A to Z Challenge – K – Cult Classics: Kung Fu Hustle, Kansas, King’’s X, Kindred, Kargrandes, and More! Plus Some Upcoming Science Fiction Cons and the Mini-Alex Scavenger Hunt Answers and Winner

Today I have the honor of visiting Natalie at Literary Rambles, one of the largest book blogs on the web. She asked some interesting questions, so check it out.

A to Z Challenge – Cult Classics – K

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

Movie –

Kung Fu Hustle
This quirky 2004 Chinese film mixes action, comedy, and martial arts, and it won numerous awards.

Music –

Kansas – Point of Know Return
The band’s most successful album made them an FM staple and was certified Quadruple Platinum. Its biggest hit was the iconic Dust in the Wind.

King’s X – Gretchen Goes to Nebraska
One of the finest from the band, this concept album features Christian themes and fan favorite song, Over My Head.

Science Fiction Book –

Kindred by Octavia Butler
Published in 1979, her bestselling book is a cross between science fiction and slave narrative, and it has been used in many college courses over the years.

Bloggers –

Kathe at It’s a Snap
Enjoy flash poetry and beautiful pictures? Like shadows and cats? Then you need to follow this delightful lady from the West Coast!

Kristen Smith
Want to know how a writer juggles her craft, a husband, and five little boys? Want some fun and an insight to ‘This Writer Mom?’ Then follow the beautiful and fun Kristen!

Dragon of the Stars Term –

Kargrandes
The million dollar question – What Are the Kargrandes? Natives of the planet Kavil, they play a huge role in the story. These creatures have unique abilities, one of which could be both a power source and a weapon. What else can they do? That would be a spoiler! You’ll have to read to find out.

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.

Science Fiction Cons

My publisher has been doing promotional work with several upcoming science fiction cons, including ads in program books and sponsorship. If you attend any of the following cons, you can score bookmarks and possibly some of my books:

RavenCon - Richmond, VA - April 24-26, 2015

Treklanta - Atlanta, GA – April 24-26, 2015

OASIS - Orlando, FL – May 1-3, 2015

MobiCon - Mobile, AL – May 22-24, 2015

BaltiCon - Hunt Valley, MD – May 22-25, 2015

ConCarolinas - Concord, NC – May 29-31, 2015

Scavenger Hunt Answers and Winner!

First, where was Mini-Alex in each photo?

Melissa Maygrove - in the bathtub.
Eva Solar - with one of my guitars.
Father Dragon Al - hanging with friends in a chair.
Suzanne Furness - in the fridge’s vegetable bin.
Karen Walker - in the oven.
Dianne Salerni - in the sink.
Christine Rains - on a bush.
Nick Wilford - hanging by a tree.
EE Giorgi - on the hood of my car.
Murees Dupe - on a bench.
L Diane Wolfe - with his favorite t-shirt.
Helena - in a pile of leaves. (And due to hacks, her site’s high security meant it was unavailable to some of you, and she’s sorry you weren’t able to visit. I didn't include it in the hunt totals.)
Tyrean Martinson - on the sidewalk.
Robin - in the driver’s seat of my car.
Heather Gardner - hanging with my favorite CD’s.
Jo - with a Canadian beaver.
Lynda Young - hanging with my MST3K DVD collection.
SL Hennessy - hanging with my Firefly game.
Toi Thomas - in the fireplace.
Lori MacLaughlin - on exercise equipment.
Jess at Author Tracker - in the dishwasher.
Truedessa - hanging with his favorite poster.
Annalisa Crawford - in front of my guitar’s amp.
Patricia Lynne - on my front steps.
Lisa at Flash Fiction - in my sock drawer.
Julie Flanders - driver’s seat of lawn mower.
Julie Kemp Pick - on another bench.
Nicki Elson - in the dryer.
Mark Koopmans - at the beach.
Sydney Aaliyah - in my computer chair.

Many of you followed along for the scavenger hunt, and seven of you visited every single site.

And from those seven, Random.org picked this winner:

Truedessa!

Congratulations, Truedessa! You get an autographed copy of Dragon of the Stars, a bunch of swag, and $20.00 in iTunes cards.

Thanks to everyone who posted, played along, gave me a shout out, or bought the book. You guys rock!

Seen Kung Fu Hustle? Fan of those bands? Read Kindred? Following the bloggers? Have you read Dragon yet and figured out What Are the Kargrandes? Going to an Sci-Fi cons? And how’d you do in the scavenger hunt?

Don’t forget to visit Literary Rambles!

