CD Coffelt and Selfish Writers, Gravity Review, the IWSG and Why I’m Not on Facebook, and the Ninja News

Today I welcome Wilder Mage author, CD Coffelt from Spirit Called!

Writers are Selfish Cusses - Huntress

Have you ever noticed how self-centered we are? The writers in this forum and all other writerly venues?

Yes. Even Alex. *gasp of horror*

What evidence do I have? Why do I commit this blasphemy? Here is the proof:

Writers, bloggers, agents, editors, and published authors all help the people just starting out. They give their time, experience, and expertise. They show them how to format their manuscript, write a query, and create scenes and hooks. They improve a newbies’ grammar, style, and critique their work. They promote book covers and new releases.

Why?

“Light bulb.” – Gru, Despicable Me

It’s because we’re greedy. All of us. From me up the line. Insatiable. From Alex to Stephen King, Jim Butcher, and nearly every author who has made it to the top.

We help the up-and-comer, the ones just starting out, give them hope, and encourage the ones just rejected. We aid them in all their endeavors for One Reason Only.

Because we love to read.

Molding the new writer into Published Author is the best way we know how to create new reading material.

We just want more good books to read.

Looking out for our own self-interests, that’s all.

*tongue firmly in cheek*

Wilder Mage, by Huntress aka CD Coffelt, an Amazon Best Seller

The earthquake wasn’t his fault. Not this time.

Find it at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Musa Publishing, and Goodreads

Ninja News

Pat Hatt is this month’s featured Challenge participant at the A to Z Blog. Find out how Pat and his cat rhymed their way through the Challenge.

Milo James Fowler and Tony Laplume both have a story featured in The Kennedy Curse. Congratulations, guys! Find it on Amazon.

Ella had her butterfly garland featured in the current issue of Somerset Life. Congratulations, Ella!

A J Walker’s The Maze of Mist is available now! You can find it on Amazon. He’s also like to thank everyone who weighed in on the cover art last week.


The very awesome Robyn at Life by Chocolate posted photos of the swag package she won here a couple weeks ago. Robyn, you rock, and so glad that you were the winner!

Second Avenue, Second Hand is now out! This collection of short stories was put together by Wendy Tyler Ryan and features Roland Yeomans, Donna Hole, Stuart Sharp, and others. Congratulations, everyone!

Eye of the Soul by Terri Rochenski comes out today! Congratulations, Terri. First of many books.

And today Stephen Tremp is revealing the cover for his next book, Escalation. This is the third and final book in his Chase Manhattan series. Congratulations, Stephen – looks awesome!

Movie Review

Gravity
Staring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney as two astronauts trying to survive after an accident leaves them stranded in space.
Ninety minutes is the perfect run time for this tense film. Nothing could be scarier than stranded in space and pelted by debris.
The visuals are beyond incredible. (Oscar winner for sure.) Never has a film captured the essence of space so well. There is also something fascinatingly beautiful about watching a space station being shattered. The sound is also minimal, exactly what you’d expect in space.
Bullock is excellent as the medical engineer turned astronaut, and her reactions are what you’d expect during someone’s first trip into space. She has moments of panic, denial, and despair, fighting oxygen deprivation while clinging to her training.
The character building is minimal and the film occasionally feels a little cold. But you are invested in Bullock’s character and on the edge of your seat as she fights to survive.
For those of you who suffer motion sickness, there is one spinning scene you won’t want to watch!
A must-see in 3D and in the theater.
Highly recommend.

IWSG’s Future and Why I’m Not on Facebook

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group website continues to grow, as does the Facebook Group. That has led to several people asking if I will be joining Facebook.

My answer – no.

I have my own personal reasons why I’ve never joined. I’ve heard enough complaints about Facebook’s privacy issues and time suck capabilities that I’ve avoided it. I was also warned to limit my social sites to two-three maximum. I’ve chosen blogging, Twitter, and Google+. (Plus there is Goodreads.) It is all I can do to maintain those, especially now that we’ve launched the IWSG site. There simply isn’t time for me to do more – I barely have time to practice my guitar, let alone write.

Truth is, the Facebook page is running just fine without me! Several of the admins have taken the group and run with it, planning a schedule, approving members, and answering questions.

I want both sites to be self-sufficient and continue to grow and expand beyond me. The IWSG is really important to me and I want it to benefit writers long after I am gone. (And nobody panic – the Ninja is not leaving anytime soon!)

