Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Plus March Movie Preview, Chef Movie Review, Mini-Alex, and Ninja News

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

My awesome co-hosts today are Chemist Ken, Suzanne Sapseed, and Shannon Lawrence!

It’s about a month away from my book’s release date, so what am I NOT insecure about?

I’ve been working hard on the guest posts for my tour and I’ve completed all of them through May.

Set up a Thunderclap campaign. Hopefully it’s approved and I can announce it on Monday.

The website for my book - What Are the Kargrandes? is up and running with new clues every Monday.


My publisher has the eBook on pre-order at several sites:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
Indigo
Amazon UK

They are running a special promotion on CassaStorm the week prior to Dragon’s release.

They are also sending out promotional materials, books, and ads to a half dozen science fiction conventions taking place this spring.

The book is on Goodreads
And it’s also on several Goodreads lists: Most Anticipated Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Novels of 2015, Can’t Wait SciFi-Fantasy of 2015, and Excellent Space Opera. (Yes, I’m still groveling for votes!)

I don’t have a release day blitz planned outside of the Thunderclap, but if anyone is willing to help spread the news, let me know.

Yeah, it’s a lot. My insecurity? Will it be enough…?

And I need IWSG co-hosts for April and May! For April, it would be best if you were not doing the Challenge. (As IWSG and Day One of the Challenge are one and the same.) Please leave a comment if you can help either month.

Movie Review

Chef
Directed by and starring Jon Favreau, the director behind Iron Man.
I’d heard a lot of good things about this film and finally watched it on NetFlix.
Favreau is renowned chef Carl Casper, working at a posh restaurant serving ‘popular’ dishes. His world is turned upside down when the biggest food blog critique pays a visit and rips the food.
This is an amazing feel-good movie! The characters and their relationships are the focal point. There are many touching moments, especially between Casper and his son. As a divorced dad, he’s not quite sure what constitutes quality time, but he learns along the way.
It’s also hilarious, especially when Casper’s world begins to spiral. He’s trying to do the right thing, but he makes a lot of mistakes. (His son sets up a Twitter account for him, and let’s just say that doesn’t go well at first.)
Rounding out the excellent cast is John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson, Oliver Platt, Dustin Hoffman, and Robert Downey Jr. in a priceless role.
It’s about food, family, friendships, and one fun road trip.
Highly recommended!

Ninja News

Mary at Play off the Page posted that KUMD, Duluth Public Radio, is currently welcoming women authors to read their work on the air. See her site for details.

The A to Z Challenge starts in less than a month! If you haven’t signed up, please join us for the biggest blogging event of the year.

And finally, Mini-Alex would like to report that he’s not too fond of snow and ice…

Although he still rocks in any climate!

March Movie Preview

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

6 –

Chappie 
In the near future, crime is patrolled by an oppressive mechanized police force. When one police droid, Chappie, is stolen and given new programming, he becomes the first robot with the ability to think and feel for himself.
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Stars: Sharlto Copley, Dev Patel, Ninja, Yo-Landi Visser
Apparently, the future looks very bleak to Blomkamp…



13 –

Cinderella
A live-action retelling of the classic fairy tale about a servant step-daughter who wins the heart of a prince.
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Stars: Lily James, Hayley Atwell, Helena Bonham Carter, Richard Madden
I’ll wait for the animated version of the live action version of the animated film…




20 –

Do You Believe?
A dozen different souls-all moving in different directions, all longing for something more. As their lives unexpectedly intersect, they each are about to discover there is power in the Cross of Christ ... This stirring new film from the creators of God's Not Dead arrives in theaters Spring of 2015. More than a movie, it's a question we all must answer in our lifetimes: DO YOU BELIEVE?
Director: Jonathan M. Gunn
Stars: Ted McGinley, Mira Sorvino, Andrea Logan White, Lee Majors
Do I believe? YUP!

27 –

Home
When Oh, a loveable misfit from another planet, lands on Earth and finds himself on the run from his own people, he forms an unlikely friendship with an adventurous girl named Tip who is on a quest of her own. Through a series of comic adventures with Tip, Oh comes to understand that being different and making mistakes is all part of being human. And while he changes her planet and she changes his world, they discover the true meaning of the word HOME.
Director: Tim Johnson
Stars: Jim Parsons, Rihanna, Steve Martin, Jennifer Lopez
But I already knew Sheldon was an alien…

Anyone else stressing with similar insecurities? Seen the movie Chef? As frozen as Mini-Alex? Can you help co-host the IWSG? And what movies catch your interest this month…?

And the Thunderclap campaign just went live! If you can participate and help me, please sign up HERE.

YOUTHFUL - 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.

YOUTHFUL

Nicki Elson
Nicki is an 80’s child. She revels in the music, the lifestyle, the fashion, the bad hair… (Maybe not the hair.) But with that mischievous smile of hers, you just know there is a youthful teenager inside, ready to break out in dance and song. Nicki always makes me feel young again. (And without having to go back and endure the horrors of school.)

Mary at Play off the Page
Mary’s youthfulness comes in a different way. She is spirited and determined. Her enthusiasm for plays, both attending and writing them, comes through loud and clear in her blog posts. And I think that is the secret to youth – enthusiasm. Mary, don’t ever lose yours!

Super 8
Coming out last summer, this movie focused on a group of pre-teens shooting a movie and a strange alien creature. My favorite film of 2011, this movie took me back to my own youth, as I was very close to the age of those kids in 1979. Evoking a style reminiscent of a young Steven Spielberg, J.J. Abrams perfectly captured the tone, look, and feel of the movies of my youth.

NINJA NEWS!

One of my best blogger buddies and a fellow Challenge Co-Host, Jeremy Hawkins of Retro Zombie’, had some exciting news – He’s officially been added to an independent record label called "Howlin' Wolf Records" to run their on-line magazine. Congratulations, Jeremy – you rock, dude!

Ciara Knight’s book, Rise From Darkness, is available for free on Amazon through today. So hurry!!!

Laura Bambrey’s 101 Blog Prompts is half off this weekend!

The Pirates
I went in wanting to love it, but just couldn’t. After watching Flushed Away last weekend, I was really expecting some humor. It’s cute, but not really funny. After so many Ardman Animations winners, I think this will go down as their first dud. Sad, because the claymation and effects are really good.



Following Nicki and Mary? What did you think of Super 8? Downloaded any books lately? Seen Pirates yet? Only one more day of the Challenge – are you ready? And who do you know is youthful? (Not me – I am really starting to feel my age…)