Monday, January 28, 2013

Liesel Hill and Action Movie Villains, Major Ninja News, A to Z Sign-ups Coming, T-Shirt and CassaStar Winners, and the Re-Introduce Myself Blogfest

The awesome Liesel K. Hill is visiting today as part of her tour for Persistence of Vision. It has a fascinating premise and comes out Tuesday, January 29. Liesel blogs at Musings on Fantasia and she’s here to discuss action movie villains.

Top 5 Ways You Know You’re an Action Movie Villain

A few months ago I saw the amazing film Skyfall. May be the best Bond film I’ve ever seen (not that I’ve seen a lot of the older films). There’s a scene in the film where Bond chases Silva (Javier Bardem’s excellent villain), leaping over heavy machinery, sprinting across rooftops and lots of other Bond-y stuff. Eventually they run through the subway. At that point, Bond loses sight Silver. Until he glances to his left. Silver has left a door open, though which Bond follows. It made me smile. I mean, a guy as smart and determined as Silver just happens to leave a door open behind him? Maybe it’s just the innate idiocy of villains, but it got me thinking about attributes of action movie villains. They actually aren’t that hard to pick out of a crowd.

Top 5 Ways You Know You’re an Action Movie Villain:
1 - You think everything is funny! “I’m winning.” Huh-huh-huh. “People are dying.” Huh-huh-huh. “My arm hurts.” Huh-huh-huh.
2 - Just when it looks like you might win, you do something hair-brained like forgetting to shut the door behind you or not figuring out who the true owner of the Elder wand is. I mean, if you’re going to be villainous, shouldn’t you at least try to pull Cs in problem-solving class?
3 - You believe things that have happened to you in the best are awesome excuses for murder, rape, plunder, and all-around world domination. Let’s face it: everyone’s got a sob story, but most people don’t become douche bags. You, on the other hand…
4 - You’re creepy. No really! Stop for a minute to evaluate your own creep factor. Do you, for example, breathe really loudly (hol-puh, hol-puh), sport a detachable jaw (like Silver), practice a smile that’s insincere and just a bit too wide, or have a habit of licking your fingers and smoothing down your eyebrow hairs? If you are guilty of these or any similar quirks, I hate to break it to you my friend but YOU…are creepy.
5 - You have an overwhelming and inexplicable drive to pit yourself against awesome, heroic guys (or gals). I mean seriously! Anyone who honestly believes they can take on the likes of James Bond and win must have repeated third grade at least twice. Tell me I’m wrong!

So, if you encapsulate one or all of the above traits, you may be ideally suited to the (short and bitter) life of an action movie villain. Support groups held every other Thursday at the WTF Rec Center in New York. For more info, call 1-800-2BIFF-IT.

Happy Monday, Everyone!

Find Liesel and her series on Her Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads


Ninja News

Tuesday I’m appearing at Shelly’s The Life of a Novice Writer. Be sure to stop by as I discuss nosh with two hungry pups.

Rick at The Writer and the White Cat just announced a new magazine that focuses on young adult science fiction, Beyond Centauri. You can get a copy at White Cat Publications.
Rick also blames me for sending him down the science fiction path. Guilty and proud of it!

One of Milo James Fowler’s Captain Quasar stories is featured in the upcoming anthology, Raygun Chronicles: Space Opera for a New Age. It features authors such as Mike Resnick and Dean Wesley Smith, and pre-orders and donations will help fund the book.
Milo also posted the perfect definition of space opera and why he enjoys it, and I couldn’t agree more.
Congratulations, Milo!

David Powers King just signed a publishing deal with Cedar Fort Publishing! He and co-author Michael R. Jensen will see the release of Woven, a young adult fantasy, in November of this year.
Congratulations, David! Your life will never be the same…

And as for Friday’s question, yes, it really was like comparing apples to oranges and it’s almost impossible to say which is ‘better.’ Not surprising, the voting was pretty much split anyway.

A to Z Sign up opens Wednesday!

The sign up list will be posted here Wednesday morning, along with a brief description of how the Challenge works. It’s the biggest blogging event of the year and you don’t want to miss it. We also have tips posted at the A to Z Blog.

Ninja Army T-shirt and CassaStar Winners!

Winner of a copy of CassaStar - Yvonne Lewis!

Winner of the Ninja Army t-shirt - Julie Dao!

Congratulations, ladies!!

Thanks again to Jeremy Hawkins for designing the t-shirt. You can purchase Ninja Army and others at NEATORAMA.

Re-Introduce Myself Blogfest

Hosted by Stephen, Mark, Elise, and CM.


So, allow me to re-introduce myself…

I’m Ninja Captain Alex.
Author of Amazon Best Sellers CassaStar and CassaFire (CassaStorm comes out this September)
Founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group (which posts every first Wednesday)
Co-host of the A to Z Challenge
Musician and guitar player (I play in a band)
Movie geek and NetFlix junkie
Devoted husband and Christian
Basically I’m just a dude trying to support his friends any way possible

And I may or may not have clones…

Also for my new followers, let me introduce you to Byron - this is the book trailer for CassaFire. Yes, I still think it rocks!



