Short Stories Make Awesome Movies, 1899 Review, Best Movies and Albums of 2022, and New Releases

Today I am kicking it off with a special guest and longtime friend, author Annalisa Crawford!

Short Stories Make Awesome Movies

If you’re hanging around Alex’s blog, there’s a good chance you love movies. And, as you probably already know, the best literary adaptations come from short stories rather than novels!
Why? Well, there’s just too much stuff in a novel – just compare Keira Knightley’s Pride & Prejudice with the 1995 BBC adaptation of ultimate perfection, and you get my drift.

(Note: when researching for this I realised ‘short story’ can be a very loose term, occasionally used for stories up to 50,000 words long—I have no idea what people are thinking, because my most recent novel was only a little longer than that!!)

Personally, I think there are at least two stories in my new short story collection, The Clocks in My Mother’s House that would make great films, in the very best of gritty British film tradition (Ken Loach, call me!), so to celebrate the launch, I thought I’d share some short stories which have already been there and done that.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Birds by Daphne du Maurier
The Sentinel by Arthur C. Clark (2001: A Space Odessey)
Memento Mori by Jonathan Nolan (inspired his brother’s Memento)
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (so many films, but obviously A Muppets Christmas Carol is the best)
What are your favourite short story inspired movies?

The Clock in My Mother’s House
(Pub date: 10 January 2023 – tomorrow, eek!)

Life can change in an instant, but that’s not always a bad thing.

A hotel explodes leaving staff and guests in peril; a woman retrieves an old clock from the attic with disturbing consequences; one man leaves heart break behind him, and another arrives to bring adventure.

In this haunting collection, Annalisa Crawford creates characters who will charm, captivate and intrigue you.

Buy The Clock in My Mother’s House here.
Annalisa Crawford lives in Cornwall, UK, with a good supply of moorland and beaches to keep her inspired. She lives with her husband, and canine writing partner, Artoo. She is the author of four short story collections, and two novels.
Find Annalisa at her website, Facebook, and Twitter

New Releases

25 Impossible Tales of Survivors, Flawed Heroes, and Annoyed Villains: A Science Fiction and Fantasy Collection by Tyrean Martinson
No matter how hard circumstances are, there is hope for survival, even if it means making one simple choice in the right direction or standing up in the face of impossible odds.
But the question remains: What is the right direction and which way is up?
Find it at Amazon and Smashwords

The Blue Bar by Damyanti Biswas
A serial killer. A missing dancer. A Mumbai inspector on their trail.
Cold-case murders in Mumbai are unearthing decades of dark secrets.
Dead or alive, he must find her. He can’t put the past to rest until he solves it.

And she will be a guest here in just two weeks to tell you more about her second release!

1899 Review

A ship encounters a ship that's been missing for four months and strange things begin to happen.
Ramps the weirdness to eleven.
They do a great job slowly unveiling the mystery.
It’s a very complex cast of characters and the actors portray them with believability.
It’s a quality production – the ship, scenery, everything looks amazing.
Unfortunately, I can’t say much because then it would get into spoiler territory and ruin the experience for everyone.
And sadly, this was to be three seasons, but Netflix has cancelled this popular show. However, do not let that deter you from watching it – there is some resolution.
Highly recommended!

Top 2022 Movies and Albums

In two weeks I’ll cover the best shows, but for now, here are the best movies and albums this past year.

Top 2022 Albums (Taking into account my taste in music, which leans toward prog rock and Scandinavian metal.)

Wilderun – Epigone -Best album of the year. It encompasses everything I love about music.

Megadeth – The Sick, the Dying, and the Dead – Another solid effort from Dave and a bit heavier than recent albums.

Muse – Will of the People – One of the most varied and entertaining albums of the year. There is something for everyone.

Dynazty – Final Advent – Almost every song is an earworm. It’s a metal album with pop sensibilities.

Star One – Revel in Time – Super fun album. Really corny and cool at the same time.

Devin Townsend – Lightwork – Coming after Empath, this is a more restrained effort. It’s mellow and relaxing.

Threshold – Dividing Lines – After many, many albums these guys are still putting out great music. A solid album.

Visions of Atlantis – Pirates – My vote for most surprising album of the year. Very catchy and entertaining all the way through.

