Monday, January 16, 2017

CassaFire in Turkish, Secret Behind Disaster Films, Disaster Movie Trivia, Haken-Affinity Review, and New Releases

CassaFire in Turkey!


Now available – CassaFire in Turkish!


The title translates to Shotgun Fire, which is funny. I guess in the story, Byron isn’t a Cassan, he’s a Shotgonian.


Find it at Gurer Publishing.






The Secret Behind Disaster Films


Please welcome my Dragon Fellowship buddy and author, Carrie Butler!


Do you want to know the secret behind disaster movies? We enjoy them for all the wrong reasons.

Experts believe that the worse things get in “real life,” the more we take comfort in situations bleaker than our own. We flock to theaters to watch entire cities get wiped off the earth, our hearts pounding in time with those of the main characters, and it’s all from the safety of our sticky seats. Talk about a rush!

The thing is, unlike other film genres, we’re not exactly there for the storyline. Without the special effects and resounding booms, most disaster flicks would fold in on themselves. Why? Because there’s no reason to spin an intricate plot when you can just dust off a formula from the 1970’s. Right, Hollywood? Nudge, nudge...

Okay, truth be told, most of us don’t mind the lack of outside draw. In some cases, it’s all part of the cheesy allure. But the one thing that will always baffle me is the industry’s blatant disregard for science. Entertainment requires some liberties to be taken, but how can a studio with money and resources get things so horribly wrong? Case in point, San Andreas (2015). Having spent the better half of the past two years studying earthquakes and tsunamis—I just released an action/adventure centering around a catastrophic seismic event in the Pacific Northwest—I could not hold my tongue during certain scenes.


THE SAN ANDREAS IS NOT A SUBDUCTION ZONE!

Ahem. Needless to say, the next time you catch a disaster movie, I want you enjoy it—just don’t count on it to prepare you for a real life situation. You know, like the next time you have to saw your way out of a shark. ;)

Thanks for having me, Alex!

Carrie Butler is an award-winning author and the owner of Forward Authority full-service studio.

Find As We Know It at Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo



Haken – Affinity

Here’s a band flying under the musical radar that deserves serious attention from prog fans. Simply put, the album is amazing.
In each song, you’ll hear many difference influences from prog rock giants. (Such as Yes and Porcupine Tree.) They all blend together to give Hakan a very distinct voice. The music is complex. The arrangements are tricky. These guys are serious musicians.
It’s prog, so don’t expect instant gratification. However, the patient listener will be rewarded with an album they’ll enjoy for years.



New Releases

Shattered Spirit (Totem #4) by Christine Rains
Find it on Amazon


Teapots and Treachery by Donna K. Weaver
Find it on Amazon


FreeFall, Backworlds Book 7 by M. Pax
Find it on Amazon, iTunes, and Barnes and Noble


Movie Trivia

In honor of Carrie’s story, today’s trivia centers around natural disaster movies. Name the movie from the tagline.

1 – Heads up
2 – It’s five miles wide…it’s coming at 30,000 mph…and there’s no place on Earth to hide
3 – We were warned
4 – Where will you be?
5 – The pressure is building. Whatever you do, don’t look back
6 – Oceans rise. Cities fall. Hope survives.
7 – The only way out is in
8 – The coast is toast

Answers on Monday!


Are you a fan of disaster films? Ever heard of Haken? Picking up some new books? Know any of the trivia? And have you ever been through a major natural disaster?


116 comments:

nashvillecats2 said...

Fanch having a book translated in Turkish, you must be very proud Alex.
Great post book review and music review wise.
Great to read.
Enjoy your week.

Yvonne.

nashvillecats2 said...

Fancy having a book translated in Turkish, you must be very proud Alex. Great post book review and music review wisae.
Great to read/
Enjoy your week.
Yvonne.

Barbara said...

Well, Number six is Deep Impact, and number eight must be volcano. Not sure about the others, although they all sound familiar.
I’ve not heard of Haken, but I’m enjoying listening to it as I type this and must give it more attention in a minute.
We experience an earthquake in Greece and hurricane Marilyn in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean! For some reason, we thought it would be a good idea to join a cruise ship in Ireland and travel to New York during the month of September 1995. As it turned out the trip was a little more exciting than we had anticipated but for all the wrong reasons. Trust me stabilisers DO NOT WORK in hurricane conditions, and neither do seasickness pills!

kaykuala said...

