Reviews: The Northman and Doctor Strange, A to Z Challenge Favorites, and New Releases

This Wednesday, I’m visiting Shannon Lawrence!

Movie Reviews

Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness

Dr. Stephen Strange casts a forbidden spell that opens the doorway to the multiverse, including alternate versions of himself, whose threat to humanity is too great for the combined forces of Strange, Wong, and Wanda Maximoff.
This is how the movie is being billed. This is not the movie at all!
Without giving anything away, it’s another solid if a bit underwhelming entry into the Marvel Universe.
I was a bit disappointed with the main villain. (No spoilers.) And for whatever reason, I just wasn’t as fully invested as I was in other Marvel films.
Sam Raimi directorial style lends itself well to this horror-tinged Marvel entry. He throws in a lot of Evil Dead references.
There are a ton of surprise guests that relate back to the Disney+ television shows. And even more than that. (And one Sam Raimi regular that will make you smile.)
There were not enough multiverses. They flash through dozens on the first venture, but there are only two they dwell in.
Overall I liked it, and everyone did a great job in their roles, but I didn’t love it.
Recommended for fans and for fun.

The Northman

An action-filled epic that follows a young Viking prince on his quest to avenge his father's murder.
This is the original Hamlet, based on a Norse story. (Shakespeare wrote his Hamlet after reading this story.) Alexander Skarsgård is Hamlet, Nicole Kidman his mother, Claes Bang his murderous uncle, Ethan Hawke his father, and Anya Taylor-Joy is Olga, his love.
If you know the works of director Eggers, you know this is going to be a bit strange. Go into it thinking art house meets action film.
Skarsgård is perfect as Hamlet. A hulking Viking figure. On a noble quest that goes horribly awry.
It really had the feel of an epic Viking tale. From the haunting soundtrack, the strange musical interludes, and the incredible cinematography. And a special mention to some of the camera shots which I have no idea how the director got them.
This is a film for anyone who is in the mood for something different, something other than the standard Hollywood fare.
If the above review hasn’t scared you away, then I highly recommend it.

A to Z Challenge

Those of you who participated in the A to Z Challenge, did you have fun? I participated the first year and for many years afterwards as an admin, but I know it would overwhelm me now. Life changes.

There were some fun themes though. In case you missed them, here are some I enjoyed. (Being the geek that I am.)

Diedre Knight’s posts focused on design, namely unique designs of buildings around the world. Every day was fascinating. Most of the places I’d never heard of but would love to visit someday.

J.S. Pailly did a series on Our Place in Space. In his words - I’ll be taking you on a partly imaginative and highly optimistic tour of humanity’s future in outer space. And it was a fun and educational adventure.

P.T. Dilloway posted his collection of action figures, which is impressive considering he covered every letter! Since I’m a DC guy, some of the Marvel character he posted were new to me.

Carrie-Anne paid homage to famous people from Ukraine, really giving in depth history into their lives. Amazing the talent that came from that area.

And Challenge founder Arlee Bird posted about his remaining vinyl collection. Want a trip back to the 60’s and 70’s? Check it out and thank him for starting the A to Z Challenge.

New Releases and More

Particular Passages 2: East Wing
Featuring The Killing Tree by Shannon Lawrence

15 Stories 15 Authors
Down another forgotten hallway lie more unexplored rooms.
Each room contains another world waiting to be discovered.
Some are wonderful and beautiful, others are dark and terrible.
You won't know which until you step inside.
So take a deep breath, and open the door...

Find it on Amazon

The Omen of Crows Nest by Cathrina Constantine

No blood. No body. No murder.
That's what the police found after Penelope spun her bizarre tale. In a hysterical state, she said her father was butchered and eaten by a mob of birds ~ in her bedroom.
They claim she's crazy.
That she suffers from delusions.
Penelope is dead set on proving them wrong.
After being institutionalized for eight months, Penelope is out and more determined than ever to find answers to her so-called hallucinations. With her father's untimely disappearance, she's convinced her family is hiding something sinister.

Find it on Amazon

And finally, the IWSG was asked to do a podcast and Diane Wolfe represented us. Check it out!
Voice America

Have you seen either movie and what did you think? What were some of your favorite themes during the A to Z Challenge? Picking up new books?

Be sure to visit Shannon Lawrence on Wednesday!

My final tour stop will be Friday, May 27 at Armed With a Book. Outside of that, I’ll see you June 1 for the next IWSG!