Amorphis – Halo – Great at times although it falls just short of their previous, brilliant effort.

Top 2022 movies

The Batman – My favorite film of the year. It’s not a Bruce Wayne film – it’s a Batman movie wrapped around a mystery and totally brilliant.

Avatar: The Way of Water – My second favorite. (I must have a thing for three hour movies.) Fans of the first will adore this one, and it's breathtaking in 3D.

Black Adam – Really solid DC film. It was great to see the Justice Society on the big screen.

Prey – Another favorite and the surprise of the year. The concept and setting are stellar.

Minions: The Rise of Gru – Super entertaining and fun film. It’s what you’d expect although they keep it fresh.

The Northman – When art house film meets violent action movie, it’s very entertaining. Plus the cinematography is amazing.

The Adam Project – One of the better direct to NetFlix films. Reynolds plays Reynolds but it’s a fun science fiction romp.

Spiderhead – Another direct to streaming. The story was intriguing and the leads did a great job.

What are your favorite short stories to movies? Did you watch 1899? What were your favorite movies and albums of 2022? Don’t forget #IWSGPit is January 25.
I will be back in two weeks with Damyanti Biswas, some more reviews, and the bets shows of 2022!

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, October Movie Releases, Romulan Ale, Friends to the End, and New Books

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

My awesome co-hosts for the October 6 posting of the IWSG are Jemima Pett, J Lenni Dorner, Cathrina Constantine, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, and Mary Aalgaard!

Today’s question: In your writing, where do you draw the line, with either topics or language?

I’ve two guests today, so I’ll keep it brief. I won’t write something I’d be afraid to show my pastor.

Romulan Ale and Beverages in Science Fiction

If you enjoy science fiction movies and books, you might have noticed a tendency for writers to give a unique twist to beverages and food. Romulan ale, the famed blue alcoholic beverage from the Star Trek universe was first introduced in the original Star Trek II: Wrath of Kahn.

"Romulan ale? Why Bones, you know this is illegal."
"I only use it for medicinal purposes."
– James T. Kirk and Leonard McCoy, 2285 (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)

In the prime/first reality of the Star Trek universe, Romulan ale was illegal because of a trade embargo. Later in that universe, the embargo is lifted at the Romulan-Federation Alliance during the Dominion war, and the drink is brought out as part of the celebration. It turns out most officers sampled it before it was ever legalized (wink, wink).

In the new, alternate reality of Star Trek Beyond, Romulan ale isn’t illegal and is enjoyed by Montgomery Scott at James T. Kirk’s birthday party.

Romulan ale is a perfect example of creating authentic world-building from the embargo to the illegal sampling to the use of it in the alternative universe.

In The Rayatana Series, “awak” is like a mixture of coffee and tea with similar properties. I created awak as a YA-friendly homage to all the other science fiction beverages out there in the books and movies I love.


Nexus: The Rayatana Book 2 by Tyrean Martinson
Young Adult - Science Fiction/Adventure/Sweet Romance
Amaya is supposed to bring peace to the galaxy. Which is tough when she’s being held for crimes against the Neutral Zone. Her imprisonment is on her own ship with her own crew. But close quarters create tension.
Honestly, her role as Rayatana is a mess.
She may never get to use her powers for anything good. Not if her teacher continues to keep secrets, and not if her powers keep harming others. Putting her mother in a coma should put her in prison, but she has a mission. She wants to bring peace to her people. She needs to become the Rayatana.
Book Links: Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon AU, Amazon CA, Smashwords, iTunes, Kobo, Goodreads, and BookBub

Friends to the End

What better way to enter October than with a ghost story?

The fictional town in Friends to the End is loosely based on stories I’d heard as a teenager. Tucked between the homes of what would otherwise be a peaceful rural road is the second most haunted cemetery in Illinois. I passed this road everyday as the bus took me to school. I’d heard the stories of apparitions floating above graves or walking down the road. And I drew inspiration from them to weave together a chilling adventure I hope will entertain children and adults alike.

