Fate of the Furious Review, MST3K Season Eleven, Last Jedi Trailer, Spacerguy and Star Trek, Mini-Alex, and New Releases

I’m Back! And I’m also posting at the IWSG today - Three Publishers Weigh in on Queries, Marketing, and the Publishing Model.

The Fate of the Furious Review

Dom turns on his team, performing jobs for a woman bent on world terrorism.
The fate? A whole lot of fun!
This was probably one of the funnest rides so far in the franchise. Crazy car stunts and action scenes galore. Plus a sub and a rainstorm of cars! And much of it manifested by some computer wizardry and hacking.
The gang is all back, including Jason Statham now working with the team. Great to see Kurt Russell and Scott Eastwood as Little Nobody was a great addition. Most of the characters had moments of humor, but Tyrese Gibson’s character wins for all out hilarious. Charlize Theron as the bad guy – she was chilling. I think she’s found her calling.
It’s probably just a little too long (runtime 2:16) but eighth instalment and first without Paul Walker is worth the prices of admission. The action is balanced out by human moments, including some sad one. The effects are stunning as always. And of course, they left it wide open for number nine.
The movie also broke the worldwide opening weekend record with $532.5 million dollars.
If you don’t like the series, this one won’t change your mind.
If you do, then highly recommended!

Star Wars – The Last Jedi Trailer

In case you missed it last week…

Plus Rogue One came out a couple weeks ago and we snagged our 3D Blueray right away.

MST3K – New Season

The full season of the new MST3K was unleashed by NetFlix on Friday – and it was all I could do not to binge-watch them all weekend!

Could the new team pull it off? Safe to say, they did!

Since Joel Robinson, the original founder, is in charge, it feels like the earlier seasons of the old MST3K. They’ve reintroduced the kids’ letters to MST3K (although I don’t think kids really get many of the jokes) and it has a lighter feel. The segments in between still need a little work, but they'll get it eventually.

While not as edgy or snarky as the later years, it was still hilariously funny. I laughed out loud many, many times. The highlight is still the movie.

Some of the other cast members will be making appearances this season, and the second episode featured Mary Jo, Bill, and Kevin as Pearl, Brain Guy, and Professor Bobo. It’s still odd hearing different voices for the robots, although Crow is fairly close.

If you’re a fan of the original series or RiffTrax, check it out!

Blogger Feature

Today I’d like to draw your attention to a special blogger friend, Spacerguy aka Kieran O'Toole. He runs the Star Trek Sci Fi blog and the first time I landed there, I knew I would keep coming back. He’ll throw out other science fiction stuff, but if you’re a Star Trek fan like me, you’ll be in seventh Heaven. He’s participating in the Challenge, so there’s lots to see this month!

Where are you located?
I beam down to Ireland, Dublin occasionally, hehe- which is terra incognita actually I enjoy the privacy my Pen-name gives me. "Blogger" universal URLs have I think kept my location extra secret/mysterious.

Why the passion for Star Trek?
I got bit by the space bug which got me infected on the original shows alien anomalies and stories.

When did it begin?
At an early age the futurism of "Star Trek" made me dream. At first I puzzled over why so many black scratches flickered over the tv set and then, Ahh Haa! I had an epiphany. Thecamera lens was getting dirty from space dust, so trek's producers were filming in earth's orbit, Star Trek was real!

How many Star Trek conventions have you been to?
Here you've got me. In 1995 I was thrilled to meet Leonard Nimoy under the glare of paparazzi lights and cameras at Easons. People took my photo with Leonard and I don't have any!!!
In 2011, I trekked with my friend Nova to the Star Wars Invasion at the RDS. It took Star Wars to be the first!!! I was lucky enough to meet Julian Glover himself aka General Veers and Danny Baker aka R2D2 with Nova getting snapshots.

Do you own a Bat'leth or other Klingon weapon?
No I don't, I do have a Klingon Warbird with amazing sound effects and it took me two weeks to construct Captain Kirk's Starship with Lights and sound effects for the AMT USS Enterprise NCC1701.

What is your favorite Star Trek movie?
That’s easy, I'm going to talk Prime Universe movies only. At No1: The Wrath of Khan is the obvious winner. However Star Trek IV is good fun, doesn't take itself seriously and because its good, people like it, which gets my vote haha. I'm a sucker for all the light hearted comedy and saving whales. God bless them all.


Live long and Prosper, Spacerguy aka Kieran

New Releases

Joylene Nowell Butler is stepping down as IWSG Admin due to real life taking over. We will miss her so much! She also had a health challenge last week that has put her out of commission for a while – so much that she is not able to enjoy her book’s release day on Tuesday, April 18. So, we need to help her spread the word!

Maski: Broken But Not Dead
By Joylene Nowell Butler
Psychological Thriller
$4.99 eBook ISBN 9781939844385
An IPPY Silver Medalist!

