The Ninja Gets Personal! Plus Now You See Me Movie Review, Dream Theater Review, Blog Tour Tips, Curiosity Quills Anthologies, Giveaways - and Winners, and Ninja News.

Today I am visiting Carol at Under the Tiki Hut. She posed three questions/topics, one of which included revealing something personal about myself. Yes, that was the most difficult! Visit Carol to find out what I revealed…

Giveaways

In addition to the two giveaways I was running here, these bloggers and hosts are also still running giveaways:

Literary Rambles - CassaStorm and CassaFire print books – comment to enter, open until September 28.

Mithril Wisdom - Cassa Universe poster – comment to enter, open until October 1.

Edi’s Book Lighthouse - CassaStorm eBook – comment to enter, open until October 1.

Samantha Geary -CassaStorm signed print book – comment to enter, open until October 14.

Ninja News

Literary Rambles is also participating in the Stuck in a Good Book Giveaway Hop. Lots of books to win – comment by September 25 to enter.

SK Anthony’s Kinetics came out last Friday – congratulations, SK! And it was Blitz Day for her as well. We got her good!

PK Hrezo is hosting her very first blogfest to celebrate her cover reveal on October 16. “Welcome to Butterman Travel, Incorporated; a full service agency designed to meet all your exclusive time travel needs.” Visit her site for details!

Anthologies from Curiosity Quills Press!

Curiosity Quills Press brings some of their bestselling authors together to create a spine-tingling, mind-blowing, quirky collection of short stories in their first ever, annual PRIMETIME Anthology, scheduled for release 7th October, 2013.

Also on that day, Curiosity Quills Press brings some of their bestselling authors together in PRIME TIME’s steamier, sexier counterpart, AFTER DARK.

These anthologies are not limited to one specific genre, but all of our novels are guaranteed to be quirky and paranormal, in some way or another. We also guarantee 10% of every purchase will go straight to animals in need. The CQ team has selected humane societies on both the East and West coast that spend well and do not stray from the “no-kill” policies of their strays.

Primetime on Goodreads
After Dark on Goodreads
CQP Website

Movie Review

Now You See Me
Watched on NetFlix and it was a lot of fun! Clever twists as to how some of the tricks were performed and lots of rabbit chasing. The Four Horsemen were always one step ahead though, leading the police where they wanted. Excellent cast - Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Caine. Definitely recommended!

Music Review

Dream Theater
Spectacular!
They’ve pulled away from the heavy metal sound that dominated the last few albums with former drummer Portnoy and gone back to a more progressive sound. Featuring amazing musicianship, their latest, self-titled album looks to reestablish the band. It’s very progressive but with insanely catchy melodies.
I got to listen to a full stream of the album last Monday. Joy!
The album comes out Tuesday, September 24
.

Blog Tour and Announcements – Thoughts and Tips

Launch week is now behind me and I can finally breathe easy! Of course, the tour continues with one – two guest spots and interviews a week into November, but that’s a little less intense.

First, a big thanks to everyone who commented here and visited my tour stops last week! And to all of you who posted about my release during the week and sent out Tweets. (And even though I’m not on Facebook, I heard I was making the rounds there as well.) You guys just rock.

Several of you commented that the unique interview questions were a great idea. I really wanted to do something different, as the same thing posted on every blog grows tiring. In addition to the questions, I tried to send out different information and images. (And those posts are now directly linked in the Linky List HERE if you want to see more questions and answers.)

Putting that together did take time though. I spent weeks working on the interview questions and then everyone who signed up got an individual email. (That alone took an entire day.) But it was worth it!

Thanks again for your support and helping CassaStorm launch into the top 100 for space opera at Amazon!!

And there’s an excerpt from CassaStorm up at Catherine Stine’s Blog!

Giveaway Winners

And now, the winners by random selection…

From the list of those announcing the release of CassaStorm, number 46 – Robyn at Life By Chocolate.
Congratulations, Robyn! You win a Cassa mug, Cassa mousepad, Cassa swag, and a $25 iTunes gift card.

From those who commented here last week, one winner per day -
Huntress/CD at Spirit Called
Marcy at Maine Words
Trisha at Words and Stuff
Siv at Been There Done That
Nutschell at The Writing Nut
One prize per person, either a Cassa mug, Cassa mousepad, Cass poster, Cassa magnet, or a signed copy of CassaStorm. Congratulations, ladies!

