Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Movies Based on YA Books, TV Trivia, Space Opera, Ninja News, and More!

Today I’m making an appearance at the blog of Kim Van Sickler! find out why the Space Opera genre isn't just for science fiction fans.

To entertain you here with movies and books is Nutschell from The Writing Nut!

5 Movies Based on YA Books to Look Forward to This 2014

I’m looking forward to seeing tons of awesome new movies this year. Most of them are Sci-Fi/Fantasy movies and I’ll run out of space if I list all of them. So I thought I narrow down it down to movies based on YA (Young Adult) books, which I’m looking forward to watching.

Here they are in no particular order:

Divergent
Divergent is the first book in Veronica Roth’s best-selling trilogy. The books are all about a dystopian Chicago, where teenagers are forced to make a choice between five factions: Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless and Erudite. Each faction is meant to play a particular role in society based on their most distinguishing virtue. On her Choosing Day, 16 year-old Beatrice Prior chooses another faction over her family’s and discovers a dark truth behind their seemingly perfect society.

Mockingjay Part 1
Mockingjay is the final book in Suzanne Collins’s Hunger Games Trilogy. As with all big hits, the final book was broken into two parts. In this first installment, we’ll see how Katniss and the rebels begin the war against President Snow and the rest of the Capitol.

The Giver
Bases on Lois Lowry’s classic novel, “The Giver” tells of a future society that appears perfect—until the twelve year old protagonist Jonas uncovers its dark side. Jeff Bridges is set to play the Giver in this film adaptation.

The Maze Runner
The Maze Runner is the first book in James Dashner’s dystopian series. In this story, 12 year-old Thomas wakes up with no knowledge of his past. He finds himself in the Glades, an encampment at the center of a strange and frightening maze. Surrounded by other boys with memories of their previous lives, Thomas learns to survive, and soon finds out what lies beyond the walls of the maze.

The Fault in Our Stars
Shailene Woodley, who plays the lead in the YA blockbuster movie Divergent, also stars in this film adaptation based on John Green’s best-selling novel, The Fault in Our Stars. In this story, Hazel, a sixteen year-old with terminal cancer, falls in love with Augustus, a former basketball player whose right leg had to be amputated due to bone cancer. The two meet in a support group and quickly begin a relationship that is both heart-warming and heart-wrenching.

If you’re a fan of Young Adult books (or good stories, in general), add these movies to your “must-watch list.” You’ll be sure to enjoy all of them!

Super thanks for having me on your blog, Alex!

STORY SPROUTS: CBW-LA WRITING DAY EXERCISES & ANTHOLOGY 2013
19 authors – 10 writing exercises – 38 combined anthology entries!

Find it on Amazon
Learn more about Story Sprouts HERE
Join the Children’s Book Writers of Los Angeles HERE
And find Nutschell at Blog, Twitter, Linked In, and Pinterest


Ninja News

Today at the Insecure Writer’s Support Group we are featuring are very first guest, the super-talented and awesome Elizabeth S. Craig! She’s sharing the best practices for self-publishers – you don’t want to miss it.

Catherina Constantine revealed the cover for her upcoming book, Tallas.

Isn’t it awesome?

Road to Somewhere by Kelley Lynn and Jenny Morris
New! From Bloomsbury Spark, a sunny heartwarming story of discovery and sisterhood.

A road trip. A singing competition. And super-hot cowboys.

What could be better?

Available now – visit their sites for a giveaway!

Don’t forget the Online Marketing Symposium is on January 20! Sign up and let us know what has worked (or didn’t) with your online promotions. Open to everyone, not just authors. Hosted by Arlee Bird, Yolanda Renee, Jeremy Hawkins, and Alex J. Cavanaugh.


Cat Trivia Answers

Although some of your answers were awesome!

1 – How fast can a housecat run? 31 mph
2 – True or false – cats can drink seawater. True – their livers filter out the salt
3 – What’s the technical term for a hairball? Bezoar
4 – How many different sounds do cats make? One hundred
5 – Which pet is more popular in North America – the dog or the cat? The cat – 73 million cats compared to 63 million dogs


TV Trivia!

Random questions!

1 -On The X-Files, what's Mulder's nickname?
2 -What show starred Michael Landon as an angel?
3 -On The Simpsons, who shot Mr. Burns?
4 -What was the name of the charter boat that shipwrecked in the 1960s show "Gilligan's Island"?
5 -What 80s show is Frasier a spinoff of?

What movie based off of a young adult novel are you looking forward to? Have you picked up Story Sprouts? Excited about the new books? Signed up for the Online Marketing Symposium? Get any of the cat trivia correct? And do you know any of the TV trivia…?

Don’t forget to visit Kim Van Sickler!

169 comments:

Ray Rousell said...

The film industry certainly seems to be hitting the Ya books at the moment, they all look interesting! I know its not fantasy or sci-fi, but you've gotta give a mention to Warhorse!!!

Natalie Aguirre said...

I'm really looking forward to all these movies Nutshell recommended, though I'll probably have to rent some of them.

I'll try to stop at Kim's blog too.

Shah Wharton said...

Few years ago I read The Book Thief and while on hols, we watched the movie. It was really good, but the book was better. I'd still highly recommend it.

Loved this list, I'm loving the Suzanne Collins series, and want to see the movie based on The Giver.

The cover for Tallas is awesome. And I never knew cats could run so fast or drink salt water. This was a feast of a post Alex! :)

Empty Nest Insider said...

