Listing Hop: Top Ten Things You Won’t Hear at The Force Awakens! Plus Snow on Cinders and Global Disasters, Crimson Peak Review, Battle of the Banned – Halloween Style, and Ninja News

Today I welcome the wonderful Catherine Constantine! Her latest book is Snow on Cinders and she’s here to talk about preparing for global disaster.

I can’t thank Alex enough for hosting me today. If it wasn’t for him and the IWSG, I don’t know if I’d still be blogging. He’s quite an inspiration to us all.

My new release Snow on Cinders is the sequel to Tallas, but can be read as a stand alone. A family fleeing a tyrannical Management to save their son from a dangerous assignment sets the stage in these post-apocalyptic novels. After years of chemical warfare a metamorphous has taken shape on the planet, not only with vegetation, but animals and humans as well. Talk about diversity in books, you’ll become acquainted with mutants that only want to live in peace. A loving family and a band of misfits struggle to survive in the wilderness.

Think about a civilization without computers, cell phones, or landlines to communicate. I grew up without a cell phone or a computer. How’d we survive?

Lack of clean drinking water and medical supplies are dwindling in Snow on Cinders. Do you prepare for an emergency? Here in Buffalo, I always prepare to have on hand at least, if not more, three days of supplies due to the harsh winters.

I think about the strangest things. Like ~ toilet paper. Stock up on TP!

What would you want to hoard in case of a global disaster?

Find Catherina - Blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon
Find Snow on Cinders at Amazon

Movie Review – Crimson Peak

Don’t be fooled by the ads – this is not a straight up horror film. It’s a gothic romance with ghosts, wrapped in a psychological mystery.
As an ode to the early 1970’s Hammer films, director del Toro has crafted a movie that unspools at a leisurely pace. It works, especially since the acting is so good and the production so amazing.
Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland) is Edith, the new bride troubled by what is happening in her new home. Tom Hiddleston is her husband, and he plays, well, he plays Tom Hiddleston. The dominating character is his sister, played perfectly by Jessica Chastain (The Martian, Interstellar.)
However, it is the house that steals almost every scene. It’s a character in its own right, decaying, dark, and alive.
There is some gore – the ghosts are ‘bloody’ and the head smashing scene is rather intense.
This movie is closer to The Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth (less the devastating depression) than Hellboy or Pacific Rim.
While not his best work, it’s a great tribute to gothic romance movies. Recommended!

Ninja News

John Wiswell had a great week with a short story publication, another story being read on a podcast, and he’s contributing to SF Signal. Way to go, John!

Last week to enter the IWSG Anthology Contest! You have until Saturday, November 1. The theme is Alternate History/Parallel Universe and any member of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group (blogging or Facebook) is encouraged to enter. Winners will be published in a royalty-paying anthology next year.

Make Me Wonder and the Minions team have paired up for a nationwide robotics competition for kids. The grand prize is a STEM field trip to California, where they'll be able to meet the artists who work on the Minions, present to engineers at Google, and learn about how games are made at EA. Deadline to enter is November 1.

New Releases!

Poltergeist’s Pleasure by Christine Rains
Find it on Amazon, Kobo, and Goodreads

Boppity Blue and the Kangaroo That Stole His Shoe by Pat Hatt
Find it on Amazon and Goodreads

Under the Tuscan Moon by Denise Covey
Find it on Amazon US, Amazon UK, and Amazon AU

A Matter of Taste, From the Sweet to the Spicy, Romance for Every Palate
Featuring Queen of Diamonds by Sandra Cox
Find it on Amazon

Forever Lucky: Book Four by RaShelle Workman
This is the final instalment in her Lucky Clover Mystery Romance series.
Find it on Amazon

Veritas: Shadow of the Rose: Book Two by M. L. Chesley 
Find it at Amazon, iTunes, and Scribed

Battle of the Banned

Hosted by Shady Del Knight.

