Special Thanks and News! Plus New Thor Poster, Comedy Movie Trivia, Ninja News, and Bizarre Photo

Today I am a guest of Mathew Bridle’s at The One Saga! Stop by to read my short interview.

Special Thanks and Fun News!

A big thanks to everyone who made the two-year anniversary of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group special! It was truly amazing and I’m glad everyone is excited about the upcoming website.
A big round of thanks to my co-hosts - Chemist Ken, SL Hennessy, Michelle Wallace, and Joylene Nowell Butler. You guys rocked it!
And special thanks to Elizabeth Seckman - her post was touching and funny. Elizabeth, honored to be your friend.

Sometime this week I slipped over 1900 followers through GFC. Whoa, thanks guys! I appreciate every single one of you. (There’s a slew of followers through Linky Followers, Google+, RSS Feed, and other readers like Feedly, so no idea just how many follow me now…)

I’m also now a Suvudu Preferred Poster, which is really cool

All in all, an awesome week!

Ninja News

Karen Lange’s book is now available – Homeschool Co-opts 101. If you homeschool your kids, check it out. Congratulations, Karen!

The first installment of A Shot in the Light, an Apocalypse Conspiracy Tale by Hart Johnson is available now! And there were some great entries in her blogfest yesterday. Congratulations, Hart!

Jai Joshi just released Bhishma, Son of Ganga. Congratulations, Jai!

Liesel Hill’s new book is out, Dark Remnants, and it’s 99 cents on Amazon for a limited time. Congratulations, Liesel!

Isis Rushdan revealed the cover for her next book – Protector of the Flame. Looks cool, Isis!



And Lynn Rush is running a marathon to raise money to fight cancer! Check her site for details on how you can help.

Movie Trivia

Comedy today! Name the movie from the quote:

1 – “When someone asks if you are a god, you say YES!”

2 – “You made a woman meow?”

3 – “What is the matter with you? I thought Mothers were sweet and nice a-a-and patient. I know loan sharks who are more forgiving than you. Your husband ain't dead, lady. He's hiding.”

4 – “He’s an angry elf.”

5 – “Eddie, Eddie, I swear to God, don't start with me or so help me, I will shoot him and dump him in a ___ swamp!”

6 – “I was in the Virgin Islands once. I met a girl. We ate lobster, drank piña coladas. At sunset, we made love like sea otters. *That* was a pretty good day. Why couldn't I get *that* day over, and over, and over... “

Answers on Monday!

Cool New Movie Poster and Bizarre Image

Caught this over at JoBlo’s site - a new Thor: The Dark World poster featuring the villain, Malekith.

And from Blastr - this bizarre image of a Planet of the Apes float in the 1975 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

That’s right folks – you can’t make this stuff up!

Everyone enjoy the IWSG posts this week and the news of the website? Excited about the new books? Know any of the movie trivia? Excited about Thor: The Dark World? Anyone else seeing Riddick this weekend? Don’t forget to visit The One Saga!

Monday kicks off my official CassaStorm tour and it involves some snarky cats. Bet you’re intrigued now…

WE’VE GOT MOVIE SIGN! Ninja News, Wednesday Movie Quote, Movie Review, March Movies, and Movie Trivia

And bonus points if you can name the movie/show from that first sentence!

Ninja News

Justine Dell’s All-American Girl hit the shelves on Tuesday. She’s on tour with many opportunities to win free books and stuff. Congratulations, Justine!

Isis Rushdan, awesome person that she is, will be giving away copies of my books today! You rock, Isis.

Don’t forget, Wednesday March 6 is the next posting for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. My awesome co-hosts will be Misha Gericke and Joylene Nowell Butler!

Thanks to those who’ve continued to post my next book’s cover this week. (And to clarify, my publisher did the cover for CassaStorm. Carrie Butler made the three book graphic.)
Michael Di Gesu at In Time posted on Monday with a “Journey into Space” and the series continues all week – check it out!The Ninja Captain and Cadet Michael are traveling the universe.

And since today is all about movies, don’t forget that March 18 is my Top Ten Movie Countdown Blogfest.

Wednesday Movie Quote

Leave your favorite quote in the comments or play along on your own blog.

Today – romantic comedies.

My quote comes from one of the best romantic comedies ever made, When Harry Met Sally, and it’s a classic:

“I’ll have what she’s having.”

Next week – cell animation movies.

