Ninja News, iPad 4, Guest Post Controversy, and Movie Trivia

Ninja News

Thanks to everyone who signed up for the I Miss You Blogfest on November 16!

Ciara Knight’s final book in the Battle for Souls series is now out - Ascension of Evil. Congratulations, Ciara!

Next Monday is Tim Brannan’s Monstrous Monday Blogfest

Siv Maria’s short story was accepted for the anthology, OPEN DOORS-Fractured Fairy Tales and she revealed the cover this week!

White Cat Magazine is introducing a mystery magazine soon! Plus they have science fiction and fantasy magazines in the works. Good stuff, Rick!

Next Wednesday is Budd’s Scare Me Blogfest – just in time for Halloween!

Rachel Morgan has just released An A to Z of Creepy Hollow Fae. Those of you who’ve enjoyed her series will want to pick this one up!

And for those of you who read my guest post earlier this week, Jamie posted the answers to my music-movie questions at Mithril Wisdom.

The iPad 4

Yes, the next generation of iPad will be available soon! It’s twice as fast as the iPad 3, with improvements to camera, Wi-Fi, and LTE. While games and graphics won’t be noticeably faster, if you live in a city with LTE access, the Internet will be much faster. This is the tablet Apple wanted to release last spring but it wasn’t ready. It also brings the iPad up to speed with the latest iPhone.

Will I get one? I’ll probably skip this upgrade and just wait for the iPad 5. Yes, my goal is an iPad in every room of the house, but I have my eye on a new guitar right now and that purchase comes first. (Soon I’ll have a guitar in every room in the house, which is just as cool!) And who knows? There’s always Christmas…

Guest Post Controversy and Update

Two reasons for this topic!

First, I adjusted my guidelines one more time. A request a couple weeks ago clued me in to the fact it still wasn’t clear enough:

Due to the high volume of requests I receive, guest posts are reserved for my regular blogger buddies ONLY. (Most of whom are listed in my sidebar.) Other followers I will mention in a Ninja News update.

The controversy? I’m really sorry if that offends anyone! But my blogger buddies are the ones who visit and support me (and I them) on a regular basis, and since I only post eleven to thirteen times a month, they deserve first consideration. I am more than happy to do a shout-out in the Ninja News for anyone else.

Second reason – my calendar is full through February right now. (I still have one opening in January.) So, if any of my blogger buddies have a book coming out next spring or want to do a guest post at that time, please contact me soon!

Any questions? Am I being unfair? Do you need to contact me really soon?!

Movie Trivia

With Halloween right around the corner, these questions all have a horror slant:

1 – Which actress is known as “The Scream Queen?”

2 – The category of Best Makeup began in 1981 and was won by this film.

3 – Who did the music for Dario Argento’s Suspiria?

4 – What actor has been in almost every single Sam Raimi film?

5 – What horror/thriller won five of the biggest Oscars in 1991?

Are you ready for the upcoming blogfests? Excited about the new releases? Getting an iPad 4? Are my guest post guidelines clear and fair? Care to share your guidelines? And do you know any of today’s trivia?

Ninja News, Video Feature, Movie Remakes, 2012 Movie Grosses, and Interesting People!

Teresa at Journaling Woman has a special feature called “Friday’s Interesting People.” And guess what? Today I’m the interesting person! (Hey, one day out of the year’s not bad.) So stop by her blog and check it out.

Ninja News!

Want to know what’s involved in setting up and running a writer’s retreat? Just ask author Jessica Bell. She’s also running a special Wednesday feature, so leave your question HERE.

Melynda’s Labor Day Blogfest and Bookfair – “This September, Wayman Publishing is honoring Melynda Fleury for her brave fight against diabetes by offering a 3 part giveaway to get everyone involved in reading and this giveaway!” See Siv Maria’s site for details.

Overused words! Want some alternatives? Bish Denham posts a great list of alternatives every Thursday as she makes her way through the alphabet. See the full list of overused words HERE.

Sean McLachlan at Civil War Horror is having a birthday sale until the end of August! Check out the details on his blog.

Video Feature!

I had issues with C. Lee McKenzie’s book trailer last week, so posting it for her today!

