CassaSeries is Available! Plus Cherie Reich's Favorite Monsters, IWSG T-Shirt, Monster Trivia Answers, and Ninja News

CassaSeries releases today! But first…


I am visiting Beverly Stowe McClure at Story of a Writer with a short piece on the best and worst of writing.


And the super talented Cherie Reich joins us here today!

Cherie Reich’s 5 Favorite Horror Monsters/Villains

1. Pennywise from Stephen King’s It. A clown with very, very sharp teeth. Can we get any scarier?

2. Big Jim Rennie and Junior from Stephen King’s Under the Dome. I loathed them in the book, almost as much as Umbridge from Harry Potter. They were cruel, manipulative, and downright evil. I must admit I like them more in the TV series, although Big Jim is still quite manipulative and evil.

3. The aliens from M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs. These aliens are no E.T. or Alf. We may be their cattle, but at least we have water on our side. Strangely, I could have sworn I saw one in real life when I was a child (years before I watched the movie).

4. Michael Myers from John Carpenter’s Halloween series. My mom said she’d seen the movie while pregnant with me. I wonder what that says about us. Heh. I’m a big fan of the Halloween series, and my former housemate and I would spend hours discussing our theories about Michael Myers. No matter how slow he walks, he’s very persistent. Just be sure to cut off the right head, okay?

5. Jason from Friday the 13th series. A mother’s love can bring her creepy son back to life. Just be sure to stay away from lakes and cabins. And I have to admit seeing Jason beating one girl in a sleeping bag with another girl in a sleeping bag was the most memorable moment in Jason X.

What’s your favorite monster/villain from a horror book/movie?

A monster hunts us. After hibernating for a decade, it’s ravenous. We long to stop this nightmare, but the end of the road is far. There is no waking up once a legend sets its sights on you.

Purchase Once upon a Nightmare: A Collection by Cherie Reich at Amazon. From June 22-28, the collection is only $0.99!

Cherie Reich is a speculative fiction author and library assistant living in Virginia. Visit her website and blog for more information.

Ninja News

Nigel Mitchell posted about a Hemmingway app that can be used to improve your writing.

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group t-shirt is available now! Designed by the very talented Jeremy Hawkins, members can now show their support and commitment to the group.

Purchase your IWSG shirt at the NeatOShop.

New Releases:

Summer Vacation Devotions by Tyrean Martinson includes fifteen devotions for families having fun on summer vacation and center around God's Word and activities like car trips, camping, building sandcastles and cooking s'mores. The author earnings will go to Peace Rehabilitation Center in Nepal to fight human trafficking.
Available as an eBook and paperback.

Brave New Girls: Tales of Girls and Gadgets
Featuring a story by Leandra Wallace
Find it at Amazon and Barnes and Noble

A Faerie’s Secret by Rachel Morgan
Book Four in the Creepy Hollow Series
Find it at Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords

Movie Trivia Answers

1 – Hellraiser 1997 - Cenobites
2 – Reign of Fire 2002 - Dragons
3 – Near Dark 1987 - Vampires
4 – Lake Placid 1999 – Giant Crocodile
5 – Battleship 2012 - Aliens
6 – Deep Blue Sea 1999 - Sharks

Available today!

CassaSeries
By Alex J. Cavanaugh
ISBN 9781939844118
Price - $5.99 eBook boxed set
Science fiction/adventure (FIC028010) and science fiction/space opera (FIC028030)

The Amazon Best-Selling Series!

CassaStar - Few options remain for Byron. Slated to train as a Cosbolt pilot, Byron is determined to prove his worth to his instructor, Bassa. As war brews on the edge of space, Bassa must make a decision that could decide the fate of both men. Will their skills be enough as they embark on a mission destined to stretch their abilities to the limit?

