July Movie Preview, Sci-Fi Movie News, and Ninja News

No movie review today. Since Transformers 4 received awful reviews, I decided it wasn’t worth sacrificing over two and a half hours of my life to watch mindless explosions.
The real bummer was that Snowpiercer, which came out last year to rave reviews, only had a limited release here in the USA. How limited? One theater. In New York! Hopefully it will open to a wider audience soon, as I really want to see this film.

Here’s the description: In this sci-fi epic, a failed global-warming experiment kills off most life on the planet. The final survivors board the SNOWPIERCER, a train that travels around the globe via a perpetual-motion engine. When cryptic messages incite the passengers to revolt, the train thrusts full-throttle towards disaster.

In other movie news…

According to ScienceFiction.com, Frank Darabont may direct the sequel to Snow White and the Huntsman. Good news for the ladies – the movie will focus on Chris Hemsworth’s character with no Snow White/Kristen Stewart in sight.

And Pacific Rim will be getting a sequel! Scheduled release date is April 7, 2017, so don’t get too excited…

Ninja News

Joy Campbell’s Taming Celeste is now available! Buy it at Amazon US, Amazon UK, and Smashwords

Clarissa Draper’s second book is now out - The Electrician’s Code.

Rachel Morgan’s The Trouble with Flying is now out.

Brinda Berry got the rights back to her book and has rereleased Watcher of Worlds with a new cover.

Do you like to read psychological thrillers? Well, Jessica Bell's giving away her latest release, WHITE LADY, for FREE, to every single person who signs up to the "Two Lies & a Truth" Blog Tour (taking place October 1 - 31). It's hassle-free. All you have to do is post what she sends you to your blog (or Facebook page) and Bob's your uncle. She will also be giving away a copy of the book to one lucky reader of your blog. More details and sign up form HERE.

Yvonne Lewis was sweet enough to send a copy of her book to me! Arlee Bird provided the forward and is featured on the cover.


And I got to supply a blurb for the back! So honored...

Don’t forget that this Wednesday is Insecure Writer’s Support Group post day!

July Movie Preview

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

4 –

Deliver Us From Evil
NY police officer Ralph Sarchie investigates a series of crimes. He joins forces with an unconventional priest, schooled in the rituals of exorcism, to combat the possessions that are terrorizing their city.
Director: Scott Derrickson
Stars: Eric Bana, Édgar Ramírez, Olivia Munn, Chris Coy
Great name for a Christian sandwich shop. Well, maybe not...

Earth to Echo
After receiving a bizarre series of encrypted messages, a group of kids embark on an adventure with an alien who needs their help.
Director: Dave Green
Stars: Teo Halm, Astro, Reese Hartwig, Ella Wahlestedt
80’s ET rip off meets 2000’s found footage nonsense – time to nauseate your kids.


8 –

DVD – The Raid 2

11 –

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth's dominant species.
Director: Matt Reeves
Stars: Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Andy Serkis, Kodi Smit-McPhee
Get your hands off me you damn dirty sequel! (Actually I really enjoyed the first one and look forward to this film.)

25 –

Hercules
Having endured his legendary twelve labors, Hercules, the Greek demigod, has his life as a sword-for-hire tested when the King of Thrace and his daughter seek his aid in defeating a tyrannical warlord.
Director: Brett Ratner
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, John Hurt, Ian McShane, Joseph Fiennes
See Dwayne Hercules for all your demi-god and real estate needs…

29 –

DVD - Mystery Science Theater 3000 XXX


See any movies this past weekend? Been watching the World Cup? Picking up some new books? And what movies will you be seeing in July…?

See you Wednesday for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group!

Ninja News, Writers4Writers, and the I Miss You Blogfest!

It’s Time for the I Miss You Blogfest!