Today my post at the Insecure Writer’s Support Group website talks about the importance of the group and the site and where it is headed. I also ask the question – what does the IWSG mean to you?

Are writers selfish cusses? Did you follow Pat during the Challenge? Think Stephen’s cover rocks? Did you see Gravity? And is it all right if the Ninja avoids Facebook?

Visit the Insecure Writer’s Support Group website and let me know what the group means to you…

Rules to Make Star Wars Great Again, Weekend Box Office, Godzilla 2014 Site, Movie Trivia, Ninja News, Cover Reveals, and IWSG Announcement for Wednesday!

Today I am visiting the wonderful Karen Lange at Write Now! She asked about my Cassa series and my music, so please check it out.

Movie News!

Found this on Jo Blo’s site – TrumanPDX put together this animated open letter to JJ Abrams, requesting that he follow a few simple rules when making the next Star Wars Film:



(Rule five - don't let Lucas anywhere near the next film!)

This weekend’s box office – Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs II was on top and made $35,000 million. This is a huge victory for Sony Animation, as the original film only made $30,000 million the first weekend.
Looking at the per screen average, third was Metallica: Through the Never with an impressive $5,482 average. And it got great reviews.

For those of you counting down until Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla next year (or you are just a Godzilla geek) there is a website dedicated to the film HERE.
And it says a trailer is coming soon!


The season finale of Breaking Bad was Sunday night. Did you catch it? (And I was right about the ending!)

Ninja News

Nick Wilford at Scattergun Scribblings has a big announcement for Tuesday – he’s opening a copy editing service!

Pat at It’s Rhyme Time created some new headers for his site – and in this one, the Ninja has been planted! Darn that cat and his little rhyming ass.

AJ Walker is looking for input on the cover art for his upcoming book – weigh in on the two samples he has posted.

Cathy Olliffe-Webster has a cover for her upcoming book! Is that not just perfect?

Milo James Fowler is hosting the Creepy Freebies Friday next month, with free books from numerous authors up for grabs.

Wednesday is Insecure Writer’s Support Group post day! My co-hosts are Julie Luek, Rachna Chabria, Beverly Fox, and Ilima Todd.
And a huge announcement will be made on Wednesday! You don’t want to miss it.

Special Cover Reveals

The Ghosts of Aquinnah by Julie Flanders
Release day – December 5, 2013

A brilliant flash of light transcends through time.

Julie Flanders is a novelist and freelance writer in Cincinnati, Ohio. She has a life-long love affair with the ocean and has spent more summer vacations than she can count on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. When not writing, Julie can be found reading, cheering on her favorite sports teams, and watching too much television. She is an animal lover and shares her home with her dog and cat.
Find Julie at: Blog, Website, Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads


And from Juliana Haygert

Soul Oath (Everlast #2)

It’s been three months since Nadine last heard from Victor, Micah or Ceris, allowing her to concentrate on her own life.

Cup of Life (Everlast, #2.5)

His existence would mean nothing without her.


Both coming November 25, 2013!

Movie Trivia!

Name the actor/actress that’s in all three movies:

1 – Apollo 13 – The Abyss – A Beautiful Mind

2 – 2012 – Con Air – Better Off Dead

3 – Wall-E – The Ice Storm – Ghostbusters

4 – Lake Placid – Titan AE – The Serpent and the Rainbow

5 – Death Becomes Her – Swing Shift – Foul Play

6 – Heat – The Ghost and the Darkness – Top Gun

Think those rules will make the next Star Wars film better? Are you a Godzilla fan? Watch Breaking Bad? Excited about the new and upcoming books? Know any of the trivia? And are you ready for the IWSG this Wednesday? You don’t want to miss it!

And don’t forget to visit Karen Lange!

Counting Alligators, Ninja News, Speed Readers, and More Movie Trivia

Today I have a very special guest, author C. Lee McKenzie. Now, most people count sheep. Lee counts alligators…

Counting Alligators

When all else fails . . . do research. Let's face it, sometimes the writer has to turn off his brain, or at least switch it to idle. When I need to take a break from a manuscript, I dive into research.

When I do, I always find things that let me flesh out a story with confidence, or I get a great idea for a scene that hadn't occurred to me. Sometimes I just bump into something that's interesting and that I never would have found if I hadn't been hunting for information to use in my story--a little serendipity.

