Dawn of the Apes Movie Review, Sharknado 2, Traditional Publishing Defined, and Ninja News!

Movie Review

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Amazing!

First, I have to address the special effects. This film blows away all competition. I completely forgot I was watching CGI apes. Expressions, movement, eyes – all beyond real.

As for the story, it is one intense ride! Every scene adds a new layer of intensity. No, it’s not a feel-good film. There are moments of great sorrow and anger. You can see both sides clearly and there are mistakes made by both.

The film sets a good pace. It invites you to discover and explore the world of the apes. And the world of the humans. You won’t be rushed through the action, nor will you be bored by the personal moments. And you will come to realize all it takes is one misguided idiot on each side to send the situation into a nosedive.

Andy Serkis deserves an Oscar for his performance. Yes, Caesar is CGI, but Serkis provided all of the facial and physical movements. It’s incredible what he achieves and conveys through the character.

If you want smart science fiction, powerful drama, or just a great story, this is your film. Highly recommended!

And - finally saw Snowpiercer Sunday night! Review coming. Also recommended!

Traditional Publishing Defined by an Expert

Anne R. Allen had sent me some great stuff regarding traditional publishers. But rather than post it here, I am going to send you to her POST from yesterday. Here’s a sample:

But most people in today's real-world publishing industry—on both sides of the self-publishing fence—agree on the definition of traditional/legacy publishing.

Here's a version of that from Writer's Digest: "Traditional book publishing is when a publisher offers the author a contract and, in turn, prints, publishes, and sells your book through booksellers and other retailers. The publisher essentially buys the right to publish your book and pays you royalties from the sales."

She also has a warning every writer should read about the activities of some subsidy presses. Check it out HERE

Ninja News

I’m over at the Insecure Writer’s Support Group Site today - Nine Great Tools and Programs to Help You Edit

Today’s Themes that Rocked the Challenge features Chrys Fey. Check it out at the A to Z Blog.

Available now - Lazy Worm Goes on a Journey by Rachna Chhabria

Elizabeth Seckman is hosting a blog challenge from July 15-31:
Write something readers want to read. No word limit, no guidelines. Your only prompt is: The year was 1865....

Sean McLachlan’s second book in his Toxic World post-apocalyptic series is now out - Refugees from the Righteous Horde.

Kyra Lennon is putting together a charity cat anthology on September 5. See here site for details.



Leovi is an abstract photographer, and his photos are just incredible. If you’ve never visited his site, you are in for a treat. He posted this one last week – it would be so cool to write a story based on the image.

“I want to be the explorer of your universe”

Cover Reveals!

SOULLESS (Book 2 in the Maiden of Time trilogy)
By Crystal Collier
Coming October 13, 2014

Alexia manipulated time to save the man of her dreams, and lost her best friend to red-eyed wraiths. Still grieving, she struggles to reconcile her loss with what was gained: her impending marriage. But when her wedding is destroyed by the Soulless—who then steal the only protection her people have—she's forced to unleash her true power.

And risk losing everything.

Woven
By David Powers King and Michael Jensen
Coming January 27, 2015

Sharknado 2

Yes, the rumors are true – Sharknado 2 is coming soon!



Anyone else see Dawn of the Apes? Read Anne’s post yesterday? Excited about the new books? And who’s up for a play-by-play of Sharknado 2…?

Be sure to check out my post at the IWSG site and the post at Anne R. Allen’s!

New Ayeron Coming! Plus Options for Blog Comments, Halloween T-shirts, Want to be Interviewed?, and the Ninja News

Today I am visiting Misha Gericke with an account of my journey to publication. (It should really give you guys hope!)

Upcoming Epic Music Release!

Ayreon - The Theory of Everything
Release date – October 29

The trailer says they return to earth to explore the most complex creation ever – the human mind. After their AMAZING album, The Human Equation, one of the greatest concept albums ever, I am stoked for another that delves into the complexities of humans.


And Arjen Lucassen, the genius behind Ayreon, has a huge lineup of guest performers, including:
Tommy Karevik from Seventh Wonder and Kamelot
Cristina Scabbia from Lacuna Coil
Keith Emerson from Emerson, Lake, and Palmer
Rick Wakeman from Yes
Jordan Rudessfrom– Dream Theater
Steve Hackett from Genesis

And here’s the amazing trailer:

Ninja News

I am looking for two more people to interview for the A to Z Blog. If you participated in this year’s Challenge, posted around a theme, and are interested in a Challenge Participant Feature, let me know! I have November 4 and December 2 open.

