Venom Review; IWSG, WEP, and Special Course; Extended Aquaman Trailer; New Releases; and Movie Trivia

Venom Review

Tom Hardy’s character acquires a symbiote from space while snooping around an eccentric billionaire’s science lab. He and Venom become one.
I had a lot of fun watching this one. The action shots are a bit of a throwback, and the film is a mix of superhero, science fiction, horror, monster, thriller, and action. Add some humor and a dash of romance and you have quite the blender movie.
Now I’ve never read the Venom comics, so I don’t know how close it stuck to the source material. I will say the villain was a bit two-dimensional and could’ve used a bit more empathy and fleshing out.
Hardy, however, was great in the role. He pulled off the physical humor well and it will remind you a little of Bruce Campbell in Evil Dead II. It’s Hardy’s performance that sells the story and he was brilliant.
The relationship between Hardy’s character and Venom was great and rather funny. Again, credit to Hardy for pulling it off. The story played the human element right, giving the relationships just enough screen time.
And all head chomping by Venom is done off-screen.
It’s not a great film but it’s definitely a fun way to pass the time. Recommended.

Extended Aquaman Trailer

Over five minutes of awesomeness!

IWSG

Thanks to everyone who participated last week, including the awesome co-hosts and admins.

Speaking of co-hosts we need some!!! We need two more for November 7. Plus if you can co-host on January 2 (the day we announce the winners of the IWSG Anthology Contest), that would be great.
Co-hosts just have to visit twenty blogs in their given range.
Leave a comment here or email me if you want to volunteer. It’s more fun on the host side…

We have a date for the next #IWSGPit Twitter pitch – January 15, 2019!

Visit the IWSG site for details.

You don’t want to miss it.

Don’t forget that the IWSG has partnered with Write…Edit…Publish!
This month’s challenge - Déjà vu or Voodoo.
Add your name to the list, write your story, post on your blog or Facebook, and visit others.
And there are prizes!
Full details at the WEP site regarding genre, length, etc.
Déjà vu or Voodoo – do you?



Here are the propts for the IWSG Instagram the next two months:

IWSG member Christopher Votey has created a cool course and program and IWSG members get a discount!

My course is Digital Notes Organizer – Making Your Personal Encyclopedia. The first part will teach you how to put a wiki on your computer that is 100% private and secure and can be integrated with Dropbox for backup purposes and being able to share with others.
The second part of the course teaches you how to use wiki software, great for your installation and for being able to edit any online wiki (ie, Wikipedia, Wikia).
My course is $49.99, but I want to do something special for all of those who’ve show support for this site. When you check out, enter the following codes:
IWSG80 – Get Course for $9.99 (10 Available)
IWSG50 – Get Course for $24.99 (20 Available)
IWSG25 – Get Course for $36.99 (50 Available)
Get the full details at Christopher’s site and take advantage of his generosity!


Finally, this is the last month to submit to the IWSG Anthology Contest.
Young adult romance is the genre and masquerade the theme.
Entry is free, just need to be a member of the IWSG on some level.
See the site for details.
Don’t miss this opportunity to be in a royalty-paying anthology!

New Releases

Elements of Untethered Realms
A supernatural compilation of the anthologies Twisted Earths , Mayhem in the Air , Ghosts of Fire , and Spirits in the Water . These forty thrilling tales feature authors Angela Brown, Jeff Chapman, Cathrina Constantine, Julie Flanders, River Fairchild, Gwen Gardner, Misha/M. Gerrick, Meradeth Houston, Graeme Ing, Simon Kewin, M. Pax, Christine Rains, Cherie Reich, and Catherine Stine.
Find it on Amazon, iTunes, and Barnes and Noble

The Alien and the Teacher by Susan Kelley (Gourley)
Gwen is exhilarated to be part of Earth’s first space colony until a handsome alien with his own agenda makes contact.
Now available on Amazon

Raven’s Sight, Willow Harbor #8 by Juliana Haygert
Sometimes in order to let go of the past, we have to fight for our future…
Get it from these retailors



 

Movie Trivia

Anyone else see Venom? Excited for Aquaman? Can you co-host? Participating in WEP or the anthology contest? Picking up some new books? And do you know the trivia?