Movie Reviews, Chevelle NIRATIAS Review, Prog Madness, and New Releases

Movie Reviews

Boss Level

From the IMDB:
A retired special forces officer is trapped in a never ending time loop on the day of his death.
Basically, it’s Groundhog Day meets John Wick/Deadpool. Looping, violent, and very funny.
It stars Frank Grillo, Mel Gibson, and Naomi Watts. Grillo shines as the guy trapped in the loop. Every morning, he wakes up with people trying to kill him. Every day, he makes it a little further, trying to figure out who is behind it all.
There is a lot of humor as Grillo’s character gives a play-by-play of those trying to kill him. Many laugh out moments. It does have a moving story and characters you care about as well.
If you can handle violence and enjoy a good laugh along with a really good story, this is the movie for you. And at ninety minutes, it doesn’t overstay its welcome.
Recommended.

Monster Hunter

From the IMDB:
When Lt. Artemis and her loyal soldiers are transported to a new world, they engage in a desperate battle for survival against enormous enemies with incredible powers.
Directed by Paul W S Anderson (Resident Evil series) and staring Mila Jovovich – and that alone should let you know what type of movie you are in for.
It’s passibly entertaining. The effects are great, but they were obviously more focused on those effects than an actual plot. This results in a shallow experience that’s forgotten the moment the credits finish.
Props to Mila – she’s in her forties and still doing the tough action films. However, the amount of punishment her character endures is ridiculous. (We’re talking Harrison Ford in the fridge level.)
It also stars Tony Jaa and Ron Perlman, and props to Tony as his character was very entertaining.
If you're bored and just want some giant monsters, leave your brain at the door and watch this one.

Chevelle – NIRATIAS Review

This is a very solid album and a stronger effort than the last one, North Corridor.
From their website:
The album draws on Pete's fascination with space travel, simulation theory and a healthy distrust/skepticism of the unknown. NIRATIAS was recorded over 2019 and 2020 with their long time producer, Joe Barresi. After almost 5 years between releases, Chevelle decided that they needed to put music out again, even if the landscape for music is difficult and uncertain. "We decided that pandemic or not, we are a rock band and writing and releasing music is just what we do. Even if it's just for our mental health, it's reason enough to put NIRATIAS out and feel some normalcy and pride in what we have been working on. As music fans, we appreciate this from the bands we follow and we hope our fans will appreciate it too."
Pete Loeffler (lead singer/guitarist/writer) does a great job on the riffs. It’s very creative guitar work.
Highlights are So Long Mother Earth, Peach, Test Test Enough, and Endlessly. The two standouts are Piistol Star and Remember When. Pete knows how to write them. Obviously, as the band has been around twenty-two years now!
Some have accused them of not growing. But they sound like Chevelle and that’s all right – no one else does. (And it’s a rare band that can say that.) This album is very fresh sounding, though. There is more ambient noise and interesting things going on in the background than with any other album.
Obviously, the theme is science fiction. And NIRATIAS stands for Nothing is Real and This is a Simulation.
Highly recommended!

Get Your Prog Madness Bracket Now!

That’s right – the prog bands face off this month and it starts today. So, grab your bracket and get in the competition - The Prog Report
Yes, I am voting Rush all the way through to number one.

New Book Releases

The Upside Down of Nora Gaines by Cathrina Constantine
Nora has visions of horrific things. Things that lurk in the shadows and feast on bones. After moving with her mother into an old farmhouse, Nora discovers a blank journal that fills itself with an ominous warning. A cursed beast is coming for her and time is running out. When the blood moon rises, so shall the beast.
Find it on Amazon

Guns of the West, featuring The Scarred One by Tyler Boone, aka Charles Gramlich
Published through Sundown Press, this collection is available on Kindle for only 99 cents.
Find it on Amazon

Critters and Crises by Jemima Pett
In ten years of short-story writing—mostly flash fiction of 1000 words or fewer—there are definitely favourite themes I return to.
Find it on Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo

And finally, the A to Z Challenge kicks off April 1! Blog the letters of the alphabet every day but Sundays. See the site for details and to sign up.

Have you seen Boss Level or Monster Hunter? Are you a Chevelle fan? Playing Prog Madness? Picking up some new books? And are you participating in the A to Z Challenge this year?
Next post – April 7 for IWSG day!

And I will be mostly offline the last two weeks of March.

