Does Going Through Crap Make One a Better Writer? Plus The Nice Guys Review, Buddy Movie Trivia, and Ninja News

Movie Review - The Nice Guys

Directed by Shane Black and starring Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling, it’s a quirky film. If you’ve ever seen the director’s movie Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, you’ll understand the type of quirkiness.
The film harkens back to the 80’s and 90’s buddy films. (Reminded me a little of The Last Boy Scout.) Crowe and Gosling are a mismatched pair who have to work together to solve the mystery.
It wasn’t quite a funny as I’d been led to believe. The humor is more quirky, less laugh out loud.
The characters are damaged. They really aren’t nice guys. (They aren’t really bad guys, either.) They do go through a process of some redemption though.
It’s also rated R for a reason – violence, language, and nudity (as the plot involves investigating the porn industry.)
Marginally recommended. (Unless you really dig films like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, then go see it!)

Ninja News

The Thing That Turned Me anthology from Stay Classy Productions will be out on June 30.
When asked to contribute, I decided to return to the Cassa universe and a time in Byron’s life before he began Cosbolt training.
Read CassaDawn and other stories on June 30!

This also came in the mail last week, all the way from the UK!

I have an autographed copy of Yvonne Lewis’ latest book, Stand by Me, Danny Boy. 

Thank you, Yvonne!

New Releases

A Spy in Me, The Harley Files, Freshman Year, Book 1 by Rebecca Green Gasper
When college student Harley Jenkins finds out she’s on probation with her university for something her roommate has done, she decides to distract herself with the mysterious death of a local girl by hiding out in small spaces even though she’s claustrophobic. Will Harley be able to solve the mystery before it takes the lives of more girls, or will she have to back out to solve her own problem?
Find it at Amazon and Smashwords

Chaos Season (The Season Avatars Book 3) by Sandra Ulbrich Almazan
Jenna Dorshay t’Reve isn’t your typical farmer’s daughter. Blessed with plant magic, she’s been impatiently waiting to take her place as Summer Avatar of Challen. All she and her sister Season Avatars have to do is tame a Chaos Season, a magical weather storm sent to Challen by a wrathful demigoddess…
Find it at Amazon

Cassie and The Wild Cat: Run Wild With A Child by Pat Hatt
Cassie and The Wild Cat are back for their 6th adventure at their shack. This time they were having a good meal when they were met with a new ordeal. A child came in and they both considered that a sin.
Find it at Amazon

Swepty Away by Elizabeth Seckman
He came looking for a ghost. Instead, he found a girl.
Find it on Amazon

Sometimes the Walls Cry: A book of Haiku and Sketch by Dean Miller

Movie Trivia

It’s time for some movie trivia! In honor of The Nice Guys, today features all buddy films. Name them based on the actors and year.

1 – Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin 1988
2 – Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith 1997
3 – Nick Nolte, Eddie Murphy, 1982
4 – David Spade, John Goodman 2000
5 – Sylvester Stallone, Kurt Russell 1989
6 – Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker 1998
7 – Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy 2001

Does Going Through Crap Make One a Better Writer?

We know writers tend to be an insecure bunch. But it seems that’s not all. After years of associating with other writers and thousands of IWSG posts, I noticed some common threads.

Many writers have been through some crap in their life. Maybe it was a bad childhood, a divorce, drugs, alcohol, illness – the list is endless. It’s left scars and many seem to draw upon their difficult experiences to write great stories.

There’s also the emotional roller coaster. Writers can be depressed one minute and excited the next. Again, everyone seems to draw from this whirlwind of emotions when writing. They make their mental and emotional hang ups work to their advantage.

My question – do you need to go through some of that stuff in order to be a good writer? The reason I ask? Because none of that describes me.

I’ve really never been through anything traumatic. I had a good childhood. Never experienced drugs or any addiction. My wife and I have never had issues outside of the usual ‘heated discussions.’ I’ve experienced death of course, losing family members and friends. But overall, I’ve had a really good life. Plus, I’m even-keeled when it comes to emotions. I don’t experience real highs or lows.

As far as I can tell, that is not normal for a writer.

(Although it’s not just with writing. I hear others give their salvation story – they were alcoholics, on drugs, atheists, angry with the world, etc. – and it’s a great testimony. Me? I was actually having a pretty good life when I got saved. Until I got saved, I had no idea anything was really missing. My testimony would be really boring.)