Spiderman: Homecoming Review, Princess Breeze, Upcoming Super Hero Films, IWSG News & New Admin, and New Releases

Spiderman: Homecoming Movie Review

A couple months after his involvement with the Avengers, Peter tries to find his place in life as both high school student and superhero while battling The Vulture and his gang of alien artifact weapons dealers.
In a nutshell, incredibly entertaining!
This is the first film to capture the essence of the real Spiderman from the comics. He’s a loveable, dorky, awkward teen trying to work out his new powers.
The action set pieces are really good, even the small ones.
Tom Holland is great as the lead. He’s the perfect gangly teen.
Michael Keaton is a decent villain, although the villain isn’t the strongest part of the film. He does come with a wicked twist though.
Peter Parker’s best friend is hilarious!
The love story was really toned down and I appreciated that. It was more like infatuation and what awkward teen love is really like.
It’s not my favorite but it’s a worthy piece of the Marvel puzzle that you can watch over and over again.
Highly recommended!

A Cinderella Tale

Do you ever imagine your book as a movie? That would be fun, wouldn’t it? In thinking what type of movie my latest novel, Princess Breeze, would be like I came up with one of my favorite fairy tales, Cinderella. My story is a Cinderella story with a happy family, instead of a hateful one, like in the fairy tale.

Where Cinderella lived with a wicked stepmother and two stepsisters that were mean to her, Breeze lives with her father, mother, and siblings that love her, even though they may have disagreements at times. What family doesn’t?

In Cinderella’s story, all the young girls in the kingdom received an invitation to a royal ball at the palace. The prince was looking for a bride. But the wicked stepmother would not allow Cinderella to attend the ball. Here, Breeze’s story differs. When she receives an invitation to visit Prince Cam at his home on the tropical island of Isla del Fuego, not only does Breeze go, but her whole family and two best friends go with her. Also, Cam, the boy she met at school a few months earlier, heir to the kingdom, was not looking for a bride. They’re only fourteen.

There is a bad guy, of course, who is determined that he will one day be king of the island, and who is determined to get rid of the prince and Breeze, as well. No fairy godmother saves them. Instead, Breeze and Cam use a legend of the island to help them fight the would-be king.

So, Princess Breeze and Cinderella are both stories of a commoner girl meeting a prince and hopefully living happily ever after. Fairy tales do come true.

As part of the celebration you can enter the tour-wide giveaway (courtesy of the author) for one of two paperback copies of the book (U.S. only) being given away. Please visit the Rafflecopter to enter.

Princess Breeze by Beverly Stowe McClure
For months, Breeze Brannigan has heard nothing from Cam, the prince she met at school and who disappeared one night, without telling her goodbye.
Find Princess Breeze at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and 4RV Publishing

Most of the time, you’ll find Award-Winning Author Beverly Stowe McClure at her computer, typing stories young voices whisper in her ears. When she’s not writing, she’s snapping pictures of wildlife, flowers, and clouds. She’s affectionately known as the “Bug Lady.” She’s not telling why. To relax she plays the piano. Her fur babies don’t appreciate good music and hide when she tickles the ivories.
Beverly is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She also teaches a women’s Sunday school class at her church.
Find Beverly at blog, website, Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads

Insecure Writer’s Support Group

The IWSG would like to welcome Christine Rains to the admin team! We are excited to have her on board. Please stop by and welcome her.

Christopher Votey is our guest this week at the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. He has an excellent article on world building, so check it out.

The IWSG Guide to Writing for Profit is open for submissions until the end of the month! What have you found that makes a profit? What have you found that doesn’t? Please share your experience! Guidelines here

The IWSG’s first Twitter pitch party,#IWSGPit, is July 27! We have a great list of publishers and agents who will be watching the hashtag with many more checking in. If you have something ready to submit, you don’t want to miss this.
And if you can help spread the word, we appreciate that as well! You can also retweet the pinned Tweet at our Twitter - @TheIWSG.