When I started writing Alligators Overhead I didn't know much about those reptiles except they scared the bejeebers out of me. But then I read that when Hurricane Katrina destroyed a lot of their habitat, thousands of these expert swimmers drowned, and conservationists worried they might not make a come back. Not so. They're back and they're back up to healthy numbers.

When I read that, I had to ask, "How do they count alligators?" Two ways was the answer. Find the nests and count the eggs. Euuuu! Not a job I'd want. Alligator mommies do not take kindly to anyone messing with her babes.

There had to be an easier way, right? No, but there was a harder one. Take a boat out into the swamp at night, shine the flashlight around the water hyacinths and red eyes stare back at you. Yep. You can count alligators because their eyes glow red at night. Hmm. Maybe the nest method isn't so bad.

In any case, that little bit of information made for a great scene with my two boys on their first venture into the swamp at night and a trail of red-eyed alligators behind them.

Once you start looking into counting alligators, you’d be surprised what pops up, like, Woody Pines and his Louisiana beat. This is Counting Alligators the safe way.



As writers do you put your brain on idle while you research, or do you have other ways to refresh while you’re working through a manuscript?

Great to be here, Alex. Gotta go and count me some alligators now.

Bio: A native Californian, C. Lee McKenzie lives on the edge of a redwood forest with her husband and assorted cats. When she's not writing or blogging she's hiking or practicing yoga. She usually writes young adult fiction that deals with contemporary, realistic issues. In Sliding on the Edge (2009) she dealt with cutting, and in The Princess of Las Pulgas (2010) she wrote about a family that loses almost everything and has to rebuild their lives together. Alligators Overhead is her first Middle Grade novel. Lee blogs HERE and her website is HERE. Watch the trailer for Alligators Overhead on YouTube

Ninja News!

Thanks to everyone who has signed up for my next blogfest, Genre Favorites! I’m overwhelmed by the response. I wanted to keep it simple and open for everyone. Look forward to everyone’s posts on September 17.

George at CineMarvellous celebrated three years of blogging this week Congratulations! Don’t ever quit on us, man.

Do you write historical or alternative fiction? Edi’s Book Lighthouse highlighted a new magazine called Alt Hist that features short stories. You can read about edition number four at Edi’s site.

AJ Walker has a new book out, At The Gates, Book II of the Timeless Empire series. It’s $2.99 for a limited time on Amazon. You can also pick up Book I, Hard Winter, for just 99 cents at Amazon. Congratulations, AJ!

Fast Readers

Someone else recently posted on the subject of how fast some people read. I admit, I’m in awe of those of you who crank through several books a week. I do good to read one or two a month. (I’m not a fast reader.) I also don’t do many reviews, although I will at least post a star rating on Goodreads.

I always buy my blogger buddy’s books though! I have so many on my iPad right now it just might explode. So even though it may take me forever to finally read your book, I do try to show support by purchasing it.

Movie Quotes!

Science fiction edition - because that's how I roll. Can you name the movie or actor who said…

1 – “His pattern indicates two-dimensional thinking.”

2 – “You know, Burke, I don’t know which species is worse, You don’t see them (screwing) each other over for a (X) damn percentage.

3 – “Can I ask you a personal question? Have you ever retired a human by mistake?”

4 – “But, the place where you’re supposed to have the toilet paper, you got this little shelf with three sea shells on it.”

5 – “This was supposed to be my weekend off, but noooooo! You got me out here draggin’ your heavy ass through the burning desert with your dreadlocks sticking out of the back of my parachute.”

And the Ninja will be gone a few days next week for a much needed vacation. So no post on Monday, but I will be lurking…

Do you count alligators? Signed up for the blogfest? How fast do you read? And know any of the trivia answers?

Ninja Naked with Hart Johnson, Movie Review, and Ninja News!

Special Guest, Hart Johnson, Gets Ninja Naked!

Ninja Fail

First of all, I want to throw out a HUGE thanks to Alex. Alex is probably the most generous blogger I know for spreading the love and helping us feel like a big blogging family. (So we're clear... I am one of the black sheep—erm... maybe rainbow sheep (I only WANT to be a black sheep)—and he loves me anyway). So I really appreciate the chance to share a little love with the Ninja Team today.

I thought, in honor of Alex, I would do a little Ninja assessment of my MC and her posse... though it's not really a posse, you understand... Cam being neither cowboy, nor rapper... But she has a best friend, a boyfriend, a dad, a sister, a brother-in-law... are there any ninja's in The Azalea Assault?