So, does it take that stuff to be a good writer? Does it make one more worldly and experienced?

Seen The Nice Guys yet? Picking up some new books? Know any of the trivia? And does going through stuff make one a better writer?

I will be gone Memorial Day weekend – catch you all on June 1 for the IWSG!

Retro A to Z Challenge: K – Kvelertak 2013 (and Rio 2 Movie Review)

Kvelertak – Meir – 2013

While not quite as good as the first album, Meir still delivers. It’s a crazy mash up of punk, metal, prog rock, death metal, and anything else they could throw in the blender. If you’re a fan of screaming metal, check out this unique band from Norway.

2013 fun facts –
*Cost of a gallon of gas - $3.80
*Cost of a movie ticket - $10.25
*A giant meteor exploded near Chelyabinsk in Russia
*Microsoft released the Xbox One and Sony released the Playstation 4
*House of Cards became the first web series to win an Emmy
*The 3D Printer hits the scene and the first 3D-printed gun was fired last May

Movies released –
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Star Trek: Into Darkness
Thor: The Dark World
Pacific Rim

Music released –
Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods
Ayreon – The Theory of Everything

Games released –
StarCraft II – Heart of the Swarm

And why is 2013 special?
It’s the year Madeline Mora-Summonte released her flash fiction collection and Terri Rochenski released her first novel!

Madeline is an author with a fondness for sand and beaches. She’s the proud owner of two tortoises, Larry and Mrs. Larry, and you can sometimes catch their antics on her blog. Madeline is introspective and will make you think. (But she’s nice, so not too hard.) Find her at The Shellshank Redemption.

Terri is the author of several books and a mother to two girls. Rejection nearly derailed her twice, but she didn’t give up on her author dreams. A sweet and generous woman, she also hosts authors on tour. Terri blogs at Scribbler’s Sojourn.

Ninja News

My dear friend Yvonne Lewis just released her third book – Moments of My Life.
I was honored to supply a blurb for her book and look forward to getting my copy soon. (Who says poets and Ninjas can’t mix?)
You can buy it on Amazon HERE.
Congratulations, Yvonne!!

Movie Review – Rio 2

Let me begin by stating up front that I thought the first movie was ‘all right’ but nothing I ever wanted to see again.
However, I’d gladly sit through it if that meant I didn’t have to see Rio 2 ever again.

The second film picks up shortly after the first one ends. Blu and family travel to the Amazon to help Linda and Tulio find more blue macaws. The movie tosses in illegal logging, revenge, finding lost family, trying to fit in, and several other generic and clichéd plot ideas. (And Nigel the vengeful cockatoo with a lovesick tree frog made for a really weird pairing.)
While the movie is amazing to look at in 3D, the story is a bit flat, lacking in the first one’s charm and humor, and it’s overlong. There are also a lot of songs in this one. (I think one was called This is the Way We Pad the Film.)
Will kids like it? Probably. Will adults like it? Eh, good luck!

Have you ever heard of Kvelertak? Caught up on last year’s movies? Following Madeline and Terri? Enjoy Yvonne’s poetry? Keeping up with the Challenge? And anyone else get drug to a stupid bird movie this weekend…?

A to Z Challenge – Hellboy and Heroes and Villains by T-Ride, Plus Ninja News

My theme for the A to Z Challenge is Favorite Movies, Bloggers, and Music! I’ll name a favorite movie that corresponds with the letter, and then select a character from the film. I will then name a favorite blogger who reminds me of that character, and then dedicate a song to him. (Also corresponding with the alphabet.) I’ll wrap it all up with trivia and/or fun facts about the movie, the blogger, or the music!

In addition, two lucky commenters this month will receive a review copy of CassaStorm! One comment per day and each is worth one entry except – the first and one hundredth comments on each day will receive ten entries!

Hellboy

Guillermo del Toro is a genius. It takes a director of his caliber to capture the quirkiness of the comics and transfer it to the big screen. The film works on every level – funny, exciting, odd, and wonderful.

Hellboy is crude, funny, and answers to no one. He also has a soft side, as evidenced by his affinity for cats.

Who is Hellboy?

Powdered Toast Man from Just the Cheese!

PTM (real name, Jamie) knows how to push the limits without going off the edge. (Not too far, anyway.) He has a wicked sense of humor and a go for it attitude. He’s also a devoted friend and quite the innovator. Jamie, you are still one cool dude! And you keep me young.

