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The Holy Grail of Personal Finance
Gustavo J. Gomez Author Interview
Private Money Lending is a comprehensive book that details the different ways someone could make money from their investment in private money lending. What were some key ideas you wanted to pursue in this book?
Every investor should know that learning to generate a consistent, substantial, and predictable passive income stream sufficient to cover your total monthly expenses is the ultimate goal for anyone who wants to retire early. In fact, creating a safe and consistent passive income stream is considered the ” Holy Grail” of personal finance.
My objective in writing this book was to present to potential readers the existence of a little-known but crucial area of investing. This area of investing is private mortgage investing. What makes this investment vehicle safe is the fact that the investment is guaranteed by a tangible asset, brick, and mortar, such as a house or a commercial building.
Under a worth case scenario, a real estate tangible asset will always retain a certain amount of value, which it’s something that can’t be said for stock market correlated investments that can simply evaporate overnight based on bad news. Therefore, the important aspect of investing in private mortgages is that it is a non-correlated market investment that works under all market condition.
Private Money Lending is the only book on this topic that is based on a university-level qualitative research study. The study demonstrated the power that private mortgage investing has in generating a safe, substantial, and consistent passive cash flow under any market condition. This investment can generate a 9%-12% return on investment (ROI) safely in addition to providing all the legal protections a first mortgage provides banks.
Typically, investors learn about this investment vehicle by happenstance; that is, by knowing someone who is a private lender and understands all the nuances of this type of investment and who is willing to teach someone else the concept. Private mortgage investing is an especially useful investment vehicle in low-interest rate environments, such as the current market we have been experiencing for the past 12 years, where you can only receive 2%-2.5% for a 1-2 years CD and 3% for a 5-10 years CD. These low-interest rate environments are always devastating for the retired or soon to be retired individuals living on a fixed income. There needs to be a safe alternative, and private mortgage investing meets this requisite.
I believe that with the use of the book Private Money Lending: Learn How to Consistently Generate a Passive Income Stream as a guide any potential investor will no longer have to learn about this investment vehicle by happenstance.
What is your experience in this field and how has that helped you write this book?
I learned about private mortgage investing by happenstance like most people back in 1992. Thus, since 1992 (27 years) I’ve been safely investing in private mortgages, specifically in commercial and residential non-owner-occupied properties. As a result of learning about this investment vehicle, I no longer invest in the stock market because I can safely and consistently generate double-digit returns with a higher degree of safety.
There are many different investment opportunities out there, why did you want to write about private money lending?
I wanted to write about private money lending with an emphasis on private mortgages because I believe this is an investment vehicle that can generate the necessary cash flow to sustain a comfortable retirement with much less volatility and risk than with stock market correlated investments.
Yes, there are many different investment opportunities in the market, however, the majority carry too much risk. At least for my taste. The approach I use in this book was to first describe the advantages and disadvantages of the majority of available market investments before making the case of why I consider private mortgage lending a superior investment vehicle.
If you are an investor searching for a safer way to invest you should ask yourself three questions:
- Would you like to generate a passive and meaningful income stream in all market conditions?
- Would you like to generate this income stream consistently?
- Would you like an alternative with less risk than investments subjected to the volatility of the stock market?
If your answer to at least one of the three questions is “yes,” then reading this book will not be a waste of time or financial resources for you. In fact, learning about this investment strategy will change your financial life for the better.
What are some common mistakes investors make when they first start?
For investors entering this industry, the most common mistake is not possessing the necessary education to be safe.
It is important to learn how to perform the necessary due diligence regarding the loans that you will be considering.
It is also important to physically inspect the quality and location of the properties under-consideration to ensure a safe loan. Investors should never make any loan simply because of the high returns they can garner.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website
If your answer to at least one of the three questions is “yes,” then this award-winning book is a must-read for you.
- This book is an important and timely research study that explores a little-known area of investing, which is that of private mortgage lending. The reason for undertaking the study was twofold; reason one is because, for the past 15 years, retirement portfolios had been devastated by stock market fluctuations, resulting from a greater prevalence of boom and bust economic cycles. It is quite possible that currently, another bust cycle might be unfolding, in spite of the Trump apparent bull market.
