Mini-Alex on Vacation, Upcoming Events, Ninja News, and the Big News – CheersFest 2.0 Roastee!!!

Vacation and Mini Alex Photo

I’m back!!!

The wife and I had a great time seeing the sights and consuming food. (Don’t worry – we were go-go-go all week and I worked off all of my indulgences.) Actually had a couple chilly days – should’ve gone farther south!

Mini-Alex went along although he spent most of the time chilling in the hotel room. (Probably watched Sports Center and drank beer all day while we were gone.) He did slip out one day and posed by the river, but otherwise he preferred to stay indoors.

I missed everyone and tried to check in every day, although thirty minutes isn’t enough time to visit more than a few blogs and my email. However, I did work more on my outline and will pull back a day or two from blogging to start writing again.

Upcoming Events!

Tuesday, I am visiting Jessica Bell at the Alliterative Allomorph. I talk about the journey beyond your book’s release and how the stories in Indiestructible can help you down that path.

Wednesday I have the honor of participating in the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writer’s Chat on Twitter! These weekly chats with authors, publishers, editors and others discuss relevant topics for SFF writing. They are hosted by author-editor, SFWA affiliate member, and SF Signal contributor Bryan Thomas Schmidt and reposted at the SFFW Chat Website. The chat is one hour and begins at 9:00 pm EST. Follow along with hashtag #sffwrtcht and @sffwrtcht or @BryanThomasS.

Ninja News

I’m sorry I missed most of the Realms Faire last week, but it appeared to be another successful and fun time this year. (And I believe the winning knight will be announced today.) Congratulations Mary – you’ve started an incredible event that will only continue to grow.

Rachel Schieffelbein’s Run for the Roses comes out Tuesday. The tour kicks off this week, so visit her site for details. Congratulations, Rachel!

Angela Orlowski-Peart’s latest, Almost Matched, is out now! She’s offering a great giveaway including books from other authors, so see her site for more information. Congratulations, Angela!

Crystal Collier’s latest is out, Moonless. Her blog tour for this historical paranormal YA story goes through the end of the month, so check it out. Congratulations, Crystal!


Last week I left you with some deep questions. (Not really!) The one I need to clarify was my question about people who don’t return comments. What I mean were those who don’t visit your blog after you comment on theirs. Not just one random comment, because I know those are easy to miss, but those who don’t return multiple comments. (And these can be seasoned bloggers, not just newbies.)
Hope that makes the question clearer.
And it really only takes three licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop.

Friday was amazing – so many balloons were released in Andrew’s honor! Kyra made a video for Nick Wilford’s family and Andrew, and it’s very touching:

CheersFest 2.0

“Ever attended a Christmas party where you bump into the one person who was always there for you during the past year. You’d thank them for being such a RockStar, right?”

So began the inaugural CheersFest (aka AlexFest) when our Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh, was roasted and toasted in December 2012.

Everyone, including A-Cav had such a great time that we’ve decided to do it again.

(Tears really big envelope with a flourish…)

“Ladies and gentlemen, the 2013 recipient of CheersFest is none other than Arlee “Lee” Bird.”

On his main blog, “Tossing It Out,” Lee describes himself, in part, “as a writer, speaker, entertainer, music lover, collector, husband, father, grandfather, friend, traveler, seeker of truth and wisdom.” He majored in English while at the University of Tennessee, has blogged since 2008, and currently has six blogs that delve into his diverse mind.

The original brains behind the annual A to Z Challenge, Lee can be counted on to pay it forward and is a well-respected member of the blogging community.

Hosted again by Mark Koopmans, Morgan Shamy, David Powers King, Stephen Tremp and The Ninja Captain himself, CheersFest 2.0 will go LIVE! Dec. 9, 2013.

In order to proper cheer (or roast) Lee:

Here are four questions for you to answer on CheersFest Day, but please keep the retorts short – (no longer than 20 words each):

·                     Why did Lee come up with the A-Z Challenge?

·                     If someone dreams about being a juggler, what does it mean?

·                     Is a post by Mr. Bird worth two in the bush?

·                     Who could play Lee in a documentary? (Living or dead.)

