Thursday, August 29, 2013

September Movie Preview, Science Fiction Lyrics Trivia Answers, and CassaFire Wins an Award! Plus Battle of the Bands, Ninja News, and Cover Reveals

Shaking things up today as we’ve a lot to cover!

Science Fiction Metal-Rock Lyrics Trivia Answers

1 – “Strange shapes light up the night, I’ve never seen ‘em though I hope I might, Don’t ask if they are real, The men in black their lips are sealed.” Blue Oyster Cult – Take Me Away
2 – “People of the earth can you hear me? Came a voice from the sky on that magical night, And in the colors of a thousand sunsets, They traveled through the world on a silvery light.” Billy Thorpe – Children of the Sun
3 – “An ill wind comes arising, Across the cities of the plain, There’s no swimming in the heavy water, No singing in the acid rain, Red alert, red alert.” Rush – Distant Early Warning
4 – “Foreign life forms inventory, Suspended state of cryogenics, Selective amnesia’s the story, Believed foretold but who’d expect, The military intelligence.” Megadeth – Hangar 18
5 – “He was turned to steel in the great magnetic field, When he travelled time for the future of mankind.” Black Sabbath – Iron Man

Cover Reveals

A GUILTY GHOST SURPRISED by Gwen Gardner

Paranormal happenings at the Eady household are the norm. Recently, things have become downright peculiar. Childish giggles at odd hours of the night lead Indigo Eady to her little cousin, Bryan, a guileless cherub spirit, complete with Spider Man pajamas and a set of faux angel wings. The problem is that Bryan died nearly three years ago in a hit and run that killed him and his mum…

Add to Goodreads
Haunt Gwen at the following: Blog, Twitter, and Facebook

THEY ALL FALL DOWN by Angela Brown

Abby and Basil: New love reaches new heights as they finally give in to their lust and desire for each other.
Q: Consumed by the Devourer within and his base need to claim Abby as his own.
The crave: What it all boils down to. A crave for souls. A crave to keep love intact beyond betrayals. A crave for a second chance. A crave for power and The Fall of mankind.

Add to Goodreads
Haunt Angela at the following: Blog, Twitter, and Facebook

Covers look awesome, ladies!!


Ninja News

Libby Heily’s latest collection of short stories is now available on Amazon. The Victory Rule is a collection of soft science fiction stories with a typical Libby Heily twist. To celebrate the release, The Victory Rule and Fourth Degree Freedom are available for free until Friday August 30. Congratulations, Libby!

Justine Dell’s latest book is available now - Until Next Time. You can also enter to win a Kindle Fire HD – see her site for details. Congratulations, Justine!

Jessica Ferguson’s book is also available this week - The Last Daughter. Congratulations, Jess!
And thanks again for letting me invade your blogs on Monday.





Battle of the Bands

Started a few weeks ago by Farawayeyes and Stephen T. McCarthy, this series pits two bands singing the same song against each other every Friday. When Arlee Bird said he was participating as well, I had to join the fun.

I decided my first offering would be two versions that are just about as far apart as possible. Which version do you like better? (I’m guessing most won’t pick Zombie, but I think it’s an awesome twist on an old 70’s hit! If KC were dead, he'd be rolling in his grave. Plus the video starts as if it’s an old monster kid’s show.)





September Movie Preview

Here are the upcoming movies for September! As always, descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snarky comments by me.

6 –

Riddick
Left for dead on a sun-scorched planet, Riddick finds himself up against an alien race of predators. Activating an emergency beacon alerts two ships: one carrying a new breed of mercenary, the other captained by a man from Riddick's past.
Director: David Twohy
Stars: Vin Diesel, Karl Urban, Katee Sackhoff, Jordi Mollà
Hoping for a return to the awesomeness that was Pitch Black!

13 –

Insidious: Chapter 2
The haunted Lambert family seeks to uncover the mysterious childhood secret that has left them dangerously connected to the spirit world.
Director: James Wan
Stars: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins, Lin Shaye
The first one was all right but not enough for me to want to see another. However, Patrick Wilson is on a roll with paranormal movies…


20 –

Prisoners 
When Keller Dover's daughter and her friend go missing, he takes matters into his own hands as the police pursue multiple leads and the pressure mounts. But just how far will this desperate father go to protect his family?
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Stars: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Melissa Leo
Sounds depressing, but the wife digs Jackman. Sigh.