Movie Review

Ted
Despite the fact it was directed by Seth MacFarlane, I couldn’t bring myself to see this in the theater, but I caught it last weekend on NetFlix.
A childhood wish brings Ted to life, and many years later, he and Wahlburg’s character are still friends. Yes, it’s crude, and crosses the line more than once. (A lot less than Family Guy does though, which surprised me.) Ted is snarky but not mean-spirited. Their friendship is tested when Wahlburg’s girlfriend suggests Ted moves out on his own.
I liked it more than I thought I would. What surprised me was that at its heart, this is romantic comedy. If you can get past the crude aspects, it’s both funny and sweet.

March Movie Preview

Here are the upcoming movies for March! As always, descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snarky comments by me.

1 -

Jack the Giant Slayer
The ancient war between humans and a race of giants is reignited when Jack, a young farmhand fighting for a kingdom and the love of a princess, opens a gateway between the two worlds.
Director: Bryan Singer
Stars: Nicholas Hoult, Stanley Tucci, Ewan McGregor, Bill Nighy
If you’ve seen the original (preferably the version slayed by MST3K’s Riff Trax guys) then you know this has to be better!

8 –

Oz the Great and Powerful
A small-time magician with dubious ethics arrives in a magical land and must decide if he will be a good man or a great one.
Director: Sam Raimi
Stars: James Franco, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz, Mila Kunis
The previews are great and Rami as director raises its chances. (And it has Rachel Weisz!)

Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey
Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey follows the real life rock-n-roll fairy tale story of Filipino Arnel Pineda, who was plucked from You Tube to become the front man for iconic American rock band, Journey, thereby becoming the latest performer to go from the Internet to real life celebrity. Having already overcome a life full of painful obstacles and now saddled with the immense pressures of leading a world renowned band and replacing a legendary singer, the film follows Arnel on this personal journey.
Director: Ramona S. Diaz
Stars: Arnel Pineda, Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain, Ross Valory
I won’t catch it in theaters, but the success of Pineda as Journey’s new front man is amazing.

15 –

Upside Down
Adam and Eden fell in love as teens despite the fact that they live on twinned worlds with gravities that pull in opposite directions. Ten years after a forced separation, Adam sets out on a dangerous quest to reconnect with his love.
Director: Juan Solanas
Stars: Jim Sturgess, Kirsten Dunst, Timothy Spall, Agnieshka Wnorowska
This one has been delayed a while. Never a good sign!

22 –

The Croods
The world's very first prehistoric family goes on a road trip to an uncharted and fantastical world. Directors: Kirk De Micco | Chris Sanders
Stars: Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone, Catherine Keener
Can anyone name a Nicolas Cage film in the last ten years that was good? Maybe since he’s just a voice it will be all right.


29 –

G.I. Joe: Retaliation
The G.I. Joes are not only fighting their mortal enemy Cobra; they are forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence. Director: Jon M. Chu
Stars: Channing Tatum, Dwayne Johnson, Ray Park, Bruce Willis
This one was delayed from last summer. And it has Dwayne Johnson. This could be road kill.

Movie Trivia!

Quotes from blockbuster movies – name the movie:

1 – "Certainty of death, small chance of success… What are we waiting for?"

2 – "You HAVE the right to remain silent. What you lack is the capacity."

3 – "Sir, I’m gonna have to ask you to exit the donut."

4 – "No, I’m, I’m simply saying that life, uh… finds a way."

5 – "That when a willing victim who has committed no treachery, is killed in a traitor’s stead, the stone table will crack, and even death itself would turn backwards."

Ready for next week’s IWSG? Following the Journey into Space? What’s your favorite romantic movie quote? Excited about any of the March movies? And care to take a stab at the trivia?

Ninja News, Celebrating Small Things, and the February Movie Preview

Ninja News

Brinda Berry created a trailer for Isis Rushdan’s’ book, Kindred of the Fallen. Brinda does an awesome job with trailers, and they are debuting it on both sites today, so check it out!

The sign up list for the A to Z Challenge opened on Wednesday, and we are on our way to five hundred already. If you haven’t signed up yet, go HERE. And for those of you wondering how to plan for the Challenge, Clare Dugmore posted her topics for both of here blogs HERE and HERE. Now that is organized and prepared!!

In the excitement of the Challenge list opening, I forgot to mention next week’s Wednesday Movie Quote genre – crime thriller.
Thanks to those of you who are playing along!

Next Wednesday is also the next posting for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, and my co-hosts are Stephen Tremp and Julie Flanders.

Celebrate the Small Things

“Celebrate the Small Things” is hosted every Friday by VikLit.

