What Are the Kargrandes? Plus Ignore the Captcha, Movie Reviews, A to Z Challenge, Dragon News, and Ninja News

The special site for Dragon of the Stars is open -

 What Are the Kargrandes?

The site is just one page with two images that rotate every seven seconds. Every Monday morning, a new clue will appear, and a piece of the puzzle will fall into place, all the way up until the day before Dragon’s release.

This is where I need your help – spreading the word about the site on social media. For Twitter, the hashtag is #whatarethekargrandes. I’ll be sending out Tweets and posting on Google+ - please feel free to share there and elsewhere.

What are the Kargrandes? You’ll find out on April 7!

Dragon of the Stars is now available for preorder on Amazon! It will soon be available for pre-order at other book sites, so keep watching. Today is also the last day of the Goodreads giveaway.

Thanks for all of the amazing comments last week for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! And the introductions were awesome. It was cool to read a little bit about each member. (If you missed it, add your introduction to February’s post.) It’s always so amazing to hear how many of you find IWSG your favorite post day. You guys rock!

And thanks to everyone who visited my interview with Chrys Fey - AND went back to comment on my very first blog post! It doesn’t look so lonely and unloved now.

Ignore the Captcha!

Did you know you don’t have to fill out the Captcha letters OR check the box saying you are not a robot?

That’s right – you can just ignore them and hit publish comment!

Thanks to The Happy Whisk and Father Dragon Al for pointing out that trick.

I will be going back to the pop up box soon!

Movie reviews

The Wolf of Wall Street
I’m not sure of the purpose of this film. Don’t do a ton of drugs without expecting something to go wrong eventually? If you are looking for a movie with redeeming values, this is NOT it.

Sabotage
Latest Schwarzenegger film and it’s really violent. Certainly one of the bloodiest films I’ve seen in a long time. Plot was disjointed and odd. It’s passable if you just want mindless gore.

Favorite Album and Book of 2014

You got my favorite movies last week – this time, I’ll just give you one of each.

Favorite album was Voyager – V.
Every time I listen to it, the music sounds fresh.

And these books didn’t come out this past year, but that’s when I began reading the series – Joe Abercrombie’s The First Law. The man is a master with character development. Excellent fantasy series!

Ninja News

At the A to Z Blog today is Sharon Arthur Moore with her theme of all things food related.

The 2015 A to Z Challenge sign up list opens in two weeks! Are you ready for the sixth Challenge? I have my theme and the basics for each letter already picked out.

Available now!
Loose Corset by Christine Rains
Her blog tour is already in progress and you can win some cool, custom geeky dice.
Check it out!


SC gave me the Very Inspiring Blogger Award. Thank you! I’ve received it before, so I won’t list my seven things.

Rocking Ninja

Finally…

I hope to have a recording of me playing guitar next Monday. I have selected Marillion’s song Easter, a favorite of mine.

Because yes, I do intend to simply rock into Mordor!

Can you help with the #whatarethekargrandes campaign? Did you know you could ignore the Captcha? Seen either of those movies? Ready for the A to Z Challenge? And who’s ready to see me rock into Mordor..?

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

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

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

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

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

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

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

And there’s another Goodreads giveaway!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Dragon of the Stars

by Alex J. Cavanaugh

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

Enter to win

New Releases!

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

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

Sarcasm, Snark, & Sass Blogfest

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

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

Here is my snarky offering:

Hey, Johnny Football!

Eddie Munster called.

He wants his haircut back. 

January movie preview

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

9 –

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


16 –

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

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




23 –

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


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

Be sure to visit Chrys Fey!

Insecure Writer’s Support Group and CassaStorm Book Trailer!!!! Plus Ninja News, Wednesday Movie Quote, and Special Announcement.

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

My awesome co-hosts today are Nancy Thompson, Mark Koopmans, and Heather Gardner! Please be sure to thank them for their time and effort to make all IWSG members feel welcome.

This month I am finishing final edits on CassaStorm. I’ve already seen a few of the reviews for my third book. (He shoots – he scores!) My tour is set and my publisher notified me of some major promotions they will be doing for its release.

My insecurity right now has to do with how well this last book will do and where the other two are right now. Sales have slowed this year for CassaStar and CassaFire. Which I can’t complain about, because when they were at the top of the charts, they were moving big time. But I’m concerned that slower sales now for the first two will hurt CassaStorm.

Like most writers, I think I improved, and the third one is the best of the trilogy. I think with a younger character like Byron’s son it will have an even wider appeal. But will enough people find it? It could be my last book – I’d really like to send it out with a bang.

Anyone else looking at the final book in their series the same way?

Visit others on the IWSG LIST!

Ninja News

Julie Flanders signed a publishing contract for her second novel, The Ghosts of Aquinnah. Congratulations, Julie!

LG at Bards and Prophets posted about the Content Idea Generator. So if you need a cool idea for a blog post, check it out!

Talli Roland has a short story in the anthology Sunlounger, organized by Belinda Jones. Congratulations, Talli!

Lynn Rush revealed her secret identity – she’s Reese Monroe! And her agent, Nicole Resciniti of The Seymour Agency, helped her acquire a three book deal! She signed a deal with Entangled Publishing for her Bound by Hades trilogy. Congratulations, Lynn!

Looking for MG/YA.NA reviewers? S.A. Larsen compiled a huge list, and if you know of more, please let her know and she’ll add them.

Jessica Bell has a music video!!! We finally get to see her sing and jam one of her songs from String Bridge.

Lisa Regan’s book, Finding Claire Fletcher, is a Finalist in the 2013 eFestival of Words Best of the Independent eBook Awards in TWO categories - Best Novel and Best Heroine! She needs votes to win though – see her site for details. Very awesome, Lisa!

Sarah’s Book Reviews is giving away copies of all of C. Lee McKenkie’s books! Go HERE, HERE, and HERE for your chance to win.

Wednesday Movie Quote

Name your favorite. Today’s genre – water movies!

I have to go with The Abyss:

“So, raise your hand if you thought that was a Russian water tentacle.”

Next week – Free-For-All! Come at me with your most favorite movie quote ever.

CassaStorm News and Trailer!

First the news – my publisher is doing another giveaway on Goodreads. Open to the USA, Canada. AND Mexico!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

CassaStorm

by Alex J. Cavanaugh

Giveaway ends July 22, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

And now, the trailer! (Like you didn’t scroll down to see it first anyway, right?)



Short and to the point – I like it! I knew they weren’t doing a long, involved trailer this time. But this one is really cool and a great way to finish the series. (If you can’t see it here, watch it on You Tube.)

Whoa – post overload!!!!
What’s your insecurity today? Ready to play with the Idea Generator? Know some good reviewers for the list? Entering any of the contests? And what did you think of the trailer?

Have a great Fourth of July my American friends! I’ll be enjoying a BBQ and Despicable Me 2…