PTM/Jamie is a newlywed, a comedian, and occasionally attacked by birds who are after his toast head.

To you I dedicate Heroes and Villains by T-Ride. (Title leads to YouTube video.)

“Cause breaking the rules that they told, Was something I had to do…”

Trivia and Facts:

Did you know that Powdered Toast Man, a character who appeared regularly on the Ren and Stimpy Show, was based on a Frank Zappa inspired character called Studebacher Hoch?

Who plays Hellboy’s father in the movie?

G’s trivia answer – the Billboard number one hit from Extreme’s Pornograffitti was “More Than Words.”

Ninja News

Cassie Mae just signed TWO book deals! She has a three book deal with Swoon Romance, for her YA books, starting with How to Date Nerd, coming this September. And she has a two book deal with Random House FLIRT for her NA books, starting with Friday Night Alibi, coming July 29th and Pulling the Switch, coming this December. Congratulations, Cassie – big score!

Next Monday is the release day for Flights of Fiction, published by Handcar Press, and one of the eleven stories in this anthology is "Motive" by LD Masterson. Congratulations, LD!

Also, due to blogging situations, two people have new blogs – A to Z Challenge co-host Stephen Tremp and Yvonne Lewis.

Fan of Del Toro or the Hellboy series? Following PTM? Ever heard of T-Ride? Know the trivia answer? Excited for LD and Cassie? Think we should start betting how long it takes the featured blogger to find this post? Wondering how many clones I’m going to burn out this month…?

A to Z Challenge – Galaxy Quest and Get the Funk Out, Plus Ninja News and Awesome Challenge Themes

My theme for the A to Z Challenge is Favorite Movies, Bloggers, and Music! I’ll name a favorite movie that corresponds with the letter, and then select a character from the film. I will then name a favorite blogger who reminds me of that character, and then dedicate a song to him. (Also corresponding with the alphabet.) I’ll wrap it all up with trivia and/or fun facts about the movie, the blogger, or the music!

In addition, two lucky commenters this month will receive a review copy of CassaStorm! One comment per day and each is worth one entry except – the first and one hundredth comments on each day will receive ten entries!

Galaxy Quest

The perfect sendoff of Star Trek and Trek conventions. It’s hilarious and filled with so many great lines. (Oh! That’s not right!) It has an outstanding cast and Sigourney Weaver is super smoking hot as a blond – and just wait until her uniform is ripped!

Alexander Dane is the serious character actor, caught forever in his Galaxy Quest role. He’s trying to rise about the rag-tag company he keeps and get at least some credit for his efforts. When it comes down to it though, he’s devoted to those around him.

Who is Alexander? (Besides me?)

Fran the Angry Lurker!

(Ray, stop laughing.)

He’s serious about the figures he paints and the games he plays. He’s constantly badgered and hindered by the other “Rejects.” But they are his people and he’d do anything for them. (Smile optional.) Fran is just as polished and cool as he thinks!

Fran is a tabletop gamer and painter who enjoys movies and lives in the UK.

To you I dedicate Get the Funk Out by Extreme. (Title links to YouTube video.)

“You’re all invited to the party, You know you didn’t have to come, No rotten apple is gonna spoil my fun, If you don’t like what you see here, Get the funk out…”

Trivia and Facts:

Get the Funk Out was from Extreme’s Pornograffitti. Name the number one hit from that album. (And believe me, most of you have heard it!)

F’s trivia answers – LG lives in Colorado and “Force Ten” by Rush first appeared on Hold Your Fire.

Ninja News

Cheers to everyone in the Challenge who was out commenting this weekend!! You didn't post and run - you were out in force. Awesome!

Thanks everyone for your encouraging words on Saturday after reading what goes into my Challenge posts! The hours were worth it.

Nigel Mitchell’s Book 2 of his TOONS series, In the Zone, is available now. Congratulations, Nigel!

JukePop publishes serialized novelettes, novellas, and novels one chapter at a time, and readers vote to keep the episodes coming. Milo James Fowler had the first episode of his future noir novelette The BackTracker accepted. Congratulations, Milo! You can read and vote for it HERE

When is it all right to blog your book? Anne R. Allen talks about why you shouldn’t blog your fiction but blogging a memoir is good. She also talks about the costs of the author who has a non-fiction book published by the big five and a slew of other great stuff.

