Monday, February 23, 2015

RiffTrax Interview with Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett! Plus What Are the Kargrandes, ColorIQ Challenge, Movie Trivia Answers, and Ninja News


Last week saw the release of RiffTrax Live: Sharknado. I was honored when Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett agreed to answer a few questions. These guys have been my idols since Mystery Science Theater 3000 and have been a source of laughter for over twenty years.



Without further ado, I present RiffTrax’s Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy!

1. I believe that BBC (Blood, Boobs, and Carnage) is the benchmark for cinematic greatness. What drew you to the greatness that is Sharknado?

BILL: Like you, the British Broadcasting Corporation.

KEVIN: The Three I’s: Inconceivability, Incoherence, and Ian.

2. RiffTrax is so freaking awesome and you riff such a variety of films, both good and bad. Are there any movies you feel are untouchable?

BILL: Of course. We would seem like monsters if we tried to make funny out of SCHINDLER’S LIST, HOTEL RWANDA, etc.

KEVIN: I’d say Schindler’s List is one we’ll never do.

3. Do you derive any perverse pleasure from watching your cast mates screw up their lines at a live show?

KEVIN: I derive even more pleasure in the artful ways that they recover and make the show even funnier for it.

BILL: I am too busy watching myself screw up lines.

4. What’s the strangest cosplay outfit you’ve seen at one of your live shows?

BILL: Someone actually pulled off a strange-but-wonderful version of the sharknado itself at our Sharknado live show. Big funnel cloud with sharks in it. A+!

KEVIN: I don’t think there’s a Torgo costume that doesn’t qualify as strange.

5. Besides Sharknado, are there any other ‘Nados’ you’d like to see the SyFy Channel ruin? Squidnado? Cownado? Scissorsnado?

KEVIN: Ralph Nado. UNSAFE AT ANY SPEED.

BILL: NicCageNado.

Thanks, Bill and Kevin! Special thanks to Jeff at RiffTrax who made it happen.

What Are the Kargrandes?

New clue today at What Are the Kargrandes? This is clue number seven – new clues every Monday until the release of Dragon of the Stars on April 7.

Sample Tweets for this week:

What are the Kargrandes? Seventh clue up this week- http://whatarethekargrandes.com/ #whatarethekargrandes #scifi @alexjcavanaugh

Solve the mystery by April 7–what are the Kargrandes? Animals? Weapons? http://whatarethekargrandes.com/ #whatarethekargrandes @alexjcavanaugh

And big thanks to Bob at Beauty in Ruins for his review of Dragon this week - It's still as fun and exciting as his first forays into space opera, but the darker themes and deeper level of introspection absolutely elevate the novel to a new level.


Ninja News

I’m at the A to Z Blog today, talking about the advantages of a theme during the Challenge.

Ella is a very talented artist and writer. She just had two of her hearts published in The Stampers' Sampler.


Julie Dao landed an agent - Tamar Rydzinski of the Laura Dail Literary Agency!

New Releases –

Apocalypse Weird - Immunity by EE Giorgi
When greed, mayhem, and a deadly virus collide on the high deserts of New Mexico, it's Outbreak meets World War Z in the deserts of the Apocalypse Weird. One of five books launching today from Wonderment Media.

Cassie and The Wild Cat: Host A Ghost by Pat Hatt
Find it on Amazon

Love, Lattes, and Mutants by Sandra Cox
Finding love is hard, even when you aren’t a mutant.
Find it on Amazon. Barnes and Noble, and Kobo

A Woman Ignored by TB Markinson
Find it on Amazon

Stephen Hayes has TWO stories in On SEX: 69 Hilarious Stories About Everything SEX.
You can read one of them HERE





Online ColorIQ Challenge

JE O’Neil posted about the Online ColorIQ Challenge. This was my score:



What did you get?