Congrats on the Turkish Delight Alex! Wondering when it'll be in Hank's lingo! Hank loves disaster movies mainly because one knows it is all make believe then and no one's really getting hurt! Furthermore one is always at the edge of the seat! Congrats for those with new releases!

Hank

Natalie Aguirre said...

Not really a disaster movie fan. I agree with Dianne that they should be based on science, at least in part.

Congrats on your book being in Turkish, Alex. That's so awesome! Hope you have more international sales.

Sandra Ulbrich Almazan said...

Congrats on the Turkish edition, Alex!

Shady Del Knight said...

Hi, Alex!

There's no excuse for a big budget, major film project to scrimp on a science consultant. I don't like to have my intelligence insulted as I watch a disaster movie, unless it's deliberately campy fun like Sharknado 1 thru 10. (They routinely "jump the shark" in that series :)

I was taken with Haken. The prog band has a great sound!

Thanks, Alex, and have a super week!

Karen Lange said...

Carrie, thanks for sharing your thoughts here. I'd not thought of disaster films quite like that. Wishing you well with your books.

Alex, thanks for hosting Carrie. Thanks as well for the links and notes. Enjoy your week!

Birgit said...

How cool to have your book in another language and how it translates into ours. I agree about the disaster films...one just has to sit back and enjoy. I have no clue which sayings belong to who films but I bet Deep Impact, 2012, deep Impact, and that flick that is always on TV with Jake Gyllenhall and Dennis Quaid...Tomorrow..something...hahahaaaa. I experienced the Blizzard of '77 which was pretty nasty and people died and a book was written about it(White Death). You can find pics on the internet about it.

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

I don't watch too many disaster films, unless you count post-apocalyptic stories, like TWD. I've been through some blizzards when I was younger and lived in the northeast, and I've definitely dealt with a number of hurricanes while in FL, a few of them really scary.

Heather R. Holden said...

How exciting that your book's now available in Turkish! Interesting to see how they tweaked the title during the translation...

Jo said...

That's unusual, not first, but definitely not last, there will be dozens more to come LOL.

I think it's wonderful Cassa Fire has been translated into a Turkish novel. Now I think you should learn Turkish Alex.

I love Carrie's new book. What is a subduction zone though? Guess I should Google it.

Pat Hatt said...

Congrats on going all Turkey.

Yeah, I'd never expect a disaster movie to prepare me for one. I don't mind a good one though.

ummm
Armaggedon?
2012
San Andreas
ummm
Ummm
The Core
Volcano

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Yvonne, very excited!

Barbara, correct! And nothing works on a boat that is being tossed on the ocean like that. What an experience.

Thanks, Hank, and good point - millions don't really die.

Shady, and yet they do skimp. Glad you like Haken.

Birgit, you got two and a half.

Jo, I'll get right on that.

Pat, you got four!

Carrie Butler said...

@Alex - Thanks again for having me over, Captain! I love that the trivia is themed today. Very cool. :)

@Barbara - Eek! That sounds like a scary experience. I'm glad you made it out okay.

@Kaykuala - Thanks! Maybe if As We Know It ever gets made into a movie (LOL), he'll enjoy it, too.

@Natalie - Here's to more science!

@Del - Agreed!

@Karen - Thank you very much! I appreciate that. :)

@Birgit - I used to be able to suspend disbelief a lot easier before this book. Occupational hazard. LOL

@Madeline - Eek. Scary, indeed!

@Jo - Thanks, Jo! Oops. Looks like the GIF didn't show up (https://media.giphy.com/media/aGEBiitV5Su7m/giphy.gif). It showed the Golden Gate bridge getting overtaken by a massive tsunami in the San Andreas movie, and that would not happen with that type of earthquake (a strike-slip). If it were a subduction zone like its northern cousin Cascadia, however...

