Insecure Writer’s Support Group; Movie Reviews – Minions, Spiderhead, Maverick; and July Movie Preview

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.

The awesome co-hosts for the July 6 posting of the IWSG are J Lenni Dorner, Janet Alcorn, PJ Colando, Jenni Enzor, and Diane Burton!

July question - If you could live in any book world, which one would you choose?

I have a couple I would select, but my heart goes back to Shannara. I grew up on those novels, fell in love with fantasy because of the series. Give me the magic of that book world.

The IWSG Goodreads Book Club July picks are –

Reaching For Normal (Bloo Moose #1) by Jemi Fraser

Magic at Midnight by Ronel Janse van Vuuren

Awaken: A Love Story by Elizabeth Mueller, our new IWSG Admin!
What good is "perfect" without love?
There is no crime in the Balance. No aging. No death. Living on the outskirts of society, Daemos escapes his prison with dark secrets that threaten the Balance. Because of this evidence, his life is forfeit. N'reena is drawn to him and the impossible happens--she falls for him. Lives are at stake, especially their own! Can she keep him a secret, or will the Balance destroy them?
Find it on Kindle Vella
You can also watch the author read the first episode on YouTube

And we need co-hosts for August 3, September 7, and October 5! Please let me know if you can help any of those dates.

Movie Reviews

Minions: The Rise of Gru
Picking up where the last Minion movie left off, this film boasts quite the list of voice actors: Steve Carell (as Gru), Taraji P Henson, Jean-Claude Can Damme, Michelle Yeoh, Dolph Lundgren, Lucy Lawless, Danny Trejo, Alan Arkin, Julie Andrews, and Pierre Coffin – the director of all other Minion/Despicable Me movies but this one.
If you’ve enjoyed the last four movies, you’ll enjoy this one. Nothing deep, just a lot of Minions being silly. And really, that’s about all I expect from a Minion movie.
Several nods to character we see later in the Despicable Me series.
Quite a few laughs and a lot of shenanigans from the Minions, but as always, their hearts are in the right place.
Recommended.

Spiderhead
Starring Chris Hemsworth, Miles Teller, Jurnee Smollett, and Mark Paguio. In exchange for a shorter sentence, convicts volunteer for drug experiments at a hidden facility.
This one was much better than anticipated. A mix of drama and thriller, the strength of the movie lies in its actors’ ability to keep you watching. What is the purpose of these drugs? How will this all end?
Hemsworth is the director of the facility and is both charming and unnerving. Teller (also in Top Gun: Maverick) is the criminal you really find yourself rooting for despite his past and what he does when on the drugs.
On NetFlix, I’d definitely recommend it.

Top Gun: Maverick
Picking up thirty-plus years later, it stars Tom Cruise, Jennifer Connelly, and Miles Teller, with a short, special appearance by Val Kilmer.
Similar to the first film in many ways. This time Maverick is wooing Connelly’s character, training the team for an impossible mission, and dealing with an estranged relationship with Goose’s son, played by Teller.
The flying sequences are amazing, really placing you in the cockpit. You get carried up in the story, emotionally involved.
Unfortunately, I know way too much about the military and planes, and my eyes rolled many, many times. The mission is one that could be solved a hundred different ways and much more effectively than sending the pilots on a near suicide mission. So, the complete lack of realism kind of blew it for me.
I was never a big fan of the first one, but it was fun to watch once. Recommended for fans of the first one, of which there are apparently many of you!

July Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for July. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

8 –

Thor: Love and Thunder
Director Taika Waititi
Stars Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bakle, Taika Waititi
Thor enlists the help of Valkyrie, Korg and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster to fight Gorr the God Butcher, who intends to make the gods extinct.
And Sweet Child ‘O Mine will be permanently stuck in your head going into this film…

15 –

Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank
Directors Mark Koetsier, Rob Minkoff, Chris Bailey
Stars: Michelle Yeoh, Samuel L. Jackson, Mel Brooks, Michael Cera
Hank, a loveable dog with a head full of dreams about becoming a samurai, sets off in search of his destiny.
I saw this for free as a kid. It was called Hong Kong Phooey.

