A to Z Challenge – I – Cult Classics – The Iron Giant, Iron Maiden, I Am Legend, and More! Plus a Special Tribute…

Today I am visiting Damy at Daily (w)rite. She’s been a very special friend for many years, and I’ve really missed her presence on the A to Z Challenge Team. I’m discussing the ‘What If’ of writing, so be sure to stop by!

A to Z Challenge – Cult Classics – I

Movies-Music-Sci-fi Book-Bloggers-Dragon Term

Movie –

The Iron Giant
Based on a 1968 book, the story harkens back to a more simple and innocent time and features Vin Diesel as the voice of the giant. (It was also the first DVD I ever purchased without seeing the film first - and I was not disappointed!)

Music –

Iron Maiden – Piece of Mind
First album with the iconic Maiden lineup, this Platinum selling album was listed as one of the greatest metal albums of all times and included hits such as The Trooper.

Science Fiction Books –

I Am Legend – Richard Matheson
Influential in developing the zombie genre, this book was adapted at a film three times–The Last Man on Earth (1964), The Omega Man (1971), and I Am Legend (2007.)

The Island of Dr. Moreau – H. G. Wells
Published in 1896, this book explored moral responsibility and animal cruelty. Shortly after the book’s release, the first anti-vivisection groups were formed.

Bloggers –

Holly at I am HR Sinclair
Want to know more about gemstones? Learn some things about blogging? Have access to cookbooks full of tasty treats? Then Holly is your person!

Catherine Stine at Idea City
Want to meet an author of many genres? One who is supportive of others with book features and reviews? Then Catherine is the fire you need!

Dragon of the Stars Term –

Isadore
She is Hyrath’s current Queen, overseeing the Council and all districts. Isadore understands Hyrath’s position of power and wants to keep it at all costs.

Dragon of the Stars is out now!
Check out the site What Are the Kargrandes? for clues as to how they tie into the story.

And there is a Scavenger Hunt! An autographed copy of the book, bookmarks and swag, and $20.00 iTunes gift cards to the winner. Just visit the sites below and leave a comment – where do you think Mini-Alex is in the photo? Open until midnight April 11 – winner announced here April 13. Now go!

Melissa Maygrove * Eva Solar * Father Dragon Al * Suzanne Furness * Karen Walker * Dianne Salerni * Christine Rains * Nick Wilford * EE Giorgi * Murees Dupe * L Diane Wolfe * Helena * Tyrean Martinson * Robin * Heather Gardner * Jo * Lynda Young * SL Hennessy * Toi Thomas * Lori MacLaughlin * Jess at Author Tracker, * Truedessa, * Annalisa Crawford, * Patricia Lynne, * Lisa at Flash Fiction, * Julie Flanders, * Julie Kemp Pick, * Nicki Elson, * Mark Koopmans, * Sydney Aaliyah!

Special Tribute

This has been a wild week with a book release right in the middle of the challenge. I’d like to thank those who made this week awesome.

Thanks to those listed above who posted for the scavenger hunt. Some of you added it to your Challenge posts, which was awesome.

Thanks to everyone who joined the Thunderclap campaign. I saw the full list of everyone who signed up and it really meant a lot to me.

Thanks to those who pre-ordered or purchased my book! Some of you have already finished reading it, which just blows me away.

Thanks to those who posted on their own about my book -
Cathrina Constantine, Ellie Garratt, Randi lee, Elizabeth Seckman, Lisa Buie-Collard, Susan Gourley, Mina Burrows, Dani at Entertaining Interests, Yvonne Lewis, Elana Johnson, Lanise Brown, and Ella. All links go directly to their posts, which were touching and sweet.

A special thanks to Brandon Ax! He always draws a cartoon of himself with a dragon, and he did one in honor of my book. You rock, Brandon.

And a special thanks to Roland Yeomans for sending me on yet another wild adventure across the stars. Searching for the Dragon with Mark Twain and being accosted by Princess Aura – that could only happen to me!

Bottom line, you guys all rock! As always, I am humbled by the support. And I never even wanted to be an author.

And if you are still wondering about those Kargrandes…

Seen the Iron Giant? Fan of Maiden? Read the books? (Or seen any of the many movie versions?) Following those awesome bloggers? And who has helped you this week? Who would you like to thank?

Don’t forget to visit the awesome Damy!

Jerk Sandwiches with Holly Sinclair, Survive and Thrive Bloghop, Tree of Life Video, and Ninja News

Today is the Survive and Thrive Bloghop, but first...