In +/- 100 words, (excluding the title) write flash fiction using all these prompts:

·                     Bird

·                     Juggler

·                     Challenge

·                     Brown Jacket

·                     Tossing

For Bonus Points:

·                     In +/- 40 words, can you come up with a caption for Lee’s Facebook picture? 

As usual, the Very Demanding Rules of CheersFest include:

·                     Join the Linky List *below*

·                     Have fun

·                     Post your 200 (total) word contribution ON Monday, Dec. 9, 2013.

·                     No, seriously. Have Fun!

Two winners – chosen by Lee – will each win a prize:

·                     An autographed color photo of Arlee Bird appearing as the Court Wizard in the World of Fantasy Players. Also included in the first prize pack are an assortment of promotional materials from Lee’s show biz days with a personal letter and a brief history of his entertainment career.

·                     A personalized graphics design from Jeremy at Being Retro for the winner’s blog. (Jeremy will design a header, badge, button, banner, or whatever might appeal to the winner.)

·                      

Excited to roast and toast our blogger buddy, Lee?

If so, the Linky is now open. Sign up and we’ll see you on Dec. 9^th

Did you miss me? Ready for a vacation? (I think I need another one.) Excited about the new books? Did you release a balloon for Andrew? Know why some people don’t comment? And are you ready to roast Lee this year for CheersFest? I’m ready to be on the other side of the roasting this year…

Don’t forget to visit Jessica Bell on Tuesday and follow the #sffwrtcht chat on Twitter Wednesday evening from 9-10:00 pm EST!

Riddick Movie Review, CassaStorm Tour Launches, Movie Trivia Answers, Ninja News, and CheersFest 2013!

Today kicks off my blog tour for CassaStorm! Still intrigued by snarky cats? Then find out what cats are asking me about CassaStorm at The Non Review. TS buddy, you rock! (We're live now!)

Movie Review

Riddick
The third movie in the series finds Riddick struggling to survive after being left for dead on a barren planet and dealing with bounty hunters and mercenaries.
This story is more like the original Pitch Black and returns to familiar territory. Riddick is just as resourceful and brutal, and there are some good fights with both man and beast. It has a much slower pace than either of the first two movies as well.
Unfortunately, it lacked in two areas. Part of the story felt contrived, forcing Riddick into a situation just so a scene could take place and occasionally missing a few steps of logic. The other problem was a lack of memorable or sympathetic characters. (Which is what made the first one work so well.) Outside of Riddick, no one had any depth.
Actually, the one with the most character was Riddick’s alien dog. (The scene with the pistachios is great.)
However, for two hours of mindless fun, it did deliver, and it was pretty much what I expected. If you dig Riddick or Diesel, go and enjoy and leave your brain at the door. Otherwise, just wait for the DVD or NetFlix.

Ninja News

Today over at the A to Z Blog, I’ve interviewed the lovely Elise Fallson for the monthly Challenge Participant Feature. Her theme rocked so be sure to check out her thoughts on ‘ologies.’

Those of you who enjoyed Milo James Fowler’s book, Immaterial Evidence, can now read the novelette prequel, "Girl of Great Price". The Malfeasance Occasional: Girl Trouble will be out September 24th courtesy of St. Martin's Press, and you can pre-order it now from both Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Don’t forget the Norse Gods Blogfest with Siv Maria on October 9 – you can sign up HERE.

Last week to sign up for the CassaStorm announcement blitz next week! Sign up to help me spread the word HERE - you can just sign up or ask one question. And you could win a $25 iTunes card, Cassa mousepad, Cassa mug, and other cool swag!

Comedy Movie Trivia Answers

1 – “When someone asks if you are a god, you say YES!” - Ghostbusters
2 – “You made a woman meow?” – When Harry Met Sally
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.” – The Ref
4 – “He’s an angry elf.” - 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!” – Midnight Run
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..." – Groundhog Day

The 2013 CheersFest and Nominations! 

That’s right! Time to roast a new victim. This year’s hosts are Mark “Madman” Koopmans, Alex “Clone me a” Cavanaugh, Morg “the Borg” Shamy, Stephen “Wormhole” Tremp, and David “Don’t Mess with the” King.

