Showing posts with label TF Walsh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TF Walsh. Show all posts

Monday, May 16, 2016

MST3K/RiffTrax Fanboy, BattleBots, You Rock Awards, and Ninja News!

Why This Fanboy Loves MST3K/RiffTrax

Back in the early 90’s, I was flipping through the channels when I came upon Invasion USA on what was the Comedy Channel. Only this wasn’t just the crappy 1950’s film – there were three people silhouetted in the right bottom corner. A guy and two robots were making fun of the movie.

At first, I thought it was weird but interesting. Slowly, I realized just how hilarious the jokes were. About twenty minutes, I got into the vibe and was hooked. The humor was right up my alley – bad puns, snarky observations, and tons of pop culture references.

The premise of this silly show that made fun of movies – evil scientists had shot an employee into space so they could experiment on him by making him watch bad movies. Trapped on the Satellite of Love, he created robots to keep him company – Crow T. Robot, Tom Servo, Gypsy, and CamBot.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 went through many changes. The creator, Joel Hodgson, envisioned it more as a kid’s show. When he left, Mike stepped into the role as the man trapped on the Satellite of Love. Coupled with Kevin (Tom Servo) Murphy’s sense of humor, this led to more adult stuff.

When Trace Beaulieu left, there was cause for concern. Not only was he the main evil scientist, he was the voice of Crow T. Robot. However, the very first show with Bill Corbett as Crow started with this line – ‘Screw you, Greenland!’ And all was right with the world.

It won many awards but was eventually cancelled in 1999. Since then, the core MST3K guys started with Film Crew and then moved on to RiffTrax. It’s not quite the same as MST3K, but it’s the same guys telling the jokes and therefore awesome. They provide tracks to hundreds of popular films – all you do is sync them up with the actual movie. They then moved on to riffing older films, some of which they’d done as MST3K, and selling the videos.

It really became awesome when they moved to live events. The first one I saw was Jack the Giant Killer. I’d seen the MST3K Movie in the theater and there’s something magical about being surrounded by geeks who get you – and the RiffTrax experience was no different. That is why I am now a big fan and refuse to miss any RiffTrax event!

Including June’s MST3K Reunion show…

For more information, visit:
RiffTrax
MST3K
MST3K Reunion Show Tickets
MST3K on Twitter
RiffTrax on Twitter





That’s right – it’s back! Last week was the play-in round and on June 23 on ABC, season two of the BattleBots reboot begins!

The homemade robots are back for season two, where they will battle against each other in a single elimination tournament until there is one champion. The ten episode series will feature next generation robots – bigger, faster and stronger than ever before. The show will continue to emphasize the design and build elements of each robot, the bot builder back stories, their intense pursuit of the championship and the spectacle of the event. While there’s only one weight-class, there are a huge variety of deadly weapons. Forty-eight robots will enter, but, in the end, only one will win the Giant Nut.


Yes, it’s giant BattleBot robots destroying each other – what could be more awesome?


Ninja News

The Last Hotel Room by Sean McLachlan is competing in the Kindle Scout program.
This book is important to me because I've been working a bit with refugees and wrote an article a while back about one young refugee I met in Iraq who became the inspiration for this novel. If I win, $500 of my advance will go to a charity helping refugees from the war zone there.
Vote for the Last Hotel Room HERE

Available now!


Seismic Crimes by Chrys Fey
Buy it at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and The Wild Rose Press


The Haunted Stepsister by Medeia Sharif
Amazon and Barnes and Noble


Cloaked in Blood by TF Walsh
Find it at Amazon, iTunes, and Barnes and Noble

And if you are looking for something cool in t-shirts, check out the creations of Jeremy Hawkins!

He produced the awesome IWSG T-Shirt.

And he designed the A to Z Challenge Survivor T-Shirt

Get yours now!!!

You Rock Awards

I started this six years ago, right after the very first A to Z Challenge. This is to honor blogger buddies who have come to mean so much to me over the years.