The ever-awesome Carrie Butler featured me today in her ‘Breaking it Down’ series regarding an author’s online presence. Carrie, thanks again for the suggestions and your kind words. As you can see, I've already made some changes around here...

And we have to discuss Jerk Sandwiches…

The ABC’s of Sandwiches by Holly Sinclair

When one is learning to cook, a crock-pot of things can go wrong. By far, the incident that haunts me today is the Lemon Tart Incident. My tart was to have a breadcrumb bottom. The directions said to use "breadcrumbs," store-bought was fine. Our cupboards had a container of such store-bought breadcrumbs, Italian seasoned. Did you know there is garlic and onion flavor in Italian breadcrumbs? I did not. About 20 minutes after the tart entered the oven, a rank odor rapidly ran through the house. It was nauseating. It was horrific. Lemon, sugar, cream, garlic, and onions do not go well together. The tart went straight to the outside trash, all the windows were open, and we still had to vacate the house for hours so it could air out.

One commenter on this post will win a free digital copy of this cookbook. To enter, just leave a comment. If you want to leave a comment but don't want to enter, add "I hate food" to your comment. The winner will be announced on October 31st on Holly's blog.

The ABC’s of Sandwiches
Cost: $2.00 ebook- Amazon, Smashwords, iBookstore, and Barnes and Noble

Holly Sinclair, who goes by Southpaw on the Interwebs, finds cooking cathartic. The recipes she's created and collected grew into cookbooks. Holly's trying her hand at fiction and food seems to creep into most of her books. Website Blog
Join Holly on the rest of her Blog Tour, each stop features a different cookbook and a chance for a free ebook. Plus you can join in the fun by signing up for the End of Tour Foodie Blog Hop!

There were so many tasty recipes in Holly’s book. Jerk Chicken Sandwich easily won today’s feature.

There is a saying in the South that when something is really good – ‘It was so good, my tongue slapped my brain.’ Yeah, this one is THAT good! We’ve had it three times now and it just gets better and better. Prep time will take a bit, but when you are ready to prepare the sandwiches, takes ten minutes. I let my wife make the coleslaw, which was a combination Miracle Whip/vinegar based. Mini-Alex regretted that he had no way to eat such an awesome sandwich!

Ninja News

Thanks for all of the awesome comments regarding my next novel, Dragon of the Stars! My fourth book – that still just blows me away. To read the synopsis, go HERE

The Tree of Life book trailer just went LIVE!

Author M. Pax is hosting the Realms Faire again this year! There are so many ways you can get involved in this epic week-long event, so check it out.



New Releases –

Afraid of Everything by Karen Jones Gowan
Available now for the introductory price of just $1.99 on Amazon

Season’s Beginnings by Sandra Ulbrich Almazan

Gene Cards by EE Giorgi

Love Before Honor by Nicole Zoltack

Survive and Thrive Bloghop!

Hosted by Stephen Tremp, Michael Di Gesu, Diane Wolfe, and myself.

The blogfest is meant to bring awareness of disease prevention and early detection regarding medical conditions that may be averted or treated if caught in the early stages. Our desire is to motivate people to go in for early screening, and if a condition is caught early and treated, then our world just became a little better place to live.
The topics are wide open. You can post about a particular cause you support. Or you can share a personal or family experience that is near to your heart. What’s great about this Blogfest is you can inspire people to take care of themselves and their loved ones early enough to make a difference in their lives.

I’m going to touch upon two items.

First is about early detection. A friend went in for his yearly screening and they caught prostate cancer in its beginning stages. Several years have now passed and he’s still cancer free. No one likes to visit Dr. Jelly Finger, but it beats the alternative.

Second is just about living healthy. Most diseases can be prevented if you eat right (smaller portions, less red meat, more fruit and vegetables, more water, and avoid fast food) and exercise (four to five days a week of cardio.) Remember it’s not just how many years you’ll live but the quality of those years.
Does it work? What I just described is how I live, and as I hit five decades, I have no health issues and I’m in the best shape of my life, weighing about 170 pounds. And if I can do it, anyone can do it.

What healthy or preventative tips would you offer?


Have a kitchen disaster you’d like to share? Joining us for the Realms Faire? Picking up some new books? And what’s your survive and thrive tip…?

Be sure to visit Carrie Butler today. And Wednesday will be fun news, trivia, Mini-Alex, and my review of The Book Of Life!

Godzilla Movie Review, How I Found the Write Path, IWSG Milestone, and Ninja News!

Godzilla Movie Review

Caught one of the first 3D showings on Friday, which was great as I was surrounded with die-hard Godzilla geeks.

