Author Interview: Roland Sato Page

Welcome to the TRB Lounge, the part of TRB that helps authors and publishers promote their titles.

Today, we are featuring Roland Sato Page, author of Eating The Forbidden Fruit, for our feature, Author Interview.

About The Author

Roland Sato Page

Eating the Forbidden Fruit is a gritty fiction novel loosely based on true events in author Roland Sato Page’s life. The newcomer author delivers a personal journey into his rise and demise as a St. Louis City Police Officer. He takes the readers on a roller coaster ride of good ole family memories to the nightmarish reality of being a police officer indicted on federal charges. During his trial, he wrote memoirs as a testimonial of redemption. Roland’s case stems from the conflict of his childhood affiliation and his oath to uphold the law. What is certain is one can’t run from sin for karma is much faster.
Roland Sato Page was born in Brooklyn New York in a military household with a mother from Osaka Japan and a combat trainer father with three war tours under his belt. He grew up in a well-disciplined home with five other siblings. As he got older his family relocated to St. Louis where the author planted his roots and also pursued a military life in the Army Reserves.
Roland married his high school sweetheart and started a family of four. Roland joined the St. Louis police department were his career was cut short when he was convicted of federal crimes due to his childhood affiliation.
After enduring his demise he rebounded becoming a famed a tattoo artist opening Pearl Gallery Tattoos in downtown St. Louis Mo. The company grew into a family business yet another unfortunate incident tested his fate. He was diagnosed with Lupus which halted his body art career. However, with tragedy comes blessings. Roland’s sons took over the business and propelled the shop to a higher level. Roland consumed with depression began writing to occupy the time. With a newfound passion, he traded visual art for literary art.

You can connect with the author here:

Author Website  | Amazon | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram



The Interview

 

Welcome to TRB! Please give our readers a brief introduction about yourself before we begin.

My name is Roland Sato Page hailing from St. Louis Mo. I am a husband, father of 4, a person with too many past occupations, and I’ve been cursed and blessed during my journey.

 

Please tell us something about your book other than what we have read in the blurb?

Eating the Forbidden Fruit a urban fiction loosely based on true events form my past as a St. Louis police officer convicted of federal crimes because my childhood affiliation. A roller coaster ride of emotions drama, humor, and love. I put my heart and soul into this book. March 30, 2020 is the official launch date. Pre-orders available mid February.

 

Who is your favourite character in this book and why?

My wife because the many times when people said we would never make it and here we are three decades later. Strong as ever.

 

What inspired you to write this book? An idea, some anecdote, a dream or something else?

Well I was a quite fortunate tattoo business owner years back. I was diagnosed with Lupus, which halted my body art career. To make matters worse my mother passed away therefore I descended into a deep depression. My wife and kids encouraged me to find another hobby to distract me from my woes. I started writing discovering I had a passion for the literary realm. Quite therapeutic.

How long did it take you to write this particular book?

I would say seven months or more. The beginning was slow but once I open my heart the words flowed onto the paper. Now I have insomnia so I started on another novel titled “Skin Deep”. It’s based the temptations and desires in the body Art industry.

What are your writing ambitions? Are you working on any new projects presently?

It’s not about the fame or money. I write to maintain my sanity. Now I have insomnia so I started on another novel titled “Skin Deep”. It’s based the temptations and desires in the body Art industry.

Why have you chosen this genre?

I choose fiction to maintain the respect and privacy of characters in my storyline. I prefer to narrate life experiences that I have endured. So much easier to translate onto paper.

 

When did you decide to become a writer?

Once I discovered being a author requires a artistic mind it was natural. I traded visual art (tattooing) for literary art. I manage my depression so much better now.

 

What is your writing ritual? How do you do it?

In the privacy of my own home. Actually in my mom’s old rocking chair sipping on some maca green tea.

How do you prefer to write? On computer/laptop, typewriter, dictation or longhand with a pen?

It varies mostly on my laptop however sometimes I do a outline on a notepad. If I’m out and a moment pops in my head I will grab whatever is available.

Your 5 favourite books?

S.E. Hinton “The Outsiders”, Andrew Walker ‘Se7en”, Stephen King “Shawshank Redemption”, Alice Walker “Color Purple”, James Haskins “The Cotton Club”.

How do you deal with Writer’s Block?

I’ll take a drive with my wife even late night trips. We talk a bit suddenly unblock. Sometimes you got to back off not to rush it.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Write from the heart and stay humble. You have to keep a open minded to criticism and feedback. I’m still learning myself so I can gain knowledge and alliances.

Thank you, Roland, for all the interesting answers!