Friends to the End by CL Colver (website - blog)
Middle-grade, Ghosts, Action-Adventure
Zach doesn’t believe in ghosts…but he should.
Twelve-year-old Zach is convinced he'll never be happy without his best friend Jeremy by his side. But both of their lives changed with a bang five months ago, and as far as Zach's concerned, it's his fault Jeremy will never see his twelfth birthday.
When Zach moves with his family to a Chicago suburb, he quickly becomes friends with a group of thrill-seeking kids trying to find a disappearing haunted house. But Zach's not worried. He doesn't believe in ghosts, so he follows them into a wild, dangerous encounter that becomes a battle to decide what's real and what's not.
Buy links: Universal Buy Link, Amzon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, Goodreads

New Books

Criminal Intent by Patsy Collins
Criminals, victims and those wrongly suspected all have a story to tell. This book contains 24 of them.
Find it on Amazon

Snowflakes and Shivers by Jemima Pett
Available October 7
Fantastic beasts leave their footprints in the snow; Christmas tree fairies reflect on their lives; snowflakes discover their destiny; raccoons save Father Christmas, and some randy space cadets have the Christmas of their dreams.
Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Scribed, and Smashwords

October Movie Preview

Here are the upcoming theatrical releases for October. As always, descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

1 –

Venom: Let There be Carnage
Tom Hardy returns to the big screen as the lethal protector Venom, one of MARVEL's greatest and most complex characters.
Director: Andy Serkis
Stars: Tom Hardy, Woody Harrelson, Stephen Graham, Michelle Williams
Because there were so many pesky, unanswered questions from the first one…

8 –

No Time to Die
James Bond has left active service. His peace is short-lived when Felix Leiter, an old friend from the CIA, turns up asking for help, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.
Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Stars: Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux
2:30 on a Tuesday might be a good time to die…

22 –

Dune
Feature adaptation of Frank Herbert's science fiction novel, about the son of a noble family entrusted with the protection of the most valuable asset and most vital element in the galaxy.
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Stars: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac
No Lynch Weirdness? No overacting by Sting? I’m in!

26 –

RiffTrax Live – Amityville 4: The Evil Escapes
Visit RiffTrax for theater listings and tickets.
What’s scarier than an Amityville sequel? One that was made for television…

Where do you draw the line in writing? Would you try Romulan ale? An ghostly legends where you grew up? And what movie catches your fancy this month?

Be back on October 18 with movie reviews and more!

Science Fiction Tropes, Movie Inspirations, Top Christmas Horror Films, and Armored Saint: Punching the Sky Review

SciFi Trope: Space Travel is Easy

Sci-fi tropes can help us get to the heart of the story by sweeping issues like the difficulties of space travel under the rug. Unless a core element of a science fiction story is about space travel, it makes the most sense to deal in one of the trope methods.

Einstein-Rosen Bridges aka Wormholes aka Gates: According to various articles, this may be the most scientifically plausible scifi form of travel. Seen in: Stargate, The Expanse, Thor, Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Galaxy Quest, and Interstellar.

Closed Time/Space Bubble: Within a space bubble, the traveler can go anywhere on his or her own timeline. Most notably seen in Doctor Who with the TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension in Space). This is close to the wormhole idea.

Warp Technology/Bending Space: By contracting space in front of the ship and expanding it behind, the ship rides a wave forward. Seen primarily in: Star Trek. This idea of bending space also shows up in Dune.

Hypderdrive/hyperspace/lightspeed/traveling through sub-space: While not considered plausible, this space travel trope shows up in Star Wars, Valerian, and Halo. The Starbursts in Farscape could fit here, too.

Jumpdrives/Teleportation: This takes out the “travel” factor by teleporting space ships or people from one location to another. Seen notably in: Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek (Beam me up, Scotty!) and The Cassa Series by Alex J. Cavanaugh. (Thanks, Tyrean!)

What would be your space travel method of choice?

Liftoff: The Rayatana Series, Book 1
A spaceship in disguise,
An Earth girl searching for a sense of home,
And a Thousand Years’ War between alien races,
All collide on a summer afternoon.
Paperback ISBN: 978-0-9889933-8-9
Ebook ISBN: 978-0-9889933-9-6
Publisher: Wings of Light Publishing, Gig Harbor, WA, USA
LINKS: Amazon, Kobo, Smashwords, Goodreads

About the Author: Tyrean Martinson is an author and teacher from Washington State. As a former fencer and kickboxer, she enjoys writing fight scenes in fast-paced novels and novellas. As a teacher and writing tutor, she loves to get students writing and reading comfortably by any means: talk-to-text, short writing assignments, short stories, novellas, and adventures. She wrote her latest novella, Liftoff, for herself during COVID, but realized it also fits a dream she’s had for a while: to create a short, fast-paced read for teen/YA readers who love popcorn movies, adventure, and sweet romance.
Author Links: Blog, Newsletter, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook

Elle Cardy’s Movie Inspirations

With the release of Well of Ash, a YA fantasy novella, Alex invited me to share my inspiration for the story in movies.