Movie Reviews – Bloodshot, My Spy, Greyhound, and more! Plus You Beneath Your Skin Movie, New Release Dates for Delayed Movies and New Book Releases

Movie Reviews

A slew of new movies (and one from last year) for you!

Bloodshot
From the IMDB:
Ray Garrison, a slain soldier, is re-animated with superpowers.
One of the last movies to hit theaters this year before they all closed, it stars Vin Diesel, Guy Pearce, and Eliza González.
The first twenty minutes are predictable and nothing new. Ray’s wife is murdered in front of him, he’s killed, re-animated with no memories, then starts to remember her murderer’s face. But after he pursues and kills the man, the movie takes a unique twist, elevating it above just average.
The effects are good and there are some tense action scenes. Diesel plays his standard tough-guy character, but he had fun doing it – and we have fun watching.
Definitely worth a rental – recommended.

My Spy
From the IMDB:
A hardened CIA operative finds himself at the mercy of a precocious 9-year-old girl, having been sent undercover to surveil her family.
An Amazon original movie starring Dave Bautista, Chloe Coleman, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Kristen Schaal, and Ken Jeong.
This film has all the potential to be corny and childish, but thanks to a sharp script, it never goes there. The characters have depth and real motivation, and the humorous scenes are genuinely funny.
Coleman excels as the precocious and very smart little girl. She succeeds where no one else ever has – she gets Bautista to care about other people, including his under-appreciated stakeout partner, Schaal.
This was far more enjoyable than I thought it would be – definitely recommended.

Greyhound
From the IMDB:
Early in World War II, an inexperienced U.S. Navy captain must lead an Allied convoy being stalked by Nazi U-boat wolfpacks.
An Apple TV original film starring Tom Hanks, Elisabeth Shue, and Stephen Graham.
We get a few minutes of history, and then the action begins and never lets up. If you like sea battles, this movie is for you.
Tom Hanks is really good and believable in the role.
Some of the special effects are good, some not so much. It was a little hit or miss.
Overall it was really enjoyable though. Recommended.

The Old Guard
From the IMDB:
A covert team of immortal mercenaries are suddenly exposed and must now fight to keep their identity a secret just as an unexpected new member is discovered.
Based on a graphic novel series, it stars Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, and Matthias Schoenaerts.
The science fiction – superhero aspect prompted me to check out this film despite a title that’s a bit lame. It’s more action–thriller–war than anything else.
It doesn’t offer us anything we haven’t seen before. The best I can say is that it’s serviceable and watchable.
Theron now has this badass, tough as nails, humorless character she likes to play.
There’s nothing really wrong with the movie but there’s nothing really great about it either.
Watch if you’re bored.
Or maybe go check out the graphic novels instead.

Rambo: Last Blood
From the IMDB:
Rambo must confront his past and unearth his ruthless combat skills to exact revenge in a final mission.
Starring Sylvester Stallone, Paz Vega, and Sergio Peris-Mencheta.
Wouldn’t call it a mission but hopefully it is the last.
The movie centers on a tough subject – human sex trafficking – which made parts of it a little uncomfortable.
Stallone’s in his seventies but still in shape and still able to do action-hero stuff. His character does make some dumb decisions, though. As do some of the other characters.
It really doesn’t seem like a Rambo film until the end. Then, you do get a spectacular sendoff.
If you’re a die-hard Rambo fan or just curious and have time to spare, worth a casual watch. 

You Beneath Your Skin as a Movie by Damyanti

My debut novel You Beneath Your Skin has been optioned for screens by Endemol Shine, and to mark the occasion, it is on Free Kindle promotions till 11th August. To approximate the kind of movie this book will be on screen, here are five movies that are similar to the book and deal with the topics it discusses: conflicted parenthood, acid attacks, family secrets and corrupt cops.

So here are five movies that have similarities to You Beneath Your Skin:

1. We Need to Talk About Kevin
Kevin's mother struggles to love her strange child, despite the increasingly dangerous things he says and does as he grows up. But Kevin is just getting started, and his final act will be beyond anything anyone imagined.

2. Chhapak
The trials and triumphs of Malti, an acid attack survivor. From the investigation of the attack to the court proceedings, the medical treatment to the emotional healing. Chhapaak is the story of the unquashable human spirit.

3. Mystic River
As the investigation of the death of a young woman tightens around three old friends, and ominous story unfolds that revolves around friendship, family and innocence lost too soon.

