Blog Tour- BEYOND REAL: The Complete Series by @zackkaps With An Interview, Excerpts & A #Giveaway! @thevaultcomics

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the BEYOND REAL: The Complete Series by Zack Kaplan Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: BEYOND REAL: The Complete Series

Authors: Zack Kaplan & Fabiana Mascolo, Toni Fejzula, Dennis Menheere, Vincenzo Riccardi, Jorge Corona, Liana Kangas, Luana Vecchio, and Jordie Bellaire (Illustrators)

Pub. Date: September 10, 2024

Publisher: Vault Comics

Formats:  Paperback, eBook

Pages: 160

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/BEYOND-REAL

The Matrix meets The Wizard of Oz in BEYOND REAL: The Complete Series, a mind-bending psychedelic journey through the nature of reality – and who we really are.

QUESTION REALITY.

When struggling artist June is injured in a severe car accident that leaves her boyfriend in a coma, she begins to experience strange visual phenomena. When June discovers that the world she considers “reality” may be a computer simulation, she must set out on a journey of possibility and peril into the metaphysical layers of the simulation to reach the world’s creator and save her true love from death.

Beyond Real explores simulation theory, the creative spirit, the nature of reality, and the struggle for self-determination.

Are we real – or are we living in a computer simulation?
What is reality? Is death an illusion?
Enter the world that is … Beyond Real.

Beyond Real, written by Zack Kaplan (MINDSET from Vault Comics) is joined by a slate of spectacular artists including Fabiana Mascolo, Toni Fejzula, Jordie Bellaire, Vincenzo Riccardi, Dennis Menheere, Jorge Corona, and Liana Kangas.

Collects the entire six-issue mind-altering and acclaimed series!

For fans of: Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Matrix, Alice In Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, What Dreams May Come (Richard Matheson), Promethea (Alan Moore & J.H. Williams III), The Invisibles (Grant Morrison), Flex Mentallo (Grant Morrison & Frank Quitely), Ghost in the Shell, Nonplayer (Nate Simpson),Permutation City (Greg Egan), Sea of Tranquility (Emily St. John Mandel), The Restoration Game (Kevin MacLeod), The Peripheral , Agency,and Neuromancer (William Gibson) ,Tomorrow, And Tomorrow, And Tomorrow (Gabrielle Zevin), and Neil Gaiman,

"Visually arresting. Unlike anything ... seen before. 10/10" - Kabooooom!

"As close to perfect as my be possible. 10/10" - The Pullbox

"A visual feast. 9.5/10" - AIPT

"Mind-blowing and visually stunning. 9/10" - Capes and Tights

"A sci-fi mindf*uck in the best possible way. 9/10" - Derry Comics

 

BEYOND REAL Virtual Tour Q&A

Okay, Zack!

You know that Elon Musk believes we’re living in a simulation as do some physicists, scientists, and philosophers (as Swedish philosopher Nick Bostrom hypothesized this theory in 2003), while other scientists, cosmologists, philosophers argue that NO, we aren’t “living in the Matrix.”  What do YOU think – and why?

This question was absolutely the inspiration of the series, but to find the answer, I took a bit of a step back. I don’t know if there are aliens or robots playing the “human” simulation, but what if we frame the question differently – is our path in life our choice or is some of it pre-determined? Artists create out of free will and whimsy, but science discovers the rules behind how all life works and operates. So, which is it: rules or free will. Personally, I think it is a combination of both. But yes, I do believe there is some pre-determination to life. Electrons spin, DNA splits, and gravity pulls. All life on Earth follows some pre-ordainment or programming. I have to think we are no different. And that implies some simulation.

What movies/television/books/video games inspired BEYOND REAL?

I think the most accurate combination is The Matrix and the Robin Williams film What Dreams May Come, which of course is a retelling of the Greek myth Orpheus, in which one lover goes into the layers of the Underworld to rescue their partner. But we really charted our own path on this one, and I think readers will find this story as unique as they come. It follows a young woman on a strange journey to the center of the “simulation”, so in the broadest sense, it’s very Wizard of Oz. Welcome to the crazy sci-fi journey down the surreal and artistic yellow brick road.