Past recipients include Arlee, Yvonne, RaShelle, Hannah, Jeffrey, Gail, Rusty, Chuck, George, Jeremy, Matthew, Old Kitty, Ella, M Pax, Roland, Melissa, Robyn, Lynda, Michael, Heather, Stephen, Father Dragon Al, the late Tina, Damyanti, Edi, Karen, Elizabeth, Suze, Susan, Pat, Jo, Michelle, Brandon and Bryan, Christine, and Truedessa.

This is always such a difficult choice! I’ve made so many friends over the years. But certain people have really stuck with me and come to mean a lot to me.

So, this year’s You Rock recipients are…


Rachna Chhabria at Rachna’s Scriptorium
She is just about the sweetest person I know online. A talented author who possesses a wonderful way with words, her weekly offerings will make you think. She is also a huge supporter and cheerleader. We’ll never meet in person, but we’ve met in spirit. Rachna, you have made a difference to this Ninja – and you rock!

Liza at Middle Passages
We’ve been blogger buddies for years. I remember when she wasn’t working and all the things she’s gone through since then. She continues to write and take amazing photos of her beautiful coastal town. She’s always been there for me and I appreciate her friendship and support. Liza, you rock!


Yolanda Renee at Defending the Pen
Another friend who’s been around for a while. I still remember when her first book came out. She knows how to put a twist on a story like nobody’s business. She defends not only the pen, but her friends. And she’s a Ninja Minion above and beyond! I hope she’ll always be there. Yolanda, you rock.


Nilanjana Bose at Madly-in-Verse
We met through the Challenge, so only fitting she was one of my Minions this year. She writes amazing poetry and prose and really does her research. Nila is always there and something about her presence is reassuring. I imagine she’s always smiling, her joy contagious! She’s a whisper on the wind – and she rocks!


Fundy Blue at Standing Into Danger
You want someone down to earth and genuine? Fundy is that and more. A traveler by heart, she’s working on a book based on the letters her father wrote while teaching Indian children in the far, far north. And the posts about these letters are fascinating. What’s amazing is that no matter what, Fundy shows up online all bubbly and excited. Your excitement is contagious, Fundy – and you rock!


Hank Kaykuala at Rainbow
Yes, I like the ladies! But there are a few cool dudes out there as well. Hank is one of them. I remember visiting Pat Hatt’s site and wondered – who is this dude who has to be number one all the time? Eventually, we became friends, and I realized the cultural diversity Hank offered in his poetry and prose posts. I can always count on him. Hank, you’re number one and you rock!

JH Moncrieff 
If you’ve not met JH, you are missing out. This great horror writer looks like she stepped right out from her own goth pages. She knows all about the supernatural and the unknown, and she tantalizes us with unique events and unsolved mysteries. Don’t let the dark fool you, though. She is a bright light of genuine appreciation and friendship. JH, you rock!




Anyone else a longtime fan of MST3K? Been to a RiffTrax event? Excited for the next BattleBots? Picking up some new books? Have you got your t-shirt yet? And are you following those awesome, rocking bloggers?


Monday, March 14, 2016

10 Cloverfield Lane Review, Upcoming RiffTrax:Live Shows, Movie News, Monday’s Music, and Ninja News

Over at the A to Z Blog, I’m talking about the importance of a theme for the Challenge.

Movie Review – 10 Cloverfield Lane

Basic premise - A woman is held in a shelter by a man who claims there was a world-wide chemical attack. It’s set in the same universe as the movie Cloverfield, but it’s not a sequel. (And thank God, not a found footage film!)
Outside of that, I didn’t know what to expect going in and avoided spoilers.
I don’t do spoilers, but I will say, don’t go into this film expecting another Cloverfield. It’s an intense psychological drama/thriller. You will spend the entire time on the edge, trying to decide the truth.
The main cast of three are all excellent. John Goodman is especially good – sympathetic and sad one moment, extremely terrifying the next. Mary Elizabeth Winstead was also great, as was John Gallagher, Jr.
Some haven’t liked the ending. The first ninety minutes builds up the question of just what is going on, and you’ll either like the answer or not. (I happened to really like the answer.)
It’s PG-13, so not that bloody violent, but it is intense.
Highly recommended!

New RiffTrax Shows!