Movie Trivia Answers

Sorry, forgot to post them last week!
1 – Who played Erik in Erik the Viking? (1989) Tim Robbins
2 – What comedian voiced Reepicheep the mouse in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian? (2008) Eddie Izzard
3 – Who voiced Hiccup’s father, Stoick, in How to Train Your Dragon? (2010) Gerard Butler
4 – Who played Gimli In LOTR: Return of the King? (2003) John Rhys-Davies
5 – Who voiced Draco the dragon in Dragonheart? (1996) Sean Connery

Whoa!!!! Are you a fan of RiffTrax or MST3K? Did you pick up their version of Sharknado? (It’s 8.5 stars on the IMDB – the original version is only 3.3.) Planned your Challenge Theme yet? How’d you do with the Color Challenge? How about the trivia? And have you figured out the Kargrandes yet…?

Be sure to visit the A to Z Blog.

Monday, February 16, 2015

How to Become a Best Selling Author in Just One Week! Plus A to Z Challenge Theme Reveal Signups, What Are the Kargrandes, Movie Review, Ninja News, and RiffTrax Interview Coming Soon!

Best-selling author in just one week? Elizabeth Seckman shows you how…

I was a best-selling author bringing in over $13,000 a week in royalties. I could afford any house in town and could buy anything in the store I wanted. I was rolling in Simoleons!

Here’s how I did it:

I left my family and moved to a house by myself.
I quit my day job. To pay the bills, I left the bank repossess whatever they wanted to come in and suck up.
I quit taking daily showers, for the most part a good hand wash kept me out of the red zone. I quit sleeping. Naps on the couch worked fine.
I quit cooking. Grab a snack and get back to work.
I shunned all face to face encounters. When I was in desperate need of human contact, I made a quick phone call.
I didn’t waste time on classes or skill development. I just forced myself to sit and write for twelve to fourteen hours a day.
I wrote the same genre over and over. I got better royalty checks if I never tried to step out of my literary box.
I hired a maid.
I shut off the age progression feature in the menu setting.

It only took me one week to become a best-selling author on the virtual reality game, The Sims. Now, I know it’s not real life, but there are real life applications. As I look over the list, I wonder- what things would I sacrifice to be rolling in real Simoleons? Well, I could be talked into the maid. And if I could shut off age progression, well now, I’d have bigger news to share than a new book! Other than that, there’s nothing worth becoming a smelly, malnourished, sleep-deprived hermit for.

Elizabeth writes books and eats chocolate. Find her - Blog / Website / Facebook
Find her books on Amazon
 
What Are the Kargrandes?

New clue today at What Are the Kargrandes? This is the sixth one, and there are new clues every Monday until the release of Dragon of the Stars on April 7.

Sample Tweets for this week:

What are the Kargrandes? Sixth clue up this week- http://whatarethekargrandes.com/ #whatarethekargrandes #scifi @alexjcavanaugh

Can you solve the mystery before April 7–what are the Kargrandes? http://whatarethekargrandes.com/ #whatarethekargrandes @alexjcavanaugh

Movie Review

Mr. Peabody and Sherman
Based on the 1960’s series, it was updated for a new generation. However, it didn’t really capture the spirit of the original series. It was very odd, but not odd in a good way like the series.
The animation is all right. It does boast some great name actors for the voices – Patrick Warburton was the best, although he doesn’t come in until late in the film.
Overall, it seemed too long and the result is a movie that’s just ‘all right.’
Not recommended


Ninja News

DL Hammons has an agent - Sarah Negovetich of the Corvisiero Literary Agency!

New Releases –

Perfection by J.L. Campbell

The Great Time Lock Disaster by C. Lee McKinzie

Holy Ghost Writer has THREE new books out, including Where the Hell Did She Come From?

Wastelands 2 – includes a story by Milo James Fowler
Get it on Amazon




And coming soon – an interview with the biggest guests I’ve ever had on this blog: the RiffTrax guys!!! Yes, I scored an interview with them in conjunction with their release this week of RiffTrax Live: Sharknado.