The Princess Bride: My favorite film of all time. It’s full of adventure, excitement, and bravery. And it still has time for a little romance.

The Dark Crystal: Another favorite. A dark power across the land, brave souls overcoming difficult odds, a gorgeous setting. A mystery to unfold, and plenty of adventure.

The NeverEnding Story: A happy, helpful dragon.

The Game of Thrones: Magnificent dragons as companions to a powerful woman. I like the concept.

Well of Ash: No one knows who built the Great Wells across the world or why. To linger near makes the skin crawl and the mind drift in nightmares. Yet this one calls to Ash in whispers that pull her closer. Soon she’s caught in a mystery that can kill. She must find the answers before she loses her sanity, or worse, her life.

If you like dragons, magic, and a fierce heroine with a mystery to unfold, then you’ll love Well of Ash, a YA Fantasy novella by Elle Cardy. Available now as an eBook and paperback on Amazon. OR, for a limited time, pick up a free copy when you join Elle’s VIP newsletter club.

Elle Cardy’s hang-outs: website, Instagram, Twitter, Goodreads

Top Ten Christmas Horror Movies

The holidays and horror aren’t as far apart as you might think. And some of the best horror films have been Christmas-related. These often play on underlying family issues and stresses, with the jovial feel of the season counterbalancing the horrors on the screen.

10. Jack Frost (1996): Just saw this one for the first time last year, and it’s one psychotic ride. Unexpected and cheesy. While there’s humor in it, I wouldn’t put this in the same category as other horror-comedies mentioned.
9. A Christmas Horror Story (2015): Unlike the other films on this list, this one’s an anthology of shorter horror stories wrapped into an overarching story line. The Santa in this one is a bit different than the norm. Each of the stories is a slow burn, so sit back and enjoy.
8. Better Watch Out (2017): A terrifying home invasion turns out to be something completely different. While babysitting a young boy, the babysitter has to deal with a crush she doesn’t reciprocate while arguing with her boyfriend via text. Strange things start to happen, including noises upstairs in the house. It’s not Santa up there. Soon, a twist reveals itself.
7. Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984): An orphan who saw his parents murdered by a man dressed as Santa is required to play Santa at the toy store where he works, bringing back bad memories and trauma that spur him into a murderous spree. A classic that you should watch at least once, it has its cheesy moments, but all horror should have a little cheese.
6. Anna and the Apocalypse (2018): It’s a Christmas Zombie Musical, you guys. Funny, sometimes gory, with real heart behind it all, it’s a fun watch for the holidays.

5. Rare Exports (2010): This Finnish film involves a boy finding Santa’s tomb, only Santa isn’t the man you think he is. With bits of humor and plenty of horror, this one is all about finding the children going missing.
4. Scrooged (1988): Though not strictly horror, this is certainly a dark comedy. Bill Murray is the Scrooge in this situation, a television producer (I believe), who has a blackened heart of coal. The ghosts, including a hysterically psychotic Carol Kane, visit him and show him what will happen if he continues on in this way. Set against the backdrop of a ridiculous Christmas special with scantily clad dancers, an employee who’s been fired and loses it, and a lost love.
3. Gremlins (1984): Who doesn’t love Gremlins? A small town is beset by gremlins, who get into everything, wreaking havoc and mayhem. Phoebe Cates’ character delivering a dramatic monologue about her chimney is a top moment, but the pure ridiculousness of these creatures who kill with glee and sense of humor is not to be missed.
2. Krampus (2015): I saw this one in theaters, which was perfect. The film itself is tongue-in-cheek, while dealing out some real frights. A young boy struggling with his parents’ rocky marriage and the invasion of nasty relatives tears up his letter to Santa and makes a wish that comes true in the worst ways possible. The opening montage of a mall leading up to Christmas is crazy and sets the mood for the rest of the film.