A subduction zone is where tectonic plates push against each other with so much pressure that one is forced under the other. 9 out of 10 of the largest earthquakes in the past 100 years were actually subduction zones, and I bet you'd recognize most of the hot spots, i.e. Chile, Japan, India, etc.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Excited for your translation! Let us know how it goes...very cool.

The closest I came to a disaster was in college when I wasn't far from Hurricane Hugo. But I was so clueless that I didn't realize class was canceled and a security guard yelled at me for wandering around campus (looking for other students) with my backpack on. :)

Patricia Stoltey said...

My closest brush with a natural disaster was when Hurricane Andrew hit South Florida. I lived in Boca Raton where the hurricane was expected to hit, so my husband and I were at a shelter manning the ham radio station for the Red Cross and FEMA...and then Andrew veered south and hit Homestead near Miami, leveling a huge area. It was a horrible night, and then to see the disaster in Homestead that could have been us was frightening. All those homes, all those homeless people with no power and no water. It shakes a person to the core to have a close call. I can't even imagine what it must be like to actually be in the middle of a disaster like that.

Joanne said...

I'd say congrats in Turkish but can't. Kudos! I'll watch a disaster movie but they always seem pretty cheesy. It's junk entertainment. I have been in a teeny tiny earthquake and it felt weird - I was in CA. Not a disaster but I could see how with a high number, it could be awful. Go see Hidden Figures - not a disaster, it's a gem!!!

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

Congratulations on having Cassa Fire in Turkish. That must be interesting to read.

In 1979, three tornadoes formed into one and tore through our city, leaving major destruction behind. My son and I took cover under our house. It wasn't on cement like the one I have today. Our part of town was spared. My husband, a firefighter, was on duty that day, and they were the first responders to go out for rescue. I don't remember how many, but a few people lost their lives. We'd had tornadoes before, but none like this one. We live in what's called "Tornado Alley."

Have a great week.

mshatch said...

Sadly I don't think I know the trivia even though I've probably seen every movie. Maybe #6 is Day After Tomorrow? Haven't heard of Haken either but I do know Porcupine Tree. Good stuff :)

Bish Denham said...

Congratulations Carrie!

Not a big fan of disaster movies, but I think #2 is Armageddon.

Dean K Miller said...

Luckily I have been disaster free, unless you count my watching the movie Armageddon the other night. Wow, what a disastrous film that was!
Congrats on the translation, totally cool!

Juneta key said...

I have always thought was because in these movies the HEROES survive and find resolutions or acceptance most time, or even rebuild and that is the reason we watch because life does not always give that clean thing.

The survival gives us hope and a reason to cheer. The resolutions give us hope for our own lives and situation which most time are not going to be as bad. Life is tough. It's nice to think we can survive the worst of it and thrive and be the hero despite the odds.

As for the nonreality of some of it, I totally agree, but HOPE is a feeling and then there is also the thrill part which plays into the human need to escape our problems. I do like a lot of the disaster movies but mainly for the what if factor and I do like it better when they get it the majority of it right in the science and realistic part.

Juneta @ Writer's Gambit


Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Alex - I can't do the disaster movies guessing them or seeing them. I do like Haken-Affinity though ... congratulations on your Turkish translation of Cassa Fire - brilliant! Byron the Shotgonian ... cheers Hilary

Erika Beebe said...

Turkish? Cool! And Haken has an awesome vocal range and I liked the special effects in the video. I haven't been in a major natural disaster but I was way too close to a tornado once as a kid...we almost jumped ship from the car and into the ditch but we made it to a farmhouse and got the basement in time. Happy monday!

Donna K. Weaver said...

Shotgonian? lol Too funny. But hopefully it means something to the Turkish readers. Congrats on that.

Carrie's books are awesome. I'm excited to read her new one.

And thanks for the shout out!

Charles Gramlich said...

very cool about the translation. I've had some of my poetry translated. Haiku. I don't know which ones for sure though because I can't tell from the language.

Fundy Blue said...

Congratulations, Alex! How awesome that your book has been translated into Turkish! Shotgun Fire is too funny! I was playing serious catchup last night now that my technology is all working and cooperating, and I hit that pesky verification that was bedeviling you on IWSG Day. You had my sympathy with your problem now, but you have my experienced sympathy. It's always fun to see books published by familiar IWSG authors. I'm reading Joylene's latest book right now, even more fun!