And BIG thanks to Yvonne for her Guitar Man poem!!!

Some Awesome Challenge Themes

So many are blogging a theme for the Challenge, and some of those are amazing. Here are a few outstanding ones:

Michael Di Gesu is posting his amazing introductions to books.

Christine Rains is posting another awesome paranormal story in snippets.

Heather Gardner is posting Stormy the Weather Gnome’s bucket list.

Mary at Play Off the Page is posting about Millie and Willie the sock puppets – and their exchanges are funny!

Michelle at Writer-in-Transit is posting words and inviting us to make up the definition – a prize is involved!

More cool themes to come!

Fan of the awesome Galaxy Quest? Following the classy Angry Lurker? (No really, Ray, stop laughing!) Remember Extreme? Know the trivia answer? Still having fun with the Challenge? And what cool themes have you seen?

Michael Offutt and Oculus, Libby Heily and Tough Girl, Ninja News, and Your A to Z Challenge Hosts!!!!

A lot to cover today! (Promise my posts will be much shorter during the A to Z Challenge.) First we kick off with friend and fellow science fiction author, Michael Offutt, who is here to entertain, amuse, and tell you why you need to buy Oculus, his latest book.

Steve Jobs would want you to buy Oculus

My earliest memory of board games started with Monopoly. I think that’s why my protagonist likes games too (don’t tell fans of hockey that it’s just a game). A little bit of us always shows up in our characters, right? Don’t answer that, but please indulge a few paragraphs of my insanity.

“My number on the squad is 11,” Jordan might say. “It’s my favorite, but this isn’t Craps. And three doubles in a row is bad, at least by the rules I play. If I say I’m a player, and I’m lucky is that a double entendre? I’m the lucky one, and this is not the third roll.

“I landed on Alex Cavanaugh’s blog with the dog. I always play the dog. It doesn’t shed and is all shiny out of the box. And Alex’s blog is Free Parking. You can’t argue with that. Ninjas never charge for parking. Not when they can slash your tires with a sword and can make you pass go without collecting $200. Do you have any idea how much that is in Ramen noodles?

“But it isn’t the happiest day of my life. That’s when I won $10 at a beauty contest. For a guy that’s pretty special. For a fake character in a real book, that’s redder than Emma Stone’s lips on Oscar night. And it’s doing pretty good. Shortly after that though, Kolin went directly to jail. Sometimes them’s the breaks. I feel bad for him…well partially bad. At least there’s no soap to drop and the menacing scowl behind the bars is just drawn on. You don’t want to drop the soap in a fake paper jail. The fake paper inmates have a tendency to shove you into one of the Fifty Shades of Grey books. For a fictional guy, that’s almost as bad as sitting through The Notebook.

“Still, there’s part of me that sheds the water works. I never liked that utility anyway. Water works are best done by chicks, right? But if you disagree, that’s fine. I won’t charge you if you give me your get out of jail free card. We all know you put out to get out, but your secret’s safe with me. I’m a black hole of secrets. Just remember, I see through you.

“Oh! You landed on Chance. I wonder what you’ll get. I guess that page is still unwritten. I hope you win $10 at a beauty contest. Then you could buy my story and feel validated at the same time. But don’t take it from me. Take it from Steve Jobs. ‘Oculus’ means ‘eye.’

“And anything that starts with “I” (iPad, iPod, iPhone) just has to be cool, or I’m not a character worth his ink. That’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it.”

At least…I think that’s what Jordan might say.

Investigate more about Oculus HERE
Find Michael here: Blog, Website, Goodreads, and Facebook.

Tough Girl now available!

Tough Girl by Libby Heily

Danger lurks everywhere in eleven year old Reggie's world—from the bully next door to the unwanted attentions of a creep at school. Raised by her mentally ill mother, Reggie is left to fend for herself in a rough neighborhood. She escapes in daydreams, battling aliens with her alter ego, Tough Girl.
When Reggie's mother disappears, her fantasy life spirals out of control and starts to invade reality. She is hunted by a creature of her own design, and even Tough Girl is not strong enough to stop him.
Will Reggie survive long enough for her mother to return, or will her dream world take over?

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Smashwords.

Libby’s book tour also kicks off today, so check her site for tour stops!