The Ninja Gets Personal! Plus Now You See Me Movie Review, Dream Theater Review, Blog Tour Tips, Curiosity Quills Anthologies, Giveaways - and Winners, and Ninja News.

Today I am visiting Carol at Under the Tiki Hut. She posed three questions/topics, one of which included revealing something personal about myself. Yes, that was the most difficult! Visit Carol to find out what I revealed…

Giveaways

In addition to the two giveaways I was running here, these bloggers and hosts are also still running giveaways:

Literary Rambles - CassaStorm and CassaFire print books – comment to enter, open until September 28.

Mithril Wisdom - Cassa Universe poster – comment to enter, open until October 1.

Edi’s Book Lighthouse - CassaStorm eBook – comment to enter, open until October 1.

Samantha Geary -CassaStorm signed print book – comment to enter, open until October 14.

Ninja News

Literary Rambles is also participating in the Stuck in a Good Book Giveaway Hop. Lots of books to win – comment by September 25 to enter.

SK Anthony’s Kinetics came out last Friday – congratulations, SK! And it was Blitz Day for her as well. We got her good!

PK Hrezo is hosting her very first blogfest to celebrate her cover reveal on October 16. “Welcome to Butterman Travel, Incorporated; a full service agency designed to meet all your exclusive time travel needs.” Visit her site for details!

Anthologies from Curiosity Quills Press!

Curiosity Quills Press brings some of their bestselling authors together to create a spine-tingling, mind-blowing, quirky collection of short stories in their first ever, annual PRIMETIME Anthology, scheduled for release 7th October, 2013.

Also on that day, Curiosity Quills Press brings some of their bestselling authors together in PRIME TIME’s steamier, sexier counterpart, AFTER DARK.

These anthologies are not limited to one specific genre, but all of our novels are guaranteed to be quirky and paranormal, in some way or another. We also guarantee 10% of every purchase will go straight to animals in need. The CQ team has selected humane societies on both the East and West coast that spend well and do not stray from the “no-kill” policies of their strays.

Primetime on Goodreads
After Dark on Goodreads
CQP Website

Movie Review

Now You See Me
Watched on NetFlix and it was a lot of fun! Clever twists as to how some of the tricks were performed and lots of rabbit chasing. The Four Horsemen were always one step ahead though, leading the police where they wanted. Excellent cast - Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Caine. Definitely recommended!

Music Review

Dream Theater
Spectacular!
They’ve pulled away from the heavy metal sound that dominated the last few albums with former drummer Portnoy and gone back to a more progressive sound. Featuring amazing musicianship, their latest, self-titled album looks to reestablish the band. It’s very progressive but with insanely catchy melodies.
I got to listen to a full stream of the album last Monday. Joy!
The album comes out Tuesday, September 24
.

Blog Tour and Announcements – Thoughts and Tips

Launch week is now behind me and I can finally breathe easy! Of course, the tour continues with one – two guest spots and interviews a week into November, but that’s a little less intense.

First, a big thanks to everyone who commented here and visited my tour stops last week! And to all of you who posted about my release during the week and sent out Tweets. (And even though I’m not on Facebook, I heard I was making the rounds there as well.) You guys just rock.

Several of you commented that the unique interview questions were a great idea. I really wanted to do something different, as the same thing posted on every blog grows tiring. In addition to the questions, I tried to send out different information and images. (And those posts are now directly linked in the Linky List HERE if you want to see more questions and answers.)

Putting that together did take time though. I spent weeks working on the interview questions and then everyone who signed up got an individual email. (That alone took an entire day.) But it was worth it!

Thanks again for your support and helping CassaStorm launch into the top 100 for space opera at Amazon!!

And there’s an excerpt from CassaStorm up at Catherine Stine’s Blog!

Giveaway Winners

And now, the winners by random selection…

From the list of those announcing the release of CassaStorm, number 46 – Robyn at Life By Chocolate.
Congratulations, Robyn! You win a Cassa mug, Cassa mousepad, Cassa swag, and a $25 iTunes gift card.

From those who commented here last week, one winner per day -
Huntress/CD at Spirit Called
Marcy at Maine Words
Trisha at Words and Stuff
Siv at Been There Done That
Nutschell at The Writing Nut
One prize per person, either a Cassa mug, Cassa mousepad, Cass poster, Cassa magnet, or a signed copy of CassaStorm. Congratulations, ladies!

Be sure to catch all of the giveaways! Anyone else see Now You See Me? (Or, now you don’t?) Picking up the new Dream Theater? Think the tour went well? Got any ideas for your next blog tour?

Don’t forget to visit Under the Tiki Hut for the inside scoop on the Ninja!

