Hello Book Dragons. Another day, another interview.
I came to the realization that my vodcast falls under the subject of journalism. For many of you who don’t know, I’m taking a course in Modern Journalism via NYC extension to get a certification. This interview is a little bit different from the Book Talks Questionnaire I usually hand out. The assignment was more of an interpersonal interview about someone, to write up a profile, and clarify with them based on open, closed and probing questions.
I met Rachel Lewis at my brother’s engagement party last year. He introduced us because we both love (and I do mean LOVE TO THE NTH POWER) animation. The moment she spoke, I knew she was a true Aussie. I recalled her telling me about her recent updates: she quit her job, got married, and was currently in the works of creating a cartoon web series entitled “Cassie Loves Cooking”. Her channel was in the works around the same time as this assignment. So, I came up with set of new questions, including one about animation books (if any) for this interview.
ATTN Book Dragons and fans of Katherine Howe. Tune in this Saturday July 18 at 10am PST on my YouTube Channel. This interview finally manifested itself when I reached out again to the author. We chose a date, and I truly enjoyed our conversation. Howe is an award winning and NY Times Best Selling author and historian. She praises historians and non-fiction as her foundation of great literature. Every day people inspire the author, which is why she loves historical fiction.
Howe’s latest collaboration was with broadcast journalist Anderson Cooper. They worked on his lineage of “Vanderbilt: The Rise And Fall of An American Dynasty”, and their latest was “Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune”. Howe herself has two unique lineages to the Salem Witch Trials and piracy, which she covers in her books “The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane”, “Conversion”, and her latest release “A True Account: Hannah Masury’s Sojourn Amongst the Pyrates, Written by Herself”.
In our interview, she also teaches me, the Book Dragon, about the Alamo. Something I thought I knew and didn’t! She also discusses her thoughts on book bans, but then delves deeper into the troubling waters of AI takeover. Come check out our wonderful conversation.
Hello Book Dragons. I just wanted to give you all a heads up about something that MUST be changed for all health purposes. This is graphic, but to be honest, what I experienced after the procedure is not something I want anyone else to suffer through. I’m still human, so this a human interest story.
Since I was little, I’ve had gastronomic issues. It finally got to the point where the issues became too extreme for me because no matter what medicine I took, they became worse. So, I talked to a gastroenterologist last year, and it was advised that have both an endoscopy and colonoscopy procedure on the same day. That was yesterday: July 14, 2026.
The endoscopy doesn’t require anything special. However, colonoscopy prep requires 3 days prior to eat a special diet (mostly white), and 1 day prior a full liquid diet, along with a special medicinal drink that you either receive in a ‘gallon’ sized, or the one I had. Mine was called “Suprep”, and it came with two 6oz. of medicinal drinks that I had to pour into a 16oz. cup and dilute it with water up to the line. This had to be followed up with two 16oz. water within the next hour. To put it bluntly, imagine having to drink a cherry flavored 16oz. Tussin medicine, followed with a very strange aftertaste. I took several sips at a time as advised so the medicine doesn’t cause a lot of side effects. It made me very ill and nauseated. However, it did its job. I took the second dosage about 6hrs later. It made me so nauseated I couldn’t finish the last little bit. The whole point is to clean out the colon in its entirety until your bowels are CLEAR. Otherwise, the colonoscopy can’t be proceed.
TIP: If you’re getting this procedure, don’t plan anything the day prior because you’ll be using the bathroom consistently. Take off of work for at least 3-4 days. Everyone is different.
My father took me down to the medical center, and I got prepped. Unfortunately, I now a pinched nerve that’s affecting my entire left arm. For this procedure, they make you lay down on your left side, so they were very careful not to cause me more pain. They placed the mouth guard inside my mouth, and put in oxygen mask over me. They then injected me with the medicine. Within a few seconds, everything became blurry, and I passed out.
This ‘cat nap’ seemed longer than usual. But, the procedure went without a hitch. The specialist came to me and said its a good I came in. In the summary, they found 4 polyps in the stomach, and 4 in the colon. A polyp is like a cyst: they could be benign or they could be cancerous. They ‘clipped’ one polyp, almost half an inch in size, and sent it off for pathology. They don’t usually cauterize it unless there’s excessive bleeding. Then, then gave me after-care instructions, and what to watch out for.
**GRAPHIC WARNING: I experienced one of the major side effects is ‘excessive bleeding, black tarry stools, and blood clots’. I feel the need to share it since we all need to keep our health in check. I got home, and was required to eat light for the rest of the day. After that I should be fine. I went to the bathroom, and I felt something slip out. I looked down, and I saw a stream of blood. I started freaking out. I called the physician’s office, and I was informed they’d call me later for a follow up. I went a second time. This time, I felt something more slip, and looked down. It was a BLOODBATH! My mother came in, and I was hysterical. I haven’t seen that much blood since my last ‘mensie’ in 2022 before I had a partial hysterectomy. The very sight of blood retraumatizes me every time. I called the doctor’s office, and I demanded they expedite the message to get a hold of the doctor. He called me a few minutes later, we discussed the symptoms. He didn’t cauterize the polyp because they usually heal on their own. But, there could be a cut from clipping it, or it could be caused by rectal hemorrhoids. I had two inner ones, but they’re so small, they shouldn’t cause that excessive bleeding. He said if it continues to happen, then there’s a problem, and I need to go to the ER for evaluation, and it may require another colonoscopy so they can see and cauterize whatever’s causing the issue. We’d keep each posted, but this book dragon was STEAMING! WHY DON’T THEY CAUTERIZE IT IN THE FIRST PLACE????
I’ve taken this week off for any side effects, and will go to the ER if I see it again. Pray I don’t!
**What you need to tell your hospital physician: CAUTERIZE THE AREA IF THEY CLIP THE POLYP(S), No Matter how big or small the polyp is! That’s a surefire way to end up in the ER.
Good day, Book Dragons. So, I was thinking this over some time, and I finally decided to count the books I have here at my folks home, and conduct a complete tour of ALL my books. of course, not all my books fit in my room, and I no longer have my house to place all of the in. The books are dispersed in different locations, including public storage. I searched thoroughly through each box, and brought the books I need for my story research and ALL my art books. The rest I placed in storage.
Now, I know what you’re going to ask. Why are my books all dispersed? Why in public storage? I purchased a two-story home after living two years in an apartment in Victorville where I taught for almost six years. I’m grateful to have my folks who took me in after my health took an unexpected turn beginning 2022. Major surgery would come on D-Day that year, and it was the worst 3 months of recovery I’ve ever experienced. I moved back in with them, and purchased a storage unit that just fits about 90% of my household, including more than just a ‘dogpile’ of books. I consider them like mini-Everest!
Now, I’m in a bit of a pickle! Inflation has skyrocketed, and the price of my storage went up $200 more than I can afford. I called and left a message, explaining that I’m between three part-time jobs, and I’m below the poverty line. That’s the hard reality. I asked them to extend the price until the end of the year. I’m going to have to work my dragon scales off to earn enough to either keep them in storage, purge through each item prior to selling and move them to another storage facility for less, or find another place to live altogether. I’m hoping to get a full-time position once my father and I return from our trip later this year, or complete at least one of my stories and publish it.
Back to the book tour! I took pictures of library shelves from different sections of the house and storage, including last minute ones I glanced over when they were right in front of me. I used Zoom and shared my screen of each picture. The book count is just below 700 in my folks’ home alone. I must have approx 1-2,000 more in storage. I recorded my ENTIRE library on D-Day, and I stopped recording to make six video segments. Throughout each segment, you’ll also hear my personal stories from behind the books I have for my collection. This includes college textbooks I decided to keep.