22 –

Nope
Director: Jordan Peele
Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Brandon Perea, Michael Wincott, Steven Yeun
The residents of a lonely gulch in inland California bear witness to an uncanny and chilling discovery.
Yep! Maybe. I don’t know…

29 –

The Reef: Stalked
Director: Andrew Traucki
Stars: Teressa Liane, Ann Truong, Tim Ross, Kate Lister, Saskia Archer
After her sister's murder, Nic, her younger sister and two friends seek solace through a Pacific island kayaking adventure. Hours into the trip the women are stalked by a shark and must band together, face their fears and save each other.
Are they 47 Meters Down in The Shallows and pursued by The Meg, or are they Shark Bait in the Deep Blue Sea with the Swamp Shark…?

What book world would you live in? Can you co-host the IWSG? See any of the movies? And what films are you seeing this month?
Enjoy your July! After next week, I will be mostly offline for the month but return August 3 for the next IWSG day.

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!

Awesome Stuff and the Big Announcement!

Thanks again to everyone who participated in the Insecure Writer’s Support Group!There were some awesome posts, including this funny one from Mark and a touching and inspirational one from Youngblood. I’ve tried to visit as many as possible and I’ve also cleaned up the list a bit, eliminating those who aren’t participating.

I also had a very funny surprise visual review of CassaStar from Jesse at Not Worth Mentioning. Thanks dude, it was hilarious!

Saturday, January 7, I have a guest post with Laura B. Writer. She is a marketing consultant who critiques writer/author blogs during the week and conducts interviews on the weekends. So stop by and say hey on Saturday!

But today’s main event it the April 2012 A to Z Challenge!

First – what is the Challenge?

This amazing month long blogfest was created by Arlee Bird at Tossing it Out. If you subtract Sundays from April, you then have 26 days--one day for each letter of the alphabet. (This year April 1 is on a Sunday, so we will start on that day.) Using this premise, you start beginning April 1 with a topic themed on the letter A, then on April 2 another topic with the letter B, and so on until you finish on April 30 with the letter Z. This will be the third annual A to Z Challenge!

The purpose of the Challenge is to blog almost daily following the alphabet – and to make friends. Yes, many gain blog followers, but as those who’ve participated in the past will tell you, the real treasure lies in making new friends.

I was a last-minute entry to the first A to Z Challenge. I think Lee is still laughing at the comment I made when I decided to do it. There were about a hundred of us and I was randomly selecting entertainment stuff that began with the corresponding letter. (For Q, I posted about Q-Bert and the movie "Q" – lame!) But I made some great friends in the process, including the wonderful Yvonne Lewis and Ella.

Last year, Lee enlisted the help of several co-hosts and I was honored to be among those bloggers. Were we blown away when almost thirteen hundred participants signed up! (And for those of you who were overwhelmed last year, we have a plan for this year.) I had a theme this time and featured two blogger buddies each day whose blogs corresponded with the letter. It was an awesome month and I made a ton of new friends.

Now we are gearing up for the April 2012 A to Z Challenge and signups begin January 30. But today’s big announcement is the introduction of this year’s hosts:

Arlee Bird at Tossing it Out
Alex J. Cavanaugh
Stephen Tremp at Breakthrough Blogs
Jenny Pearson at Pearson Report
Matthew McNish at The QQQE
Jeremy Hawkins at Retro-Zombie
Tina Downey at Life is Good
DL Hammons at Cruising Altitude
Shannon Lawrence at The Warrior Muse
Elizabeth Mueller
Damyanti Biswas at AmlokiBlogs
Konstanz Silverbow at No Thought 2 Small

We are armed and ready!

To keep up with other announcement regarding the Challenge, please follow the A to Z Challenge Blog.

This is one of the most amazing challenge you will undertake and one of the most rewarding – join us!

Are you planning to participate? Were you a part of last year’s event? Did you make some new friends? What awesome things happened to you as a result of the Challenge? This Ninja would like to know…
And if you have a second, scroll to the bottom of my blog - I completely forgot my publisher was doing this!