I’m also participating in X-Mas Dolly’s Monday’s Music Moves Me with this entry.

We’re running with a Halloween theme one final time.

First up – Dokken’s Dream Warriors from A Nightmare on Elm Street III:

Next, we have Lou Gramm’s Lost in the Shadows from The Lost Boys:

Halloween is creeping closer! Which song captures scares and thrills? You know the routine! Vote for your favorite.

The Listing Hop!

The brainchild of Bish Denham to celebrate eight years of blogging. I am helping co-host this blogfest – and it’s beyond simple!

The rules are:
Sign up, grab the banner and make a list.
Keep your list to between 5 and 25 items. You can list whatever you feel like (except for adult type content.)
Post on October 26 and visit fellow participants.

In celebration of the upcoming Star Wars film, I chose to do a list based on The Force Awakens.



Top Ten Things You Won’t Hear at The Force Awakens:

I wish Lucas had more involvement with this.

The villain was good, but not as terrifying as the trade federation from episode 1.

I was hoping for a two hour in depth explanation of midi-chlorians.

This film could use a healthy dose of Jar-Jar.

These character names are weird. Why couldn't they just use normal names like Dooku, Salacious Crumb, and Porkins?

Isn't this the same plot as the "Star Wars Holiday Special?”

How many Ewoks would I need to reupholster my couch? (Actually, somebody might say that).

I hope no one minds my Eau de freshly opened Tauntaun musk after shave.

I prefer my spaceship explosions to look like a Skittles factory just blew up.

So, which character is the love child of Han Solo and Chewbacca?

Visit other participants below:

What would you think of first in a global disaster? Have you seen Crimson Peak? Sent in your IWSG Anthology entry? Are your kids entered in the robotics competition? See some new books? Which song would you pick? And what is your list????

The Hobbit and Ragnarok Movie Reviews, Movie Inspiration with Stephanie Faris, Top Films of 2014, Blogger Issues, and Ninja News

Welcome to 2015! I enjoyed my holiday break (so did Mini-Alex) but it’s good to be back. 


To kick off the first post of the year with some movie inspiration, please welcome the talented and beautiful Stephanie Faris!

Inspired by the Movies

I used to write romance. My specialty was the fun romantic comedies that were popular in the 90s and early 00s but seem to have fallen out of favor in recent years. Except one place. Hallmark’s cheesy movies.

I have to admit, I’m a sucker for those movies. Before Christmas, I discovered a wealth of Hallmark movies on YouTube and indulged in day-long marathons while I worked. I realized something as I was enjoying one sweet romance after another: romantic comedy heroines have quite a bit in common with the young girls in my middle grade novels. They’re spunky, idealistic, and they want to make a difference in the world.

Some writers are inspired to write by the latest superhero blockbuster or dystopian teen angst story, but not me. I’m inspired by idealistic women who have their flaws but always mean well. Think Meg Ryan in just about every movie she did in the 90s. Or Kate Hudson in her romantic comedies of the early 00s. We fall in love with them because they aren’t perfect. We fall in love with them because we can relate.

So if you cringe every time Hallmark advertises its 25 Days of Christmas or you’re thankful every day Julia Roberts and Jennifer Aniston are now too old to play quirky young women, you might not like 25 Roses. Although my main character Mia does have a bit of Robin Hood in her—giving chocolate roses to the kids in her school who never receive them on Valentine’s Day. Everyone loves Robin Hood, right?

Find Stephanie at her Blog, Twitter, and Website
25 Roses comes out January 6 – find it on Amazon

Ninja News

This Wednesday, we invite all Insecure Writer’s Support Group members (Bloggers and Facebook members) to post an introduction of yourself. Include it with your regular IWSG post (please keep it to one hundred words or less) or post it Wednesday when prompted at the Facebook IWSG.