1. Black Christmas (1974): This film features Margot Kidder and Olivia Hussey as students in a sorority. Kidder’s role was a lot of fun, with her being on the naughty list, while Hussey’s character is decidedly at the top of the nice list. A caller keeps calling to harass them, with the girls being picked off one-by-one. The caller’s voice and the things he says are maniacal and raised goosebumps the first time I saw it.

I hope you enjoy at least one Christmas horror film this year. While you’re at it, check out my holiday horror collection of short stories! Releasing November 20, it will be widely available online. You can pre-order the Kindle version now!

Find Happy Ghoulidays: A Collection of Holiday Horror Short Stories on Amazon
Find Shannon at her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon author page

Armored Saint – Punching the Sky Review

Armored Saint is one of those blue-collar bands that earned a rep for no nonsense straight up hard rock. They are a criminally underrated band that has been making music since 1982 (minus a six or so year split while lead singer John Bush joined Anthrax).
I became a fan in 1991 when they released ‘Symbol of Salvation” which earns a place in my catalog because it’s a beast. So many catchy tracks! I lost track of them for a time after they reformed in 1999, but I’m so glad I rediscovered them. These guys know how to write a great song. So, thirty-eight years since they formed (let that sink in for a moment) they have just released their eighth studio album and it does not disappoint.
This is not an old band just phoning it in, this feels fresh and crackles with great musical energy. “End of the Attention Span”, “Bubble”, “Do Wrong to None”, “Fly in the Ointment” and “Never You Fret” are killer tracks. Hats off to the band for their commitment to creating quality tunes that stick in your brain. These guys are passionate about their craft with great musicianship and quality production. Here’s to thirty-eight more years of rock from Armored Saint.

What’s your favorite way to travel through space? What movies have inspired you? Favorite Christmas horror films? Fan of Armored Saint?
To my American friends, have an awesome Thanksgiving. I will see you again on December 2 for the next Insecure Writer’s Support Group posting – last of 2020! (Feels good to say that, doesn’t it?)

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, IWSG Anthology Contest, Favorite Sci-Fi Songs with Scott Coon, and New Releases

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.


The awesome co-hosts today are Pat Garcia, J.Q. Rose, and Natalie Aguirre!

We need co-hosts!! July 1, August 5, and September 2. If you can help, leave a comment or send me an email. At the moment, we have no one scheduled.

Today’s question - Writers have secrets! What are one or two of yours, something readers would never know from your work?

Well, before all this virus stuff went down, I was already really good at two things – washing my hands and social distancing. I am a compulsive hand washer and I’ve been social distancing my whole life. (No touchie!)

Don’t forget the IWSG Anthology Contest is open!

Guidelines and rules:
Word count: 4500-6000
Genre: Science Fiction
Theme: Dark Matter
Submissions accepted: May 6 - September 2, 2020
How to enter: Send your polished, formatted (double-spaced, no footers or headers), previously unpublished story to admin @ insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please include your full contact details, your social links, and if you are part of the Blogging, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter IWSG group.
Judging: The IWSG admins will create a shortlist of the best stories. The shortlist will then be sent to our official judges.
Our judges: Dan Koboldt, Lynda R. Young, Colleen Oefelein, Damien Larkin, Ion Newcombe, Julie Gwinn, and David Powers King

Top Ten Sci-fi Songs by Scott Coon

I am Scott Coon, author of Lost Helix, a story about DJ and an encrypted file, and these are my top ten favorite sci-fi songs:

#10
Pets, Porno for Pyros
A simple but fun song that always reminds me of the 1973 film Fantastic Planet.

#9
Fire Coming Out of The Monkey's Head, Gorillaz
A quirky spooky sci-fi fantasy story told over quirky spooky music.

#8
No Missing Link, Dan Bern
Based on his singing, I'd say he feels very strongly about his theory on this.

#7
Sci-Fi Wasabi, Cibo Mato
The lyrics don't make sense to me, but they include a shout out to Obi-Wan Kenobi. What more can you ask for?

#6
Destroy Puny Earthlings, Famous Monsters
I want someone to create a 1950s style sci-fi movie around having this song playing over the climactic scene.

#5
Astro Zombies, Misfits
A melodic call for the extermination of the whole human race.