 

Who/what in the scientific or other fields inspired BEYOND REAL?

I’ve spoken a bit about determinism and simulation theory, but I think that’s where the research ends. Instead, this story really focuses more on the experience of a creative person going through the emotional trials of finding one self’s voice as an artist and creator. Learning to break the rules, learning to identify one’s own voice, learning to create for the love of it, learning to overcome doubt – all those challenges that we face as human beings when we take on endeavors to create. But in those challenges, then we layer on top that question – are we pre-determined to struggle, to be in pain, to question, on our journey towards creation. Perhaps.

 

Religious scholars, philosophers, physicists, and others have –for years – argued about and contemplated the nature of reality. That our minds create our situations/reality. And, to a certain degree, this is true. However, to what degree do you think that we’re creating our own reality, is it happening outside of us or … is it a combo of both? Why?

Beyond Real focuses a lot on this question. “Perception is reality”- the book says. You can walk down the same path, and one person can see it as a terrible and tragic tale, while another can see it as a testing moment of endurance and triumph. We decide through our minds how to view our own reality, and we are the only one’s experiencing our story fully. Our perceptions of our lives are our lives. And our protagonist, June Ward, is on that journey to discover just how to face her own life, her grief, her doubt and her pain, and how to make sense of it all. She’s creating her reality, and it’s a very moving thing to watch.

 

BEYOND REAL relies heavily on the base reality theory (For readers: “A base reality is the idea that there are multiple layers of reality, that progressively go deeper, until you get what reality actually is. Instead, what you experience is a very watered down version of real reality.” – which is the basis for Musk’s endorsement).  Each layer of reality is represented by a different artist – which is brilliant.  What made you want to create/write BEYOND REAL – beyond the above inspirations? What in YOU wanted to bring this forward?

Ever since I became a comic creator, I’ve been amazed how many distinct artistic styles are out there. It seems never-ending. Humans have created for centuries, and we still come up with so many different ways to see reality. And yet, when we think about simulation theory, it’s always very computer-based and Matrix-like. If reality is a layered simulation, why would it not reflect human creation more? It was this sort of exploration, combined with the idea of having different artists showcase different styles for each layer - that was why I really first took on this story. And that’s what makes it a true love letter to artists and creatives.

 

Any thoughts on how humankind transcends our current reality?

Why would we want to do that? Remember, our current reality is perception-based. Our reality will always be beautiful and horrible at the same time. You can’t have beauty without horror. You can’t have hope without fear. Life will always be complex and full of duality, but there’s no changing it or transcending it – we can only change our perceptions of it. I guess we transcend by loving the dark moments, because only with those tragedies can we have appreciation for the joyous moments.

 

Talk about your favorite (and least favorite) type of character to create/write.

Oh, I absolutely love characters like Beyond Real’s June Ward. This is my favorite. A strong-willed, complex character who has deep ideals about how life should be, who faces a world gone mad and a world that fails to live up to their ideals, and a quest or journey that gives them the opportunity to take on the world. The kind of character that says “screw you” and I’ll do this my way. A character who taps into their pain and anger and gets messy in it. A character that dares to question everything.

 

Is there anything else you’d like to share with readers/tour participants about BEYOND REAL? 

 

I would just say that the artists of Beyond Real deserve so much praise and love. Fabiana Mascolo, Liana Kangas, Jorge Corona, Vincenzo Riccardi, Toni Fejzula, Dennis Menheere and Luana Vecchio, and Jordie Bellaire, Mattia Iacono and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. These artists are amazing and they’ve crafted one of the most beautiful stunning graphic novels of the year. We are truly experiencing this powerful story through their eyes and their voices and I could not be prouder of the work they have done. Visionary.