- The second reason is that of the adopted Federal Reserve policy of creating an artificially low-interest rate environment in an attempt to sustain the continued growth of the stock market and support of the current real estate recovery efforts.
- These two economic conditions primarily affect income investors because of the low yields being offered by the customary available fixed-income investments, such as bonds, CD’s, savings, and money market accounts (MMA). The combination of a reduced interest rate environment and increase stock market volatility has dramatically impacted the livelihood of the fixed income investor. Moreover, it has forced these investors to take greater levels of investment risk by incentivizing them to seek higher yields by investing in the stock market; in essence, the place that has created most of their financial problems.
Leather Horizons – Trailer
Misty Briscoe is ready to gracefully bow out of her successful career and bow in to an uncertain future. But her choices may result in a turning, twisting leap of faith.
Strength is one thing, courage another. Just ask Misty Briscoe. Her dignity has taken a beating the last couple of month’s She’d found herself at a crossroads of staying put in her career or returning home where her family needs her.
If only the choice wasn’t so complex.
Her workplace predicament with her married boss and her successful job in Chicago are anything but stress free. Yet, back home in southwestern Michigan, her beloved grandmother has recently passed, and now her grandfather has disappeared. Add to that, Misty’s best friend needs her support in the most unlikely of circumstances.
In the end, will she remain in the big city where she’s worked hard to attain a career or give it up and begin again at home where she has a sense of belonging?
From the spectrum of executive boardrooms to shadowy blue collar bars, secluded beaches, and dense woods, follow Misty on her challenging journey to find peace of mind, contentment, and a place among loved ones.
The saga takes a hard look at life from the classified agendas of friends, lovers, families, and enemies to the ultimatums behind closed doors. Come along for the ride through the avenues of indiscretion, loneliness, hope, secrets, courage, love, deceit, and integrity into LEATHER HORIZONS.
The High Court
![The High Court (The Sky Throne) by [Ledbetter, Chris]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51T6H9pWFWL.jpg)
The sequel to the wonderful debut series The Sky Throne, we find young Zeus struggling with forces from beyond Mount Olympus in The High Court. The book picks up after there has been a lull after the tumultuous events of the previous book, with Hyperion and Kronos both being tried for crimes and will be hopefully brought to justice soon. It is when these trials grow near that the school, which is already underway with a new semester, when giants attack and force the occupants to flee. Zeus in the meantime is poisoned and will have to find a cure, before he succumbs the toxin.
Ledbetter is not letting his heroes off easy in this next book and as is tradition with second books of a series, the stakes are even higher than before. It is clear that his style and refinement in the craft is better handled than in the previous book. The characterization of Zeus also seems to be maturing somewhat, which fits because the characters are getting slightly older as time on Olympus passes.
The world building of this series continues to amaze, since not since Percy Jackson has an author created such a self-contained world of mythology and used it to such effect. It would be derivative to compare it to the likes of Harry Potter or other classic series where the majority of action and story happens at a school, but Ledbetter uses this setting to his advantage at every turn.
The only true issues that come up in this book, is the pacing. It’s hard to say if this book is the middle book of trilogy or another episode of a series, since there are places where the plot kind of peters out. This is made up for the stylized action sequences, but it is still something to be wary of when moving forward through the narrative.
All in all, Ledbetter has written another great installment in his Greek mythology series and anyone who enjoys fantastical settings and compelling, fun characters would be remiss to skip this series. Looking forward to the next entry of The Sky Throne.
Pages: 334 | ASIN: B07F453DQ3
The New Holy Warriors
![The New Holy Warriors by [Sandoval, Alice ]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51Vf8QfGyZL.jpg)
The world as he knows it is crumbling around him. Marc Bravo has just seen the twin towers in New York City fall and terrorism is on the minds of every American and dominates conversations across the globe. September 11, 2001 marks the beginning of a string of events that will change Marc’s life in a way he could never have predicted. When his parents go missing from their volunteer work with Doctors Without Borders, Marc drops everything to find them and bring them home safely. What Marc can never predict is what he will learn about their kidnappers, their true intentions, and how the entire world may ultimately be affected.
Alice Sandoval’s The New Holy Warriors is a timely piece detailing the events following the September 11th attack on the United States. Sandoval takes the story beyond the accounts that we have all seen and heard and breaks down the symbolism of the event itself. In addition, the author lays out for readers a story like no other as she follows Marc Bravo on a quest to find his missing parents who are assumed to have been kidnapped. Marc’s story and his journey for answers is based on true events and is stunning in every way.