I enjoyed your contribution, Carrie! I have trouble holding my tongue during "San Andreas" too! As a geologist, some of these films make me crazy; but then, that becomes part of the irresistible fun as in how bad can they make it. Your book sound intriguing! Good luck!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Carrie, you're welcome!

Elizabeth, that's funny.

Patricia, it is chilling to see the aftermath. You had a close one there.

Joanne, even small earthquakes are unsettling.

Beverly, that sounds terrifying. Glad you were spared.

Marcy, right movie, wrong quote. And you'd like Haken then.

Bish, you're really close with the quote.

Dean, it wasn't a good film.

Juneta - hope. You're exactly right.

Erika, that was cutting it close.

Donna, you're welcome.

Charles - funny!

Fundy, that verification is annoying, isn't it? And it just won't go away.

Toi Thomas said...

I've survived floods, tornados, and hurricanes. I've had enough natural disasters, but still somehow end up watching some of the movies. I don't think I've watched enough or, maybe, pay enough attention to get any of this trivia, but I think one might be The Core (saw it with my dad so it sticks out).

Toi Thomas said...

Oh, and, Shotgun Fire? What? Anyway, congratulations!

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I have never heard of that band. Congrats on being in Turkey. I'm not a fan of disaster movies. The closest I've been to natural disasters is when we're without power because of storms and a few times a hurricane. I think the longest was around 3 days.

Andrew Leon said...

Nope, not a fan of disaster films.

Tyrean said...

Shotgonian - that's awesome, along with your novel's success! Congrats, Alex!

And many congrats to all of the authors with new books, especially Carrie - whose accomplishments are awesome!

I live in the Pacific Northwest - so, thanks for sharing the danger, Carrie! :)
We have emergency supplies, but after living in a possible lava and mud flow zone for Mt. Rainier as a kid, the earthquakes scare me less on the inner, more protected part of the peninsula. I can smell the salty sea in the Puget Sound, but I would have to drive around or cross the Olympic Mt. Range (non-volcanic) to get to the tsunami zone.

Tyrean Martinson said...

Agh - forgive me, I commented from my teaching gmail. I'm home sick today and not thinking straight.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Hopefully we'll get some copies in the next month or two of CassaFire in Turkish.

Sheena-kay Graham said...

Sorry my brain is too tired with flu and exhaustion to do a quiz. But the medicine has be awake and alert enough to blog and be aware so I'll take that. Congrats Christine on #4 in her series. Carrie has a great book and I'm glad to see her as a guest. Yup, those disaster movies aint about facts at all. Sharknado is a perfect and fun example. Cassafire in another language is great! Congrats Alex and have a great day.

Chrys Fey said...

Interesting title translation.

A Beer for the Shower said...

Ha, that's so cool! Congratulations! Fun fact: having come from a tiny, redneck town, we've both met a few Shotgonians in our time. They usually hook up with their cousins and die of oral cancer when they're 40.

Also, great song. As a big fan of prog, I love a good buildup way more than I like instant gratification. It's like a musical journey.
(Feel free to roll your eyes so hard they eject out of your skull)

The Happy Whisk said...

Congrats on Turkish!

Unknown said...

I do like some disaster films, though I'm more into romance and suspense and well I like kid movies too! LOL

Suzanne Furness said...

I do quite like a disaster movie! Congrats on your Turkish translation, Alex.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Toi, you are correct! And yeah, funny word to choose.

Tyrean, you live in a good spot. And hope you feel better.

Diane, that would be cool!

Sheena-kay, if I ever have to worry about sharks falling from the sky, then I know the apocalypse has arrived.

Brandon and Bryan, eyes rolled! And happy to report Byron lives way past forty.

Thanks, everyone!

L.G. Keltner said...

Disaster films can be fun. #6 is Deep Impact. I know that because that's one of my all time favorites.

Stacy McKitrick said...

Congrats on your Turkish translation. Hope you get many sales!

Carrie's book looks interesting and I've got it on my wish list. I used to be a disaster flick junkie. And I still like them, but now they just seem...dumb. Ugh. But I'd watch Towering Inferno, Earthquake, or Poseidon Adventure again! Go figure.

