MST3K and RiffTrax, iPad Pro review, Cassa Animation, Monster Movie Trivia, School of Rock/Monday’s Music Moves Me, and Ninja News

I have a guest post at Write-Edit-Publish - Writing Science Fiction – It’s Not Really That Alien!

MST3K and RiffTrax

Don’t forget that every Monday, RiffTrax releases a new MST3K episode!

And since Thanksgiving used to be MST3K Turkey Day, you can now run your own marathon of bad movies.

The next RiffTrax Live show is December 3 – Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny! Doesn’t that just sound awful?

IPad Pro Review

Sometimes it’s challenging to be an early adopter. The iPad Pro is incomplete without the pen, which won’t ship until next month.

The good news:
The work area is large and the screen gorgeous.
Working with two apps at the same time in split screen is a big plus.
It’s very, very fast.

The bad news:
This is where being an early adopter sucks. I haven’t found an app yet that measures up to what this device is capable of doing. They just aren’t taking advantage of the bigger screen yet.

I really like it, but until I get a pen and more apps become available for the iPad Pro, it’s just a really big iPad.

But yeah, it’s still really cool! And I have been doodling with a regular iPad pen. The creative applications will be incredible once I get the official iPad Pro pen.

Cassa Animation!

One of my very best blogger buddies, Jeremy Hawkins, made this awesome animation for my trilogy. Jeremy, you rock!!!

Ninja News

Don’t forget, Wednesday, December 1 is the last post day for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group this year!

New Releases:

The Vig by Amy Brook
Available at Amazon in paperback and eBook

Pat Hatt has three more books out!
Find them at Amazon:
Profanity Granny's Crime Fighting
Ready Eddie’s Confessions
Happy Humper’s Confessions

Under the Willow by John Boswell (Jack Lewis Baillot)
Find it at Createspace

It's An Adventure by Kenneth Lynch (Al Penwasser)
Find it on Amazon

Ella is a cover girl!
Her article made the front cover of Green Craft magazine.





The very first volume of the Charleston Anvil is out!
Featuring Making Her by John Wiswell

School of Rock and Monday’s Music Moves Me

School of Rock hosted by Shady Del Knight.
Monday’s Music Moves Me hosted by Xmas Dolly.

I’m going to introduce you to two prog rock bands you’ve probably never heard of. I picked one from each end of the spectrum, just to show you the diversity.

First, we have the band Evergrey, formed in 1995 in Gothenburg, Sweden. This prog song is very melodic. Title – Black Undertow.

Next, we have the band Scar Symmetry, another Swedish band formed in 2004. This one is very heavy. Title – Limits to Infinity.

You’ve now been schooled on Swedish prog rock!

In honor of MST3K, today’s trivia revolves around movies they have riffed. Name the classically bad monster film from the clues!

1 – 1975, eight legged creatures, Alan Hale Jr. in the cast
2 – 1955, sequel to fish man hit, Clint Eastwood’s first role
3 – 1959, starring James Best of Dukes of Hazzard fame, featuring giant rodents that were actually just dogs with carpets draped over their backs
4 – 1957, directed by Bert I. Gordon, and featuring a really big bald guy
5 – 1965, first in a series of many, this Japanese monster gave Godzilla a run for his money
6 – 1957, another Bert I. Gordon classic, starred Peter Graves, featured really large insects

Answers on Wednesday, December 2!

Ready for some MST3K? Anyone else pick up the iPad Pro? What did you think of the Cassa animation? Picking up some new books? Familiar with either prog rock band? And do you know any of the trivia questions?

Be sure to visit Write-Edit-Publish.

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends! I’ll be gone the end of this week and won’t be back to posting until next Wednesday.

July Movie Preview, Reviews – BoxTrolls and Transformers 4, and Ninja News!

Today I am visiting long-time friend, author Elizabeth Mueller! Want a glimpse into the life of a Ninja and how I balance it all? Visit Elizabeth to find out. (My guest post is live now!)

Movie Reviews

Caught up on some films that were released last year.