To the Breaking Point...
When Brendell Meshango resigns from her university professor position and retreats to her isolated cabin to repair her psyche, she is confronted by a masked intruder. His racial comments lead her to believe she is the solitary victim of a hate crime.
However, is all as it appears? After two bizarre days, the intruder mysteriously disappears but continues to play mind games with her. Taught by her mother to distrust the mainstream-based power structures, and with her stalker possibly linked to a high level of government, Brendell conceals the incident from the police. But will her silence keep her safe?
Then her beloved daughter, Zoë, is threatened and Brendell takes matters into her own hands. To save Zoë, Brendell searches for the stalker and confronts not just a depraved madman but her own fears and prejudices.

Find it at Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iTunes, and Amazon

Learn A Word in 100 Words by Patricia Josephine
A collection of flash fiction inspired by unusual words. Each tiny tale is crafted around a word that is unique or no longer in use. Read them while waiting in line or before bed. They range from sweet and lighthearted to dark and disturbing. Look out for the supernatural, but don’t turn your back on the average human. A killer might be lurking underneath. Expand your vocabulary, and get some inspiration of your own.
Find it at Smashwords, Kobo, and Barnes and Noble

For those of you who celebrate Easter and the Resurrection, I hope you had a blessed Sunday.

Mini-Alex was hanging with his peeps of course.

I think a few of those peeps have since gone missing…

Anyone else see the Furious movie? Stoked for the next Star Wars film? Watched any of the new MST3K season? Following Spacerguy? Can you help Joylene spread the word? And did you have a good Easter?

Don’t forget to visit the IWSG and Three Publishers Weigh in on Queries, Marketing, and the Publishing Model.

I’m taking another break next week – catch you May 3 for the IWSG post, May movie preview, and the release of the IWSG anthology - Hero Lost: Mysteries of Death and Life!

Guardians and Other Geek Gifts, Star Wars Holiday Special, Merry Christmas from Mini-Alex, Battle of the Bands, New Book Releases, and Ninja News

I have a guest post at MJ Joachim’s Writing Tips – Juggling For Writers. Want some tips on how to juggle it all? (And they don’t involve tennis balls or clones!)

I’m also posting today at the IWSG site - Where to Find a Great Book Cover Artist. Some great samples and lots of links, so check it out.

Last Minute Geek Gifts

We watched Guardians of the Galaxy DVD in 3D this past week – such an awesome movie! (If you haven’t seen it, just buy the disc.)


Since Dancing Groots are nowhere to be found right now, I thought I’d give you some last minute alternatives.

From Stylin Online - a Guardians of the Galaxy Star Lord Blaster.

From Pop Vinyl - Pop! Marvel: Guardians of the Galaxy Rocket.

Think Geek had a ton of gift ideas, including hundreds of Star Trek items.
Including this Borg Fridge, ready to assimilate your beverages.

Think Geek also had a long list of Star Wars gifts.
How about a Han Solo in Carbonite Shower Curtain?

Maybe Dr. Who is your thing instead.
Want to play some Dr. Who Yahtzee?

Fantasy isn’t forgotten at Think Geek either – they even have Game of Thrones gifts.
Can I interest you in a Game of Thrones Dragon Egg Canister? (Sorry, dragon not included.)

The Star Wars Holiday Special

Lucas would prefer this remained buried, but the RiffTrax guys dug up an old VCR tape, complete with bad commercials from this 1978 ‘special.’

And it is ‘special,’ as it provides serious competition to Manos: The Hands of Fate and Plane 9 From Outer Space for the worst movie ever made.

You get Chewbacca’s family, Art Carney, Bea Arthur, Jefferson Starship, and the stars of Star Wars. The main storyline is trying to get Chewbacca home to his family for Life Day, but there is so much padding and strange elements, you’ll soon forget the movie has any meaning. The film goes from too childish for kids to really risqué with Diahann Carroll as a singing holographic prostitute.

The 1978 commercials are just as horrific.

Download it at RiffTrax and watch it – if you dare…

Ninja News

We need IWSG co-hosts!
If you can co-host in January, let me know – we need two more.
And if you could co-host in February or March, leave a comment as well.
Thanks!

I was honored to find Dragon of the Stars on Beauty in Ruins’ list of most anticipated science fiction books of 2015 – top pick for April. Thanks, Bob!

LG Keltner is celebrating her third blogging anniversary on January 9 with a Snarky blogfest! See her site for details.

New Releases

People of Foxwick and Their Neighbors
By Cherie Reich
Find it on Amazon, iTunes, and other sites.

Vitamins and Death
By Medeia Sharif
Deidra Battle wants nothing more than to be invisible…
Purchase from Prism Books or Amazon

Hope for Her (Hope Series Book #2)
By Sydney Aaliyah Michelle
Find it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and others.

2084
By Melanie Schulz
Find it on Amazon

Battle of the Bands

Welcome to Battle of the Bands! Founded by Stephen T McCarthy and Faraway Eyes. You know the routine – pick your favorite.