RiffTrax has two shows scheduled this summer and one of them is awesome!!

It's our 10th birthday this July, and to celebrate, we think we could go even bigger for what will be our 20th RiffTrax Live Event: an MST3K Reunion Live Show, as well as a May 5th live show featuring a new HD transfer of the sci-fi classic from Vermont, TIME CHASERS!

And too awesome – it’s already hit its Kickstarter goal.

A RiffTrax: Live show featuring a reunion of the MST3K cast – what could be more amazing?

Movie News

The new trailer for Captain America: Civil War came out last week – you have to watch it to the very end!


If you’re wondering if the Justice League movie will be as dark as Batman v Superman…
From Jo Blo’s site:
It's clear from the trailers that BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE won't exactly be a cheery picnic full of sunshine and rainbow barfing unicorns, but the DCEU won't necessarily hang on to that darkness for all of its future installments. Chris Terrio, who re-wrote David Goyer's BATMAN V SUPERMAN script, was brought back to pen the script for JUSTICE LEAGUE - PART ONE and the screenwriter told the Wall Street Journal that he doesn't expect the film to be quite as dark as BATMAN V SUPERMAN will be.

Blastr posted the synopsis and teaser art for the upcoming Supergirl/Flash crossover episode:
“Worlds Finest” – Kara gains a new ally when the lightning-fast superhero The Flash (Grant Gustin) suddenly appears from an alternate universe and helps Kara battle Siobhan, aka Silver Banshee, and Livewire in exchange for her help in finding a way to return him home, on SUPERGIRL, Monday, March 28 (8:00-9:00 PM) on the CBS Television Network. Grant Gustin crosses over as The Flash.


World Wide Box Office
Looks like Star Wars: The Force Awakens will end up as third highest grossing overall at $2,054. Billion dollars. (Titanic is just ahead of it with $2,187. billion and Avatar still leads the pack with $2,788. billion.)
Just one month after its release, Deadpool has taken in over $708 million dollars world-wide.
And just ten days after its release, Zootopia has grossed $431 million dollars world-wide. Whoa!

Monday Music Moves Me


Hosted by Xmas Dolly.

I was chosen to select the theme for today – Guitar Solo!

I had hundreds of songs to choose from, including some very heavy selections. (I’m really into the Scandinavian progressive rock scene at the moment.) I decided to showcase the amazing musicianship of the band, Redemption. Their latest, The Art of Noise, was just released last week. (Although this song is from an older album.)

Every song has a magical moment. The point of a great guitar solo is to be that moment.

I give you the beautiful Let it Rain by Redemption:



Ninja News

The first in Sean McLachlan’s post-apocalyptic series is free on Amazon through today, March 14.
Download Radio Hope for free at Amazon and Amazon UK

The A to Z Challenge approaches!

If you have questions, want to meet new people, or just join the fun, join us for one of our Twitter chats. #azchat

And don’t forget, the Great Theme Reveal is next Monday, March 21.

New Releases -

Murder & Obsession by Yolanda Renee
Book three in the Detective Quaid series
Find it on Amazon


Cloaked in Secrecy by T.F. Walsh
(The Wulfkin Legacy #2)
Publication date: March 14th 2016
What better way for a pack of wulfkin shifters to remain in seclusion than to hide in plain sight?
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes and Noble / iTunes / Kobo / Googleplay



Anyone else see 10 Cloverfield Lane? Excited about a MST3K reunion show? Getting excited for Civil War? Surprised how well Deadpool is doing? What music moves you today? And who’s ready for the Great Theme Reveal next week?

Don’t forget to visit the A to Z Blog and my theme tips!

Monday, January 25, 2016

The A to Z Challenge List Opens! Plus David Powers King and Zombies, RiffTrax, Baroness-Purple Review, New Book Releases, and Ninja News

A lot happening today, including sign-ups for the 2016 A to Z Challenge!

But first, David Powers King is here to talk zombies with you.

