#SupporttheGeeks, Chevelle and Secret Life of Pets Reviews, and Ninja News

Last Wednesday, I was at guest of Tyrean Martinson’s as part of her Five Reasons to Write series. Mine involved music!

Thanks to everyone who entered to win the CassaSeries playing cards giveaway! There were a lot of you, but there can be only one winner:

Mason Canyon at Thought in Progress!

Congratulations and enjoy!

#Support the Geeks

Geekdom House is running a campaign over the summer called Support the Geeks. There are some great articles, features, and giveaways being posted over July and August, and they are encouraging the use of the hashtag #SupporttheGeeks to support geek creatives—content producers, actors, artists, and writers. Some people are tweeting at their favourite artists to say thanks, some are making daily blog or Facebook posts about geek stories that have changed their lives. Check out Geekdom House (and their current art giveaway) and join the fun!

Here’s my geek story that changed my life:

Spurred by science fiction like Star Wars and fantasy like Terry Brooks, I began writing as a teen. Then, just before this series debuted, the image below image appeared in TV Guide:

Drawn by Frank Frazetta, that black and white image with the downed ship on the barren planet and other ships overhead sparked an idea. I began writing and soon had a mostly complete story. I stuck it in a drawer and worked on other things and eventually forgot it.

Around eight years ago, I found that crappy early story and decided to rewrite it. In 2010, it became my first published book, CassaStar.

And my life has never been the same since!

Chevelle – The North Corridor Review

After the success of the last album, I wasn’t sure this one would be as tight. Fears unfounded – this is a very solid album.
With the exception of the song Punchline, it’s a really heavy album from start to finish. The music is fierce and a couple songs have an almost punk edge to them.
There are several standout tracks, including Joyride, Rivers, and Warhol’s Showbiz.
If you dig Chevelle, you’ll love this album.
They are also on tour right now and put on a great show.

Movie Review

The Secret Life of Pets

Max has the perfect life until his owner brings home another dog and the two get lost in New York.
For whatever reason, I didn’t find this film all that funny. In fact, it had some mean-spiritedness to it. The best parts were the beginning and the ending where the pets were interacting with their owners. When the animals were on their own, it just wasn’t that engaging. It also wasn’t particularly memorable.
My wife didn’t think it was a great movie, but she laughed a lot and called the film cute.
There was a short before the film that involved the Minions on a quest to make money to buy a blender for juicing bananas. It was very funny.
Kids and pet owners will probably enjoy this film. Everyone else, you are on your own.

Ninja News

Mark Noce set up a Thunderclap campaign for the release of his first fantasy book, Between Two Fires. You can sign up HERE.

Karen Walker is putting together an anthology on aging. If you are fifty or older, visit her blog for details on how you can contribute.

Special thanks –

I want to thank Truedessa for her poem about Aden and Tamsin, the main characters in my Dragon of the Stars. I was honored to finally see some of the fanfiction she is writing!

And thanks to Pat Hatt and the Cat for a funny poem involving Mini-Alex. At least he is out of the litter box now…

Finally, don’t forget – Star Trek: Beyond comes out Friday, July 22! Already getting great reviews. And last week, Blastr featured some amazing artwork celebrating not just Beyond, but fifty years of Star Trek. Live long and prosper!

Any Chevelle fans? See Secret Life of Pets? Can you contribute to Karen’s anthology? (Sadly, I’m old enough I can.) Seeing Star Trek: Beyond this weekend? And do you have a geek story?

My wife and I are taking a short vacation and I’ll be mostly offline Thursday through Saturday. I will return comments though!

Deadpool Review, Geekdom House, Six Strings, Ninja News, and the Great A to Z Challenge Theme Reveal!

I am visiting Christine Rains today and discussing newsletters.
Don’t forget the first issue of the Insecure Writer's Support Group Newsletter goes out on February 24! Sign up HERE.

Movie Review

Deadpool
I can understand why some might not like this movie.
It’s irreverent. It gleefully crosses the boundary of good taste, much like the show Family Guy does. It’s gory and quite dirty at times.
Having said all that, I thought it was a hoot!
The story itself is a fairly pedestrian origins story but told in a way you’ve never seen before. The film is self-aware that it’s just a movie, even to the point that Deadpool makes snarky comments about actor Ryan Reynolds and the other X-Men films. It completely breaks the fourth wall, resulting in some of the funniest lines. (Example – Deadpool tells two X-Men ‘This giant house and there’s only two of you? It’s like the studio couldn’t afford any more X-Men.’)
Bottom line, if you found something appealing in the trailer, you’ll dig this film.
Rated R for a reason, this movie is for the grown up twelve-year-old in all of us.
Highly recommended!

While I Was Away…

Yes, my wife and I had a great time! Everyone should take a first class vacation at least once a year. Maybe more.

And of course, at my wife’s insistence, Mini-Alex tagged along.

I submitted an article to Geekdom House and it appeared on their site last Monday. Read Finding Child-Like Wonder and why Star Wars: The Force Awakens had it and Jurassic World didn’t.

The latest Six Strings magazine is out and it features an interview with yours truly. You can download it for free on the site or at Amazon.

Ninja News

The authors in the IWSG anthology, Parallels: Felix Was Here, have set up a website - Parallels Anthology. Articles, news, and meet the authors.

Plus, you can pre-order the eBook of Parallels: Felix Was Here at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iTunes

Many of you know that Sia McKye is undergoing treatment for cancer. A lot of that is coming out of her pocket, so a good friend of her set up a Go Fund Me account for her to help offset the cost. Any amount will help!