The Great and Powerful A to Z Theme Reveal Blogfest!

Sign-ups for the 2015 A to Z Blogging Challenge are already under way. If you have done it before, you know how much fun it is (good for you!) and if you have not, this is your chance to give it a try! You can sign up to participate here.

One of the most burning questions participants ask themselves every year is: "Should I have a theme?" Themes are not mandatory, but definitely fun. They let your visitors know what to expect, and help you create posts that line neatly up from A to Z. They also have an added bonus: They let you participate in a whole separate blogfest! Two years ago A to Z participant Mina Lobo stared the Theme Reveal, and we thought it was such a great idea that we made it tradition. It is now our very own, grand and festive way of rolling out our themes together!

Here is how the Theme Reveal Blogfest works:
Sign up on the Linky list below, and on March 23rd (Monday) publish a post on your blog in which you reveal your theme, tell us why it is exciting, and give us a hint of what to expect from it! Then, once your post is up, use the Linky to visit all the other blogs announcing their themes. Enjoy!

This is a great opportunity for all of you to get a jump start on your A to Z experience. Sign up below, ready your theme, and post March 21st on your calendar!



Think you’d be willing to sacrifice a few things to become a best-selling author in one week? Getting closer to the Kargrandes answer? Seen the movie? Excited about the new books? Participating in the Challenge? And are you excited to reveal your theme…?

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Fantasy and Ghosts, Fantasy Movie Trivia, More or Less Science in Sci-Fi, Movie Reviews – Automata and Stonehearst Asylum, and Ninja News

Today I welcome authors David Powers King and Michael Jensen!

Fantasy and Ghosts: Combining Our Favorite Genres

Hello everyone, and thank you Alex for letting us “possess” your blog for a moment.

The top question we get asked is “Where did you come up with the idea for Woven?” It started as a dream Michael had years ago, getting crushed by a tree and becoming a ghost. When he shared this idea with me, I caught his vision right awake and asked if we could write a story together.

But we needed more than one idea. Thankfully we’re both super nerdy and had a wealth of inspiration behind us with such favorite movies/books like Stardust, Ghostbusters, The Princess Bride, Lord of the Rings, and then some, like one of my favorite ghost novels When Marnie Was There (btw, Studio Ghibli made a movie of it—geeking out—release it in the US already!).

We had to go even deeper than what we knew, so Michael and I researched everything we could find about fantasy stories that feature ghosts. We truly wanted to create something special that we had never experienced before, which manifested as an unlikely pair who set out on a journey to thwart death itself—besides playing a game of chess with him, of course (he cheats anyway).

If you’re writing, don’t just read/watch the latest, most popular story today and start writing in that genre. Read up on all you can find in that genre. Many gems and much inspiration awaits.

Mind your eggs, watch your threads, and get yourself Woven. It’s now available at any major bookseller. Thank you again for having us, Alex! You’re the best Ninja Captain ever.

Find David – Blog - Twitter - Goodreads
Find Michael – Facebook - Goodreads
Find Woven at Website - Amazon - Barnes and Noble - iTunes

Movie reviews

Automata
Antonio Banderas is an insurance agent investigating robots altering themselves and discovers a whole lot more.
You’ll see bits of Blade Runner and I Robot in this film. It’s a dystopian future and the outlook isn’t good.
Banderas is good in his role, but Melanie Griffin an odd choice in her part.
It all meshed together to make an interesting yet not great science fiction story.
Not quite recommended.

Stonehearst Asylum
A medical school graduate starts working at a mental institution and finds a horrifying situation.
Director Brad Anderson leads a stellar cast through an obscure Poe story.
This should’ve been spectacular, but it ended up just being interesting. (Seems I’ve seen a lot of ‘interesting’ movies lately.)
Watch for the great cast, and of course, for Kate Beckinsale.
But for a really great Anderson film, watch Session 9 instead.
Not recommened


Ninja News

Today at the Insecure Writer’s Support Group site we have none other than literary agent, Alexander Slater talking about foreign rights!