This week I celebrate a breakthrough on my third book’s back cover synopsis, thanks to Rusty Webb. I still haven’t been able to make the appropriate changes because my publisher returned my manuscript this week and I’ve been working on the revisions. But that’s cool – CassaStorm is one step closer to reality!

February Movie Preview

Here are the upcoming movies for February! As always, descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snarky comments by me.

1 -

Warm Bodies
After R (a highly unusual zombie) saves Julie from an attack, the two form a relationship that sets in motion a sequence of events that might transform the entire lifeless world.
Director: Jonathan Levine
Stars: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, John Malkovich, Analeigh Tipton
Zombie love sounds icky – things could fall off.
Yeah, I’ll admit I’m curious about this movie.

Bullet to the Head
After watching their respective partners die, a New Orleans hitman and a Washington D.C. detective form an alliance in order to bring down their common enemy.
Director: Walter Hill
Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Momoa, Christian Slater, Sung Kang
Watching a sixty-six year old man kick ass teeters between impressive and sad.

Stand Up Guys
A pair of aging con men try to get the old gang back together for one last hurrah before one of the guys takes his last assignment -- to kill his comrade.
Director: Fisher Stevens
Stars: Al Pacino, Alan Arkin, Christopher Walken, Julianna Margulies
Dig that Alan Arkin – the guy is hilarious.



8 -

Side Effects
A woman turns to prescription medication as a way of handling her anxiety concerning her husband's upcoming release from prison.
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Stars: Rooney Mara, Channing Tatum, Jude Law, Catherine Zeta-Jones
Guessing this isn’t the feel good movie of the year.



15 -

A Good Day to Die Hard
John McClane travels to Russia to help out his seemingly wayward son, Jack, only to discover that Jack is a CIA operative working to prevent a nuclear-weapons heist, causing the father and son to team up against underworld forces.
Director: John Moore
Stars: Bruce Willis, Jai Courtney, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Patrick Stewart
Yippee-Ki-Yay Mother Russia! That’s right – that never grows old.

22 -

Dark Skies
As the Barret family's peaceful suburban life is rocked by an escalating series of disturbing events, they come to learn that a terrifying and deadly force is after them.
Director: Scott Charles Stewart
Stars: Keri Russell, Josh Hamilton, Dakota Goyo, J.K. Simmons
Please tell me this will rise above every genre cliché known to man…
However the preview says – not so much.

Snitch
A father goes undercover for the DEA in order to free his son who was imprisoned after being set up in drug deal.
Director: Ric Roman Waugh
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Susan Sarandon, Jon Bernthal, Rafi Gavron
The Rock doesn’t have the best track record with movies. This film probably won’t change that.


Have you signed up for the Challenge yet? (And do you have a theme?) Ready for the IWSG? What are you celebrating this week? Any of those movies interest you? And who do you think will win the Super Bowl on Sunday? (Even Mini-Alex will be watching…)

And Monday I will finally reveal my next blogfest on March 18!!

Author Isis Rushdan, Cover Reveals from Ellie Garratt and Carol Killgore, Ninja News and A to Z Badge, and Comedy Movie Trivia

Today I have a very special guest - Isis Rushdan! She is one of those special writer friends, one I’ve known forever, and I am excited to host Isis during the tour for her very first book! Kindred of the Fallen comes out Tuesday, and Isis is here to tell you a funny story….

The Danger of Publication

When my agent told me Kindred of the Fallen would be published, I was cautiously elated. It’s a paranormal romance, so I put no restraints on my muse. I ventured beyond the usual otherworldly beings of vampires, werewolves and faeries. The love scenes are bold and naughty, without crossing a certain line. I also dared to add quite a bit more action than you’d find in most romances.

My family would have certain expectations and I prayed my grandmother would’ve been proud of my first published book if she had lived long enough to read it. I braced myself for the quiet (if I was lucky) judgment of my in-laws. I knew there’d be some raised eyebrows over a number of scenes, but I had 100% of my hubby’s support.

Since I felt thoroughly prepared, life had to smack me with an unbelievable curveball. A good friend of mine, Alan E., came to visit. He asked a ton of questions about the book and although romance is not his genre of choice he seemed genuinely enthusiastic to read it.

At the end of his trip, I dropped him off at the airport. We hugged, he collected his luggage, and I hopped back into my car. Through the open window, Alan said, “I can’t wait to read your book. I’m going to learn so much more about you and the inner core of your relationship with hubby.”