Do you think you’re an action movie villain? Picking up Rick’s new magazine or Milo’s anthology? Ready for Wednesday’s sign A to Z sign-up? (Don’t forget it’s also movie quote day – light fantasy.) Visiting the Netorama shop? And how would you introduce yourself?

And if you’re reading this on Tuesday, stop by The Life of a Novice Writer.

199 comments:

Cynthia said...

That's great news about David's next big step. I'll have to stop over at his blog to congratulate him.

I'm looking forward to doing A to Z again this year. I'd already marked Jan 30 on my planner. Seriously!

Nice to re-meet you again. Good thing that you mentioned IWSG...that reminds me I have to get moving on my next post!

Elise Fallson said...

Nice re-meeting you Ninja Captain! Awesome news about DPK and congrats to Julie for scoring a ninja t-shirt!

Unknown said...

The Action Hero sounds just like me! Hmm, I might have a new career here. And awesome to remeet you. I'll have to get on and watch your trailer. I'm guessing it's epic.

Anonymous said...

As always your blog is always the hub as to what is going on. I was flabbergasted to learn I'd won your book. Thank you.

Been working on my A to Z theme over the week-end and all ready to sign up on Wednesday.

Have a good day,
Yvonne.

Sean McLachlan said...

Congratulations David!

Mark Koopmans said...

Thrilled (it's going up my leg!!!) to hear the DPK news: (His name is David - and he'll be published soon:)

Thanks for re-sharing about you, too :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Cynthia, wise to mark your calendar!

Imogen, I thought it was!

Yvonne, you won - congratulations!

Mark, that's right!

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Love the action movie villain list! :) Especially that they think everything is funny.

Nice reintroduction, Alex!

Unknown said...

Wow, congratulations David Powers King on signing a publishing deal! Really exciting.

And nice to re-meet you, Ninja Captain Alex.

J.L. Campbell said...

Liesel's cover is big on creep factor. Interesting signs of action movie syndrome. Congrats to David and the other winners! I'm looking forward to the A-Z.

Rhonda Albom said...

I was a little worried that I might be a villain at number 1, as I think everything is funny. But when I got to number 4, I was safe as I am not creepy. LOL

Ciara said...

Yep, you do it all. Congratulations to David!!

Creepy cover of Leslie's book. Love it.

Young adult science fiction magazine sounds cool. I'll check it out.

Yay, A-Z challenge is coming!

Anonymous said...

I have got to tart closing those darn doors Huh huh huh!

And good luck to Rick and his new magazine venture.

And thanks for participating in Re-Introduce Myself!

Patsy said...

Phew, it appears I'm not an action movie villain. (I rather suspect I'm not the hero either, but you can't have everything)

Cathy Olliffe-Webster said...

Ermagherd!!!! I laffed and laffed at Liesel's Top 5 Ways You Know You're An Action Movie Villain! Hilarious!!!
Lotsa great news up there, Alex! Congratulations to all! And so nice to re-meetcha - you're a real inspiration in the world, you really are! :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Rhonda, think you're safe!

Stephen, thanks for hosting!

Brinda said...

Liesel- Your villain tips are too funny.

Alex- I'm positive you have clones. No doubt.

Liesel K. Hill said...

Thanks for hosting me today, Alex! I had a blast doing it! And thanks to all those who checked to make sure they aren't villains. Glad people are taking this seriously. :D

S.A. Larsenッ said...

Okay, I'm loving Liesel's #2! Yup, I notice stuff like that and it drives me bonkers. LOL

Creepy Query Girl said...

Ha! Loved Liesel's supervillain check list!

Laura Eno said...

Loved Liesel's villian list!
I'm ready for the A to Z.
I'm sure you have clones, Ninja Captain sir.

Unknown said...

Hilarious villain post! Loved it.

I've got it on my calendar to sign up for the A-Z. It'll be my first year, so I'm really looking forward to meeting some awesome peeps.

As for how I'd introduce myself:

-Stay-at-home mom to 2 little angels with another on the way

-Author of various fantasy & romance stories

-Debut fantasy novelist, Eye of the Soul (Pool of Souls #1) releases Oct 7, 2013 with J. Taylor Publishing

-Farm girl

-Tomboy

That about sums it up.

Karen Baldwin said...

ah HA! I knew you had a clone. There's no way you can do all that you do without a clone. LOve the list. And I just figured out my Smart TV and joined Netflix. Haven't found the joy yet. Am I missing something? Obviously

Miranda Hardy said...

Love the villain list!

Can't believe sign ups are right around the corner. Time flies!

Rusty Carl said...

Congrats to David! And yes, I've probably flirted with being a spy movie villian... I once ran a red light and then went mad when I got my ticket in the mail, but when a local guy went madder and took his rifle to the traffic cam, I calmed down. He became a villain on my behalf.

So much stuff going on... wowl.

Unknown said...

Glad you re-introduced yourself to us, Alex!
Congrats to David, that is awesome!
Only a couple of days left until A-Z sign ups - looking forward to watching the list of participants grow. I wonder what the number will be this year?

Natalie Aguirre said...

Funny post by Liesel. And I'm SO excited for David.

It was great getting to know a bit more about you, Alex.