CassaFire - Byron’s days of piloting Cosbolt fighters behind him, the detection of alien ruins sends him to the planet of Tgren. Forced to train a Tgren named Athee and deal with an eager young scientist, he feels invaded. Tensions mount as the ruins reveal a potential weapon, plunging him further into the chaos. All Byron wanted was his privacy…

CassaStorm - Commanding the base on Tgren, Byron watches as a galaxy-wide war encroaches upon the planet. When the war hits Tgren, it triggers nightmares in his son. The ancient alien ship begins transmitting a deadly code and the probe that almost destroyed Tgren twenty years ago returns. The storm is about to break, and Byron is caught in the middle…

Find it at Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and Goodreads


What is your favorite monster? (Mine would be Godzilla.) See some cool new books? Picking up the IWSG t-shirt? Get any of the trivia right? And if you’ve never read the trilogy, CassaSeries is a great bargain!

Don’t forget to visit Beverly Stowe McClure!

Mad Max Fury Road Review and Blood Boobs and Carnage Blogfest! Plus Nightcrawler and Pompeii Reviews, Dragon News, and Ninja News

Mad Max Fury Road Movie Review

This is one of the most visually stunning films I have ever seen.
You do not go to this film for the deep, complex storyline. You go because this is Road Warrior times a hundred.
Fury Road is a ballet of vehicular manslaughter of the highest order ever put on film. I’m not sure I even breathed during the final thirty minutes. And it’s impressive how little CGI was used. Those car chases are all real.
The world building is amazing and done in a unique manner – they just dump you in the middle of the ride and you learn as you go.

The art direction and cinematography is beyond breathtaking. Every frame is filled with bizarre and surreal imagery that will stick with you for a long time.
Charlize Theron is the real star. She’s the heart of the story. Tom Hardy’s Max is just along for the hellish ride. But he is perfect as Max – distant and just wanting to survive.
All performances are batshit crazy, which fits the film perfectly.
Highly recommended!

Dragon News

I received word from my publisher last Friday - Dragon of the Stars is under consideration for the Philip K. Dick Award! It won’t win, but I am so stoked to know my book was selected and is being read by the judges.

My publisher also sent copies of the program guide for Treklanta. It’s exciting to know that Dragon is appearing in so many science fiction convention guides.

Movie reviews

Nightcrawler
Fascinating movie. It’s like spending two hours with the best used car salesman in the world.
The performances are great. I’m just not sure how I feel about the movie. How do I root for a sociopath?
It’s worth watching for the great directing and acting, but you might want to take a shower afterwards.

Pompeii
This is a film with great special effects but a flat and lame story. They struggled to build a decent story just to showcase the volcano erupting.
Kiefer Sutherland is horribly miscast. His acting is hammy and over the top, and the character is very one-dimensional.
This film is a step up for Emily Browning after Sucker Punch but a huge step down for Game of Thrones actor Kit Harington.

Ninja News

Pat Hatt had a great time with his You Rock award!

Nigel Mitchell posted an excellent piece about book reviews – the do’s and don’t’s.

Operation Underground Railroad is a nonprofit group that works to help rescue some of the 2 million children trafficked as sex slaves around the world. Donna K. Weaver has started a fundraiser for OUR -
We've created a donation campaign called Authors United Against Child Slavery. We're offering people books in exchange for donating money to the campaign--a $20 donation gets a book (paper, ebook, audiobook)--depends upon what authors can donate. Obviously, what we need are books, and that's where I'm hoping you can help. All donations go directly to O.U.R. Our goal is $2,000. That means 100 books.
Sign Up Link - Authors United Against Child Slavery Campaign

Out Now –

Precipice, Backworlds Book 6 by M. Pax
Find it on Amazon, iBookstore, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo

The Mission by Lexa Cain

SF Women A to Z – A Reader’s Guide by Sandra Ulbrich Almazan

Blood, Boobs, and Carnage Blogfest!

Hosted by me and Heather Gardner.

Today, post about a movie, television show, book, or all three that falls into the category of Blood, Boobs, and Carnage. (Or just Blood and Carnage or other mixture.) It can be any genre that fits the bill – fantasy, science fiction, action, adventure, western, thriller, etc. Post the badge and visit other participants.