About The Book

Eating The Forbidden Fruit

A gritty fictional novel based on true events in author Roland Sato Page life as a St. Louis police officer convicted of federal crimes. A tale of karma, confession, and redemption. The author takes you on a roller coaster ride of his journey searching for the answer “Where did he go wrong?”

You can find Eating The Forbidden Fruit, here:

AmazonGoodreads | Website

 


To read more author interviews, click here.

If you are an author and wish to be interviewed or if you are a publicist and want to get your author interviewed on TRB, then please get in touch through direct e-mail: thereadingbud@gmail.com

Book Review: Dust & Lightning by Rebecca Crunden

Author: Rebecca Crunden
Release Date: 5th February 2020
Genre: Sci-Fi, Suspense, Speculative Fiction
Series: 
Format: E-book
Pages: 121
Publisher: Self-Published
Blurb:
In the near future, humans have gone beyond simple space travel. By the year 4054, multiple solar systems are inhabited, and taking a spaceship is as commonplace as taking an aeroplane.

Unfortunately, not everything about the future is so advanced. The central planets, led by Earth, have risen high at the expense of cheap labour on distant worlds. Dissent is widespread and arrests are common. Sometimes prisoners are released; sometimes they disappear without a trace, sent to labour camps in other solar systems.

When Ames Emerys receives a letter telling him that his brother Callum has died en route to the remote planet of Kilnin, he takes the first ship he can off Earth, desperate for answers. But the secrets Ames uncovers prove far more dangerous than he could have imagined.

REVIEW

★★★★

Dust & Lightning by Rebecca Crunden is a smashing sci-fi novella that combines elements of suspense, mystery, adventure and action, making it a complete package deal for all sci-fi lovers. This is my 6th book by the author and by now I have become so familiar with author Rebecca’s writing that it feels like visiting an old friend to read her books. I don’t usually go for the same authors unless I like their work which only goes on to say that Rebecca’s stories are always worth it. This one is a novella and very different from the other books I read by her as they were a part of the same series. Though, I hope that this one is the first in a long line of series!

Coming back to the review, I found the futuristic world in this novella very immersive and quite realistic. If I had to think about the future with space travel, this is how I would envision it – ultra-modern and highly advanced technologies in every way imaginable but equally low standards of humanity, therefore, this book felt very engaging!

The characters were well-built and very relatable, especially the main character, Ames. He was likely in a very unlikely way and I loved following him on his tumultuous journey. The writing was good and had a smooth and natural flow. The pacing was good and suited the story well. I liked the ending though I hope it is a series and we get to see more of this amazing world.

I’d highly recommend this book to all sci-fi and speculative fiction lovers and to those who haven’t yet read any books by the author (it’s worth a read!)

You can also read this review on Goodreads and Amazon

Book Review: Were We Awake by L.M. Brown

Author: L.M. Brown
Release Date: 25th November 2019
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Short Story Collection, Family, Relationships
Series: 
Format: E-book
Pages: 215
Publisher: Fomite
Blurb:
In each story of this collection, events make the characters understand that their world is not as it seemed.

In Hidden, the discovery of an affair between her father and aunt is only the start of finding hidden secrets for Hazel.
What it Means to Be Empty-Handed is narrated by a fourteen–year-old daughter of an alcoholic. Her denial and elaborate imagination starts to disintegrate when she lies to the wrong person.
In Crashing, a middle-aged woman lives a life of servitude until she hits teenage boy with her car.
A thirty-year-old murder takes its toll on the victim’s family in Walking A Country Road.
The stories are set in Boston and Ireland.

REVIEW

★★★★

A collection of exceptionally narrated and well-plotted short stories that depict the complexities of life. Each and every story felt complete and was very different from each other in respect of plots as well as their implications, yet the theme somewhat remained centric to the multi-faceted and emotionally taxing life one has to plough through no matter how much they wish otherwise.

I enjoyed reading all the stories as they were all well-written. This is my second book by the author (the first being Treading The Uneven Road The characterisation was flawless and I was able to relate to each and every central character in this collection. The pacing was good and I found the stories very realistic.

I’d recommend this collection to all the readers who want to take a break from their usual genres and try something new and refreshing.

You can also read this review on Goodreads and Amazon

Author Spotlight: Roland Sato Page

Welcome to TRB Lounge, the section of TRB dedicated to Book Promotions. Today, we are featuring Roland Sato Page, author of Eating The Forbidden Fruit, for the Author Spotlight feature.