I will be taking Wednesday off, so no post until Friday…

CassaStorm Launch Week! Awesome Tour Stops and Prizes! Plus Cassa Facts, Cassa Trivia, and Ninja News

I was incredibly honored when Natalie asked to be part of my tour. Literary Rambles is a HUGE site, focusing on children’s and young adult books. Today’s stop is an interview at Literary Rambles, focusing on my books and blogging tips. Natalie, really appreciate it!


For those who don’t blog on the weekend, I was also honored with a guest post at a Writer’s Digest Best Site - Anne R Allen’s Blog - where I outlined how to create an online community. Anne often features New York Times best-selling authors, so it was an incredible privilege to contribute to her site. Thanks, Anne!!


And CassaStorm’s release week kicks off with prizes every day! Comment between September 16 and 20 to enter. (Ends 6:00 pm EST Sunday, September 22.)
Prizes include:
Cassa mousepad
Cassa Universe poster
Cassa magnet
Cassa mug
Autographed copy of CassaStorm
One person will be randomly selected each day and the five names will be drawn from a hat – first person gets first choice and so on.

This week I will be featuring my tour, unique Cassa facts, trivia, and prizes every day. Plus others are announcing CassaStorm’s release, and almost every post features a unique interview question. List of participants on the CassaStorm Page. So join the fun!

And tomorrow night is the RUSHED Twitter party! Between 8:00 and 9:00 pm EST, follow the hashtag #RUSHED for an hour of fun, questions, answers, treasure hunts, and giveaways. Hosted by the awesome Lynn Rush and featuring giveaways from both of us. It’s my first ever Twitter party, so I hope someone shows up!

Ninja News

Writers4Writers is today! Visit Cherie Reich and Helen Ginger for their suggested Tweets and Facebook posts.

Roland Yeomans is hosting the HAPPY HALLOWEEN BLOGFEST. “From now until Halloween describe the book that scared you the most and what you think of my LUCIFER'S ORPHAN serial monthly trilogy.” Winner receives an autographed Brad Pitt photo. See Roland’s site for details.

Great opportunity! Lynn Kelley posted this: “Attention teachers and librarians! The Emblazoner’s New Catalog – filled with great middle grade and tween titles your students and patrons will love – is coming soon! To celebrate, we’re holding a giveaway of stuff you can use: gift cards to add books to your collection and swag to hand out to your students and patrons. The giveaway is from September 16th – 23rd!”

Jackie at Bouquet of Books and Dani at Entertaining Interests are hosting Spooktoberfest the last week of October. See their sites for details.

RaShelle Workman’s latest is out - Volume 2 in the Cindy Chronicles - Witch Land. Congratulations, RaShelle – you rock!

Cassa Facts

One of the influences on my first book was the original Battlestar Galactica series. (As Bob so aptly nailed in his review.)

When I rewrote the story several years ago, I still envisioned the Galactica’s fighters when describing the Cassan’s Cosbolts. In the first round of edits with my publisher, they suggested I alter the ships and make them more unique. While I didn’t picture them exactly as the cover artist depicted, they still came out rather cool.

And I still got to use that basic design for the smaller Dartens!

Battlestar Galactica’s fighters weren’t the only idea I used. In the series, Apollo had a sister, Athena. I shortened the name and came up with Athee. (So, for those of you still wondering how to pronounce Athee, it’s Athena without the ‘na.’)

Cassa Trivia!

Since it was an early influence, here is some original Battlestar Galactica trivia for you!


1 – What was the name of the Galactica’s fighters?

2 – Boxey had a mechanical daggit for a pet – what was its name?

3 – Who played Starbuck?

4 – Four pilots were in almost every episode – Captain Apollo, Lt. Starbuck, Lt. Boomer, and Flight Sgt. ____

5 – Who played Serina, Boxey’s mother, in the first three episodes?

6 – At the time, it was the most expensive television show ever. How much did each episode cost to make?

7 – Who was the head writer and executive producer of the series?

One more day! Don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered in the drawing. Big thanks to all who are announcing this week.

See any good blogfests or opportunities? Anyone else watch the original Battlestar Galactica? Know any of the trivia? Placing bets on whether I sleep tonight or not…?

Please be sure to visit Literary Rambles! And Anne R Allen’s Blog if you missed it yesterday.

A to Z Challenge – Terminator 2 and Trial of Tears, Plus Ninja News

My theme for the A to Z Challenge is Favorite Movies, Bloggers, and Music! I’ll name a favorite movie that corresponds with the letter, and then select a character from the film. I will then name a favorite blogger who reminds me of that character, and then dedicate a song to him. (Also corresponding with the alphabet.) I’ll wrap it all up with trivia and/or fun facts about the movie, the blogger, or the music!