Loni Townsend discovered a cool site - Inkarnate. You can make your own maps!

New Release:
To Get A Guy To Kiss You! by Jessica McKendry
Find it on Amazon

The Great A to Z Challenge Theme Reveal!

Sign-ups for the 2016 A to Z Blogging Challenge are already under way. If you have done it before, you know how much fun it is (good for you!) and if you have not, this is your chance to give it a try. You can sign up to participate HERE.

One of the most burning questions participants ask themselves every year is: "Should I have a theme?" Themes are not mandatory, but definitely fun. They let your visitors know what to expect, and help you create posts that line neatly up from A to Z. They also have an added bonus – they let you participate in a whole separate blogfest!

Three years ago, A to Z participant Mina Lobo started the Theme Reveal, and we thought it was such a great idea that we made it tradition.

Here is how the Theme Reveal Blogfest works:

Sign up on the Linky List below. On Monday, March 21, reveal your theme on your blog and give us a hint of what to expect from it. Then, once your post is up, use the Linky List to visit all the other blogs announcing their themes.

This is a great opportunity for all of you to get a jump start on your A to Z experience. You can link up with fellow bloggers, scout out and bookmark themes that you look forward to, and lure in wandering participants with your awesome theme. This way, by the time the frenzied posting begins on April 1, you will already have an audience eagerly awaiting your posts.

Sign up below, ready your theme, and put March 21 on your calendar!

Miss me? Anyone else see Deadpool? Excited about the IWSG anthology? Can you help Sia? Ready to make a map? And are you signing up for the Great A to Z Challenge Theme Reveal?

Don’t forget to visit Christine Rains.

And if you have time, read my article at Geekdom House and my interview in Six Strings!

Geekdom House, IPad Pro Update, Into the Badlands Review, Mini-Alex, Christmas Blog Hop, and Ninja News

Geekdom House

Two months ago, I was asked to contribute a story to Geekdom House for their quarterly magazine, Area of Effect, and website. Today, my contemporary piece, Dungeons and Cookies, appears at their site!

What is Geekdom House?

Geekdom House is a Christian non-profit organization which celebrates the bridge between one’s Faith and one’s fandom—science fiction, fantasy, comics, anime, board games, video games, computers, and all the art and creativity that comes along with these things. The Area of Effect magazine is published four times a year.
Geekdom House’s three-fold Mission Statement:
The first is for the nerds and geeks who identify as Christian believers.
The second is for the nerd and geeks who do not have a faith-filled community.
Lastly, the third is to build the bridge and bring these two groups closer together.

My story also appears in their Winter edition of Area of Affect. You can check out the magazine HERE.

Big thanks to Allison from Geek Banter for recommending me!

I’m also visiting Elizabeth Seckman - it’s Christmas with the Ninja!

IPad Pro with Pencil Update

Now that I have the accessory to go along with it, I’m pleased to report that my ‘like’ might have slipped into ‘geek-boy puppy love.’

With the addition of some graphics apps (including Autodesk Graphic, and Sketchbook), the iPad Pro has morphed into a very good production tool.

How does it compare to the Surface Pro? While the Surface is a great tool, you’d have to spend $1800 for the mid-range version to match what the iPad Pro does. (In comparison, it’s $899 for the Pro, plus $250 for the pencil and keyboard, for a total of $1149.) I didn’t even bother with the keyboard, so I spent less than that. What it really comes down to is the eco system you’ve already invested into.

Since I’ve been with Apple since the Nano and the iTouch, might as well stick with them! (Although all of our computers are PCs.) Besides, I’m so close to an iPad for every room of the house…

Into the Badlands Review

From the IMDB - A mighty warrior and a young boy search for enlightenment in a ruthless territory controlled by feudal barons.
It’s an ultra-cool show set in the future.
The action sequences are unparalleled on television. They’re as good as anything from The Matrix or Crouching Tiger. They simply drip with style.
The storyline and characters are also compelling.
This show just reeks of coolness. If you haven’t seen it, check it out!
Highly recommended.

Ninja News

Today’s Themes That Rocked the Challenge feature at the A to Z Blog is Diane Gordon from Part Time Monster!

New Releases:

Heart in a Box by Catherine Stine

Dee and Deb Off They Go Kindergarten First Day Jitters by Donna McDine
Find it on Amazon

Crimson Earth by Anna Soliveres

Coming December 18
Six Degrees of Boss by Rayven Godchild (Angela Brown)
He was the shadow who saved her life. She was the spark who reawakened his soul.
Find it on Amazon

Christmas Joy Bloghop

Hosted by Elizabeth at Liz’s Random Ponderings

Tell us what makes Christmas special for you. Here are some things you could include:
- A special Christmas memory
- Favorite Christmas song/carol
- Share why you celebrate Christmas
- Favorite decorations, favorite food or treats, etc.v - The best gift you ever gave or received
- Traditions

My favorite Christmas tradition is spending Christmas Eve with my wife, munching snacks and watching Christmas movies.

The best gift I ever received was a guitar. Two, in fact! (My wife is awesome.)

And the reason I celebrate Christmas is because it is the birth of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Have you ever checked out Geekdom House’s site? Interested in the iPad Pro now? Watching Into the Badlands? See some new books you want? And what makes Christmas special for you?

Mini-Alex and I would like to wish you all a most Blessed Christmas and Happy New Year!

We’ll be lurking some and then taking a break – see you January 4.