Then Alan darted inside the airport. I choked on my tongue, confounded and terrified. I longed to drag him back and clear up any misunderstandings. Had I implied the story was somehow autobiographical? Didn’t I make it clear the book was FICTION?

Oh dear if Alan honestly thought he would have a window into my soul, much less my marriage, by reading my book, how many other people would think the same?

Forget about bad reviews or horrible sales, the real danger in publication is that someone who knows me will judge my personal life based on my novel. And quite frankly, it scares me.

Thank you so much for having me on today, Ninja Capt Extraordinaire, Alex! I appreciate the support.

Find Isis: Website, Blog, Facebook, and Twiiter
Find KINDRED OF THE FALLEN, Kindred Chronicles, Book 1 at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Samhain Publishing

Congratulations, Isis!! You rock.

Two Cover Reveals!

For two very special friends!

Passing Time: Nine Short Tales of the Strange and Macabre By Ellie Garratt
Available February 11, 2013

Nine dark fiction stories that may just give you nightmares.
A man lives to regret Passing Time. A father will do anything to save his son in Expiration Date. An author finds out her worst nightmare is back in The Devil’s Song. A woman gets more than the claim fee when she takes out vampire insurance in Luna Black.
In Dining in Hell, the Death Valley Diner becomes the wrong place to stop.
A serial killer wants to add another file to his collection in The Vegas Screamer. In Eating Mr. Bone, an undertaker could meet an unfortunate end. A con man meets his first ghost in Land of the Free. And will truth finally be set free in The Letter?

A life-long addiction to reading science fiction and horror, meant writing was the logical outlet for Ellie Garratt’s passions. She is a reader, writer, blogger, Trekkie, and would happily die to be an extra in The Walking Dead. Her short stories have been published in anthologies and online. Passing Time is her first eBook collection and contains nine previously published stories. Her science fiction collection Taking Time will be published later in the year.
Find Ellie: Blog, Twitter, and Goodreads

Solomon’s Compass by Carol Kilgore
Available April 2, 2013

When U.S. Coast Guard Commander Taylor Campbell discovers her uncle’s drowning death was murder, she must determine the killer’s identity in order to prevent another murder. Jake Solomon’s job is to make sure Taylor isn’t the next victim.

Carol Kilgore is an award-winning author of several published short stories and many essays and articles. Solomon’s Compass is her second novel, a blend of mystery, suspense, and romance she calls Crime Fiction with a Kiss – always at least one crime; always a love story. Carol and her Coast Guard husband live in San Antonio, Texas, with two herding dogs that like nothing better than pack time on the patio.
You can find Carol here: Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Amazon

Ninja News

Both of my books are listed in the top five Best Space Opera at Goodreads. CassaFire has dipped a little and a Dan Simmons book is about to knock CassaStar off for the top position. If you’re on Goodreads and would like to vote for either book, please go HERE and do so – the exposure really does make a difference!

Today we are unveiling the official 2013 A to Z Challenge badge, created by the ever-awesome Retro Zombie Jeremy! This year’s Challenge will be better than ever. The Challenge co-host team will be announced next Monday and sign ups open at the end of January.

January 16 marks the sixth anniversary of Tim Knight’s blog, HeroPress, and he has launched a "design-a-monster" competition to run over that anniversary period. It is open to both gamers and non-gamers, and there are some cool prizes involved, including a copy of CassaStar, so check out the details HERE.

Movie Trivia

Comedy edition! Movie lines – name the movie.

1 – Check me if I’m wrong, Sandy, but if I kill all the golfers, they’re gonna lock me up and throw away the key.

2 – Who dumped a truckload of Fizzies into the swim meet, delivered school cadavers to the alumni dinner? Every Halloween the trees are filled with underwear, every spring the toilets explode.

3 – He is so dumb. He thought the Gettysburg Address was where Lincoln lived, and when he heard your daughter’s name was Portia, he said “Why did they name her after a car?”

4 – Are you telling me I put an abnormal brain into a seven-and-a-half-foot-long, 54-inch-wide gorilla?

5 – Can I raise a practical question? Are we gonna do Stonehenge tomorrow?

Any questions for Isis? Picking up Kindred of the fallen on Tuesday? Excited for Ellie and Carol’s upcoming books? Voted at Goodreads or entering Tim’s competition? Ready for the next Challenge? And do you know any of those movies?

Author ML Chesley & Humor; Chocolate Blogfest; SA Larsen Giveaways; Ninja News and More!

Special Guest, Author M. L. Chesley, Talks Balance and Laughter!