Since it’s Christmas, you’re getting Christmas music – Muppet style!
Here are two very different versions of Jingle Bells from our felt-covered friends.

Merry Christmas!

With the holidays coming, I will not be posting again until January 5. I will be lurking, although the week of Christmas, probably not much.

I make no secret that I am a born-again Christian, and Christmas is the celebration of the birth of my Lord and Savior. I will spend the holidays with family and friends, grateful for the precious gift God gave us.

Mini-Alex and friends would like to wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year, and holiday greetings to all!

Any of those geek gifts fit someone on your list? (Or do you want it for yourself?) Ever watched the Star Wars Holiday Special? Can you help co-host the IWSG? See any good books? Which version of the song is your favorite? And what are your plans for the holidays?

Don’t forget to visit MJ Joachim’s Writing Tips and the IWSG site!

Star Trek Blogfest & Conan Review

Today is Ellie Garratt’s Star Trek Blogfest!

While not geeky enough to ever dress the part, I am a Trekkie and proud of it. So I have chosen to list my top five favorite episodes, choosing one from each of the series. Enjoy my snarky descriptions!

Star Trek: Deep Space 9 - "Trials and Tribble-ations" Season 5 Episode 6
This episode merges DS9 with the classic Trek episode "The Trouble with Tribbles.” The episode has so many great moments and scenes. In particular, Worf attempting to explain why his Klingon brethren look so different. Hilarious!

Star Trek: TNG - "Cause and Effect" Season 5 Episode 18
The Enterprise becomes trapped in a causality loop and keeps repeating the last few hours before the ship is destroyed. This is Trek at its best, combining time travel and déjà vu. The writing is sharp and the episode plays out like a great mystery.

Star Trek: Voyager - "Timeless" Season 5 Episode 6
An experiment with a faster-than-light drive causes Kim and Chakotay to make it back to earth in the Delta Flyer, but Voyager crash lands on an ice planet and everyone dies. Talk about an opening that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This episode deals with Kim and Chakotay trying to alter the timeline that has tormented them for so many years. A really great time paradox story and the appearance of Geordi La Forge (Directed by LeVar Burton) make this one of the best.

Star Trek: The Original Series - "Operation: Annihilate!” Season 1 Episode 29
One of my all time favs, this episode introduced an intelligent hive-mind society of creatures hell bent on destroying the universe. As a youngster, my version of aliens always revolved around bipedal entities. This episode blew all of my preconceived notions out of the water with these creepy flying sac creatures. Not just a creature feature episode, these guys had purpose and plan.

Star Trek: Enterprise - "Bound" Season 4 Episode 17
What is it about Orion Slave Girls (the green chicks in the bikinis) that I find so attractive? Well, this episode sheds some light and reveals that they are not the meek servants they appear to be. Funny and sexy, this episode will make you think twice about approaching a hot Orion girl at your local watering hole.

Conan the Barbarian
To quote Conan – “I live, I love, I slay.”
Yes, that pretty much sums up the movie. Conan was everything I expected – great sets and scenery, swordfights and battles, sorcery, and a few half-naked women. This version is nothing like the Schwarzenegger movie and moves at a faster pace. If you dig Conan or sword and sorcery, you’ll enjoy it. No, it’s not deep. No, it’s not great. No, it won’t change your life. But for two hours, you get to live a kick-butt life through Conan. (And ladies, not only is he shirtless for much of the film, you get to see him naked – so there’s eye candy for everyone.)

Anyone else see Conan? (I’ll be hitting Fright Night this coming weekend. Or maybe Don't Be Afraid of the Dark?) Any favorite Star Trek episodes or characters? Are you still wondering what the heck’s a Tribble…?

A to Z Challenge - N (and cool geekness!)

For the A to Z Challenge, I am featuring some awesome bloggers. These individuals have offered so much support of my book, CassaStar, and me on my blogger journey. Of course, I’ll be keeping up with the world of movies, music, and pop culture stuff as well! Ninjas are just talented that way...


Nerdville Rhapsody
Kelly is an agented fantasy writer and calls herself a certified nerd. (Nothing wrong with that!) She also digs science fiction, movies, and covers a wide variety of topics on her blog. Kelly’s a cool nerd in my book!

Not Worth Mentioning
He goes by the name of Copyboy, and his blog isn’t for the faint of heart. He touches on pop culture, the unusual and gross, and anything else that catches his eye. Copyboy is willing to sacrifice his dignity for a laugh. Just don’t tell his wife…

And Nicole Zoltack had a new book release this week! Go tell her congratulations.


Now for a little science fiction geek news. Caught this last week and it’s just too cool!

Artist John Martz created a poster – Trexels – that features 235 Star Trek characters in pixelated form:


You can view the high-resolution image on his site HERE

Can you name all of the characters from the numerous Star Trek series and movies? I named most of them…