Great guest post at Kim's, Alex! Thanks for the movie info, and best of luck with your new book, Nutschell! I finally know a few of your trivia questions: 2) Highway To Heaven 3) Smithers??? 4) The SS Minnow 5) Cheers

Julie

Cindy said...

I only got Cheers and The Minnow. Anyway...I have signed up for the Online Marketing Symposium.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

I didn't realize that there were so many book adaptations about to release! I enjoyed Divergent and my son loved Maze Runner.

Cats can drink salt water? Wow!

Annalisa Crawford said...

I have a feeling I'll be dragged along to see a couple of those films.

I know some of those answers:
2) Touched by an angel
3) Maggie
5) Cheers

Please tell me they're right, it doesn't happen often!!

The Angry Lurker said...

1 -On The X-Files, what's Mulder's nickname? Spooky.
2 -What show starred Michael Landon as an angel? Stairway to Heaven.
3 -On The Simpsons, who shot Mr. Burns? Maggie.
4 -What was the name of the charter boat that shipwrecked in the 1960s show "Gilligan's Island"?
5 -What 80s show is Frasier a spinoff of? Cheers.

Tracy Jo said...

I'm looking forward to seeing The Giver. Love the cat trivia. Always great info, off to check out the symposium!

Frankie Miller said...

I'll certainly watch out for 'The Giver'; I like Jeff Bridges.
Was it Spooky?
Highway to Heaven
Cheers.
(The memory is playing me up at the moment)!
I'm off to take a look at Kim's site now.

Rusty Carl said...

Trivia:

1) Um, Agent?
2) Crap... I used to watch the show.
3) Maggie!
4) SS. Minnow
5) Cheers

And the cat things... I want a liver that does that. Totally not fair.

And finally, good stuff today. Glad to see you posting on Wednesdays again.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Ray, good one.

Shah, I try to post something for everyone!

Julie, you got three right.

Cindy, that's two, and glad you are with us.

Annalisa, you got two right.

Fran, you got three, and so close on the fourth.

Fanny, three right!

Heather M. Gardner said...

ALEX!!

Honestly, I wasn't impressed with the first Hunger Games movie. I didn't read the books. I might though. I'm on book 5 of the Percy Jackson series. I read each night to the boy. The movies don't hold a candle to the books.

I can't believe I didn't get any of the cat trivia! I have so many! :)

TV Trivia:
1. Spooky, although in one episode a Native American man said he should have been called Sneaky Fox.
2. Highway to Heaven?
3. Maggie
4. Minnow
5. Cheers

Huh. I watch too much TV. :)

Heather

Optimistic Existentialist said...

I cannot WAIT to watch Mockingjay Part 1. Catching Fire was amazing.

Jeff Hargett said...

I actually know a couple answers to your trivia questions! Wow! Now that even Nutschell is recommending Divergent, I guess I'll have to give it read/look. Already picked up a copy of Story Sprouts. Now to get to it!

Kim Van Sickler said...

So many good books being made into movies! It makes me so happy. I'm also excited about Ben Affleck starring in the movie of Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl.

Brian Miller said...

huh i need to check out that sprouts book...may be some cool exercises in it to stretch....

i have read about half the YA books to movie...the giver should be cool...i am intrigued by divergent...i need to read that...

Philip Verghese 'Ariel' said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Philip Verghese 'Ariel' said...

Hi Alex,
Great Collection for the year 2014. Movies and Books>
Hey, Here is an Alert!
Dog Lovers Beware!
Cats are still in the front line LOL
Thanks Alex for the Ninja News!
and The IWSG's first Guest. I am rushing towards that place as well as to Kim Van Sickler's place. :-)
Hey again thank you very much for the Cat Trivia Answers. Good to roam around. Have Happy Watching and Reading!
Phil

Janu

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Rusty, got three!

Heather, I wasn't impressed either. And perfect score on the trivia.

Shell Flower said...

I just saw the Divergent trailer last night and am SO excited to see it. Loved that book. Also excited about Maze Runner. I didn't know they were making a movie of it until just now. The Hunger Game movies are also awesome and can't wait to take my son to Mockingjay 1 and 2. We saw Catching Fire on Christmas. I'm going to be a fly on the wall at the symposium as I want to learn what I can. Going to check out the IWSG interview, as well. Yay.

Julie Flanders said...

I LOVE Cathrina's cover, so awesome! For the trivia - 1. Spooky, 2. Highway to Heaven, 5. Cheers. Can't remember the other two!

T. Powell Coltrin said...

I knew most of the cat trivia.

Can't wait to see so many of the films from books, Nutshell.

S.A. Larsenッ said...

Okay, The Giver.... I'll definitely have to see that one. For some reason, I've never read the story. My reading-hater daughter was forced to read it during her 8th grade year as a class assignment. To my shock, she actually read it. She still talks about it today. Guess I'll have to read it, too.

Thx, Alex!

Maurice Mitchell said...

Good list since this could be the year of the YA. Since Twilight they haven't been doing well. I'm most looking forward to Hunger Games, but Divergent might be the break out. Did you know she has a blogger account? veronicarothbooks.blogspot.com

Cherie Reich said...

Love the cat trivia!

For the TV Trivia, the answer to #1 is Spooky. Man, I miss The X-Files.
#2 Highway to Heaven
#3 Maggie Simpson
#4 The Minnow
#5 Cheers
(And yes, I watch too much TV.)

And I'm looking forward to quite a few of those YA movies coming out.

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

I'm torn about seeing The Fault in Our Stars - the books was so sad, not sure I can handle the movie.