Roland Yeomans just released his latest, Her Bones are in the Badlands. You can find it on Amazon. Roland is an incredibly talented writer, so check it out!


This weekend Captain Phillips comes out, and rumors of an Oscar nomination for Tom Hanks are already circulating.

Jen Naumann is revealing the cover for next book today. The Time Zombies Became the Least of my Worries comes out next month.Congratulations, Jen!



Jeremy, you’ll appreciate this! From Blastr - 18 T-shirts you can wear for Halloween if a costume seems like too much work. Here’s a couple – see the site for more!

Cover Reveals Results

The comments from Wednesday’s post revealed a wide variety of opinions, from those who really liked cover reveals to those who were burnt out on them. The overriding consensus was that they needed to be unique though, with something different on every participating site. I’ll still do cover releases, but I will limit them to my closest blogger buddies.

Comments

Next topic – comments! Because there is a wide variety of options for comments now.

Blogger recently changed their imbedded comment box. (And every time I use one, I worry that I’ll hit the ‘sign out’ button by accident!)

Blogger also has the pop-up comment box, which is what I use. (So far that one remains the same.)

There is also an option that takes you to a blank page and you can click to view the post.

Some people use the Disqus comment system. You can register to use it several different ways or post as a guest. Of course, comments continue to appear in your email afterwards...

Some have switched to the Google+ comment system. (And if you don’t check the little box, your comment also posts on Google+)

Wordpress and other blogs have a variety of different options. I know some people have problems commenting.

They all have their good points and bad points. Which one is best? Which one do you use? I like the popup box, because then I can still see all of the comments and the post with minimal scrolling. And since I reply to people in batches, I don’t have to keep scrolling back down to the comment box – I can have it off to the side.

Are you a fan of Ayreon? (Or any of the other bands Lucassen has started – Guilt Machine, Star One, Stream of Passion…?) Want to be interviewed for the A to Z Blog? Picked up Roland’s book? Seeing Captain Phillips? And what is your favorite comment gizmo?

Don’t forget to visit Misha Gericke!

Teleportation with Tara Tyler and the Big CassaStorm Announcement! Plus The Conjuring Movie Review and Ninja News.

Please welcome the awesome Tara Tyler as she POPS in for a visit!

From Star Trek to Star Wars to CassaStar! Science Fiction has inspired some of the greatest inventions that technology gurus want to make reality (articles one & two). Teleportation is still yearned for, but not quite so far from use as you think! (Nova video)

Alex had a guest a month or two ago who talked about teleportation and cloning. Currently, most physicists believe teleportation will involve destroying particles in one location and duplicating them in another location. That is freaky!

Since I am nowhere close to being a physicist, I approached teleportation from another perspective. My theory is more like Wonka-vision. Collect all the particles and send them via a transmission to be received and put back together in another location. (In the book, I get much more technical) Sounds easy, right?

In my research, I found articles telling why teleportation is impossible, while others give it a slim chance. In science fiction, we just need that slim chance and plausibility. We don't have to prove anything, we just need to make it sound good, giving enough real information to make it believable. I have no idea how television or air travel work, they just do - doesn't science seem like magic anyway?

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. --Arthur C. Clarke (from Brainy Quotes)


So let's inspire the technology and scientific communities. They can make our dreams come true!

Cooper thought he could get through
life without having to pop...

Pop Travel - a tale of deception and teleportation

When a crazy client enters J.L. Cooper's small town detective agency, babbling about a pop travel cover up, he takes the case. Cooper never liked pop travel and blames it indirectly for his wife's death. He'd love to expose a glitch in it.

But the glitch turns out to be disintegrating travelers. And now, his client is dead, his secretary is missing, and a hitman is stalking him. Plus there's all the webcams watching his every move. So, Cooper has to find a way to expose the deadly flaw, while using pop travel to escape the maniacs covering it up, not to mention save a couple of tag-alongs he's not sure he can trust. No problem.