27 –

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
Flint Lockwood now works at The Live Corp Company for his idol Chester V. But he's forced to leave his post when he learns that his most infamous machine is still operational and is churning out menacing food-animal hybrids.
Directors: Cody Cameron | Kris Pearn
Stars: Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Will Forte, Neil Patrick Harris
The first one was actually really good and I chuckle every time I see the previews for this film – “There’s a leek in the boat!”

Rush
A biography of Austrian Formula 1 champion driver Niki Lauda and the 1976 crash that almost claimed his life. Mere weeks after the accident, he got behind the wheel to challenge his British rival, James Hunt.
Director: Ron Howard
Stars: Daniel Brühl, Chris Hemsworth, Olivia Wilde, Natalie Dormer
Not my kind of film, but for the ladies, it has Hemsworth, and for the guys, Wilde.



CassaFire News!!

My publisher notified me Wednesday that CassaFire won the Pinnacle Book Achievement Award for Science Fiction!
Yes, that’s officially the first award I’ve ever won. Probably the last, but I’ll take it!

Whoa! Get any trivia right? Excited about the new and upcoming books? Which version of the song would you pick? Any September movies strike your fancy? And can you believe CassaFire won an award? (Because I sure can’t!)

Since Monday is a holiday, I’m taking it off – but will be back Wednesday for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. Remember, I’m announcing a special two-year anniversary surprise that day!

Monday, August 26, 2013

Jeremy and George McFarland and George Takei! Plus The World’s End Movie Review, Science Fiction Music Trivia, and Ninja News

I have a guest post today at Jess’s Real Writer site, discussing how to maintain author momentum online. Please check it out!

Today I welcome one of my very best friends, the awesome Retro Man, Jeremy Hawkins. He’s going to tell you stories about interviews with two Georges…

Celebrity Story – George Takei ending. Spanky!

I will try to keep this short, I was doing a show gosh 20 years this year and I got the honor to talk with a Hollywood icon his name was George McFarland. To you he is better known as Spanky from the Our Gang/The Little Rascals in the 1930’s and it’s kind of a sad tale. He was getting resurgence for his appearance on the last few episodes of the final season of “NBC’s Cheers”. Spanky was visiting a local movie theater in town where I was at the time good friends with the manager and he said just to be there and stay out of the way. I arrived early and sat with George in the manager’s office for about two hours before the shoot and him being on stage to talk with fans. Awkward at first we started to talk about his work over the years and it was like talking with a friend, even though for me he was an icon. He shared that with me all the goodness he followed in his life and we talked little about the Rascals. I told him that I had a crush on Darla Hood and he agreed that they all did. It was one of those moments I am glad to have happened and that I was there to chat.

Time goes on and we shook hands, he hit the stage and we got our interview as the evening went quick. After the show he signed a few autographs told a few more stories and we all were on our way. We began to edit the footage and heard the sad news that he had passed away a few months later… our footage of what was he doing now, sadly turned into a tribute to him and his career.

Sorry it was a sad ending to a great experience, I was thrilled to have that as a good memory… almost forgot to tell you my question I told George Takei that made him laugh. Well please follow the next date on the tour and I promise to tell you after I share my next encounter with this Vader guy. Last have you joined the giveaway or checked out my book? Maybe you should… I wave my Jedi hand…

It's a four book series 40 pages each and it is the art/design from things I had designed over the years. It's a mish-mash of things that I had seen in my head... and some are future designs that will become shirts. Places I wanted to go artistically as you travel from where I was to where I am now. Is it great journey! Titles came from the idea of time "12:34, 35, 36 and 37” seems that is when my best ideas came to me... day or night. It's funny I never considered myself a "writer" just a man who likes to paint a canvas if it be words or my art/design.

Buy his books on Amazon.

And there are some AWESOME giveaways during this tour! Visit the It’s Time page on Jeremy’s site for the full list – Books, t-shirts, CDs, etc. – some of it autographed. Check it out. And congratulations, Jeremy!!


Ninja News

M. Pax revealed the cover art for her October release, The Backworlds IV.

For two years Craze’s dear friend, Lepsi, has been missing. The murmurings of a haunted spaceship might be a message and may mean his old pal isn’t dead. The possibility spurs Craze and Captain Talos into space to uncharted worlds. Searching an unfamiliar region of the galaxy beyond the Backworlds, they stumble upon a terrible truth.