Trivia:

1 - ?
2 - Highway to Heaven
3 - Maggie
4 - S S Minnow
5 - Cheers

Sean McLachlan said...

31mph??? How fast can mice run?

Luanne G. Smith said...

I'm looking forward to most of those movies, but The Giver and The Fault in Our Stars in particular. Both based on outstanding novels. :)

Christine Rains said...

Lots of great movies coming out. I'm waiting to see Vampire Academy. Aside from YA, I just saw the commercial for The Lego Movie yesterday. Hilarious!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Julie, you got three!

Sheri, that's funny your daughter doesn't like to read.

Maurice, that's cool she blogs.

Cherie, perfect score!

Madeline, you got four.

Sean, apparently not fast enough!

Rachel Schieffelbein said...

Frasier is a spin-off of Cheers. And I feel like I should know who shot Mr. Burns, but I can't remember!
Lots of movies to look forward to! I hope they do a good job with The Giver. :)

Jo said...

Always enjoy Y/A books, not so much the movies. I rarely watch a movie if I have read the book. I often read the book of a movie I have seen though.

However I see on my Kindle I have over 500 books to be read.

Don't know the trivia, but I was interested in the cats answers.

Leovi said...

Yes, "The Giver" is what attracts me. Jeff Bridges is an actor who has always liked!

SC Author said...

SO MANY MOVIES TO WATCH! I'm not complaining :)

Liz Blocker said...

Geez, if only I wrote YA...the Hollywood market seems to be booming!!

In other news, I can't believe I don't remember Mulder's nickname. ARGH! I want to look it up, but that's cheating. I keep wanting to say 'ghost' but I know that's not it. Is it scary? spooky? SPOOKY! Oh, and Maggie shot Mr. Burns ;)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Rachel, you are correct.

Jo, that's a lot!

Leovi, I've always liked Jeff Bridges.

Liz, you got it!

Juliana Haygert said...

I'm looking forward to Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead - the movie is being called Blood Sisters and comes out next month!

Jeremy [Retro] said...

I know the answers to trivia, sad... i think not. let's call it special.

Hoping over to your visit, great post for today... by the way!

trivia for you: who is taller John Wayne or John Belushi?

Jeremy

Theresa Milstein said...

I'm looking forward to The Giver and Divergent too. I don't know if I can see The Fault in Our Stars because I'll cry the whole time.

Jennie Bennett said...

I'm so excited for all of those movies!!! And congrats to Kelley & Jenny :)

Unknown said...

Great list, though I don't intend to see them in the theater. It's just too expensive.

Interesting trivia as I live with 2 cats.

S. L. Hennessy said...

I'm a bit worried about The Giver. One of my favorite childhood books, and they've signed on Taylor Swift. WE'll see, but I sure hope they don't ruin it in some way or other.

S. L. Hennessy said...

I'm a bit worried about The Giver. One of my favorite childhood books, and they've signed on Taylor Swift. WE'll see, but I sure hope they don't ruin it in some way or other.

Patsy said...

Apparently I knew absolutely nothing about cats.

Cathrina Constantine said...

Thank you Alex for promoting my Book Cover!! Looking forward to some good movies!! Highway to Heaven is the show Landon played an angel, easy one I watched it all the time. Another easy one is Frasier is a spinoff of Cheers. I should know Mulder's nickname cause we never missed a show, senior moment I guess!

Unknown said...

I bet my daughter is looking forward to The Fault In Our Stars. She loved that book. Cheers to Nutshell on her book, too!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Karen, you are correct!

Melissa, now you know them a little better.

Cathrina, you're welcome. And you got two right.

Tony Laplume said...

"Homer Simpson." "Stop saying that!" (while strangling Mr. Burns)

Pat Hatt said...

They seem to be hitting the ya books a ton in hollywood, beats remakes any day.

Spooky
Highway to heaven
Maggie
SS Minow
Cheers

Easy this week

The Happy Whisk said...

I wonder if it's because dogs are more work and cats, well, not so much.

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

I haven't heard of The Giver, but I like Jeff Bridges and the premise intrigues me. Nutschell is a fun lady.

xoRobyn

Jenny S. Morris said...

Thank you so much Alex for promoting our book cover!! I'm excited about a lot of the book to movies that are coming out!

Suze said...

Wow! Bridges as the Giver. That's noteworthy. As for the trivia:

1. Spooky
2. Highway to Heaven
3.
4. The S.S. ... I dunno
5. Cheers

Fun post, Al!

Cassie Mae said...

I'm so excited for all the book adaptations! Though, I don't think I can see FioS without bringing a big box of Kleenex.

Kyra Lennon said...

Ha, I never know the answers to your trivia questions but I do know that Michael Landon was in Highway To Heaven, because my mum used to watch it lol!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Spooky Mulder!

I might've written YA, but I've never been crazy about YA movies.

klahanie said...

Greetings human, Alex,

As paw usual, a wealth of info on your site.

Pawesome answers to the cat trivia. I must come over to North America and find out why humans there would prefer a cat of a dog. Good grief!

I know the X-Files was filmed in Vancouver, along with just about every other American show.

I know of the S.S. Minnow and a three hour cruise that went on a bit longer than planned....

Pawsitive wishes,

Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Tony - funny!

Pat, perfect score this week.

Ivy, or not at all!

Jenny, you're welcome!

Suze, three and a half.

Kyra, then you knew one - awesome!

Diane, correct.

Penny, you need to set them straight. And you do know your Gilligan's Island.

Carrie-Anne said...