About The Author

Roland Sato Page

Eating the Forbidden Fruit is a gritty fiction novel loosely based on true events in author Roland Sato Page’s life. The newcomer author delivers a personal journey into his rise and demise as a St. Louis City Police Officer. He takes the readers on a roller coaster ride of good ole family memories to the nightmarish reality of being a police officer indicted on federal charges. During his trial, he wrote memoirs as a testimonial of redemption. Roland’s case stems from the conflict of his childhood affiliation and his oath to uphold the law. What is certain is one can’t run from sin for karma is much faster.
Roland Sato Page was born in Brooklyn New York in a military household with a mother from Osaka Japan and a combat trainer father with three war tours under his belt. He grew up in a well-disciplined home with five other siblings. As he got older his family relocated to St. Louis where the author planted his roots and also pursued a military life in the Army Reserves.
Roland married his high school sweetheart and started a family of four. Roland joined the St. Louis police department were his career was cut short when he was convicted of federal crimes due to his childhood affiliation.
After enduring his demise he rebounded becoming a famed a tattoo artist opening Pearl Gallery Tattoos in downtown St. Louis Mo. The company grew into a family business yet another unfortunate incident tested his fate. He was diagnosed with Lupus which halted his body art career. However, with tragedy comes blessings. Roland’s sons took over the business and propelled the shop to a higher level. Roland consumed with depression began writing to occupy the time. With a newfound passion, he traded visual art for literary art.

You can connect with the author here:

Author Website  | Amazon | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


About The Book

Eating The Forbidden Fruit

A gritty fictional novel based on true events in author Roland Sato Page life as a St. Louis police officer convicted of federal crimes. A tale of karma, confession, and redemption. The author takes you on a roller coaster ride of his journey searching for the answer “Where did he go wrong?”

You can find Eating The Forbidden Fruit, here:

AmazonGoodreads | Website


If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author/book featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com

Book Review: Dreamsphere: The Day We Stopped Dreaming by Samson Tonauac

Author: Samson Tonauac
Release Date: 23rd September 2019
Genre: Cyberpunk, Sci-fi, Dark Humour
Series: 
Format: E-book
Pages: 143
Publisher: Moonshine Cove Publishing
Blurb:

Dreamsphere is a profoundly philosophic, chaotic, nihilistic story without heroes, plot, climax, or purpose; but with cats, flying pigs and meaning. An epic cyberpunk/science fiction tale about nothing. Life has meaning … does it not?

REVIEW

★★★

Dreamsphere: The Day We Stopped Dreaming by Samson Tonauac is a futuristic sci-fi cyberpunk enlaced with dark humour. The writing is raw and direct and mostly I didn’t mind it as it gave a unique edge to the story. The plot structure was okay and the story was good and in spite of being presented in fragments and a lot of head-hopping, I found it engaging.

The characters were obviously written with the intent of not being loved, but, as a writer myself, I think that it could have been done in a better way. Creating unlikable characters is one of the lesser-used tropes, but done well, it makes the story very interesting, but in this book, I felt the characters lacked personality altogether and that was a major problem for me.

Overall, I’d say it was an entertaining read and would recommend it to die-hard cyberpunk and sci-fi fans.

You can also read this review on Goodreads and Amazon

 

Book Spotlight: Eating The Forbidden Fruit by Roland Sato Page

Welcome to TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring author Roland Sato Page novel Eating The Forbidden Fruit.

Presenting… Eating The Forbidden Fruit

Book Name: Eating The Forbidden Fruit
Author: Roland Sato Page
Series:
Publisher: Pearl Publishing
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Page Count: –
Release date: 30th March 2020

 


Synopsis

A gritty fictional novel based on true events in author Roland Sato Page life as a St. Louis police officer convicted of federal crimes. A tale of karma, confession, and redemption. The author takes you on a roller coaster ride of his journey searching for the answer “Where did he go wrong?”

You can find Eating The Forbidden Fruit here:

AmazonGoodreads | Website


About The Author

 

Roland Sato Page

Eating the Forbidden Fruit is a gritty fiction novel loosely based on true events in author Roland Sato Page’s life. The newcomer author delivers a personal journey into his rise and demise as a St. Louis City Police Officer. He takes the readers on a roller coaster ride of good ole family memories to the nightmarish reality of being a police officer indicted on federal charges. During his trial, he wrote memoirs as a testimonial of redemption. Roland’s case stems from the conflict of his childhood affiliation and his oath to uphold the law. What is certain is one can’t run from sin for karma is much faster.
Roland Sato Page was born in Brooklyn New York in a military household with a mother from Osaka Japan and a combat trainer father with three war tours under his belt. He grew up in a well-disciplined home with five other siblings. As he got older his family relocated to St. Louis where the author planted his roots and also pursued a military life in the Army Reserves.
Roland married his high school sweetheart and started a family of four. Roland joined the St. Louis police department were his career was cut short when he was convicted of federal crimes due to his childhood affiliation.
After enduring his demise he rebounded becoming a famed a tattoo artist opening Pearl Gallery Tattoos in downtown St. Louis Mo. The company grew into a family business yet another unfortunate incident tested his fate. He was diagnosed with Lupus which halted his body art career. However, with tragedy comes blessings. Roland’s sons took over the business and propelled the shop to a higher level. Roland consumed with depression began writing to occupy the time. With a newfound passion, he traded visual art for literary art.

