Peter A. Balaskas - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Let's see: I'm a half Italian/half Greek from NY (been away for a while. Lost the accent, not the attitude. :)) who lives in LA working as a freelance camera tech and fiction editor. And as of August of 2007, I am also a novelist. My supernatural thriller, The Grandmaster, is now on sale. Check it out: http://www.bardsandsages.com/grandmaster.htmlI'm a people person who also likes his private time (I have to, writers need that. :)). I have a strong passion to pursue a series of dreams and goals (especially my writing) that I hope to accomplish. Although I do possess a kind of focused intensity, you'll see a friendly, genuine, and compassionate sort of guy who laughs at the insanity that composes our society.

My Interests

Fiction Writing and editing, movies, traveling, hiking, amateur (very amateur) photography, and collecting postcards that contain a particular theme and I make murals out of them. Any more? Well, as Number 2 said in The Prisoner, "That would be telling." :))

I'd like to meet:

I like to meet people who share the same interests and passions as I do. If you possess characteristics that include the typical, mental masturbatory, pretentious BS that LA seems to be saturated with, don't waste my time. I'm too old to deal with any kind of drama, except when it comes to watching a movie or play. In which case: Welcome,dear visitor! :))

Music:

I love all types of music except country (whiny love songs about falling in love with your own sister? Yeah, I like to listen to that.) and rap (bad poetry set to a beat). Progressive Rock: Genesis (both Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins as lead singers---hence the screen name. And if you know which album that's from, you're in on my list!!), Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel. Classic Rock: Beatles, Who, Pete Townshend, Police, Led Zepplin. Jazz: Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis. Classical: Beethoven. Movie soundtracks, especially when I write. And, I have to admit this right now, I have a guilty pleasure for Phillip Glass---again, especially when I write. Be afraid...be very afraid.

Movies:

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Paraphrasing from one of my favorites, High Fidelity, here are my "top five" movies of all time in ascending order: Smoke(You'll never listen Tom Waits' "We're Innocent when you Dream" the same way ever again), A Beautiful Mind ("Governing Dynamics, folks."), Raiders of the Lost Ark (The first and the best), Casablanca (Titanic, my ass! Now, THIS is a love story) and ..1: The Shawshank Redemption (Contains my anthem, "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things. And no good things ever die.) Favorite filmmakers: Martin Scorsese and the Coen Brothers. Favorite Sci-Fi: Blade Runner (the theatrical release). Favorite horror (not slasher) film: tie between the extended version of "The Exorcist" (a classic) and Guillermo Del Toro's "The Devil's Backbone" (a ghost story taking place during the Spanish Civil war. Excellent). Favorite comedy: Anything with John Cusack. Favorite musical: I HATE MUSICALS EXCEPT FOR ONE AND ONLY ONE FILM: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Any other favories? Ask me and I'll tell you. And if you know which movie my headline quote is from, you're ok in my book. :))

Television:

I used to like TV when I was a kid. Not any more. My limited list would be those that have already been cancelled: X Files, Millenium, Sopranos, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Dexter, Burn Notice, Doctor Who, Wiseguy, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, Star Trek (The original---I am NOT a trekker; so need not fear), I, Claudius, Rumpole of the Bailey, The Prisoner.
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Books:

I'm a writer, so it goes without saying that I love books. I like reading all types and genres; no literary snob here. Favorite authors: Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, Issac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, Stephen King, Richard Matheson, John Irving, John Steinbeck, Nick Hornby, Arthur Miller, Brian Friel and William Shakespeare.

My Blog

"The Grandmaster" reviewed by Midwest Book Review---posted on Amazon

Hey folks, This is really cool because after they review the book, they automatically post it on Amazon for you. Enjoy! 5 Stars---Author Peter A. Balaskas has proven himself a master of...
Posted by Peter A. Balaskas on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:58:00 PST

Death comes in threes again??!!! WTF?

This is one topic I hate talking about, but I can't believe that after my last blog about the death of three well known people (Anthony Minghella, Arthur C. Clark, and Paul Scoffield), another batch h...
Posted by Peter A. Balaskas on Fri, 30 May 2008 11:34:00 PST

The Official Website of Peter A. Balaskas

Well, my friends, after a few fine-tunings here and there, I can finally present to you my first completed website---at least, until I get more works published: www.peterabalaskas.com &n...
Posted by Peter A. Balaskas on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 11:42:00 PST

Ex Machina Press at LA Times Festival of Books---4/26-4/27

..TR height="100%"> Dear friends, It's been an exciting year for all at Ex Machina Press. But we are now approaching one of our favorite traditions: being an exhibitor at the LA T...
Posted by Peter A. Balaskas on Fri, 18 Apr 2008 03:00:00 PST

The deaths of Clarke, Minghella, Dixon and now Scofield---Death comes in fours?

I know of the old saying, Death comes in threes. But the last three days, they are either coming in fours, or two more actors/artists are about to die. First, there was Anthony Minghella, ...
Posted by Peter A. Balaskas on Thu, 20 Mar 2008 08:56:00 PST

Ex Machina Press at KCSN (88.5 FM)---3/14/08

Dear friends, On March 14 (Friday), 4 PM, Ex Machina Press co-founders Peter A. Balaskas and Mark D'Anna will be interviewed by Martin Perlich on KCSN (88.5 FM), "Arts and Root...
Posted by Peter A. Balaskas on Tue, 11 Mar 2008 03:11:00 PST

My Top Oscar Moments

Well, another Oscar Year has gone by. As I have done with the nominations, I shall proceed with my Top Oscar Moments. I can say this: this is the first in many years that I didn't ge...
Posted by Peter A. Balaskas on Tue, 26 Feb 2008 03:39:00 PST

The Grandmaster Awarded Top 10 Finalist!!!

Dear friends, About 2 months ago, I announced that Bards and Sages Publishing received four nominations for the 2007 Preditors and Editors Reader's Poll. My supernatural/Holoc...
Posted by Peter A. Balaskas on Wed, 30 Jan 2008 01:45:00 PST

Oscar Nominations---My Reactions

Well, the Oscar Nominations came out and there were a lot of surprises for everyone. And I have to say, I was surprised, in more ways than one. Let's go through the list. 1) "Diving Bell a...
Posted by Peter A. Balaskas on Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:27:00 PST

Peters Top Ten Films of 2007, and other stuff!

Greetings friends, Well, as the Writer's Strike continues to stymie the Motion Picture and Television biz---Go writers go! Go writer's go---it's time to give my Top Ten Films for 2...
Posted by Peter A. Balaskas on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 09:47:00 PST