2. Highway to Heaven (which I seem to remember watching with my grandma as a child, possibly in reruns)

3. Maggie

4. S.S. Minnow, I think.

5. Cheers

nutschell said...

Alex!!! Thanks so much for having me on your awesome website! That book cover by Catherine is intriguing! I'll have to check it out. ooh I heard about the ONline Marketing Symposium from Arlee. I'll have to go check that one out too.
And those cat trivia answers--wow. I never knew bezoar was an actual word. Always thought JK Rowling made that one up for Harry Potter. And I always thought dogs were more popular than cats here in the US.
Anyway, just excited to be sharing your space today!Thanks again!

Nutschell
www.thewritingnut.com

A Beer for the Shower said...

I'm too young to know the answer to all of those questions, or so I say that to make myself feel better... so, I'm forgoing answering them. :(

Also, that's a ton of dystopian YA tales being made into movies. I guess the teens these days are really crazy about the desolate end of the world, eh?

jaybird said...

I'm always a bit leery of adaptations. Especially of books I particularly loved. I'm always cringing the whole time, hoping they don't kill it.

LOVED the cat survey/questions. I knew all the answers.I think that may solidify my crazy cat lady status. LOL

Roland D. Yeomans said...

I enjoyed the first 2 HUNGER GAMES Books, but MOCKINGJAY left a bad taste in my mental mouth. I hear that the 3rd book in the DIVERGENT Trilogy does the same.

I don't think I'll see the MOCKINGJAY films nor DIVERGENT for that reason.

Best of luck to all the authors releasing books now!!

nutschell said...


Ray, didn’t Warhorse come out in 2011? Or was that a different movie? At any rate, I still have to watch it. I heard it was good.
Natalie, I’ll probably have to rent some of them. But I would like to watch the sci fi/fantasy ones on the big screen 
Shah, I’ve read the Book Thief and it’s beautiful. I have yet to watch the movie though.
Julie, thanks! Jealous you answered most of the trivia questions. I only knew 1!
Cindy, great to meet you!
Elizabeth, your son might like Divergent after the movie 
Annalisa, if you have any teens or YA loving friends, you probably will be dragged into the theater.
Tracy Jo, me too! I love cats, so any trivia about them is fun to learn about.

Fanny, I like Jeff Bridges, too! I think he’ll make The Giver an outstanding film.

Rusty Carl, I want a liver like that too. I’ll never go thirsty with an ocean nearby.

Heather, books are always better than the movies! Though I surprised myself after watching Catching Fire. I actually felt like the movie was better than the book. Or maybe I just have to re-read it.

Optimistic Existenalist, Me too! Excited to see Mockingjay.

Jeff, aren’t you supposed to be over at my blog? Haha. Lovely to see you here and am especially happy that you’re sharing your workspace with us. I love your multi-screen system! I have just 2 screens on mine  love your man cave! And thanks for picking up a copy of Story Sprouts! You just made my day 

Kim, I’ve been hearing about Gone Girl a lot! Must check that out.

Brian, check story sprouts out! Lots of good writing exercises in it.  I think you might enjoy Divergent.

PV Ariel, there are definitely loads of good movies to look out for in 2014. 
Shell Flower, the Maze Runner movie was a surprise to me too. A good one though!Super excited for Divergent.

Julie, I agree. That book cover is amazing!
Teresa, I didn’t know any of the cat trivia so I was well surprised by them. Can’t wait to see the films too!
SA Larsen, I read it when I was younger and loved it. I’ll have to re-read though because the details have become fuzzy
Maurice, it does sound like 2014 is the year of the YA. I knew Veronica had a blog but I’m not sure if she posts there regularly. Will have to go check it out.
Cherie, love the cat trivia too. And I’m amazed that you answered all the trivia questions!

Andrew Leon said...

And, yet, when you ask people which they like better, more people say dogs. I wonder if it's because so many apartment complexes don't allow dogs but do allow cats.

nutschell said...

Madeline, I’m sure the book will be just as sad-but we all need a good cry every now and then 

Sean, that’s a great question! How fast do mice run?

L.G. they are outstanding novels and I’m sure they’ll be great films as well.


Christine, I wanted to put Vampire Academy on the list, too! But I realized I only needed 5.

Rachel, crossing my fingers they don’t mess up the Giver as well.

Jo, I have more than 500 books on my kindle waiting to be read. And I am dying to read them all!

Leovi, Jeff Bridges is a good actor. Love watching his films.

SC Author, so many more movies I haven’t listed here! And I still have movies from last year that I’ve yet to watch.
Liz, YA is probably the most popular kid lit genre.
Juliana, saw the trailer for Vampire Academy and thought it would be a fun film.
Karen, I don’t know any of the trivia either!


Theresa, I might just wait for The Fault in Our Stars to come out on DVD so I can do all the crying at home. 
J.A. me too!
Melissa, I like watching sci-fi/fantasy movies on the big screen because I get to enjoy the special effects, and I wait for the other genres to come out on DVD.
SL Hennessy, I heard about Taylor Swift coming on board. I hope she makes the movie better, not worse.
Patsy, me neither! And I have two at home.
Cathereine, what an amazing book cover! Congrats on your book release!
Julie, thanks! Lots of teens are looking forward to lots of movies this year.

Patt, I agree!

The Happy Whisk, you might be right. Cats are easier to care for than dogs.


Rawknrobyn, thanks!! You should check out The Giver. It’s a classic!
Jenny, congrats on the book!
Suze, you did better than me on the trivia. I answered none!
Cassie Mae, I intend to watch TFIOS at home 
L. Diane, that’s interesting! Well, the books are always better than the movies.