I have survived earthquakes (grew up in Southern California) and a hurricane (Gloria went through NJ back in the 80s). I think the hurricane scared me more, probably because they last longer.

H. R. Sinclair said...

CassaFire in Turkish! OMG! How awesome is that!

"just don’t count on it to prepare you for a real life situation" - Carrie, I laught out loud when I read that.

Carrie Butler said...

@Elizabeth - If that were the start of a hurricane novel, I would totally read it! lol

@Patricia - It sounds horrible! They're fortunate volunteers like you were there to man the ham radio station. That's such a huge part of communication in a disasters.

@Joanne - They do feel weird, don't they? I've only experienced a teeny tiny one, as well.

@Bevery - That's terrifying! I'm glad your part of town was spared, but I'm sorry your city had to experience such horrific destruction.

@Bish - Thank you! :)

@Dean - Let's hope it stays that way!

@Juneta - Absolutely. I think that's a huge part of it, too. My novel hinges on hope.

@Erika - Whew! I'm glad you made it to the basement in time. That's scary stuff.

@Donna - Thank you, my friend! Congratulations on your release. I LOVE the cover!

@Fundy - Thank you very much! I'm glad I wasn't the only one who had a hard time with San Andreas. When they got to that gaping crevice / chasm, I knew it was going to be an unintentional comedy. lol

@Toinette - Whew! I'm glad you made it through them all okay.

@Susan - Being without power stinks. We lost it for 5 days once, after a Derecho.

@Andrew - What about disaster books? ;)

@Tyrean - Whew! I'm glad you're not in a tsunami zone. If you're anywhere near Seattle, the coastal geography up there will help as a buffer anyway. Assuming you're in a fairly sound structure and have access to your supplies, you should be good to go. :)


@Sheena-kay - Thank you, my friend! :)

@Decadent - Hopefully you like disaster books, too--especially those of the romantic suspense variety. ;)

@Suzanne - They can be quite entertaining!

@L.G. They sure can!

@Stacy - That's awesome, Stacy! I hope you enjoy it. :)
Eek. The earthquake and hurricane part is pretty scary, though. The closest I came to a hurricane was getting evacuated immediately prior to Fran.

@H.R. - *Grins*

cleemckenzie said...

I'll tell some friends in Ankara to look for your book!

As far as the San Adreas disaster stuff. . .All I have to do is look out my window and down the canyon That fault runs right in front of my house. I've had a few experiences with that guy when it gets an upset tummy.

Annalisa Crawford said...

Turkish! Fantastic, and just a little bit left-field :-) Congrats

Sarah Foster said...

Congrats on the Turkish translation!
Wow, I am completely stumped on the trivia. I guess I don't watch a lot of disaster movies.

The Cynical Sailor said...

Wow - Turkish. How cool is that! Thankfully, I've never had to experience a serious natural disaster. Have an awesome week :-)

Anonymous said...

Congrats on the Turkish rights!

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

That's very cool and funny that your book is translated in Turkish, Alex! Whatever Byron is, he's a winner with me.

SpacerGuy said...

Surprisingly big foreign websites garner a lot of interest like the antro atomic Dr Manhattan which has 42,000,000 views. Novels published in different languages, now thats clever and of course the fans love it. I can see now why disasters affect survivors. Folks love the talk because it makes us feel so powerful and in control I guess

stephen Hayes said...

I'm confused. Do you mean to say I can't cut my way out of a shark with a chainsaw?

Elephant's Child said...

Turkish? Wow. I am very, very happy for you.
And grateful to all those with new releases out.

J E Oneil said...

I hope all the Turkish speaking people enjoy your book. I don't think I got any of your movie trivia this time, although some of them sound familiar. Shows how much I pay attention to taglines.

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Imagine having a book translated in Turkish! Quite a feat that. Carrie, I put my brain on hold for disaster films. If the film catches the humanity of the characters in a believable fashion and more help than hurt their fellow man in the chaos, I am satisfied -- which explains why I am one of the few who enjoyed the mock-documentary of an alien invasion done from the ground soldier's viewpoint, BATTLE L.A. :-)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

LG, you are correct!