Meanwhile, Rainly remains on Pardeep Station as acting planetlord, dealing with the discovery of her man's dark and brutal past. Alone and questioning her judgment, her introspection unlocks more than heartache. Latent protocols in her cybernetics activate, forcing her to face a sinister secret of her own.

Most awesome cover yet, Mary!

Cathrina Constantine’s latest, Wickedly They Come, is now available!

Haunting visions, unusual strength, and special paranormal talents are the norm for Seeley and her sixteen-year-old daughter, Jordan…

Congratulations, Cathrina!


Lisa Regan is celebrating! Her novel, Finding Claire Fletcher, won Best Heroine for Claire Fletcher, and it came in as runner up in Best Novel in the eFestival of Words Best of the Independent eBook Awards for 2013. Congratulations, Lisa!

And the link for my Taking the World by Storm party for CassaStorm was down for a while last week. (Linky Tools owner Brent said someone entered an apostrophe, which is what caused the meltdown.) If you missed it, go HERE.

Movie Review

The World’s End
From the gang who brought you Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz – five friends attempt to hit twelve pubs in one night twenty years after their first failed attempt. Add a science fiction twist and you have the set up for a wild ride.
There was a lot going on in this movie and I want to watch it again to see what I missed.
Pegg and Frost play against type. Pegg is a shallow, underachieving jerk, wired to the hilt, and determined to reach the twelfth pub, The World’s End. (Ironically, the real Pegg doesn’t drink!)
It wasn’t as funny as I’d hoped (although I know I missed a few things during moments of rapid fire dialogue), and the movie suffers from overhype. That said, it has some great funny moments. It also has some philosophical elements, with the twelve pubs representing the Twelve Step Program. By the end, the film definitely had a Hitchhiker vibe to it.
If you’re a fan of British comedy, especially from Edgar Wright, you’ll enjoy it! Recommended.

Music Trivia!

How about a little rock/metal science fiction?

Here are the lyrics – can you name the song, the band, or both?

1 – “Strange shapes light up the night, I’ve never seen ‘em though I hope I might, Don’t ask if they are real, The men in black their lips are sealed.”

2 – “People of the earth can you hear me? Came a voice from the sky on that magical night, And in the colors of a thousand sunsets, They traveled through the world on a silvery light.”

3 – “An ill wind comes arising, Across the cities of the plain, There’s no swimming in the heavy water, No singing in the acid rain, Red alert, red alert.”

4 – “Foreign life forms inventory, Suspended state of cryogenics, Selective amnesia’s the story, Believed foretold but who’d expect, The military intelligence.”

5 – “He was turned to steel in the great magnetic field, When he travelled time for the future of mankind.”

What do you think of Jeremy’s adventure with the Georges? Have you entered his giveaway or picked up his cool books? Think Mary and Cathrina’s covers rock? Anyone else see The World’s End? And do you know any of the trivia…?

My next post will be this Thursday and I’ll be preparing you for the upcoming September movies!
 
Be sure to visit Real Writer for tips on maintaining momentum!

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Cloaked in Fur and Anthropies, CassaStorm Updates, and Ninja News

Some awesome Cassan news and updates today!



But first, I have an awesome guest - TF Walsh.


Alex, thanks for having me on your blog today.

Therianthropy is the ability, or curse, that allows humans to transform into animals. There are many examples of it throughout mythology and folklore and it has become the basis of more and more popular culture. Lycanthropy relates specifically to werewolves and is the most common example, particularly in European cultures, which is why I chose to write about it. But if people were given the choice of an animal they could transform into, would wolves be the most common response. Of the myriad of animals, birds, fish and other beasts inhabiting the planet, it would seem that wolves might not be the most popular, if given a choice that is, considering there was such a choice.

If I had to choose, it would be difficult decision. A swan maiden is another mythological form of Therianthropy and would give me a chance to fly. Selkies are seal-type creatures when in water and human when on land, so I could swim effortlessly through the ocean. But if I had to be honest I think I would chose Ailuranthropy, the ability to turn into a cat. And not one of the great cats, but a simple house cat. Especially when I see how many people love their cats, and how well cats are treated. I would love nothing more than sleeping all day in a warm sunshine. Snuggling up to someone when it gets colder and leaping around the house as if I own it. And not to mention being able to understand just what my cat thinks of me.