Klahanie, interesting trivia indeed

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Carrie-Anne, correct!

Nutschell, you are welcome! And join us for the Symposium.

Brandon and Bryan, they do like the hopeless stories, don't they.

Jaybird, I don't think you are crazy.

Roland, I didn't like the Hunger Games movie, so that's as far as I go.

Andrew, that thought occurred to me as well. Plus cats are low maintenance. Easier for someone to take care of.

DiscConnected said...

1 -On The X-Files, what's Mulder's nickname? Spooky Mulder-I'm not sure they ever revisit that nickname after season one
2 -What show starred Michael Landon as an angel? Highway To Heaven
3 -On The Simpsons, who shot Mr. Burns? no idea...same person who shot JR? I never have seen the Simpsons...
4 -What was the name of the charter boat that shipwrecked in the 1960s show "Gilligan's Island"? If not for the courage of her fearless crew, The Minnow would be lost)
5 -What 80s show is Frasier a spinoff of? Where everybody knows your name

LC

Unknown said...

Out of all the YA movies I think I will like The Giver.
Two words Jeff Bridges...

Well, that is technically a name but there are lots of bridges!

Chris Desson said...

You listed all the Book-to-Screen movies I'm looking forward to do.

It's true that SF doesn't appeal to everyone, myself included, but it's worth checking out the genre. I've found a couple of gems over there like Jumper, The Lord of the Rings, and CassaStorm.

Robin said...

This past year (maybe two years now) I have been doing a lot of YA reading. It was so much better than I expected that I am now hooked. I would like to see all of these movies and read the books not yet read.

I am terrible with trivia. I only knew Highway to Heaven and Cheers. When scrolling through the comments I saw The Minnow and knew that was indeed right. I couldn't tell you how many episodes I've seen of GI. It was galling to forget that bit of information.

LD Masterson said...

I don't read a lot of YA but some of those movies sound appealing.

And I knew it was The Minnow without peeking at other comments. I can still sing the theme song, too.

baygirl32 said...

read every one of those YA books! its gonna be a good year :)

mooderino said...

I hope at least some of those movies live up to their source material.

mood
Moody Writing

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Larry, you got four!

Christine, and I appreciate that!

Robin, got two, and I'm sure I've seen ever episode at least five times.

LD, I bet you can!

Crystal Collier said...

I'm looking forward to most those movies, but my goodness, I'd better get reading! Don't want to have my literary vision tainted before reading the books.

Looking forward to the symposium. Is that only on Monday? Yikes! Time to get cracking!

Michelle Wallace said...

I've seen Story Sprouts all over the place! It does sound like a wonderful book, which I'd LOVE to get my hands on (paperback copy NOT e-book)

I'm off to Kim's place-----
And need to check out Elizabeth's post too!

Birgit said...

These books sound inetersting and so do the films. I am sicker than a dog but i hope I can get the answers correct 1. Fox is his nickname. 2.Highway to heaven 3.Maggie shot mr. Burns 4. I used to know but mindfreeze has set in. 5. Cheers!

Emily R. King said...

So many great movies! You know, I saw Beautiful Creatures and I really liked it. It was much better than the book (in my opinion).

Karen Jones Gowen said...

These movies all look like winners. I really liked Hunger Games and look forward to Mockingjay. Divergent sounds very good too. Haven't read the book-- I'm not much of a YA fan, but I like the movies they make.

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

The premise of Veronica Roth's novel is that teenagers living in a post-apocalyptic, walled Chicago must put on a sorting hat — erm, I mean, go into a dream machine — and have visions that help them "choose" one of five groups to join. Like the houses of Hogwarts, each group has a special talent, including selflessness, intelligence, bravery, etc. Because it seems so much of an extension of J.K. Rowling's novels, I may wait to see it on video. But a lot of YA is just a rehash of the old. All that matters is that it makes money and Divergent looks like an enormous cash cow that will be wildly "groundbreaking" to its audience even though the more informed will just say, "We've seen all of this before."

~Sia McKye~ said...

Divergent sounds good. The rest...meh. Hubs will want to watch Mockingjay but I didn't like the way they handled the first so I'll give it a pass.

I think Catherina's cover is cool. I want to check out Road to Somewhere. Sounds fun.

I know two, maybe three, of your trivia, Highway to Heaven, The minnow, and I thought Mulder was his nickname since he didn't use his real one. I remember an episode where they called spooky Mulder but don't know if that was a real nickname.

Sia McKye Over Coffee

Unknown said...

I'm intrigued by The Maze Runner - it's been on my radar for a while but I never paid it much attention. I'll check the movie out though.

cleemckenzie said...

Maze Runner was among my favorite reads last year. Haven't read more than the Hunger Games, but I'm very interested in finding out how that horrid President Snow fares against the kids.

Elizabeth Seckman said...

I totally bombed the cat trivia :(

I DO know that Gilligan was aboard the Minnow! (One of my favorite shows EVER!)
And Frasier is a spin off of Cheers...also favorites!

Look at all the new books coming! I really need to learn to read faster. Though while I was sick...I tore through several. There is a plus side to everything!

M Pax said...

A bunch of great new books out. Congrats to Nutshell! It's great to see her getting out there.

Unknown said...

By now there's no point in saying I knew any of the answers to those questions as they're right here in the comments section.

Now I know what happened to INWG. You were off and it's a week later. I better go check on my girl Elsie.

Anonymous said...