4. Night Falls in Manhattan
A newly elected District Attorney finds himself in the middle of a police corruption investigation that may involve his father and his partner.

5. Training Day
A rookie cop spends his first day as a Los Angeles narcotics officer with a rogue detective who isn't what he appears to be.

Damyanti's short fiction has been published or is forthcoming at Ambit, Litro, Griffith Review Australia, Pembroke magazine, Atticus Review, and other journals in the USA and UK. She serves as one of the editors of the Forge Literary Magazine. Her debut literary crime novel You Beneath Your Skin was published by Simon & Schuster in autumn 2019, and optioned for screen adaptation by Endemol Shine.
All the author proceeds from You Beneath Your Skin will support the education and empowerment of women at Project WHY and Stop Acid Attacks.
Find it on Amazon

Delayed Movies

The virus has thrown the movie and theater industry into chaos. With so many theaters closed (and many will never reopen), the studios needed to shuffle their release dates, sending a ripple into the next three years.

Here is a selection of films that have been bumped:

Avatar – moved from December 17, 2021 to December 16, 2022
A Quiet Place Part II – moved from March 8, 2020 to April 23, 2021
Black Widow – moved from May 11 to November 6, 2020
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – moved from May 7, 2021 to March 25, 2022
The Flash - moved from July 1, 2021, to June 3, 2022
Ghostbusters: Afterlife - moved from July 10, 2020, to March 5, 2021
Godzilla vs. Kong - moved from November 20, 2020, to May 21, 2021
The Matrix 4 - moved from May 21, 2021, to April 1, 2022
Minions: Rise of Gru - moved from July 3, 2020, to July 2, 2021
Morbius - moved from July 31, 2020, to March 19, 2021
Mulan - moved from March 27 to August 21 and then taken completely off the calendar
The New Mutants - moved from April 3 to August 28, 2020
No Time to Die - moved from April 10 to November 20, 2020
Shazam! 2 - moved from April 1, 2022, to November 4, 2022
Tenet - moved from July 17 to Labor Day weekend 2020
Wonder Woman 1984 - moved from June 5 to October 2, 2020

For a full list of movie releases affected, visit Vulture.

New Releases!

Mask of Ghosts by JH Moncrieff
No good deed goes unpunished.
Roxi thought the Balinese mask would make the perfect gift for her brother Jackson and his girlfriend Kate. Unbeknownst to her, a deadly curse was part of the package. A young woman slaughtered during a massacre haunts the mask. Her spirit wants revenge, and she's determined Roxi is the only one who can get it for her.
To free his sister from the mask's curse, Jackson must travel to Bali with Kate to solve the mystery behind the woman's murder. They've tangled with their share of angry ghosts in the past, but this one will pose the greatest threat yet.
Can they save Roxi from the vengeful spirit before more blood is spilled and Jackson's sister is lost forever?
This fifth installment of the award-winning GhostWriters series exposes the shadow lurking behind all that Balinese sunshine.
Find it at Amazon

Marly in Pieces by Cathrina Constantine
Marly refuses to believe her friend, Rae, committed suicide. Even though her wrists were slit, Marly knows her beautiful, vibrant bestie would never do that.
Even though the two had drifted apart, Marly and Rae made a blood promise long ago. Even in death, Marly intends to honor that vow.
Determined to find Rae’s killer, Marly faces a long list of potential suspects. It seems everyone has secrets or lies that they are covering up... including the boy she loves. Can Marly uncover the murderer’s identity before she becomes the next victim?
Find it at Amazon

The Happy War by Eve Gaal
After a successful blind date, Linda and Eric want to change the world.
Find it on Amazon

Molly Unplanned by Nicki Elson
Molly had a plan. But when her almost-fiance opts for a surprise Plan B, she’s left with no boyfriend, no money, and nowhere to live.
Find it on Amazon

And finally, this book is on sale! I read it last year and it is bat-crap crazy good.

Big Red On sale Aug. 10-14 for $2.99 Amazon eBook US,UK,CA, and AU


Have you seen any of those films? Picked up Damy's book? Bummed by the delay in releases? See any good books to pick up?

Quick update - I will see you all September 2 for the next IWSG post.

Kong: Skull Island Review, Barn Cats and God’s Gift, IWSG on Goodreads, Kill Command Review, Ninja News, and Movie Trivia Answers

Kong: Skull Island Review

It’s pretty much what you’d expect from a movie with soldiers trapped on an island with monsters. Lots of attacks, shooting, and running.