Hot News, Dark Spells, and on Fire!

News first! No time to explain, let me sum up.

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group’s next post is THIS Wednesday!!!

Jen Daiker will be published in a collection of romantic stories next year – way to go, Jen!

I won Laura B. Writer’s 200 followers contest – an eBook copy of Kristen Lamb's Are You There Blog? It's Me, Author! Thank you, Laura.

Saw Puss in Boots – great animation and solid story. Think adventure rather than comedy. And not for real little kids, as they simply won’t follow the storyline.

Madeleine Scribble and Edit gave me the Friendly blogger award. Thank you, Madeleine!

And appreciate all the words of congratulations on CassaStar cracking Amazon’s Top Ten in science fiction – and special thanks to Rusty for catching a screen shot of it at number eight. I still can’t believe it…

Darkspell's Launch Spookfesta

Darkspell by Elizabeth Mueller – available today!
Winter Sky believes she is everything ordinary . . .until she is kissed by Alex Stormhold.
As seer of Stormhold Coven, Alex is sworn to be Winter’s protector against the darkness that hunts her. Violently thrust into a magical realm she always thought impossible, she stumbles upon a disturbing secret of her own. Will love prove thicker than magic?
Purchase Darkspell on Amazon and visit Elizabeth at her BLOG or WEBSITE

Spookfesta question - "If I had all the magic in the world, I'd . . ."
Return the earth to its original state – as Heaven. (Of course, I couldn’t really do that – but fortunately, God can!)

On Fire!

Thanks to everyone who has signed up for CassaFire’s Catch Fire! blog party on February 28, 2012! If you haven’t, visit HERE (see also tabbed page under my header) to join the fun and a chance to win a copy of CassaFire.

And thanks to those who’ve spread the word about this blog party. My official tour is now set and CassaFire is already on Goodreads with a four star review.

Happy Halloween! Anyone else have a wild week or weekend? Participating in Elizabeth’s fest? See a movie? About to panic because NaNo starts soon…?

Paying it Forward!

Cool stuff and big announcement today!

Don’t forget the next posting of Insecure Writer’s Support Group is Wednesday October 5. If you haven’t signed up to participate in this awesome monthly event, click on the tab below my blog header for details.

The very beautiful and talented Elizabeth Mueller is hosting a blogfest to celebrate the release of her first novel! “I'd love to christen Darkspell by brewing up an online "If I had all the magic in the world, I'd ..." spookfesta. On Halloween day, share with me what you'd do if you discovered that you had all the magic in the world at your fingertips.”

Oh, and did anyone see the comments on Blastr about Terra Nova? The good, the bad, and the funny! My favorite was:
“I’m watching Terra Nova on Tivo delay. Someone let me know if Fox cancels it before it ends.”

Now for the big announcement!

This is the brainchild of Matthew at the QQQE. I’m helping with this awesome blogfest.(Okay, I just made the button for it.)

Pay it Forward! October 14, 2011 The idea is to introduce all of us to everyone else. We want this to be easy - meet and follow as many other bloggers as you like. In your post, we would like you to please list, describe, and link to three blogs that you enjoy reading and know that others would enjoy as well. And what’s cool, is this can be part of your regular Friday blogging.

Visit those who’s signed up. Visit those they recommend! If you don’t have time to comment, just follow. Take the weekend to go through the list. You might find some really cool blogs out there, just like you did during the first post of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group or last April during the A to Z Challenge. (Or during any of my odd blogfests. Really, I am a writer and an author! Just a little movie obsessed…)

Now, who’s with us???

And did you watch Tucker & Dale vs. Evil Wednesday night? (It was fun and a really good movie. Very gory, so be prepared.) Seeing it this weekend? Seeing anything? Back of your eyelids perhaps…?

You Rock! And News...

Today I am visiting the awesome and beautiful Elizabeth Mueller, talking about brainstorming the second book. So, if anyone else out there has written one story and now you’re beginning to panic about a sequel or follow-up, head on over. Hopefully I don’t mess you up even worse.