Which animal would you choose to shift into if you had the ability?

As a moonwulf, Daciana never expected to fall in love with a human. Hell, she never imagined that she’d abandon her pack, endanger everyone around her, and break the worst rule possible. But she did.

Buy Cloaked in Fur Here: Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes and Noble, iBookstore, and Crimson Romance.

T.F. Walsh emigrated from Romania to Australia at the age of eight and now lives in a regional city south of Sydney with her husband. Growing up hearing dark fairytales, she's always had a passion for reading and writing horror, paranormal romance, urban fantasy and young adult stories. She balances all the dark with light fluffy stuff like baking and traveling.
Find her - Website-Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Goodreads, and Amazon.


Ninja News

Brandon Ax is hosting a giveaway in celebration of his latest book, Ashes.

Cherie Colyer’s latest is out – Hold Tight. You can find it anywhere online and add it to Goodreads The first book in the series, Embrace, is now ninety-nine cents for a limited time. Congratulations, Cherie!

Pat Hatt’s latest book is out, Catality - Saving Your Reality.
This is book number eighteen – congratulations, Pat.
To you and your rhyming cat!

Hart Johnson is celebrating the release of the first installment of A Shot in the Light by hosting a blogfest. On September 5, post about her book and your answer to The World Ends HOW!? See her site for details.

Melissa Maygrove is hosting a blogfest September 23-27. Follow Fest is about writers making connections with other writers on other social platforms besides blogging. See her site for details.

Summer Ross is hosting the In Your Pants Blogfest on September 2. Yes, you read that correctly! Visit her site for details.

CassaStorm Updates and News


First, I am happy to say the CassaStorm tour is full – and then some! I have a great mix of guest posts, articles, giveaways, and reviews set, and the lineup of hosts is awesome, including a couple big sites I never thought would host me. (And I’m quite honored to be appearing there!)


September
9 - The Non-Review
11 - The Unicorn Bell
15 - Anne R Allen’s Blog
16 – Literary Rambles
17 – Edi’s Book Lighthouse
18 - Mithril Wisdom
19 - Lynda Young
20 - Tossing It Out
23 - Under the Tiki Hut
27 – Cruising Altitude 2.0
30 - Write Now

October
4 - MsBookish
9 - The Writing Nut
11 - My First Book
14 - Untethered Realms
18 - Sia McKye Over Cofffe
21 - Stephen Tremp
28 - Sandra Ulbrich Almazan

November
4 - Donna Weaver
25 - Leave it to Livia

In addition, I am teaming up with author Lynn Rush for my first ever Twitter party on September 17 from 8-9:00 EST. Hashtag is #RUSHED and there will be chances to win prizes from both of us.

The week of my release, there will be an awesome prize package offered here for anyone who comments. And anyone who signs up to announce my book release that week (Taking the World by Storm) is eligible for this cool prize package: Cassa mug, Cassa mousepad, $25.00 iTunes gift card, and swag. You can sign up HERE. You have the option of just signing up or asking a unique question to go with your announcement post. (In addition to the questions, the information I send for the announcements will be different.)

Special thanks to my publisher who is doing a large campaign through trade magazines, libraries and bookstores, and science fiction cons.

And a big thanks to all of you for helping me launch one final book into the world!

Just to give you an idea how awesome this journey has been, I want to highlight Ellie Garratt’s winning entry into the Cheers Blogfest last December, because it covers some of the cool things that have happened these past few years:



Now, I need to make a video for you guys!! Mini-Alex can host…

Have you picked up Cloaked in Fur? What animal would you become? Picked up the other awesome books? Can you help Take the World by Storm? Can you believe it’s less than four weeks until my last book comes out?!

Dear Lord, help me survive this next month…

Monday, August 19, 2013

Murder and Madness but no Flirting! Plus Starship Troopers via Rifftrax, Spaceship Trivia Answers, and Ninja News

Today we have a little Murder, Madness, & Love from Yolanda Renee!

NO FLIRTING ALLOWED!

Thank you, Alex, for allowing me to guest post on your awesome blog. As some of you know my first novel Murder, Madness & Love was self-published in 2008, and this year picked up by Curiosity Quills Press and today is the re-release date, which makes it super exciting to be here on Alex's Blog to celebrate!