The visuals were impressive, especially in 3D. The first encounter scene is breath taking and incredible to watch. They did an excellent job on Kong.

The acting was decent, especially considering the cast, but everyone was a supporting actor to Kong.

This is the perfect popcorn film and an enjoyable ride. However, it did seem to lack something that would raise it to epic. Still not sure what, just that it missed the mark. I think the best Kong film is still Peter Jackson’s King Kong from 2005.

That said, it’s still a lot of fun and a great monster film. Recommended.

He Gave Me Barn Cats

Hi Alex! Thank you for allowing me to guest post on your blog. Here’s my answer to your question:

Talk about the spiritual connection we have with animals and how God uses them to help us cope and understand.

All of nature cries out for us to be closer to God – but we must allow it. When there’s an amazing sunset, we can miss it if we don’t pay attention, or we can give it quick glance – or we can fully appreciate it and say “Thank You.”

However, I do believe that animals are a special gift to us from God, because God intends for animals to help us. We know this, because God says so in the Bible’s book of Job, chapter 12, verse 7: “Ask the beasts, and they will teach you; and the birds of the air, and they will tell you.”

Some people feel that animals were our gift when we needed them for chores. Most of us don’t plow gardens using animals these days, but we still need their help – perhaps even more than ever now, since many of us aren’t outdoors enjoying that sunset! We need animals, both domestic and wild ones, to give us relief from stress and sadness and to provide joy and actual healing. There are medical studies reporting that people who live with animals are healthier in various ways, such as lower blood pressure.

When God tells us to “ask the beasts” so they can teach us, He doesn’t want us to learn plowing lessons from them. He wants us to know Him by learning from animals about trusting Him to meet our needs. When we get really good at this, the animals will speak to us – and so will God. Maybe God will even use an animal to speak to us. Maybe it’ll be a deer. Maybe it’ll be a sparrow. Maybe it’ll be a barn cat.

He Gave Me Barn Cats by Maria Santomasso-Hyde
Published by Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C.
Available March 14, 2017

Inspired by true events...
Maria has cared for her very ill mother for many years. Her burdens are heavy, causing a sadness bordering on darkness. When she discovers her historic barn is now home to a mother cat and kittens, she feels lighter than she has in years. As the kittens grow, they teach her as only animals can do.
Then tragedy strikes. As Maria loses her family, the darkness envelopes her like the heavy fog that blankets her Blue Ridge Mountain home each morning. She creates a scorecard: God: 9, Maria: 0. Her questions turn into anger at God. She searches to find answers as to why her loving God would take away so much in such a short time.
How will she learn to trust again? Can the kittens in her barn help her heal?

Find Maria – Website and Facebook
Find her book here - Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books a Million, iTunes, Kobo, Kindle, Nook, Dancing Lemur Press, and Goodreads
Follow MC Book Tours for your chance to win a free copy of He Gave Me Barn Cats!

Movie Review – Kill Command

Caught this on NetFlix. Soldiers are sent to an island to test the latest AI killer robot prototypes. They are successful at first, and then the tables turn and it’s a fight to stay alive.
This movie is a nod to Terminator and robots-run-amok flicks.
While it doesn’t offer anything really new, the film is suspenseful with great pacing and tense scenes.
The robots are also impressive, especially digital vision of the mechanically enhanced company woman sent along to analyze. This film had a tiny, tiny budget and they made the most of it and then some.
For those a fan of science fiction, robots, soldiers, or any combination of those elements, this is a really good effort and enjoyable film. Recommended.

Monday’s Music Moves Me

Hosted by X-Mas Dolly, today’s them is "Band/Artist name or Song title with the word “Air.”

Challenging but not impossible! I had several choices and went with one I am Jonesing on now – Astronoid – Air:

IWSG Goodreads Book Club

Now open – the IWSG Goodreads Group! Dedicated to the writing craft, this group is made for writers.

Not on Goodreads? The IWSG book club is a good reason to join.

Don’t do much on Goodreads? This is an excellent way to dip your toes in a little more.

Not enough time in your day? We read one book every two months.

OUR GOAL: The Insecure Writer's Support Group (Book Club) is for writers to read/learn about the writing craft. In this book club, we will swap back and forth between non-fiction writing books and fiction books that demonstrate how to do certain aspects of storytelling. No promo. No review or beta reader requests. Just writers reading books and discussing those books with other writers.