But wait – there’s more!

Big thanks again to those who left such awesome comments for those participating in the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. I appreciate everyone’s efforts. You guys rock!

And I got some news on the book trailer my publisher is creating for CassaFire – and I’m so stoked! Another animated piece, but - no words to read this time. You get to hear Byron speak! Damn, I can’t wait…

And, in one week, it’s the Worst Movies Ever Blogfest! Spread the word. If the insecurity of last Wednesday didn’t take down the internet, then we need to try again with an onslaught of crappy movies. Sign up below!

Any other questions about the Insecure Writer’s Support Group? Did you makes some new friends? What about the blogfest? Have you signed up? Why not?! Can’t tell me there aren’t a slew of bad movies out there…

Crap, I can’t wait to see my book trailer…

All right, go see Elizabeth now and tell her she’s one beautiful lady!

Cowboys & Aliens Review and News!

Once again, this Ninja sought refuge in a cool movie theater…

Cowboys and Aliens

Another enjoyable summer film! A good story and great mishmash of science fiction and western. It was more intense than anticipated – not cheesy at all. The effects were really good and I especially liked the aliens. Some amazing scenery as they pursued the aliens across the desert, trying to reclaim the townspeople who were taken.

Daniel Craig channeled Clint Eastwood’s Man With No Name character– he was calm and cool. I really liked how they developed Harrison Ford’s character – he began gruff and went from cookie cutter villain to a real, fleshed-out person. Olivia Wilde was sexy, Clancy Brown great, and Sam Rockwell had some great lines.

No, it wasn't perfect, but overall, a fun time at the theater. Made me want to go shoot aliens.

And this just in…

Ellie Garrett is hosting a Star Trek Blogfest on August 22. Let loose the geek! Just don’t place him in a red shirt…

Tessa is hosting the I Hate You Blogfest on August 12

Ciara Knight reviewed CassaStar last week – and it was part of her 500 followers giveaway as well. Thanks, Ciara!

And I have to thanks the following people for hosting some awesome contests. I actually won!
RaShelle’s birthday celebration - $20 Amazon card
Elizabeth’s book tour giveaway – cool dragon bookends
Amy’s Retro Blogfest – free book and a guest post on her blog August 29
Thanks ladies!

Did you see Cowboys and Aliens? Know of any good blogfests? Win any prizes? Melt from the heat this weekend?

Casting a Darkspell

Thanks again to Melissa for Friday’s post on books to movies – she really churned up the discussion. And don’t forget – season premier of Eureka and Warehouse 13, and series premier of Alphas on the SyFy Channel. I know where I’ll be for three hours…

But today it’s all about Elizabeth Mueller! One of my Fantastic Friday Writers buddies. she can best be described as joyful, spiritually grounded, generous, and just so beautiful. Her very first book, Darkspell, comes out this fall from TreasureLine Books. And I know it will rock because the hero’s name is Alex!

Enough Ninja chatter – here’s Elizabeth:

So, which came first? My children, or my writing?

I’m a stay-at-home mom with four lively kids. There’s never a boring second. The house unravels the time they awaken—it’s nonstop fighting, whining, and messing. Aside from the headaches, I’ve learned so much from them. Patience, joy, love, and lots of humility.

So, what about my writing?

It has always been a part of my life. It was easy enough before kids, but when they started pouring in, I had to create time. I wrote right after I tucked them in, and pushed late into the mornings. I’ve actually completed 8 books of squeezing time!

Just 4 years ago, I decided to take my writing a step further. Publishing! I attended writers conferences, learned the rules, joined critique groups, critiqued for others, query writing and submitting. Needless to say, I’ve felt the sting of rejections. Ouch!

Guess what? It was not until late March of this year that I decided to take another chance and submit one of my novels.

Darkspell was accepted by TreasureLine Books! I was SO not expecting my book to be picked up. After 20 years of writing, I’ve finally reached my aspirations! So much to the point that I didn’t know what to do, like the car-chasing dog that has finally caught one.