What the re-release means, is that I've already held a book launch and have attended a number of books signings. I thought some of you might like to hear a few of my experiences – sort of a do's and don'ts when selling your books, and since Alex likes humorous posts, I hope you see the humor in what happened to me.

First, the do's – talk to the people, even those that don't walk directly over to your table. Make eye contact, and smile. Many readers are shy, just as shy if not more so than the writer is, so catch their eye and start a conversation. It helps if you have a flyer to hand out, if you have something to greet them with, something to get their attention. Many of them will take it and walk away, but if it peaks their interest, they will come back – and if there is ordering information – you may hear from them later!

Many of my sales happened at flea markets and craft fairs and always with another author. Together we brought the folks to the table and 8 times out of 10, both of us sold a book. We always had a decorative table, giveaways, and free candy—free candy always helps!

The don'ts – Don't express political opinions. I made the mistake of agreeing with one customer's expressed opinion on a candidate and another customer walked away, but not before letting me know my opinion was vastly different from hers. So be careful, and be neutral – you never want to lose a customer because of politics.

But watch the flirting – I had a man stop by and yes, he flirted, and I was amused. My partner (the other author) had stepped away from the table and this guy sat down in the chair beside me to look at my book. During the conversation, it was clear he was more interested in me, than the book, despite the fact that he talked about buying it for his wife. However, he was all talk and didn't buy the book. His wife soon found him, and she was not happy. She did a cursory flip of the pages, gave me the evil eye, and quickly walked away with him in tow. I lost another customer.

My partner got a real kick out of it, which isn't fair because he flirted constantly, and never lost a sale. He was amazing.

Never, ever, just sit behind a table and ignore the folks around you – they want to know that you want to talk to them, so have fun, just remember no politics and no flirting, well, unless it really works for you!

So writers what do you think – is flirting fair? Or is it all fair when it comes to selling books?

After a gritty detective becomes involved with a beautiful widow suspected of murder, rumor and obsession obstruct his quest for justice.

Visite Yolanda Renée at her BLOG and find her book at Curiosity Quills Press.


Ninja News

Michelle Wallace just experienced her first e-Zine publication! Her flash fiction piece, Blast From The Past, is in Pure Slush. Read it HERE.
Congratulations, Michelle! You are the flash fiction master.

Summer Ross signed a contract with Breathless Press for her series The Trouble with Elves, Book 1, Ribbon of Darkness. Because it’s erotica, she’s chosen to go with a pen name, and you can find her on Facebook under Decadent Kane. Congratulaions, Summer!

Donna Weaver and her publisher are offering a chance to win A Change of Plans in audiobook. See her site for details.

Cheers to the ladies with new book releases:

Laura Pauling’s latest is now available – Heist!

Cate Masters’ latest was just released, a historical romance novella from Decadent Publishing – Betting it All!

Juliana Haygert’s new NA contemporary romance was released last week – Breaking the Reins!



For laughs:

John Wiswell posted 7 Ways Writing a Book is Not Like Raising a Child.

Fran at The Angry Lurker posted another classic – If Facebook Existed During the American Revoluion.

And my POST last week that kicked off with the Star Trek movies made top story over at Suvudu!

Spaceship Trivia Answers!

Several of you named the movie, but what we were after was the spaceship – here are the answers:
Movies:
1 - Alex Durant, Harry Booth, V.I.N.C.E.N.T. - Palomino
2 - Captain Dallas, Warrant Officer Ripley, Science Officer Ash - Nostromo
3 - Pres. Skroob, Dark Helmet, Col. Sandurz - Spaceball One
Television:
4 - Fry, Bender, Leela, Amy - Planet Express Ship
5 - Mal Reynolds, Zoe Washburne, Simon Tam - Serenity
6 - Don West, John Robinson, Dr. Zachary Smith - Jupiter 2
Literature:
7 - Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect, Zaphod Beeblebrox - Heart of Gold
8 - Charlie Bucket, Grandma Josephine, Willy Wonka - Great Glass Elevator
Real:
9 - Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, Jack Swigert - Apollo 13

Riffed Movie Review

Any of you familiar with Mystery Science Theater 3000 know that not long after the show was cancelled (damn you SyFy!) Mike, Kevin, and Bill formed Rifftrax. You can purchase and download a riff track for just about any movie. And on occasion, they do a live riff track in front of a movie theater audience and it’s broadcast across the nation to other theaters. Thus last week, I got to enjoy a Rifftrax screening of Starship Troopers.