Dragon of the Stars is on two new lists at Goodreads - Can’t Wait Sci-Fi and Fantasy of 2015 and Excellent Space Opera. So if you’re looking forward to it or you’ve read and enjoyed it, please hop over and vote. Thanks!


You might not know this, but Trisha @ Words and Stuff is a singer and you can hear her on Rotting Apples’ new album, The Falling Sound.

New Books

Fight the Greek Bite by Pat Hatt

Across the Ages by RaShelle Workman

Shallow Waters by Rebecca Bradley
Her first - congratulations, Rebecca!

Grudge by JL Campbell

Blogger

Recent changes with Blogger have resulted in a new annoying feature–the I Am Not A Robot button. It appears you can now turn off Captcha (check–many of you still have it on) but that button is always there. I’m not a fan of the embedded comment box (because I have to keep scrolling up and down, answering comments) but it’s the only one without that annoying button.

And speaking of comments–did you know that once you hit two hundred, that’s all that appears on the page? You have to either show the next batch (with a pop-up comment box) or Show More (with embedded) to see the rest. So your comments on my last post weren’t eaten–they were just hidden.

Movie Reviews

The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies
The movie wasn’t necessary, but I’m happy with any chance to return to Peter Jackson’s vision of Middle Earth! No, this will not be an unbiased review. I loved the first five Middle Earth films, and I loved this one.
The movie showcases what Jackson does best. The one battle encompasses most of the movie and it’s spectacular. Plus we are so invested in the characters at this point and really care what happens to them.
It’s a bittersweet ending for several reasons, including the fact it’s the last venture into Middle Earth.
Highly recommended!

Ragnarok
This Finnish film is what I’d call a hidden gem. It’s nothing you haven’t seen before, but it’s done really well.
Set against the backdrop of Viking mythology, the film begins with a quest that that takes a turn for the worse.
The scenery and cinematography are stunning. The acting is solid and the special effects are also very good, especially considering the tiny budget.
A ‘Watch Now’ on NetFlix, with subtitles.
Recommended.

My Favorite Movies of 2014

There were some excellent films last year, especially in the superhero category. Here are my top favorite movies of 2014 and their grosses:

1 – Guardians of the Galaxy (Currently $773 million dollars worldwide)
2 – Captain America: The Winter Soldier ($714 million worldwide)
3 – X-Men: Days of Future Past ($746 million worldwide)
4 – Edge of Tomorrow ($369 million worldwide)
5 – The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (Currently $723 million worldwide)
6 – Godzilla ($525 million worldwide)
7 – Dawn of the Planet of the Apes ($708 million worldwide)

Sadly, Guardians was not the highest grossing film of 2014. For reasons unknown, Transformers: Age of Extinction made $1.087 billion dollars worldwide. Go figure!

What were your favorite films?

Did everyone have a good Christmas and New Year’s? What movies inspire you? Picking up some new books? Annoyed with Blogger? Have you seen the last Hobbit film or Ragnarok? And what were your favorite films of 2014?

Retro A to Z Challenge: Q – Queensryche 1988 (plus Batman Vs Superman, Captain America 3, and The Mummy reboot)

Queensryche – Operation Mindcrime – 1988

This album rejuvenated the concept album and showcases Queensryche’s amazing talent. Nikki is the confused and drug addicted young man who gets involved with a revolutionary group as their assassin. The song I Don’t Believe in Love was even nominated for a Grammy. When on tour for Empire in 1990, they performed this album in its entirety, and released it as Operation: Livecrime. This album is a MUST for any rock fan!

1988 fun facts –
*Cost of a new house - $91,600.
*Cost of an existing house - $61,020.
*Cost of a movie ticket - $3.50
*First class stamp - .24 cents
*Cost of a new car - $10,400.
*The first major computer virus infects computers connected to the Internet
*The Hubble Space Telescope is put into operation
*Mystery Science Theater 3000 debuts

Movies released –
Die Hard
A Fish Called Wanda
Akira
Beetlejuice
Big
Young Guns
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

Music released – 
Cinderella – Long Cold Winter
King’s X – Out of the Silent Planet
Metallica – And Justice For All

Game released –
Final Fantasy II

And why is 1988 special?
It’s the year Sandra Almazan graduated from high school!