#4
Rapture, Blondie
Who doesn't love the man from mars who eats guitars, and sometime cars, or even bars?

#3
UFOs, Big Rigs, and BBQ, Mojo Nixon & The Toadliquors
It's punkabilly and it's the best song you'll ever hear about space truck drivers.

#2
Space Oddity, David Bowie
It's THE classic, ground control to Major Tom.

And My #1
Nothing but Flowers, Talking Heads
An ironic sci-fi vignette and my favorite sci-fi song. I strongly recommend hearing this, or at least reading the lyrics.

Scott Coon has been published in various magazines and has won accolades for his short stories. He served for six years in the U.S. Army as an Intelligence Analyst, including a tour in Kuwait where he received the Joint Service Achievement Award. Now a software developer for a major bank, Scott brings his computer and military experience into his work, along with a sense of spectacle. See his website for links to his published shorts and his papers on the art and business of writing. Scot Coon SciFi

LOST HELIX
When his dad goes missing, DJ finds a file containing evidence of a secret war of industrial sabotage, a file encrypted by his dad using DJ's song Lost Helix. Caught in a crossfire of lies, DJ must find his father and the mother he never knew.
Find it on Amazon Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and iTunes

New Releases!

Wielder’s Fire by Elle Cardy – Lynda R. Young

Wielder’s Fire is the thrilling conclusion to the sweeping Wielder’s Storm trilogy. Lose yourself in this epic fantasy adventure set on the high seas. 

I read the first book and it’s excellent! 

Find it on Amazon

Walking with Jesus: Stories from One Hope Church is an anthology of stories, poetry, and scripture, edited by Tyrean Martinson

Read to discover how ordinary lives become extraordinary in the light of God’s love.
Real people. Real dilemmas. Real Jesus. 

Find it on Amazon and Smashwords

Mateos Law by Sandra Cox

A modern day, shapeshifting sheriff.

Find it on Amazon

The Medusa Effect: A Tomorrow News Network Novella by J.S. Pailly
 
Litho is a peaceful, isolated colony world on the frontier of space. Nothing bad ever happens there. So when a reporter from the Tomorrow News Network shows up, nobody takes much notice. Nobody except a young colonist named Milo. 

Find it on Amazon



And big thanks to Tara Tyler for sending the cool swag!

What are some of your writer secrets? Entering the IWSG Anthology Contest? What are your favorite sci-fi songs? (I’d pick either My House on Mars by Ayreon or When Worlds Collide by Powerman 5000.) See some new books to pick up? And who can help co-host?
I'm on a blogging break this week - see you June 15.

Nightwish - HUMAN. :II: NATURE., Music Videos and News, Underwater Review, Movies, and New Releases

Music News

Nightwish – HUMAN. :II: NATURE. Review

Truth be told, I didn’t pick up the new Nightwish album. In my mind, they are so incredibly popular that I equated their popularity to selling out to the masses. I listened to a couple tracks and was still unimpressed, but my wife dug it and she decided it was worth a purchase. Since we had it, I decided to give it a spin to see if my misgivings were founded. What I realized is whether or not they have ‘sold out’ is a nonissue - this is a very entertaining album.

Every track is an ear worm in the best way possible and the songs that didn’t quite click for me the first time work so well in a complete album context. Floor Jansen’s vocals are amazing with incredible range, control, and variety. (She sings in an operatic style at the end of Shoemaker and it’s really impressive.) The music is always lively and shifting from moments of rock, symphonic and folk melodies.

I’m super glad that the missus picked this one up because this is a great album.

A new Ayreon album is in the works!
The title is TRANSITUS.
Due out later this year.
Their last album was The Source.
Looking forward to this one!

From Metal Injection:
Canned water company Liquid Death turned all their negative publicity into one death metal song in 2019. Now with the help of Gus Rios (Gruesome, ex-Malevolent Creation), Seth Ringer (Eternal), James Malone (Arsis), Torin Ridgeway, they've turned the hate into a full album.
Liquid Death’s Greatest Hates is a full 10-song album available now on Spotify, as well as 12" vinyl over at the Liquid Death website.
Songs include Fire Your Marketing Guy and Selling Your Soul is Deplorable!


Now, enjoy some more videos!