Ninja News

For those of you who’ve followed the wonderful Yvonne Lewis, she now has a new blog. Someone was stealing her poetry and she had to make some changes. You can find this delightful lady now at Yvonne’s Poetry Corner

M Pax, Suze, and Nicki are hosting the Back From the Future Blogfest on March 1. These ladies rock, so check it out.

VikLit at Scribblings of an Aspiring Author has started a new weekly meme – Celebrate the Small Things. Every Friday, Vik invites participates to mention something they want to celebrate that week, no matter how small. See her site for details.

Annalisa and Kyra are hosting the Imaginary Friend Bloghop on February 1. If you had an imaginary friend, check these charming ladies’ sites for details.

And the next book in Christine Rains’ series The 13th Floor is out now. She’s on tour for The Alpha, so check out her site for tour stops.

This Year’s Challenge Hosts!

I am honored to be a co-host again this year for the Challenge. The very first Challenge in 2010 changed my blog forever and I am in debt to Lee for creating this amazing event. There were only a hundred of us that first year, and now there are thousands. I hope that everyone can join us this year!

This year we have ten returning hosts and welcome Livia, Diane, and Nicole to the team!

Arlee Bird at Tossing It Out
Damyanti Biswas at Amlokiblogs
Alex J. Cavanaugh
Tina Downey at Life is Good
DL Hammons at Cruising Altitude 2.0
Jeremy Hawkins at Retro-Zombie
Shannon Lawrence at The Warrior Muse
Matthew MacNish at The QQQE
Konstanz Silverbow at No Thought 2 Small
Stephen Tremp at Breakthrough Blogs
Livia Peterson at Leave it to Livia
L. Diane Wolfe at Spunk on a Stick
Nicole at The Madlab Post

Keep abreast of Challenge news by following the Blog, following on Twitter - @AprilA2Z, or reading our Twitter Newspaper. You can also send us an email - infoaz2013@gmail.com

Any questions for Michael? Have you purchased Oculus or Tough Girl? Signed up for the upcoming blogfests? Ready for this year's A to Z Challenge? And did any of your football predictions come true? (Denver crashed and burned and Seattle blew it - told you my picks were suspect!)

My Poetic, Awesome Online Mom, Ninja News, and MIB III Review

Today I have the honor of featuring one of my dearest blogger buddies, someone I often refer to as my online mom – author and poet, Yvonne Lewis.

I met Yvonne over two years ago during the very first A to Z Challenge. (Not me in the picture - that's Danny.) She is just such a wonderful person. Yvonne is loving, gentle, and very genuine. She also has a wonderful free spirit and an eye for beautiful moments. I just adore this gracious and special lady.

Her latest book, Written From the Heart, is a wonderful collection of her poetry. I was honored beyond words when she asked me to write a blurb for her book. Seeing my name on the back of her book was more thrilling than seeing my name on the front. Anyone can publish a book, but not everyone can give another author a meaningful quote. Yvonne, thank you again.

She is here today to share with you a little about her book:

WRITTEN FROM THE HEART:

This book that I wrote
Was to let the readers see.
That after many years of heartache,
There's fun and laughter in me.

Like going to the park,
And descend a slide
While my children and grandchildren
Conveniently disappear and hide.

The book also enlightens people
My blessings I do count.
There are many worse off than me,
That I do not doubt.

My love of traveling is evident to see,
Touring the U.S. and Spain.
So I can escape from
Britain's continual rain.

Also Daniel O Donnell concerts,
I really do enjoy.
I'd travel to the ends of the earth,
To see my "Danny Boy".

The "Blurb" of the book,
I'm proud of I confess.
For the final part was written
By fellow blogger Alex....no less.

I wrote this book in the first place,
To let the whole world see.
But most importantly
That my family would be proud of me.

I know some of you have already bought,
I'm so grateful for a start.
I think there's a poem for everyone,
In "Written From The Heart"

- Yvonne

Visit Yvonne at Welcome to My World of Poetry and purchase her book at Amazon You can also catch Yvonne today at the A to Z Blog where she answers a few questions about the Challenge, Danny Boy, and Arlee Bird.

Ninja News!

Author Andrew Leon at Strange Pegs has taken some of the stories from a class he taught at his kid’s school and created a book, Charter Shorts. Proceeds from the book benefit the school, which is really cool, so grab a copy today!