One of the most striking elements included in Sandoval’s work is the way in which Islamophobia is addressed. In a very straightforward manner, the author reminds us all of the horrific treatment of anyone appearing to be of Middle Eastern descent. Via her main character, Marc, she drives home the fact that stereotyping immediately following September 11th was rampant and a danger to countless numbers of innocent people.
Another aspect of Sandoval’s story, which might go unnoticed by many, is the description she gives of the strange incidents in the skies above Mexico. Marc is treated to an elaborate explanation of the event and is informed that UFO sightings above Mexico are fairly commonplace. As this book reads as primarily nonfiction, it is almost chilling to listen in on the characters’ conversation about these “cigar-shaped” ships. As an added bonus to the already curious events, Sandoval includes the story of a suspected relationship between the Mayans, the pyramids, and Martians. The casual conversation included in this story inspired by real events is not in the least out of place, but it is truly fascinating.
Sandoval does not shy away from sharing the abject horror involved in terrorism and the groups involved. With color photographs and blatant captions, Sandoval openly shows readers the brutality carried out by organizations like Al Qaeda. If there was ever any doubt in the reader’s mind about the capabilities and intentions of terrorist organizations, Sandoval wipes it completely away with one swift stroke of the pen.
The New Holy Warriors is a fascinating and eye-opening account of terrorism as viewed through the lives of ordinary citizens. Marc, his brother, and best friend are the vessels by which Sandoval delivers an amazing story readers will wish was just that–simply a story.
Pages: 373 | ASIN: B0784QR76B
Head Lines: Rebuilding a Brain – Trailer
Pheasant describes in an immediate way the experience of being in a coma and out of her body. She learns how everything in life is her choice, whether to live or to die, when she chooses to live, and that everything in her life has to be relearned and rebuilt. Join her and her mother, Susan, an accomplished artist, in the story of how she had to begin again. Read about the challenges and triumphs of recovering from, and living after, a traumatic brain injury.
Hoodie Black
![HOODIE BLACK: Some doors should never be opened by [Caspar, C. S.]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41J3WM1XDwL._SY346_.jpg)
Detective Alex Hunter stumbles into darkness after a drunk driver careens into his wife and daughter, killing them instantly. Off the force, two years pass and he lands in private investigations and the edge of the underworld. When Arthur Garland offers him just the kind of job he can’t turn down, all hell breaks loose. Not only is Garland’s past unsettling, he is also the owner of a new property Alex is buying on Crystal Creek. He’d been turned on to the sale by a mysterious figure so now with every nerve firing and red flags flying, the wiry detective has a mystery to solve – one that he is already in too deep. Discovering how this all started with a detective not unlike himself over a century ago does little to soothe his soul. Then, and now, the answer to the mystery of Crystal Creek may lay with a phantom man wearing an old black hood.
CS Caspar’s novel, Hoodie Black, starts out with a tone not unlike an autobiography told in first person. The supernatural, however, has already come knocking within the first page. Deft descriptions of street trash mingle with demons from the start, I was taken with this dark view of the world. With a distinctive noire flair, the tale unfurls smooth as a red carpet making it easy to stroll on in to this tale and take a seat.
Harkening back to the best Twilight Zone or Creepshow stories, there are ghastly legacies, surreal paintings, tales regaled and of course much of that creeping darkness to be found. And not to say that lightly, Hoodie Black starts out with so many of the genres fairest delights like this so it easily hooks any fan of mystery and horror. On top of all the modern notes this story hits, there is an ancient foundation like something from the Brothers Grimm or older fables, the storytelling quickly becomes deeply layered, making any reader curious how it is all going to converge and when. Truly one of the more remarkable tricks is creating tension simply with that idea – how will this converge and when – CS Caspar has accomplished this tension in the first fifth of the novel.
For some, the tiptoe between a hard-boiled thriller and fairy tale or religious elements may be off putting. The tone may take a little to get used to once the book is at full speed since we are so accustomed to being in one state or genre instead of three at once. For those that enjoy genre-bending dark fiction, Hoodie Black is a very fun read. Culminating in battles between the very ideas of good and evil we are taken between first person narration and a more comfortable third-person point of view. The landscapes and surreal time-bending lend themselves to being wrenched from one mode of storytelling to the other and this should keep the most finicky of readers rapt with attention.
