Dream Theater in Concert, New Apes and Spiderman Movie Trailers, Devon Townsend, Christmas Music, When Animals Attack, and Ninja News

I have an interview today at Karen’s site, Write Now.

Dream Theater in Concert

Dream Theater did a special tour where they played the entire concept album, The Astonishing. (Which is two and a half hours long!) And I was fortunate to catch the last night of the tour.

Backed by large multi-media screens and a great light display, the show was less a concert and more of a production. Obviously my review is biased, as I am a lifetime fan, but I thought the concert was…dare I say it…astonishing.

The show ran like the double CD with an Act I and an Act II. Since it was the end of the tour, they finished with an encore of earlier material – As I Am, The Spirit Carries On, and the song that established them, Pull Me Under.

Watching five musicians with such masterful skills was both amazing and humbling.

Photos were not allowed (yes, we were all sneaking shots at the very end) but fortunately there will be a DVD released soon!

War for the Planet of the Apes/Spiderman Homecoming Trailers

In case you missed them!

Monday’s Music Moves Me

Hosted by Xmas Dolly, it’s all about Christmas music this month. So, enjoy a little Trans Siberian Orchestra - Christmas Eve/ Sarajevo while you read the rest of the post. There’s kittens!

Ninja News

We have a special guest at the Insecure Writer’s Support Group site today - Christine Frazier, founder of the Better Novel Project!


I recently redid the What Are The Kargrandes site, transferring it to Blogger and composing all of the slides into a video instead. Now I only need to keep up with the domain costs.

The Deja-Vu Blogfest is back!
December 16-18
Hosted by DL Hammons

New Releases

When Animals Attack is now available!
Edited by Vanessa Morgan
The definitive horror movie guide for fans of killer animals and “revenge of nature” films. When Animals Attack: The 70 Best Horror Movies with Killer Animals provides a fascinating and entertaining insight into the cinematographic world of animals on the rampage.
My piece is on the giant crocodile flick, Lake Placid, and Christine Rains covers Snakes on a Plane.
Find it at Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon FR, and Goodreads

Six Strings Issue #9
Edited by Jeremy Hawkins
It features: RETRO [INTERVIEW] with actor Chris Sarandon from Days of the Dead [Chicago]
Our FRIGHT NIGHT [REUNION] at Days of the Dead
Thank You, Zack Snyder for BATMAN VS. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE!!! by: Jason Lee Knight [KNIGHT at the MOVIES]
BLUE ROOM [INTERVIEW] - with Composer... David Schwartz - Netflix’s “Lady Dynamite” [2016]
“Getting” Weird: When a Subgenre is a Subgenre and its Shadow is Over More Than Innsmouth (Part Two) - By: KC Redding-Gonzalez
The Side-Effects of Special Effects in Horror - by: By: Christina Persaud
RED ROOM [INTERVIEW] - with Musical artists... King Llama “RETURN TO OX” [2016]
Sixth Annual Maleficium Dark Art Exhibition. Westmont, Illinois
Download your free issues HERE

As We Know It by Carrie Butler

Deep beneath the ocean, stretching hundreds of miles alongside the Pacific Northwest coastline, lies the Cascadia subduction zone—a fault on the verge of unleashing a catastrophic earthquake, thirty times more powerful than the San Andreas. Unfortunately, like most tourists, Elena Cordova is oblivious.

Find it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, and check out the trailer on YouTube

Devon Townsend Project

Recently I blogged about the new Devon Townsend Project album. At the time, the official video was only on Vimeo, but now it’s on YouTube, so you can now see this epic video performance of Stormbending:

Now, just to give you a comparison, here is Devon Townsend’s first big singing gig twenty-three years ago in Steve Vai’s band. While the song might not appeal to you, I have to ask – does Townsend not look like a cenobite from Hellraiser?

Anyone seen a concert that was more like a production? Excited for the next Apes movie? TSO put you in the Christmas spirit? Ever seen Lake Placid? And did Townsend not look like a cenobite in that clip?

Don’t forget to visit Karen Lange!

Fantastic Beasts and Hacksaw Ridge Movie Reviews! Plus When Animals Attack, New Releases, and Ninja News

Hey guys! Hope your Thanksgiving was great. I certainly enjoyed my week with family. I’m happy to be back, though.

And today, I am appearing at Lidy Wilks’ site, Paving My Author’s Road, discussing what to do when a publishing deal goes south. (No one knows what that’s like, right?)