But first…

Ninja News

Cassie Mae and Tara Tyler hit 500 followers and are holding a giveaway! Tara is creating a blog banner for one lucky winner, and I’m sure you’ve seen her awesome banners all over the blogging world. Cassie is giving away a manuscript critique since she’s now in demand. (I’m sure I had nothing to do with that…)

Denise at L’Aussie Writer is hosting a Holiday Spirit Blogfest that runs December 12 – 21. For this Holiday Spirit blogfest (open to the whole blogosphere), RFW is looking for excerpts of up to 800 words of fiction or non-fiction stories of family tradition, favorite/unique recipes, inspirational articles, etc.; that involve the essence of the holiday spirit.

And on Monday, November 19, the details of this blog event, hosted by Mark “The Madman” Koopman, ”Marvelous” Morgan Shamy, Stephen “Breakthrough” Tremp, and David “Kingpin” Powers King, will be revealed. You’ll be surprised. You’ll be mystified. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll kiss three bucks goodbye… (Wait, that’s the tagline for the spoof Hardware Wars!) Safe to say, you will not be expecting it. Like the Spanish Inquisition. No one expects the Spanish Inquisition… (Wait, that’s a Monty Python skit!) Just forget all you know, or think you know… (Crap, that’s the tagline from Willow!) Just tune in Monday!

Writers4Writers (W4WS)

Mission:
· Help writers bring awareness of their book(s) to tens of thousands of new people
· Help writers reach Amazon Top 100 in at least one category (i.e., suspense, free, whatever)
· Increase sales of their book(s) after the promo is over
· Drive new traffic to their blog and increase following
· Create verbal and viral buss.

In A Nut Shell: the spotlighted author (December will be Nancy Thompson and her book The Mistaken) will choose a social media avenue such as Twitter or Facebook (or both). Then, the good people of Blogdom will promote the author’s book to their Twitter followers or Facebook friends, that is, incredibly large new audiences the author could not reach on their own.

Hosted by Stephen Tremp, Mary Pax, Christine Rains, and CM Brown. You can also visit the W4WS Facebook page HERE.

Kickoff is December 6!

I Miss You Blogfest

Hosted by Andrew Leon, Matthew Rush, and Alex J. Cavanaugh

The bloggers we really miss…
and the ones we would really miss!

Do you have a couple blogger buddies who aren’t posting as often? Those who’ve pulled back and seem absent from the blogging world? Do you have blogger buddies you are grateful they are still around and would miss if they vanished? Now is your chance to show your appreciation and spotlight them!
List one to three bloggers you really miss and one to three bloggers you would miss if they stopped blogging. Then go leave a comment on those blogs.
Our blogger friends are special – time to let them know!

The bloggers I miss

Clarissa Draper After her book release, Clarissa posted just a little bit less, and then she went on vacation for a month. I’ve known her for two and a half years and really miss Clarissa’s words of wisdom. (Fortunately, she is now back from vacation! So maybe I won’t have to miss her anymore.)

Jeffrey Beesler Met Jeffrey the summer of 2010 and he became a good friend and critique partner. His books and real life events have kept him busy though. He used to post daily, featuring theme weeks, and I could always count on seeing his comments. I really miss seeing Jeffrey around the blogging world.

Baygirl After over two years of her wit, I really came to appreciate Baygirl’s fun posts, which often included pictures. She posts much less now and there’s a definite void without her voice online.

The bloggers I would miss if they quit:

All of you! Really, how can I select just three people? Everyone who visits is important to me. I notice when any of you are gone for a few days. I could do a really long post and say something wonderful about all of you. But since I’m restricted to just three…

Jeremy at Retro-Zombie If I’m ever backed into a corner, I want Jeremy at my side. Only once before have I met someone so willing to do anything to help another. He’d give you the shirt off his back. He has a graphics business, and yet he’s so willing to do them for free for his friends. I can always count on Jeremy. If you’ve ever visited his site and thought ‘odd,’ then you just don’t understand the heart of the man behind that blog. Jeremy rocks, and hopefully he never leaves us.