After much editing time, I then had to re-record the books I accidentally skipped or glanced over during the recording. This made my entire dispersed compiled of seven video segments. Following up, I then decided to separate the videos into four parts: part 1, part 2, parts 3&4, and then parts 5-7. The reason? July 4th was around the corner. In celebration of America’s Freedom, our First Amendment Rights and Library Rights to read freely, I decided to post each video segment from July 1st to July 4th. I also included a few shout outs to YouTuber channels behind the book inspirations. You can view the entire library tour by watching the videos below or on my YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUMh4YZv3Cc4&si=hSogflrsLJdxWS4O
Good late morning, Book Dragons. I hope you’re all doing very well.
In the words of Aunt Alicia from “Gigi”, “Let us recapitulate.” The last junk journal I publicized on my channel was the Wedding Junk Journal for my wonderful brother and sister-in-law. They spent a wonderful honeymoon in Japan, including going to Tokyo Disney and Toyko DisneySea… and returned with gifts for the family.
Once that was done, I was busy assembling and crafting another journal. This one was for an upcoming bat-mitzvah for the fourth child of our family friends up North. I performed parashah for the two of the five children for prior bar-mitzvahs. I missed the the eldest sister because of the pandemic shutdown. Now, the youngest sister was going to have her day. I worked to study and memorize the tropes to make sure I knew the Torah portion by heart. However, I was also working to create a special junk journal in time for her bat-mitzvah. I asked the mother what were her favorite things. Unicorns, Disney Princess (she was having a Disney reception), and PINK, PINK, PINK!
For most of the junk journals I’ve made, I use mostly scrapbook paper for the journal cover and signatures. I use cereal boxes as the base. I had one scrapbook paper from a ‘Once Upon A Time’ kit that was purple, and had unicorn silhouette. I had another paper that appeared to have a pink floral motif against green vines with a blue faux stain-glass edge that framed a brown tapestry. I cut those motifs out and used them for the edge of the journal right up against the unicorn design. To get more unicorns, I went to the Bead Source, and picked up a few more unicorn charms. I also discovered this bead store carries a variety of special charms for religious representation. I found Torah scrolls, Hamsas, Magen David, Israeli flags, and others. I was working on this journal, and managed to finish the majority of it the day before we left. The last thing that morning was the lace band. I’m grateful my dad had some extra velcro pieces. I used that so the band would be easily opened and closed. I made a video of it, and it aired today (after the bat-mitzvah girl received her gift).
Then, it was the long drive up North. I took over driving at least twice, both going and back, and I was rocking out to the film soundtrack…
I find it helpful that if the drive is going to take all day, make the drive worthwhile and enjoyable. This is always a major HIT!!!! I also love driving to Celtic music that’s upbeat, including some from great bands like “Wolfstone” and “Gaelic Storm”. “Yanni” also never disappoints.
For performing a Torah, that’s always been a mystery. Why do some people read Aliyah while other’s ‘sing’ the parashah? For myself, I’m a singer of note, and when I heard the voices of cantors growing up, they always ‘sang’ the written words aloud rather than ‘read’. When I first read for my adult mitzvah, I was almost 30yrs old. I worked with both the rabbi, and the cantor, and I knew the Torah was meant to sung. I didn’t just sing the Haf-Torah; I sang all my portions, which for me was a feat.
So when it came reading the parashah for the first two siblings, I sang again. I recall while others read or sang their best, there was always people chattering just above the whisper. However, I felt the change in atmospheric pressure when I opened my mouth.
Utter silence.
When it closed and I looked up and glanced from side to side, the cantor, rabbi, and others gathered around doing the Aliyah stared at me with their mouths and eyes wide open. I received a chorus of Mazel Tov from just about everyone. And from that day on to this mitzvah, I kept receiving the praise and suggestion: ‘You should be a cantor.’ From this last parashah study with the Hazzan (cantor), she even said I have a good ear, and I know enough of the tropes that I technically could have lessons with her to study the tropes, and then tutor mitzvah students. She said there’s plenty of mitzvah students and very little tutors to assist them. I may just take her up on that offer and reach out again. The mitzvah herself has quite a beautiful voice too when she sang her haftarah portion, with showering candy following suit.
I truly enjoyed the Disney reception later that evening (albeit the music became far too loud much later for me to tolerate). Earlier though, the music of the Disney film songs played in the background as people gathered, the family was presented and we danced the hora, and then we sat down to dinner. The gals in the family were decked out in bejeweled dresses, and the mitzvah girl herself was dressed like it was her quinceanera, which in Jewish tradition, she already was. The ballgown was an ivory color, and had blue multicolored gems on the sweetheart neckline. I sat the “Winnie the Pooh” table. I had completely forgotten that A.A. Milne’s beloved Pooh Bear was brought to life by Disney animation. I also met and made a new friend that’s originally from Bulgaria. We had a nice talk, and we both discussed prior to dinner about our past and most recent health issues. I should be so lucky. We’re both blessed to be alive after our ordeal. As the celebration went on, we all witnessed again the mitzvah girl’s parents dance their wedding song “From This Moment On” by Shania Twain. This has become a staple for every celebration.
It was off for home the very next day, and it was a quite a long drive. Two days before, we drove through Santa Nella, where the last major Andersen’s establishment remains. The restaurant is famous for it’s split pea soup. We decided to stop there for lunch on our way home. It’s so hard to believe that Andersen’s in Solvang closed, and ironic that it’s so close to Solvang.
That morning, I shared the video of the junk journal, and sent the link to her. Later that evening, I received a text from the mitzvah’s mother. The moment she saw the unicorn junk journal, “she insisted on opening it last night and was so touched and absolutely loved it. She spent like an hour analyzing every page…(she asked about where the paper and charms came from)…It might be a bat mitzvah keepsake album as she has lots to add but she will cherish it always.” I’m so glad she enjoyed it, and it was a unforgettable weekend.
I wish you all well, Book Dragons, and keep on reading 😀
From yesterday’s post: I pasted all the photos my mother took of the wedding journal I made for my brother and sister-in-law, and created a video set to storytelling music of Isaac Gregor from Epidemic Sound. It’s been a long while since I posted any art projects, and this was my personal favorite this year. Enjoy tonight at 5pm PST.
Hello, my fellow Book Dragons. Just so you all know, I’m more than just a reader…I’m also human. I have family, and I’m lucky to have my younger brother in my life. He got married over the weekend to a beautiful woman whom we met two years ago. He introduced her to us, and she came to our family’s Passover for the first time. We fell in love with her that very day, and it was solidified with her social media that simply said, “I found a boy.” Her smile and my brother’s smile was all it took.
I was given the Best Sister Speech for the groom. I literally spent about three days preparing it. My time was spent planning to take the majority of wrapping paper I gathered from the bridal shower to use as part of the journal. It worked well, but I still have a mass of wrapping paper I didn’t use. Therefore, like what actress/comedian Eden Sher said of her then office-now nursery, “trash bags of papers…and such that I’ll use in a craft project someday”, I’ll continue to use these as part of a craft project someday myself. As you can see below, the cover of the journal is from a beautiful floral wrapping paper. The gold ‘heart’ clip: I have a clue where this clip came from, but it suited the journal to a T. The silver corners. front and back, were 3d embossed stickers, including the heart-shaped lock. (I didn’t get a chance to record a video of the journal. Luckily, my mother still has the pictures, so I’ll use those pictures to create a video of the creation.)