Transformers: Age of Extinction
A bounty hunter is after the Autobots… oh, who cares? This is the fourth movie in a franchise that has made close to four billion dollars. Plot doesn’t matter.
My expectations were really low. And the film really wasn’t bad. Over the top on occasion, both with story and melodrama, but otherwise a serviceable entry in the series.
Here’s where the movie tanks – its length. Just before the two hour mark, when a pivotal event signified the end of the film, I checked the time remaining. Fifty minutes. What? That’s right – this is the never-ending movie. Wow, could this have used some editing.
The special effects are really cool. If you are into Transformers, you will dig this. If you’ve got three hours to kill, worth a rental.

The BoxTrolls
A boy raised by underground collectors has to save his friends from an evil exterminator.
Based on a book by Alan Snow, this tale has all the qualities of a Roald Dahl story. It’s quirky and the adults are idiots while the kids are smart.
There are so many messages in this movie: accepting others, breaking out of your shell, the value of family, coveting, etc. None of them are slammed in your face, though.
The Claymation is amazing. Few studios use it anymore (like Aardman Animations) and the color and style here are amazing.
While the film isn’t a hundred percent, I guarantee it’s one of the most original animated tales you will ever see.
Recommended when you are ready to see something unique and odd!

Ninja News

Al Penwasser made a video for Bones: The Movie about his best friend. The man is a creative genius. Or completely nuts. Either way, it’s hilarious.

Indie Author Pride Day July 1st 2015 on Social Media! For details, visit Lyons Book Promotions.

Great opportunity for self-published authors – Self-E. Get your books into libraries. Visit Elizabeth S. Craig for details.

Reading Alley is now open! This site helps authors deliver their books to readers for reviews. They are having a grand opening special, so check it out.

Available now!

Masked Kiss by Christine Rains

Dice & Debauchery series

Find it at Ellora’s Cave Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Goodreads

July Movie Preview

Here are the upcoming theatrical releases for July! As always, descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snarky comments by me.

3 –

Terminator Genisys
John Connor sends Kyle Reese back in time to protect Sarah Connor, but when he arrives in 1984, nothing is as he expected it to be.
Director: Alan Taylor
Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, Jason Clarke
The trailer looked awesome – sadly, the early reviews have not been good. Think it’s time to terminate this series.




10 –

Minions
Minions Stuart, Kevin and Bob are recruited by Scarlet Overkill, a super-villain who, alongside her inventor husband Herb, hatches a plot to take over the world.
Directors: Kyle Balda | Pierre Coffin
Stars: Pierre Coffin, Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton
The best part of the Despicable Me series gets their own film – prepare for silly fun and another onslaught of Minion merchandise.

Self/less
An extremely wealthy man, dying from cancer, undergoes a radical medical procedure that transfers his consciousness into the body of a healthy young man. But all is not as it seems when he starts to uncover the mystery of the body's origin and the organization that will kill to protect its cause.
Director: Tarsem Singh
Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Matthew Goode, Ben Kingsley, Natalie Martinez
Been done before and considering the director’s track record, the stars will wish they’d been transferred into a healthy movie.

17 –

Ant-Man
Armed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, con-man Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.
Director: Peyton Reed
Stars: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Hayley Atwell, Michael Peña
Will this superhero be a hit or will someone step on him?



24 –

Pixels
When aliens misinterpret video feeds of classic arcade games as a declaration of war, they attack the Earth in the form of the video games.
Director: Chris Columbus
Stars: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Michelle Monaghan, Peter Dinklage
Adam Sandler. Enough said. Dinklage needs to keep his day job, at least until Martin kills him.

Have you seen either The BoxTrolls or Transformers 4? Taking advantage of Indie Pride Day, Self-E, or Reading Alley? Looking forward to any of the movies in July? And are you ready for Wednesday’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group?

Don’t forget to visit Elizabeth Mueller!

Guardians of the Galaxy Review, Interstellar Trailer, Marvel Movie Trivia, Music to Write By with MJ Fifield, and Ninja News

I have an interview with Richard P. Hughes for his “What I like about where I live” feature today!

Movie Review

Guardians of the Galaxy

Best movie of the summer!

The Guardians are part of the Marvel universe, but this felt more like Indiana Jones meets Serenity rather than a superhero film. It harkens back to those fun 80’s movies and I sported a big grin for the duration of the film.

