How to Become a Best Selling Author in Just One Week! Plus A to Z Challenge Theme Reveal Signups, What Are the Kargrandes, Movie Review, Ninja News, and RiffTrax Interview Coming Soon!

Best-selling author in just one week? Elizabeth Seckman shows you how…

I was a best-selling author bringing in over $13,000 a week in royalties. I could afford any house in town and could buy anything in the store I wanted. I was rolling in Simoleons!

Here’s how I did it:

I left my family and moved to a house by myself.
I quit my day job. To pay the bills, I left the bank repossess whatever they wanted to come in and suck up.
I quit taking daily showers, for the most part a good hand wash kept me out of the red zone. I quit sleeping. Naps on the couch worked fine.
I quit cooking. Grab a snack and get back to work.
I shunned all face to face encounters. When I was in desperate need of human contact, I made a quick phone call.
I didn’t waste time on classes or skill development. I just forced myself to sit and write for twelve to fourteen hours a day.
I wrote the same genre over and over. I got better royalty checks if I never tried to step out of my literary box.
I hired a maid.
I shut off the age progression feature in the menu setting.

It only took me one week to become a best-selling author on the virtual reality game, The Sims. Now, I know it’s not real life, but there are real life applications. As I look over the list, I wonder- what things would I sacrifice to be rolling in real Simoleons? Well, I could be talked into the maid. And if I could shut off age progression, well now, I’d have bigger news to share than a new book! Other than that, there’s nothing worth becoming a smelly, malnourished, sleep-deprived hermit for.

Elizabeth writes books and eats chocolate. Find her - Blog / Website / Facebook
Find her books on Amazon
 

What Are the Kargrandes?

New clue today at What Are the Kargrandes? This is the sixth one, and there are new clues every Monday until the release of Dragon of the Stars on April 7.

Sample Tweets for this week:

What are the Kargrandes? Sixth clue up this week- http://whatarethekargrandes.com/ #whatarethekargrandes #scifi @alexjcavanaugh

Can you solve the mystery before April 7–what are the Kargrandes? http://whatarethekargrandes.com/ #whatarethekargrandes @alexjcavanaugh

Movie Review

Mr. Peabody and Sherman
Based on the 1960’s series, it was updated for a new generation. However, it didn’t really capture the spirit of the original series. It was very odd, but not odd in a good way like the series.
The animation is all right. It does boast some great name actors for the voices – Patrick Warburton was the best, although he doesn’t come in until late in the film.
Overall, it seemed too long and the result is a movie that’s just ‘all right.’
Not recommended

Ninja News

DL Hammons has an agent - Sarah Negovetich of the Corvisiero Literary Agency!

New Releases –

Perfection by J.L. Campbell

The Great Time Lock Disaster by C. Lee McKinzie

Holy Ghost Writer has THREE new books out, including Where the Hell Did She Come From?

Wastelands 2 – includes a story by Milo James Fowler
Get it on Amazon

And coming soon – an interview with the biggest guests I’ve ever had on this blog: the RiffTrax guys!!! Yes, I scored an interview with them in conjunction with their release this week of RiffTrax Live: Sharknado.

The Great and Powerful A to Z Theme Reveal Blogfest!

Sign-ups for the 2015 A to Z Blogging Challenge are already under way. If you have done it before, you know how much fun it is (good for you!) and if you have not, this is your chance to give it a try! You can sign up to participate here.

One of the most burning questions participants ask themselves every year is: "Should I have a theme?" Themes are not mandatory, but definitely fun. They let your visitors know what to expect, and help you create posts that line neatly up from A to Z. They also have an added bonus: They let you participate in a whole separate blogfest! Two years ago A to Z participant Mina Lobo stared the Theme Reveal, and we thought it was such a great idea that we made it tradition. It is now our very own, grand and festive way of rolling out our themes together!