Be sure to catch all of the giveaways! Anyone else see Now You See Me? (Or, now you don’t?) Picking up the new Dream Theater? Think the tour went well? Got any ideas for your next blog tour?

Don’t forget to visit Under the Tiki Hut for the inside scoop on the Ninja!

I will be taking Wednesday off, so no post until Friday…

CassaFire Tour Day Seven, Ninja News, Ninja Fact, and More Trivia!

And the party continues! Hope I’m not keeping you all up past your bedtime.

Today’s stop is with the adorable Talli Roland!

Talli is without a doubt the cutest Canadian-English girl you will ever meet. She also possesses one of the happiest, most bubbly personalities you will ever meet. She’s an incredible author and one of the best cheerleaders in the world. Really glad Talli is on my side.

Be sure to visit Talli Roland for my take on women and female characters.

Don’t forget that everyone who comments here on my blog over the next two weeks will be entered to win this cool prize package from my publisher. So be sure to comment every single day!

Ninja News

Thanks to everyone who visited me Under the Tiki Hut yesterday! Yes, the Ninja scored some points.

Tomorrow is the first Wednesday of the month – don’t forget to post for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group!

A to Z Co-Host Tina Downey contributed a story to the book, Until They Have Faces. You can read about it HERE. Proceeds from the book go to benefit Boulder, Colorado’s homeless, and more information on the project can be found at Bridge House Boulder Outreach for Homeless Overflow. Congratulations Tina and all the volunteers that made the book possible!

The video contest is open until this weekend – visit A to Z Challenge Blog for details.

Ninja Fact

I’ve only regretted writing one thing. I won’t give away spoilers here, but there is a scene in CassaStar I wish I’d never had to write. I’m not an overly emotional person and live life on an even keel. No great highs or lows. But that one scene was really difficult. I regret it, and yet, there could be no other way to forward the story. Perhaps that is another reason why CassaFire jumps ahead twenty years. Like Byron, I needed some distance…

Trivia answers from Monday:

1 – In what movie do we reach Ludicrous Speed? Spaceballs
2 – Name the creator of Calvin and Hobbes Bill Waterson
3 – This 1981 movie boasted the tagline “From the director of Animal House… a different kind of animal.” An American Werewolf in London
4 – Name the quarterback who threw for 5000 yards in one season; a record held until this past year Dan Marino (Broken by two quarterbacks this past season, Tom Brady and the new record holder, Drew Brees.)

Trivia Questions – Hodge-Podge!

Let’s see how you do with this mix…

1 – What year did Disneyland open?

2 – What is Eminem’s real name?

3 – What type of gas was used to float the Hindenburg?

4 – What race always occurs on Memorial Day Weekend in the USA?

5 – What body of water in the Middle East is the saltiest and most mineral-laden in the world?

You didn’t forget the IWSG tomorrow, did you? Any regrets in your writing? Know any answers from yesterday’s trivia? How about today? Some of you need to at least try one of these trivia challenges…


Now, go visit Talli Roland! I heard she’s serving wine…

CassaFire Tour Day Six, Hearththrob Blogfest, Ninja News, Pronunciations, and 80's Trivia!

One more week of partying – can you handle it?


Today’s stop is a fun piece at Under the Tiki Hut

I’ve followed Carol for a long time now (i.e. – I can’t remember when I didn’t follow her) and her posts are fun and lighthearted, like her Friday Top Ten. Guest posts on her site always revolve around the guest sitting under the Tiki Hut. Now, usually the beaches around the Tiki Hut are filled with men and strangely devoid of beautiful women. However, knowing the Ninja was coming, there’s been a slight change of scenery…

Under the Tiki Hut will never be the same!

Don’t forget that everyone who comments here on my blog over the next two weeks will be entered to win this cool prize package from my publisher. So be sure to comment every single day!

Today is the Teenage Heartthrob Blogfest hosted by Sarah and Vic

There was only one for me when I was a teenager – Buck Rogers’ star, Erin Grey!

Ninja News

Thanks to everyone who visited my stop on Friday at Michael’s SITE!