Tonja said...

That's fun you'll be at Shelly's place. The bad guy in my story laughs a lot too when no one else is. Muhahahaha.

Unknown said...

Rule #10... you might be a villain if you still don't know near the end, the need to talk too much or reveal your plan. Liesel... that list was great and great luck on the tour...

Okay, I am happy for the winners of the awesome book "CassStar" Yvonne and Ninja Army Shirt... Julie... of course to everyone who stopped over and joined the "Wolf Pack" or said "Hello"...

To all the folks with great news and shares... congrats!

Biggest Thank you goes to you Alex, my ninja-like friend... my Woody to Buzz Lightyear, my Gillian to Skipper, my Batman to Robin... okay just friend :)

You Rock!
Jeremy

Ps. I am a villain... if this bus goes under 50 miles an hour... well just try it and see... muhahaha... ;)

kjmckendry said...

I love Liesel's #4. The creepiness factor!

Yay for David. that's great news!

Jemi Fraser said...

Love Liesel's list! I hate the 'brilliant' evil geniuses when they leave the door open too :)

LD Masterson said...

Very nice to re-meet you. I love the villain check list.

Al Diaz said...

I also think the trailer rocks. And you made me laugh with fact number 1 of the laughing villain. I have always wondered why they laugh so much. It makes me laugh too. Would that mean I have villain potential or just that I'm too silly?

Nick Wilford said...

Big congrats to David and Michael too!

It's very cool you have your own t-shirts now. World domination is on the cards, but not in a villain stylee!

Hart Johnson said...

Oh, I think evil villains get a bad rap. Anyone having that much fun can't be ALL BAD, can they? *snort*

And I KNEW you'd been cloned!

Optimistic Existentialist said...

A great villain is essential to a great action movie. I did like Skyfall, but I put it a notch below Casino Royale. It was most certainly superior to Quantum of Solace though.

baygirl32 said...

I'm pretty sure you have clones!

Juliana Haygert said...

Congrats David and Michael!

It's time for A to Z sign ups already?? Time is flying!

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

Yes, I'm a movie action villain. [I smile insincerely and I lick my fingers to smooth my eyebrows on occasion.] Learning this was sobering at first, but now I just see $ signs. Thanks, Liesel. And thanks, Alex.

xoRobyn

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

PS action movie not movie action. Villians get the two mixed up.

Shell Flower said...

So much great stuff. Yay for David. That YA SF magazine sounds really cool. Byron is awesome. Keep on rocking!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Liesel, you are welcome!

Terri, glad to have you doing the Challenge this year. And congratulations on your upcoming book.

Leigh, you'll find it, I promise.

Rusty, not a smart villain unless he shot the camera without being seen.

Carolyn, thanks for hosting!

Jeremy, you just rock my friend!

Al, I vote for silly.

Robyn, that made me laugh!

Jennie Bennett said...

So happy for David!! That post by Liesel was hilarious. Smoothing down eyebrow hairs, ha!

Suzi said...

I swear there are some writer/bloggers out there that have clones too. I don't know how else to explain how they do all they do. :)

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Lots of writer success there.

Glad to meet you again. :)

Oh and some days when I get out of control, I feel like a super hero villian. Then, I take my vitamins.

A Beer for the Shower said...

My favorite villain blunder: "I'm about to succeed in killing you, but you know what, let me just explain my evil plan to you in intricate detail, giving you not only the exact details of what I'm doing, but also giving you ample opportunity to escape."

jaybird said...

Great villian list.

Congrats to all the winners!

And big congrats to David- so happy and excited for him!

Unknown said...

Loved Liesel's list. Thankfully, I'm no villain!

Luanne G. Smith said...

The world needs dumb villains. Without them there'd be no smart heroes. :))

Suze said...

Very cute t-shirt. Yvonne and Julie are lucky. :)

Marta Szemik said...

The T-shirt is nice. I'm excited about the A-Z sign up but won't be able to until last minute this year, once some stuff at home clears up. Hope I can do it!

Bossy Betty said...

My arm hurts. Huh-huh-huh.

Heather M. Gardner said...

It was great getting to re-know you! I still like you!

I love hearing such great information from you all the time. You are like the anti-news. They tell us the bad and you tell us the good.

I've never actually smoothed down the eyebrows but I do have an evil laugh. :)

Julie Dao said...

YAY!!! I won I won I won!!! Thank you both!

Rachel Schieffelbein said...

Very cool trailer, Alex!

Michael Di Gesu said...

Hey, Alex,

Sign up on WEDNESDAY!!!!!!! EEEEEEEEEK! I always battle with myself, whether or not. BUt of course, I always link right in... I will again this year too. It looks like I will be here in Chicago, for the FIRST TIME for the challenge. Doesn't look like sunshine and Palm trees for me this year... DAMN! LOL.

So I might have to come up with something suitable for my mood here. Very different than Florida mood. Either way it will be QUITE the experience.

THIRD book in September... CONGRATS!!!!!

David P. King said...

Wow! Thank you for the shout-out, Alex! And that's the best rundown of a movie villain I've seen yet. :)

Nickie said...