Excerpts:

 

About Zack Kaplan:

Zack Kaplan is a break-out science fiction comic writer and creator of such comics and graphic novels as ECLIPSE, PORT OF EARTH, THE LOST CITY EXPLORERS, JOIN THE FUTURE, BREAK OUT, METAL SOCIETY, FOREVER FORWARD and MINDSET. He has worked with publishers such as Image/Top Cow, Dark Horse, Aftershock, Vault, Humanoids, Scout Comics and DC Comics. His first three series were all optioned for TV adaptation, with PORT OF EARTH currently being developed by Robert Kirkman’s Skybound Entertainment and Amazon TV Studios. Zack has taught screenwriting and storytelling at the International Academy of Film and TV, located in the Philippines. He currently lives in Los Angeles.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

 

Giveaway Details:

2 winners will receive finished copies of BEYOND REAL: The Complete Series, US Only.

Ends October 8th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

9/9/2024	Lady Hawkeye	Excerpt/IG Post
9/10/2024	Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt/IG Post
9/11/2024	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt/IG Post
9/12/2024	Daily Waffle	Excerpt
9/13/2024	Fire and Ice Reads	Excerpt/IG Post

Week Two:

9/16/2024	Comic Book Yeti	Excerpt
9/17/2024	@evergirl200	IG Review
9/18/2024	@sparks_books	IG Review
9/19/2024	@heyashleyyreads	IG Review/TikTok Post
9/20/2024	Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's	Review/IG Post

Week Three:

9/22/2024	@enthuse_reader	IG Review/TikTok Post
9/23/2024	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
9/24/2024	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post
9/25/2024	jlreadstoperpetuity	IG Review/TikTok Post
9/26/2024	Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer	Review/IG Post
9/27/2024	@callistoscalling	IG Review

Week Four:

9/30/2024	The Momma Spot	Review
10/1/2024	Edith's Little Free Library	IG Post/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post
10/2/2024	GryffindorBookishnerd	IG Review
10/3/2024	Rajiv's reviews	Review/IG Post
10/4/2024	Two Points of Interest	Review

Blog Tour- THE PINK DRESS by @jane_l_botkin With An Interview & A #Giveaway! @shewritespress, #clicksbymadison

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE PINK DRESS by Jane Little Botkin Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: THE PINK DRESS

Author: Jane Little Botkin

Pub. Date: September 10, 2024

Publisher: She Writes Press

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 304

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/THE-PINK-DRESS

For fans of Little Miss Sunshine and Secrets of Miss America, this memoir from a national award-winning author reveals the reality of being the first Guyrex Girl in the 1970s. Beauty pageant stories have never been this raw, this real.

Growing up in West Texas, Jane Little Botkin didn’t have designs on becoming a beauty queen. But not long after joining a pageant on a whim in college, she became the first protégé of El Paso’s Richard Guy and Rex Holt, known as the “Kings of Beauty”—just as the 1970’s counterculture movement began to take off.

A pink, rose-covered gown—a Guyrex creation—symbolizes the fairy tale life that young women in Jane’s time imagined beauty queens had. Its near destruction exposes reality: the author’s failed relationship with her mother, and her parents’ failed relationship with one another. Weaving these narrative threads together is the Wild West notion that anything is possible, especially do-overs.

The Pink Dress awakens nostalgia for the 1960s and 1970s, the era’s conflicts and growth pains. A common expectation that women went to college to get “MRS” degrees—to find a husband and become a stay-at-home wife and mother—often prevailed. How does one swim upstream against this notion among feminist voices that protest “If You Want Meat, Go to a Butcher!” at beauty pageants, two flamboyant showmen, and a developing awareness of self? Torn between women’s traditional roles and what women could be, Guyrex Girls evolved, as did the author.