Movie Remakes Question

Hollywood has been pumping out the movie remakes lately. Some have worked well (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) some have failed (Total Recall.) Most of us would prefer they made some new films, even if they are based on books. (Hollywood, feel free to contact my publisher about movie rights to CassaStar and CassaFire.)

However, since they appear determined to continue remaking older films, here’s my question – what old film would you LIKE to see remade?

My selection – 1979’s Buck Rogers.
Yes, I had a huge teen crush on Erin Gray, but the film is as cheesy as hell.
Make one that is more serious, with great effects, and no Twiki noises, and it just might rock. (Maybe Erin can make a cameo appearance?)

Movies – the Money-Makers so Far

With two-thirds of the year gone (when did THAT happen?) here are the biggest money-making movies so far. All totals are world-wide because that’s what really matters.

1 – The Avengers - $1.48 billion

2 – The Dark Knight Rises - $900 million

3 – Ice Age: Continental Drift - $800 million

4 – The Amazing Spider-Man - $692 million

5 – The Hunger Games - $623 million

6 – Men in Black 3 - $623 million

7 – Madagascar 3 - $565 million

I’ve seen six of the seven! How many have you seen?

And quick movie trivia – one movie series has TWO films in the top ten of all time – name the series.

Lots of good news today! Did you like the book trailer for Alligators Overhead? What movie do you want to see remade? Surprised by the top movies so far? (Ice Age 4 – really???) And do you know the answer to my trivia question?

Don’t forget to visit Teresa at Journaling Woman!

Bourne Legacy Review, Ninja News, TV Trivia Answers, and Announcing My Next Blogfest!

Yes, after weeks of taunting you, I’m finally announcing the theme of my blogfest today! But first…

Movie Review

The Bourne Legacy
I’ve read the books (except this one – of course) and enjoyed the other movies. And I enjoyed this one as well!
The events of the last Bourne movie overlap, with Jason Bourne arriving in New York. However, the movie focuses on the two leads – Jeremy Renner as Aaron Cross and Rachel Weisz as Dr. Marta Shearing. This movie expands on the Bourne mythos, revealing other operatives and an ever-widening conspiracy to keep the project a secret.
The film has a slower pace in the beginning, but when the action picks up, it goes full throttle. I found it incredibly entertaining and had no problem following the plot. The series could easily continue with Renner or follow another operative altogether. Good film!

Ninja News!

Siv Maria is hosting the Unforgettable Blogfest August 13-15 – post about a place or person who left a lasting impression on you. Her blogfest is to celebrate the release of her first published story, “Secrets of the Ash Tree,” in the fantasy anthology, Open Doors. EBook will be available free for a limited time only through the Wayman publishing book fair starting Labor Day weekend. See Siv’s SITE for all the details!

Part Two of Andrew Leon’s book, Shadow Spinner, is available for free on Amazon now. Download “The Kitchen Table” HERE

I was notified last night that I won Diane’s Supportive Blogger Extraordinaire Contest! Thanks so much, guys. I am really honored. Roland and Misha were just as deserving. Thanks to those who voted, and I hope I live up to that title.

MAJOR breakthrough with edits for CassaStorm this weekend! So many subplots emerged by the end of the first draft and I finally figured out how to really tie in one that rocks. So stoked!!

And just to let you know, I will not be posting on Wednesday.

TV Trivia Answers

1 – Burn Notice’s Bruce Campbell also stared in what western series? The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
2 – On Deep Space Nine, what do Rom and Quark call their mother? Moogie
3 – Who plays Jayne Cobb on the show Firefly? Adam Baldwin
4 – On the X-Files, what character did Mitch Pileggi play? Agent Skinner
5 – On Psych, who plays Shawn Spencer’s dad? Corbin Bernsen

My Next Blogfest!

I’ve hosted six solo blogfests:

Movie Dirty Dozen

Top Ten TV Shows

Top Ten Countdown - Music

It’s All Fun and Games

Worst Movies Ever

First Loves

Now are you ready for blogfest lucky number seven?

Genre Favorites Blogfest, September 17, 2012

One blogfest, four favorites!

List your favorite genre of:

Movie

Music

Books

And a guilty pleasure genre from any of the three categories!

Sign up below and spread the word!

Did you see The Bourne Legacy? Get the TV trivia questions right? And are you ready for the Genre Favorites Blogfest?