[BLOG TOUR: GUEST POST] The Gathering by Bernadette Giacomazzo @annecarter @bg_writes_stuff

Hi guys! I am very happy to be a part of the blog tour for The Gathering by Bernadette Giacomazzo and share with you a guest post by the author!

S Y N O P S I S

The Uprising Series tells the story of three freedom fighters and their friends in high — and low — places that come together to overthrow a vainglorious Emperor and his militaristic Cabal to restore the city, and the way of life, they once knew and loved.

In The Gathering, Jamie Ryan has defected from the Cabal and has joined his former brothers-in-arms — BasilePerrinault and KanoaShinomura — to form a collective known as The Uprising. When an explosion leads to him crossing paths with Evanora Cunningham — a product of Jamie’s past — he discovers that The Uprising is bigger, and more important, than he thought.

The Gathering: The Soundtrack To My Book

By: Bernadette Giacomazzo

Different writers, no doubt, have different ways of getting inspired to write. Some work in perfect silence, some work with the radio on, some work with the television on, and still others work amidst the chaos and the rubble of typical city life.

For me, however, writing my book The Gathering – the first in a six-part dystopian fiction series called The Uprising series – involved listening to some music that shaped, not only the soundtrack of my life, but the direction of the book itself.

Before I wrote The Gathering, I was known as a non-fiction writer. Specifically, I’d made my name as an entertainment journalist, with my work featured in the likes of People, Us Weekly, The Los Angeles Times, The NY Post, and a whole lot more.

But even before all those lovely credentials, I got my “big break” on the New York City rock music scene, and it was here that I heard some of the best music I’d ever heard in my life…music that holds up to this day, nearly 20 years after the fact. (Am I dating myself here?)

It was this music that I listened to as I wrote this book, and I even make some references to the music throughout the book.

For your reading – and listening! – pleasure, I’ve enclosed some of the songs here. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Fixer – Home Again

Fixer was a four-piece rock band from New York City that played some “balls-to-the-wall” rock’n’roll that was a mix between Guns N’Roses and the New York Dolls. They would frequently close their concerts with this song, and it’s easy to see why.

https://www.shazam.com/track/58007582/home-again

Fixer – Tuxedo

When they didn’t end their show with “Home Again,” they would end it with this song. Incidentally, this song first premiered in an acoustic setting back on November 29, 2000 –my 23^rd birthday – at CB’s Gallery, which was the acoustic offshoot of the legendary CBGB’s, and was literally right next door to the venerated rock venue.

https://www.shazam.com/track/58007580/tuxedo

Status Joe – Water to Wine

As good as Fixer was at the straight ahead rock’n’roll songs, they weren’t as good at the love songs. So, in the book, when Jamie/Ivan is singing his heart out to Angelique, he’s referencing this song from Long Island based band Status Joe. (Incidentally, the lead singer, Phil Richards, has a new band called Crash Transit.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJCIYSngJzM

I would like to thank Bernadette for taking the time out of her schedule to write a guest post for Breathing Through Pages! Make sure to check out other book bloggers on this blog tour!

Bernadette R. Giacomazzo is a multi-hyphenate in the truest sense of the word: an editor, writer, photographer, publicist, and digital marketing specialist who has demonstrated an uncanny ability to thrive in each industry with equal aplomb. Her work has been featured in Teen Vogue, People, Us Weekly, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, and many, many more. She served as the news editor of Go! NYC Magazine for nearly a decade, the executive editor of LatinTRENDS Magazine for five years, the eye candy editor of XXL Magazine for two years, and the editor-at-large at iOne/Zona de Sabor for two years. As a publicist, she has worked with the likes of Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and his G-Unit record label, rapper Kool G. Rap, and various photographers, artists, and models. As a digital marketing specialist, Bernadette is Google Adwords certified, has an advanced knowledge of SEO, PPC, link-building, and other digital marketing techniques, and has worked for a variety of clients in the legal, medical, and real estate industries.

Based in New York City, Bernadette is the co-author of Swimming with Sharks: A Real World, How-To Guide to Success (and Failure) in the Business of Music (for the 21st Century), and the author of the forthcoming dystopian fiction series, The Uprising. She also contributed a story to the upcoming Beyonce Knowles tribute anthology, The King Bey Bible, which will be available in bookstores nationwide in the summer of 2018.

Find her on: Website and Twitter