My selections are…

Movie – Conan the Barbarian
Camp classic, it contains everything you’d want in a Conan movie, including a ridiculously pumped Arnold.

Television – Game of Thrones
No other show better exemplifies blood, boobs, and carnage than this. However, in between all that is an incredibly compelling series.

Book – Books of Blood by Clive Barker
If you like your blood mixed with boobs, Barker has a creepy way of mingling sexuality with violence.






Visit other participants below!

Anyone else see Fury Road? Or Nightcrawler or Pompeii? Anyone attend Treklanta? Picked up those books? And what do you consider blood, boobs, and carnage material? 

I am easing back and taking some time off later in the week for a while.

Zombie Influences with Loni Townsend, Ninja Plays Marillion’s Easter, WhatAreTheKargrandes, Predestination Movie Review, and Ninja News

Rocking into Mordor today! But first…

I am excited to welcome author Loni Townsend as she talks about zombies. And her list of zombie influences rocks!

First off, a big thanks to Alex for letting me on his blog today.

In This World Bites, Michael gets bitten by a zombie. So naturally, I should be able to come up with my top ten zombie movies, right? Turns out that I haven't actually seen ten zombie movies. But I've compiled a list of media that impacted me in some way while writing This World Bites.

10. The Grudge - The image of the babysitter wandering down the street with a missing jaw is forever engrained in my mind.
9. Warm Bodies - Who doesn't love a love story?
8. Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides - It's on Wikipedia, so it must count, right?
7. Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter - Alright, so they aren't zombies...
6. Serentity - My friend assures the Reavers count as zombies
5. Video Game: Left 4 Dead - Fighting off zombie hordes with friends? Sounds like a good time.
4. The Mummy - Zombie bugs!
3. Game: Plants vs. Zombies - BRAINS!!
2. Dylan Dog: Dead of Night - Yes, it's cheesy, but his sidekick, Marcus, played a lot into my imagination
1. Zombieland - By far, my most favorite zombie movie of all time.

My friend insists I must watch the Resident Evil movies. Do you have any other suggestions for me?

Loni Townsend
Wife. Mother. Writer. Ninja. Squirrel.
Find her Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Goodreads.

What Are the Kargrandes?

Thanks to everyone who spread the word about the special site for Dragon of the Stars, What Are the Kargrandes?

Remember that there is a new clue and piece of the puzzle every Monday morning up until release day. So, check it out today!

Several of you asked about pre-written Tweets. Yes, something I should’ve done last week! Below are a couple you can use and save – adjust as necessary. Thanks!

What are the Kargrandes? New clue every Monday! http://whatarethekargrandes.com/ #whatarethekargrandes @alexjcavanaugh

Solve the mystery – what are the Kargrandes? http://whatarethekargrandes.com/ #whatarethekargrandes #scifi @alexjcavanaugh

Rocking Into Mordor

The moment you’ve all been waiting for – I have one minute of me playing Marillion’s Easter. I wanted to pick a more complicated song than what my band plays and it took me many tries to get it right. Here you go – listen to it while you read the rest of the post! (Or watch on You Tube)

Movie Review

Predestination

Staring Ethan Hawke as a time-traveling Temporal Agent. His final assignment involves tracking down a criminal and bringing in a new recruit.

Where to begin? This movie is a total mind-mess. Think Memento and Looper. I can’t tell you much about the film without giving it away, and you need to discover the twists and turns for yourself.

It’s a quiet, slower-paced film. Reviews online are mixed, so it’s either a love it or hate it kind of film.

Ethan Hawke and the other leads do a fine job in their roles.

You want a film that will make you think, and possibly blow your mind, this is it.

Recommended!

Ninja News

Roland Yeomans has a new site - Return of the Last Shaman. If you’re into weird occurrences in the natural world, he offers some cool stuff.

Lisa at Flash Fiction posted her Annual List Of Possible Topics For the #AtoZChallenge. If you’re still searching for a topic, check out her suggestions.