You'd think with me being a huge YA fan and author, I'd be all over the movies, but I'm not really excited for any of them. I'm waiting for the Marvel movies. Those don't disappoint as much as seeing a YA book I love become a bad movie.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Crystal, it is Monday!

Birgit, sorry you're sick. And you got three right.

Sia, you got three right, in a roundabout way! And I didn't like the first movie at all.

Elizabeth, two right, and that's a great attitude.

Anne, we did the IWSG last week instead of the first week. Elsie said she had a migraine, which is why she hasn't posted in a while.

Nicki Elson said...

1 - Agent?
2 - Little Cloud in the Heaven??
3 - Maggie
4 - Don't know but now the theme song is now stuck in my head
5 - Cheers!

John Wiswell said...

After finding Hunger Games 2 an absolute overlong slog, the worst two words they could have added to the title of the third movie was "Part 1." Yikes. I hope other enjoy their excess of didactic dystopia.

Meanwhile, would you believe I've never even read The Giver? That's on my shame list.

J E Oneil said...

I saw the trailer for Divergent in the theater and I was surprised how good it looked (after City of Bones flopped I wasn't sure what to expect).

Bezoar? Seriously? That officially beats quincunx as coolest word.

I don't know the answer to 1. and 2., but 3. is Maggie (I think I'm the only one who liked that), 4. is the Minnow, and 5. is Cheers. 3/5 isn't bad.

Truedessa said...

I've read all the Hunger Game books and I've seen each movie so far. I eagerly await the next one.

Maybe, I should read your books and see what these space adventures are
all about.

Jen said...

Wow! I actually know the answers to some of these!! 1 is Spooky, 2 is Highway to Heaven, 4, is The Minnow, and 5 is Cheers!

I didn't know they were making a movie of The Giver. That should be good!

Off to read your guest post!

Mason T. Matchak said...

It's great to see so many YA books getting made into movies, but I gotta say, I saw the trailer for "Divergent" and I think it was completely botched. The trailer didn't say what was said here - that Beatrice chooses a different faction. It just made it clear she'd done something bad and now no one could know. It was interesting, but the vagueness killed it for me.

kjmckendry said...

Oh I'd better hurry up and read Divergent and The Fault in Our Stars!

Story Sprouts sounds great!

Kelley Lynn said...

Thanks for the shout out Alex! I'm REALLY looking forward to the Divergent movie!

Kimberly said...

OMGosh, I want to see all of those movies!

I love that Tallas cover!

Looking forward to the Marketing Symposium too. :)

Unknown said...

I'm your 100th comment! I feel like bells and whistles should be going off.

Great movie plans, Nutschell. Funny how many of those are dystopian. Today's generation must have a pessimistic view of the world.

I'll have to tune into the symposium, Alex. Whew! Today's been one of "those days" that kept me busy as a beaver. Just now getting back online one more time before bed.

Oh...I actually know most of the trivia (except the first), but in light of the nicknames of the guys on Grey's Anatomy, the answer to your first question is McSmolder. 2. Highway to Heaven 3. Maggie 4. USS Minnow 5. Cheers!

Cheers!

M.L. Swift, Writer

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Nicki, you got two right! (Agent - funny!)

John, I haven't read it either. And I was bored with the first one.

JE, three is good. And you now have a new cool word.

Trudessa, if you do, I'd be honored!

Jen, you got it!

Kelley, you're welcome!

Stephen Tremp said...

I'm somewhat of a trivia geek for Gilligan's Island and could probably score 95 out of a 100 such a quiz. The USS Minnow.

Divergent is next on my list of books to read. Right now I'm absorbed in Unbroken.

What an amazing story! And based on a real person and events. Movie to come out later this year.

Mel Kinnel (@TizMellyMel) said...

I know the answer to #5 for the TV Trivia is Cheers! As far as cats being able to make hundred different sounds, I'm wowed.

DMS said...

Tallas is a beautiful cover!

Wishing Nutschell the best of luck with Story Sprouts. :)

I am so excited that The Giver is going to be a movie. I have to read the rest of the series now that I recently found out there were more of them!

I got the cat sounds right. Yeah!
~Jess

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

I love Catherina's new cover. Wow. Looks awesome.

I liked the book, The Giver. Hadn't heard it was being made into a film. The worldbuilding was great. The end, not so much.

Donna K. Weaver said...

I won't be seeing Divergent. I read the first book and held back from reading any more until the series was done. Just not my kind of story.

I'm excited for Maze Runner though. I really enjoyed that series.

Belle Wong said...

I really enjoyed Divergent, although I probably won't be seeing the movie until it's out in DVD - I just don't seem to go to the movies that often these days.

Fundy Blue said...

I've just got to read and see The Hunger Games books and movies! I feel so out of it! I spent too much time in third grade I guess. I had no idea that cats could make that many sounds! Have a good one!

Helena said...

I still haven't caught Catching Fire but hope to see it this weekend. From the sound of it, Dystopian novels are all the rage!

Turns out I didn't know ANY of the answers to the cat questions. My kitty is so disappointed in me.

dolorah said...

I'm not a big YA fan; getting tired of it actually. But I like Jeff Bridges so I'll probably watch that one sometime.

Loved the cat trivia - I prefer cats over dogs.

Yay for me, I knew 4 out of five of your questions today :)

......dhole

Sheena-kay Graham said...

I'm so excited about the YA books being turned to movies. Divergent and Mockingjay top my list.

ediFanoB said...

To be honest none of the movies aroused my interest.
I'm not a fan of YA books.
There are still so many adult books which I want to read ....