You can connect with the author here:

Author Website  | Amazon | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com

Book Review: The Latecomers by Rich Marcello

Author: Rich Marcello
Release Date: 15 January 2020
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Family, Relationships
Series: 
Format: E-book
Pages: 294
Publisher: Moonshine Cove Publishing
Blurb:
AN AGING COUPLE AND THEIR CLOSEST FRIENDS PIECE TOGETHER A LIFE-CHANGING PLAN FROM AN OTHERWORLDLY TEXT.
Maggie and Charlie Latecomer, at the beginning of the last third of their lives, love each other but are conflicted over what it means to age well in a youth-oriented society. Forced into early retirement and with grown children in distant cities, they’ve settled into a curbed routine, leaving Charlie restless and longing for more
When the Latecomers and their friends discover a mystical book of indecipherable logographs, the corporeal world and preternatural world intertwine. They set off on a restorative journey to uncover the secrets of the book that pits them against a potent corporate foe in a struggle for the hearts and minds of woman and men the world over.
A treatise on aging, health, wisdom, and love couched in an adventure, The Latecomers will make readers question the nature of deep relationships and the fabric of modern society.

REVIEW

★★★★

The Latecomers by Rich Marcello is a very profound, enriching and meaningful read about an ageing couple, which makes the reader question about a lot of things including one’s purpose in life. But more importantly, it shows us, beautifully and quite truthfully, how life goes on beyond one’s retirement and how we are destined to fulfil our purpose in life irrespective of our age.

It is a beautifully written book, with lyrical prose and with utmost sensitivity on a topic which many people avoid to even acknowledge. This book makes you think hard about your life, it’s valued and, as I said before, one’s purpose. It has a beautiful message wrapped in complex layers of philosophy made entertaining with a sprinkle of magical mystery.

I highly recommend this book to everyone who likes to read on subjects related to philosophy and life’s purpose. Also, people in their middle-ages and above are sure to relate to this book on a much deeper level.

You can also read this review on Goodreads and Amazon

Cover Reveal: Eating The Forbidden Fruit by Roland Sato Page

Welcome to TRB Lounge. Today, I’d like to welcome author Roland Sato Page, for the cover reveal of his upcoming book Eating The Forbidden Fruit.

Presenting the intriguing cover of Eating The Forbidden Fruit by Roland Sato Page

 

A gritty fictional novel based on true events in author Roland Sato Page life as a St. Louis police officer convicted of federal crimes. A tale of karma, confession, and redemption. The author takes you on a roller coaster ride of his journey searching for the answer “Where did he go wrong?”

You can find Requiem, Changing Times here:

AmazonGoodreads | Website


About The Author

Roland Sato Page

Eating the Forbidden Fruit is a gritty fiction novel loosely based on true events in author Roland Sato Page’s life. The newcomer author delivers a personal journey into his rise and demise as a St. Louis City Police Officer. He takes the readers on a roller coaster ride of good ole family memories to the nightmarish reality of being a police officer indicted on federal charges. During his trial, he wrote memoirs as a testimonial of redemption. Roland’s case stems from the conflict of his childhood affiliation and his oath to uphold the law. What is certain is one can’t run from sin for karma is much faster.
Roland Sato Page was born in Brooklyn New York in a military household with a mother from Osaka Japan and a combat trainer father with three war tours under his belt. He grew up in a well-disciplined home with five other siblings. As he got older his family relocated to St. Louis where the author planted his roots and also pursued a military life in the Army Reserves.
Roland married his high school sweetheart and started a family of four. Roland joined the St. Louis police department were his career was cut short when he was convicted of federal crimes due to his childhood affiliation.
After enduring his demise he rebounded becoming a famed a tattoo artist opening Pearl Gallery Tattoos in downtown St. Louis Mo. The company grew into a family business yet another unfortunate incident tested his fate. He was diagnosed with Lupus which halted his body art career. However, with tragedy comes blessings. Roland’s sons took over the business and propelled the shop to a higher level. Roland consumed with depression began writing to occupy the time. With a newfound passion, he traded visual art for literary art.

Author Website  | Amazon | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at  thereadingbud@gmail.com