New Releases

Hunter's Exiled Lady: Survivors of the Apocalypse # 1 by Susan Kelley/Gourley
In a dystopian future, a fierce, frontier survivor and a cultured, vulnerable city lady battle humanity’s extinction as well as their personal ill-advised attraction and mistrust…
Find it on Amazon

Strangely Funny IV anthology, with a story by C.D. Gallent-King
Edited by Sarah E. Glenn and published by Mystery and Horror, LLC.
Find it on Amazon

Star-Crossed by Megan Morgan

Super Hero News

While the super hero film trend annoys some, this childhood comic book fan is loving it! I was a DC fan, but I’ll take Marvel and whoever else wants to make a good super hero movie. And we do have a lot coming up on the horizon…

November 3 – Thor: Ragnarok
November 17 – Justice League (Yes, I am so stoked for this one!)
February 16, 2018 – Black Panther
April 13 – X-Men: The New Mutants
May 4 – Avengers: Infinity War
June 1 – Deadpool II
June 15 – The Incredibles II
July 6 – Ant-Man and the Wasp
November 2 – X-Men: Dark Phoenix
December 21 – Aquaman

Yes, it’s a super hero fan’s paradise!

Anyone else see Spiderman: Homecoming? Ever imagined your book as a movie? Submitting to the IWSG anthology or participating in #IWSGPit? Picking up some new books? And what super hero film do you want to see most?

And Dragon of the Stars is the current audio book giveaway from my publisher! Re-Tweet THIS TWEET to enter and to spread the news. Thanks! 

Magic and Science in Urban Fantasy, 2015 February Movie Preview, What Are the Kargrandes, and Ninja News

Today I welcome author Dianne Salerni, who is celebrating the release of her latest book, The Inquisitor’s Mark.

Magic and Science in Urban Fantasy

When I started a book about a secret day of the week, I had to decide whether it would be fantasy or science fiction. Tying my story to Arthurian legends tipped me over to the fantasy side. But The Eighth Day was also going to have a modern setting, and since we live in a world of science, I had to account for that.

For example, I decided CPUs couldn’t detect the alternate timeline, and nothing with a CPU would work on that day. Then, I realized no time measuring device should cross the divide. When my MC Jax discovers that his late father’s Rolex stops at midnight every Wednedsay, his guardian, Riley, gives him a Timex to wind only on the secret day.

Riley’s watch ticked steadily until exactly twelve o’clock and then stopped.
The Rolex started.
Riley shrugged. “Every time-measuring device is affected by relativistic change, and a lot depends on the perspective of the observer.” When Jax’s mouth dropped open, Riley grinned. “Einstein’s theory of relativity.”

Between Book 1 and Book 2, I noticed a plot hole. If there’s a day the world doesn’t know about and electricity stops on that day, why doesn’t the food in our refrigerators go bad every week? So, I tackled the issue in The Inquisitor’s Mark. When my characters raid a McDonalds on the eighth day, Jax wonders why his hamburger is still hot.

“I keep telling you, Jax, it depends on the point of view of the observer. Time doesn’t pass for inanimate objects on the eighth day unless someone observes it passing. No observer, no effect on the object.”

What I learned about writing urban fantasy is that some of the weirder and bizarre aspects of science fit quite nicely in a fantasy world. Magic and theoretical physics will get an author out of almost any plot hole.

Find Dianne at her Blog and on Twitter
Find The Inquisitor’s Mark on Amazon and Barnes and Noble

Kargrandes Update!

New clue today at What Are the Kargrandes? We’ve had some good guesses already. (And no, it has nothing to do with the Kardashians.) New clues every Monday until the release of Dragon of the Stars on April 7.

Sample Tweets for this week:

What are the Kargrandes? Fourth clue up this week- http://whatarethekargrandes.com/ #whatarethekargrandes #scifi @alexjcavanaugh

Solve the mystery–what are the Kargrandes? http://whatarethekargrandes.com/ Dragon of the Stars–April 7 #whatarethekargrandes @alexjcavanaugh

Ninja News

Signups continue for the A to Z Challenge - you don’t want to miss the biggest blogging event of the year!

Don’t forget this Wednesday is post day for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.

New releases - 

Vanessa Morgan’s short film, Next To Her, was released on January 31.

Return of the Last Shaman by Roland Yeomans
Find it on Amazon

The Warrior and the Governor by Susan Gourley-Kelley
Find it on Amazon

Listen to Me by Patsy Collins

Love's Revenge, Means of Mercy #2 by Terri Rochenski
Sweet, Historical Romance

February movie preview

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

6 –

Jupiter Ascending
In a bright and colorful future, a young destitute caretaker gets targeted by a ruthless son of a powerful family that live on a planet in need of a new heir, so she travels with a genetically engineered warrior to the planet in order to stop his tyrant reign.
Directors: Andy Wachowski | Lana Wachowski
Stars: Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Eddie Redmayne, James D'Arcy
Always a good sign when your movie is delayed a year. Oh wait…

Seventh Son
Young Thomas is apprenticed to the local Spook to learn to fight evil spirits. His first great challenge comes when the powerful Mother Malkin escapes her confinement while the Spook is away.
Director: Sergey Bodrov
Stars: Ben Barnes, Julianne Moore, Jeff Bridges, Alicia Vikander
Always a good sign when your movie is delayed a year. Wait, didn’t I just say that?