Pop Travel, techno-thriller

by Tara Tyler

Available now on Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Goodreads   Trailer   FB Author Page

Ninja News

Mark Means at Left and Write is this month’s Challenge participant feature! His theme was obscure comic book superheroes – check it out at the A to Z Blog.

Denise Covey has begun a new permanent monthly bloghop at Write...Edit...Publish to replace RomanticFridayWriters. Post to a monthly theme in any genre - flash fiction, poetry, non-fiction, drama, art or photography - Adult Fiction, YA or MG. Sign up is now open for August - theme - VACATION. Post on Wednesday 21 - Friday 23 August. So here for more info and to sign up.

V. Moody at Moody Writing had her very first short story published in Silverthoughs. Congratulations, Moody!

Michelle Gregory is still accepting inspirational writing quotes for her IWSG post.

My last post was accepted by the science fiction site Suvudu! They’d asked me to join the community, expressing interest in one of my posts, and now they have published three of my posts on their front page. If you’d like to pop over and ‘like’ my post, I’d be happy!

The administrators behind the Authors For Oklahoma initiative are extending the deadline to Friday, August 9th, 2013. Make a ten dollar donation to the Red Cross and you get to choose from the books being offered. Check it out.

Ella just had an article and photo published in GreenCraft magazine. Congratulations, Ella! Most creative person I know.


Heroic Fantasy Quarterly, Issue 17, has just published a story by Charles Gramlich called A Whisper in Ashes. Congratulations, Charles!

The next posting for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group is Wednesday! My awesome co-hosts will be M. Pax, Karen Walker, and Melissa Maygrove.

Movie Review

The Conjuring
Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren investigate a terrifying presence haunting the Perron family. Based on a true story.
I normally only see movies opening weekend, but after two weeks of great reviews and word of mouth, I decided to check out this film.
It’s effectively creepy and doesn’t rely on special effects. It’s a mixture of haunting and demon possession, and neither are done over the top.
The acting is good and you can feel the fear of the family, along with the genuine concern of the Warrens.
If you enjoy a classic ‘ghost’ story full of jump moments but no gore, then this is your film. (My wife missed at least ten minutes of the movie because her eyes were closed.)
The only downside is this type of film has been done a lot.
Best part – SPOILER ALERT – it has a happy ending!
I also liked the quote from Ed Warren at the end – “The devil exists. God exists. And for us, as a people, our very destiny hinges on which one we decide to follow.”
Recommended!

Special Announcement!

With the final book set to launch next month, my series needs a big sendoff! And I’m calling on my blogger friends to help me. Because really, without you guys, I wouldn’t have a third book. (I wouldn’t have had a second one, either.) Now it’s time for the storm to break…

Rather than a single day announcement with the same information, this event will be spread out over a week, involve different images and details, and each post will feature a unique interview question.

That’s right – unique! Because everyone who signs up can ask a question in the Linky List below. (Or if you’d rather not or can’t think of one right now, just put your name down.)

And of course, there is a prize! One person who posts that week will receive:
• Cassa Mouse Pad (image pictured)
• Cassa Coffee Mug
• $25 iTunes or Amazon Gift Card
• Cool Cassa Bookmarks and Postcards

To recap:
Sign up and ask your question. (Or just enter your name.)
I’ll answer the question and send you information a week prior to release.
Post about CassaStorm’s release between September 15 and 21.(On your blog, Facebook, Pinterest - whatever!)
On September 23, I announce the winner!

Sign up below!



Have you purchased Pop Travel? Did you follow Mark’s Superhero series last April? Ready to do some reading? Ready for the IWSG? Anyone else see The Conjuring? And can you help me with the release announcement for my last book…?

IWSG News, Movie Remakes and Box Office, Ninja News, Super Blogger, and Thunderstruck on Bagpipes!

A lot happening today!!

Insecure Writer’s Support Group

Many of you participate in the IWSG every month, but there may be some things you don’t know about it. Or you might wonder what the IWSG is all about. Well, I’ve taken over Lee’s Tossing it Out today and you can find your answers there!

Does the IWSG really matter to writers? Livia had Celeste Holloway as a guest last week and her whole post was about the IWSG. You can read it HERE. Celeste, thanks – you are the reason why I started this group.

Don’t forget – we post this Wednesday!