Did they get Godzilla right? Yes! This is the Godzilla of old, complete with his signature roar and atomic breath. He’s bigger and heavier, but that means he just packs a more powerful punch.

The movie is not perfect. It doesn’t click on all cylinders. I think the main reason is the writers and director weren’t on the same page. The writers went for story and spectacle and the director tried to bring out the human element. He’s a new director, so Edwards probably didn’t have much sway, and the pacing is sometimes a little uneven. (The first big monster fight we don’t really see, as they cut away to the main character’s family.)

The tone of the film Edwards nailed though. This isn’t your campy Godzilla – this goes back to the original movie. It’s serious and scary. Humans are really helpless against these beasts.

The special effects are incredible, from Godzilla swimming in the ocean to the monsters fighting in the city. The dark, gritty feel adds to the realism. And when that atomic breath fires up, be prepared!

The actors do a fine job in their roles. Cranston is probably the best, while Taylor-Johnson holds his own as the young hero.

And ultimately, the big battles at the end will leave you cheering.

Recommended!

Ninja News

Big thanks for Blog Blitz last week! I certainly didn’t expect it. Yes, it did wipe out my previous comment record by about forty comments - there were over three hundred and less than twenty were mine. Big thanks to DL Hammons for starting the Blitz Team.

And don’t forget Write Club is open for submissions until the end of the month! Visit the Write Club page at DL’s site for details.


Sarah Ahiers signed a book deal for All That Remains!

Birgit is a talented card maker and she made one just for me!!

Cherie Reich’s Reborn is now available!

The ABC’s of Sandwiches by Holly Sinclair is available now!
52 sandwich recipes following ABC order. Included are classics (like French Dips), favorites (like Beer-battered Fish Sandwiches), and my own creations (like Veggie Supreme Sandwiches).

Lynn Rush’s Absolute Zero comes out this week and she’s holding a party! Check her site for details.

Jeff Chapman’s Last Request: A Victorian Gothic is out now – buy it at Amazon.

Insecure Writer’s Support Group Milestone!

The IWSG Facebook hit a milestone last week – one thousand members!! Big thanks to the IWSG admins who run the Facebook group – you ladies rock. (I’m not on Facebook. Probably why it’s growing so fast!)

Just a reminder about the IWSG Facebook Guidelines:

1. Since the focus of IWSG is support, the Facebook page should reflect this ideal.

2. You are encouraged to support your fellow IWSG'ers who share their writerly-related experiences, which include accomplishments/disappointments/challenges, with the rest of the group. Keep in mind that writers are at different points of their respective writerly journeys. Some lurk for a long time, before finding the courage to share with the rest of the group. Since the IWSG is all about community, a word of encouragement or advice may be just what somebody needs. Or even just a smiley face/thumbs up...

3. News & Promotional Saturday is your opportunity to add a link. The IWSG administrators reserve the right to remove promotional links, especially if they are posted haphazardly.

How I Found the Write Path

Carrie Butler is putting together a free eBook for writers. To contribute, we were asked to write a letter to our younger selves. Here is my letter, short and simple:

Prepare For Changes!

Right now, you’re writing. It’s comfortable and fun. But once you’re on the path to publication, prepare for everything to change! This journey is going to rock your world.

You are going to meet so many amazing people along the way. Writers, readers and bloggers. Learn from them. Become a sponge and soak it up. You don’t want to go into this blind – learn from their mistakes and their successes.

Be a giver. That’s probably the most important thing. You may not think you have anything to give as a new author, as a social media newbie. But you do. You can support. You can uplift others. You can take what you’ve learned and the blog you established and let it be a blessing to others.

Don’t underestimate the support you’ll receive, either. The writing community is the most generous on earth. They want to celebrate with you. Your success isn’t a threat – it’s a beacon of hope. Let others help you with promotions, as their reach is far greater and packs a bigger punch.

Understand the reach of your work. Don’t narrow its appeal. Think bigger. Think beyond those people you believed you were writing for. What you wrote will have a far greater impact than you can imagine.

Last piece of advice – don’t stop writing. There’s more than one book in you. Your readers will demand more! And with each one, you’ll get better. It won’t be easier, but each time you’ll dig deeper and try harder.

Prepare for these changes and enjoy the ride!

Anyone else see Godzilla this weekend? Excited about the new releases? Participating in Write Club? Part of the Facebook IWSG? And what you tell your younger self if you could write a letter?

Come back next Monday for my X-Men review and the annual You Rock Awards!