Sandra is a speculative fiction author and a mother. She’s also a science geek and sharp as a whip. Sandra regularly features other author at her blog, which you can find HERE

Ninja and Movie News!

Available today!

Vampire Lies – Blood and Snow Season 2 by RaShelle Workman

Born of the seven magics, Jasmine is different in every way, including the obnoxious wings on her back courtesy of the original Vampires…

Buy it on Amazon

From JoBlo it’s the release date shuffle!
With Marvel and DC set to go head to head on May 6, 2016, one finally flinched. Batman Versus Superman will come out on April 29 instead. (Captain America 3 will maintain a May 6 release.)
A reboot of The Mummy comes out April 22, so it will be a busy three weeks at the box office.

From Blastr - The sixth season of SyFy’s Face Off wraps up on April 22 – and there will be a season seven!
"When it returns, Face Off will have quite a few new faces to hang out with on the schedule, with shows like Dominion, 12 Monkeys, Ascension, The Expanse, Z Nation and Olympus all in different stages of development — not to mention unscripted fare like Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge, Opposite Worlds, Heroes of Cosplay and Ghost Hunters."

Fan of Queensryche? Following Sandra? Picking up RaShelle’s new book. (She rocks, you know!) Wonder which studio will win spring of 2015? See any new shows you want to catch? And what do you remember about 1988…?

And everyone have a wonderful and Blessed Easter!

Infusing Character into Places and Objects! Plus Horror Movie Trivia, Movie Review, Sharcano, and the Ninja News.

Today I am a guest at Untethered Realms where I explain how to bring a character full circle. (Without going in circles, because that just makes me dizzy.)

MY guest here is the awesome and talented author, Christine Rains!

PERSONALITIES OF THEIR OWN

If you're welcome on the 13th floor, the door will open for you. You'll find comfort and protection from whatever is troubling you. The lights will dim or brighten to match your mood. Doors will lock to keep you safe or open to allow you freedom. If there's a stubborn reporter messing up your immaculate apartment, well, you best get out the rubber gloves and cleaning supplies.

The 13th floor is as much a character in the series as the tenants who live there. It isn't the first of its kind either. There are famous fictional haunted places like Stephen King's Rose Red or the Stanley Hotel in The Shining. I'm sure many of you know the tale of the Amityville horror house, and let's not forget Hogwarts. These places have personalities of their own, and sometimes become more memorable than the human cast of characters.

Buildings aren't the only things that are sometimes brought to life. I can list a few sentient spaceships that I adore: The TARDIS (Doctor Who), Nostromo (Alien), and Moya (Farscape).

Yet it isn't only the spirit in the buildings or ships that make them memorable. There are many more that gain life as a character through the love of the rest of the cast in the stories and the readers. Here are some famous ones: Tara from Gone With the Wind, the U.S.S. Enterprise (Star Trek), the Millennium Falcon (Star Wars), and Serenity (Firefly).

Places and vehicles are just as important to a story as the characters with a beating heart. I find a lot of writers do this unconsciously. Just like people name their cars or get teary-eyed when they move because they'll miss their old house. Since these things are so much a part of our lives, we imagine them with personalities of their own.

What's your favorite fictional place or thing that you consider a character?

The 13th Floor Complete Collection – out now! Find it at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, and on Goodreads

Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood, but make her a great Jeopardy player. When she's not writing or reading, she having adventures with her son or watching cheesy movies on Syfy Channel. She's a member of Untethered Realms and S.C.I.F.I. The 13th Floor series is her first self-published series. She has eight novellas and twenty-one short stories published.
Find Christine: Blog, Website, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Ninja News

Nick Wilford is celebrating two years of blogging with a huge giveaway that includes a full manuscript edit. Check it out!