About my book: Winter Sky believes she is everything ordinary . . . until she is kissed by Alex Stormhold. As seer of Stormhold Coven, Alex is sworn to be Winter’s protector against the darkness that hunts her. Violently thrust into a magical realm she always thought impossible, she stumbles upon a disturbing secret of her own.

Darkspell is a YA Paranormal Romance, coming fall of 2011!

I wrote this book before I met Alex Cavanaugh—the names are purely coincidental.

Hey, Alex, thank you SO much for having me over, it was fun visiting your blog! (As always…)

Please drop by and say hi! You can find me over at my blog. Check on my bookly updates on my website. (An visiting MS Hatch at Unicorn Bell on July 12.)

Please join me in my celebration for Darkspell’s fall release all July long! A pre-booklaunch party if you will. Click HERE for details.

What is your writing journey like?

Transformers III, FFW, and Swamp Shark - a Play-By-Play!

Ninja party today!

Elizabeth Mueller has a HUGE contest/giveaway for the release of her new novel, Darkspell. There are some cool prizes, including a gargoyle, so check it out. She’s also making a guest appearance here on July 11.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Giant fighting robots! Lots of action! Special effects! Chicago in ruins! (Sorry, Michael.) And if you’re expecting anything more from the third film from Michael Bay based on a toy line, forget it. Wasn’t perfect – editing seemed rushed – but better than the second film. And in 3D – whoa! Leave brain at door and prepare for eye candy.

Fantastic Friday Writers - The Science in Science Fiction

I’m not tech or science heavy in my writing. (You want some science tips, visit Stephen Tremp.) But it does all have to make sense, even if you’re messing with physics. And it needs consistency. My greatest challenge was with the teleporters found on the Cassan’s ships. It’s almost a symbiotic relationship between the mechanical device that powers the jump and the Cassan’s mental ability to fold space. Once I had the logistics figured out, I had to adhere to the rules I’d created. (Which meant the final battle scene went through many rewrites as I tried to figure out how to make it all work!)

Check with my FFW partners Elizabeth, Anastasia, J. D., Deirdre, M. Pax, and Jeffrey for a take on science that actually makes sense!

And now – Swamp Shark – a play-by-play!

Entertainment Weekly gave this cinematic suppository an F+. My expectations are not quite that high.


9:00 - When the producer of the film is named Badish, it pretty much sets the tone.


9:02 - Drunken revelers starting off a movie about a rogue shark. Now where have I seen that before?


9:10 - I'm literally watching D.B. Sweeney and Kristy Swanson destroy their careers (sad.)


9:12 - This movie was either edited by seven monkeys with scissors or Freddie Krueger and Edward Scissorhands.


9:14 - Just to make sure they have every movie stereotype in place, they now introduce the moronic, hard-partying frat boy.


9:16 - Impatiently waiting for the loveable drunk to get eaten.


9:17 - Does this mean the shark is now drunk or is it more like eating half a rum cake?


9:42 - Apparently, there is an app for hunting a rogue shark with gator radio beacons lodged in its stomach. Apple rocks!


10:18 - D.B. Sweeney takes Kristy Swanson to see chewed up corpses in the morgue - now that's what I call a first date. (Eat your heart out ladies!)


10:22 - Idiotic frat boy finally gets eaten - and there was much rejoicing.


That's all I can take folks, I can't watch anymore. However, I assume the shark ends up eating the entire state of Louisiana, gets bad indigestion from a funky batch of gumbo, and explodes.

Now where’s my Hot Tamales???

And to my American friends, have a great Fourth of July!

Bowing to Pressure and MC Blogfest

First, I have succumbed to the pressure – I’m going to see Green Lantern this weekend! So many of you were disappointed not to get the Alex review – didn’t realize I was such a go-to guy for movies. Anyway, Cars 2 is not receiving great reviews over at Rotten Tomatoes (it was at 38% last I looked – really low for Pixar film) and since Cars was not one of my favorites, I decided to just go enjoy Green Lantern. Expectations set to low, brain dropped at the door, and ready for eye candy.

