Double Feature Day!

And who doesn’t like a double feature? Ah, the days of going to the drive in – a dozen people crammed in one car because it’s only five bucks; a speaker hanging on by a thread that barely worked; watching the vehicle in front of you bounce as if to hip hop… Hmm, doesn’t sound nearly as fun as I remember.

But today’s double feature is far better!

I am visiting Emily R. King’s site today for her Blogger Mentor Monday feature. Emily is one sharp lady, so be sure to stop by.

Meanwhile, I am handing my blog over to my blogger buddy and critique partner, Jeffrey Beesler. A fellow science fiction writer, I’ve had the honor of reading a couple of his manuscripts, including his new fantasy novel, Spell of Entrapment. Take it away, Jeffrey!

Like every other idea underneath the sun, the concept of entrapment isn’t new to fiction telling. How often do we have stories with the damsel in distress, or the little boy who falls down the well and has to rely on a border collie to come to his rescue? These tales can be a reflection of how we might feel trapped in our present situations. No matter how good we have it, we’re always looking for that quick fix, that perfect means of repairing whatever’s wrong with our lives.

When I wrote Spell of Entrapment, I had my own source of inspiration for the tale. Being trapped in a house has happened before in literature, and even pop culture. In fact, there was an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer several years back which had the characters trapped in a house. I wanted to explore a similar story, but in a different genre.

Fantasy seemed the perfect solution. I cast my characters in a world of epic fantasy, with swords and sorcery, the standard fare. I of course gave them their own unique twist, and made the circumstances that bound them to their own house much different than what I’d seen before. In doing so, I helped to cultivate my own unique bend on an idea that, like most other ideas, had already been done.

I’m glad to say I’m happy with the results I’ve achieved. Even with the book taking place mostly in one location, I’ve created quite a vivid world. I’ve even come to find that the name of the country I’d come up with, Trava, is Serbian for grass. You learn so many interesting things when putting together a project of this caliber, don’t you?

Buy Spell of Entrapment here:
Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords

Here’s hoping for huge sales, Jeffrey! You deserve it, dude.

Now you are no longer entrapped and can visit Emily R. King!

Conducted any interesting research of your own? Been trapped anywhere? Remember the old drive in theaters of the 70’s before they started using radio stations instead of those awful speakers? Got your posts all ready for the A to Z Challenge? (I do!) And who went to see The Hunger Games this weekend? Was it as good as the book? Should I go see it even though I probably won’t ever read the books?

Ninja News, March Movies, and an Interview

I was honored to do an interview with Bryan Thomas Schmidt, award-winning author of The Worker Prince. Bryan runs his own blog here, but my interview today is at Ray Gun Revival. He also read and reviewed CassaFire, giving it four stars. Thank you, Bryan!

For those of you who need help turning off word verification, J A Bennett posted very easy directions.

Laura Josephsen’s new book came out – Rising, Book I: Resistance – congratulations, Laura! She’s currently doing a blog tour so check her site for details.

Jeremy Bates has a book coming out in May and his publisher has twenty copies up for grabs at Goodreads. Congratulations on White Lies, Jeremy!

And now, here are your March movies! As always, descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snarky comments by me.

2 –

Dr. Seuss' The Lorax
Animation | Family | Fantasy
A 12-year-old boy searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.
Directors: Chris Renaud | Kyle Balda
Stars: Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Danny DeVito, Ed Helms

They veered away from the original story – why does that not surprise me?

9 –

John Carter
Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Sci-Fi
Transplanted to Mars, a Civil War vet discovers a lush planet inhabited by 12-foot tall barbarians. Finding himself a prisoner of these creatures, he escapes, only to encounter a princess who is in desperate need of a savior.
Director: Andrew Stanton
Stars: Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Willem Dafoe, Bryan Cranston

Please don’t let Disney mess it up…

19 –
DVD – Tintin

20 –
DVD – The Muppets

23 –

The Hunger Games
Action | Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Set in a future where the Capitol selects a boy and girl from the twelve districts to fight to the death on live television, Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister's place for the latest match.
Director: Gary Ross
Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks

Not high on my list but I think a few people here are excited about this one…

30 –

Wrath of the Titans
Action | Adventure | Fantasy
Perseus embarks on a treacherous quest into the underworld to rescue Zeus, who has been targeted for capture by his traitorous son, Ares, and his brother, Hades.
Director: Jonathan Liebesman
Stars: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Rosamund Pike, Ralph Fiennes
It can’t suck as bad as Clash of the Titans. Can it?


Any of those movies strike your fancy? Still holding out for next month? More excited about The Muppets? Any other exciting news? (Yes, I am well aware of what happens next Tuesday!)

Don’t forget to check out my interview at Ray Gun Revival!