Monday, April 18, 2022

What to Watch at Home, Star One – Revel in Time Fun, and CassaDark Tour Continues


The CassaDark tour continues! Today’s stop is with Deniz Bevan.

The next stops in the tour:
April 18 - Yolanda Renee.
April 19 – Armed With a Book
April 20 – Annalisa Crawford
April 21 – C. Lee McKenzie
April 22 – Tyrean Martinson
April 25 – Sarah Foster
April 26 – Deniz Bevan

You can find CassaDark at iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, Kobo, Scribed, and Goodreads
And would love it if you could vote for it on Goodreads’ Can’t Wait Sci-Fi Fantasy of 2022 and mark it Want to Read.

What to Watch

Binged-watched your favorite show already? Here are some other shows to watch.


Outer Range

From the IMDB: A rancher fighting for his land and family, who discovers an unfathomable mystery at the edge of Wyoming's wilderness.
Airing on Prime, it stars Josh Brolin. It’s a science fiction, supernatural, western drama that almost defies description.
Everything seems off, but in the best and most intriguing way possible. It creates a compelling and engaging show that makes you wonder what just happened even as you crave the next episode.
Recommended.


Resident Alien

Starring Alan Tudyk, Sara Tomko, and Corey Reynolds, this one is in its second season.
This is a drama-comedy-science fiction mash up with Tudyk as the alien in a human body, trying to blend while scheming plans. Tudyk is deadpan hilarious of course, but so is Reynolds, who plays the town sheriff.
If you haven’t caught this one yet, watch the first season and then dive into the second, which will wrap up soon.
Highly recommended!


Moon Knight

From the IMDB: Steven Grant discovers he's been granted the powers of an Egyptian moon god. But he soon finds out that these newfound powers can be both a blessing and a curse to his troubled life.
Oscar Isaac (Po in the latest Star Wars films) is Marc/Steven, both the Moon Knight, powers granted to them as avatars by Khonshu. He does a great job in the dual roles. (Possibly more?)
Ethan Hawke is good as the ‘villain’ and more complex than your average villain.
It’s quirky and fun. The Egyptian mythology adds an interesting element to it. But this is not your normal Marvel superhero series.
Recommended and don’t forget your brain.


Raised by Wolves

From the IMDB: Androids are tasked with raising human children on a mysterious planet.
Produced by Ridley Scott and in its second season. After his latest “Alien” type films, that should warn you it’s going to be weird and unsettling.
This show is bat-crap crazy and not always in a good way. But don’t let it put you off that it often makes no sense whatsoever.
Recommended if you are up for the weird.


Tokyo Vice

From the IMDB: A Western journalist working for a publication in Tokyo takes on one of the city's most powerful crime bosses.
Staring Ansel Elgort and Ken Watanabe, the Michael Mann style is understated. The gritty and realistic characters are very compelling and you root for them.
Something cool about the Japan setting and the crime element adds great noir.
Recommended.



Star One: Revel in Time


The latest from Star One (and Ayrean Lucasson) features songs about time travel/loop movies. It’s fun to guess the movie from the lyrics. Last week I teased you with this song:

Oh newly arrived back in old 55
You're not even alive yet
But what have you done... mother and son
You're fading away, yeah

And when the lightning strikes
You have to be precise
Exactly ten-o-four
And not a second before


If you guessed Back to the Future, you are correct! (The song is called Back From the Past.)

Try another:

Knowing no fear, feeling no pain
No grief, no compassion, no guilt and no shame
Built to attack, hе will be back
The fate of man liеs in his hands

Born in the ruins, a smoldering wasteland
Out of the ashes, a man will arise!
A hero at heart, a powerful soldier
Has come across time for the love of his life


This one will challenge you – it is about a time loop but definitely not a science fiction film:

He lost his aim, each day the same
He's had enough of this boring game
It's the same old song, time drags on
(There is nothing he can do about it)

Round the clock, it never stops
He can end his life, do whatever he likes
But it's all in vain, he can't explain
(There is nothing he can do about it
No, there's nothing he can do about it)


Answers in two weeks!

Until then, enjoy the title song, Revel in Time – Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.
And by the way, the skinny blonde guitarist is Lucasson – and he’s sixty-two years old!