Hi everyone!

First of all, let me just say thank you to Alex for allowing me to hijack his blog for a day. Alex, you are the best Ninja Captain out here in the blogosphere and I am very thankful you're such a great support.

Next, I want to let you all know a little something about me. I am a Libra. That's my sign. If you are hitting on me, then my sign would be 'Stop'. So what does this have to do with anything, you ask? Well, as a Libran, I'm about balance. I am always trying to find a balance to everything I do in my life. I also try to find that balance in my writing. With that being said, let me ask you this:

Do you like to laugh?

Sure, laughter is the best medicine and everyone loves a comedian, but how much comic relief do you want to have in your stories?

Me? I love my comic relief. I love when my characters bicker like siblings, joke around like best pals and try to alleviate tension.

Ahh, now we're getting to it, right? Letting off a little steam every so often. Things get to heavy, too dramatic and in walks the clown, am I right? When have you not seen a little humor in those dark, depressing scenes? You want to move your reader, you want them to experience a myriad of emotions at your bidding. But you also want them to laugh!

Laughter is my defense mechanism and it is also the same for my character, Vendras. Like I always say, if I can't laugh about it, there is something seriously wrong. Vendras likes being the one to dispel the gloom, to get the smile or chuckle, though he'd never admit to it outright. I feel it is a very important aspect to have in writing. I find I connect with characters and authors who use humor as a weapon against the darkness when I read a book. More often than not, I find a book with very little humor to be too much or too boring.

So what do you think? And by the way, I have a book coming soon: 'Adversarius, Shadow of the Rose: Book One'. I’ll be sure to let you know when the book is available. You’ll get to meet Vendras, then!

Mel~

~ I'm a blogger and an author.

Adversarius, Shadow of the Rose: Book One, will be available soon from Hellfire Publishing, and you can visit their blog, the Hellfire Herald.

What's Your Chocolate Blogfest

Hosted by Laura Eno, M. Pax, Ciara Knight, and Brinda Berry!

My favorite kind of chocolate? Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups!Why? Chocolate and peanut butter. Together. Enough said!

Visit any of the ladies above for a full list of participants. (Essentially, dozens of women and about five happy guys. Hey, wouldn't you be happy surrounded by all those women?)

S.A. Larsen – Giveaway and Promotion Opportunities!

“Today, I invite you to celebrate with me!! I've signed with Literary Agent Paula Munier of Talcott Notch Literary! And because our literary community is so freaking fabulous and generous, I'm having a Bigger-Than-A-Shopping-Mall GIVEAWAY!! The giveaway consists of: two separate Rafflecopters with multiple giveaways and one grand prize Rafflecopter giveaway - to enter for the grand prize, you must enter either giveaway #1, #2, or both.”

Congratulations, Sheri! She has also launched Graffiti Promotions. If you are an author, hop over to her site and fill out one of the forms.

Ninja News

Isis Rushdan unveiled the cover for her upcoming release, Kindred of the Fallen. Congratulations, Isis!

Angela Orlowski-Peart’s first book, Greed, is due out on September 20. She has been hard at work designing her new website and invites everyone to come take a look HERE. Congratulations, Angela – that’s next week. Get excited!

Don’t forget my Genre Favorites Blogfest next Monday, September 17!


And look for my music trivia answers on Wednesday.



Today I am also revealing the cover for Carrie Butler’s upcoming novel, Strength, Mark of Nexus – Book 1

Synopsis:
When college student Rena Collins finds herself nose-to-chest with the campus outcast, she’s stunned. Wallace Blake is everything she’s ever wanted in a man—except he can’t touch her. His uncontrollable strength, a so-called gift from his bloodline, makes every interaction dangerous. And with a secret, supernatural war brewing among his kind, there’s no time to work it out. To keep Wallace in her life, Rena will have to risk a whole lot more than her heart.

Published by Sapphire Star Publishing, this New Adult/Paranormal Romance will be released on March 07, 2013.

Find Carrie Butler here: Website, Blog, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Do you use humor in your writing? Or something else to balance the tension? What’s your favorite chocolate? Entering SA Larsen’s giveaway? Excited about the upcoming releases? Bummed you have to wait until Wednesday for the music trivia answers? Sorry, didn’t want this blog post to explode…

Day Four CassaFire Tour, News, Trivia, and Stuff!

There were more CassaFire posts yesterday – you guys just blow this Ninja’s mind! Someone even said they had a crush on me…

Today my tour stops at the awesome blog of Elana Johnson.