Movie Reviews

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Set in 1926 America, the film is both familiar and fresh. We have the wizard world backdrop with all new characters and a new location. (And some new terms – in America, Muggles are called No-Maj.)
The creatures themselves are indeed fantastic; some even a little bit mischievous. But Newt (Eddie Redmayne) is determined to keep them safe during his final stop in New York. One gets out, sending Newt on a path of not only catching the escaped beasts, but unravelling the mystery of the force attacking the city.
The actors do a fine job. Dan Fogler has some of the best moments in the film.
Rowling played it safe with the screenplay. Some elements are overplayed (the old briefcases-get-switched trick) and a LOT of time is spent setting up and establishing Newt’s character before the real story gets underway. The film could’ve been trimmed by about fifteen minutes and the story a bit more focused.
Overall, it was enjoyable and Harry Potter fans will eat it up.
Somewhat recommended.

Hacksaw Ridge
The true story of a WWII Army Medic who becomes the first man to win the Medal of Honor without carrying or firing a weapon.
This is a very moving human story. It’s about one man’s convictions, not just as a conscientious objector, but to do what he was called to do. Private Doss followed God despite the circumstances.
Director Gibson knows how to involve you in the characters and the story. Once the action begins, it’s all encompassing. It’s powerful and intense – the war scenes are brutally honest. Despite the violence, it’s a beautiful film.
Andrew Garfield fit well as Doss – genuine, a little naïve, and convicted. Weaving and Vaughn turn in great performances and it’s probably Worthington’s best performance since Avatar.
A powerful, moving film and a possible Oscar contender. (And at the end, you get to see some of the real men involved, including Doss.) Highly recommended.

Hell or High Water
Two brothers rob various branches of the bank threatening to foreclose on their family’s land with a retiring Texas Ranger in pursuit.
This is a small film with the same vibe as No Country for Old Men but more laid-back. It shows how people can do the wrong thing for the right reason – do the ends justify the means?
Chris Pine and Ben Foster turn in excellent performances as the wayward brothers. In the role of an aging Texas Ranger, Jeff Bridges is ornery, funny, and wildly racist (at the expense of his half-Comanche partner.) The West Texas setting is a character as well, one reeking of crushed dreams.
This film surprised me. Probably another Oscar contender. Highly recommended.

When Animals Attack

When Animals Attack, edited by Vanessa Morgan, is now available for pre-order – and I am one of the contributing authors!

The definitive horror movie guide for fans of killer animals and “nature strikes back” movies.

When Animals Attack: The 70 Best Horror Movies with Killer Animals provides a fascinating and entertaining insight into the cinematographic world of animals on the rampage. From well-known predators such as sharks and lions to unusual killing machines like turkeys, elephants, frogs, cats, and rabbits, there is no shortage of the species on display in this book.

Leading horror writers and filmmakers present their favorite “animals attack” films through in-depth essays. Some of the films are touching, some are repulsive, and some are just plain silly. Not all of these horror movies line up with the critical consensus, yet they have one thing in common: they have made the heart of the writer beat faster with excitement.

Find it on Amazon, Amazon UK, and Goodreads

Ninja News

If you’re looking for new blogs, Site Hound Sniffs has a great listing, broken down into categories. Site owner Jerry has put a lot of effort into building it up, so check it out – and definitely email him about including your blog.

Random shot –

Mini-Alex hanging out with a Heptapod from Arrival.




Reedsy posted a great article - Writing in Third Person Omniscient vs Third Person Limited – that you need to check out.

CassaDawn comes out on Tuesday, December 6!

You can pre-order it now.

New Releases

Catalyst by Kristin Smith
(The Deception Game, #1)
Too pretty.
Too smart.
Too perfect.
In a crumbling, futuristic Las Vegas where the wealthy choose the characteristics of their children like ordering off a drive-thru menu, seventeen-year-old Sienna Preston doesn’t fit in.
Find it here: Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo
Find Kristin here: Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Blog

From Story Idea to Reader by Patsy Collins and Rosemary J. Kind
Available November 30
From Story Idea to Reader is an easily accessible guide to writing fiction. Whether you are brushing up on your writing skills or starting out, this book will take you through the whole process from inspiration to conclusion. No matter if you are looking to submit your work for publication, enter a competition, or want to self-publish, this practical guide will help you every step of the way.
Find it on Amazon

100 Haiku for the 80s Generation by Dean K. Miller and Kerrie Flanagan
Find at Hot Chocolate Press and Amazon

Dangerous Sanctuary by J.Q. Rose
Pastor Christine Hobbs never imagined she would be caring for a flock that includes a pig, a kangaroo, and a murderer.
Available at Amazon

Anyone else see Fantastic Beasts or Hacksaw Ridge? Have you see Hell or High Water? Eager to see what movies When Animals Attack covers? (And which movie I wrote about?) Picking up some new books? And how was your Thanksgiving holiday?

I’ll be back next Wednesday for Insecure Writer’s Support Group post day.

Don’t forget to visit Paving My Author’s Road!