Be sure to visit Deniz Bevan today.
See you May 4 for IWSG day!

Monday, April 11, 2022

CassaDark Tour, The Adam Project Review, and Star One Review

The CassaDark tour continues! Today’s stop is at Thoughts in Progress.

Here are last week’s and this week’s stops – a variety of guest post topics and one wacky interview:
April 6 – Diane Burton
April 6 – Kathy McKendry
April 7 – Cherie Colyer
April 8 – Toi Thomas
April 11 – Jemi Fraser
April 12 – Life by Chocolate – Robyn Alana Engel
April 13 – Gwen Gardner
April 14 – A to Z Challenge Blog
April 15 – Thoughts in Progress

And a special thanks to the dozens who posted about my book release. You guys rock!

For those who missed it:


“Cavanaugh returns to the world of his Cassa Series…for a fourth inventive space opera.” – Publisher’s Weekly

Find CassaDark at iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, Kobo, Scribed, and Goodreads
And would love it if you could vote for it on Goodreads’ Can’t Wait Sci-Fi Fantasy of 2022 and mark it Want to Read.

The Adam Project Review


From the IMDB: After accidentally crash-landing in 2022, time-traveling fighter pilot Adam Reed teams up with his 12-year-old self for a mission to save the future.
Starring Ryan Reynolds, Walker Scobell, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Garner, and Zoe Saldana.
Direct to NetFlix and starring Reynolds, I didn’t have high hopes for this one. Which meant I was in for a big surprise!
Yes, it’s Reynolds being Reynolds, a role he does so well (with or without cursing). But the story was solid, the acting solid, and the special effects really good. And we really enjoyed it!
The film has heart, and the center of it is the two Adams. Neither is perfect – the elder scolds the younger for being so hard on his mom and then vice versa when it comes to their dad. There are some tender moments, probably the best one is when mom enters a bar for a glass of wine and elder Adam talks to her.
The movie is about conspiracy and elder Adam searching for his wife, played by Saldana. There are tense moments along with lots of banter between the two Adams.
Again, this one really surprised me. Recommended!

Star One – Revel in Time Album Review


From the mastermind and master musician, Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon), comes the third Star One album, focusing on time-travel movies.
Unlike previous albums, this one is a double CD. We get the full album, plus all eleven songs sung by alternate singers. This is a nice touch by Lucassen to include the alternates in the final product.
Lest you forget from my reviews of the other two albums, Star One creates songs about science fiction movies. (And sometimes shows.) So half the fun is figuring out what movie is represented by each song.
The title track is fun – Revel in Time. These lyrics should give you a clue as to the movie:

Climb aboard this strange machine
Hang on, enjoy the ride
Jump into this crazy dream
Step inside and let it fly

Napoleon Bonaparte, Beethoven
Joan of Arc, Genghis Khan, Abe Lincoln
Sigmund Freud, Socrates, and Billy
Snatched from time
Kidnapped from the annals of history


Yes, that is Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure!


See if you can guess this one (answer next week):

Oh newly arrived back in old 55
You're not even alive yet
But what have you done... mother and son
You're fading away, yeah

And when the lightning strikes
You have to be precise
Exactly ten-o-four
And not a second before


Overall, this is the most rocking Star One yet. A little heavier with a lot of fun.
Favorite songs - Bridge of Life, sung by Damian Wilson (movie – Frequency) and Today is Yesterday, sung by Dan Swano (movie – Groundhog Day).
If you like fun rock/prog with a nostalgic touch, this is the album for you.
Highly recommended!


Visited some of my tour stops? (And big thanks to those who’ve purchased my book!) Seen The Adam Project? Heard of Star One? Can you guess the movie? Think you could guess the other films from the lyrics?

Be sure to visit the Thoughts in Progress!
Plus we have the honor of Janice Hardy visiting the IWSG site this week.

Tuesday, April 5, 2022

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, CassaDark’s Release, April Movie Preview, and Book News!


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

The awesome co-hosts for the April 6 posting of the IWSG are Joylene Nowell Butler, Jemima Pett, Patricia Josephine, Louise - Fundy Blue, and Kim Lajevardi!

April 6 question - Have any of your books been made into audio books? If so, what is the main challenge in producing an audiobook?