I found Elana’s blog less than two years ago. At the time, she had around 1,600 followers. I was blown away by that following but bravely jumped in and followed and commented. A couple months later, she decided to do a joint blogging series on followers, comments, topics, and relationships. She asked Jen Daiker, who had over 700 followers at the time, to join her. For some odd reason, she also asked me! I think I had a little over 200 followers. It was a real honor, one I will never forget. Thank you, Elana! Not sure what you saw in this Ninja, but I appreciate that vote of confidence.

So please hop on over to Elana’s BLOG!
 
Don’t forget that everyone who comments here on my blog over the next two weeks will be entered to win this cool prize package from my publisher:

Ninja News

Thanks to everyone who visited Isis yesterday for my tips on building a Ninja army. It takes involvement through following, commenting, blogfests, and giving back, but more important, it takes the right attitude and spirit.

Here’s a list of helpful Facebook pages for authors to promote their book, courtesy of Dafeenah at Indie Designz

Roland continues my story of capture at the hands of aliens and subsequent rescue by him, Byron, and Athee HERE. You the man, Roland!

Caught the new Avengers movie trailer yesterday morning – looks awesome!

Random Ninja Fact

Everyone knows I like rock music – progressive rock, hard rock, and heavy metal. But what music DON’T I like? Sorry, but just can’t get into blues, jazz, or new age, don’t like pop, and really don’t like country. Yes, I’m a headbanger! I just like the depth of music in that genre.

Trivia answers from yesterday:

1 – Name the first AC/DC album to feature singer Brian Johnson. Back in Black
2 – Where was Cheap Trick’s live album recorded? (Theater and country) Budokan Theater in Japan
3 – In what movie did Black Sabbath’s The Mob Rules appear in 1981? Heavy Metal
4 – Who writes most of Rush’s lyrics? Drummer Neal Peart

Trivia Time – Locations!

Not up on your 70’s/80’s music? Let’s try locations instead!

1 – Where is Australia’s Northern Territory capital?

2 – Where does the Detroit River end?

3 – What city holds Mary Queen of Scots’ throne?

4 – Where does the Hope Diamond rest?

Anyone get all the music questions right? Care to guess on the locations? Had a blogging meltdown due to Blogger and Google changes? Have you been reading Roland’s tales of me in space? Alien probes are so evil…


Don’t forget to visit the awesome Elana Johnson!

CassaFire Tour Day Three, News, Facts, and Music Trivia

WOW! Just wow! You guys were so awesome yesterday with all of the Catch Fire! posts. I think I got around to everyone but let me know if I missed you. I think I set a record for blogs visited yesterday. But I was truly humbled and honored by all of the support and encouragement. You don’t realize just how special it was to see CassaFire featured everywhere. And the comments were just incredible. Really, I'm just Alex! Just one lone Ninja doing his best. Thank you! Special thanks to Julie and Rek for their touching posts.

Today’s stop is with Isis Rushdan.

I met Isis last year and she burst onto the scene with a bang. I’ve never seen anyone gain a loyal following as quickly as Isis. She’s had a lot to deal with the past two months but she’s ready to host the Ninja today. So please stop by and say hey to Isis!

Don’t forget that everyone who comments here on my blog over the next two weeks will be entered to win this cool prize package from my publisher:

Ninja News

Special thanks again to Edi’s Book Lighthouse for hosting me on my release day. I’m glad everyone enjoyed the banter between me and my characters.

Stephanie at Scribbler to Scribe posted an excellent set of guidelines for requesting book reviews.

Randy at Not The Baseball Pitcher posted a wonderful review of CassaFire.

EJ Wesley reviewed my book trailer. Which I had nothing to do with, but it’s still awesome he reviewed it.

And since Google Friends Connect is about to vanish for some of you, I’d like to recommend Linky Followers as another option. I already have it in my sidebar.

Random Ninja Fact

I look really awful in hats!

Trivia Time – Music

Going old school! (Because I pulled out a really old music trivia game for these questions.)

1 – Name the first AC/DC album to feature singer Brian Johnson.

2 – Where was Cheap Trick’s live album recorded? (Theater and country)

3 – In what movie did Black Sabbath’s The Mob Rules appear in 1981?

4 – Who writes most of Rush’s lyrics?

Any other awesome news? Know the answers to those trivia questions? Did anyone else see the freaky, fiery crash at the Daytona 500 Monday night? Still wondering if I sleep…?

Don’t forget to go visit Isis Rushdan!