**The first book will be announced on April 1st.**

**The discussion will start on May 17th.**

For more details and to join: IWSG Goodreads Book Club

Ninja News

C. Lee McKenzie’s book, Sliding Edge, is free right now at Snashwords and Amazon.

New release!
Incense and Peppermints by Cathrina Constantine
Find it on Amazon

Movie Trivia Answers

Here’s the answers to last week’s superhero trivia – Director/Year – name the movie:

1 – Richard Lester, 1980 Superman
2 – Alex Proyas, 1994 The Crow
3 – Guillermo del Toro, 2004 Hellboy
4 – Sam Raimi, 1990 Darkman
5 – Bryan Singer, 2014 X-Men: Days of Future Past
6 – Mark AZ Dippe, 1997 Spawn
7 – Russell Mulchany, 1994 The Shadow

Anyone else go see Skull Island? Do you think animals are a gift from God? Seen Kill Command? Every heard of the band Astronoid? Get any of the trivia right? (No one got a perfect score last week, but a couple were really close.) And who is ready to join the IWSG Goodreads Group?

Geek Television Programs, Favorite Fantasy Romance Movies, What Are the Kargrandes? Small Press Pros and Cons, and Ninja News

What happens when the Ninja is overwhelmed with trying to write guest posts for his tour, prepare A to Z Challenge posts, and juggle several sites at once? He double books himself!

Today I have not one, but two awesome authors here to amuse you!

SAME GEEK TIME, SAME GEEK CHANNEL

by Christine Rains

I could name dozens of television shows that geeks love to watch. Goodness knows I've stared at the screen for hundreds of hours in the past year, I mean, in my life. Yes... What's trickier is picking out great shows starring geeks.

I'm adding a level of difficulty to this quest: I'm going to give you a type of show and the obvious nerd answer. Then I'm going to give you a show that you might not know about.

Documentary:
Obvious answer - Cosmos hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson. Who doesn't love Neil? He's the laid-back astro-nerd in a ship of the imagination.
Not so obvious answer – Globe Trekker hosted by Ian Wright. There have been other travelers on this show, but Ian is my favorite. Goofy, geeky, and hilarious, he travels to various places in the world where you get a peek at things other shows usually don't show.

Reality Show:
Obvious answer - King of the Nerds hosted by Lewis and Booger from Revenge of the Nerds. It's like Survivor for geeks, but with more video games and cosplay.
Not so obvious answer – Face Off. Artistic geeks creating awesome makeup for monsters, aliens, or whatever might be that week's theme. These are super talented nerds in their element.

Sitcom:
Obvious answer – The Big Bang Theory. This is probably where everyone's mind went when I mentioned TV and nerds. No explanation necessary.
Not so obvious answer – Community. It's by far geekier than the obvious answer. Oh yes! Watch it and compare. And it stars Joel McHale, a geek whom I loved since he hosted The Soup.

What are your favorite shows starring geeks?

About the author: Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She's a member of Untethered Realms and S.C.I.F.I. (South Central Indiana Fiction Interface). She has several short stories and novellas published. The Dice & Debauchery series is her first contemporary erotic romance.
Please visit her Website and Blog
You can also find Christine onTwitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Goodreads
Purchase Loose Corset here: Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, Kobo, and Ellora’s Cave

Ten Movies Similar to Fade Into Me by Charity Bradford

Alex, thanks so much for having me today! My newest story is a tiny bit scifi, a lot fantasy and definitely a romance. So today I want to share some fantasy romance movies for you to fill February with. I mean, Valentines is coming up pretty quick. If nothing else, pick one to share with someone special this Saturday. Here are 10 movies that have something in common with Fade Into Me

1. Princess Bride—when it’s true love there can be no other
2. Stardust—thinking you want one thing, but what you need is right in front of you
3. The Lake House—modern world, soul mates lost in time
4. Penelope—the true love that saves her is when she learns to love herself
5. Splash—they are from two different worlds
6. Somewhere in Time—he’s willing to do anything to be with his love
7. Simply Irresistible—love and magic, and food!
8. Brigadoon—there’s a vacation in Scotland
9. Practical Magic—using magic to find love
10. Timer—can you fall in love if you don’t find your soul mate?

What are your favorite science fiction or fantasy romantic movies?