 

Reviews:

“It’s about time the story of GuyRex (Guyrex) was told, and to have someone like Jane, who was the genesis to the legend of these two incredibly talented men, share it so beautifully is a treat for all. Reading the events of their pageantry has brought back many wonderful memories that truly shaped my adult life as well. If you had the opportunity to be a part of the GuyRex system—that is, if you were a GuyRex Girl—then your life was forever changed for the good.”—Gretchen Polhemus Jensen, Miss USA 1989, former Miss Texas, and former GuyRex Girl


“The great meaning of this story and what makes it a page-turner is how Jane came to peace with difficult parents and extraordinary expectations to eventually become a highly successful writer, but perhaps more importantly, a wife, mother, grandmother, and role model. Her story is one that will linger in my mind and make me want to know her. Bravo, Jane, well done.”—David Crow, best-selling author of The Pale-Faced Lie


“I remember watching televised beauty pageants with my family when I was a kid in the 1970s and Mama saying, ‘They're all pretty.’ But Jane Little Botkin unveils another view, one that shows how wild, western, chaotic, and sometimes downright ugly things were behind the scenes. The Pink Dress isn't a beautiful walk down memory lane. It's a wild ride through the turbulent 1970s, West Texas style. Here she is, Janie Botkin, taking the town by storm.”—Johnny D. Boggs, nine-time Spur Award winner and author of upcoming books Longhorns East and Bloody Newton

 

Jane Little Botkin Interview

The Pink Dress, A Memoir of a Reluctant Beauty Queen

For the readers: can you tell us a little bit about your book?

Growing up in West Texas, Jane Little Botkin didn’t have designs on becoming a beauty queen. But not long after joining a pageant on a whim in college, she became the first protégé of El Paso’s Richard Guy and Rex Holt, known as the “Kings of Beauty”—just as the 1970’s counterculture movement began to take off. Jane was the first Guyrex Girl.

A pink, rose-covered gown—a Guyrex creation—symbolizes the fairy tale life that young women in Jane’s time imagined beauty queens had. Its near destruction exposes reality: the author’s failed relationship with her mother, and her parents’ failed relationship with one another. Weaving these narrative threads together is the Wild West notion that anything is possible, especially do-overs.

The Pink Dress awakens nostalgia for the 1960s and 1970s, the era’s conflicts and growth pains. A common expectation that women went to college to get “MRS” degrees—to find a husband and become a stay-at-home wife and mother—often prevailed. How does one swim upstream against this notion among feminist voices that protest “If You Want Meat, Go to a Butcher!” at beauty pageants, two flamboyant showmen, and a developing awareness of self? Torn between women’s traditional roles and what women could be, Guyrex Girls evolved, as did the author.        

What was your inspiration for writing this book?.

While sitting in a hotel bar in San Antonio, Texas, I began to reminisce my experiences during 1972 when I contested in San Antonio’s Miss Texas-Miss Universe pageant. I shared my story as a tightly handled beauty contestant and soon had the women laughing at my escapades and overly exaggerated rendition of an East Texas accent. When I mentioned my handlers Richard Guy and Rex Holt (Guyrex Associates), nationally known as the “Kings of Beauty Pageants” and who dominated the Miss USA pageant scene for years, the agent’s interest piqued. Everyone was surprised to learn that I had been a Guyrex Girl, a term nationally trademarked later.

What I didn’t tell the women in the bar that night was that I had been forced to move from a dysfunctional middle-class family—from a controlling mother—into a theatrical ménage of high performers, also intent on managing all aspects of my life for one year. When everyone at our table agreed that I should author this story, I balked. They were not privy to the finer and darker aspects of my experiences, some typical of other beauty queens’ accounts. A romance novel author in our group asked the bartender for a clean cocktail napkin and a pen. The women were going to force my promise to write this tale. On the napkin, the writer scribbled, “I am worth so much more than I am willing to admit, and I am going to reach for the stars.” Reluctantly, I signed the pledge. When Covid restricted my ability to travel and research, I finally wrote the book.

What is your favorite passage/scene in your book?