Ha, I love the evil villain trait guest post! I actually did like the villain in SkyFall -- a slight departure from the norm. He was a little more psychopathic.

I was rewatching Live Free or Die Hard last night, and that made me rethink my plans to become an action movie villain. I mean, McClain falls out of a truck, lands on a fighter jet, and then jumps and slides down a broken overpass... all without breaking a sweat. I don't think I can compete with that!

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Great description of a villain. Pretty sure I'm not one. Still love that book trailer.

Michelle Wallace said...

Nice to re-meet you Alex.
Hey, I also play in a band! Every weekend actually...
And my paperback copy of Cassastar finally arrived...!
Great book trailer!

Sherry Ellis said...

Congratulations to David! That's great news!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Suzi, good time management skills...

Beer, always their downfall.

Marta, I hope you can join us!

Heather, I'm glad you still like me and that I can highlight the good.

Julie, you did!

Michael, you HAVE to do it!!

David, you're welcome.

Nickie, he does put himself through the wringer, doesn't he?

Michelle, I play on the weekends as well. And thank you for ordering my book!

Matthew MacNish said...

Hah! That action movie bad guy bit is hilarious.

Anonymous said...

Hi Alex, I was hoping to learn something new about you today. Let's see. Nope, nothing here I didn't already know. I guess I should go ahead and read your books. That's something new. See what your work reveals about you.

Leovi said...

We will be ready to sign up on Wednesday at A to Z.

Sheena-kay Graham said...

Yes movie villains are so dumb. If I were to do an Action Movie, my hero would really have to work to beat my villain. No villain of mine will be pulls Cs. I already congratulated David, so happy for him. Consider yourself re-introduced Alex, have a nice day.

mshatch said...

I am so happy to hear the good news for David! That is AWESOME!

Elizabeth Seckman said...

LOVE the trailer. And I stole your quote, "Daydreamers go where others can't..." That's some awesome stuff. Had to post it on facebook.

Anonymous said...

I can't believe that we're already talking about the next AtoZ challenge. And that book trailer is pretty cool.

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy said...

Great post! It was fun to learn more about you also.

Kathy M.

Azara said...

Ninja Captain is a great way to introduce yourself in general - do you use it in person? It would be kind of awesome to see the looks on people's faces.

Livia Peterson said...

It's nice to re-meet you Alex! You're the best Ninja Captain EVER!

And I can't wait until the A to Z Challenge! It's gonna be so exciting! :)

Jackie said...

That villain list was funny stuff!

My 12 year old wants to play guitar. He has one, and has fiddled around on it, but as far as learning goes... any tips for him? Thanks! :)

ilima said...

I'm ready for A to Z. Congrats to David on his book deal. I'm so excited for him. And it was great to re-meet you. :)

Cindy said...

Nice trailer. I like the how they did that blending thing with your book at the end.

As for A to Z all you have to do is write all the posts ahead of time. Like over all whole year. Yeah, if only I had done that.

Nancy Thompson said...

There's a difference between action movie villains & book villains. In the movies, they tend to be over the top, like we really have to hate them, but in books, it's much more subtle & real. Yes, I think I will do the A to Z again this year. Since I have a book tour in March, that should give me a break on my own personal marketing responsibilities & more time to write, so why not go for it? And Alex, your personal résumé is exceptionally impressive! I'm very glad I've gotten to know you so well!!

farawayeyes said...

Nice 're-intro' there Captain. And a boatload of information this Monday morning.

L.G. Keltner said...

Yay for A-Z sign ups! Yay for David's great news! And your 5 Ways to Know You're an Action Movie Villain made me laugh hysterically! I don't think I'm an action movie villain, though my husband tells me my angry glare can be creepy.

Mark said...

Lol! You nailed it right on the head with the action villain. Especially the laughter...why do they always do that?

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

I'm so proud of David. I congratulated him on twitter when he was talking about it just the other day.

I loved the guest post and the analysis of Skyfall, and I can't wait to read CassaStar.

M Pax said...

And don't forget that most times villains can't just straight-up kill the hero. It has to be some elaborate to-do in which the hero has time to escape.

Congrats Liesel. And to David!

Unknown said...

Dude! I need clones. Please tell me how you achieved this!?! :-) You are the rockstar of writers and bloggers, Alex. I really need to join your Insecure Writers group...I belong.

Tamara said...

haha...LOVE the write up on movie villains. I read it out loud to my husband and he was cracking up, so thanks for the laugh!

I liked M Pax's point up in the comments too...hehe...the villain always has to have a ridiculously difficult plan to do away with the hero!

Anonymous said...

Great tips Liesel! I do tend to laugh a lot. I hope it's not too late... Pleased to meetcha' Alex!

Nicole said...

Huge congrats to David and Michael! That's awesome, guys. Enjoy every minute!

The villain list cracked me up. Reminds me of The Incredibles when Syndrome says, "You caught me monologuing. I can't believe you caught me monologuing." :)

SC Author said...

Yay, movie villains! I loved the villain in the new Bond though. He was legit scary, something hard to achieve.

Patricia Stoltey said...

I have the A to Z signup on my calendar.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Sydney, thank you!!

Elizabeth, thanks!