Funded by a Kickstarter project and with the blessings of the cast, it was one of the first times they’d riffed a recent R rated film. Starship Troopers is cheesy, dated, and poorly acted, so it was an easy target. (Denise Richards in particular.) Yes, 80% of the film was epic ship scenes, mass bug shootings, and the word ‘Move!’ (In its defense, the bug effects hold up well. Everything else – not so much.) All in all, it was hilarious.

Before the film begins, they warm up the audience with a humorous slide show. I thought I’d share some my wife caught on her cell phone:







Is flirting fair when selling books? (Do you remember how to flirt? Because it’s been so long, I don’t!) See some new books you want? Find something amusing? Get any of the spaceships right? And has anyone else ever downloaded Rifftraxs or gone to a live event?

My next post will be on Thursday instead of Wednesday, and I’ll have another awesome guest, plus some cool CassaStorm news.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Star Trek Movies Ranked, Nolan’s Interstellar, Fuller’s High Moon, Spaceship Trivia, and Ninja News!

Science Fiction News

Caught this on Blastr. Fans at Creation Entertainment's Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas ranked Trek movie from best to worst. Below are the results, from best to worst:



As a die-hard Trek fan, that really surprised me. I would flip the first two around (First Contact will always be my favorite) but I’d rank Into Darkness much higher. I’ll have to see it again, but I’d probably place it third. I won’t even protest the inclusion of Galaxy Quest, because that film just rocked. What do you guys think of the ranking?

Principal photography began on Christopher Nolan’s next film, Interstellar. According to JoBlo, “The new script chronicles the adventures of a group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.”
The film will star Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, John Lithgow, Casey Affleck, Michael Caine, Jessica Chastain, and Bill Irwin. It’s set for release November 7, 2014.Yes, I'm excited!

Bryan Fuller’s new science fiction series, High Moon, announced the leads - Chris Diamantopoulos and Jake Sandvig. According to Blastr, it picks up “in a future where many countries have occupied the moon to mine its resources, things somehow go haywire when a new form of life is discovered. The series is loosely based on John Christopher's novel The Lotus Caves. The two will star as a federal investigator and a convict working out hard time, respectively.”
SyFy usually produces good series. Now, if only they could spare more than a hundred bucks for their original movies…


Ninja News

The CK Reader Giveaway continues until Saturday! It’s featured on both CK Readers Giveaway on Facebook and on Ciara Knight’s blog. It’s a mixture of my journey with the series and quotes from the books. And there are prizes!

Robyn Campbell recently switched to Disqus comments and then tried to switch back and is having problems. If anyone here can help her restore her Blogger comment box, please visit her!

Brandon Ax’s latest book is available now – Ashes!
He’s also running a contest with some cool prizes – that starts August 20. See his site for details.
Congratulations, Brandon!



Last week I noticed there were a lot of IWSG posts from people who weren’t on the list. My apologies that I can’t contact every individual personally, but here’s a partial list: TF Walsh, Scribbles from Jenn, Charmaine Clancy, Karen – Coming Down the Mountain, Doralynn – My Publishing Diary, Morgan Shamy, Sher A Hart, Tina @ Life is Good, Julia – Writing Jewels, Hope Roberson, and Rusty Webb.
Perhaps you never signed up or didn’t post a couple months in a row and were removed, but I invite all of you to sign up HERE. That way other members can find you. And I don’t want you to be missed!

Mina Lobo revealed the cover to her upcoming book, That Fatal Kiss, set for release September 24. Looks awesome, Mina!



Finally, thanks to everyone who participated in the Anti-Blogfest Gary Fest. I think we rocked Gary’s anti-blogfest world. All links go directly to the post so you can go back if you missed anyone.
And if you think my Urinal Cake Flavors Blogfest sounded disgusting, you should’ve seen the images that came up in a Google search. Why anyone would bake a tiny cake and set it in a urinal is beyond me…


Spaceship Trivia!

