War for the Planet of the Apes and The Void Movie Reviews, #IWSGPit and IWSG Anthology, Monday’s Music, New Releases, and Ninja News

Want to know the steps for an author when it comes to audio book creation? Then visit Sandra Ulbrich Almazan today for my take on how it all goes down!

War for the Planet of the Apes Review

An army of humans led by the Colonel threatens the survival of the apes, setting Caesar on a path to avenge his kind.
First word – exhausting. Emotionally draining on every level. You will be put through the wringer watching this film.
However, the film is brilliant. So moving, so compelling. It’s a slow, purposeful pace, powerful in its intent. So many incredible moments along the journey. And such a terrible, tragic journey, but change one thing and it would’ve been worse. The apes are more human than the humans.
The special effects in this film are the best I have ever seen – bar none. You believe the apes are real. Minutes into the film, they are no longer CGI. And they aren’t – the expressions, the eyes – so real and amazing. You really see Andy Serkis as Caesar. He so deserves an Oscar nomination for this film. All of the apes – so incredibly real. Props go to all of the human actors behind the voices and the actual actions.
The cinematography is incredible. Again, Oscar worthy.
There are several nods to the original films, including a mute girl who takes the name Nova and Caesar’s youngest son, Cornelius.
Critics are calling it a great end to a trilogy. They could keep going with the stories if they wanted. But after seeing it, I understand why they are calling it that.
If you’ve seen the other two films, you cannot miss this haunting and powerful chapter in the series.
Highly recommended.

The Void Review

After delivering a patient to a closing hospital, a police officer and the small staff start experiencing strange things involving hooded figures and more.
This is a throwback to classic 80’s horror films. There is very little CGI – it’s all realtime monster effects.
The filmmakers were also obviously fans of both early John Carpenter films and of H.P. Lovecraft. There are strong elements from both creators here.
The film has issues. But give the writing and directorial team credit for trying to make a respectable horror film in 2017. (Not a lot out there right now.) The director could’ve phoned it in, but he tried to do something of quality.
It’s gory, weird, and ramps up the tension level. The cinematography is also great.
If you are into gory creature features, especially with a throwback vibe, this is the film to watch.
Recommended

Monday’s Music Moves Me

Hosted by Marie at Xmas Dolly.

I am the Spotlight Dancer today and I choose the theme European Favorites!

First up is Katatonia with Serein from their album The Fall of Hearts. This band began life as a screaming prog band but when the lead singer could no longer do it, the entire band changed their style to produce this beautiful album. They hail from Sweden.

Next is Harken with Earthrise from their album Affinity. They hail from London.

New Releases

Pat Hatt has three new Tarsier Man tales!

Tarsier Man: Thugs and Love Bugs
Find it on Amazon

Tarsier Man: Buyers and Liars
Find it on Amazon

Tarsier Man: A Plot By Polka Dot
Find it on Amazon

Young Seasons by Sandra Ulbrich Almazan
Find it on Amazon

Ninja News

The Cherished Blogfest is this October!

The IWSG Guide to Writing for Profit is open for submissions until the end of July!
What have you found that makes a profit?
What have you found that doesn’t?
Please share your experience! Guidelines here.
Deadline is July 31 – what are you waiting for?

The IWSG’s first Twitter pitch party, #IWSGPit, is July 27! We have a great list of publishers and agents who will be watching the hashtag with many more checking in.
If you have something ready to submit, you don’t want to miss this.

Have you seen War or The Void yet? What music moves you today? Participating in #IWSGPit or contributing to the anthology? Have some fun stuff planned for the remainder of summer?

Don’t forget to visit Sandra Ulbrich Almazan.

I’ll be offline next week but I will be on Twitter, especially Thursday, July 27 - #IWSGPit day! Good luck to all those who are Tweeting pitches.

CassaFire on Audio, Kubo and the Two Strings Review, September Movie Preview, Anyone Can be a Reader, and Monday’s Music Moves Me

CassaFire on Audio!

When I got back from vacation, I got the news that CassaFire’s audio book went live last week.
I’m really stoked for the second book of my series. In listening to the samples, not only did the narrator do a tremendous job, but everything about this story flowed so well.