Cam: My MC is darned efficient when it comes to damage control. She spots a problem and can either hide it or spin it so her client, the Roanoke Garden Society comes out smelling like jasmine (which is better than roses, by the way, unless there is a dead body contaminating the experience *shifty*). As the book begins, Cam and Rob (the boyfriend) have a nearly ninja coup! (other than the near groping experience, but never mind), but honestly... Cam gets caught more often than not... her heart is in the right place, but she is NO NINJA!

Her sister Petunia doesn't even TRY to be a ninja. She is so non-ninja she can't deliver a cocktail without being goosed! Poor woman. Her husband, likewise, fails to blend... but for him it is a shady past... a ninja should NEVER have a shady past or EVERYBODY will think he is UP TO SOMETHING!

Cam's dad, Nelson is in his 60s, but that has NOTHING to do with his non-ninja status... you see, HIS problem is he is a BABE magnet. I kid you not. Eligible women of a certain age just are drawn to his charm... hard to be a ninja with a harem... [want to know a secret? Revealed HERE first—the inspiration for this character is the dad on the TV series Frazier—talk about a charmer!--if you were a 50+ woman, wouldn't YOU want to hang out with him?]

So we are left with Annie. Oh, Annie shows PROMISE. She LOVES to sneak around and get away with stuff. But she has a contagious sense of fun and a bit too strong of a channeling of a certain Tart some of you might now... Do you remember the scene in My Cousin Vinny where Marissa Tomei says, “Oh, you blend,”? Unfortunately, THAT is Annie. Very hard to ignore the woman daring people to streak or paint each other with frosting. (And in a blueblood crowd? Not so much...)

On the PLUS side... while Ninjas ROCK, they are better as friends than mystery characters... no suspense in anybody who always succeeds...Much more amusing to watch them SQUIRM! *cue evil laughter*

And we are ALL Ninjas in spirit, eh?

The Azalea Assault

Cam Harris loves her job as public relations manager for the Roanoke Garden Society. It allows her to combine her three loves, spinning the press, showing off her favorite town, and promoting her favorite activity. She's just achieved a huge coup by enlisting Garden Delights, the country's premiere gardening magazine, to feature the exquisite garden of RGS founder, Neil Patrick. She's even managed to enlist world-famous photographer Jean-Jacques Georges. Unfortunately, Jean-Jacques is a first-rate cad—insulting the RGS members and gardening, goosing every woman in the room, and drinking like a lush. It is hardly a surprise when he turns up dead. But when Cam's brother-in-law is accused and her sister begs her to solve the crime, that is when things really get prickly.

Alyse Carlson is the pen name for the author some of you may know as Hart Johnson. She writes books from her bathtub and when she isn't writing, does research for a large, midwest University or leads the Naked World Domination Movement (your choice).

Links
Barnes & Noble Paperback or Nook Amazon Paperback or Kindle
Visit Hart at Confessions of a Watery Tart

Movie Review

We Bought a Zoo
Yes, the stupid zoo movie, (Not to be confused with the stupid owl movie or either stupid horse movies.)
Directed by Cameron Crowe and staring Matt Damon, it’s the true story of a widowed man who takes his two kids to the country to run a dilapidated zoo. (The movie is set in America, but the real zoo is the Dartmoor Zoo, located in the UK.)
This was a sweet story about a family finding themselves again and I was surprised how much I enjoyed the film. A lot deals with handling death, including a situation at the zoo with an aging tiger. Be warned, it is a tearjerker. Overall, a good story with solid performances.
(All right, bring on the next stupid animal movie – I’m ready!)

Ninja News!

Stephanie at Scribbler to Scribe noted that Nightmare Magazine is now open for submissions!

Time-sensitive news from a Challenge co-host buddy - Stephen Tremp’s book, Breakthrough, is free June 18 and 19 on AMAZON Get your copy today!

A.J. Walker’s latest book, a fantasy entitled Hard Winter, was just released. Congratulations, AJ! Check it out on Amazon

It’s cool when someone posts a review of your book – twice as cool as when someone posts two at once! Big thanks to DG Hudson for the reviews of CassaStar and CassaFire.

Do you consider yourself a Ninja? Have you picked up Hart’s new book? Seen We Bought a Zoo? Catch another movie this weekend? Ready for more books? Or do you just want to get naked?