Here is how the Theme Reveal Blogfest works:
Sign up on the Linky list below, and on March 23rd (Monday) publish a post on your blog in which you reveal your theme, tell us why it is exciting, and give us a hint of what to expect from it! Then, once your post is up, use the Linky to visit all the other blogs announcing their themes. Enjoy!

This is a great opportunity for all of you to get a jump start on your A to Z experience. Sign up below, ready your theme, and post March 21st on your calendar!



Think you’d be willing to sacrifice a few things to become a best-selling author in one week? Getting closer to the Kargrandes answer? Seen the movie? Excited about the new books? Participating in the Challenge? And are you excited to reveal your theme…?

Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Plus January Movie Preview, Goodreads Giveaway, New Releases, and Snarky Blogfest

The lovely Chrys Fey is kicking off the new year with an interview and feature, and I am her first guest! Please visit her site to learn some interesting things about my blog and posts.

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.

My awesome co-hosts today are Elizabeth Seckman, Lisa Buie-Collard, Chrys Fey, and Michelle Wallace!

We asked IWSG members to introduce themselves today. Here’s mine:

I work in web design, graphics, and technical editing. I’m also a guitarist in a band. Online I’m the Ninja Captain, founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, and an A to Z Challenge co-host. My genre is space opera and I’m author of Amazon Best-Sellers CassaStar, CassaFire, and CassaStorm. My next book, Dragon of the Stars, comes out April 7. And I never even wanted to be an author…

It looks like everything is falling in place for the release of Dragon of the Stars. My publisher sent out review copies and is sending a lot of promotional material to upcoming science fiction conventions. My blog tour is mostly set. And I have a secret project I’m working on with my publisher that involves a website and a grassroots movement. When it’s all set, I hope to get help spreading the word.

And there’s another Goodreads giveaway!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Dragon of the Stars

by Alex J. Cavanaugh

Giveaway ends January 13, 2015.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

New Releases!

Sudden Secrets by C Lee McKenzie
Find it on Amazon
Enter the Goodreads giveaway

This one came out last year, but it slipped in under the radar…
Rainbow: Poetry & Prose by Hank Kaykuala

Sarcasm, Snark, & Sass Blogfest

Hosted by LG Keltner, who is celebrating three years of blogging.

On Friday, January 9th, 2015, give me a post that celebrates something sarcastic, snarky, or just satisfyingly sassy. You can give me an example from real life, a favorite film or book, or you can give me an original piece of fiction. The sarcasm can either be well understood, or hilariously misunderstood.

Here is my snarky offering:

Hey, Johnny Football!

Eddie Munster called.

He wants his haircut back. 

January movie preview

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

9 –

Taken 3
Ex-government operative Bryan Mills is accused of a ruthless murder he never committed or witnessed. As he is tracked and pursued, Mills brings out his particular set of skills to find the true killer and clear his name.
Director: Olivier Megaton
Stars: Liam Neeson, Forest Whitaker, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen
They’re going to tone it down for Taken 4. Someone will take his sandwich from the lunchroom.


16 –

Blackhat
A man is released from prison to help American and Chinese authorities pursue a mysterious cyber criminal. The dangerous search leads them from Chicago to Hong Kong.
Director: Michael Mann
Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Viola Davis, Wei Tang, William Mapother
The preview looked cool until I saw it was directed by Mann – then it looked uber-cool!

Paddington
A young English boy befriends a talking bear he finds at a London train station. A live-action feature based on the series of popular children's books by Michael Bond.
Director: Paul King
Stars: Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent
Why wasn’t this released over Christmas? Would’ve been perfect timing.




23 –

Mortdecai
Art dealer Charles Mortdecai searches for a stolen painting that's reportedly linked to a lost bank account filled with Nazi gold.
Director: David Koepp
Stars: Johnny Depp, Olivia Munn, Ewan McGregor, Gwyneth Paltrow
Just when you thought a Depp character couldn’t get more cartoonish or annoying…


What are your writing insecurities today? Did you introduce yourself? Entering either Goodreads giveaway? Feeling snarky? And what films do you want to see in January?