WITCH TIME, volume 3 in The Cindy Chronicles is now available from RaShelle Workman. 

RaShelle’s books have sold around half a million copies – she rocks!


Pacific Rim comes out on DVD Tuesday! 3D Blu-ray, here I come…

If you’re looking for some cool Halloween t-shirts (or any occasion) check out Jeremy Hawkins’ store at the Netoshop.

Lots of new designs! And of course, my favorite…

And this news from Curiosity Quills Press - they signed screen-writer/director Jose Prendes and revealed the cover for his new novel, Sharcano.
Yes, it’s for real!

Movie Review

My wife and I ended up spending Friday night with friends, so we didn’t get to the theater to see Captain Phillips. However, we did watch a horror flick from NetFlix.

Mama
Executive produced by Guillermo del Toro – a man and his girlfriend find themselves caring for his nieces who were left alone in the wilderness for five years… or were they? Starring Jessica Chastain from Zero Dark Thirty and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau from Game of Thrones.
An effective movie, it follows the Spanish horror film style of a sad and tragic storyline. There were some plot holes, including the fact the girlfriend was completely unqualified to take care of the girls. (Not to mention one of the girls should’ve stayed in therapy for a very long time.)
Fortunately, the director is skilled enough that these don’t completely ruin the film. It’s very creepy with some unusual effects and scares, especially the portrayal of ‘Mama.’
If you’ve ever considered adoption, this film will make you think twice!
Available on NetFlix and worth the rental.

Horror Movie Trivia!

Guess the horror film from the quote:

1 - “When there’s no more room in Hell, the dead will walk the Earth.” (1978)

2 - “Be afraid… Be very afraid.” (1986)

3 - “Smile, you son of a b____!” (1975)

4 - “I will not be threatened by a walking meat loaf!” (1981)

5 - “Who’s laughing now?” (1987)

6 - “Mrs. MacNeil, the problem with your daughter is not her bed, it’s her brain.” (1973)

Answers on Wednesday!

Do objects and places in your stories possess personalities? Have a favorite? Picked up one of Jeremy’s shirts yet? Getting Pacific Rim this week? Have you seen Mama? And do you know any of the trivia answers?

Don’t forget to visit Untethered Realms!

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.

HOW TO SELL 300,000 BOOKS! Plus Ninja News and IWSG Update

As promised, the awesome RaShelle Workman is here to tell you how she sold 300,000 copies of her books!

Alex asked if I'd be willing to talk about my success as an indie author. I really appreciate him thinking of me.

And I hope some of the information I've listed below will be of some help to you.

***

#1. I wrote in several different genres. This was so important to my success because it allowed me to discover my passion, which is that I'm random, but *mostly* love urban fantasy (magic, other realms, vampires, fairies, but in the present).

In October of 2011 I released a YA sci-fi romance, Exiled. It did okay.

In December 2011 I decided to release my Romantic Suspense, Sleeping Roses. It'd been with two different agents and a small publisher, all of which fell through, so I figured what the heck. It did okay.

It was around that time that I got the idea ~ Snow White becomes a vampire.

Then life happened. I wrote a different book, the second book in the YA science fiction romance series (Beguiled). Hated it. Chucked it. Ignored writing.

In May I outlined the Snow White becomes a vampire series and entitled it Blood and Snow. I wanted this series to be different. Fun. Like a weekly TV show. The genre is a YA fantasy romance.


#2. I wasn't afraid to do the work. What I mean is I collected a team to help make my books the best they could be. Professionally edited. Formatter. Hiring a  cover designer. Blog tours. Cover reveals. Book trailers. Marketing.

And I'll say this.

Marketing is the most difficult part. There is no hard and fast rule. What works for one may not work for another. A group called Free Par-Tay really helped me out though.