Heather Musk said...

Hmmm, I know 3 of the trivia questions ...

I'm looking forward to Mockingjay coming out, and hopefully by then I'll have finally read all the books!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Stephen, I should test you on that!

Mel, correct.

Jess, yes you did.

Helena, give him a treat and he'll forget.

Donna, good for you!

Edi, I'm not either.

Leovi said...

Very interesting seven best practices for self-publishing success.

Al Penwasser said...

Okay I'll try...
1. Spooky
2. Touched by an Angel?
3. Maggie
4. SS Minnow
5. Cheers
Relatively easy. Or I'm a wicked nerd.

msmariah said...

Alex-- It seems like ever since 'Harry Potter,' the film industry has been obsessed w/ YA fiction.

I love these cat trivia questions. I actually did not know any of those.

Random trivia questions.

1. Spooky
2. Highway to Heaven
3. Maggie
4. The Minnow
5. Cheers

I didn't cheat, so if I got all of those correct, then I really watch too much tv!

msmariah said...

The one that most interests me is 'The Maze Runner.' I hope it's in the same vein as the Hunger Games films and not Twilight.

Cate Masters said...

I need to catch up on The Hunger Games, first read, then watch.
The others look very interesting too.

Bish Denham said...

Nice job, Nutschell. At least *they're* making some new movies! Not remakes. I've got your book on my to order list! I LOVE Caterina's cover!

As for the trivia, I actually know a few.
Michael Landon as an angel: Highway to Heaven
The boat from Gilligan's Island: The Minnow
Frasier was a spinoff of Cheers.

SK Anthony said...

Oooh the first guest at IWSG! I have to go check it out!

Trivia…hmmm
1- Spooky
5- Cheers

That's all I know…or think I know lol

Unknown said...

I love The Giver.
In college I wrote an alternate ending for it as a final exam and passed with an A+ with my writing professor saying she'd never seen anyone able to capture the same author style. I was proud of that. I even have the ending still :)
~Decadent

Rachna Chhabria said...

I am looking forward to all the movies Nutshell mentioned, especially The Fault in our Stars.

Tara Tyler said...

wow, i actually knew most of the answers to the tv trivia!
really glad to see hollywood reading (or someone is telling them books are great for movies again!) i'm sure these will translate well to the screen, and hopefully make kids want to read more!

happy thursday!

Sherry Ellis said...

There are a lot of good YA books that are movie-worthy. I just read Divergent, and am certainly looking forward to the movie!

Anonymous said...

I read the book, The Giver, and would love to see the movie. Surprised that cats beat dogs by a million! That's a lot of cats!

Misha Gerrick said...

I'm looking forward to Mockingjay the most.

Just visited Kim's. :-)

SpacerGuy said...

I'm looking forward to this cool movie list, into darkness and contemporary sci fi is so definitely going forth and prospering, hehe. Sorry I couldn't resist that.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Al, an easy nerd? Four out of five.

MsMariah, perfect score!

Bish, you got it!

SK, correct.

Kane, that is impressive.

Tara, better than remakes, that's for sure.

Anonymous said...

I have a copy of THE GIVER. Still need to read it. Had no idea they were going to make it into a movie.

I'll have to think about the tv trivia questions. I'm sure given time I'll be able to come up with some of the answers. I've actually watched most of the shows at one time or another.

Author A.O. Peart said...

Wow, so many great books are becoming movies. I would like to see all of them, but Giver and The Fault In Our Stars are on top of my list.

Cathrina's cover is stunning!

Liesel K. Hill said...

Super excited for all those movies this year! For the trivia:
1) Spooky
2) ?
3) ?
4)Highway to Heaven
5) Cheers

Anonymous said...

I'm excited for all those YA movies! Still need to read The Maze Runner though.

Anonymous said...

I'm counting down the days for Divergent and especially TFIOS despite the fact that Shailene Woodley is in both of them. Not a fan of hers, sorta find her annoying. But she's got five chances to win me over.

Karen Lange said...

As always, thanks for all the news and notes! Trivia - was the Gilligan's Island boat called the Minnow? And Frasier came from Cheers, didn't it?

Mina Burrows said...

Oh, I love that YA list. Awesome. Thanks!

I think the boat for GI was USS Minnow...but I'm not sure. Man, I suck at trivia. :(

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I actually know two of the trivia questions. Record score for me. I didn't know any of the cat trivia. I am looking forward the Symposium. I only see YA movies under pressure from my daughter. I'm not a fan of teenager save the world genre.

Unknown said...

I'm really looking forward to all those movies! And congratulations to the Ninjas. I especially love the fun cover for ROAD TO SOMEWHERE!

Shannon Lawrence said...

1. Spooky
2. Stairway to Heaven...?
3. Didn't watch it. I'll go with J.R., lol
4. SS Minnow?
5. Cheers?

I didn't know cats could drink salt water! Good method for survival. Why can't we?

There's only one of those YA books I haven't heard of, and two I haven't read. Will have to look them up.

Unknown said...

Thanks to Nutschell for all the movie info! I'm looking forward to them.

Congrats to Cathrina on Tallas, and to Kelley & Jenny!

I loved that cat trivia!

1.?
2.?
3. Maggie
4. Minnow
5. Cheers

Anonymous said...

31 mph is fast! I knew that cats ruled in the pet department.

I'll check out the link to Kim's.

Ella said...

Happy Friday Captain! Wow, what a cool post this is~ Yes, I grabbed my copy of Story Sprouts-it is very well done!
Great trivia and movies! I am excited about Giver and The Fault in the Stars~

Hope life is rocking in your world!