The Wild and Varied World of Zombies

Thanks for having me, Alex! I think something needs to be said about what has become of the zombie state of things. There’s so many different kinds of ghouls nowadays that it’s hard to keep track of them all. I mean, the mindless monsters got their start with voodoo magic, but the people under that spell weren’t actually dead. Still, the idea spawned into a new kind of creature when George Romero combined the voodoo zombie with vampires in Night of the Living Dead.

Since then, we’ve had all kind of interesting freaks! Resident Evil brought us mutating zombies, 28 Days Later brought us the Rage zombie, and The Last of Us gave us fungal, bat-like zombies (no wings, though—maybe it’s time to give zombies their wings!). Thanks to The Walking Dead, zombies are now more mainstream than ever, and it’s picking up new fans. What kind of zombie have I produced in The Undead Road? You’re invited to learn more about Vectors on Amazon, where you can find the ebook free on KindleUnlimited. It’s also available now as a paperback!

Thanks again for having me, Alex. Be safe out there, my friends!


The Undead Road: My Zombie Summer: Part One by David Powers King
Nothing brings the family together like a zombie apocalypse…
Find The Undead Road: Amazon, Amazon CA, Amazon UK, and Amazon AU

RiffTrax!

RiffTrax is rebroadcasting one of its films from last year, The Room, this Thursday night! Check the site for details and for a theater near you.
It’s supposed to be one of the worst films ever, and since I missed this one last year, I’m looking forward to seeing the guys destroy it with snarky humor.

Album Review

Baroness – Purple
This album came out in 2015. This band had fallen off the radar for me until I read an article about a bus accident…
The tour bus was between two English towns when it left the road and fell thirty feet. Two of the members fractured their vertebrae and were forced to leave the band.
The lead singer used his lengthy rehab time to rededicate himself to this album, and the results are amazing.
They’ve compacted their work – it’s less prog and more just great rock songs. The sound is stripped down, and every song is accessible and catchy as hell. I can’t pick a favorite because it changes from listen to listen.
One of the best rock albums I’ve heard in a long time. Highly recommended!

The Thing That Turned Me Anthology

Due out later this year, this anthology is about turning points and those things in life that motivate us to change. You can find a list of contributing authors at Stay Classy Publishing.

And yes! I am one of the contributing authors. I decided to go back, before CassaStar, and write about a turning point in Byron’s early life. So, if you enjoyed my Cassa series, you’ll get a chance to revisit…


Ninja News

C. Hope Clark, founder of the site Funds For Writers, is visiting the Insecure Writer’s Support Group today!
If you haven’t already (or you are already part of the monthly blog posting), don’t forget to sign up for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group’s newsletter! Our new admin, Chrys Fey, has some amazing guests and articles lined up for the first issue, due out February 24. Sign up HERE.

Don’t forget - the Lost and Found: Valentine’s Edition Blogfest takes place February 1. For details and to sign up, go HERE.

TF Walsh and a few other others put together a group called Romance Addicts Anonymous. If you are a lover of the romance genre, an author needing a place to share your work, or a reader looking for a new read, go HERE for details on this Facebook/Twitter/ Instagram group.

Sarah Foster is hosting the Muse Party Blogfest – Anti-Valentine’s Day Edition on February 15. Visit her POST for details.

New Releases:

The Galactic Outlaws Book One: The Outlaw's Prize by Susan (Gourley) Kelley
Find it at New Concepts Publishing

A Whale of a Tale by Pat Hatt
Find it at Amazon

The Morrigan’s Curse by Dianne Salerni
Comes out Tuesday, January 26!

A to Z List opens!

Welcome to the seventh annual A to Z Blogging Challenge!

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 4 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.

The A to Z Challenge is a great way to get into the blogging habit and make new friends. For more details and its history, go HERE

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.

Blogs must be on an open platform – no Tumblr, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. – and comments enabled. Please make it easy for visitors to comment on your blog.

To streamline legitimate blogs from advertisement blogs, the Co-Hosts will be visiting each blog on this list throughout the Challenge. Once the Challenge begins, blogs showing no activity or those that miss five days in a row will be removed.

Please note your blog name and number in all correspondences. Remember that as blogs are removed, your number WILL change.

