A to Z Challenge – F – Cult Classics. And Dragon of the Stars is Available Today!!!

Today’s tour stop for Dragon of the Stars (which releases today!) is Edi’s Book Lighthouse - An Unusual Science Fiction Theme – The Power of Love

A to Z Challenge – Cult Classics – F

Movies-Music-Sci-fi Book-Bloggers-Dragon Term

Movies –

The Final Countdown
This alternate history film was met with moderate success upon its release and has since gained cult status. Released in 1980, it starred Kirk Douglas and Martin Sheen.

Flash Gordon
This cheesy British film, directed by Dino De Laurentis (no surprise!), featured a soundtrack entirely by Queen. It was a box office success in the UK and has gained popularity over the years.

Music –

Faith No More – Angel Dust
The Real Thing placed them on everyone’s radar, but this follow-up album in 1992 proved even more solid and became their biggest seller.

Foo Fighters - The Colour and the Shape
Their best-selling album, this was their first as an official group. Released in 1997, it featured some of their biggest hits, including My Hero, Monkey Wrench, and Everlong.

Science Fiction Books –

Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury
One of his most successful books, it was adapted into film several times and won multiple awards, including one of the only ‘Retro Hugo Awards.’

Frankenstein – Mary Shelley
One of the greatest novels ever, it is regarded as the first true science fiction book and has spawned numerous films and inspired tales of horror.

From the Earth to the Moon – Jules Verne
Written shortly after the end of the Civil War, the calculations in this classic novel are surprisingly close to reality. It also inspired the first science fiction film, A Trip to the Moon.

Blogger –

Farawayeyes
Want the viewpoint of someone well-travelled? Someone who is deep and genuine? Someone who takes the Battle of the Bands seriously? Then Faraway is your girl!

Dragon of the Stars Term –

Frent –
It’s the measure of distance for the Hyrathians. Far greater than miles or meters, it reflects their ability to traverse the universe at a speed far greater than we can imagine.

Dragon of the Stars is out Today!!!

Dragon of the Stars by Alex J. Cavanaugh

Science Fiction – Space Opera/Adventure/Military

Print ISBN 9781939844064 EBook ISBN 9781939844057

Dancing Lemur Press LLC

What Are the Kargrandes?

The ship of legends…

The future is set for Lt. Commander Aden Pendar, son of a Hyrathian Duke. Poised to secure his own command and marriage to the queen’s daughter, he’ll stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

But when the Alliance denies Hyrath’s claim on the planet of Kavil and declares war on their world, Aden finds his plans in disarray. Entrenched in battle and told he won’t make captain, Aden’s world begins to collapse. How will he salvage his career and future during Hyrath’s darkest hour?

One chance remains–the Dragon. Lost many years prior, the legendary ship’s unique weapon is Hyrath’s only hope. Can Aden find the Dragon, save his people, and prove he’s capable of commanding his own ship?

Purchase:
Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, Kobo, iTunes, Amazon print, Overdrive, Amazon UK, Chapters, and add at Goodreads

And to celebrate the release, there is a scavenger hunt! And it’s all about the Mini-Alex.

At the blogs listed below is a unique photo of Mini-Alex. Leave a comment at every one you visit and state – where is Mini-Alex? Make a guess, any kind of guess! The one who guesses at the most sites wins. (In the event of a tie, it will be a random drawing.)

Winner receives–autographed copy of Dragon of the Stars, bookmarks and swag, and $20.00 in iTunes gift cards.

You have until Saturday, April 11 to comment. Winner announced here on April 13.

Now, what are you waiting for? The hunt is on!!!! (And all links go directly to the post.)

Melissa Maygrove * Eva Solar * Father Dragon Al * Suzanne Furness * Karen Walker * Dianne Salerni * Christine Rains * Nick Wilford * EE Giorgi * Murees Dupe * L Diane Wolfe * Helena * Tyrean Martinson * Robin * Heather Gardner * Jo * Lynda Young * SL Hennessy * Toi Thomas * Lori MacLaughlin * Jess at Author Tracker, * Truedessa, * Annalisa Crawford, * Patricia Lynne, * Lisa at Flash Fiction, * Julie Flanders, * Julie Kemp Pick, * Nicki Elson, * Mark Koopmans, * Sydney Aaliyah!

Seen either of the films? Like the bands? Read the books? Following the awesome Faraway Eyes? Eager to pick up Dragon of the Stars and finally figure out who are the Kargrandes? Now – Scavenger Hunt time! Go find all of the Mini-Alexes… (You know you want to!)

Most important, don’t forget to visit Edi’s Book Lighthouse! 

The Final Countdown...

And no, I don’t mean that crappy 80’s song by Europe! The 80’s science fiction movie would be all right though.
Actually, it’s more like the countdown to Alex’s meltdown…

But I have a really cool surprise for you guys!!!

First, thanks to everyone who visited Ray Gun Revival for my interview this week. It didn’t go up until almost noon, so check it out if you missed it. Many thanks to author Bryan Thomas Schmidt for interviewing me and reviewing CassaFire!

Next, HUGE thanks to Jeremy at Retro-Zombie for the cool CassaFire banners! One at the top and there’s another at the bottom of my blog. If you need any stylish artwork, Jeremy is your dude. You can also win a Zombie Pencil Holder from Jeremy! Visit his SITE for details.