I’m typically a historical biographer, so writing a comic scene does not come easy for me. This memoir is not meant to be funny—and it isn’t. But I found moments where some comic relief helped various serious, dramatic threads within the memoir. There is a scene in the book where, after being starved into having a 21-inch waist, and having two gay handlers (one OCD) watching every morsel of food entering my mouth, I cheated on them, like cheating on a boyfriend, during the Miss Texas America pageant. I enjoyed the results of my efforts preparing this scene. See below:

At 2:00 a.m., lights were out and our alarm clocks set for 5:00 a.m. I lay awake in bed with my stomach in a tight ball. It had seemed that the more our room filled up with flowers, the emptier my belly became. My roommates whispered about the cake downstairs. I don’t recall who made the initial suggestion. I’m certain my frustration about the piano and diet contributed to our shameful plan.

The four of us got out of bed and silently tiptoed through the hallway and down the stairs, quiet as pantry mice. Except for muted emergency lights leading toward the front exit, the foyer was dim. The Texas cake beckoned us in the darkness.

Someone found forks from the other food-laden tables, and we carefully unwrapped the huge cake, trying not to smear the frosted lettering. We didn’t bother to cut pieces but gouged our forks into the geographical areas we each represented. I am not ashamed to say, I devoured ALL of West Texas—the true West Texas. Still not satisfied, I announced that since the other girls were from primarily North and South Texas, I claimed the Panhandle as well. After all, I had been born there, in the “town without a toothache”! I savored the sugary frosting, gorging on cake from Dalhart south to Big Spring, then Muleshoe east to Childress. Only then was I satiated.

The next morning, Wednesday, July 7, the last syllable of a typically monosyllabic word soared upstairs to our ears. We could hear a girl downstairs screaming in her East Texas accent, “My ca-ake! My ca-ake!” Coincidentally, East Texas crumbs were all that remained on the banquet table.

My cohorts in crime and I smirked at each other as we passed by the cake’s remains on our way to breakfast in the cafeteria. Shrugging away my guilt, I forced some eggs down my throat since the sugar high from the night’s activity had not subsided.

Note: In another comic scene with these two men, Guy and Rex took me to a Juárez, Mexico, bar where Miss El Paso was “performing.” You’ll have to read the book to see what happened. My handlers Richard Guy and Rex Holt were my salvation by the end of the book.

  

What kind of research did you have to do for the story?

Since this is a memoir, I didn’t have to do much research. I did investigate what happened to some of the people involved in the narrative. I already had a volume of documents, newspaper articles, photos, etc., in my possession just waiting to be used for the story.

What are you working on now?

Currently I am writing The Breath of a Buffalo, a biography of Mary (Molly) Ann Goodnight, wife of famed cattleman Charles Goodnight. Mary’s actions saved the southern bison herd from being extinct. If you are not familiar with Charles Goodnight, think Lonesome Dove the movie, book written by Larry McMurtry. The character Captain Call played by Tommy Lee Jones was based on Charles Goodnight. Mary is the more interesting person to me.

 

Lightning Round Getting to Know You Questions

 

What are you reading right now? Or what do you have on your TBR that you’re dying to read?

I have a stack of books to read. Some reads are for my reviews of other authors’ books. Some titles are just for my pleasure. I have really enjoyed reading Randi Samuelson-Brown’s Branded series from Wolfpack publishing and Kimberly Burns’ historical fiction biographies, especially The Redemption of Mattie Silks. After teaching high school English for thirty years, I have read most all the classics hundreds of times. Now I often look for a book where I don’t have to think. The above-named books take the reader away from his or her present quite well.

Currently I am rereading my own manuscript on Mary Ann Goodnight. I can’t fill my brain with other authors’ works while I’m writing.

I’m crazy about history – nonfiction and historical fiction, both! 

My favorite books are

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurry, and All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy.

 

Favorite social media site?

Currently I rely on Facebook a lot! I’m using Instagram much more than I did. I hate Twitter, the format. I’m an author who has a difficult time being concise. But I’m working on it. FB has more flexibility.