Ninja News

Today at the A to Z Blog is an interview with a very special blogger - Father Dragon Al. It’s the Challenge Participant Feature, and Al had one of the coolest themes for the Challenge. We cover everything from dwarf tossing to X-Files to Angry Birds and learn a lot about the heart of one awesome dragon. Visit the A to Z Blog HERE

Laura at My Baffling Brain announced that the anthology she helped create with her Creative Writing Masters friends has now been published. Congratulations, Laura! You can check it out HERE.

And Wednesday I hope to reveal the book trailer for CassaStorm!! Yes, the suspense is killing me. I also have some big news about my third book as well, so be sure to stop by.

Super Blogger Award

The ever-awesome Mark at Left and Write created the Super Blogger Award – and honored me with being the first recipient. Mark, you rock!

I am passing this on to another man who is a super blogger, Mark Koopmans! What he lacks in hair he makes up for in heart and dedication. You’re the man, Mort!

This award also stipulates that the recipient is to reveal one secret. I really couldn’t think of anything interesting though, and of course Ninja Secrets cannot be revealed. However, this might make you chuckle – the first album this metal head ever owned was by Peter Frampton. Of course, back in the day, the man could jam. And he’s still an excellent guitar player. Sorry, best I could do! Maybe Mark will offer something better.

Entertainment News

September 24 will be a big release day – Iron Man III on DVD and Dream Theater’s next album. (One week after CassaStorm’s release – awesome!)

Hollywood just can’t stop remaking films. Here are some of the remakes scheduled:
Jacob’s Ladder
Robocop
Suspiria
Ghost in the Shell
Jumanji
Point Break
Dirty Dancing
Time Bandits
Heavy Metal
West World

On the World Wide Box Office Chart:
Fast and Furious 6 passed Fast Five and has made $682 million dollars.
Star Trek Into Darkness is #147 with $438 million.
Man of Steel has already made $520 million plus.
And out of the 527 movies on that list, I’ve seen 471 of them. I really am nearing the end of NetFlix…

And if you haven’t seen the Australian bagpiper playing AC/DC’s Thunderstruck, you are in for a treat!

Flames and everything! Now that is just wild.

Ready for July’s IWSG? Want to learn more about dwarf tossing at the A to Z Blog? Know someone who is a Super Blogger? What did you think of the bagpiper? And which of those movie remakes annoys you the most…?

Don’t forget to visit Tossing it Out!

And be sure to come back her Wednesday for CassaStorm’s trailer and some cool news!

Ninja News, The Partner's Progeny, Guests, NetFlix Reviews, and World Trivia!

Ninjas lead secret lives, but MJ Joachim asked if I would share a few personal things for my Blog Hopper Marathon spot. Visit her site today for the inside scoop.

Ninja News!

The Challenge Participate Feature is back at the A to Z Blog, and today it’s Mary Montague Sikes, who did a painting a day for the Challenge.


Big thanks to Rachna and everyone who visited Rachna’s Scriptorium last Friday for my time management tips!

Rebecca Bradley has an agent for Shallow Waters - Kate Nash of the Kate Nash Literary Agency. Congratulations, Rebecca!

TF Walsh just signed with Crimson Romance for her novel Cloaked in Fur, an adult urban fantasy. Congratulations, TF!

Doralynn Kennedy just signed a contract for her book, Spiders, with the Wild Rose Press. Congratulations, Doralynn!

Special thanks to MJ for her touching post about generosity and the awesomeness of this online community.

Book Release!

The Partner's Progeny by Shelly Arkon

Bullies rule … or do they?
For seventeen years, Victoria Sheek has been a paralegal surpervisor at the Law Offices of Pereene, Carr, and Sevino, specializing in injury law. Rumors portray her as a bully. She remains confident that her position will never cease because of close relations to one of the founding partners, Mr. Carr.
Until Mr. Pereene, the head partner, hires Monica Bowman. Smitten with her because of her resemblance to his deceases granddaughter, Melissa, and his memories of her, she can do no wrong.
Which one of the two girls will keep their position at the firm? It takes and unexpected event to decide the outcome of this rivalry.

Shelly Arkon is the author of Secondhand Shoes. She lives in New Port Richey with her husband and two dogs. She’s also a member of Florida Writer’s Association and Writer’s of Mass Distraction.