And thanks to everyone who visited my post on pros and cons of small publishers at the IWSG on Monday – and special thanks to all the authors who contributed.

Found this site courtesy of Medeia Sharif - Awful Library Books. It’s old, odd, and just plain bad books discovered at libraries.

New Releases:

Of Mist and Magic, the product of another collaborative music and words project put together by Samantha Redstreake Geary.
It features a lot of authors you know, so check it out on Amazon!

It's Not Just a Job by Al Penswasser
Find it on Amazon



And thanks for all of the Minion volunteers last week! Due to the fact I have a book coming out in the middle of the Challenge in addition to all the other insanity of the month, the co-hosts graciously excused me from tending a section of the list. In return, I promised to help them find Minions, so hopefully if you wanted to be a Minion, one of the co-hosts has already contacted you.

Heavy or Light Science in Your Science Fiction?

Susan Gourley had a guest post on Christine Rains’ site where she talked about balancing the elements in her romantic science fiction series.

Susan said:
Romance readers don’t want a long explanation of the physics needed for my hero and heroine to travel between solar systems and galaxies at warp speed.

You know what? I don’t think all science fiction fans want that either.

Now, there is high tech and hard science fiction that goes into the scientific details. And then there’s the other end of the spectrum, like space opera and adventure, that is very light on the science.

Since I write space opera, you can pretty much guess how much science I want in my science fiction. I don’t care how something works, I only want to know that it does. That doesn’t mean it’s not plausible or the author didn’t do his research. I just don’t want to read it.

How about you?


Movie Trivia

In honor of David and Michael’s Woven, we’re going for fantasy movie trivia. Name the actor or actress.

1 – Who played Erik in Erik the Viking? (1989)
2 – What comedian voiced Reepicheep the mouse in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian? (2008)
3 – Who voiced Hiccup’s father, Stoick, in How to Train Your Dragon? (2010)
4 – Who played Gimli In LOTR: Return of the King? (2003)
5 – Who voiced Draco the dragon in Dragonheart? (1996)

Answers Monday!

How many fantasy books have your read that feature ghosts? Seen Automata or Stonehearst Asylum? Want to learn about foreign rights? Know any of the trivia? And how much science you enjoy in your science fiction?

Monday, February 9, 2015

Geek Television Programs, Favorite Fantasy Romance Movies, What Are the Kargrandes? Small Press Pros and Cons, and Ninja News

What happens when the Ninja is overwhelmed with trying to write guest posts for his tour, prepare A to Z Challenge posts, and juggle several sites at once? He double books himself!

Today I have not one, but two awesome authors here to amuse you!



SAME GEEK TIME, SAME GEEK CHANNEL

I could name dozens of television shows that geeks love to watch. Goodness knows I've stared at the screen for hundreds of hours in the past year, I mean, in my life. Yes... What's trickier is picking out great shows starring geeks.

I'm adding a level of difficulty to this quest: I'm going to give you a type of show and the obvious nerd answer. Then I'm going to give you a show that you might not know about.

Documentary:
Obvious answer - Cosmos hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson. Who doesn't love Neil? He's the laid-back astro-nerd in a ship of the imagination.
Not so obvious answer – Globe Trekker hosted by Ian Wright. There have been other travelers on this show, but Ian is my favorite. Goofy, geeky, and hilarious, he travels to various places in the world where you get a peek at things other shows usually don't show.

Reality Show:
Obvious answer - King of the Nerds hosted by Lewis and Booger from Revenge of the Nerds. It's like Survivor for geeks, but with more video games and cosplay.
Not so obvious answer – Face Off. Artistic geeks creating awesome makeup for monsters, aliens, or whatever might be that week's theme. These are super talented nerds in their element.