We got to the venue literally just as they were getting ready to sign the Ketubah. At this venue, there’s a 2 story barn that was converted into a wedding space. They had set up the ketubah upstairs. The ketubah was signed, and my brother’s best friend was the officiate. We went downstairs to greet mostly everyone, and then I grabbed a monogrammed yarmulke, signed the ‘fish’ book, and left a message for the bride and groom with a beautiful antique telephone they had. My job during the ceremony was to pass the ‘vow’ books to the couple. I sat in front next to my cousin Sierra, who made the bridal cake (Sweet Art Bake Shop), and the bride’s veil was right up against my feet. I thought I had to get and present it to the couple, but as I was moving the veil to go up, they just said I can hand it to them right from my seat. Their vows to each other were so precious, and hearing my brother choke up shows me that real men cry. He then stepped on the ‘glass’, and it was a Mazel Tov eruption.
Picture taking with the bride, groom, bridesmaids, groomsmen, family is the most arduous and the longest task when it comes to weddings. It was a good 30-40min before we all sat down, and the sun was still beating down on us. It’s a good thing the bride had ordered white parasols for the majority of guests to use. Then we did the Hora dance. It was both hilarious and exhilarating to see the selected guests hoist the couple in the chairs into the air. They danced to the Beach Boys song “God Only Knows”, which I was to learn later that The Beatles lead singer Paul McCartney said was the best wedding song ever written and is the overall chosen song for most couple’s first dance in marriage. Then we took our seats. The speeches were first, with the parents from both bride and groom. It was funny to learn my dad had copied and made his own speech notes from my mother’s card. I sat next to my cousin Rio (Night of the Living Pets owner) and my brother’s friend Sanam. My other cousin, Ashley (Angel I call her) and her husband Shawn sat opposite us. We all had our Bambi salad, which was a beautiful mixed green salad with Pear compote and gorgonzola cheese.
The bride’s sister then gave her speech, which was themed around law. Profoundly apt for the bride who attends law school. Then I came up and presented my speech for the groom, which was more of a performance piece, and people I highlighted hollered praise and laughter. As I read the last paragraph, I couldn’t finish the last two lines. One person whom we loved dearly was missing from this wedding. I highlighted a special thing which most people missed. During the ceremony, there was special runner that draped over one of the chairs. This runner was customized by the new couple to memorialize the names of those who gained their wings prior to the date. One of them was our cousin, Daniel, who lost his life in a car crash the day before Passover last year, April 11, 2025. I said “David, you and Daniel were like two peas in a pod” and he spoke with the bride about the ins and outs of law school, and post-law school. He became a father to his baby girl on Jan. 1, and she got to know for just a little over three months. I said something like, “Elke carries his face”…and I couldn’t finish the sentence, and I didn’t get to read the last three sentences of my speech.
“David I love you so much, and I’m always a phone call away. Whenever you need me, I’ll be there for you. Brother sister Coupon for Sister Speech.” (My mother slipped in the coupon the next day with the bridal material things when they came to collect their belongings.) Instead, I ended it with “To David and Gaby” through tears, and everyone cheered.
Dinner was interesting. Almost everyone tried to comprehend the roasted ‘airline’ chicken. Which airline were they referring to? Anyone who asked that question received the odd laugh, but we ate it anyway. The other option was cod, which I was informed was delicious. Then, it was dancing all the live-long day, including two special songs that they included with Fathead signs of their pets: Woolfy the Pomeranian ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’ and Dougie the crested gecko ‘Do The Dougie’. The cake was served a little later, and the fountain drinks were lemonade, raspberry and sparkling water.
Since I was part of the groom’s side, I now understand what takes place post-wedding: gathering up the materials after hours, and driving home well after 10pm. It was all worth it! So now, across three families, May has become the marriage and anniversary month for my folks, my cousin Sierra and her husband Kurt, and now my brother David and his wife Gaby.
Good late morning, Book Dragons. It slipped my mind to post this after this interview aired on my YouTube channel. I got interview Nelson Aspen again. This time, LIVE! We discussed his first children’s book “The Magnificent Mr. & Mrs. Maple” in celebration of Earth Day. He covers some ‘behind-the-scenes’ of the book, including his closest collaborators. We also discuss his last book of “Kindred Spirits: A Titanic Tale” in the film works, and the Shades of Ireland Tour coming up in October. Enjoy!
ATTN All Broadway Baby Book Dragons! Meet Lin-Manuel Miranda’s biographer Daniel Pollack-Pelzner. My interview with the NY Times author and educator is finally here. Daniel and I delve into a deep conversation that goes beyond influential reads: multiple POVs, unreliable narrators, Stephen King’s influence, Shakespeare, book bans, his love of education and theater. Later on, we discuss highlights from his book “Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Education of An Artist”. From his humble beginnings as a teacher to theater critic and collaborator with the Broadway genius, Pollack-Pelzner tells all! You may pause the video at your convenience to take notes from our conversation. Don’t forget to stay for the Post-Script at the end of the video. Something very important came up that I wanted him to address. He replied in an email after we wrapped up.
Good evening, Book Dragons! I didn’t realize I hadn’t posted anything since last year. I had three videos I meant to post on my site, and things got a little crazy. Due to physical restrictions, I resigned from my position as behavior interventionist. Now, I’m mostly tutoring online and in person. About 2 months ago, I conducted an interview with another author. I’ll post that in another blog. I also joined a special meeting with author and entertainment journalist Nelson Aspen. I’ll be joining him on a tour of Ireland in October. The last few weeks I’ve prioritized getting my travel documents ready.
Below, I’ve posted the first video of this year where I take on two reading challenges: mine own and PopSugar’s latest.
These are the two last videos from 2025: Hannukah and my birthday celebration, with books of course, and the PopSugar Reading Wrap Up of books I was able to complete.
Good evening, my Book Dragons. I just got back from a wonderful evening at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The event was the Salute to Vienna Concert. Brian Cheney, Sera Gosch, and dancers from the San Diego Ballet Company performed. Its not the New Year without the waltz. At the end, Ms Gosch gave the couple next to me her small bouquet of flowers. As they left the stage, the couple then gave me the bouquet as a gift. I was so shocked and so thankful to them. I picked out a rose and gave it back to the couple as a thank you. So gracious. I shook Mr. Cheney’s hand just before left the theater. I told him his serenade from Student Prince was outstanding. It’s one of my favorite musicals that doesn’t have a happy ending. A rare gem.
I did a short video on my favorite books for the Christmas season. I also created an earlier video about Hannukah books. You can view them both here.
What are some of your favorite holiday reads? I’d love to know. Please leave a comment.
This is interview was conducted in mid-August 2025. After that, work piled up. It took a very long time to sit down and focus on editing this video. I also have this video saved on the “Be My Guest” tab.
ATTN: ALL TEACHERS, BEHAVIOR TECHS, AND FUTURE INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS!!! #mentalhealthawareness #autismawareness #dyslexiaawareness #adhdawareness #neurodiversity
A) Do you have student(s) with IEPS for mental health?
B) Are you training to become a teacher, special ed, or registered behavior technician?
C) Have you been diagnosed with a mental health disorder?
D) Considering to become your own indie book publishing company?
If you answered YES to any of these questions, then this video is for you.
Meet the humble heroes behind Cosworth Publishing. A few years ago, I met director Jimmy Huston. He is also a screenwriter and author. I also met his wife, Lynn Mills, at the LA Festival of Books. I bought their Teacher’s Bundle of 5 books. In this interview, both authors share their favorite reads, recommendations, and writing styles. They also share how their company started, the ins and outs as indie publishers, and became autism advocates.
Hello Book Dragons, and Happy Halloween. I have 2 videos to share. One of my Halloween Haul from various stores & books for October. The second I just made of myself dressed as “Winifred Sanderson” from Hocus Pocus. A little tour of my haven decked out for Halloween. This one is dedicated to my friend Mikey, who wore the costume last year.