Azara, I only use it online. Might scare people otherwise.

Jackie, I'd recommend lessons for two-three months. If he's serious, continue. And if he's serious he'll start learning on his own.

Cindy, that trailer still amazes me.

Thank you, Nancy. Hope you join us for the Challenge.

Krystal, it's a Ninja secret. And please join the IWSG.

Julie Flanders said...

What a fun post from Liesel. I cracked up about the villains thinking everything is funny, so true LOL.
And the trailer is totally awesome, one of the best book trailers I've seen.

Charles Gramlich said...

As far as my movie villain cred goes, I'm pretty creepy.

A.J. Frey said...

Alex, you have been keeping yourself very busy. :-) It was nice learning a few new things about you.

Johanna Garth said...

Liesel's post gave me such a laugh this morning. Now I'm wondering if chewing on my fingers while I write is villain creepy!

And that trailer...what can I say? Truly spectacular.

Nate Wilson said...

No, those don't fit me. But I have been wearing a mask all this time. Turns out I'm not an action movie villain; I'm a villain from Scooby Doo.

Andrew Leon said...

I'm pretty sure he left that door open on purpose... because it was a trap.

So it's okay to have wild and crazy eyebrows (like Gandalf and Dumbledore) as long as you don't smooth them down?

Gossip_Grl said...

Will definitely be dropping by Shelly's blog for another nosh Tuesday and Gosh where has January gone already? But definitely will be stopping by the A-Z page on Wednesday!

Empty Nest Insider said...

Congrats to David! It was fun seeing CassaFire again! I also enjoy action movies. Julie

Rachel said...

Man I am also a Netflix addict!!! Join the club, huh? LOL! My favorite action villain is probably Voldemort from Harry Potter. I actually created a whole class in college (a private course just me and a professor) looking at the series. I really got to see what Voldemort's motives were and how he got to where he was in book 1 etc...It was interesting to see him as more than a typical villain. He was a hurt little boy who was determined to make that disappear for other wizards too.... Okay granted he's also crazy but...LOL you get the idea!

cleemckenzie said...

Oiling my gear and checking my fuel gauges in prep for the AtoZ. Will she make it this year? That's the question.

Mark Means said...

Nice to re-meet you, Ninja Captain

Great villain list, though I wonder where 'unnatural tendency to reveal your plans' comes in? :)

mooderino said...

I'm too lazy t be a villain. All that planning to take over the world—logistical nightmare.

mood
Moody Writing

randi lee said...

He he he!! Love the villain comments. You're spot on. My favorite is the first one: everything is funny! Thanks for the entertainment, Alex. Needed some today!!

Anonymous said...

hahaha! Love your description of a villain. LOL!

LynNerdKelley said...

Love this guest post. Great humor!
Congrats to the t-shirt winners.
I finally saw Looper. You were right, Alex. The plot rocks. Have a good week

Carol Kilgore said...

Good to know I'm not an action movie villain :)

Congrats to those with good news!

May or may not have clones. Hmm....

Old Kitty said...

Yay I'm comment no.105!!!! I love it!!

You see I think Silva/Silver/yummy Bardem left the door open on purpose cos he wanted the chance to push the button to drive the train cos that's every little boy's dream, no?!?!!? LOL!

Also made me laugh when no-one noticed the odd policeman with the funny hairdo...!

Hi Cap'n Ninja! Lovely to meet you!! Take care
x

Kern Windwraith said...

You've given me food for thought--I'll have to spend a bit of time assessing my own creepiness factor. Scarily, I don't think it's going to be difficult. :)

Nice to re-meet you, and I'm looking forward to the A to Z sign up on Wednesday.

SpacerGuy said...

Fun read about Action Movie Villains, Liesel. I know I fit the bill perfectly of course. Its why I carry a phaser on creepy setting.

Wow A to Z is nearly upon us. I wonder who's going to get podium placing on Wednesday? hehe, the sign up should be a hoot. Heres to a helluva blogfest!

Yolanda Renée said...

More wonderful new for the writing world, thanks for sharing it, and kudo's to David.

Nice meeting you ALEX!

VikLit said...

I have marked down A-Z and am aiming to do it!

Laura said...

Ohhhhh - A-Z already?! Very exciting!
Congrats to the lovely ladies on the winnings
Lxx

Megan Bostic said...

Nice to meet you! Love the trailer.

Hildie McQueen said...

When I become a famous star, I will definitely be a villain, a clumsy, laughing, attacking the super hero...yep I can picture it now. Wait I wonder If I get a cape???

Love the reintro Alex.

Karen Lange said...

Enjoyed reading Liesel's post - it's great to meet her. Thanks to both of you for sharing.

Congrats to Yvonne and Julie!

Will try and remember to stop over at your guest post. Do you send out text reminders? lol :)

Mel Chesley said...

Phew! I'm safe! I'm not a villain... yet. ;)

Arlee Bird said...

It might be fun to play an action movie villain, but I wouldn't want to be a real life villain.

I guess I'm ready for A to Z sign-ups. Slow down year! It's going too fast--again.

Lee
A Faraway View
An A to Z Co-host blog

Luna said...

Yay! Big congrats to David!!!