Brinda said...

I loved The Fault in Our Stars and cannot wait to see it!!

Gossip_Grl said...

I've seen the Story Sprouts mentioned two times today, so will definitely check it out. The cover for the book Tallas looks intriguing. I should know the answers to the TV trivia and the only one I can answer at the moment is the name of the boat on Gilligans Island was the USS Minnow (I think) Great post btw! Have a great weekend!

Yolanda Renée said...

I just want to know who counted the cat sounds? Was it Pat? LOL

So many great books being made into movies - awesome!

mshatch said...

Wow, I only got the last one right on the cat trivia. But I can do better with the tv trivia:

1. Spooky
2. Highway to Heaven
3. ?
4. The Minnow
5. Cheers

Happy Friday!
:)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Leisel, got three!

Karen, correct!

Mina, you're correct.

Shannon, three right. And it would be handy to be able to drink sea water.

Lexa, nailed three.

Gossip girl, you are correct.

Yolanda, we'll have to ask him!

Marcy, you got four.

Tyrean Martinson said...

1 - oh no, I don't remember.
2- Touched By an Angel?
3 - not sure
4 - USS Minnow
5 - Cheers

I'm looking forward to seeing all of those YA movies too!
I didn't know The Giver was coming out as a movie - not sure if I'm excited or concerned - it's the kind of book (like all my favorites) that lives so strongly in my imagination and I'm not sure the movie will match up. I'm excited for Lois Lowry's sake and the fact that the story will be introduced to a new fan base.

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

Making a note on all the forthcoming movies. I especially want to see The Giver. Loved that story.

I have two of those millions of cats. :)

Leovi said...

It must be very nice that Road to Somewhere!

L.G. Keltner said...

For the trivia:
1. Spooky
2. Highway to Heaven
3. Maggie Simpson
4. S.S. Minnow
5. Cheers

Woohoo! It's not often that I have an answer for all of them. I just hope I'm right. (Fingers crossed)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Tyrean, got two. And I've never read the book.

Beverly, we can blame you for the imbalance then!

LG, you nailed it! Hours of television watching has paid off...

Jackie said...

I'm looking forward to seeing Augustus and Hazel on the big screen. The Fault in Our Stars is such a great book!

Jemi Fraser said...

So many great books being turned into movies. I'm always on the fence about that. I hate when they blow it, but when it's great it's awesome! Hope these are all wonderful :)

Unknown said...

The YA genre is on fire with movie adaptations *and awesome film scores*! I'll be seeing all of these, after I catch up on some reading. Haven't gotten to the Divergent series or Maze Runner yet.

Love Catherina's Tallas cover!

Hope to be around the blogosphere more soon, once I finish up the Composer for Relief anthology.

Katherines Corner said...

These all look wonderful to me!!!!! hoping you are well and smiling my friend Hugs

T.F. Walsh said...

Can't wait to see the new YA movies... esp Mockingjay and The Maze Runner... very cool.

Morgan said...

Loved Maze Runner... I'm actually loving this new fad with YA books being turned into movies---because I read so much YA, I finally feel in the loop as far as movies go! :)

David T List said...


Hi Alex
That Tallas cover does look cool.

I'm one of those who just couldn't get into Maze Runner. Perhaps the movie will be better. As far as Divergent... I've already had a lifetime's worth of emotional teen girl dystopians. Time for something new.

I'm grabbing the badge for Online Marketing Symposium... And hopefully formulating a worthwhile post as well.

Very cool post on Swagger. Good points.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Samantha, that's a big project and understand it requires a lot of attention.

Morgan, now if we can get more science fiction books to movies...

David, glad you can join us!

Unknown said...

I loved your Space Opera explanation. I think more and more people are starting to understand your point about the emotions that resonate with a wide audience. For that reason, I'm usually pretty open to a lot of genres, because at the heart of it, a good story is a good story. Fantasy, Adventure, Sci-Fi, etc are all just frameworks. =) Nice post. And there are some great movies coming up. This is the second time I've heard about Maze Runner. Someone told me the concept of my book reminded them of it, and now I can see why based on the description. Well, I may have to read it, because now I'm very curious.

Have a great weekend :)

Patricia Stoltey said...

I want to see every one of those YA movies. The books I've read so far were excellent.

Nicole said...

Love that space opera post! I agree - it appeals to readers across many genres.

erica and christy said...

I've read all the YA books mentioned and didn't know that half of them were being made into movies! Where have I been?!? Glad I stopped by to read this post. So much to look forward to! Christy

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Emilyann, exactly - a good story is a good story.

Erica and Christy, you have some movies to catch now!

Anonymous said...

I read The Giver each year with my 8th graders -- hope Hollywood gets this one right.

Rhonda Albom said...

Sorry I am so late getting here this week, and now I will never leave as the theme song from Gilligan's Island is running through my head, over and over, yet it never mentions the name of the boat.

PK HREZO said...

Wow all those great movies!! I really need to read The Maze Runner!!
Ok let's see if I can answer these TV trivia since it was from my TV watching era:
1. ?
2. Highway to Heaven?
3. Smithers?
4. SS Minnow
5. Cheers (Best sitcom ever!)

Deniz Bevan said...

I'm looking forward to The Giver and The Fault In Our Stars, especially as the authors have been involved with both films!

I had no idea my cats could drink seawater! And bezoar, really? Do you mean it doesn't have to be a stone from the stomach of a goat? Good thing to know I've got an antidote to most poisons in my house! :-)