Found a new website - Indie-Visible

We define “Indies” as those authors who independently publish books with skillful handling of all phases of the writing and publishing process. Our PubHub is where Indies can access expert advice and trustworthy freelancers, and ultimately build their dream teams to help them write, edit, proof, publish and market high quality books.

Thanks to Leandra J. Wallace for the tip!

New releases!

52 Likes by Medeia Sharif

Find Medeia – YA and MG Author

Blog   |   Twitter   |   Goodreads   |   Instagram   |   Amazon

The Anime Way by Nigel Mitchell

The next book in the TOONS series.

Find it on Amazon

 

What zombie things have influenced you? What are the Kargrandes – any clues yet? Have you seen Predestination? Need some topic ideas for the A to Z Challenge? And now you’ve finally heard me play – what did you think?

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Sidelined with Kyra Lennon! Plus Summer Songs Blogfest, Ninja News, and Traditional Update

Sidelined - The Soundtrack

Sidelined is probably the first book I’ve ever written that I didn’t have a soundtrack in mind for when I started. Possibly because a lot of the time, books I write come to me within the lyrics of a song!

Sidelined wasn’t that way for me. Sidelined was born because of the characters I’d already written, and even when I got to the end of the story, I still found it difficult to nail down a playlist. But then I heard this song:.


 If you happen to read Sidelined, you’ll know exactly at which point to press “play” on this song, and why it so perfectly sums up the entire story. I challenge you to read the book, listen to the song, and not bawl your eyes out – I still can’t do it, and I know what’s coming! I actually think this song really sums up the whole of the Game On Series – because love is what it’s all about.

 Thanks for having me over, Alex!

 
At the age of twenty-one, Bree Collinson has more than she ever dreamed of. A handsome husband, a fancy house, and more shoes than Carrie Bradshaw and Imelda Marcos combined. But having everything handed to her isn’t the way Bree wants to live the rest of her life. When an idea to better herself pops into her head, she doesn’t expect her husband to question her, and keep her tied by her apron strings to the kitchen...

Buy Links: Amazon UK/ Amazon US/B&N/iBookstore

Kyra is a self-confessed book-a-holic, and has been since she first learned to read. When she's not reading, you'll usually find her hanging out in coffee shops with her trusty laptop and/or her friends, or girling it up at the nearest shopping mall.

Kyra grew up on the South Coast of England and refuses to move away from the seaside which provides massive inspiration for her novels. Her debut novel, Game On (New Adult Contemporary Romance), was released in July 2012, and she scored her first Amazon Top 20 listing with her New Adult novella, If I Let You Go.

Find Kyra online: Website/Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest/Goodreads/Join My Mailing List

Ninja News

Thanks for all the critique partner offers! You guys are so generous. In addition to Rusty (who is not only the best, but the funniest critique partner on the planet) I am honored to have the awesome Lynda Young and Misha Gericke helping me!

Cate Masters’ Goddess Awakened is out today!

Nigel Mitchell’s latest is out - The New Adventures of Couch Potato! Find it on Amazon


Mark Noce just signed a contract with Rena Tossner of the Deborah Harris Literary Agency for his novel, Between Two Fires!

I got my copy of PHENOMENA last week, autographed by the composer! (Plus some other awesome gifts from Samantha Redstreake Geary.) After listening to the music again, I know I couldn’t have picked a better song, Drakon’s Empire, for my HEROES OF PHENOMENA story, CassaFate.
And there was a formatting issue with the dialogue in my story (which has since been fixed) so if you downloaded HEROES early, let me know and I’ll email you a PDF of the correct version of CassaFate.

Thanks to everyone who has voted for CassaStorm at the eFestival of Words Awards. I forgot to mention that you have to register with the site to vote first. Sorry for the confusion!

Traditional Publisher Definition

Thanks to everyone who got involved in the discussion last week. Most were familiar with the definition I’d posted from several different sources.

GB Miller, who has been on all three sides of the equation, said there was traditional, self-published indie, and subsidy.