Ella at Ella’s Edge I met Ella during the first A to Z Challenge. She is without a doubt the most creative person I have ever met. She sees the beauty in the simplest things, and her words flow like a gentle stream. Even her artwork, crafts, and photos are poetic. She has a peace about her that speaks volumes of love. I would miss her spirit and the safe haven that is her blog if she ever left us.

Chuck at Apocalypse Now No other way to say it – Chuck is THE MAN. It didn’t take me long after finding his blog two and a half years ago to realize that Chuck and I have a lot in common. He’s someone I could hang with and shoot the breeze over a couple drinks. Chuck is one of the most supportive people I know – I think he’s talked more people into buying my books than I have! He’s dedicated and possesses a great sense of humor. Hopefully when the Mayan calendar runs out next month and his countdown to the Apocalypse ends, Chuck doesn’t vanish on us.

Your turn – who do you miss and who would you miss?

List of participants below. Feel free to join us!



Signing up for Cassie and Tara’s giveaway? Joining the Holiday Spirit Blogfest? Signed up for Writers4Writers? Who do you miss or would miss in the blogging world? And don’t forget to come back Monday…

WISE/WEIRD - A to Z Challenge

It’s the third A to Z Challenge! Blog the letters of the alphabet in order every day except Sundays The participation list is HERE – start with the blog after yours and visit at least five blogs a day. Mostly, make new friends and have fun!

My theme – I have selected a word for each day and will present to you blogger buddies who fit that description, along with movies, music, etc. My theme is to give back, highlight some awesome bloggers, and have fun in the process.

And my apologies for missing so many posts yesterday! We had meetings at work in the morning and a project I HAD to complete, so I didn’t make it to many of you. Forgive the Ninja? 

WISE/WEIRD

Clarissa Draper
Sometimes the best thing in the world is a broad and gentle wisdom. Clarissa possesses that and then some. She is sharp when it comes to all things concerning writing and is an expert editor. But you soon realize her wise thought extend far beyond the written word. I can easily picture Clarissa as the wise woman of the tribe, with everyone gathered around, waiting anxiously for her next words. Yes, I’m sure I just made Clarissa laugh with that sentence! But she really is one of the wisest people I know.

Jesse at Not Worth Mentioning
Since Clarissa is wise, then you probably assume Jesse gets the weird honors. The dude gets both! Yes, his posts are out there, on the fringe and poised ready to go over the edge. Nothing is sacred to Jesse. But the man is a genius. He knows how to push his topics to that line without shoving them so far that his followers abandon him like rats from a sinking ship. And that’s not an easy feat! Jesse my weird and wise friend, I salute you!

Tetsuo the Iron Man
If you think Lynch’s Eraserhead is the weirdest movie in the world, then you haven’t seen Tetsuo. You’ll watch with equal amounts of shock, revulsion, discomfort, and downright unease. Nothing about this movie will make you feel normal or good. And when it’s done, you’ll still have no idea what on earth you just witnessed. You have been warned…

NINJA NEWS!

Tracy Jo recounts her triumph over Dystonia in a post that is a testimony to the power of a great attitude!

MoonWynd is one of my new followers and she’ really struggling to connect with others in the Challenge. So if you could visit her site, I would greatly appreciate it .

NINJA CONTEST!

To celebrate 1500 followers, I’m holding a giveaway – a copy of CassaStar and CassaFire! The books will be donated to the winner’s choice of public or high school library, along with a selection of bookmarks. (The winner also gets bookmarks.)

How to enter: (and must be a follower)

Comment on my posts (just once each) U-X (Tuesday through Friday) – one point

Ten extra points for the first comment (please don’t melt my blog)

Ten extra points if you blog about this contest (leave a link so I know)

Winner will be announced Monday during the Z post!

Following Clarissa and Jesse? Ever seen Tetsuo? (If not, do you dare?) Still trying to be the first to comment? Forgive the Ninja for not commenting yesterday? And name you favorite wise or weird person or thing.