Hello fellow Book Dragons and Gothic Book Dragons. Are you ready for Halloween? I’ve collecting items for Halloween decor. I’m also a huge fan of Goth daddy Aurelio Voltaire. His unique videos on ‘Gothic Homemaking’ made me realize I too can add some Goth aesthetics. In one video, he explored the Oddities and Curiosities Market. This year, I decided to attend the Oddities Flea Market at the Globe Theater in downtown LA. It was a packed house.
The curator, Ryan Cohn, was just outside the venue and was signing his latest book “The Witch’s Door”. I bought his book, and I told him about my podcast. He expressed interest, and he asked me to email him the details. I did, and hopefully, he’ll be my guest in mid-November. Afterward, I went inside the Globe…the world of Goth turned me upside down! I took a few pictures, and met with the unique artists behind the Goth craze. Some Goth art was more tasteful than others, but they all add their very own style and aesthetics. Beauty is the eye of the beholder. I was genuinely surprised at the beauty of death resurrected in art. I did end up buying a few things, and I truly wish I’d afford more. Enjoy my video below. It airs to the public tonight at 8pm. Learn about the vendors I had the privilege to meet.
Hello Groovy Book Dragons and Music Lovers of R&B and Jazz! Here’s my interview with the legendary electric base guitarist Jerry Jemmott . The Groovemaster tells all, including his collaborations with various music industry professionals in his memoir “Make It Happen”. Topics of discussion include self-help books and Buddhism. We also talked about the ‘groove’ and ‘colors’ in music tones. Additionally, subjects covered man’s power to control others, health recovery, and karma. Tune in tomorrow, OCT 30, 2025 @1pm PST.
One of my subscribers left a comment on YouTube. They asked if I’d reach out to the acclaimed author again. The request was for the author to answer some fan questions from his most devoted readers. The commentator compiled questions asked by Avi fans, and then emailed them to me. I reached out to Avi, and he graciously accepted. Watch for the Premiere of this interview scheduled for 9/14 at 10am on my YouTube Channel.
My interview with the entertainment reporter and journalist premieres tomorrow on YouTube at 5pm PST/8pm EST. Our conversation was very enjoyable. This interview was conducted on June 22. He has his podcast called “Titanic Talks” with cohost Alexandra Boyd. Their followers are Titanic fanatics, or as he so aptly states, “Titaniacs”! Thanks to a mysterious spirit of one of the doomed passengers, Mr. Aspen has spent years investigating the stories and facts of the “ship of dreams”. He finally put to words and created a historical-fantasy novel entitled “Kindred Spirits: A Titanic Tale”. You can check out his books here. http://nelsonaspen.com/books.html
I was thrilled to interview Briana London. She is a former episodic editor on Grey’s Anatomy and Queen of the South. She has also worked on other television series and films. I attended the LA Festival of Books in 2023. The first vendor I came to was Cosworth Publishing, Inc. There, I bought books by Jimmy Huston because they went over autism resources. I felt these were important for me starting out as behavior interventionist.
Just as I was about to make my buy, I came across Briana London’s book: “Shanghai Torah”. I finally read it this year. Thanks to Mr. Huston’s help, I reached out to Briana. She was delighted at the chance to be interviewed by me. She discussed her favorite books and recommendations. I was even more thrilled as we went deep into conversations about using common sense in politics and religion. As an editor, I asked her to share her tips and advice for future film/television editors. I also asked her what qualifications are key to making it in the entertainment industry. Afterwards, we discussed her story about the baby Torah’s mysterious journey from Vilna to Shanghai, then to Los Angeles. Who saved it, and how was it brought to China during the Jewish refugee crisis?
Join our conversation Live tomorrow at 10am to find out!
This interview with Jared Reck was so awe inspiring. We connected on such a great intellectual level, and as educators, we connect even closer to reading and writing. The politics that take over reading, like testing culture, is effecting our readership community, especially students. We discussed essential issues, including how they play out in his recent book release “Donuts & Other Proclamations of Love”. I read this book for the PopSugar Reading Challenge. This story is exemplary enough to become a module for ERWC. This video can also be found under the tab “Becca’s Book TALKS” on the website.
Dear Book Dragons, Music Lovers, and ALL DISNEY FANATICS!
If you happen to be in the neighborhood, come get tickets for our Disney Cabaret. I am a member of my wonderful choir. I’m one of the soloists listed below. Just so you’re aware…it’s gonna get chilly in Act 2. (I’m a soloist for both the Pre-Show and Main Show in Act 2. See details below.)
The San Fernando Valley Master Chorale invites you to our annual gala event,
Cabaret in the Valley: Disney Past to Present Saturday, June 7, 2025 6:30 PM Unitarian Universalist Church of Studio City
Get ready for a musical journey through every era of Disney — from classic favorites to modern hits — in a family-friendly evening of unforgettable performances!
This year’s show features a sneak peek of our group number, “Trashin’ the Camp” from Tarzan, starring the amazing Todd Honeycutt.
Want the VIP experience? Snag a VIP ticket for: A delicious Italian dinner of your choice An exclusive pre-show featuring select soloists First choice at premiere seating! (Details on our website!)
TICKETS ARE LIMITED — grab yours before we sell out! Can’t attend in person? No worries — we’re also offering a private livestream ticket you can watch at your convenience on YouTube!
All proceeds go directly to support the Chorale’s mission of bringing high-quality music and opportunity to our San Fernando Valley community.
Get your tickets, livestream access, or make a tax-deductible donation now at www.sfvmc.com (EIN: 47-2309895 for your full tax refund)
We can’t wait to sing for you! Warmly, The San Fernando Valley Master Chorale www.sfvmc.com
I also want to provide a personal update, as I’ve been MIA since posting in April. I posted the interview video on May 7, and I just uploaded the blog today about it today. I grieved for my beloved cousin, Daniel, during that time. The Visitation was on May 5. The Funeral was on May 6. Based on my previous blog, he was killed earlier last month prior to the interview.
I went to the Visitation on May 5, and it was a closed casket. The reverend discussed the 5 Mysteries, because he was raised as a Roman Catholic. Then a screen came down. What followed were photographs of him from infant to father. My eyes welled up after seeing some of my close relatives who passed away, including Daniel’s mother, my aunt Elvira. Seeing the picture of mother and son dancing at her 25th wedding anniversary personally broke me. They’re now together in Heaven. The last video shown on the screen was of him recording himself on the phone. He was holding his baby girl in his arms. He talked sweet endearments to her, and it faded to black. I will never hear his live voice again, and I’ve been tearing up as I write this. A few people spoke first about their ‘tio’, cousin, son, brother, and friend. Daniel’s beautiful nieces and I went up and had our say to talk about him. Everyone there couldn’t grasp his sudden loss.
The next day was the funeral at the Holy Angels church in Arcadia. I had no idea he attended there every Sunday at 7:30 am. As the reverend said, “this tall guy with an infinite smile would be sitting right there.” Most of his immediate family sat on the right hand of the church, close to where the choir sang. How profoundly apt that music and choral voices became a part of his life. The Los Angeles Master Chorale were there to sing beautiful hymns. The first song was “Pie Jesu” and a few songs later, “The Prayer”. (This song was made famous by Celine Dion and my favorite singer, Josh Groban.) His brother and longtime girlfriend (and mother to their baby girl) had their say that day at the podium. When we all presided outside to the hearse, we were presented with another surprising miracle. My cousin Ashley, who I call ‘Angel’, is expecting her first child. Her sister is getting married later this autumn. Considering it was a gloomy day, it was a day of grief, gratitude and joy. Afterwards, we all went to the Huntington Library Museum and Gardens for lunch. (They’re usually closed on Tuesdays.) We had lunch in the Rose Hills Garden Court. The large dome overhead was flanked with beautiful florals, and I met some of my late cousin’s acquaintances. I’m grateful to them for sharing their stories with me. I’m looking forward to the day I can go to Massachusetts and make a personal meet up.