Guest Spots

I enjoy featuring my blogger buddies and welcome a couple guests here every month. My calendar tends to fill quickly, so if you have a book coming out or something interesting you’d like to share, drop me an email. Guest spots are open to my blogger buddies (most of whom are listed in my sidebar) and the guidelines are HERE.

Recently on NetFlix

I really have almost reached the end of NetFlix. Here are some recent watches:

Kill List
Death cult goes to great lengths to recruit man to be their anti-Christ.
Disturbing, creepy, weird, and depressing. Plus evil
Only recommended if you like those things in your movies.
I’ve also come to the conclusion that there are some really bad horror movies out there.

John Dies at the End
Man accidentally takes drug called ‘soy sauce’ and it gives him the ability to see other dimensions.
Weird, fun, quirky, and trippy.
Recommended if you enjoy those four things.

The Finder
Man comes back from the war with the ability to find anything, and once he starts, he can’t stop.
Very fun and funny. Yet another great show tragically cut short after only thirteen episodes.
Check this gem out – highly recommended!

World Trivia

For those of you stumped by my movie and music trivia, this one might be more your style.

1 – What drink did the Incas invent?

2 – Name either of the countries that are home to the Mayan Pyramids.

3 – What large tree grows in Yosemite National Park?

4 – What body of water is the saltiest in the world?

5 – Who is buried under Paris’ Arc de Triomphe?

Answers on Wednesday!

Cheers to everyone who signed contracts recently! Picking up Shelly’s book? Want a guest spot later this year? Seen either NetFlix movie or the show? And do you know any of the trivia answers?

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group posts this Wednesday.

And be sure to visit MJ Joachim today for the inside scoop on the Ninja.

Passing Time with Ellie Garratt, Oz and Wreck it Ralph Reviews, and Ninja News

All of us are doing “Getting to Know Your Hosts” posts at the A to Z Blog, and today I’m up! Ten questions – at least nine ridiculous answers.

Today I have the honor of hosting Ellie Garratt on the launch day for her book!

Passing Time With Music

I'm on Alex Cavanaugh’s blog, and my first eBook short story collection is published today. Can my day get any better?

Like Alex, I love music. I have an eclectic taste, ranging from pop music to film scores. Every story I write usually has a song or soundtrack providing that added thump of inspiration, and some of my stories have even been inspired by music. Passing Time, the title story from my first dark fiction story collection is no different.

On the day Lily Childs asked me to contribute to the 2011 February Femme Fatales, I'd been listening to David Bowie's final Ziggy Stardust concert. The lyrics from one track in particular have always captivated me - My Death. Ironically not written by Bowie, My Death is a hauntingly poetic song, in which the narrator contemplates death and the passing of time. Here are the opening three lines:

My death waits like an old roué
so confident I'll go his way
whistle to him and the passing time...

You may think the subject of the song is morbid. But as the famous saying goes, there are no certainties in life but death and taxes, which got me to thinking - what if death wasn't the certainty you or I believed? What if death meant passing time neither you nor I knew about? And so my short story Passing Time came to be, and nearly two years later it provided the title story for my first eBook collection.

If you're interested in listening to Bowie's cover of My Death, you can watch it on YouTube. Alternately, you can find the lyrics HERE.

So, does music play a role in your writing? Do your stories have a soundtrack?

Nine dark fiction stories that may just give you nightmares.

Find Passing Time: Amazon US, Amazon UK, and Goodreads.

A life-long addiction to reading science fiction and horror, meant writing was the logical outlet for Ellie Garratt’s passions. She is a reader, writer, blogger, Trekkie, and would happily die to be an extra in The Walking Dead. Her short stories have been published in anthologies and online. Passing Time is her first eBook collection and contains nine previously published stories. Her science fiction collection Taking Time will be published later in the year.
Find Ellie: Blog, Goodreads, Twitter, and Amazon

Ninja News

Today Michael Di Gesu at In Time is revealing the cover for Nicki Elson’s upcoming book, Divine Temptation. This is an exclusive reveal, so check it out!

One more week until Top Ten Movie Countdown blogfest on March 18!

Are you ready...?

Movie Reviews!