Devin Townsend has been putting out a lot more quarantine videos, which are both master musicianship and rather funny. He still gets super nervous playing in front of others or the camera, even after thirty years of doing so!

And another Katatonia video, one a little more upbeat than Lacquer: 

Movie Review

Underwater

From the IMDB: A crew of oceanic researchers working for a deep sea drilling company try to get to safety after a mysterious earthquake devastates their deepwater research and drilling facility located at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. 
Staring Kristen Stewart, Vincent Cassel, T.J. Miller, and Mamoudou Athie

This came out in January and despite the main two leads, received little fanfare. It’s derivative of a lot of movies (like DeepStar Six, Leviathan, The Sphere, etc.) but despite that, it works well and comes off as fresh.

Stewart has gone from a pouty teen (in almost every role she’s ever played) to a good adult actress. Her character is tough but not perfect – she doesn’t have all the answers and she’s just as scared as the others.

The effects are really good – very claustrophobic. (As is the whole vibe to the film.) And the creatures…like something out of a Lovecraft story.

Will it change your world? Heck no! But you will be entertained for ninety-five minutes, which is the perfect length for this film.

Recommended.

Book Releases

A Quick Bite by Patricia Josephine
Vampires.
Werewolves.
Zombies.
These monsters tickle our imagination.
Sink your teeth into a collection of tales about paranormal creatures that go bump in the night. Each story is told in exactly 200 words and designed to give you a quick bite no matter how busy your day is.
Are you hungry?
Find it at Amazon
Patricia Josephine is a writer of Urban Fantasy and Sci-Fi Romance books. She actually never set out to become a writer, and in fact, she was more interested in art and band in high school and college. Her dreams were of becoming an artist like Picasso. On a whim, she wrote down a story bouncing in her head for fun. That was the start of her writing journey, and she hasn't regretted a moment. When she's not writing, she's watching Doctor Who or reading about serial killers. She's an avid knitter. One can never have too much yarn. She writes Young Adult Paranormal, Science Fiction, and Fantasy under the name Patricia Lynne.
Patricia lives with her husband in Michigan, hopes one day to have what will resemble a small petting zoo, and has a fondness for dying her hair the colors of the rainbow.

Mateo’s Law by Sandra Cox

A modern day, shapeshifting sheriff. 

Find it on Amazon

The Matched Game anthology, featuring the work of Lidy Wilks

Find it at Amazon and Zimbell House Publishing

Available May 16!

Walking with Jesus: Stories from One Hope Church by Tyrean Martinson

An anthology of stories, poetry, and scripture.
Read to discover how ordinary lives become extraordinary in the light of God’s love. Real people. Real dilemmas. Real Jesus. 

Find it on Amazon and Smashwords

Movie News

How many new Star Wars films are in the works? A lot!
You can get a full list of stand-alones, trilogies, and series at Games Radar
And this November will bring season two of The Mandalorian.

Disney plans to reboot Pirates of the Caribbean!
But according to JoBlo, Karen Gillan from the Jumanji reboot movies will be cast in the lead role.
I’m all right with that…

Yes, this is for real!
Murder Hornet Movie on its Way
DVD available June 1.
So, you can only imagine the quality…

Fan of Nightwish? Enjoy the videos? Seen Underwater? Picking up some new books? Think RiffTrax will need to take a whack at the murder hornet movie…?
And I will see all of you again on June 3, IWSG day!

Chinese Movies, Write…Edit…Publish – Voodoo, Sicario: Day of the Soldado Review, Con Photos, and More!

Chinese Movies by Sherry Ellis

Thanks for having me as a guest! My new book obviously has something to do with China. Since movies are a big thing here, I thought I’d post about Chinese movies. This required that I put on my thinking cap. What actor makes me think of China? After about ten seconds, I came up with one: Jackie Chan! Martial arts expert. Perfect for the Captain Ninja’s blog. I’ve selected two movies to tell you about. One for the adults. One for the kids.

Kung Fu Yoga was released on January 27, 2017. Jackie Chan plays the role of an archeology professor named Jack. (I suppose it was easy for Jackie to remember his character’s name!) Jack and his team are on a quest to find a lost Indian treasure. Unfortunately, the bad guys are after it, too. It’s a race around the world to beat the bad guys and save an ancient culture.