Good afternoon, fellow Book Dragons. I’m sorry I’ve been MIA for a while. I posted my latest interview with my friend and composer Brooke deRosa. The interview was shared on “Becca’s Book TALKS” on YouTube. It was posted on May 7. I just published it on the website under the tab “Becca’s Book TALKS”. I’m sharing it here on the blog as well. I met Brooke during the autumn production of “The Mikado.” We both performed with the Ventura County Gilbert and Sullivan Repetoire Company. I performed again in the spring production of “Iolanthe”. Brooke is a quadruple talent as a soprano, composer, conductor and filmmaker. She creates original operatic works from original written works in the public domain. Examples include “The Monkey’s Paw” and her latest work on “The Yellow Wallpaper”. She also created a few film scores, and has been featured on Netflix. As an avid reader, we explore the authors and stories that influenced her life and operatic and musical scores. We also discussed her fascination with the macabre. Her musical influences include “Phantom” and “Indiana Jones”. Check out the interview here or under the tab “Becca’s Book TALKS” on my website: https://youtu.be/zgqeRnc_Gxk?si=yuOMaVkAqDiGyRRa.
My late, beloved cousin, Daniel Aaron Cuevas-Fisch, had attended law school and was an attorney advisor via Social Security Administration, but he grew up playing piano, and he and his family were patrons and great supporters of performing arts. He lived by the motto “joie de’vivre” and he’s synonymous with the term ‘optimism’. He grew up with a sunny disposition, raised Catholic alongside his brother, Steven Anthony, but his mother and father also made sure he celebrated his Jewish heritage, including Passover. Several years ago, he got badly sunburned on his forehead, and lost a patch of hair for a few weeks. His hair grew back on that spot, but it forever remained white (like Mr. Sheffield in “The Nanny”.) It gave him a whole new look and he cut a dashing figure. In his LinkedIn profile, he’s wearing a brilliant blue suit. He lived a full, vibrant life, traveling throughout the world, drank fine wine, and enjoyed every moment with family.
He planned to continue both the Catholic faith, Jewish traditions and holidays with his new family this year. He and his girlfriend, Stephania, had tried to conceive for several years, and they finally were expecting in late December- early January. Since they love the performing arts, they planned to surround their new arrival with music. We saw they listed 4 childrens’ music story books on their baby registry, and we bought them for new arrival, which they wanted to be surprised themselves. The last time I saw him in person was Christmas. Elke Genevieve Fisch was born January 3rd. I had to remain at home during my uncle’s birthday because I was still sick, and I didn’t want to cause the new baby any illness. He brought Stephania and Elke for everyone to meet her that day. My brother David was especially close with him, and Gabby, my future sister-in-law, was advised by Daniel about law school, and he gave her points to remember. I was working on a personalized baby plaque for Elke, but I had a hard time designing the layout, and I put it off until I knew what to look for.
Instead, I was painting a Passover ‘palette’ plate (inspired by a Jewish Israeli artist Avi Nadav) last Friday evening, April 11. In the middle of recording the project’s process, I heard commotion coming from the living room. I stopped recording, and ran out to find my parents in complete anguish. They were on the phone with another relative, and shared the shocking and devastating news that Daniel was killed in a car crash in Irwindale just after 4:30pm. I broke down, and thought about how he and Stephania just became first time homeowners and parents, and now to lose him…it’s so difficult to discuss him in the past tense. I just feel so bad for his girlfriend and his baby daughter: he ordered a special dinner they were going to cook for Passover with his family, and instead, they had an empty seat. We were watching some home videos afterwards, and we broke down knowing he’ll never celebrate his first Father’s Day, his upcoming birthday in July, which he would’ve been 43yrs, walk down the aisle, and see his daughter grow up. We were blessed to have him for 42 1/2 yrs, and we’ll continue to support his family in any way we can.
Yesterday, I informed my choir that I wasn’t sure if I’ll be able to sing with them for our choir show “Campfire to Concert” show on April 27, 2025: https://sfvmc.com/ See information below. (Spring Sale is now thru April 20.) I informed them of what happened, and I asked if we could record the song “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” as a tribute and dedication to him and his family, and I’d create a video for them. After getting much more information, I’ll be performing the final song of the show with my choir.
UPDATE: I made a change to the Contact Page that only lists the email.
Hello fellow Book Dragons. Okay. I just tried to reach out to 2 people who apparently contacted me via the Contact Page with no message. They came through to my regular gmail, and I’m trying to figure out why I’m not receiving any messages in my author email. Also, when I tried to reply, both came back ‘mailed-failed to deliver’. So, I’ll mention the names of those who tried to contact me: Charli Cookson, Eugene Throssell, Roberta Bertram, and WM Burkholder. For everyone else, please do not use the Contact form. Please email me at becca@becca-b.com directly. I will make changes asap.
I was fortunate enough to have connections through Osiris Munir, who introduced me to a few other people. Dr. Kathleen E. Walls was the first interviewee this year, and I was lucky to read her guidebook “Live Your Spirit Life: Vol 1.” She’s also the author of “Froggy-T and Bunnie”, a book series for children that covers all things growing up. She’s an educator, clinical psychologist, life coach, and author with so much to share. You can watch the interview on YouTube here, or under the tab Becca’s Book Talks on this site. She’s also the founder of Ask Dr. Walls: Live Your G.R.E.A.T.E.S.T. Life, and Co-founder of Sisters 4 Harmony, INC. Check out her site here: https://askdrwalls.com/.
Hello my Fellow Book Dragons. So, after careful consideration, I decided to change my YouTube handle. It’s now @BeccaB-TheBookDragon, no longer @BeccaB789. All future email correspondence and my signature will be updated to include the new handle.
I also forgot to mention that I interviewed another author and well-renown psychotherapist, Dr. Kathleen Walls, of askdrwalls.com [Ask Dr. Walls | Live Your G.R.E.A.T.E.S.T. Life.] on January 23, 2025. She has written a few books. These include her famous “Froggy-T and Bunnie” series for children. These books cover growth development through learning on various topics. I’m still working on editing, and I’ll have it up in the next day or two. I’ll post it when it’s ready to Premiere.
Lastly, my last junk journal I created last year for my beautiful bff is now posted on my YouTube channel. This was the most filled and decorative journal I’ve ever made. It was a long a process, and I worked on it through Christmas.
The fire threats and evacuations kept delaying the video editing. We never knew if we had to pack up and leave in a hurry. A few people I know lived in Malibu and Pacific Palisades area, and had to evacuate. One of them lost her house in the fire, but she and her family are safe. Her name is Brooke DeRosa, and she’s a renown opera singer and composer. We performed together with the Ventura County Gilbert & Sullivan Repetoire Company in their production of “The Mikado”. DeRosa played Yum-Yum, and I was part of the ensemble. Brooke’s been through a lot since the fire. She lost many of the compositions she was working on at the time. She also had to prepare for her upcoming performance in New York this week at Carnegie Hall. If you’re in New York this week, and have time this Friday, January 31, 2025, consider supporting DeRosa. She’s performing with the Lyric Opera of Orange County ‘Opera with Chamber Orchestra’. It’s her World Premiere of “The Yellow Wallpaper”. I’m working this week. I’m unable to attend. If you can, watch the show. I’d love to hear back in the comments. https://lyricoperaoc.org/shows/the-yellow-wallpaper/
I need the public’s help. I’m on a mission to help the Ellis family, whom I’ve known since I was toddler. One of the former patriarchs of the family, Irving Belfer, was a Holocaust survivor. After his liberation, he created several artworks that are museum quality. During his 2nd new life in America, he displayed his artwork throughout his house. He wanted his children and grandchildren to see them. This continued until his death in 2012. Sine then, his artwork was placed in public storage, and the prices are increasing each year. I’ve been reaching out to a few museums myself. I’m trying to see if they’d be willing to reach back to family. Nevertheless, his artwork collection is so huge, the museums can’t permanently hold them. The family is willing at this time that even if a portion of his artwork is taken by a few willing museums, organizations and even private Jewish day schools and/or colleges, it’s a way to preserve his legacy. I’m helping to publicize his artworks, and you can watch my video short here:
(I meant to say patriarch in the video, not patron.) You can watch the short documentary about the artist below. It was filmed by a former student at CSUN.