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. See the first few blogs on the list for examples. However, if your blog has adult content, you MUST mark it (AC) or it will be removed from the list. Codes are as follows:

ANIMALS: (AN)
BOOKS/REVIEWS: (BO)
CRAFTS/ART: (CT)
CULINARY: (CU)
EDUCATION/SCIENCE: (ES)
ENTERTAINMENT: (ET)
GAMING: (GA)
HISTORY/MYTHOLOGY: (HM)
HUMOR: (HU)
LIFESTYLE/SOCIAL: (LS )
PERSONAL: (PR)
PHOTOGRAPHY: (PH)
POETRY: (PO)
TRAVEL: (TR)
WRITING/STORYTELLING/MEMOIR: (WR)
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
Heather M. Gardner
Jeremy @ Hollywood Nuts
AJ Lauer
Pam @ An Unconventional Librarian
Damyanti Biswas @ Daily Write
Zalka Csenge Virág @ The Multicolored Diary
Joy Campbell @ The Character Depot
John Holton @The Sound of One Hand Typing

We also have a Facebook Page and Pinterest Site
Email address is contactatozteam@gmail.com
Twitter hashtag is #AtoZChallenge and Twitter id is @AprilA2Z

I’d also like to announce my awesome Ninja Minions - Rhonda Albom, Nicola Burggraf, Nilanjana Bose, Susan Gourley, Mason Canyon, Stephanie Faris, Yolanda Renee, Ann Bennett, Patricia Lynne, Donna McDine, JA Scott, and Melanie Schultz. Thanks, you guys rock!

Sign up below and join us for a month of alphabet fun!
(When you sign up, you agree to receive A to Z related emails.)



Who’s ready to hit the Undead Road? Willing to give Baroness a try? Signed up for the IWSG newsletter? Ready for next Monday’s blogfest? Picking up some new books? And are you joining us for the 2016 A to Z Challenge…?
Next week, I have some great guests, plus reviews for a couple cool television shows. (Sorry, too late Sunday night to write a review on the new X-Files mini-series. Way past my bedtime!) And don’t forget, next Wednesday is IWSG post day.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Cloaked in Fur and Anthropies, CassaStorm Updates, and Ninja News

Some awesome Cassan news and updates today!



But first, I have an awesome guest - TF Walsh.


Alex, thanks for having me on your blog today.

Therianthropy is the ability, or curse, that allows humans to transform into animals. There are many examples of it throughout mythology and folklore and it has become the basis of more and more popular culture. Lycanthropy relates specifically to werewolves and is the most common example, particularly in European cultures, which is why I chose to write about it. But if people were given the choice of an animal they could transform into, would wolves be the most common response. Of the myriad of animals, birds, fish and other beasts inhabiting the planet, it would seem that wolves might not be the most popular, if given a choice that is, considering there was such a choice.

If I had to choose, it would be difficult decision. A swan maiden is another mythological form of Therianthropy and would give me a chance to fly. Selkies are seal-type creatures when in water and human when on land, so I could swim effortlessly through the ocean. But if I had to be honest I think I would chose Ailuranthropy, the ability to turn into a cat. And not one of the great cats, but a simple house cat. Especially when I see how many people love their cats, and how well cats are treated. I would love nothing more than sleeping all day in a warm sunshine. Snuggling up to someone when it gets colder and leaping around the house as if I own it. And not to mention being able to understand just what my cat thinks of me.

Which animal would you choose to shift into if you had the ability?

As a moonwulf, Daciana never expected to fall in love with a human. Hell, she never imagined that she’d abandon her pack, endanger everyone around her, and break the worst rule possible. But she did.

Buy Cloaked in Fur Here: Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes and Noble, iBookstore, and Crimson Romance.

T.F. Walsh emigrated from Romania to Australia at the age of eight and now lives in a regional city south of Sydney with her husband. Growing up hearing dark fairytales, she's always had a passion for reading and writing horror, paranormal romance, urban fantasy and young adult stories. She balances all the dark with light fluffy stuff like baking and traveling.
Find her - Website-Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Goodreads, and Amazon.


Ninja News

Brandon Ax is hosting a giveaway in celebration of his latest book, Ashes.