Byron’s days of piloting Cosbolt fighters are over. Keeping a promise to his fallen mentor, he now serves on an exploration vessel. The detection of alien ruins sends them to the distant planet of Tgren. Are the ruins a key to the Tgren’s civilization or a weapon of unimaginable power? Tensions mount as their new allies are suspicious of the Cassans. To complicate matters, the Tgrens are showing signs of mental powers. Forced to train Athee and further develop her flying aptitude, Byron’s patience is strained. Add a reluctant friendship with a young scientist, and he feels invaded on every level. All Byron wanted was his privacy…

“…delivers on the promise of its predecessor, combining military action sequences and political intrigue with strong, memorable characters. Reminiscent of the action-driven stories of Robert A. Heinlein's early fiction…” - Library Journal

Find CassaFire on audio at iTunes, Amazon, and Audible.

Kubo and the Two Strings Movie Review

This isn’t a movie. Kubo is a work of art.
The stop animation is breathtaking. It’s beyond Aardman Animation or any stop motion you have ever seen. Blended with a touch of CGI, the animation comes alive.
The story is also beautiful. As with most Japanese tales, the elements of spiritualism, love, and loss are present. This is a deep and meaningful story; a drama with touches of humor. This is not a film for small children.
It’s shame this movie isn’t doing better. It’s definitely a contender for Best Animated Film.
Highly recommended!

Anyone Can Be a Reader

Author Ciara Knight reached out to me about a cause dear to her heart – dyslexia. She and her son both struggle with dyslexia.

Nicole Zoltack is here to share how you can assist those with dyslexia.

I’ve always been a reader. I was one of those kids who would hide a book in her textbook and read during class. I’d read while on the bus or while eating or in the car. Anywhere and everywhere that I could get the chance.

My husband didn’t grow up a reader. It’s tragic, really. I didn’t understand how he didn’t enjoy escaping into other worlds unless it was through movies or TV. Along came Harry Potter, though, and during the lulls between movies, I talked him into reading the books. And then one year for Christmas, I got him a gift that was more for me than him–A Song of Ice and Fire books. We both read them, and if he can read those tomes of George RR Martin’s, I think it’s safe to say I’ve successfully converted him into a reader.

I wish that everyone could experience the joy and love of reading, so when I saw Ciara was looking for authors to donate a story to help out a school specifically geared to students with dyslexia, I didn’t think twice. This isn’t the first time I’ve written for charity (and it won’t be the last) and I think the biggest draw for me was that these kids who struggle with letters will be able to have the help and guidance they need to become lifelong readers too.

Has dyslexia affected you or someone you know? Comment below and you’ll be entered to win your choice of one of my ebooks.

LOVE AND GRACE - Romance for the soul, a gift from the heart.

All proceeds benefit GRACEPOINT – A School for Dyslexia.

Pre-Order links: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, and Kobo

Monday’s Music Moves Me

Hosted by Xmas Dolly.

My choice today is Katatonia – Serein.

This band has been around forever and every new release gets better and better. They deserve some attention.

September Movie Preview

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

9 -

Sully
The story of Chesley Sullenberger, who became a hero after gliding his plane along the water in the Hudson River, saving all of the airplane flights 155 crew and passengers.
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Tom Hanks, Laura Linney, Anna Gunn, Aaron Eckhart
I really like going to the movies when I have no idea how it’s going to end.






23 -

The Magnificent Seven
Seven gun men in the old west gradually come together to help a poor village against savage thieves.
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Stars: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio
I’d write this off as just another unnecessary remake if not for Washington and Pratt.




30 –

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
When Jacob discovers clues to a mystery that spans different worlds and times, he finds Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. But the mystery and danger deepen as he gets to know the residents and learns about their special powers.
Director: Tim Burton
Stars: Eva Green, Samuel L. Jackson, Asa Butterfield, Allison Janney
Is this an X-Men prequel?

Deepwater Horizon
A story set on the offshore drilling rig Deepwater Horizon, which exploded during April 2010 and created the worst oil spill in U.S. history.
Director: Peter Berg
Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Dylan O'Brien, Kate Hudson, Kurt Russell
I really like going to the movies when I have no idea how it’s going to end…

And yes, had a great time on vacation. Went camping with friends. (In a super nice trailer with all the perks – the only way I’m going camping.)

Mini-Alex went along, but sadly he never made it out of the trailer. (Yeah, my fault – I forgot!)

Have you seen Kubo? Want to do something to help Gracepoint? What music moves you today? Which movies strike your fancy? And are you into audio books? (And willing to give CassaFire a try…?)

No post next Monday due to Labor Day. (Spending the day with friends.) Will be back on September 7 for IWSG post day and the announcement of the IWSG Anthology Contest theme!

Just a reminder - last week I had a guest spot at the Parallels site, discussing the value of What If?