Yes! My four novels and the Cassa boxed set are all available as audio books. Since my publisher did all of the work, my only challenge was listening to the first auditions and picking one. And I picked a good one, as he did a fantastic job on all of them.

You can find the first book, CassaStar, here - Amazon, iTunes, and Audible

CassaDark Available Today!


“Cavanaugh returns to the world of his Cassa Series…for a fourth inventive space opera.” – Publisher’s Weekly

His world is unraveling…

Bassan’s father is stepping down from command. His best friend almost dies when Bassan freezes. Now, he’s being sent across the galaxy to speak at an important conference. Despite saving the eleven races years ago, he’s paralyzed by doubt. Could things get any worse?

Once there, new acquaintance Zendar convinces Bassan to visit his planet for a humanitarian mission. Bassan’s special connection to ancient technology is the key to saving Zendar’s people. One problem though—it’s a prisoner planet.

On Ugar, he discovers things aren’t so straightforward. As each truth reveals itself, the situation grows more desperate. If he can’t find the right answers, he might die along with Zendar’s people. Can Bassan summon the courage to be a hero again?

Print – 9781939844842 / EBook – 9781939844859
Science Fiction – Adventure/Space Opera/Space Exploration

Find CassaDark at iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, Kobo, Scribed, and Goodreads
And would love it if you could vote for it on Goodreads’ Can’t Wait Sci-Fi Fantasy of 2022 and mark it Want to Read.

And here is last week’s and this week’s tour dates!

March 30 – Ronel Janse van Vuuren
March 31 - Bookworm for Kids – Tonja Drecker
April 1 – Sandra Cox
April 4 – Elizabeth S. Craig
April 5 – Melissa Maygrove
April 6 – Diane Burton
April 6 – Kathy McKendry
April 7 – Cherie Colyer
April 8 – Toi Thomas

Appreciate you visiting any of those you can.



Other Book News


KISS OF THE ASSASSIN by Joylene Nowell Butler

The Wild Rose Press, Inc (March 23, 2022)
Paperback: 424 pages, ASIN: B09P7T1ZRS

Marina Antonovna, a Soviet spy, and Mateo Arcusa, an American homicide lieutenant first meet in Cambodia during the Vietnam War as enemies. Fearful that the most powerful man in the Soviet Union, KGB Chairman Vladimir Kurenkov, has ordered her death, Marina risks everything to defect to the United States.
She promises Mateo that her days as an assassin are over. Vladimir is determined to do whatever it takes to bring her back and, by threatening Mateo’s life, forces Marina to break her promise.


Joylene Butler lives with her husband in the tiny village of Cluculz Lake in central B.C... She is the author of three suspense novels and a contributor to one anthology. For more on Joylene and her writing, visit her website and blog, as well as connect with her on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon.


Captain Quasar: The Complete Series
: A Humorous Space Opera Boxed Set by Milo James Fowler is on sale for just .99!
Find it on Amazon




April Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for April. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.


8 –


Ambulance
Director: Michael Bay
Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Eiza González, Garret Dillahunt
Two robbers steal an ambulance after their heist goes awry.
It’s a Michael Bay film – LA explodes, the ambulance explodes, heck, even Jake Gyllenhaal explodes!


15 –


Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
Director: David Yates
Stars: Mads Mikkelsen, Ezra Miller, Katherine Waterston, Jude Law
The third installment of "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," which follows the continuing adventures of Newt Scamander.
The original subtitle was What the Heck Happened to Johnny Depp?


22 –


The Northman
Director: Robert Eggers
Stars: Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Ethan Hawke
From visionary director Robert Eggers comes The Northman, an action-filled epic that follows a young Viking prince on his quest to avenge his father's murder.
Another weird, bloody, violent outing from Robert Eggers that might make you long for The Norseman with Lee Majors…


29 –


Memory
Director: Martin Campbell
Stars: Liam Neeson, Monica Bellucci, Ray Stevenson, Guy Pearce
An assassin-for-hire finds that he's become a target after he refuses to complete a job for a dangerous criminal organization. A remake of the 2003 Belgian film 'The Memory of a Killer'.
Just take any great line from Taken and replace skills with memory.



Any of your books on audio? See some new books to pick up? (How about CassaDark?) And what April movies catch your attention?
Be sure to visit Toi Thomas today!