Liza said...

Nice to re-meet you, Alex!

Chancelet said...

That is a cool video and it's great to learn a little more about you. Netflix junkie eh? Love the blog hops you're hosting, and I am looking forward to the A-Z challenge!

Bish Denham said...

Yup, action villains are are like totally stupid. But we gotta love 'em don't we, or we wouldn't have any action!

Mel Kinnel (@TizMellyMel) said...

I checked the villain list twice and I think I'm not a villain. Love the trailer! I participated in the re-introduce fest as well and I have Liesel's book on my TBR list because of the creepy cover.

Carrie Butler said...

Hah! That was an excellent guest post. :) Let's see...

1. Congratulations to David!
2. Nice to re-meet you, Alex. ;)
3. I am so ready to sign up for A to Z this year!

Li said...

Lots of good news here! I don't think I'm a villain, although I do tend to breathe loudly due to allergies - and I would definitely be the type to forget to shut the door - or drop/lose the Ring. :-)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Whoa! Little behind.

Julie and Johanna, glad you enjoyed it.

Nate, and you've would've got away with it if it hadn't been for those meddling kids!

Rachel, I get the idea!

Moody, agree with you!

Hey Lynn! Yes, Looper was awesome.

Kitty, a little behind today...

Hildie, we'll make you a cape.

Karen,no, but I'll post the link on Wednesday.



Rebecca Green Gasper said...

Yay! for David! So exciting. Fun trailer, too. And love the re-introduce myself blogfest. It has been fun to get to know more about everyone today. Congrats to all the winners. I'm heading over to Liesel's blog now.

Cathy Keaton said...

Ah, you forgot about the "slick" villain trope. No creep-factor, other than staring and glaring at people. Besides all the bad boy qualities, they always have their hair slicked back and are far more attractive than they should be allowed to be.

Some of my favorite characters are slick villains. ;)

Gwen Gardner said...

Well done, David! I'll have to go by there.

I'm still considering the A-Z. I really want to join, I just don't know how much time I can devote to it.

Denise Covey said...

Hi Alex. You must be the most well-known dude in the blogosphere. Thank you for all you do...nah, I could neve play the villain!

Unknown said...

Haha! Love the signs you're villanous, expecially the eyebrow-smoothing. Totally creepy.

Robin said...

I loved SKYFALL. And I totally agree that it was one of the best Bond movies ever. In fact, I was discussing this with the person I saw the movie with, and we were debating how intimidating taking on the character of Bond is. Some folks have not done such a great job (not gonna name names, because I don't want this to turn into The Great Debate). However, Connery was a hard act to follow. Frankly, it's much easier just to play a totally different character. No harm, no foul... know what I mean? I thought Daniel Craig was a great Bond.

Now, I love your list of villainous traits. hahahahaha. Seriously, what is up with that? I actually think the scariest villains are the ones who look sane and handsome. Those are the people you never expect to be rapists, murderers, psychopaths, etc. Going slightly off the path, I think one of the best career moves John Travolta ever made was playing the bad guy. He has done it several times. Broken Arrow and The Punisher come to mind. I like a smart villain. A good looking villain. A handsome villain. It is more honest. Don't kid me into thinking that all the bad guys look like bad guys. They don't. Some are really effin' hot. And they will kill you.

That being said, your list is still HILARIOUS. And all of those things happen all too often!!!

Congrats to the book and T-shirt winners!

And thanks for the other information. Nice to know that someone has their finger on the pulse of what is going on:)

LynnRush said...

Happy Monday. It's nice to "meet you again!"

:)

Belle said...

I think you are an interesting and really nice dude.

My favorite villain is the guy in 'Die Hard', and oh yes, he also played the Sheriff of Nottingham in 'Robin Hood'. He is the bad guy you all love.

Movie Quote: "I'll dig your heart out with a spoon."

Tyrean Martinson said...

Your intro was way, way better than mine. I got lost somewhere in my own name pronunciation. Sigh. Some days are like that.
No, I'm not a villain, although I did play Hecate in Macbeth many years ago - it's really fun to disappear under a stage in a haze of smoke.
Must check out Rick and Milo's stuff and visit Neatorama.

Christine Rains said...

Awesome guest post! I laughed out loud and my family had to come see what was going on. I still think you have clones, Alex. :)

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

I might have a little bit of villain in me because I usually laugh when I hurt myself, lol.

DL Hammons said...

I still remember the first time you posted that CassaFire trailer! Memories!! :)

Isis Rushdan said...

OMG, that list of how to know if you're a villain was freaking HILARIOUS! ROTFL

Way to go, David! Congratulations on your contract :)

Cherie Reich said...

Love the Action Movie Villain list! Especially #2.

klahanie said...

Aha, Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar, is an action movie villain! She has this inexplicable urge to rid the world of James Bond. Then again, she thinks James Bond is some kinda' super glue...

Nice one Liesel and well done to David.

Oh no, blogfests! I'll leave it at that :)

Gary

Jessica Salyer said...

I still swear you have clones. :)

Anonymous said...

Always plenty of good stuff in your posts! It's been fun seeing the Let Me Re-Introduce Myself around the blogosphere today!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Gwen, please join us!