A to Z Challenge – Cyberspace and Dystopia! Plus Question of the Month, Monday Music, and Ninja News

My theme - Origins of Science Fiction Terms and More! The term, its meaning (definitions from Technovelgy), and first book appearance / a movie that features this term / a blogger buddy who reminds me of that term.

I’m also the guinea pig for an experiment – A to Z Lite. I get between 100-170 comments per post in April during the Challenge. And it has just become too much to return that many every day, six days a week. The other A to Z Admins agreed to an A to Z Lite trial run. A to Z Lite means I will just be posting a handful of times this month and multiple letters at a time. I also won’t be visiting every single person every single day, although I will return all comments. Hope everyone understands.

Cyberspace
A computer technology that allowed people to see a computer network as an internal experience

Cyberspace originally appeared in William Gibson’s short story, Burning Chrome, in 1982. Yes, it’s a fairly recent term, and it caught on fast.



You can’t discuss cyberspace without including The Matrix. Now that’s cyberspace on a massive scale! Released in 1999, it introduced the world to amazing bullet time effects and starred Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburn, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Hugo Weaving.

Spacerguy at Star Trek - Sci Fi Blog knows a lot about cyberspace. He lives there! If you want the latest on Star Trek and other cyberspace realms, you better follow him…

Dystopia


First used by Thomas More for his work of political philosophy in 1516 and again in a speech by John Stuart Mill in 1868.

A somber look at dystopia is shown in the movie Equilibrium. Staring Christian Bale, Sean Bean, William Fichtner, and Taye Diggs, it portrays a Fascist future where feelings are illegal.

Murees Dupé sees our world a little bit differently, but it’s a good thing. We might do well to share her vision!

Question of the month

Hosted by Michael at A Life Examined.

“What’s your favourite thing that begins with C?”

I really like the letter C since my last name begins with a C.
Plus all three of my Cassa series books begin with a C – CassaStar, CassaFire, and CassaStorm.
My favorite though would be Christ, my Lord and Savior.

Monday’s Music Moves Me

Hosted by Xmas Dolly.

Today I’m going with a video with cool animation from the latest Megadeth album. And the song fits so well – Dystopia!

Ninja News

Don’t forget Wednesday is post day for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. We also have a newsletter now and you can sign up HERE.

Volume 1.4 of Six Strings is now available!

Pick up your copy at the Six Strings site.




And special thanks to Michelle Wallace - she featured one of my books for her C post!

Did you know where cyberspace and dystopia came from? Ever seen Equilibrium? Following Spacerguy and Murees? What music moves you today? And what is your favorite thing that begins with a C?

Zootopia Review, Meeting Shannara’s Terry Brooks, MST3K/RiffTrax News, IWSG News, Monday Music Moves Me, New Releases, an Why is Everyone Sick?

Zootopia Movie Review

This animated film was really refreshing!
There was thought behind the plot. It was complex, more like a live action film than an anime. Zootopia focused on plot and character development beyond your average animated film.
Amazing animation as well. The different zones of zootopia were cool and certain scenes almost appeared real. The animals are very expressive and the animators used every aspect of their bodies.
A lot of the humor was aimed at adults, poking fun at pop culture. (Listen for the Breaking Bad reference!) So, between the plot and the humor, there is a lot here for adults as well as kids.
It also had a nice message of equality that was integrated into the storyline and never shoved down our throats.
Really a gem of a film.
Highly recommended!

Question of the Month

Hosted by Michael at A Life Examined

The question is - “Have you ever met an idol/influence/someone you really admire? How did it go?”

Around twenty-five years ago, I had the opportunity to meet Terry Brooks, author of the Shannara series. He was visiting a local bookstore and there were only about a hundred people.

It was a really pleasant experience! Brooks was super nice and sported a big smile. He seemed truly excited to meet his fans. He even asked me what books I’d read and which ones I enjoyed the most.

I still have that book – The Druid of Shannara – and the experience further cemented my admiration for Terry Brooks and love of the series he created.

Yeah, too bad MTV’s Chronicles of Shannara has turned into Fifty Shades of Shannara…

Insecure Writer’s Support Group News

First, my good buddy, Pat Hatt, is over at the IWSG Site today! Want a big following on Twitter? Between Pat and the Cat, they have over 150,000 followers. Visit the site to find out how Pat did it.

Second, we need IWSG Co-Hosts for April and May! Since next month is the A to Z Challenge, we’ll need at least six to seven co-hosts, and at the moment, we only have three. We’ll also need them in May, after everyone’s wiped out from the Challenge. If you can help either month, please leave a comment!