Sitcom:
Obvious answer – The Big Bang Theory. This is probably where everyone's mind went when I mentioned TV and nerds. No explanation necessary.
Not so obvious answer – Community. It's by far geekier than the obvious answer. Oh yes! Watch it and compare. And it stars Joel McHale, a geek whom I loved since he hosted The Soup.

What are your favorite shows starring geeks?

About the author: Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She's a member of Untethered Realms and S.C.I.F.I. (South Central Indiana Fiction Interface). She has several short stories and novellas published. The Dice & Debauchery series is her first contemporary erotic romance.
Please visit her Website and Blog
You can also find Christine onTwitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Goodreads
Purchase Loose Corset here: Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, Kobo, and Ellora’s Cave

Ten Movies Similar to Fade Into Me by Charity Bradford

Alex, thanks so much for having me today! My newest story is a tiny bit scifi, a lot fantasy and definitely a romance. So today I want to share some fantasy romance movies for you to fill February with. I mean, Valentines is coming up pretty quick. If nothing else, pick one to share with someone special this Saturday. Here are 10 movies that have something in common with Fade Into Me

1. Princess Bride—when it’s true love there can be no other
2. Stardust—thinking you want one thing, but what you need is right in front of you
3. The Lake House—modern world, soul mates lost in time
4. Penelope—the true love that saves her is when she learns to love herself
5. Splash—they are from two different worlds
6. Somewhere in Time—he’s willing to do anything to be with his love
7. Simply Irresistible—love and magic, and food!
8. Brigadoon—there’s a vacation in Scotland
9. Practical Magic—using magic to find love
10. Timer—can you fall in love if you don’t find your soul mate?

What are your favorite science fiction or fantasy romantic movies?

Find Charity at her: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, YouTube Trailer, and read the First Two Chapters

What Are the Kargrandes?

New clue today at What Are the Kargrandes? This is the fifth one, and there are new clues every Monday until the release of Dragon of the Stars on April 7.

Sample Tweets for this week:

What are the Kargrandes? Fifth clue up this week- http://whatarethekargrandes.com/ #whatarethekargrandes #scifi @alexjcavanaugh

Solve the mystery before April 7–what are the Kargrandes? http://whatarethekargrandes.com/ #whatarethekargrandes #scifi @alexjcavanaugh

And there have been some great reviews so far, but this one really touched me. Posted by Charity Bradford on Goodreads, it’s a really detailed and thoughtful review, and I’ll share just a snippet with you:
I love that Alex writes complex stories that don't feel complex until you take a step back and really look at it.
That's talent! I mean, there is amazing technology laced throughout this book, but you never feel bogged down by it. Alex also presents these great science fiction themes in a way that feels fresh and new.
I write complex stories – that just blows me away. Thanks, Charity!


Ninja News

I am posting at the IWSG site today on The Pros and Cons of Small Publishers. I asked several authors with small presses to contribute and together we came up with a great list. Check it out!

At the A to Z Blog today is Tracey Lynn Tobin from No Page Left Blank. She chose a really fun theme for the Challenge!


Ian S. Bott has a website that features his artwork. If you’re looking for some awesome science fiction images, check it out HERE



Ava Quinn signed with Patricia Nelson of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. Congratulations, Ava!

New Releases -

Don’t Forget to Breathe by Cathrina Constantine
Find it at Amazon

Polar Day by Julie Flanders
Find it on Amazon

A Season of Change by Donna K. Weaver
Pick it up here for only .99 cents: Amazon and Barnes and Noble

Available February 11 –
A Jumble of 500+ Writing Prompts by Tyrean Martinson
Find it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, and Goodreads





Whoa! Still trying to figure out the Kargrandes? See some cool new books you want? What are some of your favorite fantasy romance movies? And what geek shows do you enjoy? (Face Off is one of my favorite!)

Don’t forget to visit the IWSG site for pros and cons on small presses.