Cynthia wins for funniest comment:
I strongly disagree with the assessment that you need to be with one of the big fives to be considered traditionally published. That's like saying that you must own one of the top five brands of cars to be considered a driver.

And of course, ultimately, do readers really care?

However, publishing industry guru Anne R. Allen read the post and comments and sent me another expert source to back up the definitions. In the interest of space, I will post that next Monday.

Songs of Summer Blogfest

Hosted by Armchair Squid, Suze, and Cygnus
On Friday July 11, post your top five favorite summer songs – and why.

I don’t tend to associate seasons with songs, in part because I can never remember when they were released. So instead, I’ve posted my favorite songs with Summer in the title. (And sorry, I could only think of four.)

Y&T – Summertime Girls
Cheesy 80’s metal, but what guy doesn’t appreciate the video?


Type O Negative – Summer Breeze
If Seals and Croft were dead, this remake would cause them to roll over in their graves.


Joe Satriani – Summer Song
Classic instrumental from the Satch Man!


King’s X – Summerland
Another great song from a talented band.


Picking up Kyra’s new book or any of the others? Do you have great critique partners? Picked up PHENOMENA? And what are your favorite songs of summer…?

Edge of Tomorrow Review, Phoenix Prophetesses and Ninjas, Then and Now Blogfest, and Major Ninja News!

Edge of Tomorrow Review

Fighting an alien invasion, Tom Cruise is caught in a loop – every time he dies, he returns to the same moment in time.

If you’re looking for a good science fiction story, this is it. The film is extremely entertaining. The battle sequences are nothing short of thrilling. Time travel is always interesting and it’s used to great effect here
.
There are a LOT of elements from other movies and stories, but they pull them together into a really solid story that’s tense and exciting. Think Saving Private Ryan, Starship Troopers, Groundhog Day, and a pinch of 50 First Dates.

You might not like Cruise as a person, but he’s really good in this film and a bit of a different character than you’ve seen before. Plus Emily Blunt is great – something about her that’s just HOT!

Highly recommended!

Five Ways Phoenix Prophetesses Are Like Ninjas

1. Although Phoenix Prophetesses can really see the future, Ninjas—with their lightning fast reflexes—appear to be able to see the future.

2. Both Phoenix Prophetesses and Ninjas have perfect accuracy. If they throw something, it will hit their target.

3. A Zen-like state can balance Ninjas and Phoenix Prophetesses alike.

4. They can sneak around and hide in the shadows.

5. Last, but definitely not the least, they both look stunning in black.

To save a kingdom, a prophetess must challenge Fate.

Available in Ebook and Print! To purchase Reborn: Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, Nook, OmniLit, Smashwords, Createspace, and Google Play

"The authors of Untethered Realms and I are giving away over $50 worth of books to one lucky winner. The giveaway is open internationally. Go HERE to enter."

A self-proclaimed bookworm, Cherie Reich is a speculative fiction writer and library assistant living in Virginia. Reborn is her debut novel. For more information, please visit her website.

Major Ninja News!

Heroes of PHENOMENA is now available on Amazon, Kobo, and Smashwords!!


Today’s Themes That Rocked feature at the A to Z Blog is Charity Bradford and her Dr. Who theme!


George at Cinemarvellous had one of his quotes included in a DVD trailer!


Jennifer Hillier hit it big time! Jimmy Fallon does a segment every week on The Tonight Show where he picks a hashtag on Tuesdays and invites people to tweet something funny about it. He posts the best ones on the show on Thursdays. Last week it was #WorstSummerJobs – and Jennifer’s was the last one he read!

Talli Roland’s The No Kids Club is out now! You can buy it on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com. Amazon US and Amazon UK

Nigel Mitchell just released Quantum Tales - Volumes 1 & 2

Botanist fromViews From the Bald Patch just released a new book - Ghosts of Innocence. Find it on Amazon and Smashwords.

T.B. Markinson’s latest, A Woman Lost, is on sale for 99 cents. Find it at Amazon US and Amazon UK.

Maggie at Just Get it Written nominated me for the Lighthouse Award. Check her site for the rules, but I pass this on to Gary at Klahanie.