Third, we have a special gift for those who sign up for the IWSG newsletter! We compiled the top five articles from the site into one handy eBook – Fast Five – An IWSG Gift. Those of you already signed up should have received an email last Friday with a link to where you can download either the ePub, Mobi, or pdf. (And if you didn’t get one, check your spam file. If not, you might need to sign up if we have an incorrect email from the IWSG list.)
If you’re not getting the IWSG Newsletter, now is a great time to sign up! Do so HERE.
Thanks to all the admins for making this happen, especially Chrys for the graphic, Diane for formatting, and Lynda for coming up with the cool title.

And finally, please remember that IWSG is the first Wednesday of each month. Please make sure you post that day and that the post is front and center when people land on your page. (Squeaking it in late Tuesday night or sometime Thursday if you forget is acceptable.)

MST3K / RiffTrax News

Remember last December when I reviewed the RiffTrax: Live show of Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny?
If you could project all the random thoughts inside a mental facility onto a screen, you’d come up with Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny.
Well, now you watch it at home! The film that beats Manos: Hands of Fate for worst movie ever made is available at RiffTrax. Don’t miss the fun!

Be sure to check out their main page for all the latest releases, including a new MYST3K release very Monday. They also have the complete Film Crew season, and collections such as Oscar Winners, National Geographic, Twilight, Transformers, and Star Trek. (Because the ONLY way to watch the Star Wars Holiday Special is with the help of RiffTrax.)

Monday Music Moves Me

Hosted by Xmas Dolly.

It’s a freebie this week, so I went to the vault and found this treasure by Marillion – Easter. It’s not an actual video, so just let it play and enjoy this beautiful song.
And next week the theme is my choice – and I went with guitar solo!

New Releases

The Not-So-Innocents Abroad by Roland Yeomans
I’d hosted Roland last week for his Don’t You Hate Book Tours tour, and now the book is available!
Pick it up on Amazon

Big Yearnings by Christine Rains
The first book in the Sasquatch Susies series.
Find it at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Ellora’s Cave

One Final Question

It seems everyone has the flu right now. They’re sick, the kids are sick, they’ve been sick all winter…

Why is that? My wife and I get either a cold or the flu about once every four years. Maybe every five years. Why is everyone else sick all the time? Is it because we don’t have kids? Is it because we eat healthy, exercise, and take vitamins? Is it because we’ve told God we just don’t have time to be sick? I’d really like to know the secret so we can bottle it and make a fortune!

Did you see Zootopia? Ever met someone you admired? (Ever met Terry Brooks?) Can you help co-host the IWSG? Did you get your Fast Five gift? Ready to try RiffTrax’s Santa and the Ice Cram Bunny? Ready to rock the guitar solo next Monday? And why does everyone else get sick but we don’t?

I have work meetings the latter half of this week, so you might not see me around as much. Please think about me as I sit in yet another meeting, bored out of my mind…

Bone Tomahawk Film Review, November Movie Preview, Monday’s Music, Introvert or Extrovert?, Tails for Vets, New Book Releases, Battle Results, and Ninja News

I have a short interview at Tim Knight’s site, Hero Press. If you’re into geek stuff, Tim runs an awesome site.

Movie Review – Bone Tomahawk

Four men set out in the Wild West to rescue a group of captives from cannibalistic cave dwellers.
This can best be described as an arthouse Western/horror film with drama.
Some might be frustrated by the slow pace. (Remember my review of Slow West?) However, I enjoyed the slow burn. By the end of the film, I was really invested in the characters.
It has some funny moments and all of the actors do an amazing job, especially Russell and Jenkins.
There are only a couple bloody horror scenes, but be warned – they are graphic. (As a dude, I really cringed at one scene.)
If you have to have a lot of action, skip this film. If you like a slow pace and watching the characters and story unfold at a leisurely pace, then I recommend this one.
Now playing in theaters and on Direct TV.

Monday’s Music Moves Me

Hosted by Xmas Dolly She asked if I would be this week’s Spotlight Dancer. (Little did she know, I can’t dance.)
Fortunately, no dancing is involved. I get to pick the theme for today.
After deciding that Scandinavian heavy metal music might be too limiting (not to mention scare the crap out of the other participants) I chose the theme of Movie Soundtracks.


Here are my picks:

First off, I had to go with Extreme’s Play With Me. (Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure) 

Sadly, there’s no really good video version of this song…

Megadeth – 99 Ways to Die (Beavis and Butthead Do America) 

You might not like the music, but the video has a great message.