This is a typical Jackie Chan movie. Full of martial arts action and slapstick comedy. Perfect for Jackie Chan enthusiasts.

Monkey King: Hero is Back was first released on July 10, 2015. Jackie Chan is the voice of the Monkey King. The film won numerous awards including the 2015 Golden Dragon Award for Best Animated Film and Best Director. It was the highest grossing animated film in China until it was surpassed by Zootopia and Kung Fu Panda.

Here’s what it’s about: The all-powerful Monkey King roamed freely between Heaven and Earth. But he ticked off some gods. Not a good thing! The angry gods locked him up in an ice cage deep in the mountains where he stayed for 500 years. He’d probably still be there if it hadn’t been for the monster who attacked a nearby village. A child flees the village and goes into the mountains where he stumbles upon the furry beast. The boy releases the Monkey King, who saves the village from the scary monster.

Kids will like this film for the cool animation. Parents will probably chuckle at some of the humor. A good movie for the whole family.

Have you seen either of these movies? Do you like Jackie Chan films?

It’s a pleasure to be participating in author Sherry Ellis’ BUBBA AND SQUIRT’S BIG DIG TO CHINA Blog Tour through MC Book Tours today.

The author is offering a tour-wide international giveaway featuring five autographed copies of her book. More information on the giveaway is listed below.

BUBBA AND SQUIRT’S BIG DIG TO CHINA by Sherry Ellis
Squirt doesn't believe Bubba can dig a hole to China. But when the hole swallows them, the kids find themselves in Xi'an, China, surrounded by Terracotta Warriors…
Available at: Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes and Noble, BAM, iTunes, and Kobo

For more on Sherry and her writing, you can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, blog, website, and Amazon

GIVEAWAY DETAILS: This tour-wide giveaway is for five (5) autographed copies of BUBBA AND SQUIRT’S BIG DIG TO CHINA. The giveaway is open internationally. To enter, go HERE

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to follow Sherry on her month-long tour HERE. You never know what you might find out.

Sicario: Day of the Soldado Review

The drug war on the U.S.-Mexico border has escalated as the cartels have begun trafficking terrorists across the US border. To fight the war, federal agent Matt Graver re-teams with the mercurial Alejandro.
The movie was good although not as good as the first one. It missed having Emily Blunt in it.
The premise was to stop terrorists from coming across the Mexican border by starting a Cartel war. That gets a bit lost along the way during the kidnapping and attempted return of a Cartel’s daughter. That issue’s never resolved, but maybe that was the point of the film.
Josh Brolin’s character is just ruthless. Benicio Del Toro’s character meanwhile becomes more human along the way.
The cinematography is amazing and it’s well-shot and directed. The music is outstanding, setting a dark mood so effectively.
A good action thriller – recommended.

Write...Edit...Publish

The IWSG has partnered with Write…Edit…Publish!

This month’s challenge - Déjà vu or Voodoo. And I have an entry! It even rhymes...

A blogger buddy sent Mini-Alex to me.

But what if he’s more than he seems to be?


A voodoo doll with an evil spell.

Throw him outside and it's flowers I smell.

Put him in the oven and I smell like roast duck.

If Pat Hatt’s Cat buries him, I'm really out of luck.

Stick him in the dryer and I begin to tumble.

Hit him with a hammer and I begin to crumble.

Carve him like a turkey and I get cut.

Oh how can I break out of this terrible rut?

So I gave Mini-Alex to my wife and she watches him so.

And if she accidentally sits on him, it's not a bad way to go!

More Con Photos and Stuff

My publisher sent some more con photos last month and I just kept forgetting to post them.

Just a couple weeks left 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.

New Release!
Ashes Burn, Seasons 1-7 by Tyrean Martinson
Want a chance to read and review it?
And get the book for free?
See Tyrean’s site for details.
And help spread the word!





Movie Trivia Answers:
He won an Oscar for his role in City Slickers - Jack Palance
Who played Doc Brown in Back to the Future? Christopher Lloyd

Have you seen those Chinese movies? (Or ever wanted to dig to China?) Seen Sicario: Day of the Soldado? Think Mini-Alex is a voodoo doll? (Or are you still stunned that I managed a rhyme?) Ever been to a comic con? And are you entering the IWSG Anthology Contest?