The movie hits all the right notes. The action is well paced, the humor spread evenly, and the sentiment shines at the right moments. The five characters come from troubled backgrounds (well, we assume Groot does – he only speaks four words) and grow as they learn to come together as a team.

The banter between the characters is priceless. Think Serenity and Firefly. Each has numerous funny lines and humorous situations. Rocket (the raccoon) pulls off some of the best one-liners. (But the funniest scene involves the interior condition of Peter Quill’s ship. And fortunately, it will go right over kids’ heads.)

They are backed by a great supporting cast. Stan Lee has his cameo, Del Toro returns as The Collector, and even Rob Zombie has a role. And – we finally get to see Thanos!

Overall, it’s one fun and satisfying ride and now my second favorite Marvel film. And from the setup, I predict we will see the Guardians in the third Avengers film.

Highly Recommended!

Music To Write By

Please welcome the awesome MJ Fifield!

I like creating playlists for my WIPs. I know I’m getting serious about a WIP when I start compiling a playlist for it. But I have one playlist that isn’t WIP-specific. It’s called “Mood Music” and when people have seen that particular CD lying around, their minds immediately go somewhere they shouldn’t.

It’s not that kind of mood music. What it is is instrumental music in which I get lost, melodies that make me see and feel my characters. It’s what I listen to when I need to find that deep, often elusive, writing zone.

Today, I thought I would share with you some of the soundtracks which help me do that.

—The Lord of the Rings (composed by Howard Shore)—Sweeping and epic, and everything a fantasy soundtrack should be. From the very first track to the last, this is perfect music to get me in the mindset to write. Standout tracks include: The Bridge of Khazad Dum and The Riders of Rohan.

—Battlestar Galactica (composed by Bear McCreary)—Unless Joss Whedon is involved, I’m not much for shows set in space. The Battlestar Galactica reboot became the exception—and the music was part of the reason why. The main title music is gorgeous, but my standout track here is Passacaglia.

—The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (composed by Jeremy Soule)—A video game soundtrack to a game I’ve never played. Fortunately, Pandora Radio introduced it to me, and I knew instantly that I had to have it. Standout track is From Past To Present.

—Buffy The Vampire Slayer: The Score (composed by Christophe Beck)—From the television show. I particularly love Slayer’s Elegy, Sacrifice, and The Loneliness of Six. There’s another track not on this collection, though, and that’s The Final Fight by Rob Duncan, which appears in the series finale. That track always helps me with—you guessed it—fight scenes.

—Game of Thrones (composed by Ramin Djawadi)—The newest addition to my Mood Music collection. I can’t deny how it makes me feel. Just beautiful, inspirational music. Standout track: Winterfell from season two.

Have any music you like to write to? Please let me know because I’m always on the hunt for new additions to my playlists.

Thanks for having me here today, Alex!
Pick up Effigy on Amazon

Ninja News

Rereleased! Snapshops by Patricia Lynne
Find it at Amazon, Goodreads, and Smashwords



Ali Cross announced the date and location for Indie ReCon Live - Sandy Utah, October 10-11th. Get all the details at Indie ReCon Live


George from Cinemarvellous now has a Facebook Page. If you are on Facebook, please ‘like’ his page.

Shag Carpet Toilet by Al Penwasser now available in print!

Had to share this picture Ellie Garratt posted of Ninja Alex with Beaker!




And don’t forget that Wednesday is Insecure Writer’s Support Group post day!

Interstellar Trailer

In case you missed it last week – an awesome new trailer for Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar. Now I’m getting excited for this film!

Movie trivia

Marvel movies – easy trivia! (All answers are Marvel movies.)

1 – Vampire trilogy

2 – Actor who started in one series and then hit it big with another series

3 – Blind superhero

4 – In X-Men 3, Jean Grey becomes…

5 – Worst rated Marvel film of the past twenty years

Answers on Wednesday!

What music inspires you to write? Any news strike your fancy? Excited for Interstellar? Know the trivia answers? Ready for Wednesday’s IWSG post? And who else saw Guardians of the Galaxy…?

Be sure to visit Richard P. Hughes!