Pantera – Cemetary Gates (Tales From the Crypt – Demon Night) 

Great song, and probably their most accessible.

Visit Xmas Dolly to join the fun and visit other participants.

Ninja News

Stephanie Farris listed CassaStar as one of the best books she’d read in October. Thanks for taking a chance on a new genre, Stephanie!

Tails for Vets!

Tails of the Apocalypse is a collection of dystopian/post-apocalyptic stories featuring animals and features a story by E.E. Giorgi.

Samuel Peralta, who produced this anthology, paired with Pets for Vets, an organization that matches shelter dogs with military veterans. Pourteau plans to donate $1.00 to Pets for Vets from every copy of Tails of the Apocalypse sold through the end of the calendar year, regardless of format‚ e-book, paperback, or audiobook.

The project is called Tails for Vets, and you can help two different ways –

1 – Join the Tails for Vets Street Team

2 – Buy the Book – It releases on November 20, but you can pre-order now on Amazon.

New Releases!

Mayhem in the Air by the authors at Untethered Realms

Find it at Amazon, Smashwords, and Google Play

A Faerie’s Revenge by Rachel Morgan

The fifth book in the Creepy Hollow series, and the second book in Calla’s story.

Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords

Redemption (Children of the Gods #3) by Jessica Therrien

Nobody promised freedom would be peaceful…

Find it at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Goodreads

The first two books are only .99 cents at Amazon - Oppression and Uprising

There’s also a Rafflecopter giveaway.

Max Blizzard and The Cup of Kings by Pat Hatt

Find it on Amazon

Deadly Undertaking by J.Q. Rose

A handsome detective, a shadow man, and a murder victim kill Lauren’s plan for a simple life.

Find it at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Books We Love Bookstore

Battle of the Banned Results

Hosted by Shady Del Knight. Here are the results from last Monday.

Two songs from horror movies – and this is how the votes fell:

Dokken – Dream Warriors from Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Warriors - 15

Lou Gramm – Lost in the Shadows from The Lost Boys - 10

Dream Warriors got off to an early lead and never let it go…

Question of the Month

Hosted by Michael at A Life Examined.

This month’s question - “Are you an introvert or an extrovert?”

This one is easy. Introvert. However, I’m not a shy, awkward, don’t want to deal with the world introvert. I’m a musician who performs on stage and an author with several books published, so I have to be extroverted to some degree. I enjoy people and certainly enjoy this online community of friends. But I prefer to stay more in the background and let others take the spotlight. I’d rather ask questions and learn more about people than talk about myself.

Of course, my home is my castle and sanctuary and still the best place to hide!

November Movie Preview

Here are the upcoming theatrical releases for November! As always, descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snarky comments by me.

6 –

Spectre

A cryptic message from Bond's past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organization. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE.

Director: Sam Mendes

Stars: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes, Léa Seydoux

Bond is back and probably not doing anything we’ve not seen before, but we’ll go anyway…

13 –

The 33

Based on the real-life event, when a gold and copper mine collapses, it traps 33 miners underground for 69 days.

Director: Patricia Riggen

Stars: Naomi Scott, James Brolin, Antonio Banderas, Lou Diamond Phillips

Just a word of caution – this movie not suitable for minors.

20 –

The Night Before

In New York City for their annual tradition of Christmas Eve debauchery, three lifelong best friends set out to find the Holy Grail of Christmas parties since their yearly reunion might be coming to an end.

Director: Jonathan Levine

Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lizzy Caplan, Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie

Rogan turns what is meant to be a joyous family time into a night of vulgarity, debauchery, and excess. Merry Christmas, everybody.

27 –

The Good Dinosaur

An epic journey into the world of dinosaurs where an Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend.

Director: Peter Sohn

Stars: Raymond Ochoa, Jeffrey Wright, Steve Zahn, A.J. Buckley

The only good dinosaur is a dead dinosaur. Oh, wait…

Victor Frankenstein

Told from Igor's perspective, we see the troubled young assistant's dark origins, his redemptive friendship with the young medical student Viktor Von Frankenstein, and become eyewitnesses to the emergence of how Frankenstein became the man - and the legend - we know today.

Director: Paul McGuigan

Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, James McAvoy, Jessica Brown Findlay, Andrew Scott

This one could sneak in and be a cool gothic thriller for the holidays. (Fingers crossed.)

Anyone else see Bone Tomahawk? What soundtrack music moves you today? Can you help Tails for Vets? See some good new releases? Are you an introvert or extrovert? And what movies interest you this month?

See you Wednesday for the IWSG post!

And don’t forget to visit Hero Press!