Stacy, like me you grew up on the classic ones. And yes, hurricanes last forever.

Lee, thanks! And how freaky.

Robyn, thank you.

Stephen, depends on if you want to live through it or not.

Roland, I liked that movie.

Leslie S. Rose said...

I was addicted to the rash of disaster movies in the 70's. Poseidon Adventure will always be my fave. I wish I'd caught the Broadway show, Disaster, the Musical, which is a spoof on disaster films.

Botanist said...

Yeah, it bugs me when they get things so wrong. I could hardly keep myself quiet during Gravity when they made it so easy to get from Hubble to ISS and the other space station - they had to be like London buses, practically nose to tail in identical orbits. Not happening guys!

Powdered Toast Man said...

I expected The Core to be a terrible movie but I really enjoyed it. DJ Qualls is my favorite in that flick. Mmm Hot Pockets.

Liz A. said...

I've never been a fan of disaster films. Which is why I won't be attempting the trivia--they don't ring a bell. I've always needed a story to keep me engaged, and if there isn't one...

Carrie-Anne said...

I've been through lots of blizzards, if that counts as a natural disaster. My family also came to Cape Cod at the tail-end of Hurricane Bob in 1991. We didn't have electricity or running water in our hotel for at least one night and day, and debris was all over the roads. It was really rare for a hurricane to hit that far up North, let alone with real impact instead of the usual heavy winds and rains.

Denise Covey said...

What a great honour to have your novel translated into another language, Alex. That's exciting!! Plenty of natural disasters in Australia, but we don't usually revert to making films about it. Real life is scary enough!

J.H. Moncrieff said...

TURKEY?! That's amazing! I would be SO excited.

Your books must be selling very well. Congrats, Alex!

Nilanjana Bose said...

That's so cool having your book in translated editions! Congrats!


I hadn't heard of Haken but I enjoyed reading your post to the music - lovely.


I haven't had to face a natural disaster thankfully, but they are common enough back home - regular floods, cyclones, tsunamis, earthquakes...scary and the aftermath is heart breaking.

Mason Canyon said...

Having your book translated in turish is so cool. No matter what Byron is (Cassan or Shotgonian), he's still a great protagonist. Congrats to everyone with new releases. Loved Carrie's thoughts on disaster films and looking forward to the trivia answers.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Leslie, spoofs are funny. Never saw it either.

Ian, chances were a billion to one.

Carrie-Anne, at least you weren't there during the hurricane.

Denise, I agree!

JH, thanks and I hope so.

Thanks, Mason!

Cathrina Constantine said...

Congrats, Alex on your book becoming Turkish!!! Awesome!

And congrats to Carrie. Her book sounds amazing and I love the title. And congrats to all the new releases!!

This might sound strange, but I like disaster movies, but for the life of me I can't figure out which movie is which with not one of those lines...

Tonja Drecker said...

Does that mean you have to learn Turkish now? ;) Huge congrats!!!
Congrats to Carrie too-I love the title. And as to picking up books...ugh. My TBR pile resembles a mountain and keeps growing.

Lidy said...

Congrats Alex!
So far my favorite disaster movies are 2012 and The Day After Tomorrow. Maybe even Knowing. I watch for the suspense, action and the special effects. But I also watch for the whole surviving against the odds aspect of such films.

Christine Rains said...

Congrats, Alex! The translation made me giggle. And congrats to Carrie! I do like a good disaster movie now and then, and yes, I do like it cheesy. Thanks so much for the shout-out!

Carrie Butler said...

@Lee - Eek! Hopefully he stays calm and sated for you.

@Stephen - I think it needs real life testing. All we need is a YouTube account, a shark, a chainsaw, and a victim... I mean volunteer. :D

@Elephant's Child - Thank you!

@Roland - I'm that way with disaster flicks that don't involve earthquakes or tsunamis... which might explain why I have a worn-out VHS of Armageddon. lol

@Leslie - I had never heard of that musical! I'll have to look it up. It sounds amazing.

@Botanist - Oh, I bet!

@Liz - Which is why the genre needs more books! :)

@Carrie-Anne - Brr. Blizzards are no fun at all.