Cherie Colyer’s latest is out – Hold Tight. You can find it anywhere online and add it to Goodreads The first book in the series, Embrace, is now ninety-nine cents for a limited time. Congratulations, Cherie!

Pat Hatt’s latest book is out, Catality - Saving Your Reality.
This is book number eighteen – congratulations, Pat.
To you and your rhyming cat!

Hart Johnson is celebrating the release of the first installment of A Shot in the Light by hosting a blogfest. On September 5, post about her book and your answer to The World Ends HOW!? See her site for details.

Melissa Maygrove is hosting a blogfest September 23-27. Follow Fest is about writers making connections with other writers on other social platforms besides blogging. See her site for details.

Summer Ross is hosting the In Your Pants Blogfest on September 2. Yes, you read that correctly! Visit her site for details.

CassaStorm Updates and News


First, I am happy to say the CassaStorm tour is full – and then some! I have a great mix of guest posts, articles, giveaways, and reviews set, and the lineup of hosts is awesome, including a couple big sites I never thought would host me. (And I’m quite honored to be appearing there!)


September
9 - The Non-Review
11 - The Unicorn Bell
15 - Anne R Allen’s Blog
16 – Literary Rambles
17 – Edi’s Book Lighthouse
18 - Mithril Wisdom
19 - Lynda Young
20 - Tossing It Out
23 - Under the Tiki Hut
27 – Cruising Altitude 2.0
30 - Write Now

October
4 - MsBookish
9 - The Writing Nut
11 - My First Book
14 - Untethered Realms
18 - Sia McKye Over Cofffe
21 - Stephen Tremp
28 - Sandra Ulbrich Almazan

November
4 - Donna Weaver
25 - Leave it to Livia

In addition, I am teaming up with author Lynn Rush for my first ever Twitter party on September 17 from 8-9:00 EST. Hashtag is #RUSHED and there will be chances to win prizes from both of us.

The week of my release, there will be an awesome prize package offered here for anyone who comments. And anyone who signs up to announce my book release that week (Taking the World by Storm) is eligible for this cool prize package: Cassa mug, Cassa mousepad, $25.00 iTunes gift card, and swag. You can sign up HERE. You have the option of just signing up or asking a unique question to go with your announcement post. (In addition to the questions, the information I send for the announcements will be different.)

Special thanks to my publisher who is doing a large campaign through trade magazines, libraries and bookstores, and science fiction cons.

And a big thanks to all of you for helping me launch one final book into the world!

Just to give you an idea how awesome this journey has been, I want to highlight Ellie Garratt’s winning entry into the Cheers Blogfest last December, because it covers some of the cool things that have happened these past few years:



Now, I need to make a video for you guys!! Mini-Alex can host…

Have you picked up Cloaked in Fur? What animal would you become? Picked up the other awesome books? Can you help Take the World by Storm? Can you believe it’s less than four weeks until my last book comes out?!

Dear Lord, help me survive this next month…

Monday, June 24, 2013

The Truth About Clones, World War Z Review, Thrill of it All Blogfest, and Movie Trivia Answers

Today I’d like to welcome fellow science fiction author, Sandra Ulbrich Almazan! Sandra knows her science and she’s here to share about clones. (Yes – clones!)

Are Clones Really Identical to the People They're Cloned From?

Clones, twins, and other types of doubles make for interesting fiction because they allow us to explore questions of identity. How much of what makes us unique is determined by our genes, and how much by our environment? One way to answer this question is by looking at people who have identical genes, whether they're natural twins or an "original" person (whom I'll refer to as the DNA donor) and the clone created from him or her. However, DNA donors and clones may differ from each other in unexpected ways.

Most of the DNA in each human cell is in the nucleus. Humans have twenty-two pairs of autosomal chromosomes (identical in form and genes) and one pair of sex-determining chromosomes. If you uncoiled the DNA in the chromosomes and laid them all end-to-end, the strand would stretch out for about six feet. It's a marvel of packaging that all this DNA fits into a space six micrometers (millionths of a meter) across. Surprisingly, most of this DNA isn't what we consider a gene: a stretch of DNA that codes for a protein or part of a protein. There are about 20,000 genes in the human genome, comparable to other animals. Many of the non-coding regions of DNA regulate how the genes are expressed.