Something new! From the crew members listed, name the SPACESHIP (not the movie):

Movies:

1 - Alex Durant, Harry Booth, V.I.N.C.E.N.T.
2 - Captain Dallas, Warrant Officer Ripley, Science Officer Ash
3 - Pres. Skroob, Dark Helmet, Col. Sandurz

Television:

4 - Fry, Bender, Leela, Amy 
5 - Mal Reynolds, Zoe Washburne, Simon Tam
6 - Don West, John Robinson, Dr. Zachary Smith

Literature:

7 - Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect, Zaphod Beeblebrox
8 - Charlie Bucket, Grandma Josephine, Willy Wonka

Real:

9 - Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, Jack Swigert

Answers Monday!

Eager for Interstellar or High Moon? Enter the giveaway? Can you help Robyn? Are you on the IWSG list? Did you enjoy the Anti-Blogfest? Do you know any of the trivia? And how would you rank those Star Trek films…?

Monday, August 12, 2013

The Anti-Blogfest Gary Fest and Elysium Movie Review! Plus CK Reader Giveaway, Ninja News, Book to Movie Trivia Answers, and Mini-Alex at the Beach

Today is the Anti-Blogfest Gary Fest!

But first…

Ciara Knight has created the CK Reader Giveaway, and I have the honor of being the first author! Featured on both CK Readers Giveaway on Facebook and on her BLOG. it’s a mixture of my journey with the series and quotes from the books. And there are prizes! Check it out.

Vacation was great, although I did miss you guys! Especially after such an awesome IWSG. But the wife and I enjoyed ourselves and yes, we took Mini-Alex to the beach.


He was impressed but not crazy about the sand. Gritty sand and Ninja outfits don’t mix. It was also hot, which is why he left the scarf at home.


Ninja News

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group was a huge success last week! Special thanks to my co-hosts, M. Pax, Karen Walker, and Melissa Maygrove. I couldn’t have done it without you, ladies.

Here is the official prize package for my CassaStorm announcement blitz the third week of September! (Mousepad, mug, swag, and $25 iTunes gift card.) Sign up to help me spread the word HERE. You can leave a question or just your name.

Julia King’s book is out today - Félicité Found. She’s also on tour, so check it out. Congratulations, Julia!

Kelly Polark revealed the cover for her September release, Rockabet. Congratulations, Kelly!


Book to Movie Trivia Answers

Movie - Book

1 – Carlito’s Way 1993 – After Hours by Edwin Torres 1979
2 – Manhunter 1986 – Red Dragon by Thomas Harris 1981
3 – Vertigo 1958 – The Living and the Dead by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac 1954 (US title, originally Dentre les morts)
4 – Silver Bullet 1986 – Cycle of the Werewolf by Stephen King 1983
5 – Taps 1981 – Father Sky by Edward Streeter 1949

Movie Review

Elysium
In a dystopian future, Matt Damon is trying to reach Elysium, a paradise orbiting Earth.
While not an original storyline, it’s at least not a remake! It’s gritty with a similar feel as District 9. (Both directed by Neill Blomkamp.) It’s grounded in reality yet the ships and weapons were futuristic. Damon does a great job carrying the film. I was caught in the story and enjoyed the ride.
I did have problems with a few plot points and some things didn’t quite track. The usually solid Jodie Foster played a one-dimensional character with a weird accent. The have-nots were genuine, caring people while the haves were stock cardboard cutouts.
Hard-core science fiction fans, go support it – otherwise, it’s a good rental.

Anti-Blogfest Gary Fest

A blog hop in honor of Mr. anti-blog hop himself, Gary at Klahanie. He's the best Anti-Challenge Spokesperson ever!

Hosted by Mark “Madman” Koopmans, Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh, “Life is Good” Tina, Rockin’ Robyn Engel and Morgan “The Morg” Shamy.

The rules are *very* simple. Create the titles of three PG-13 rated blogfests you would never join - and then add a descriptive sentence or two.

Blogfests I would never join:

Best SyFy Channel Original Films
Counting down from crap to craptactular!

Weirdest Places I’ve Thrown Up Blogfest
If only you knew where I’ve spewed!



My Favorite Urinal Cake Flavors Blogfest
That’s not lemon!

Go ahead and join the fun!



Excited about the new books? Sign up to help with CassaStorm? (Five more weeks!) Get any of the trivia correct? Did you see Elysium? And what blogfests would you never join…?

Be sure to check out the CK Reader Giveaway!