@Denise - They could make a film just on your snakes and spiders, and I'd be terrified. The Carrie-shaped hole in the wall would be the disaster. LOL

@Nilanjana - Eek. Home sounds like a hot spot for those types of things. :(

@Mason - Thank you! :)

@Cathrina - Thank you so much! :)

@T. Drecker - Thank you!

@Lidy - The surviving against the odds aspect is my favorite. :D

@Christine - Thank you, and congrats to you, too! :)

Just Keepin It Real, Folks! said...

I'm a believer in that expert theory. I like a good disaster flick when my life seems to be a train wreck. I come out of the theater feeling instantly better. Hahaha

Unknown said...

That's funny about disaster films because I've definitely been craving dystopian fiction currently.

Chemist Ken said...

As a scientist, I learned long ago to check my brain at the door whenever I saw a disaster film--otherwise my comments during the movie would irritate the people next to me, including my wife.

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

Turkish, I would never have guessed. That is very kewl, Alex. Your post today is smack full of fun and interesting stuff. I particularly love seeing Carrie here.

Michelle Wallace said...

Turkish? Wow! Congrats, Alex! Do you by any chance know a little about the language?
I've never been through a major natural disaster...thank goodness. On this end of the globe, we don't seem to be prone to natural disasters. Hopefully it will stay this way.

The Angry Lurker said...

Got to rehearse for disasters whilst working in hospitals and chemical plants over the years!

Stephanie Faris said...

Congrats on your Turkish release. I actually like Shotgun Fire as a title! As for disaster movies, if that theory is correct, we should be seeing a TON of them coming out soon.

dolorah said...

I don't know why I like disaster movies, and dystopia's. Maybe I'm just a bit of a disaster myself, lol.

That album sounds awesome.

Congrats Carrie.

DMS said...

Love Carrie's cover and title. Looks like an interesting read. I don't watch many disaster movies (but some, for sure)- but I do tend to read and watch dystopian movies and books.

Thanks for sharing!
~Jess

Sandra Cox said...

Woo Hoo, Alex! I left a comment yesterday, but I don't think it went through. I am soooo excited for you. That is huge. Kudos.

Heather M. Gardner said...

Hi Alex!
Nice Turkish book you've got there!
:)

I think disaster movies are funny, because we always think we can beat Mother Nature.

That trivia is hard!
2. Armageddon?
7. The core?

Really, I probably know a few more, but not by the tagline. :)

Heather

H.R. Bennett said...

Oh man...this just made me think of an old straight to TV movie I saw once. I think it was called '11.3'? It featured an earthquake that was an 11.3 on the Richter scale and California broke off and became on island.

Yes...multiple things wrong with that. I know.

Murees Dupè said...

Congrats on the release in Turkish. Very exciting. We're currently having a lot of wild fires here in South Africa, but other than that I think we're lucky to not have huge floods (that destroy entire towns or cities) or hurricanes here.

Congrats to everyone with new releases.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Tonja, I hope not!

Christine, you're welcome.

Deb - funny!

Joylene, I know - how random.

Michelle, I know nothing...

Fran, always a scary thing.

Donna, check it out then.

Thanks, Sandra!

Heather! You got one right.

Robert, too bad that was a movie...

Arlee Bird said...

I am a fan of disaster films though I think there is a deeper level that many viewers would never actually admit though it resides inherently within us. Some of us might think of it as "maranatha", while non-believers have a more ambiguous concept of the ultimate destruction of the world as we know it. It's exciting to watch massive catastrophe on the screen and entertaining to see the stories of survival and helping others unfold before us. The fantasy of life as we know it being destroyed is somewhat peculiar to me when there is no spiritual hope connected to it, but still I think that a good many people fantasize about this.

Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out

Sandra Cox said...

Good post, Carrie!
Hey, Alex:)

John Wiswell said...

I'm a huge fan of Disaster Films's more malicious cousin, Kaiju Films. The two are profoundly released, with disasters being more rooted in real world plausibility. It's funny when something like San Andreas still tries to push at what's physically possible.

Nick Wilford said...

Congrats on breaking into the Turkish market. Hope there'll be many more to come!

Yeah, most of these big movies probably don't hold up to too close an inspection...