Here are the details:

What: CheersFest 2013. Someone deserving will be roasted like a little, brown coffee bean.
When: December 9, 2013
Who: One person will be roasted via popular vote. This someone is a constant presence, is positive, possesses integrity, is involved in the online community (participating and hosting), is supportive of others and is a major force in the blogging community.
How: Once launched, each host has seven days to review comments and the selections made via their comments and pick one. We then present our selections and the co-hosts vote from that point. The recipient (Roastee) is announced at least two weeks out and folks can join a Linky ahead of their roasting posting.

Here’s what we need from you guys – nominations. Who best fits the criteria above? Who is a positive force, an active participant, always positive, and makes a big difference in the blogging world? Leave your nomination in the comments and next week, the five hosts will pick one person each and then we’ll vote from that point.

Those who remember last year’s first CheersFest know it was a lot of fun.

However, I am really looking forward to being on the opposite side of the roasting this time!



Anyone else see Riddick this weekend? (Or something better?) Get any of the trivia correct? And who would you nominate for the second CheersFest?

Don’t forget to visit The Non Review. Those cats have snark down to a science…

Announcing the Anti-Blogfest Gary Fest! Plus Ninja and Cassa News, The Bay Movie Review, and Monster Movie Trivia Answers

Ninja News

Milo James Fowler has stories in TWO publications this week – Big Bad Anthology and Bards and Sages Quarterly. Congratulations, Milo!

My blogger buddy Jeremy Hawkins just released four art books in the “It’s Time” series! Congratulations, Jeremy. He will be touring next month, so expect a visit from the Retro Art Master in August.

Rachel Morgan has several short stories in the textbooks Grade 7, 8 and 9 Core Readers for English First Additional Language. Congratulations, Rachel!

At lot of cool news came out of Comic Con this past weekend, including the fact that Zack Snyder will direct the next Superman-Batman movie. Yes, both superheroes in one film! Fans were also treated to a Godzilla experience similar to a ride at Universal Studios. And the metal band Metallica was even there for a panel!

Cassa Updates

Charity Bradford posted her early review of CassaStorm on her blog last week, with high praises for the world building and science elements. That blows my mind, because those areas are not my strong suit. (Although I am currently reading a book that glosses over those elements more than I do.) I guess Byron isn’t the only one who has grown and changed over the years.

CassaStorm is also on the Goodreads list for Can’t Wait Sci Fi Fantasy of 2013. It won’t take many more votes to get it into the top ten, so if you’d like to add your vote, I would appreciate it!

Monster Movie Trivia Answers!

1 – What was the monster in Brotherhood of the Wolf? A lion
2 – How many times have Godzilla and Gamera fought? None
3 – DeForest Kelley fought giant rabbits in what film? Night of the Lepus
4 – Which X-Men cast member starred in Deep Rising? Famke Janssen
5 – What year was the original King Kong released? 1933
6 – What was the giant creature in Lake Placid? A crocodile
7 – In Godzilla vs. the Thing, what was the Thing? Mothra

Movie Review

The Bay
Written and directed by Barry Levinson, this movie chronicles an ecological disaster in a small Maryland town which was covered up by the government.
An entry in the ‘found footage’ genre, this one is unique in how it handles the footage, piecing together views from dozens of cameras to reveal what happened one fateful Fourth of July. Something has infected the water – a combination of pollution, poultry farm runoff, and an unknown entity – and people are dying. The movie follows numerous characters, most notably a college student as a junior reporter for the local news.
What makes this film effectively creepy is the realism. What is killing the people is a real threat that kills fish. The possibility that in the right toxic soup it could kill people is disturbing.
It’s rated R and there is gore, but it’s not sensationalized.
Not for everyone, this movie will stay with you for a while.

The Anti-Blogfest to end all Blogfests!

Announcing the "Anti-Blogfest Gary Fest" on August 12, a blog hop in honor of Mr. anti-blog hop himself, Gary at Klahanie.

Hosted by Mark “Madman” Koopmans, Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh, “Life is Good” Tina, Rockin’ Robyn Engel and Morgan “The Morg” Shamy.

The rules are *very* simple.

Create the titles of three PG-13 rated blogfests you would never join - and then add a descriptive sentence or two. That's it!

For example, I would never sign up for the:

Cheesecake & Cauliflower Bloghop - "where dinner and dessert is mixed in one dish."