Find Charity at her: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, YouTube Trailer, and read the First Two Chapters

What Are the Kargrandes?

New clue today at What Are the Kargrandes? This is the fifth 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? Fifth clue up this week- http://whatarethekargrandes.com/ #whatarethekargrandes #scifi @alexjcavanaugh

Solve the mystery before April 7–what are the Kargrandes? http://whatarethekargrandes.com/ #whatarethekargrandes #scifi @alexjcavanaugh

And there have been some great reviews so far, but this one really touched me. Posted by Charity Bradford on Goodreads, it’s a really detailed and thoughtful review, and I’ll share just a snippet with you:
I love that Alex writes complex stories that don't feel complex until you take a step back and really look at it.
That's talent! I mean, there is amazing technology laced throughout this book, but you never feel bogged down by it. Alex also presents these great science fiction themes in a way that feels fresh and new.
I write complex stories – that just blows me away. Thanks, Charity!

Ninja News

I am posting at the IWSG site today on The Pros and Cons of Small Publishers. I asked several authors with small presses to contribute and together we came up with a great list. Check it out!

At the A to Z Blog today is Tracey Lynn Tobin from No Page Left Blank. She chose a really fun theme for the Challenge!

Ian S. Bott has a website that features his artwork. If you’re looking for some awesome science fiction images, check it out HERE



Ava Quinn signed with Patricia Nelson of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. Congratulations, Ava!

New Releases -

Don’t Forget to Breathe by Cathrina Constantine
Find it at Amazon

Polar Day by Julie Flanders
Find it on Amazon

A Season of Change by Donna K. Weaver
Pick it up here for only .99 cents: Amazon and Barnes and Noble

Available February 11 –
A Jumble of 500+ Writing Prompts by Tyrean Martinson
Find it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, and Goodreads





Whoa! Still trying to figure out the Kargrandes? See some cool new books you want? What are some of your favorite fantasy romance movies? And what geek shows do you enjoy? (Face Off is one of my favorite!)

Don’t forget to visit the IWSG site for pros and cons on small presses.

I’ll be back Wednesday with some movie reviews, trivia, and a special guest. Plus – the IWSG site will be hosting our first literary agent that day!

Naked in the Apocalypse, February Movie Preview, Cassa Updates, Movie Trivia Answers, and Ninja News

A lot happening today! We kick it off with a visit from author and traveler, Sean McLachlan, whose book Radio Hope just came out.

People won’t be naked in the Apocalypse

I’ve noticed something strange about post-apocalyptic books and movies—everyone is dressed in rags. While that adds to the atmosphere, it’s not very realistic. The fall of civilization is actually going to make everyone better dressed!

There are two types of apocalypses—the fast and the slow. The fast apocalypse is what you see in books like The Road. It’s not clear what happened to destroy the world literally overnight. Judging from the effects I’m thinking it was a comet or an asteroid. Whatever it was, a large percentage of the population got wiped out and all industry and government ground to a halt.

What an opportunity for a wardrobe makeover! Think about it. In your closet you probably have enough clothes to last for at least a couple of years if you’re more concerned about avoiding the roving packs of cannibals than buying the latest designer duds. But even with the cannibals on the prowl you still can dress for success. If 95% of the population just keeled over, you can hunt through their closets for whatever you want. Don’t like what you see? Head over to the shopping mall. The security guards have all been eaten! Just don’t get trapped by zombies like in Dawn of the Dead.

The slow apocalypse is a bit tougher. In the century leading up to the story in my novel Radio Hope, there are wars, plagues, nuclear exchanges, and huge amounts of toxic emissions. At the very least that’s going to cause a bad hair day. But as civilization disintegrates, people will start making more things themselves. While the Biowars took out the horses and cows, it spared the sheep, so there’s plenty of wool. People also grow cotton and hemp. Well, this is a family blog so let’s not dwell on why the traumatized survivors of World Wars III-VI might want to grow hemp.

In any case, people will be well dressed in the apocalypse. The great thing about the fall of civilization is that we will no longer have mass media telling us to dress like Miley Cyrus! Long live the apocalypse!

Sean McLachlan is an archaeologist turned writer who is the author of several books of fiction and history. Check him out on his blogs Midlist Writer and Civil War Horror.
Purchase Radio Hope at Amazon.