Thank you, Denise.

Robin, I try to keep up.

Dl, wow - really?

Krista McLaughlin said...

You have quite a list right there of accomplishments! Fellow Christian and I appreciate you trying to encourage your friends as much as you can! You do a great job at it! :)

Jo said...

I wrote a reintroduce blog but as the link I put on Stephen's page didn't work, I was sort of wasting my time.

Nah, I'm no villain.

Unknown said...

Hey, Alex!

Nice to meet you again! I love the book trailer, and I believe you must have clones to be in so many places at once. :)Oh, and I also think it's the most awesome thing in the world that you are not shy about telling the world you're a Christian! Keep up the great work!

Leigh Covington said...

Lots of great things going on. I need to pull out my calendar and see what I can make happen! :)
So excited for DPK on his signing.

Liesel K. Hill said...

Thanks for all the great discussion and comments and kind words. Plenty of people came up with traits for action movie villains that even I missed! Kudos to all of you for knowing your stuff! Happy Monday! :D

LuAnn @ BackPorchervations said...

Following in preparation for the A to Z Blog Challenge in April.

I started reading your post and called to my 16 year old son that I'd found him a career path at which he would be very successful...that of action movie villain!

Allison said...

Lots of great news. Looking forward to the A to Z!

Allison (Geek Banter)

Anonymous said...

So much good stuff -- and I never get tired of seeing that trailer. Thanks for mentioning Raygun Chronicles, Alex. We're currently at $1.2K in pledges with another $6.8K to raise in the next 5 weeks. We can doo eet!!

Chuck said...

Alex, that list of action movie villain stuff is great...and accurate.

Love Milo's work and this space oddity of his was a fun read.

We need a video a video (or at least audio) of you and the "band" jamming.

Last but not least, yes that trailer still rocks!!!

Jeff Hargett said...

If you don't have clones then you must have droids. ;-)

Yay and congrats to all those mentioned! So much good news. Amazing a single post can contain it all.

Powdered Toast Man said...

I don't know if I am ready for the A to Z challenge. Seems like a lot of work and determination. Will it get me more friends? Will I be invited to sit at the cool table?

Unknown said...

Congrats to David! Liesel's guest post was hilarious. Silly villains always laughing...haha. That's a really cool T-shirt.

Ella said...

Phew, I'm not a villain, lol ;D
Liesel you are fun!!!

Congrats to all the winners! Good on you Yvonne :D

Powered Toast Man-You will be jamming, if you join in ;D

Intrigued about the blogfest...maybe!

Happy Monday Captain! I know I'm late to the dance-

Nigel G Mitchell said...

Glad to see I'm not a supervillain. That "Raygun Chronicles" book sounds good. I'm a sucker for pulp scifi. Congrats, Milo!

Roland D. Yeomans said...

I personally think the only way you can do all you do on the Net is to have clones! Super Congrats to David. And congrats to Milo for the anthology sale!! :-)

Tammy Theriault said...

i hate to admit, some of those villian points i do! what? can i be a nice villian? you know, like sickly sweet nice? oh man...great re-meeting the ninja!

Pat Tillett said...

Lot's going and you do a great job reporting it! It's Monday night and I'm once again on the fence relating to the A to Z challenge. Time! It's all about time... I still have a day to think about it, so we will see!

Unknown said...

As much as I'd like it to be true, I don't have what it takes to be an action movie villain :( Can't wait for the A-Z Challenge!


Jamie @ Mithril Wisdom

Unknown said...

Well I don't have the creep factor to be a action movie villain, but I do have the attitude. LOL

A to Z already? My how the time just flies. Can't wait, though. :)

Tonja Drecker said...

Yeah, David! Hope he's enjoying the high.

That A-Z seems to be coming up quick. And if there's clones, I'm wondering who wrote the post... Alex1 or Alex2?

dolorah said...

I need Ninja skills to keep up. I'm browsing your posts and and gasping at all I've missed.

I still love the book trailer. Never gets old watching it.

......dhole

Misha Gerrick said...

Mmm... I think Silva left the door open on purpose, but other than that, the points of what makes a guy a villain are pretty valid. :-D

PK HREZO said...

You've got some amazing credits to your name, Alex. Kudos!
I love this blogfest cuz I'm learning things about fellow bloggers I didn't already know. I think I knew yours already tho. Man, I'm a Netfliz junkie now too. More Dr. Who please! :)

Anonymous said...

I didn't see the post on Shelly's blog, but I bookmarked it to read it later.

Congrats to David.

Yeah, Liesel's list sums it up. :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Krista, thank you!

Jo, let him know and he'll fix it.

Celeste, thank you, and it's part of who I am.

LuAnn, thanks and welcome.

Milo, you're welcome, and yes you can.

Thanks, Chuck! We'll see about that audio though.

PTM, the ADULT cool table!

Ella, you tell him.

Pat, you have until April 1 to decide.

T, the original always writes it!

Thanks, Donna.

Medeia, thanks - should be up soon.

Tara Tyler said...

woah! i am really behind today!
love the "you might be a villain..." descriptors! but a villain might also have no sense of humor & find nothing funny, even his minions' slapstick schtick! (say that 3 times fast!)

great info! looking forward to a-z already!