OR the

Blocked up Toilet Blogfest - "where crap happens."

OR even the

Alphapet Zoo-mbie Bloghop - "where cuddly undead toys learn how to spell."

Sign up below!




Can you see growth in your writing? Have you seen The Bay? Get the movie trivia correct? (Joshua nailed it!) Can you vote for CassaStorm? And who’s in for some anti-blogfests?

The Big Reveal and the Day the Ninja Died…

You’ve been waiting for this moment for months. I’d like to say I was coerced, but nay, I was TOLD this blogfest event was happening. Hosted by Mark “The Madman” Koopman, ”Marvelous” Morgan Shamy, Stephen “Breakthrough” Tremp, and David “Kingpin” Powers King, here it is:

Or as Mark has nicknamed it, the "Hi, my-name-is-Alex-and-I'm-squirming-with-embarrassment" blogfest.

I’ve dubbed it the Day the Ninja Died blogfest.

I’m going to let Mark tell you about it in his own words:

Aloha,

Ever attended a Christmas party where you bump into the person who was always there for you during the last year. You’d thank them for being such a RockStar, right?

If there’s one person in the Blogisfear who you want to say cheers to, who would it be?

For us, it was a no-brainer: Alex “no hyperlink needed” Cavanaugh.

Alex is an awesome blogger who’s helped hundreds of us via book releases, guest posts, guest interviews and always positive comments. While we can’t have a live part-ay for the Ninja Captain, we can host a BlogFest:

Welcome to the “Cheers, Cavanaugh BlogFest.”

Hosted by Mark “The Madman” Koopman, ”Marvelous” Morgan Shamy, Stephen “Breakthrough” Tremp, and David “Kingpin” Powers King, the BlogFest runs from December 10 - 12.

While Alex is an awesome blogger, he’s also an enigma. J

So, here’s four questions: 

In +/- 20 words, what does Alex look like?

In +/- 20 words, who could play Alex in a documentary? (Living or dead.)

In +/- 20 words, who does Alex remind you of?

In +/- 100 words, (excluding the title) write flash fiction using all these prompts:

Cavanaugh
Ninja
IWSG
Cosbolt
Guitar

For Bonus Points:
In +/- 40 words, leave a comment for Mrs. Cavanaugh - thanking her for sharing J

Rules:
Join the Linky List
Be a follower.
Post your 200 (total) word contribution Monday, Dec. 10.
Have Fun!

Two winners – chosen by Alex – will each win one prize:

FIRST PLACE: A signed copy of CassaStar. (Or CassaFire)

GRAND PRIZE*: A picture of Alex and a download of him playing the guitar. (There might be another prize… all depends!)

(*One caveat: Alex asks the picture or download NOT be shared online.J)

The Linky is open until Dec. 12, 2012.

Now the dead Ninja’s thoughts…

When Mark informed me of this blogfest back in September, I was speechless. Literally. (You can ask him.) I NEVER expected anything like this. I’m not co-hosting this blogfest – I AM the blogfest! I’m humbled beyond words.

When I began this journey, I had no idea what would happen. I was just establishing my author platform. I had no idea I would make so many good friends along the way. I couldn’t see more than one book in me, but you encouraged me to keep writing. I didn’t foresee the IWSG taking off and bringing so many writers and authors together. I never imagined I would be so blessed to be a part of this community.

That is why I am so driven to give back to you guys. It took all of you to get me here, and here is far beyond my expectations. I am here before you now as a servant, ready and willing to do whatever it takes to help all of you achieve your dreams.

Thank you Mark, Morgan, Stephen, and David for thinking enough of me to put this blogfest together.

And I want to mention last Friday’s I Miss You Blogfest. I was stunned at the number of people who mentioned me. That meant a lot to me. Julie had a wonderful poem – “A special thanks to our Fearless Leader, Who tends to his devoted ducklings, Like Father Goose on speed reader.” Lisa created an amazing video. Nancy, your words were the most touching. Thank you. And thanks to all who participated. (The links all lead directly to the blogfest posts, so feel free to keep browsing.)

So yes, this is the day the Ninja dies – of embarrassment. (Thanks, Madman Mark!)