If you can provide any information, that would be of great help. Please reach out to me directly at becca@becca-b.com. Thank you, and Shalom.
Good Evening, and a belated Happy New Year to all my voracious Book Dragons! I’m sorry I’ve been MIA, but I’ve been very ill since Thanksgiving, and there’s still no end in sight of what I could possibly have. I can barely talk, and I’ve had some breathing issues due to this continuous cough.
But, at the end of the day, I wanted to create a new video for the new year, and here it is: https://youtu.be/O93rq2sUGWs?si=Yfr-CQXePGhygAiZ My video will premiere on my YouTube channel tonight at 8pm PST. Here, I share the wrap up of the 2024 PopSugar Reading Challenge, the New PopSugar Reading Challenge of 2025, and I get very personal about health, both physically and mentally, and what my goals and resolutions are this year, including taking part in the Conqueror Challenges. Stay Tuned!
After almost a year of no interviews, I had a chance meeting with Osiris Munir in my archery class. She is such a gracious person, and holds nothing back. This interviewing was eye-opening for me. Come join me and get ready to learn from entertainment personality to author turned artist.
Good evening my fellow Book Dragons. I’m sorry I’ve been MIA. I’ve been sick since Thanksgiving, and now I possibly have laryngitis, so I can’t talk. Luckily, before that happened, I did get an interview by chance at the last minute. I’m still editing that video.
For this book review, It took such a long time for me to edit part 2 of “In Praise of Queens” for RuPaul’s memoir “The House of Hidden Meanings”; getting feedback is crucial to the editing as I tend to go off tangents. Mind you, these tangents connect to the video, but it took away from the memoir. It was incredible that I got to see him live at the LA Festival of Books at USC before the protests took over. I didn’t know his birthday was two weeks ago. So, if anyone knows RuPaul personally, please let him know that this is his birthday gift from me. From another view, I highly recommend his memoir because he’s a ‘scholar of the little things” and what it means to be different that transcend beyond the page. He also provides questions for the reader to ponder, and to answer to themselves honestly. Enjoy! Here is the link. I’ll be linking my book reviews to another tab because I’m adding them to my podcast as a separate category.
I recorded my latest book review of Xianna Michaels’s stories in verse: “Lily of the Valley”, “the Sorcerer Queen” and RuPaul’s memoir “The House of Hidden Meanings”. Due to extensive amount of time, I divided the video into two parts. Here’s the first one with Xianna Michaels’s stories, where I include anecdotes and reflections about the American dream, and allusions to classic fairytales. Come check it out here: https://youtu.be/CfkSQquJCJs. I will have this posted to another tab in the website as soon as I get some time.
I can’t believe it took this long to edit the video, and I didn’t see the ‘date’ of the schedule. However, here’s my critical book review of Alan Bennett’s “The History Boys”, which includes personal anecdotes, and my own POV about the election day. Make your voice heard and Vote! Here’s the video. https://youtu.be/watQWLIqJ24?si=ALb883aLmFkfdY3b
Hello fellow Book Dragons! Some time ago, I started writing down some new projects I’d like to try to complete, and new ideas. So, since I renamed my YouTube channel, “Becca B. | The Book Dragon”, I decided to plan and write down my own reading challenge book tasks. In a small, leather bound journal I bought an Amazon, I started to handwrite each book task based on dragons, reading, book burning, and challenged/banned books. Usually, most reading challenges, like the one I’ve never completed from PopSugar, have 52 book tasks, with the last 10-12 being “advanced”. 52 books equals 52 weeks in a year, one book per week. However, I came up with 26 book tasks. Half the time, half the books, but no less challenging, with the last two I would consider “advanced”. The real reason for the 26? Students are in school on average for 180 days. Due to excessive amounts of homework, they won’t have much time for extra reading. I wanted these book reading tasks to be fun, but also educational. This challenge is based on my first attempt to get my own former students to read, but also to earn incentives.
A handful of my former high school students accepted the reading challenge questionnaire I created based on the PopSugar Reading Challenge of 2017. I created a dedicated page for each of the 52 book tasks that required students to seek and find the information direct from the books they chose to read. These questions included the copyright information (title, author, publication date), genre, a quote with their commentary, a summary in their own words, and 2-3 additional questions that connected to the different book tasks. For every 5 books read, and 5 questionnaire pages completed (with no sign of plagiarism) prior to the end of the semester/year, the student(s) would earn $25 in gift cards of their choice. I sought out gift cards the school had already for other incentives, but I ended up buying the gift cards using money I earned from my paycheck(s). One student earned $75 for reading 15 books and answered the questions in great detail. After that semester, I became too busy with other professional learning, and so I didn’t do it again.
You may download The Book Dragon Reading Challenge from the newest page added to my website. I do plan to make a reading journal for this challenge, that I eventually want to sell. I’ve seen reading journals in bookstores for people to jot down the books they read that year, and some include questions for the readers to answer. “My Reading Life”, and “Bibliophile” are two of the reading journals I bought for myself.
However, I decided to think outside the box. Why not take it to next level? A real reading challenge every student is worthy of? A TUITION SCHOLARSHIP! That’s the dream that I hope one to turn into a reality for anyone who takes up my reading challenge, and completes the entire reading journal questionnaire whilst they’re still in school. College costs. Students have ample opportunities to earn scholarships to help pay for college tuition, books, room and board. I came across a letter that was sent to me in 2001, entitled “Who’s Who in America”, that acknowledges high school students for their academic prowess and achievements. I wish I would have thoroughly read the fine print: I could have filled out the form, sent it in, and could have earned a scholarship of $1,000 for college, and I didn’t think of it at the time. So, I missed out on a financial opportunity.
Some of the horror stories I’ve seen online include homeless people with both bachelor’s and master’s degrees, some even with a doctorate’. Why are they homeless? Because they couldn’t pay back the student loans, or if they paid back the student loans, they couldn’t keep up with other added expenses, like medical and apartment housing. It’s crazy. While I was working as a teacher, almost half the teachers I worked with were still paying off student loans, and a few were lucky to have partners earning other income so they could live well off until all student depts were paid.
I have a story in mind that will connect to the reading challenge scholarship. Once the story is written and published, the idea is that whoever buys the book, a certain percentage of the proceeds will go towards funding the scholarship. If there’s anyone who knows other legit ways to start a scholarship, I’d love your knowledge and feedback. This is one dream of mine as an educator I would love to actually manifest and to help others. Please let me know what you think by commenting below. If the type from the reading challenge list isn’t legible for you, please let me know and I’ll upload another reader friendly version. Thank you.