Cassa and Ninja Captain Updates

From February 4 – 10, CassaFire will be 99 cents at Amazon and my publisher’s site. This is the first time they have ever run a promotional special like this and have ads running at several sites, including BookBub. If you can help me spread the news, starting Tuesday, I would greatly appreciate it. I will have some promotional Tweets and snippets posted on Wednesday. I’m the guinea pig, so hopefully the promotion rocks the house!

A wonderful and eloquent review of CassaStorm was posted on Amazon last week. I don’t usually post snippets of reviews, but I had to share:
This tale is basically a story of the struggle of a family pulled and wrenched in many ways by the frantic circumstances which are thrown in their path. They alone have the key to saving the universe from destruction. It is at once terrifying and uplifting.
It is a space story at its best. Through the fascinating plot, we are poised at a point which is critical to the safety of the galaxy. It is a great study of bravery and love.

Today, an epic battle ensues at Father Dragon’s between me and Lord Baldernot, Mark Koopmans. Who will come out on top?

I won the caption contest at The Geek Twins last week.

And here is the official A to Z Challenge Ninja Minion Army -
Joy Campbell, Michelle Wallace, Susan Gourley/Kelley, S. L. Hennessy, Rhonda Albom, Madeline Mora-Summonte, LG Keltner, Cathy Olliffe-Webster, Diane Riggins, and Melanie Schulz.

Ninja News

Today at the A to Z Blog is an interview with the awesome Challenge co-host, Tina from Life is Good. Tina is the glue that holds the A to Z Team together and if you missed her posts last year about a Swede’s first year in America, you missed something awesome.

Cathrina Constantine’s Tallas is now available! Visit her site to win some awesome stuff including gift cards.

And Cherie Reich revealed another stunning book cover last week!

Movie Trivia Answers

Name the town. (And sorry, I had the title of number four messed up at first.)

1 – Rango 2011 - Dirt
2 – Tremors 1990 – Perfection, Nevada
3 – Ocean’s Eleven 2001 – Las Vegas
4 – Doc Hollywood 1991 – Grady, South Carolina
5 – Ghostbusters 1984 – New York City
6 – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off 1986 - Chicago
7 – Ratatouille 2007 – Paris

February Movie Preview

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

7 –

The Monuments Men
An unlikely World War II platoon are tasked to rescue art masterpieces from Nazi thieves and return them to their owners.
Director: George Clooney
Stars: George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Bill Murray
Huge cast but getting mixed reviews. Bummer.

The LEGO Movie
An ordinary LEGO minifigure, mistakenly thought to be the extraordinary MasterBuilder, is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil LEGO tyrant from gluing the universe together.
Directors: Phil Lord | Christopher Miller
Stars: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Morgan Freeman
This will do well, although sadly I’m not excited. Those are not the Lego figures I remember.

14 –

Winter’s Tale
A burglar falls for an heiress as she dies in his arms. When he learns that he has the gift of reincarnation, he sets out to save her.
Director: Akiva Goldsman
Stars: Colin Farrell, Jessica Brown Findlay, Russell Crowe, Will Smith
Based on the book and with a great cast. I actually want to see this one.

Robocop
In 2028 Detroit, when Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) - a loving husband, father and good cop - is critically injured in the line of duty, the multinational conglomerate OmniCorp sees their chance for a part-man, part-robot police officer.
Director: José Padilha
Stars: Joel Kinnaman, Douglas Urbanski, Abbie Cornish, Gary Oldman
Yes, the original was cheesy. Yes, this looks better. Yes, I am sick of remakes
.
21 –

Pompeii
A slave turned gladiator finds himself in a race against time to save his true love, who has been betrothed to a corrupt Roman Senator. As Mount Vesuvius erupts, he must fight to save his beloved as Pompeii crumbles around him.
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Stars: Kit Harington, Carrie-Anne Moss, Emily Browning, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
I think we all know how it ends…

28 –

Non-Stop
An air marshal springs into action during a transatlantic flight after receiving a series of text messages that put his fellow passengers at risk unless the airline transfers $150 million into an off-shore account.
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Stars: Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, Lupita Nyong'o, Anson Mount
Neeson is really cranking out the action roles these days.


Whoa! How will you dress for the apocalypse? Get any of the trivia right? Excited about any of February’s movies? Ready for Wednesday’s IWSG? And can you help with CassaFire’s promotion this week? I am willing to grovel…

Now, go see me take down the bald one at Father Dragon’s blog.