Be sure to visit Chrys Fey!

Retro A to Z Challenge: X – X-Files 1998 (plus Odd Thomas Movie Review)

The X-Files Movie – Fight the Future – 1998

After years of watching the series, fans finally got a big screen version. It focused on the main mythos of the alien colonization of earth, complete with spaceship at the end. (Which of course, Scully didn’t see!) The film was true to the series while placing the X-Files on a much grander scale.

1998 fun facts –
*Average cost of new house - $129,300.00.
*Average Income - $38,100.00.
*Cost of Gas - $1.15
*Average cost of new car - $17,200.00
*First Class stamp - .32 cents
*The biggest airport in the world opened in Hong Kong
*Free Willy star Keiko went to Iceland for eventual release back into the wild
*Europeans agreed on a single currency the Euro
*The Search Engine Google was founded.
*The Denver Broncos won their first Super Bowl

Movies released –
Titanic
Saving Private Ryan
The Mask of Zorro
It’s a Bug’s Life
The Big Lebowski
Blade
Dark City

Music released –
Rob Zombie – Hellbilly Delux
Orgy – Candyass
Monster Magnet - Powertrip

Games released –
Starcraft
Fallout II
Baldur’s Gate
Half-Life

And why is 1998 special?
Because that year, Al Diaz said someone believed in him so much that it made him believe in himself as well. It was also the year Natalie Aguirre adopted her daughter from China in April, and it was the year Jamie Ayers got married!

Father Dragon Al is an artist and writer who hails from Mexico. He’s a wise old dragon, tended to by many dwarves. (Even more the year they got a hold of my cloning machine.) Al is a multi-faceted person – devoted, caring, and a man of honor. My best friend, I’d trust him with my life. Al blogs at Dragon on a Mission.

Natalie is a writer and co-hosts a top young adult site. She gets the insider scoop on authors and agents and shares them with the world. One of the nicest people I know, Natalie is very involved and knowledgeable when it comes to books. She blogs at Literary Rambles.

Jamie is a young adult author and a teacher. She lives in sunny Florida with her husband, kids, and basset hound. Jamie has a passion for young people and a strong spiritual foundation. She’s a special lady who knows how to make everyone feel important. Find Jamie HERE

Ninja News

Milo James Fowler has a slew of new releases coming out over the next two weeks. He also signed the deal for a sequel to his novel and it will come out in November. Way to go, Milo!

C. Lee McKenzie has been featuring other bloggers for the Challenge through a contest. Each week is a new prize, and the winner drawn from those who guess the most bloggers correctly from her posts and hints. Last week, I won! Thanks, Lee.

Don’t forget - the final installment of Lord of the Clones is tomorrow! Visit Father Dragon Al and vote for your favorite. The awesome Ninja Cloner (me!) or evil Lord Baldernot (Mark Koopmans.)

Movie Review – Odd Thomas

Based on the novel by Dean Koontz and directed by Stephen Sommers.
The film follows a young man with clairvoyant abilities as he tries to uncover a terrible event that’s about to take place in his town.

The best way to describe this film is it’s a murder-mystery, supernatural, comedy thriller.
The ‘I see dead people’ concept isn’t original, but the movie executes it very well. It’s incredibly entertaining, powerful, and hits all the right notes.
It has a great cast. Anton Yelchin (Chekov from the latest Star Trek films) is Odd and plays the character perfectly and believably. Willem Dafoe is solid in his role as the police chief who not only benefits from Odd’s abilities, but he helps keep them a secret.
Overall, I was very impressed with this film and highly recommend it!

Fan of the X-Files? Following Al, Natalie, and Jamie? Read any of Milo’s books? Seen Odd Thomas or read the book? Ready to visit Al tomorrow and cast your vote? And what do you remember best about 1998…?