I survived the Northridge Quake with my family on 1/17/1994 at 4:31am. It measured between a 6.7-7.2, and it was 30sec of the most aggressive shaking we’ve ever experienced. The screaming, crying, and fear was paramount, followed by countless breaks in between the major aftershocks that followed throughout the day. This disaster was a wake up call, and we made several changes to our lifestyles, but also how we prepared for future disasters. These are simple steps that have a lasting impact, including securing our interior furniture with using both “baby” and “earthquake” proofing materials and tools, and investing in food and drinking supplies that have a long shelf life. We also invested in getting emergency packs and backpacks from “Ready America” site, and earthquake authority companies and affiliates. After going through another few close calls this week in SoCal, including the aggressive “JOLT” felt on August 12, 2024, Japan’s latest 7.1 megaquake, and Yellowstone’s “Old Faithful” geyser erupting twice, I felt I needed to say something.
I recorded and shared my personal story about the Northridge Earthquake, personal commentary on Japan’s devasting earthquake and tsunami on 3/11/2011, my emergency prep supplies, what I’ve learned from other preppers, from the average person to the most extreme “Doomsday” preppers. Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/zAHwH6neSMI?si=4SX1Amgf-bXzyr9D
I’m really considering changing my website to another platform. I thought my post about the Cabaret was placed at the top of the blog as it always does. This is another extra step that is so not necessary. Such aggravation. If anyone else is having this problem, there’s this thing under “Post Settings”- go to “Status”, and click on it. Settings will appear bottom left, and you need to click on ‘Sticky” so it posts to the top of the blog. Totally unnecessary AND an extra step I don’t need to take! Why can’t website platforms keep things the way they are? The help center bot said that certain themes have designs that allow the newest blog to be posted first thing. So, please forgive me that this post wasn’t posted until now, 3 weeks after the event took place. I will have an update once our performance video is edited, and will be posted on our choir’s website http://www.sfvmc.com. Those who want to watch it can have access to it as a $5 donation fee.
Hello fellow Book Dragons and music lovers! I’m sorry I haven’t blogged in a while. In the middle of rehearsals and working, I unfortunately came down with a severe pinched nerve that’s affecting everything I do. It’s very painful to sit at a computer and type. However, I did post earlier about my recent harp recital and upcoming cabaret in a video on my channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9VABcIGfv0. In honor of the July 4th weekend, our Cabaret on Sunset is a Tribute to American Composers at the famous Catalina Jazz Club. I’ll be singing some group pieces, including a duet with one of our Artistic directors, Charlie Kim. Come and support this amazing company of singers this Sunday July 7, 2024 @ 7:30am. Go directly to https://www.sfvmc.com/ for tickets and additional info on dinner and our Program https://www.sfvmc.com/cabaret-on-sunset-program-2024. Getting tickets early guarantees you a table reservation. Tickets may still be available for the VIP seats in the first row (that is if you don’t mind loud music from our band.) Any questions, write to Julie at execdirector@sfvmc.com.
Hello fellow Book Dragons. For those of you just tuning in (literally) I began harp lessons last year after almost 40years. I’ve loved the harp since I was toddler, and I bought a harp on Amazon back in 2017. (This was after I secured a teaching position and an apartment near my school in Victorville, CA at the time. I was promised a $400 Amazon gift card with Frontier (the apartment only used their company) as part of this ultimate package; they did nothing but screw up my account several times, and I spent almost a year screaming my head off and crying on the phone demanding to talk to a manager, what I wanted, what the original price was, and what they owed me in the end. Long story, and too much aggravation for me to indulge in.) On a brighter note, the first harp arrived, and I didn’t see anything wrong at first. I was too elated to finally have this instrument in front of me. That’s when I looked over and saw that the harmonic curve was split in half. (See Pic Below). So, I had to report it to the seller, repackage it, wait for them to pick it up, and they sent me a replacement. The second harp is the one I currently have. There were no harp teachers anywhere in the area except downhill in Pasadena almost an hour away.
Cut to 2023, when I was determined to find a harp teacher after much needed music therapy and the harp lay dormant for almost 6 years, and EUREKA!!! Enter Stephanie Bennett, a local harp teacher. To my surprise, the harp is harder to play than it looks, and with mine, I had to compromise with what I had and was able to play. The harp is a Roosebeck Heather Harp (Lever, not pedal) with 22 strings, C3-C6 range, which makes it 3 octaves. The first song I wanted to learn to play was “Why” from (Tick, Tick, Boom), but I also wanted to sing it simultaneously. (Loreena McKennitt is the only harp songstress I know, and I love her music so much.) Solution: Ms Bennett rewrote the piano score to be one half-step higher since most harps are tuned to Eb, and therefore G and D sharps/flats (included in the original score) can’t be tuned to that key. We tuned it to D major, and then switched it to E major mid-song by pushing 3 levers up.
I auditioned with the song “Why” twice: once last year for our Cabaret in the Valley performance (they chose first song “Nobody’s Side” (Chess)), and once again for this Cabaret on Sunset (Upcoming on JULY 7, 2024- Tickets are available now!) The song was too long, and I’ve yet to practice performing a duet with our Artistic Director Charlie Kim. However, I decided to give it my all, and perform this song for the Harp Recital with Harp Society LA (the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Harp Association). I edited a video together using both recordings both my recital piece in my library room setting, and my parents recorded my Stage performance (using my real name, as I use the same for the choir).
I posted it on YouTube- now here’s the weird thing. I got a ‘copyright claim’ for the first recording, but not the second. So, I went in to dispute it as fair use, and since there’s no combination of cover-recital piece type, I chose “Cover Song”, but I explained in detail that it was not to monetize the channel, no copyright infringement intended, and it was just me showcasing my recital piece. To make sure I was going about this legitimately, I emailed the copyright office and to Universal Music Publishing Group to explain in detail what the video was about, and to ask if there were any steps I needed to take so I wouldn’t get docked or get a copyright strike. I made a second video to upload just in case, omitting my first recording. The Link to the current YouTube video is here: https://youtu.be/qgQXQoD0-8s. I just posted the shorter one with the stage recording only: https://youtu.be/VFowZmcukpw. I believe I found my niche to be a harp-songstress.
Hello my fellow Book Dragons. I want to give a shout out to my new subscribers, and I’ll be sharing the drawings with you as promised. At this time, I also wanted to inform you all that I created a video promo for my two upcoming performances, which you can view here. https://youtu.be/g9VABcIGfv0?si=IkFiz35PHkLiCYnA
I loved the film version of Tick, Tick, Boom, and Andrew Garfield blew everyone away with his outstanding performance as Jonathan Larson. I had no idea that the late composer created 2 musicals before Rent, and Tick, Tick, Boom was his biographical account of his failed attempts to bring his first musical to life. During that time, Larson was watching his closest friends succumb to the AIDS epidemic. The song “Why” is a ballad, but its also a song of hope (I cry as I write this) of how life should be valued as time is precious. I decided to take up the harp this last year, and spent a few months learning how to play the song (I’m still technically plucking it, with some intermediate level), and so I’m singing and playing my heather harp as accompaniment. (I will be doing a future of why the harp is my favorite instrument.)
I also auditioned with this song the year before, and auditioned again with the harp and vocals for this upcoming Cabaret On Sunset: A Tribute to American Composers with our San Fernando Valley Master Chorale. I was hoping to perform a duet with one of the members and guest artists who I went to high school with as secondary choice. At the last moment, I saw a YouTube clip of two members from the acapella group Pentatonix, Scott & Kristy, perform a duet mash-up of Go the Distance and Defying Gravity that blew me away. Such Powerhouses those two alone! I suggested it to our music director Charlie Kim, and I was waiting for feedback. I was surprised to see that it was selected and not “Why” since I didn’t get a chance to audition with Charlie prior to the program setup. Who knows! Right now, it’s not on the shows program, but who knows! It might if something changes. Our choir show is at the Catalina Bar & Grill Jazz Club, a famous venue in Hollywood, CA at @7:30pm on July 7, 2024. If you’re able to come, the dress code is Hollywood Glam Cocktail, dinner is at 6pm, and there are VIP tickets for the first 30 front row seats. Other Important details follow in the link provided. https://www.sfvmc.com/
My latest video of my latest junk journal creation was posted on YouTube yesterday. You can view it here. https://youtu.be/YkBFEJu5m1o?si=5jqwcPImSmtgAhfP Please click like, subscribe, comment and share for more videos. I’m hoping to gain more subscribers to help grow my channel.