Tracy Jo said...

Whoooo-hoooo! Excited for A-Z again this year. Can't believe sign up is already here. Have a great week!

Elsie Amata said...

Good luck to everyone who enters the A-Z challenge! I consider all of you rock stars!!! I know I can't do it =)

Christopher Hudson said...

Bond villains may not always be the brightest, but one thing they usually possess ... in spades ... is confidence ... which would exclude moi from the pool.

Ellie Garratt said...

So much awesomeness in today's post! Congratulations to everyone.

A to Z isn't that far away now. Still can't decide whether to take part. I need a theme!

Bryan Russell said...

Also, if you look like Javier Bardem you're automatically a villain. You can't even pretend to be good.

Martin Willoughby said...

I'm a definite villain. Maybe that's why I get cast in those parts in the amateur plays?

Anonymous said...

You're one of the busiest people I've ever met, Alex--and I haven't really met you either! Keep up the excellent work and most especially all that good karma.
Happy New Writing Year 2013, love MoonWynd

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Tara, not even going to try!

Ellie, you can think of one in the next two months.

Bryan, good point.

Thanks, Moonwynd!

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

Another dumb move: when the bad guy dies and the good guy doesn't pick up the bad guy's gun. Duh! What's that about?

Lydia Kang said...

Ha ha, that villain piece was so funny!

nutschell said...

Congrats to David and Michael! Should've known you were a netflix junkie, too :D And what's the name of your band?
Nutschell
www.thewritingnut.com

Annalisa Crawford said...

I'm not a villain... I suppose that's a good thing... although I am working on my Dr Evil laugh, just in case :-)

Jeff Beesler said...

Can't believe it's almost time for another A-Z Challenge already! I won't be partaking because I'll be too busy getting my third book, Optical Osmosis, ready for launch that month (hopefully)!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Joylene, yeah!

Nutschell, we don't really have a name...

Jeffrey, let me know when the book comes out and I'll plug it for you the first of May!

Emily R. King said...

Liesel is hilarious! I'd make a horrible villain. I don't like to fester on things. I get them out asap (much to the chagrin of my husband). :)

TS Hendrik said...

Oh my, I think I'm a baddie.

Author A.O. Peart said...

A to Z is such a great concept. I wholeheartedly support the participants by visiting their blogs and reading the awesome A to Z posts. I won't participate since I am in my writing/editing cave these days and blogging needs to wait :-)

Congrats to David and to the Ninja Army winners!

I sooo need to check out Beyond Centauri. My next release is the YA scifi. Thank you for sharing the news, Alex. I always find most awesome stuff on your blog.

Samantha May said...

Okay I'm glad someone thought the same thing as I did about the elder wand :D

Congrats to David!! I'll have to stop by his blog and throw virtual confetti at him.

It's nice getting to know you some more, Ninja Alex :)

Helena said...

I loved Skyfall too -- the earliest Bond movies may be classics, but they're too male fantasy for me.

I always want to identify with the hero and not the bad guys, and for me one of the most evil was Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lamb.

And the trailer for Byron in CassaFire still looks good!

Unknown said...

Can not wait until the A-Z challenge. I'm ready to sign up.

Morgan said...

I'm SOOOoooo stoked for DPK... He is SO awesome. I love good news! And I hope your edits are going well, Alex! :D

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

TS, yes you are.

Angela, that is perfect then!

Helena, thanks.

Clarissa, I saw that you just did!

Morgan, I just began.

Jay Noel said...

Wow, I feel like I've been absent for a year...and A-Z??? Didn't we just leave that party?

Congrats to the prize winners!

And I think too many villains spell out their plans just before they kill the hero. Maybe they need to keep their mouths shut.

Shannon Lawrence said...

Hrm, I may be a villain...or just creepy.

Congratulations on everyone's successes!

Shannon at The Warrior Muse

Deniz Bevan said...

Nice to meet you again Alex! Can't wait for the A to Z this year! Still trying to think of a theme for my posts...
Ooh, I'd missed the news about David, congratulations David!

Carrie-Anne said...

Congratulations to David!

I know some people who meet some of the criteria on the movie villains list.

DMS said...

I think you do have clones! You get so much done each day! Loved reading all the good news. Congrats to David on his contract! Fantastic trailer, too! Thanks for sharing. :)
~Stephanie

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Jay, it's really been a year.

Stephanie, wish I had clones! And thanks.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Alex .. I thought you'd let something slip .. but I see your reply to Stephanie - no clones here or hereabouts ...

Great synopsis though .. you do help so many .. cheers Hilary

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

Alex, I intended to sign up early this year for A to Z, but by the time I realized 334 was my number. I didn't see the notation about the categories until after I signed. Is it too late to add AR?

Thanks for directing me to Diane Wolfe's blog about the counters. I followed a piece of her advice.

Monti

Mina Burrows said...

OMG!! I'm so excited for David! I have to go say congrats. Thanks!

Jai Joshi said...

I love your action film villain list! Sooo true. And the bit about smoothing down one's eyebrows with spit - I cracked up!

Jai