Of course, if no one signs up, that would be even more embarrassing…


And if you weren’t expecting this, trust me – neither was I!

Ninja News, July Movie Preview, and Ninjas on Vacation!

Not to be confused with Ninjas on Ice.

Ninja News!

Special treat – I’ve interviewed my buddy Jamie Gibbs of Mithril Wisdom over at the A to Z Blog today! Every other Wednesday is a challenge participant feature and Jamie’s theme for the Challenge rocked!

Today is the launch day for Laura Eno’s next book, Wraith, Book Two of the Carriena Oracles!

Someone wants them dead. Another wants them captured. No one can be trusted. Secrets, lies, and revelations await Raven and Mikael as their search for Mikael's missing friend leads them to Wraith, a mysterious moon owned by Jeffrey Hamilton, cybernetics genius and Ben's creator. How much of the Oracle's technology does Hamilton possess and where did it come from?

Raven's nightmares from the past threaten her sanity, while Mikael's guilt slowly consumes him. Ben's in more danger than anyone as they race to find the answers to uncertain questions—questions which could lead to death for them all.

Available for only .99 on AmazonUS, AmazonUK, Nook, and Smashwords.

As a bonus you can download the first book, Raven, for free Wednesday only! CLICK HERE and enter the code PU65D.

Morgan Shamy, Cassie Mae, Leigh Covington, and Mark Koopmans are hosting the What If Fairy Tale Madness Blogfest in August! Visit any of their sites to sign up.

Cherie Reich’s new book, Women of Foxwick, is available now and for one week only, it’s just 99 cents. Congratulations, Cherie!

Carol Kilgore at Under the Tiki Hut is hosting another contest this week – are you Team Frozen or Team Rocks?

Thanks to everyone who Championed my buddy Andrew Leon last week in the Star Wars Blogathon – he won!!! Congratulations, Andrew.

Don’t forget that since the next posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group falls on the USA’s Fourth of July holiday, we will be posting on either Tuesday OR Wednesday of that week.

And starting Friday, I will be on vacation for four days! Yes, I gave up a chance to appear at Fandom Fest to spend time with my wife. I’ll be checking email and my blog, but otherwise I’ve promised her no Internet. I’ll return Tuesday with my post for the IWSG.

July Movies

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

3 -

The Amazing Spider-Man
Peter Parker finds a clue that might help him understand why his parents disappeared when he was young. His path puts him on a collision course with Dr. Curt Connors, his father's former partner.
Director: Marc Webb
Stars: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Martin Sheen

Did we need a reboot this soon? Heck no! But it is getting good reviews…

6 -

Savages
Pot growers Ben and Chon face off against the Mexican drug cartel who kidnapped their shared girlfriend.
Director: Oliver Stone
Stars: Aaron Johnson, Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, Benicio Del Toro, John Travolta

Stone is hit or miss, but for Kitsch’s sake, hope this is a hit, or the dude may never act again.

13 -

Ice Age: Continental Drift
Manny, Diego, and Sid embark upon another adventure after their continent is set adrift. Using an iceberg as a ship, they encounter sea creatures and battle pirates as they explore a new world.
Directors: Steve Martino | Mike Thurmeier
Stars: Ray Romano, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo, Peter Dinklage

The third film is one of the top grossing films of all time. No idea why. But according to my wife, we are not missing this one. Stupid Scrat movie…

20 -

The Dark Knight Rises
Eight years after Batman took the fall for Two Face's crimes, a new terrorist leader, Bane overwhelms Gotham's finest, and the Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that brands him an enemy.
Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: Christian Bale, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine

After The Avengers this the next most anticipated film of the summer. Nolan can do no wrong – this movie will rock!

27 -

The Watch
Suburban dads who form a neighborhood watch group as a way to get out of their day-to-day family routines find themselves defending the Earth from an alien invasion.
Director: Akiva Schaffer
Stars: Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill, Billy Crudup

Could easily suck. I usually don’t like this type of film, but the previews were funny.

Any new books strike your fancy? Or blogfests? Ready for the next IWSG posting next Tuesday/Wednesday? Any movies strike your interest? Don’t forget to visit Jamie at the A to Z blog. And do you think I need a vacation?