Eva at My Miracle Life selected me as her Written Acts of Kindness blogger last month. Father Dragon Al has started a special encouragement group, proving he’s one of the most encouraging people I know. (See Eva’s site for rules.)

Then and Now Blogfest

Hosted by The Armchair Squid, Suze, Nicki Elson, and Nancy Mock.

The greatest films stand the test of time, speaking to us in different ways at various life stages. Is there a movie that was a part of your life when you were younger that you see differently now? Like fine wine, has it improved with age or did it die in the bottle? Has maturity brought you new insights you missed in your youth?

I’ve selected two movies:

Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster
Fun movie when I was a kid, as I was big into Godzilla.
Saw it again as an adult courtesy of Mystery Science Theater 3000 – and they brought a whole new level to it, poking fun at the cheesiness, bad acting, and rubber suits.
“They’ve run acrab! It’s kaBob and kaSteve.”

Jaws
Saw it in the theater when I was a kid and scared the crap out of me. Didn’t go near a bathtub for months.
Have watched it many times as an adult, and despite all the problems they had with Bruce the Shark, it still holds up to this day. Great acting, scary and tense moments, and some of the greatest lines ever.
“You’re going to need a bigger boat.”

Whoa! Anyone else see Edge of Tomorrow? Picked up Reborn yet? Catch that spot on the Tonight Show? Excited about the new books? And what movie do you see differently now than you did as a kid?

Retro A to Z Challenge: J – John Carter 2012 (and new How to Train Your Dragon Trailer and George RR Martin Killing Characters)

John Carter – 2012

Loosely based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Princess of Mars, this film was supposed to launch a new epic series. A perfect blend of space opera, Western, and pulp fiction, the movie follows Carter as he is transported to Mars (Barsoom) and thrust in the middle of a war. Despite Disney’s mishandling of the marketing, this is fun and adventurous romp that deserved better. Although the material is now almost a hundred years old, it still feels fresh.

2012 fun facts –
*Cost of new house - $263,000.
*Cost of a movie ticket - $8.20
*The Curiosity Rover landed on Mars
*Bradley Wiggins became the first British rider to win the Tour de France
*The LA Kings won their first Stanley Cup
*Felix Baumgartner broke the sound barrier in a free fall from space
*CassaFire was released!

Movies –
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
The Avengers
The Dark Knight Rises
The Amazing Spiderman

Music –
Rush – Clockwork Angels
Kamelot – Silverthorn
Testament – Dark Roots of the Earth

Games –
Diablo III
Torchlight II

And why is 2012 so special?
It’s the year Laura at My Baffling Brain started writing – and she hasn’t stopped since!

Laura lives in England and has a Masters Degree in Creative writing. She’s fun, enthusiastic, and very appreciative of this online community. She’s also a real goal-setter and a sweet girl. She’ll go far! Laura blogs at My Baffling Brain

Ninja News

Available today – Meilin and the Challenger by Cate Masters! A futuristic fairy tale/urban fantasy with zombies.

Nigel Mitchell posted the funniest George R R Martin jokes yesterday. So if you like this one, head over to see the rest of them.

Justified

This series started a couple years ago and is based on books by Elmore Leonard.
It follows a US Marshal, played perfectly by Timothy Olyphant, who is reassigned to his Kentucky hometown. There he has to deal with feuding clans, white supremacists, and his old friend Boyd Crowder. (Who's definitely on the wrong side of the law.)
The show crackles with great writing, crazy characters, and a cool as heck hero. It’s in its final season, but you can catch the first four on NetFlix.
Highly recommended!

Latest Trailer

And for your enjoyment, the latest trailer for How to Train Your Dragon 2:



Have you seen John Carter or read the Barsoom books? Following the delightful Laura? Need a good laugh? Fan of Justified? Excited for How to Train Your Dragon 2? And what do you remember best about 2012…?

Seeing Rio 2 (the stupid bird movie) tonight, so look for review tomorrow…