Lee has put out the call – a thousand participants signed up for the A to Z Challenge by March 1! If you haven’t signed up yet, you do NOT want to miss the biggest blog event of the year. Details and sign up HERE

Don’t forget February 28 is the Catch Fire! Blog Party! I sent out information earlier this week, so if you signed up but didn’t receive an email, let me know. There’s still time to sign up for a chance to win one of five copies of CassaFire:

Now, the surprise!

Next week kicks off my two-week/ten stops blog tour for CassaFire. I have some awesome guest stops planned, some with giveaways as well. But the party won’t go dark here! During those ten days, in addition to telling you where to find the Ninja that day, there will be:

Daily Ninja News
Pop Culture Trivia
Random Ninja Facts

And…

For everyone who comments here during my two-week tour, you will be entered to win this cool prize package from my publisher:

Is that not awesome? I want a CassaFire tote bag and mug! Not that I drink coffee. Or tea. But I do like hot chocolate.

So there you have it! Ready for two weeks of Ninja partying? Ready to test your pop culture knowledge? Ready to place bets as to whether I sleep or not next week? Ready to watch the meltdown…? (Cleanup on aisle three!) 

*And as a side note, I'm sick! I get sick once every five years and today I came home feeling like crap. Was supposed to do a book festival on Saturday, but doubt that will happen now. Better feel goo by Tuesday!

Great Science Fiction Movies You May Have Missed

Some science fiction movies that may have slipped under your radar...


A dystopian look at the future…

Equilibrium 2002

Staring Christian Bale, Sean Bean, William Fichtner, Emily Watson, Taye Diggs

In a futuristic world, a strict regime has eliminated war by suppressing emotions: books, art and music are strictly forbidden and feeling is a crime punishable by death. Cleric John Preston (Bale) is a top ranking government agent responsible for destroying those who resist the rules. When he misses a dose of Prozium, a mind-altering drug that hinders emotion, Preston, who has been trained to enforce the strict laws of the new regime, suddenly becomes the only person capable of overthrowing it.

Time travel and an aircraft carrier - what more could you want?

The Final Countdown 1980

Staring Kirk Douglas, Martin Sheen, Charles Durning

The USS Nimitz, a modern-day nuclear aircraft carrier, is drawn through a time warp from 1980 to a couple days before the Japanese assault on Pearl Harbor, and the crew must decide whether to launch a preemptive strike against the incoming Japanese carrier fleet with their more advanced air wing, or allow history to take its course, which might not happen since they had rescued Senator Chapman, who disappeared shortly before the attack, from his death.

Space man + Vikings + space creature = great time!

Outlander 2008

Staring Jim Caviezel, John Hurt, Ron Perlman

During the reign of the Vikings, Kainan, a man from a far-off world, crash lands on Earth, bringing with him an alien predator known as the Moorwen. Though both man and monster are seeking revenge for violence committed against them, Kainan leads the alliance to kill the Moorwen by fusing his advanced technology with the Viking's Iron Age weaponry.

One of Cronenberg’s earliest and best.

Scanners 1981

Staring Michael Ironside, Patrick McGoohan

There are 4 billion people on earth. 237 are Scanners. They have the most terrifying powers ever created... and they are winning.
Darryl Revok is the most powerful of all the scanners, and is the head of the underground scanner movement for world domination. Scanners have great psychic power, strong enough to control minds; they can inflict enormous pain/damage on their victims. Doctor Paul Ruth finds a scanner that Revok hasn't, and converts him to their cause - to destroy the underground movement.

Bizarre mind trip of suspense…

Cube 1997

Staring David Hewlett, Nicole de Boer

Six total strangers awaken one day to find themselves alone in a cubical maze. Once they meet, they work together using their given skills and talents to survive the deadly traps which guard many of the colored cubic rooms. Using Leaven's mathematical skills, they press forward, upward, and downward through the hatches to try and find the outer shell.

Alex Proyas’s intricate and incredible masterpiece.

Dark City 1998

Staring Rufus Sewell, Jennifer Connelly, John Hurt, Kiefer Sutherland

John's life has become a nightmare. He is hunted by the police for a series of murders he knows nothing about, a woman who claims to be his wife is after him, and so is a mysterious "doctor". But his worst trouble is the strangers, a series of vastly powerful beings who seem to manipulate just about everything in the city, and want him because of the extraordinary powers he manifested. John decides to find out what is happening in his city; why is it always night? And why can nobody tell him a way to leave the city?

Science fiction writing at its very best!

The Lost Room 2006 mini-series

Staring Peter Krause, Julianna Margulies, Kevin Pollack

A Policeman uncovers a key while working on a murder case. The key can open every door and take him into a motel room, but if you leave there something that doesn't belong to you- it will be gone as soon as the room "restarts"... He discovers that there are objects hidden in whole the world. They don't look special, but they have special powers. When his daughter is kidnapped and he is framed for killing his partner, he must find a way to bring her back from the room, while working with different groups and men searching for all the objects. But who can he really trust when everybody goes crazy once touching the objects...

And in case you missed this outstanding Terry Gilliam flick – funny, quirky, strange, and with little people!

Time Bandits 1981

Staring John Cleese, Sean Connery, Shelly Duvall, Ian Holm, David Rappaport, David Warner

A young boy's wardrobe contains a time hole. Through this hole an assortment of short people (i.e. dwarfs) come while escaping from their master, the supreme being. They take Kevin with them on their adventures through time from Napoleonic times to the Middle Ages to the early 1900s, to the time of Legends and the Fortress of Ultimate Darkness where they confront Evil.


What else would you select? What outstanding science fiction film has not been seen by the masses or enjoyed a decent box office take?