The best resource in the world for writing tips, promoting tips, and everything in between is Elizabeth Craig’s Writer’s Knowledge Base. More links to more articles than you can possibly imagine. I got lost in there Sunday afternoon…

Laura Eno’s new book, Immortal Desires, is out! Buy it on Amazon Congratulations, Laura!

Rachel Morgan’s new book, Guardian, comes out today. Congratulations, Rachel!!!

It’s Read an eBook Week! I’m doing my part…

The last stop in my tour will be with Sia McKye – and she posted her review of CassaFire last week HERE Thanks, Sia!

Very special shout out to Matthew at The QQQE Tina Life is Good. Matthew visited close to a hundred of my Catch Fire posts last Tuesday and one of his comments in particular was really special – thanks, dude! And Tina has been announcing my book and tour to every person who sends the A to Z Challenge blog an email – thanks so much! You are both just the best of friends.

Pronunciations

Several have asked how to pronounce the names in CassaFire. I tried to make everything simple, but here’s a guide:

Athee – Like the Goddess “Athena”, just leave off the “na”
Mevine – “meh-vine”
Tgren – “ta-grin” said quickly
Ernx – “Urnks”

Trivia answers from Friday:

1 – “Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?” Raiders of the Lost Ark
2 – “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
3 – “Charging a man with murder in this place was like handing out speeding tickets at the Indy 500.” Apocalypse Now
4 – “Son, your ego’s writing checks your body can’t cash.” Top Gun
5 – “What we have here is a failure to communicate.” Cool Hand Luke

Trivia Time – The 80’s!

1 – In what movie do we reach Ludicrous Speed?

2 – Name the creator of Calvin and Hobbes.

3 – This 1981 movie boasted the tagline “From the director of Animal House… a different kind of animal.”

4 – Name the quarterback who threw for 5000 yards in one season; a record held until this past year.

Whoa! Who was your teenage heartthrob? Been lost in the Writer’s Knowledge Base? Did you know how to pronounce those names correctly? How’d you do on last Friday’s trivia? And do you know any of today’s questions?


Now, go visit Carol at the awesome Under the Tiki Hut!

The Insecure Writer's Support Group

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.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by Monday for my "You Can't Reach a Thousand Followers by Being a Jerk" post and followed my four blogger buddies! I’m happy to report that Matthew and Jesse both went over a thousand and Roland and Nicole are REALLY close! (And you guys boggled my mind with a record-setting two hundred plus comments – whoa!)

I've also been updating my Awesome Authors page. If you are one of my regular blogger buddies and you have a book out NOW, please make sure I've included it in the list.

And I’ll announce the winner of my giveaway! But first, today's insecurity…

Eventually, every author gets zapped. Doesn’t matter how good or bad your book, eventually you’ll have to face negative reviews. Nothing erodes away at confidence like a downer review:


“Its average. Nothing remarkable, nothing to write home about. The story is so flat and basic.”

“Totally a rip off of Star Wars.”

“This formulaic space opera aspires to be a bildungsroman for its petulant hero, but it confuses the archetypal with the clichéd.”

Yes, those are real comments and reviews about CassaStar. Enough to give any author a complex, isn’t it?

How do you handle it? Here are a couple things I keep in mind:

A reader who doesn’t write probably doesn’t understand how difficult it is to write a book. We need to give them the best of course, but even crap takes effort.

Maybe they are just negative people who feel it's their duty to complain and point out faults in others.

Writers who don’t have a published book yet haven’t experienced a bad review themselves. They might not understand how much a poor or average review hurts.

Writing is a form of art, and our book won't appeal to everyone.

Maybe it’s not that person’s style of read.

The reviewer doesn’t have a stake in the book.

Maybe that person was having a really bad day.

Perhaps there is just enough constructive criticism from which to learn and make the next book better.

Finally, there are always the really great reviews we can go back and reread:

“…calls to mind the youthful focus of Robert Heinlein’s early military sf, as well as the excitement of space opera epitomized by the many Star Wars novels. Fast-paced military action and a youthful protagonist make this a good choice for both young adult and adult fans of space wars.” - Library Journal

Yeah, I think I’ll live!

