.)

6. What else have you been up to lately? Are you interested in appearing on any other reality shows?
I’ve been working on doing marketing and promotions. I travel all over the USA doing charities and reality events. I want to be on Big Brother All Stars. That’s my next goal. Oh yeah, and to win All Stars.

7. Where can fans find you online?
Fans can follow me on Facebook, Twitter and MySpace.

My next interview is with Betty Fraser from Top Chef on June 3. Bookmark the full interview schedule, with clickable links to the interviews as they become available, here. Do you have a few minutes to help me give some buzz to Sink or Swim? Get 8 ideas here that can make a big difference!

Reality Show Rundown Interview With Billy Garcia from “Survivor: Cook Islands”

Published on June 1, 2011 in Reality Show Rundown. Closed Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , .

This is the first in a series of interviews with former reality show contestants, an idea inspired by my new reality show-themed mystery novel Sink or Swim, Where Reality TV Turns to Murder. For more information on Sink or Swim, and the interview schedule which features contestants from Survivor, Top Chef, Beauty and the Geek, Shark Tank, Bachelor Pad, Big Brother and I Love New York, please visit this link.

Today, I’ve had a lot of fun learning more about Billy Garcia from Survivor: Cook Islands. Virgilio “Billy” Garcia was born in New York and moved to Miami when he was seven years old. He began studying karate, judo and wrestling at age 12. While lying sick in bed when he was 15, he heard the song “Juke Box Hero” on the radio and began to entertain the idea of becoming a rock and roll musician. He saved his lunch money and eventually bought his first electric guitar. When he was 22 years old, Billy sold most of his belongings and returned to New York to pursue a career in music. While playing in several local bands, he was also pursuing a career in wrestling and, in 1997, won a silver medal at the Amateur Athletic Union Wrestling National Championships.

Billy is currently a heavy metal guitarist and songwriter with the band Forsakken and is finishing up his first full length feature film as a filmmaker. He is also trained in the martial arts and does Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

1. Billy, if you could boil down your experience on Survivor to one paragraph, what was your overall feeling about being on this show?
To borrow a line from a very famous book, It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Survivor isn’t a game you just play. It’s a game you live all day, every day for 39 straight days if you’re lucky. It’s the Hell in Paradise and the million dollar Battle Royal. It’s a scar I wear like a badge of honor. I was lucky enough to get on and be part of the most controversial season of the greatest reality competition show in television history. So I’m not surprised that my loss on Survivor equals more than a victory on another show for others.

2. What was it like to have cameras rolling all the time? How hard was it to get used to being in the public eye?
The cameras never disappeared unless I was peeing, then they hid in the trees. Ha ha ha. The fans were cruel when my season was airing but now things are different. When it was my season that was airing, then to them I was the worst player ever, but now, I’m one of the best ever and should be brought back. Funny how that works. I appreciate how passionate Survivor fans are. I underestimated that back then.

3. What was the best part about being on the show?
It was a dream of mine to be on Survivor so the best part was being there for all of the traditional moments I have grown to love. The snuffing of my torch should have been a somber moment, but it wasn’t. I grinned from ear to ear while it happened because it’s such an iconic ritual and I was a part of it.

4. What were your favorite challenges on the show? Least favorite?
My favorites challenges are when we had to loot a replica of the Bounty and make off with the goods on bamboo rafts and the first immunity challenge, at least right up to the part when my tribe set me on fire. My least favorite was the challenge my tribe lost on purpose. When I want to do a fake competition, I do Pro Wrestling, not Survivor. Lame! It was a Survivor suicide bombing. We all got eliminated because of that. One right after the other. No matter how much they down play the throwing of that challenge, they cost the whole tribe our shots at the million dollars. I’ll go on record and say that strategy was pure stupidity. I’m glad that it’s become the world wide Reality TV example of why you should always play to win.

5. What advice would you give to someone who is considering applying for a reality show?
Watch Wile E Coyote. That will be how you will look in the edit if you make it on a show and don’t win it. So if you have a problem with being the butt of the joke, then this isn’t for you. Otherwise, good luck.

6. What else have you been up to lately?
I’m in the final stages of post production of my first full length feature film as a filmmaker. It’s a horror movie called “The Infernal Room.” I’ve also been recording with my heavy metal band Forsakken. We have a new lead singer, April Starkweather.

7. Where can fans find you online?
www.forsakken.com
www.tribal-council.org
www.facebook.com/survivorbillygarcia

My next interview is with Michelle Costa from Big Brother on June 2. Bookmark the full interview schedule, with clickable links to the interviews as they become available, here. Do you have a few minutes to help me give some buzz to Sink or Swim? Get 8 ideas here that can make a big difference!

Call for SOS! 8 Ways to Help Sink or Swim Sail Toward the Bestseller List

Published on May 28, 2011 in Reality Show Rundown. Closed Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , .

I’ve organized an entire Reality Show Rundown month on my blog as a way to get the word out about my mystery novel Sink or Swim. In the book, which is available in gift quality trade paperback from Mainly Murder Press and in multiple bargain e-book formats, Cassidy Novak loses the hit game show Sink or Swim and returns to her normal life as a personal trainer, only to find a stalker and danger awaiting her. The book should appeal to mystery fans, romantic suspense fans, reality show fans, and anyone looking for a fun beach read this summer. I would greatly appreciate any help with spreading the word about the book. There are some quick and easy things that you can do that would help a great deal.

1. Visit the Sink or Swim Amazon page and click the Amazon like button just beneath the title at the top of the page. Then you can hover the mouse across the like button, where you’ll find links to tweet the page and share it on Facebook.

2. Visit the Barnes & Noble page and click the Facebook Like button to the right of the book cover.

3. Like and share the book trailer on You Tube. The video is short and fun, set to the song “Every Breath you Take.”

4. Ask your local library to order the paperback version of the book, which you can tell them is available from Ingram with the ISBN 978-0-9827952-2-4. Sometimes, patrons can request that the library order a book right through the library web site. Do you belong to a book club? Suggest the book to your club. My web site contains discussion questions for both of my adult novels.

5. If you’ve read the book or think others might like it, mention it on online sites such as reality TV show message board forums, Amazon customer forums, and groups on Goodreads, Library Thing, and Shelfari. If you’ve read the book, please consider leaving a short review at any of the retail sites or book-sharing sites.

Want to read two sample chapters of Sink or Swim? Download the free mystery short story Laundry Day and the Stacy Juba Mystery Sampler. Click on the cover for download information.

6. I have share icons for Facebook, Twitter, Stumble Upon, and many other social networks in my right sidebar if you click on the + sign above the Follow Me on Twitter logo. Please use it to share my Sink or Swim page and some of the contestant interviews being published during my Reality Show Rundown Month. You can find the contestant interview schedule and links to the posts (which will be added as they become available) here.

7. Sink or Swim is included on an Amazon Listmania list of reality-TV show themed novels. If you follow this link for the Amazon Listmania Reality TV Show-Themed Novels List, you’ll see a small envelope on the top right where you can share the list with friends. If you click on it, you can email the list, or share it on Facebook or Twitter. Please do so to help other reality show fans discover the books.

8. Want to read two sample chapters of Sink or Swim? Get the free download of my mystery short story Laundry Day, which also contains an author interview, two sample chapters of Sink or Swim, and two sample chapters of Twenty-Five Years Ago Today. You can get the free download information here, then spread the word to others about how they can download a fun free read.

Thank you for helping to create some buzz!

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