Today I am so pleased to welcome R.L. Merrill to Joyfully Jay. R.L. has come to talk to us about her latest release, Earthquake Ethan. She has also brought along a great giveaway. Please join me in giving a big welcome!

Rabbit Hole Research

Greetings and thank you for joining me on the blog tour for my book Earthquake Ethan, the story of a down-on-his-luck actor who finds a second chance in Hollywood, and the talent manager who is caught up in his epicenter. 

I am a HUGE movie and music geek. If you’ve read any of my books you’ll know this by now. If you haven’t? Well, welcome to my world of rock ‘n’ romance! My undergrad degree is in History and I’ve been a rabid film viewer since my family bought their first VCR circa 1983. Add in my music education which began just about the time of my birth and my brain is FULL of useless pop-culture trivia. What better way to use it than to write stories?

But as the story began to form, I had a lot more questions than trivia. I was specifically looking for information on how talent agents and managers worked with their clients. My internet searches turned up the following resources that I’d love to share with you as you might want to do a little digging yourself!

1. Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon. Shep Gordon was truly a legend. He was the man who discovered The Alice Cooper Band, he hung out with Janis, Jim, and Jimi in Hollywood, gave Anne Murray’s career a boost, worked with Teddy Pendergrass, and then he invented the celebrity chef phenomenon by getting Emeril LaGasse his deal with Food Network among other contributions. He served food to the Dalai Lama, entertained the Hollywood elite, and made an impact on so many peoples’ lives. His is a story that makes you think you’re an underachiever haha. But he also seems to be one of those people that ends up in the right place at the right time to make a difference. I highly recommend this documentary. 
2. The Kid Stays in The Picture tells the story of Paramount Pictures’ wunderkind Robert Evans. This man had his fingers in so many of the quintessential films in the 70s and 80s and single-handedly saved Paramount from irrelevancy. Rosemary’s Baby, Chinatown (which I hadn’t seen before and watched after seeing the documentary. Wow. Jack Nicholson. Faye Dunaway. That ending!), The Godfather, and so on and so on…His life took a downturn in the later 80s but he made a comeback with the help of his powerful friends. This documentary sent me searching in all kinds of corners, but yeah, highly recommend.
3. Defending My Life: Albert Brooks: I recall watching Albert Brooks films and comedy as a kid and totally not getting it, but now, after years and years of seeing him pop up in unusual roles, and seeing the kind of wild genius behind his craft, I have changed my opinion on his career and will likely go back and watch some things I missed. The stories, though, of him and Rob Reiner and Penny Marshall had me in stitches. Rob Reiner is one of my favorite directors of all time and part of my love for the 80s. 
4. Masterclass: Samuel L. Jackson: If you don’t have Masterclass on subscription, I highly recommend you check it out. There are so many great classes. This one was different in that we got a lot of Samuel L. Jackson telling stories, but also him interacting with acting students, giving notes. Wow. I still would love to see him in a rom com, though I understand why he doesn’t do them. (Other great classes are Walter Moseley, The Urban Gardener, Ava DuVernay, Shonda Rimes, Judy Blume, and Metallica).
5. Wendy Alane Wright: I came across Wendy’s YouTube channel and she totally reminded me of what I think of when I think of old-school Hollywood movers and shakers. Her voice, her attitude, I love it. Though I don’t see acting in my future (my 7th grade drama teacher told me I was terrible, too much of a show-off, and I kind of gave up on that dream right then) I loved learning about what it takes to get started, advice she had for how to handle auditions, and specific ways to get yourself out there. Earthquake Ethan clocked in at just under 100k, but if I had my way, I would have written much more about Ethan’s acting adventures. Who knows? Maybe I will! Are any of you actors? I’d love to hear about your experience!

Want to see how all of this filtered into the story? I hope you’ll check out Earthquake Ethan. Here are links to all the books in the series plus the Teacher Trilogy as you’ll find many of the characters from those books in Ethan.