Another marketing tip: Social Media is your friend.

Start up a Facebook Author page. I had less than a hundred "likes" at this time last year. Now I've got more than 1500 (1725 to be exact =D). If you check out my page, you'll notice that I try to keep my fans engaged. It's fun, easy, and allows you to connect with them on a personal level.

Start up a newsletter. I use MailChimp. I'm sure there are others out there, but MailChimp is easy. Those who sign up for your newsletter are golden. They like you. They really, really like you. And this gives you a way to reward them. You can run contests, let them be the first to know your book is coming out, and give out free books (in exchange for an honest review).

Make it easy for readers to purchase more of your books. Put links to your other books at the end of your story.

#3. Pricing. As an indie author I can price my books however I want. I'm not afraid to put my book at .99 cents for a while. I rarely price my book over $3.99. It may seem low, but it isn't. And I'll tell you this. I made 6 figures in three months following this rule.

#4. Write. This is the given. If you release a book and it doesn't do great. After you've done all you can, move on.

I released Exiled and for the first six months sold like 250 books. Then I released Sleeping Roses and sold 25 books. In June 2012 I released the first Blood and Snow (my Snow White becomes a vampire series) and sold 100 in the first month.

Then in July 2012, Sleeping Roses took off. I sold 10,000 that month. And, of course my other books picked up as well. By the end of January 2013 I'd sold more than 200,000 books, most of them were that silly little book no one thought would do well ~ the Snow White becoming a vampire series ~ Blood and Snow.

From May to December 2012, I wrote, released, published, and promoted 9 novellas and a full length book.

#5. Luck. I hesitate to mention this, but it's true. As with anything. There is a little bit of luck involved. Pixel of Ink picked up the first four volumes in my Blood and Snow series. Without them I wouldn't have done nearly as well. The cool thing about this is your luck can happen at anytime.

So hang in there. Do what you love.

***

Author Bio:  RaShelle Workman is the bestselling author of the Dead Roses series ("Sleeping Roses" is being translated into Turkish, and will be available in print wherever Turkish books are sold in 2014), the Immortal Essence series, Blood and Snow series and Touching Melody (A Forever First Novel). She's sold over three hundred thousand copies of her novels worldwide in the past year, including Japan, Canada, and Europe. You can find RaShelle all over the web, but the best place to start is on her BLOG

Ninja News

I’m back! Missed you guys this week. I managed to slip in a visit a few folks, but was too busy with work to do much more than that. Safe to say, I’m happy to be home.

Tyrean Martinson’s next book, Dragonfold and Other Adventures comes out July 3! One of the stories is about Captain Wrath – awesome! She’s not doing a blog tour, so anyone who can help spread the word will be appreciated.

Angela Brown just released ATONE, a NEO Chronicles: Character Revealed novella. Congratulations, Angela!



There’s an awesome review of CassaStorm on Goodreads right now, thanks to always-awesome Lynda Young who read a review copy. If you want to know a little more about it (or add to your Goodreads list) check it out.

Insecure Writer’s Support Group

My awesome co-hosts for the July 3 posting of the IWSG will be Nancy Thompson, Mark Koopmans, and Heather Gardner!

And due to popular consent, the name will remain the same. There were some good points made:

Sean: I don't think it's negative to admit your insecurities. Besides, if you changed it, it would be a whole lot of work for everybody and it would kill the SEO you've built up.

Rachel: Writers have insecurities, it's not negative it's just real. Wasn't that part of the point? We all have insecurities, and that's okay.

Robyn: There's nothing wrong with admitting we're insecure. It's like saying "We're human."

Robin: I think if you changed it to Secure Writers (or something like that) it would make people who felt insecure or unpublished or whatever feel like the group wasn't for them. It was strictly a group for Established Writers to share things that they know. And anyone who wasn't published should just shut up and read. That is my take. I know I would never join a Secure Writers Support Group. I would read the posts, but it is clearly for Better Writers Than Me. A name like that is a great way to make people Not Join.