Oz the Great and Powerful
This movie is a prequel to Wizard of Oz and establishes the Wizard’s place in Oz. The film is visually stunning. Almost too much. Every scene is lush, which loses its zing after a bit. Plus I saw it in 3D, and there was a lot popping out of the screen.
Parts of it felt flat and lacking in heart. Probably could’ve shaved fifteen minutes for a tighter film.
However, when it does shine, it soars. The ending is spectacular. And the secondary characters are outstanding. The monkey Finley was quite amusing and the China Doll added a very emotional touch to the movie.
This one just missed the mark for me, but I’m still glad I went to see it.

Wreck it Ralph
Since this one was so highly reviewed, I took a leap of faith and purchased it on DVD. And glad I did!
Wreck it Ralph is having a hard time dealing with the fact he’s the bad guy in his game and sets off to win a medal and prove he’s not.
This movie is about as nostalgic as they come. Anyone who spent hours playing arcade games in the 80’s will feel right at home. The animation is fun and they really bring the sometimes pixelated characters to life. The story has a good heart and it’s fun for the whole family.
Ever wondered what happens when they shut down the arcade? Then this is the adventure for you!

Ever been inspired by a song? Ready for the Top Ten Movie Countdown? Have you seen Oz or Wreck it Ralph?
 
Don’t forget to check out the A to Z Blog and know your Ninja better!

Kyra and Christmas Movies, Ninja News, Author Book Page, and Awesome News – CassaStorm is a Go!

Today I welcome the wonderful Kyra Lennon! She’s going to talk to you about Christmas movies. (We’re past Thanksgiving now, so bring it on!)

So … Christmas movies. There are so many out there, it can be hard to pinpoint a favourite. I know I have a list a mile long, but I want to talk about Christmas movie memories. Those movies that remind you of being a kid, or the ones that make you think of a particular Christmas. Ones that, when you see them, take you back to another time.

For me, it’s The BFG. I know that sounds ridiculous because it’s not even a Christmas movie. I can’t recall why it makes me think of Christmas, all I know is that whenever it’s on TV, I see myself surrounded by coloured wrapping paper, gifts, and … just feeling excited. My guess is that The BFG was on TV one Christmas, and that’s what makes my brain go to that happy place. Even if it doesn’t make any real sense to me, I love the feeling I get from that film.

The other movie that sparks Christmas memories for me is Elf. It had been out for quite a few years before I saw it for the first time, and I stumbled over it by chance one evening when there was nothing on TV. I clearly remember crying with laughter over Elf’s antics, and saying out loud, “I think everyone should have an Elf in their life!” It’s the one Christmas movie I MUST watch every year, just because it brings a smile to my face. Who wouldn’t love a movie that gets even the most cynical people believing in Santa?

So tell me, what are your favourite Christmas movie memories?

Blindsided Synopsis:
After a successful first soccer season in L.A, Jesse Shaw heads to London with his best buddy, Hunter, but his world is turned upside down when a dangerous prank threatens his career and his blossoming relationship with Hunter’s cousin, Isabelle.
Isabelle Mills lives in Notting Hill with her parents and her twin sister, Georgia. When she finds out her cousin is coming to stay, along with his famous soccer player friend, her first instinct is to hibernate until they’ve gone. However, once she meets Jesse, everything changes. He’s everything she ever wanted, but with so many obstacles in their path, can she really risk putting her heart on the line?

Author Bio:
Kyra Lennon was born on the South coast of England, and to this day, still lives by the sea. After years spent working in retail, where she met enough versatile characters to write hundreds of books, she finally took the plunge and quit her day job. Kyra's debut novel, Game On, was released in July 2012. While fiction writing has always been her passion, she also has numerous articles on a variety of topics published on prolific websites.

Find Kyra’s books on Amazon US and Amazon UK
Find Kyra here: Blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

Thanks, Kyra – you rock!

Ninja News

Today’s Special Challenge Participant Feature at the A to Z Blog is Sydney Aaliyah! Her Challenge theme was “Traveling in Australia.” So if you’ve ever wanted to explore the land down under, check out the highlights from Sydney.

Karen announced the 2012 Blog Award Semi-Finalists - and I’m up for Blog of the Year! And quite a few of my blogger buddies are nominated as well. Be sure to stop by and vote.

Laura Pauling has TWO new releases – a children’s book and the sequel to A Spy Like Me. Congratulations, Laura!