 

Favorite Superhero or Villain?

I always prefer the villains, especially those who have redeeming traits. But I will have to say Lady Macbeth is the worst villain, with nothing redeeming about her! In fact, not a very dynamic character at all. Just pure evil and manipulative to get what she wants no matter the cost. Guess William Shakespeare didn’t want to create any of redeeming qualities using blank verse!

 

Favorite TV show?

I’m a news junkie likely because the news is constantly changing. I will binge watch a Netflix series when I need a distraction but almost never mainstream television shows. None of the series are my favorites. When I am in book preparation, only part of my brain can follow television. I promise I am not a boring person! I’m just always engaged… 😊

 

Sweet or Salty?

Both. When I write, give me red wine and dark chocolate with nuts to go alongside my computer. Writing is NOT healthy for the body.

 

Any Phobias?

I am acrophobic! Weird since I can ride a ski lift to a mountain summit, but try to get me near the Grand Canyon rim, and my knees go weak. I must clutch the ground. One time, knowing my phobia, my husband parked atop the bridge going over the Rio Grande Gorge. I panicked and had to go to the floorboard, sick. I could not even look at the window.

 

Song you can’t get enough of right now?

I will listen to anything hard rock, like Van Halen (No, I’m not a head banger) or instrumental piano or other strings, like The Piano Guys. I have eclectic tastes and must have music playing all the time. I’m learning to like some western music.

           

2024 Movie you’re most looking forward to?

I was looking forward to Kevin Costner’s Horizon. However, I just learned that there are several historical errors in context, dialogue, costuming, and American Indian portrayal. That is the curse of being a historian. One can’t help but see the mistakes, which ruins the viewing experience. Same thing when reading historical fiction. I expect the historical context to be accurate or I’m no longer interested. 

 

Do you play video games? If so what are some of your favorites?

I used to play video games with my husband and sons. No longer now that I have grandsons. Can’t seem to get them off their pads! What ever happened to reading books? Gaming and tablets are killing reading.

 

About Jane Little Botkin:

National award–winning author Jane Little Botkin melds personal narratives of American families often with compelling stories of western women. A member of Western Writers of America since 2017, Jane judges entries for the WWA's prestigious Spur Award, reviews new releases, and writes articles for various magazines. Her books have won numerous awards, including two Spur Awards, two Caroline Bancroft History Prizes, and the Barbara Sudler Award; she has also been a finalist for the Women Writing the West’s Willa Literary Award and Sarton Book Award. She is currently working on a biography of Mary Ann (Molly) Goodnight for the University of Oklahoma Press. Jane blissfully escapes into her literary world in the remote White Mountain Wilderness near Nogal, New Mexico. 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE PINK DRESS, US Only.

Ends September 24th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

9/9/2024	Fire and Ice Reads	Guest Post/IG Post
9/9/2024	Lady Hawkeye	Guest Post/IG Post
9/10/2024	The Momma Spot	Excerpt
9/10/2024	Edith's Little Free Library	IG Post/TikTok Post
9/11/2024	Two Chicks on Books	Interview/IG Post
9/11/2024	Daily Waffle	Excerpt
9/12/2024	Fire and Ice Reads	Excerpt/IG Post
9/12/2024	@dharashahauthor	IG Post
9/13/2024	Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt/IG Post
9/13/2024	Rajiv's reviews	Review/IG Post

Week Two:

9/16/2024	GryffindorBookishnerd	IG Review
9/16/2024	anitralovesbooksanddogs	IG Review
9/17/2024	@stargirls.magical.tale	IG Review
9/17/2024	Deal sharing aunt	Review/IG Post
9/18/2024	@callistoscalling	IG Review
9/18/2024	@amysbookshelf82	IG Review
9/19/2024	@enjoyingbooksagain	IG Review
9/19/2024	thefashionistfiles	Review/IG Post
9/19/2024	One More Exclamation	Review/IG Post
9/20/2024	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post
9/20/2024	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post