When an organism is cloned, the nuclear DNA is copied and inserted into a receptive egg (one that had its own DNA removed). However, there is DNA outside the cell nucleus in special organelles called mitochondria. Mitochondria are involved in the final steps of breaking down food to produce energy. They are thought to be ancient bacteria that became incorporated into eukaryotic (cells with nuclei) cells. Mitochondria still have their own independent DNA, and this DNA does play a role in certain human metabolism diseases. However, mitochondria are not normally transferred from the DNA donor to the clone. I did specifically mention in Lyon's Legacy that when Sean Lyon, a famous TwenCen musician, was cloned, his mitochondria were introduced into the egg along with his DNA. However, not all of the mitochondria from the egg were removed, so the clone will have both Sean's mitochondria and his mother's.

I mentioned earlier that there are many regions of DNA that regulate other parts, the genes. However, DNA can also be regulated by other means. In fact, there is a science called epigenetics that studies how gene expression can be changed by means other than changing the code in the DNA sequence. One way this can be done is by methyl (CH3, or a carbon atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms) tags attached to certain bases. Among other things, these tags can indicate which parent a person inherited a gene from and make it more or less active. This in turn may affect whether a person is diseased or healthy.

How does epigenetics affect a clone? For starters, if the methyl markers or other types of DNA modification are changed by the cloning process, the clone may fail to develop properly--or at all. But epigenetics aren't just inherited; they can change in response to the environment. I don't get into technical detail about epigenetics in Lyon's Legacy and Twinned Universes. However, I do point out that they are raised in very different environments, with the clone, Paul, growing up in a more stable home and with access to all the futuristic ideas about child rearing. How is he similar to his DNA donor, and how does he differ? You'll have to read Lyon's Legacy and Twinned Universes to find out.

Thanks to Alex for having me here today, and thanks to his Ninja Army for reading this. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Find Sandra HERE and purchase Twinned Universe at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords.


Ninja News

TF Walsh just signed with agent Gina Panettieri of Talcott Notch Literary. Congratulations, TF!

Tyrean Martinson’s Dragonfold and Other Adventures is now available in paperback. Congratulations, Tyrean!

Thrill of it All Blogfest

Hosted by the awesome Tara Tyler and Heather Gardner.

The ladies are looking for a thrill.

And what could be more thrilling than Mini-Alex’s first concert?

It was his big moment. His first live performance of Rush’s YYZ.

Would his fingers cooperate? Would he hit all the correct strings? Frantic and in the zone, he tore through the riff.

Score!!!! He nailed it.

And the crowd went wild…


Trivia Answers

And the directors are…

1 – The Untouchables 1987 – Brian DePalma
2 – Groundhog Day 1993 – Harold Ramis
3 – The Usual Suspects 1995 – Bryan Singer
4 – Hugo 2011 – Martin Scorsese
5 – The 13th Warrior 1999 – John McTiernan
6 – Rango 2011 – Gore Verbinksi

Movie Review

World War Z
This is a different take on the zombie genre but not completely unfamiliar.
There are some genuine chilling moments. The set pieces and action sequences were really well done, especially Jerusalem.
Brad Pitt was good. He really cared about his family and we were invested in the story.
It’s PG-13 for a reason – it’s a bloodless affair. For a zombie movie, that was an odd choice. The Walking Dead is ten times gorier.
The ending was a bit of a head scratcher. I thought they said that no matter what, he was… Sorry, don’t want to give away the ending.
Half the time, people seemed to be dying because Brad Pitt was there. (Mental note – during a real zombie apocalypse, stay away from Brad Pitt.)
My final beef – the trailer revealed too much, including all of the money shots.
Lest you think I’m bashing this film, I must say that overall it was very effective and entertaining. It’s less a zombie film and more of an action-drama. It won’t break any new ground in the zombie genre but you will be entertained for two hours.

Did you learn something new about clones today? What is the big thrill in your life? Get the trivia correct? And who else saw World War Z?