In addition, two lucky commenters this month will receive a review copy of CassaStorm! One comment per day and each is worth one entry except – the first and one hundredth comments on each day will receive ten entries!

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

This film was before its time and shocked everyone with its large budget. (It went on to make a ton of money though.) T2 is an incredible science fiction action film that stands up even today. Another Cameron masterpiece.

John Conner is Sarah’s son. He’s not quite sure what he is doing or his purpose. He wants to believe and he wants connection. John is raw, uninhibited, and genuine. And whether he realizes it or not, he’s destined for great things.

Who is John Conner?

Yolanda at Defending the Pen!

She entered our world unsure of where she belonged or what she wanted to do. She knows she needs to be tough, but she doesn’t want to do it alone. She is just as genuine and real, and I see great things in her future!

Yolanda is a writer and defender of all that is literary. And a very cool blogger buddy.

To you I dedicate Trial of Tears by Dream Theater. (Title leads to YouTube.)

Doesn’t matter where you’ve been or who you once were – who are you now? “Take a look at yourself, Not at anyone else, And tell me what you see…”

Trivia and Facts:

Several of Dream Theater’s members attended the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world, located in Boston – name it.

What food is Yolanda allergic to?

S’s trivia answer – none! Serenity was Joss Whedon’s first film.

Ninja News

Literary Rambles featured Lisa Rojany Buccieri, author of WRITING CHILDREN’S BOOKS FOR DUMMIES 2nd EDITION. She’s the author of over a hundred children’s and adult books, is a freelance publishing editor, and has been an editor with a number of publishing houses. If you write for children, you need to check out the interview.

Brandon and Bryan at A Beer For the Shower just released a new book, Lost and Found, and it is free today only. See their site for details, as you could also win the book in print. Congratulations, Brandon and Bryan!


Cate Masters has a new book that just came out – Cursed. Congratulations, Cate!

Fan of the Terminator movies? (I pretend the fourth one never happened.) Following Yolanda? Have I converted any of you into Dream Theater fans? Know the trivia? Write for kids? Picked up Lost and Found or Cursed? Can you believe only one more week before the Challenge ends? I only have six more bloggers to feature...

Ninja News, Secondhand Shoes, Movie Trivia Answers, She Said What Blogfest, and the Level Up! Blogfest

Today I am visiting the The Alliterative Allomorph! Jessica Bell is a super talented author and musician and somehow she talked me into a guest post that compares the two. (Yes, it’s garage-band man meets Joe Satriani.)

Ninja News

Literary Rambles is holding a 3000 followers giveaway with tons of books and a five page critique. They are also looking for young adult and middle grade writers and authors, so stop by.

Mark Koopmans won the “2013 Best Memoir” Award at the Southern California Writers' Conference last weekend. Way to go, Madman Mark!

Misha Gericke’s Paying it Forward Awards are now open for February nominations, and there are twice the prizes available!

Friday is the big reveal for CassaStorm’s cover! Thanks to all who signed up to help HERE. (I’ll be sending the cover and back cover synopsis Thursday.)
And just a sneak peek…

Run-Away-Bride Give-a-way

Secondhand Shoes by Shelly Arkon is available now!

Spread the News and Cheer on the Run-Away-Bride Give-a-way! The eBook is free through February 21. She’s also be giving away two fifteen dollar amazon cards and two autographed copies of Secondhand Shoes, but they must give Lila some helpful advice and promise to spread the news. I mean, it is her wedding day, after all.

Secondhand Shoes is now available on Amazon either in paperback or as an eBook. Paperback is $13.50. Ebook is $4.99. But from February 19 through the 21 the eBook is FREE to everyone.

Movie Trivia Answers

1 – Kurt Russell and James Spader, 1994 - Stargate
2 – Peter Weller and Nancy Allen, 1987 - Robocop
3 – Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt, 1995 - Twelve Monkeys
4 – Ron Pearlman and John Hurt, 2004 - Hellboy
5 – Lori Petty and Ice-T, 1995 - Tank Girl
6 – Keanu Reeves and George Carlin, 1989 - Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure

She Said What Blogfest

Hosted by Elise Fallson and Michelle at Writer In Transit. Fill in the blank captions.

Michelle: I over-twisted the braids on my head. I'm pretty sure I'm hallucinating.

Elise: You think you got problems. I just barfed up a hairball.

Elise: Oh, for the love of....did you just get tangled in my hairball vomit?

Michelle: Yes, hoist me up before the champagne and LSD start running out my nose.