I’ll be back Wednesday with some movie reviews, trivia, and a special guest. Plus – the IWSG site will be hosting our first literary agent that day!

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Plus Minions Trailer, Tomorrowland Concept Art, A to Z Challenge Minions, and Ninja News

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

My awesome co-hosts today are Gwen Gardner, Dolorah, Sarah Foster, and M. Pax!

I’m an even-keeled kind of guy, so I don’t have real highs or lows. With my fourth book coming out in April, there have been some shifts in these past few months, swinging back and forth.

The early reviews have been great–better than for any other book. I’d worried about this one since it branches away from the familiar Cassa universe and characters. It’s also told in third person from only one character’s point of view. Yeah, who does that? So far, so good though.

Of course, I see reviews for other books that talk about lush world building, intricate plot twists, and rich details in a multifaceted storyline. Crap. Yeah, no one will ever accuse me of deep, vivid storylines bursting with symbolism and Tolkien level world building. I’m the fast paced, adventure-style, and unfortunately more simple in my storytelling…

I’ve also read a lot of books in the past six months. Now, usually as writers, we start noticing our own flaws when seeing someone’s polished work. Which I have, but I’ve also noted some areas where I do well. I’m much better now at showing rather than telling; I’m good with character and relationship building; and I don’t overdo the details. Hmm, maybe I shouldn’t worry about the concern above…

My book comes out April 7, right in full swing of the A to Z Challenge. I’m a Challenge Co-host. I have duties and will be posting at the A to Z Blog. I’ll also be posting at the IWSG site. Plus my own daily posts. (Which are going to take about four hours each to put together.) And my blog tour. Will I survive?

Then my mood is back up again with the support and response concerning the What Are the Kargrandes? website. Thanks to those of you who’ve Tweeted about the site and spread the word. The site was a joint effort with my publisher and I enjoyed coming up with a new teaser fact for every Monday. We’re working hard to establish a grass roots effort and hope it pays off.

So there you have it. The ups and the downs. And what I am dealing with right now…


Minions Wanted!

The A to Z Challenge co-hosts need your help!

We are looking for Minions to assist with visiting participants on the list. Duties include visiting a small assigned portion of the list once a week and reporting back to the co-host any blogs that aren’t participating.

If you would like to be a Minion (you get your own A to Z Challenge Minion badge) leave a comment.

And if you’ve not joined the A to Z Challenge, please join us.


Ninja News

February 2 isn’t just Groundhog Day. It’s Lung Leaving Day. What is that? It’s the celebration of one woman’s incredible triumph over death. Learn about Heather’s incredible journey HERE. You can also watch a video about her life HERE.

Out now!
A Not So Humane World by Pat Hatt








Some really cool concept art for Tomorrowland from Blastr:



And just to make you smile, JoBlo featured the brand new trailer for Minions:



Can you help out and be an A to Z Minion? Like the Minions trailer? Think Tomorrowland will be good? What are the Kargrandes – figured it out yet? And who else goes up and down for similar reasons?
Plus - for some reason, not all blog posts are appearing in my Feedly reader. Some are showing up the next day even. Anyone else having issues?

Monday, February 2, 2015

Magic and Science in Urban Fantasy, 2015 February Movie Preview, What Are the Kargrandes, and Ninja News

Today I welcome author Dianne Salerni, who is celebrating the release of her latest book, The Inquisitor’s Mark.

Magic and Science in Urban Fantasy

When I started a book about a secret day of the week, I had to decide whether it would be fantasy or science fiction. Tying my story to Arthurian legends tipped me over to the fantasy side. But The Eighth Day was also going to have a modern setting, and since we live in a world of science, I had to account for that.

For example, I decided CPUs couldn’t detect the alternate timeline, and nothing with a CPU would work on that day. Then, I realized no time measuring device should cross the divide. When my MC Jax discovers that his late father’s Rolex stops at midnight every Wednedsay, his guardian, Riley, gives him a Timex to wind only on the secret day.