Don’t forget SyFy’s craptastic Swamp Shark this Saturday. I hope to have a play-by-play for you next Friday.

Will at Fatherhood and Other Common Terrors posted a review of CassaStar this week – thanks, dude!

And Monday expect an AWESOME guest to appear here! An uber-cool rocker. Okay, not a real rocker. Don’t expect John Sykes or Joe Satriani. But he is cool and here for your amusement!

Today is Elizabeth Mueller’s Getting to Know Your MC Blogfest. With prizes and everything!

Three questions for my main character, Byron. Three questions as he prepares to embark on another adventure. (The as-of-yet unnamed sequel to my first book, although I recently dubbed it CassaStar II: Electric Boogaloo. That probably won’t fly with my publisher though.) Three questions – and for once, he refrained from snarking:

1 What is your greatest fear?

Cassans like to refer to it as disconnected, although you might call it a fear of intimacy. I’ve been alone all of my life. I like my privacy. Always felt letting someone in was a sign of weakness. But now I feel a bit empty and alone. I’d consider letting someone into my life if I only knew how.

2 What is your biggest accomplishment?

Most would say it was my contribution toward ending the Vindicarn War, but that brings up too many painful memories for me. I would choose becoming a pilot instead. Few of my instructors thought I’d amount to anything and I was determined to prove them wrong. Now, not only am I one of the best pilots in the fleet, I’m one of the few who can teleport multiple times.

3 What is your biggest regret?

Losing my friend and navigator during the Vindicarn War. The crash wasn’t my fault, but I replay that scene over and over in my head, wondering if I could’ve done anything different. Considering where we landed, I should’ve died as well. Sometimes I wish I had. Bassa was my first real friend. He was like a brother to me. I miss his guidance and wish he could’ve joined me in exploration. At least I’m living his dream for him. But I'll never find another friend like Bassa...


Who’s watching movies this weekend? I know Melissa has some lined up! Taking the kids to see Cars II? Suffering through Swamp Shark? Or do you just have to check out the bat-shit crazy girl in Black Swan now?

I Really am a Writer

Really! I know I post about movies and stuff, but I really am a writer. Guess I can say author, since my first book came out last year. And just to prove it (because I know some of you may doubt) here’s some writing stuff for you!

Writing Tip
Crap, I got nothing… Oh wait! Listen to your critique partners, because they may have some awesome suggestions. And see the stuff you miss. Or omit. Or forget! Enough said.

What I’m Working On
The final revisions of the sequel to CassaStar. Got the last manuscript back from my test reader, and once I’ve fixed all the problems he found, I’ll send it to my publisher. (Before my June 30 deadline – cool!) Still no idea what to call the sequel. Back to oh crap…

What I’m Reading
A manuscript from Jeffrey Beesler and Feast of Souls by C.S. Friedman. Next up is a manuscript from Rusty Webb and Breakthrough by Stephen Tremp. Good, no crap there.

Online Participation
Two upcoming blogfests for me –
Getting to Know Your MC Blogfest on June 24, hosted by Elizabeth Mueller
Retro Summer Blogfest on July 20, hosted by Amy
Definitely no crap there!

Which means I can now give you some movie news! Because I just can’t help myself…

The box office results so far here in America (my little narrow view of the world):
The Hangover II - $216 million
Pirates - $209 mil
Fast Five - $205 mil
Thor - $174 mil
Rio – 136 mil

And the box office results world-wide (the figures that really matter):
Pirates – $887 million
Fast Five - $583.5 mil
Rio - $467 mil
Thor - $431.6 mil
The Hangover II - $431.2

Interesting, huh? I don’t think Disney is too worried right now.

Care to prove you’re a writer? Bet you're more convincing than me!

When New Ideas Attack – Plus News and a Cool Image!

When New Ideas Attack - not to be confused with When Animals Attack.

First, some cool announcements!

India Drummond’s book, Blood Faerie, just came out – congratulations, India!