13 –

Kingsman: The Secret Service
A veteran secret agent takes a young upstart under his wing.
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Stars: Colin Firth, Michael Caine, Taron Egerton, Samuel L. Jackson
A violent British film from the BBC. Not the British Broadcasting Company, but Blood, Boobs, and Carnage.




20 –

The Lazarus Effect
A group of medical students discover a way to bring dead patients back to life.
Director: David Gelb
Stars: Evan Peters, Olivia Wilde, Mark Duplass, Sarah Bolger
Olivia Wilde can raise me from the dead anytime!




Think magic and science blend well? See some new books you want? Ready for IWSG on Wednesday? Any upcoming movies interest you? Any ideas yet about the Kargrandes?

The 2014 A to Z Challenge!! Plus Jamie Ayres on Failure and Darth Vader, Truths and Lies, and the Ninja News

The A to Z Challenge list opens today! 

But first…

Jamie Ayres on Failures and Darth Vader.

We all have, “Luke, I am your father,” moments. But when we’re hit with bad stuff, remember something beautiful can come out of it. I don’t claim to be an expert on much (okay, I do, but pretty much all writers are pathological liars), but I know how to fail. In 1984, my cousin dared me to jump in our ruptured septic tank on the farm, and I did. Can you say gold star? That’s why Mama’s always said I’m full of crap. HA! I could’ve died! But instead of ending up on Jay Leno’s stupid headlines (“5-year-old Girl Willingly Jumps Into A Pile of Poop and Suffocates to Death”), I got to use it as a funny anecdote in 18 Things instead, the first installment of my trilogy. You’re probably wondering why I did such a thing in the first place?

Pride. Many times our failures are rooted in pride, just like mine, just like my heroine, and just like Anakin. Spoiler Alert! Anakin was manipulated his whole life by the emperor, but somehow, he redeemed himself in the end. George Lucas said, “Even when Anakin became Darth Vader, he was still the chosen one.”

I’ve good news for you! Everyone loves good news, right? If you don’t, then slap yourself. Or drink coffee and eat chocolate! Trust me, I’m a doctor (not really, but I thought I’d say that just once while I have a captive audience. Thanks, Alex!) Okay, ready now for the most super BIG TRUTH ever? Our destinies aren’t thwarted by failures. We’re not bound to our mistakes. I don’t know most of you, but I can tell you no matter what happens in your life, the universe isn’t done with you yet. We’re all created equal (unless you’re a Jedi, then you’re more equal than the rest of us), and we all have a destiny to fulfill. I can’t deny the ugly stuff in life made me the person I am today, set me on the path I was meant to take. The same goes for my heroine in 18 Truths. She has many “EPIC FAIL” moments in the second book. But hey, everybody has a little Darth Vader and Anakin in them . . . we just have to remember our failures still serve our purpose in life.

Do you agree the “tough stuff” produces something shiny in the end we can chase?

With the lessons the 18 Things life list taught her engraved on her heart, Olga embarks on a new adventure as a spirit guide, but nothing prepares her for the chilling truths she’s learning along the way.
Add 18 Truths at Goodreads and watch the trailer on YouTube

Jamie Ayres writes young adult love stories by night and teaches young adults as a middle school teacher by day. She lives in southwest Florida with her husband and two daughters. Her books include 18 Things and 18 Truths. Visit her website HERE

Can You Handle the Truth – The Answers

Today I reveal the truth for Jamie Ayres’s blogfest.

1 – I saw Rush five times on one tour alone. Yes, I am a die-hard fan! I’ve seen them multiple times on several tours, including five times in one tour. Total truth.
2 – I partied with the band Night Ranger at a bar. After going to see Y&T perform, we turned around to discover that Night Ranger was also there enjoying the show. So we hung with them for a while and I got Jack Blade’s autograph. Big surprise, but this one is true! (And even then I really didn’t drink much.)
3 – I got to jam with Rik Emmett of Triumph once. The lie – but a good friend of mine did jam with Emmett before a performance. (Lucky bastard.)