Michael: The name says it all. It's a SUPPORT GROUP for writers who are troubled and need support from our community. I've always thought it wonderful and so incredibly special. An exclusive club for writers.

Hildie: Keep the name, it's all about being insecure, if we were secure we wouldn't need a group, duh!

And the most compelling argument came from Mark: Please don't change the name of IWSG. It's taken me nearly two years to put the four letters in the correct order.

Ready to move 300,000 books now? Any questions for RaShelle? (She rocks, by the way.) See any good news? Happy I’m not changing the letters of the IWSG? And who’s going to see Superman this weekend? I’m taking off early on Friday to see it. After this work week, I’ve earned!

Gardening Naked with Hart Johnson, 300,000 in Book Sales, IWSG Co-Hosts, and Blogging Questions

Today I have the honor of welcoming a long-time blogger buddy and advocate for Naked World Domination, author Hart Johnson!

Gardening Naked

First, a GIANT thanks to Alex for having me! You're always a rock star!

So... you may or may not be aware that last Saturday was officially International Naked Gardening Day (proof with a full nudity warning). This was most unfortunate timing, and not just because several of my friends got snow that day.

You see... I'm the EMPRESS of naked, yet my second book, The Begonia Bribe, which is spot on with the gardening theme, didn't come out until TUESDAY—Totally missed an opportunity to promote both nakedness AND gardening!!!

But I think we should just declare an entire naked gardening SEASON.

You heard me... Get on out there and bond with nature the way nature intended.

Though to be clear, there are safety allowances where accessories are concerned. Gloves can be essential when dealing with thorns and thistles. And Crocs just make good sense if you have to shovel (save those toes!) Thorns, black widows and under-nail grime need not be your fears. Also, WEAR SUN SCREEN! For pete's sake, your skin hasn't seen the sun for months. Heck, depending on your typical prudery level, some parts may never have seen the sun.

And if you need an inspiring break from all that gardening, I have a book in mind... About a child beauty pageant, a lot of gardening and MURDER...

Hart (aka, Alyse Carlson) writes books from her bathtub and can be found at Confessions of a Watery Tart, on Facebook (author page, profile), Twitter, or Goodreads.

Book links: Amazon, Barnes and Noble

Thanks, Hart! Now, pass the SPF 100...

Ninja News

My awesome co-hosts for the June 5 posting of the IWSG will be Sheena-kay Graham, Suzanne Furness, and Laura Eno!

Want to be a successful Indie author? I know one author who has sold over 10,000 copies of her books, but this figure will knock your socks off. RaShelle Workman has sold over 300,000 copies of her books! Yes, that’s a three with five zeroes. You can visit her Amazon author page HERE to view all of her books. She'll visit here in June to do a guest post and share the secret of her success. RaShelle, you rock!

Today is the last day to post for the A to Z Challenge Reflections. Once you’ve posted yours, be sure to add it to the list HERE.

VikLit’s “Celebrating the Small Things” is today. I’m celebrating a week of normalcy after the A to Z Challenge. (My wife might be celebrating even more.) I’m also celebrating a couple key friendships I’ve made here online. You guys rock.

Blogging Questions

Does it sometimes amuse you what people will comment on? I always try to offer a variety in hopes everyone will find something of interest, but sometimes what people chose to comment on amuses me. Maybe I should post a section of the phone book just to see what people say?

Do you think people shy away from bloggers with large followings? Maybe they are intimidated to either follow or comment? Or they feel they won’t be noticed? I follow back anyone who follows (unless I can’t locate that person’s blog), respond to all comments, and try to comment on new followers’ blogs when possible.

Will you be gardening naked? Picked up Hart’s book? In awe of 300,000 books sold? (I am!) And what are your answers to the blogging questions?

Heading out for more fun this weekend – everyone enjoy!