Hildie McQueen’s latest is now available – Highlander’s Captive – and she’s holding a giveaway for five copies at her blog. Congratulations, Hildie!

Stephen Tremp just launched E. T. Registry where you can Own A Piece Of The Universe! You can buy extra-terrestrial real estate for a friend, family member, or that certain person you are not quite sure what to buy for Christmas. E. T. Registry gives fully fifty percent of all proceeds to four organizations that benefit the youth of today in math and science so they can develop into our leaders of tomorrow.

Lynn Rush is just one of twenty authors who contributed to Christmas Lites II – and all proceeds are donated to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. That’s awesome, Lynn!

HM Sinclair has a new cookbook – 365 Nights: Menus & Recipes for Every Night of the Year. Congratulations, Holly!

Patsy Collins’ book, Escape to the Country, is a free download Wednesday and Thursday! Find it on Amazon US and Amazon UK.

Author Books!

I updated my Awesome Authors and Books page this week. If you are one of my blogger buddies, one of your books should be listed on that page. Please check to be sure yours is listed, as I’m sure I forgot someone!

The Awesome News!!!!!

Yes, I’m going to overuse the exclamation point! I got a call from my publisher yesterday afternoon – CassaStorm is a go!!!!

They’d asked me to change one thing Monday morning and I’d worked on it that night, sending the new version the moment I was finished. Tuesday afternoon the call came – they were emailing me the contract and wanted to publish CassaStorm. There was even a signing bonus. (Is that what it’s called? Sorry, resorting to sports terms here.) Of course I signed that bad boy!

Projected release date – September 2013.

Whoa…

My third book is coming out next year. I never envisioned any of this when I wrote the first one. NEVER! One book – what the hell, let’s see what happens. I never even wanted to be a writer…

Thanks to everyone who has supported me and purchased my books. I am truly blessed.

So what is your favorite Christmas movie? See any new books to add to your collection? Did you vote for the 2012 Blog Awards? Ready to buy some space real estate through E. T. Registry? Blogger buddies, did you find your book on my Authors and Books page? And how many think September is a long ways away…?

Don’t forget to visit Sydney at the A to Z Blog!

Halloween Edition, Ninja News, Scare Me Blogfest, and the BIG Announcement!

Since it’s Halloween, thought I’d get you in the mood with some jamming tunes – Rob Zombie’s Dragula! You don’t have to watch the video, but feel free to let it play in the background as you read this post.

Ninja News

Today’s Special Challenge Participant Feature at the A to Z Blog is Mary Aalgaard from Play off the Page! She had a very unique theme for the Challenge, so be sure to stop by and say hey.

H. R. Sinclair has a new book out that is perfect for the holidays – The Cookie Tray. Congratulations, Holly!

The Best of Friday Flash 2 was released this week, featuring a story from Cathy Olliffe-Webster. She’s written many articles before, but this is her first published work of fiction. Congratulations, Cathy!

Pre-order Hooked by Liz Fichera and enter to win music, books, and more! Visit her site for details.

And I won zombie swag from Susanne Drazic at Putting Words on Paper! Thanks, Suzanne!

Scare Me Blogfest

Hosted by my blogger buddy, Budd at SciFi Media - scary book, movie, story, or ghost you have encountered!

I’m going to give you both a scary movie and story!

I was in college when I went to see the original Nightmare on Elm Street with a friend. We went to a theater downtown and the area was packed, but fortunately the theater was not.

At the time, Nightmare on Elm Street was a fresh idea and very effective. The idea that Freddy could kill you in your dreams was a scary concept and the film very creepy.

The scariest part was when we walked out of the theater. The streets were deserted and there was a layer of mist covering the ground. Let’s just say my friend and I walked very quickly back to campus!

Visit SciFi Media for a list of other participants or to join in the scary fun!

The Big Announcement!

Many of you have already seen this. It involves Mark “The Madman” Koopmans, ”Marvelous” Morgan Shamy, Stephen “Breakthrough” Tremp, and David “Kingpin” Powers King. The big announcement…

A blogfest unlike ANYTHING you've seen before - it's more like an event! Full details November 19...

And how does the Ninja know? Ninjas have a way of finding out secrets. And with my army of clones, no one online is safe…

Enjoy the Rob Zombie song? Excited about the news? Ready for Halloween? (Can I have your Hot Tamales?) What’s the scariest movie/book/story in your life? And any idea what this blogfest is all about?