Only a handful of you guessed right! And I do believe it was Mark Koopmans who said “you soooo didn't do #2 and if you did... I will find and post a picture of me in a grass skirt.” Time to scare the masses, oh Baldinator!

Ninja News

David Powers King and Michael Jensen signed a deal with Scholastic for Woven! Congratulations, guys.

My dear friend Roland Yeomans is facing expensive surgery for cancerous growths. He is in need of prayer and support, now more than ever.

The Marine's Heiress by Susan Kelley
Sequel to the bestselling The Marine's Queen, a science fiction romance.

A Recon Marine set on vengeance finds duty, honor and love instead, but it may be too late to stop the explosion of violence he has set in motion.

Find the Marine’s Heiress at New Concepts Publishing

And the Epic 2000 Follower Giveaway is still going!
Less than thirty GFC followers to go and someone will win books, iTunes cards, and a t-shirt.
BIG thanks to those special friends who have spread the word for me.

The 2014 A to Z Challenge List is Open!

Please read and follow the sign-up instructions outlined below so you sign onto the list correctly!

The brainchild of Arlee Bird, at Tossing it Out, the A to Z Challenge is posting every day in April except Sundays (we get those off for good behavior.) And since there are 26 days, that matches the 26 letters of the alphabet. On April 1, blog about something that begins with the letter “A.” April 2 is “B,” April 3 is “C,” and so on. You can use a theme for the month or go random – just as long as it matches the letter of the alphabet for the day.

We recommend short posts, turn off Word Verification, and visit five blogs (or more) a day beginning with the one after yours on the list.

To streamline legitimate blogs from advertisement blogs, the Co-Hosts will be visiting each blog on this list throughout the Challenge. Blogs on the list showing no activity once the Challenge starts will be removed.

There are categories for those looking for like-minded blogs. Select ONE category code and enter it after your blog’s title/name. The code applies to your blog, not your theme for the Challenge and is purely optional. However, if your blog has adult content, you MUST mark it (AC) or it will be removed from the list. Codes are as follows:

1. WRITING: (WR)
2. BOOKS: (BO)
3. FILM: (FM)
4. PHOTOGRAPHY: (PH)
5. GARDENING: (GR)
6. CRAFT: (CR)
7. ART: (AR)
8. MUSIC: (MU)
9. CULINARY: (CU)
10. LIFESTYLE: (LI )
11. FASHION: (FA)
12. PERSONAL: (PR)
13. SOCIAL MEDIA: (SO)
14. GAMING: (GA)
15. EDUCATION: (ED)
16. POLITICS: (PO)
17. HISTORY: (HI)
18. SCIENCE: (SC)
19. HUMOR: (HU)
20. TRAVEL: (TR)
21. MISCELLANEOUS: (MI)
22. ADULT CONTENT: (AC)

Be sure to grab the badge and display it in your sidebar so we know you are participating and link to the A to Z Challenge Blog.

For more information we recommend you follow the A to Z Challenge Blog and the hosts:

Arlee Bird @ Tossing it Out
Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh
Author Stephen Tremp
Tina @ Life is Good
Damyanti @ Amlokiblogs
Jeremy @ Being Retro
Nicole Ayers - The Madlab Post
M. J. Joachim's Writing Tips
Heather M. Gardner
AJ @ Naturally Sweet
Pam @ An Unconventional Librarian

We also have a Facebook Page
Email address is infoatoz2014@gmail.com
Twitter hashtag is #AtoZChallenge

I am also in need of five more Minions!!! If you are willing to be an A to Z Challenge Minion and can visit ten to twenty extra blogs a week, just let me know. Thanks to those who are already part of the Ninja Minion Army - Joy Campbell, Michelle Wallace, Susan Gourley/Kelley, S. L. Hennessy, and Rhonda Albom.


Sign up below and join us for a month of alphabet fun!

Do tough situations and failures result in good things for you? Were you surprised by my truths and lie? Did you enter the Epic 2000 Followers Giveaway? And who’s up to the 2014 A to Z Blog Challenge?!?!

Be sure to let me know if you want to be a Challenge Minion.

Sign up for the A to Z Challenge AFTER reading the instructions above!