Valentine's Day Special

It’s Valentine’s Day - time for love and lining the pockets of Hallmark stores and chocolate makers around the world.

It’s also a day men demonstrate the power to read between the lines. With a little practice, we’ve learned that “You don’t have to get me anything” really means “If you don’t get me something, you don’t get anything for a week!” See, we’re not so dumb.

Jules at Trying to Get Over the Rainbow created a special button for us to share with one another and I decided to save it for today. You are all awesome people and I appreciate each one of you who visits my site.

I’d like to say a special thanks to Jeffrey Beesler. Last week, after reading a really crappy review of my book, he offered some encouraging words. Thanks Dude, I needed that, and I don’t intend to give up.

The Words Crafter at The Rainy Day Wanderer gave me the Write Hard Award. Thanks, Words Crafter!


I’m passing it on to:
Clarissa Draper at Listen to the Voices
Rayna at Coffee Rings Everywhere.


And wanted to let you know about another cool blogfest coming up soon! DiscConnected is hosting the Super 8 Debut Albums blogfest:

SUPER 8 DEBUT ALBUMS BLOG HOP

Remember that first helping of Meat Loaf?
How about when you "Got the Knack?"
On February 28, we're listing our all time eight favorite debut albums from artists where they hit paydirt the first time!
Visit his SITE to sign up!

And to all you ladies who said you loved the Resident Evil series - that's just too damn cool!

Now, where were all of you when I was a teenager, and the girls thought that stuff was gross and weird?

Listen to the Voice of an Expert

I may be an author, but I’m still too new in this game to provide certified writing tips. Movie tips YES, writing tips NO. So, I brought in an expert!

Clarissa Draper posts the most sensible, easy to follow, and enlightening writing tips on her blog – Listen to the Voices. (She’s also providing first chapter critiques for those who are interested.) I asked if she would be so kind as to provide some writing tips for my fellow bloggers and writers, and she agreed without forcing me to grovel or beg. (Thanks, Clarissa – it’s not a pretty sight!) Enjoy!

5 Keys to Realistic Dialogue

I used to be horrible at dialogue. Then somebody told me I should write a chapter of dialogue to practice. So I did. Not only that, I wrote a whole book. Dialogue only. And it's one of the best stories I've ever written.

Dialogue alone can make you cry, laugh, think, and throw your book against the wall. Dialogue is moving and well written dialogue is powerful. I doubt you want to write a whole novel in dialogue just to practice. So instead, why don't I just tell you what I've learned.

1. It should always move the story forward.
2. It should make sense to the reader - ever jump into a conversation and have no idea what they're talking about? Yeah, I don't like it either. So, don't do that to your reader.
3. It should end. Who wants to read an hour's worth of conversation?
4. It should tell us more about the character - dialogue is a great place to glean insights as to a character's voice and characteristics.
5. It should be interesting and meaningful - this means you should keep backstory out of your dialogue unless it's vital to the plot and moves the story forward. Also, keep your opinions out of it. Just because you're vegetarian doesn't mean all your characters are and that they want to make a point about it in every conversation.

No one wants to read this:

"Hi, Jane, what are you carrying?"

"Hello, Martha, I went to Johnson's grocery story on Fourth Street, near your house, and bought groceries. You know the place... your brother got shot in that store with a revolver five years ago, during a robbery. Remember?"

"Oh yes I remember, I went into a deep depression and had to be hospitalized for three years. They preformed shock therapy, did you know? I never thought I would make it out alive. I petitioned to the government to stop such treatment for a year and had no response."

"I helped you with that. We worked long hours, late at night to prepare signs and petitions. I hate the Republicans, they are a bunch of crooks. In 1964, the started a war that I felt never needed to be fought."

Thanks, Clarissa! Everyone please visit her site, Listen to the Voices.

And I am visiting Jeffrey Beesler’s World of the Scribe on Thursday and sharing about my writer's doubts. Stop by and snark at my insecurities...