V-Boy: Pardon me ladies....but do you have any Grey Poupon?

Elise: On my honor...this is the last time I mix Orange Tango with massive amounts of psychotropic drugs.

Michelle: All right...my buzz is starting to wear off.

Elise: Are these breasts or pockets?

Extinct Dino Dude: Kids, drugs are dangerous. Take my advice.....just say no.

Ladies: A message from Mothers Against Cheeky Children Doing Drugs.

Level Up! Blogfest

Hosted by Jamie at Mithril Wisdom and Allison at Geek Banter - name your favorite games.

1. Movie Trivia Games
If you need someone to fill out your movie trivia team, then I am your man. I've watched so many movies that it's either very impressive or really pathetic. I have a knack for remembering actors, directors, plots and titles. I love all sorts of movie trivia from board games to iPad apps. I give my wife fits because when I am dialed in, I can win a game without giving her a turn. However, this happens with less frequency because I've watched so many movies that my brain is turning to tapioca.

2. StarCraft
This is a no brainer (which is helpful for good ol' tapioca brain.) For my money, the greatest RTS game ever made (that's Real Time Strategy for you noobs.) Featuring three distinct races (Terran, Zerg and Protoss), a great tech tree, an engaging campaign, and a pop-culture sense of humor, StarCraft is a rare game that works on every level and has amazing replay ability. Even though the graphics are a bit dated, the game still rocks and deserves a spot on the Mount Rushmore of gaming.

3. Dungeons & Dragons
I know, this just screams nerd in the basement with a 20-sided die and a half-elf named HoHo the Magic Newt. Well, that nerd was me. This game helped me to harness my imagination, develop problem solving, and taught invaluable lessons on how to work as a team. (And the consequences if you don't.) It also played a role in my moral upbringing. The scenarios that we encountered offered so many moral and social dilemmas. It's been a long time since I played but I will always treasure the friendships and the camaraderie.

Whoa! Some awesome news today. Picking up Shelly’s Secondhand Shoes? Get any of the movie trivia right? Participating in Elise and Michelle’s blogfest? What are some of your favorite games? Think I watch too many movies…?

Don’t forget to visit Jessica Bell.

And Friday… prepare for a CassaStorm!

SUPPORTIVE/SPIRITED - A to Z Challenge

It’s the third A to Z Challenge! Blog the letters of the alphabet in order every day except Sundays The participation list is HERE – start with the blog after yours and visit at least five blogs a day. Mostly, make new friends and have fun!

My theme – I have selected a word for each day and will present to you blogger buddies who fit that description, along with movies, music, etc. My theme is to give back, highlight some awesome bloggers, and have fun in the process.

SUPPORTIVE/SPIRITED

M. Pax at Wistful Nebulae
I’m not sure when I discovered Mary’s site. I think it was during one of her Pine Mountain Observatory stints. But here was a woman who was totally a science fiction geek! More than that, I quickly discovered that Mary was incredibly dedicated and supportive of her friends. And in return, she is someone I would go out of my way to champion and defend. Shame she lives on the other side of the USA, as I would love to meet Mary in person.

EJ at The Open Vein
EJ is everything – supportive, spirited, steadfast, and any other S word I could imagine. EJ’s spirit is honest and open to any who will listen. His motives are pure and words so true. EJ, don’t change your style for anything!

Jen at Widdershins and Skeleton Keys
The moment you see Jen’s icon, you know you have a spirited individual on the other side! She is a breath of fresh air. Jen, you may not think you are making a difference here in the blogging world, but your words have a big impact on me!

My wife fits both of these words perfectly. She stuck with me through all the writing, rejection letters, and frustration. Her motivation and spirit gave me fuel to achieve all my hopes and dreams.

NINJA NEWS!

First, a HUGE thanks to Michael at In Time for devoting his R post to me. I was humbled by his words and first attempt at science fiction writing, which was really good. Michael, you rock!

One of my most devoted commenters is Natalie Aguirre. She helps run Literary Rambles, which just made Writer’s Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers for May/June. Congratulations, Natalie! That is just mindblowing.

Cherie Reich’s Flashes of Foxwick is available as an eBook! If you haven’t been following her A to Z posts, you need to check out these fantasy flashes.

And a HUGE thanks to everyone who has followed the bloggers I've featured. My greatest joy has been checking their sites and seeing all the new followers and comments. Thanks - you guys rock!

Following M. Pax, EJ, and Jen? Is Michael not just the most awesome friend? Do you have friends that just amaze you sometimes? Who do you know who is supportive or spirited? I know how much I appreciate those who’ve supported me - how about you?