Pages: 219 | ASIN: B07M74MVB9
Voice of a Crimson Angel Part III
![Voice of a Crimson Angel Part III: Remembrance (Reverence Book 7) by [Landeros, Joshua]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/513eiJNkKAL.jpg)
Voice of the Crimson Angel is the final installment of the prequel series to the ongoing Reverence saga. Joshua Landeros returns with all the sound and fury of his sci-fi military thrillers, but we find our heroine, Julissa Marconi, on the defense having lost to Chancellor Venloran previously. The resistance is going to have to dig deep as they find themselves cornered, unable to retreat and unwilling to give in. It will be up to either side or who is willing to sacrifice their humanity in order to win.
Landeros has continued to thrill and amaze with this prequel series, especially with the expansion of his near-future world. His characters are desperate and heroic, even if they give into their more violent natures. The action is brutal and quick, the pacing crisp and fast. At times, I was thrilled I’d read more than I had originally aimed, because I didn’t even realize how quickly pages were flipped.
Julissa is a fun character and one that I am sorry to leave behind as this series comes to a close. Landeros does a good job of making everything balance on a knife’s edge with tension and also does not shy away from wrapping everything up so as to naturally lead into his Reverence series proper. The brutal efficiency of our cyborg soldiers alongside their quiet humanity is a fun dichotomy and one of the reasons why this series remains so fun to come back to.
The only things I won’t miss from this, is the telling of a story that is already somewhat understated in the previous books. And I won’t miss Chancellor Venloran as an antagonist. Landeros has the skill to do more and expand even further into his world, so we should be able to leave this prequel series behind and forge ever on into the future.
Fans of Landeros will not be disappointed and readers who enjoy military science fiction or even political thrillers should be able to feel right at home here. Buckle your seat belts for a thrilling last ride with Julissa Marconi.
Pages: 248 | ASIN: B07F5LPD1S
All Your Fears
![All Your Fears by [Hodgson, Peter]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51BnVhSbjpL._SY346_.jpg)
All Your Fears, a novel by Peter Hodgson is a riveting story of a troubled woman. Kim lives in a small town in England. She works in a hotel cleaning rooms and lives on her own with her Labrador, Smarty. From the outside, she lives a regular life by anyone’s measure. Underneath the surface, though, there is unrest. Kim hears voices and has hallucinations. Only small clues are given about her past and personal life. Is Kim struggling with a past that is haunting her? Is she, herself being haunted by a ghost or some other sinister force? Is she strung out? Is she suffering from a mental illness? The answer to these questions unfold as the story progresses.
Hodgson has spun together a masterful work laced with mystery. I love a good mystery, and Hodgson kept me guessing until the very last chapter. Nothing can be taken at face value and no one can be trusted. I suspected everything and everyone. Is something really happening or is it a nightmare or hallucination? At times, the reader won’t know until Hodgson decides to reveal the answer. Protagonist, Kim, often doesn’t know the answers herself. She doesn’t know up from down or real from imaginary.
I got invested in the characters from the start. I got wrapped up in Kim’s story and her relationships with the people around her, especially Jay. The characters were well-developed as layers were peeled back a bit at a time. Hodgson keeps his cards close to his chest in some areas to build the mystery and drama. Anyone who has been shocked to find out something about an acquaintance will sympathize with the story. I think that fits us all. We have all known someone who turned out to be someone far removed from who we thought they were.
I like Hodgson’s style. Even without giving the book a first person voice, the reader will be able to get a feel for the characters’ thoughts and feelings. Dialogue and the exposure of personal thoughts lets you delve into the characters’ minds. I also enjoyed how Hodgson set the scenes of the book through his meticulous descriptions. He makes the reader “see” the old streets crawling between weathered buildings. He describes old cottages in a way that makes you smell the damp air. His use of language makes you feel like you’re there in the town with them.
Hodgson’s well-crafted sentences kept me interested from the start. It is an edge-of-your-seat kind of read. I’d love to read more of his work.
Pages: 344 | ASIN: B07L4SXNFL
LITERARY TITAN 