Mel is looking for beta readers! Check out her site at Writings, Musings, and Other Such Nonsense for details.

Elizabeth Mueller is hosting a MC Blogfest and Giveaway!

And don’t forget the It’s All Fun & Games Blogfest this coming Monday!

It’s Fantastic Friday Writers again, with my partners Elizabeth, Anastasia, J. D., Deirdre, M. Pax, and Jeffrey.

Today – how to keep up the flow of ideas without abandoning current project.

This is Captain Ninja Alex’s Everything but the Kitchen Sink method:

When those new ideas hit in the middle of a project, dump them in your manuscript!

You heard me! Toss it into the mixture and see if the idea works. Hey, you don’t want those new ideas distracting you from your current manuscript, do you? Put them to work in your project rather than let them take over your imagination and attention. If the idea fits, great! If not, set it aside.

Does it work? Hey, I did it with the sequel to my book. Every time something new struck me, I threw it in the story. I tossed everything but the kitchen sink at Byron. (Thus the name!) And since my critique partners actually liked the results, I’d have to say affirmative!

Anyone care to share a method that’s a little less hap hazardous? I feel this post needs a disclaimer – should not be taken in place of real writing tips.

Now before I dash off to the theater to see the new X-Men movie, let me leave you with a really cool image – “Fifty Baddies.” Can you name them all? (I got forty-six correct.) Visit creator Robert Ball’s Draw the Line for the full sized image and the answers…

Managing 500 and Stuff

First, “The Stuff,” and no it’s not that awful 80’s horror flick...

Yesterday I visited the blog of Chris Phillips with a song that inspired the writing of CassaStar. It’s a short post – and also a cautionary tale for those who leave suggestive comments. (Read it and you’ll understand!)

Today I’m visiting the lovely Elizabeth Mueller, and has she got a treat for you guys – a really unique and special giveaway! What is it? Let’s just say it has to do with my autograph and a guitar…

And I was completely floored by a wonderful review of CassaStar over at Reading at Dawn. Our own L’Aussie Denise is a contributor and her first review is my book. Even more stunning – she doesn’t read science fiction! It’s a small but growing site, so be sure to check it out and support those reviewers.

Now the managing 500…

I am still STUNNED! 500+ followers. I need to do something really awesome. I’m sure everyone’s sick of my book as a prize, though. I’ll get back to you on that…

But for those of you wonder how I manage that many followers… How do I visit that many blogs a day? Here’s my honest answer – I can’t! (Have you done the math? 500+ blogs times five minutes…)

My goal is 100 a day. I have a group of buddies I try to hit every time they post and everyone else I try to visit at least once every one – two weeks. But if I’m busy at work or I go out for the evening, I can’t even manage 100. I usually have to skip long posts and writing blogfest entries as well. But I do try to visit as many of you as possible! (Without my computer privileges being revoked by angry boss or wife.)

I do appreciate those who take the time to comment on my blog. (Really, there are so many cool blogs out there – why on earth are you visiting the NetFlix addict’s site?)

Thanks to everyone who visits – you guys (and gals!) ROCK!

Thanks, Awards, Star Wars, and a Response!

Thanks to everyone who’s voted over at The Movie 411! I’m nominated for Best Sci-Fi Blog of 2010 – and really stunned I’m one of the front runners. Plus buddies Dezz, Nebular, and RaShelle are nominated as well. Voting ends December 14th. And Clarissa at Listen to the Voices just posted her review of CassaStar! Thank you so much, Clarissa. Still moving along with my NaNo project. Should hit 50,000 words next weekend. Those of you who asked all the interesting questions – stay tuned next week for answers!

Elizabeth Mueller gave me the Grasshopper award! Thank you, Elizabeth. (She’s one of my Fantastic Friday Writers buddies.) Passing this on to Jeffrey Beesler at World of the Scribe

Ella gave me the You Deserve a Star Today award! I’ve received this award previously, so I’ll just thank Ella for her generosity! Just caught this the other day - the third installment of the Family Guy Star Wars trilogy comes out next month! Here's the trailer for "It's a Trap!"