My review of Audible’s Premiere of 1984 https://youtu.be/wsbpYocmpYc?si=qph3KYbSCDFlhCzN has reached up to 118 views so far, and I’d love to have more people view it. You may share it on social media platforms, but I’m still adamant: do not share it on Facebook. Later in the video, I explain what happened, not too much in detail, but to the person I’ve been trying to reach out to. I got scammed twice, without having the proper direction at the time, and nearly a few more times in believing the person I was messaging, and was trying to determine from other sources for clarification. It’s been now over a year and a half since I first reached out, and there’s been no resolution.
While I continue to read and practice the harp, I’m also a member of the San Fernando Valley Master Chorale. Our next performance is coming up this weekend. If you’re local and in the valley, come out and watch and support us as we take you on a ‘musical journey to the stars.’ Video link is here, and posted online. https://youtu.be/uwihZHlOX_g Enjoy.
Hello Book Dragons, if you’ve seen the latest change to the original “BookWorm” Blog. It’s now the BookDragon Blog. Also, I didn’t realize the YouTube premier had been set for tomorrow (5/5) at 11am. I made the immediate change to the premier from the last post, and it will premier today at 11:30am. Not the ideal time, but I’m trying to keep up.
I recently uploaded a video about my trip with one of my girlfriends to the Los Angeles Festival of Books on April 20, 2024. Besides my book haul, I managed to attend two lectures: the Fabulous RuPaul and Contemporary Gothic Fiction Author Panel, which included Alix Harrow. You can view the video here when it makes it’s premier today at 11AM, and take notes. https://youtu.be/EpiAT-l9y3s.
However, due to recent events that have escalated across the campuses, it’s apparent that the future of this campus playing host to this public event is now in question. I decided to wait, and will record a separate video, which will be both an informative piece and a call to action. Stay tuned for updates.
You can watch the video here, but I’m ADAMANT: Do Not Share this post or video on any other social media! I prefer to keep this video off those platforms.See Details below:https://youtu.be/wsbpYocmpYc
Hello everyone. It’s been a while since I wrote. I’ve had some personal issues that have really affected me as of the year before, and haven’t been resolved. It was a traumatic experience that I didn’t intend to happen, and that’s why I decided to seek help. Between televisits (no, not BetterHelp) and physical therapy for my chronic condition, it’s kept me busy. As of late, I now have two part-time positions that are taking up the majority of my time during the week, which is why I’ve had little time for reading, and having to postpone videos for the weekends. I’m trying my best to complete an online writing course, working on my stories, and reaching out to other avid readers and authors to hopefully get my podcast up and running again. When one door closes, another one opens. ‘. I’m trying my best to complete an online writing course, working on my stories, and reaching out to other avid readers and authors to hopefully get my podcast up and running again. When one door closes, another one opens.
That’s what happened as of late. One author was kind enough to reach out to me earlier in January, and had the publicists send me the arc of this recent publication. I was in the middle of reading and was hoping to hear back as this author was abroad and seemed to agree to be interviewed. Suddenly, I was told this author was completely booked throughout the year. I wrote them and the author back to let reiterate what was stated, and I hope to finish the book and be able to interview this author once there’s an availability. Out of the blue (literally), I heard back from another author of many months ago in silence, and we’re looking into a future interview in late July. (fingers crossed). Hearing back from this author in particular made my evening last night. Her first story is one of the best stories next toe Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”.
On April 4, 2024, the Audible Original of 1984 premiered. This audio drama- I can’t express how incredibly AWESOME this was to listen. I’m not a fan of audio book recordings, but this novel was “dramatized” by Joe Wight, and had the best performers as the main characters- my favorite actor, Andrew Garfield as Winston Smith, (the use of “exaggerrated breath” is his specialty to add emotional trauma); Cynthia Erivo as Julia (like the character “Trinity (The Matrix) she’s very direct and precise); Andrew Scott as O’Brien (like the late actor, Cyril Richard as “Hook”, sinister voice choreography on his part); Tom Hardy as “Big Brother” (Commanding Dictatorial Voice); I was just introduced to this actor-comedian, Romesh Raganathan as Parsons (character appears to be positive, but like Winston, very unsure of his position. Like Carol Burnett in “Friendly Fire”, I didn’t see this coming. A comedian has just as much power to make people laugh, and even more powerful to make people cry.) The music was cowritten by Matt Bellamy and Ilan Eshkeri- this reminds of music by Hans Zimmer- very apocalyptic, epic themed techno-orchestrations that build-up to cliff hangers.
I read this story to my former students, and so after listening to the audio drama, I decided to make a video combining both of them together. I introduce the viewer with a performance “hook” based on a rhyme the character Winston Smith recalled, and sings in this version. Then I go into the story, including how certain story elements relate to other sci-fi stories, like “The Hunger Games” and “Fahrenheit 451”. I then tell a little of my own history growing on the audio read-along stories, and the power of voice actors behind the microphone, both for audio and animated films. I then go briefly over radio drama history before discussing my review of the Audible Original premiere, detailing each actor’s unique theatrical power to their character, and a brief stint on the power of propaganda, a universal tool for empowering division amongst people. As I state in the video, “they pulled out all the stops” and this was “a stellar performance”. I give this 5 stars.
The last part I posted was the hardest for me. I just hope the right person reaches out as I got scammed twice, which caused me emotional trauma.
Come join me as I sing with my local choir, the San Fernando Valley Master Chorale, to Handel’s Messiah. Our artistic director decided to take an educational and interactive approach with this concert, and we’ve been singing high notes that will reach to the heavens. Here’s my latest promo https://youtu.be/w7HmPlMa8kY and you can also view the choir’s promo here at https://youtu.be/8rqShZYjbaM?si=2AUpDLGELaLADRlv. Tickets available at http://www.sfvmc.com
Hello to my fellow subscribers. My new email has been updated on the contact page. I need everyone to do a test and write to me at becca@becca-b.com. I’m still trying to configure the emails to subscribers, and I’m trying to make this as simple as possible. Whenever I send update, it’s still using my gmail, and I’m trying to change that. This would be a great help. Thank you.
Here is my first video of my books TBR list based on the book prompts of the PopSugar Reading Challenge. Come watch the video on my YouTube Channel because if you’re taking part in this challenge, I have plenty of book recommendations, and titles to share. This also includes about 5min alone of book titles that became musicals. Grab your pen, paper, and get ready to write down with me! Enjoy! https://youtu.be/hpPAUcHDcIc
Cabaret in the Valley: Disney Past to Present
Saturday, June 7, 2025
6:30 PM
Unitarian Universalist Church of Studio City
This year’s show features a sneak peek of our group number, “Trashin’ the Camp” from Tarzan, starring the amazing Todd Honeycutt.
Want the VIP experience? Snag a VIP ticket for:
A delicious Italian dinner of your choice
TICKETS ARE LIMITED — grab yours before we sell out!
All proceeds go directly to support the Chorale’s mission of bringing high-quality music and opportunity to our San Fernando Valley community.
Get your tickets, livestream access, or make a tax-deductible donation now at 
Becca B. | The Book Dragon 