So, if you're an unpublished writer, be prepared. Less than stellar reviews will happen. Remember, it's just one person's opinion. If you believe in your work and it's the best you can do, then that's all that matters.

Or just remember Bill Murray’s chant from Meatballs: “It just doesn’t matter! It just doesn’t matter!”

And now, drum roll please… The winner of a copy of CassaStar, review copy of CassaFire, and other cool stuff is…

Carol Kilgore at Under the Tiki Hut!

Congratulations! Email me your address and I’ll forward it to my publisher.

Thanks to all who entered – the amount of entries blew me away!

What’s your insecurity today? Have you received a negative review? How did you handle it? Did you make a voodoo doll of the reviewer? Someone should sell those - he’d make a fortune!I'll take the bildungsroman one please.

A to Z Challenge - U - and Movie to Avoid...

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


Under the Tiki Hut
Carol flies in under the radar sometimes, but she’s always there when you need her. Her Top Ten Fridays are a perfect way to cap off the week with a smile. So grab a drink and hang out Under the Tiki Hut for a while.

Movie Review – Skyline

Was it REALLY as bad as everyone claimed? YES!

As expected, it started with the invasion and then switched to a little backstory. While this was an issue with most reviewers, it wasn’t long or annoying. Bland characters are introduced and we’re back to our invasion.

At this point, I think it’ll be all right. Not great, but watchable. But as the movie progresses, the ineptness of the writing took over.

Alien invasion films have been done very well before (War of the Worlds, Independence Day) and there was zero originality to the plot. While some of the effects were cool, the plot focused more on the bland characters trapped in the penthouse. Now, if you’re going to do this kind of story (like Battle: Los Angeles or Cloverfield) that aspect of the plot (and the characters) must be strong and riveting. Unfortunately for us, that’s Skyline’s weakest feature.

There’s many, many plot contrivances and situations that occur for no reason. (Immediately after the invasion begins - “We need to get to the Marina and get on a boat – the aliens aren’t over water yet!” WHAT?!) And there are long lulls of nothing. I was bored! An alien invasion film shouldn’t be boring. And it has two endings (as in the last five minutes felt very tacked-on), neither of which is satisfying – as if the writers had no clue how to end this mess.

What’s sad is producers greenlit this movie for a large release while overlooking Monsters, which was a thousand times better.

If you’re still curious, at least I warned you! It’s bad. And not even stupid-fun bad like Sharktopus.

Now that’s bad!

And just two more days to vote for my book trailer at You Gotta Read Videos!

Everything but the kitchen sink...

Because I am not about to take out our kitchen sink! Home repairs are not my specialty.

But as I cruise the world of blogs, I’ve noted some really cool things happening as of late…

Rogue at The Roads of Autumn Dusk was recently listed on the Horror Blogger Alliance He has an awesome site, so check it out.

Nebular’s site CineMarvellous just celebrated one year AND won the Top Movie Review Blog 2010 award!! Go check it out HERE

Powdered Toast Man at Just the Cheese decided to take my Movie Dirty Dozen one step further and posted an Actress and an Actor Dirty Dozen. His actor list is close to mine, but I need to come up with my own actress post!

Geof at Enter the Man-Cave is posting his very first book review on Monday!! So please show him some manly support.

My review of Fever Dreams by Preston and Child appeared this month in Prinkipria. If you’ve not seen this online fantasy/science fiction magazine, you need to check it out!

Yvonne at Welcome to my World of Poetry gave me a special Friday the 13th Award! Thanks again, Yvonne. For those who don’t know Yvonne, she posts poetry every single day, and while I am not a poetry person, there is something about the way she brings her words together that is really amazing.

I pass this special award to:
Clarissa at Listen to the voices – she posts the best writing tips ever!
Nicole at One Significant Moment at a Time – she’s really cool!
Carol at Under the Tiki Hut – her Friday’s Top Ten posts are great!

RaShelle at a No. 2 Pencil Stat!
gave me the Creative Writer award – thanks, RaShelle! I’ve received it previously, so won’t bore you with facts & fluff.

Other than that, still playing Starcraft II and working on a sequel to my book. I have special guest on Tuesday you won’t want to miss. And some movie reviews are coming, too!

And snark! It was suggested that Simon at Constant Revision should have a nickname, and I think Snarktopus fits him very well.