I'll have a go at three of the movies, although these are all guesses (but I have seen two of them).

2 - Armageddon
6 - The Day After Tomorrow
8 - Volcano

Loni Townsend said...

Never heard of Haken before. And Carrie makes me laugh about the disaster films. Right! Don't use them for survival training. :)

Magic Love Crow said...

Congrats Alex! That is so cool! Turkish!!! You must be doing very well with your books! All the best!

Blue Grumpster said...

Wow! He’s a... Shotgonian?

Congratulations, Alex.

kimlajevardi.com said...

Congrats on the Turkish version! I have some new books that continue a series I have been reading. The series is by Naomi Novik. It's the Temeraire series. I just got books six and seven because I enjoy the story so much.

Unknown said...

Congrats on CassaFire in Turkish! Rock on. Also congrats to everyone on the new releases. Have a great week. =-) http://emilyanngirdner.com/blog/

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Lee, at least some of us know there is spiritual hope.

Hey Sandra!

John, it's a rare disaster film that has any element of realism.

Nick, you got two right.

Thanks, everyone!

Sandra Cox said...

Love your cover, Christine!

Good morning, Alex!

Mark said...

Dude, that is sooo cool! Big congrats on getting your book translated:) I'm sure many Turkish-speakers will love it! :)

J.L. Campbell said...

Congrats on going Turkish! Well done! Love Christine's cover.

Truedessa said...

I've seen disasters in my dreams, does that count? Actually, I was in Florida during a hurricane. Did you ever see a bug dumpster take flight? It's not something you would forget or palm trees with wings and roof shingles that cover the ground. The beach destroyed was hard to see :(

Congrats on the Turkey release...

Truedessa said...

"big"

Tamara Narayan said...

I just watched The Impossible about the 2004 tsunami. It was pretty good. The Wave, another tsunami film, was a bit better. I do like disaster films. I remember watching The Poseidon Adventure (th 1972 version) on TV when I was a kid and was hooked from then on.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Hi Sandra! Have a good weekend.

Truedessa, never seen a dumpster fly, but I have seen the aftermath of several hurricanes.

Tamara, the 1972 version is much better than the remake.

Unknown said...

Congrats to Carrie, Christine, Donna, and Mary for their new releases!

Mori Lii said...

I don't mind some disaster films, but it depends on the plot. Overall, I am a HUGE movie buff, yet at the same time, I can be very picky with movies, lol.

Congrats to all the new releases!

Patsy said...

I'm not a huge fan of disaster movies - and really don't like it when filmakers ignore science, or history, or any other facts. Is it a contradiction that I spend a lot of my time making stuff up, yet get very irritated by stuff which isn't true?

Sandra Cox said...

Hope you and your wife are having a great weekend, Alex.

Jenny Baranick said...

Turkish! That's awesome. Congratulations. And I just learned two Turkish words.

Morgan said...

You're so wonderful. I will always love you and your blog, Alex. You're such a light in this world. Everyone who gets to know you in real life is lucky. (And online too, though as you know, it's different)

Never been in a natural disaster, but my aunt was in Nepal when the huge earthquakes happened. Pretty crazy. And CassaFire in Turkish??? Wicked!!!! :)

Bossy Betty said...

Always great to catch up with you, Alex. You are amazing!

Mason T. Matchak said...

I don't know what you're talking about - I have to saw my way out of a shark at least two or three times a year. :P But seriously, I've never been a big fan of disaster films mostly because I know they're about the event, not a character or a real plot. Though I did see "The Day After Tomorrow" with Rena, who was getting her MS in Meteoritics at the time. We saw it to mock it, and she facepalmed her way through the bad science more than once.

And congratulations on getting published in Turkish! Must be pretty incredible to know even more people can read your work. ^_^

Rachna Chhabria said...

Congratulations Alex, this is super news, to have your book translated into Turkish.I like the title Shotgun Fire, its sounds cute :)

Deniz Bevan said...

Congratulations! Funny, I would have translated it as StarFire, but I'll admit I don't know the Turkish words for weaponry very well :P I'd love to read it in Turkish!

Cherie Colyer said...

Poor pacing pulls me out of a story too. Great cover for Hero Lost.