Riley’s watch ticked steadily until exactly twelve o’clock and then stopped.
The Rolex started.
Riley shrugged. “Every time-measuring device is affected by relativistic change, and a lot depends on the perspective of the observer.” When Jax’s mouth dropped open, Riley grinned. “Einstein’s theory of relativity.”

Between Book 1 and Book 2, I noticed a plot hole. If there’s a day the world doesn’t know about and electricity stops on that day, why doesn’t the food in our refrigerators go bad every week? So, I tackled the issue in The Inquisitor’s Mark. When my characters raid a McDonalds on the eighth day, Jax wonders why his hamburger is still hot.

“I keep telling you, Jax, it depends on the point of view of the observer. Time doesn’t pass for inanimate objects on the eighth day unless someone observes it passing. No observer, no effect on the object.”

What I learned about writing urban fantasy is that some of the weirder and bizarre aspects of science fit quite nicely in a fantasy world. Magic and theoretical physics will get an author out of almost any plot hole.

Find Dianne at her Blog and on Twitter
Find The Inquisitor’s Mark on Amazon and Barnes and Noble

Kargrandes Update!

New clue today at What Are the Kargrandes? We’ve had some good guesses already. (And no, it has nothing to do with the Kardashians.) New clues every Monday until the release of Dragon of the Stars on April 7.

Sample Tweets for this week:

What are the Kargrandes? Fourth clue up this week- http://whatarethekargrandes.com/ #whatarethekargrandes #scifi @alexjcavanaugh

Solve the mystery–what are the Kargrandes? http://whatarethekargrandes.com/ Dragon of the Stars–April 7 #whatarethekargrandes @alexjcavanaugh


Ninja News

Signups continue for the A to Z Challenge - you don’t want to miss the biggest blogging event of the year!

Don’t forget this Wednesday is post day for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.

New releases - 

Vanessa Morgan’s short film, Next To Her, was released on January 31.

Return of the Last Shaman by Roland Yeomans
Find it on Amazon

The Warrior and the Governor by Susan Gourley-Kelley
Find it on Amazon

Listen to Me by Patsy Collins

Love's Revenge, Means of Mercy #2 by Terri Rochenski
Sweet, Historical Romance




February movie preview

Here are the upcoming theatrical releases for February! As always, descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snarky comments by me.

6 –

Jupiter Ascending
In a bright and colorful future, a young destitute caretaker gets targeted by a ruthless son of a powerful family that live on a planet in need of a new heir, so she travels with a genetically engineered warrior to the planet in order to stop his tyrant reign.
Directors: Andy Wachowski | Lana Wachowski
Stars: Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Eddie Redmayne, James D'Arcy
Always a good sign when your movie is delayed a year. Oh wait…

Seventh Son
Young Thomas is apprenticed to the local Spook to learn to fight evil spirits. His first great challenge comes when the powerful Mother Malkin escapes her confinement while the Spook is away.
Director: Sergey Bodrov
Stars: Ben Barnes, Julianne Moore, Jeff Bridges, Alicia Vikander
Always a good sign when your movie is delayed a year. Wait, didn’t I just say that?



13 –

Kingsman: The Secret Service
A veteran secret agent takes a young upstart under his wing.
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Stars: Colin Firth, Michael Caine, Taron Egerton, Samuel L. Jackson
A violent British film from the BBC. Not the British Broadcasting Company, but Blood, Boobs, and Carnage.




20 –

The Lazarus Effect
A group of medical students discover a way to bring dead patients back to life.
Director: David Gelb
Stars: Evan Peters, Olivia Wilde, Mark Duplass, Sarah Bolger
Olivia Wilde can raise me from the dead anytime!




Think magic and science blend well? See some new books you want? Ready for IWSG on Wednesday? Any upcoming movies interest you? Any ideas yet about the Kargrandes?