Don’t forget to visit Mary at the A to Z Blog!

Did I Notice Your Book Blogfest, Ninja News, and Are You A Depressed Writer?

Today is the Did I Notice Your Book Blogfest!

But before we dive into all the great new reads…

Ninja News

Today’s Special Challenge Participant Feature at the A to Z Blog is one of my very best friends on the Internet, the incredibly talented writer and artist – Rusty Webb! He posted a new illustration every day for the Challenge. Be sure to check out his awesome work and learn more about the man behind the insanity of an illustration a day…

Jeremy Bates is hosting the Halloween Hop Blogfest October 28-31. See his site for details and to sign up.

Kyra Lennon just revealed the cover for her next book, Blindsided!


Great news for Roland Yeomans! Second Avenue Second Hand Shop Anthology accepted his short story, PICTURE IMPERFECT and Open Doors 2 Anthology accepted his short story, THREE GOLDILOCKS AND A BEAR.

From Jeremy at Retro Zombie:

Howlin' Wolf Records & Jason Comerford present a 3rd season of 13 CHILLS: Commentary, PRIZES, and good ole October Mayhem. Leave a comment, read a little something interesting and win some prizes!

Lynn Rush’s new novel came out this week!

Violet Midnight, by Lynn Rush

New Adult Paranormal Romance

Let the Hunt begin…

Find it on Amazon Barnes and Noble, and Goodreads.


Congratulations, Lynn!

The Depressed Writer

Elise Fallson had an interesting post on Tuesday – “Writing: A Vocation of Unhappiness.” She asked “Do you think it's possible to become a good writer without enduring the bouts of internal turmoil and depression?”

I supposed authors are always portrayed as tortured souls, but are they all miserable? I won’t ever claim to be a really good writer, but I’ve enjoyed a pretty good life. I’ve always been even-keeled and right now I’m at peace with every aspect of my world. I don’t have high highs or low lows, so I’ve never sunk to the depths of depression. I’ll grumble through a first draft (as that’s my least favorite aspect) but nothing about my writing makes me miserable.

Am I the only one? Does that make me really odd? Or just really blessed? (Or is it a sign I really should pursue music instead? Wait, those people are supposed to be tortured as well. Crap.)

Did I Notice Your Book Blogfest!

Post about a book you’ve noticed. You can choose a book that you’ve read, something you saw on a blog or social media site, Goodreads, or a sales website. Anything that caught your eye because of a great cover, blurb or reviews, but DON’T tell the author that their book has been noticed. Instead, shout out on social media sites, and encourage others to do the same, until the author finds his/her book.

Leave a blog comment at Ninja Captain Alex’s BLOG or Ciara Knight’s BLOG when the author finds their book.

Only two rules:
1) You can’t post about your own book.
2) The book shouldn’t be on the New York Times or USA Today bestseller list.
This is your chance to shout out about a book that might not have been noticed by others.

Since I’m always checking Amazon rankings (especially Amazon UK, as both of my books have been bouncing around the top one hundred of science fiction for six months now) I decided to check out the books my readers have also purchased. That’s when I found this book:

Ep.#1 - "Aurora: CV-01" (The Frontiers Saga) by Ryk Brown

Description:

Episode 1

A world recovering from a devastating plague…
A brutal enemy threatening invasion…
A young man seeking to escape the shadow of his father…
A ship manned by a crew of fresh academy graduates…
A top-secret experimental propulsion system…
A questionable alliance with a mysterious green-eyed woman…

What destiny has in store for the crew of the UES Aurora, is far greater than any of them could ever imagine. And this is only the beginning…

All of the episodes have a four star rating and sound like great reads. The book can also be found at Amazon and Goodreads.

I noticed your book, Ryk! Now, will you notice that I noticed…?

Don’t forget to visit others participating in the blogfest:



Some great new books, news, and contests – anything strike your fancy? Are you a depressed or happy writer? (And if I’m the only happy writer then we need to throw a party or something!) Have you discovered any great books lately? Don’t forget – if the author notices that you posted about his book, leave a comment and let us know!

And don’t forget to visit Rusty at the A to Z Blog!

And come back on Friday for a very special HUGE party and celebration!