• Hurricane Reese
• Typhoon Toby
• Earthquake Ethan
• Teacher Trilogy

Join this band of natural disasters as they put on the show of their lives! Thank you for joining me on the Earthquake Ethan blog tour! Stay Tuned for More…

Blurb

The Earth shook the morning actor Ethan Bradley arrived in Los Angeles looking for a second chance. He hoped his former producers Reese Matheson and Toby Griffiths meant it when they said to look them up if he were ever in LA because he had no other options. The pictures the paparazzi took at the wrap party for their London show made sure of that. What he wasn’t counting on was the reception he got from their manager, Arthur Frye. He was absolutely the kind of together guy Ethan wished would notice him, and for more than his pretty face and talent. Too bad Arthur only sees Ethan as a complication.

Arthur Frye has his hands full with his best clients—and best friends. The last thing he needs is another diva to care for, especially one who has a reputation for causing trouble. He has a strict rule against getting involved with the talent, no matter how pretty they are. Only Ethan Bradley shines for real, and when Arthur realizes his nice-guy innocence is genuine, he’s ready to do anything to help Ethan get his career back on track and get him out of LA. He’s too much of a temptation, and Arthur can’t afford to lose focus…not even for a chance at happiness for himself. Especially not when his star clients are about to risk their professional and personal happiness with their newest creation; a musical about two boys falling in love in the 1960s featuring music written by Reese’s grandfather, whose health is in decline.

Ethan Bradley shakes things up wherever he goes, and Arthur Frye is afraid he’ll be left in the wreckage if he gets too close. Can these two opposites find love on solid ground?

Warnings: implied sexual abuse off page

Series Blurb: Forces of Nature follows a group of talented men who are natural disasters, and the men who love them.

Buy Links: 

• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CQFV9XLB
• Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/203877193-earthquake-ethan
• QueeRomance Ink Link: https://www.queeromanceink.com/book/earthquake-ethan/

Bio

R.L. Merrill brings you stories of Hope, Love, and Rock ‘n’ Roll featuring quirky and relatable characters. Whether she’s writing about contemporary issues that affect us all or diving deep into the paranormal and supernatural to give readers a shiver, she loves creating compelling stories that will stay with readers long after.

Winner of the Kathryn Hayes “When Sparks Fly” Best Contemporary award for Hurricane Reese, Foreword INDIES finalist for Summer of Hush and RONE finalist for Typhoon Toby, Ro spends every spare moment improving her writing craft and striving to find that perfect balance between real-life and happily ever after.

She writes diverse and inclusive romance, contributes paranormal hilarity to Robyn Peterman’s Magic and Mayhem Universe, and works on various other writing and mentoring projects that tickle her fancy or benefit a worthy cause. You can find her connecting with readers on social media, educating America’s youth, raising two brilliant teenagers, trying desperately to get that back piece finished in the tattoo chair, or headbanging at a rock show near her home in the San Francisco Bay Area! Stay Tuned for more Rock ‘n’ Romance.

• Author Website: https://www.rlmerrillauthor.com
• Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/rochellerlmerrill/
• Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/rlmerrillauthor/
• Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rlmerrillauthor
• Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9828914.R_L_Merrill
• Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/r-l-merrill/
• Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/R.L.-Merrill/author/B00PI6Q1LI

Giveaway

R.L. is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card with this tour:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

• By entering the giveaway, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
• By entering you are agreeing to the Terms and Conditions set out by Rafflecopter for entries.
• Winners may be announced on the blog following the contest. By entering the contest you are agreeing to allow your name to be posted and promoted as the contest winner by Joyfully Jay.
• Prizes will be distributed following the giveaway either by Joyfully Jay or the person/organization donating the prize. In order to facilitate prize distribution, the winner name’s and email may be provided to a third party awarding the prize.
• By entering you are agreeing to hold Joyfully Jay harmless if the prize or giveaway in some way negatively impacts the winner.
• Void where prohibited by law.