Wendy Tyler Ryan’s new book, Fire’s Children is out now! Long fight to make it happen so congratulations, Wendy.

This comes courtesy of Edi’s Book Lighthouse - Incredible Submarine Themed Rooms. If you have a thing for submarines or steampunk, you’ll enjoy these images.

Movie Review

Men in Black III
A vast improvement over MIB II, which lacked in the humor department. This one plays more like a straight adventure film, although Will Smith has some very funny lines. It involves time travel and wraps up a lot of plot ties. Best part was Josh Brolin’s performance as a young agent K – he nailed Tommy Lee Jones. Not a movie that you have to catch in the theater, but it was good.

Following Yvonne? Enjoy her poetry? Any news I missed? Did you see MIB III? Or did you contribute more money to The Avengers’ billion plus take?And is anyone else hooked on watching The Hatfields and McCoys?

Making Great Connections

I am a guest today over at Lisa’s Flash Fiction. Well, not really me – Byron is the guest. He’s the one being interviewed. So please stop by for his sometimes serious, sometimes snarky answers.

Since I ended my followers series with connections, today I thought I’d give you examples of making good ones. (Because Friday is the big kick-off tour announcement and it’s really damn cool!)

Making great connections…

Through good humor

Being a comedian online shouldn’t mean being rude or offensive. One can be funny with style and manners. No one does this better than Jesse. (Copyboy) Nothing is really sacred on his blog, but his posts are always tongue in cheek – and his comments are positive and supportive. Jesse is an awesome blogger buddy and he searches the Web for those unique items so we don’t have to!

Through effort

Sometimes we don’t relate to someone right away. I read Roland Yeomans' posts often but rarely left comments. His posts were deep, and often I wouldn’t grasp the full meaning in one read. I realized that if I was ever going to make a friend, I had to put forth extra effort – even if it meant reading his posts twenty times! Considering the wisdom I gather every time I visit, I’m now proud to call Roland a friend.

Through time and consistency

I’ve been friends with Arlee Bird Arlee Bird longer than anyone. Through two (soon to be three) A to Z Challenges, numerous blogfests, and many features, he’s been a steady and consistent buddy. We’ve maintained contact through blogging and emails, and I’d trust him with anything. No matter what happens, I know Lee always has my back!

Through love

That’s right – love! And I can think of no better example than Yvonne Lewis. I met her during the first Challenge and she possesses such motherly love. Providing a blurb for her latest book meant the world to me. Yvonne’s beautiful words would be missed; hope she never gives up. She will always be my online ‘mom.’

Through mutual interests and admiration

It’s not difficult to find others who share our interests, but add mutual admiration and it’s awesome. Not everyone relates to my tastes in movies, music, and genre, but Rusty Webb understands. He’s also a sheer genius when it comes to writing a compelling story. (Something he tells me as well but I don’t believe him!) The man with a wicked sense of humor still owes me a beer and I intend to collect one day.

And so many other ways to connect! I have movie buddies like George and Melissa; science fiction writing buddies Jeffrey and M. Pax; joking buddies Robyn and Gail; happy buddies Talli and Nancy; and my greatest supporters Chuck and Edi. I hate to leave anyone out, but my list of special friends is long. Let me just say I thank God for each and every one of you!

How meaningful are your connections? Who encourages you? Who do you admire, respect, and trust? Who has YOUR back?


Don’t forget to visit Flash Fiction! Byron is waiting…

Honors and Controversy

Today I have the honor of an interview with Charity Bradford. She asked some questions about writing, my books, and a little about me. So, for your amusement, I invite you to visit her SITE.

I had a huge surprise Monday night when Jennifer Hillier notified me via Twitter that my blog was an official BLOG OF NOTE! That really blows me away. I am really humbled.

I was also really honored when this book came in the mail on Tuesday - Yvonne Lewis’s new book, Written From the Heart. It’s finally available for purchase here in the USA and I’d ordered it last week. Yvonne is such a sweet person, a really giving and loving spirit, and I’ve often referred to her as my online Mom. And here’s another reason why I was so stoked to get her book:

Yes, that is my name on the back of her book, like it means something! I was just as excited to see it on her book as I have been on my own. Yvonne, thank you for this gift – you are truly an amazing person.

Before you go, I’d like to toss a couple controversial and hot topics at you. Feel free to chime in with your opinion.

Should an author read reviews of his own book?

Elana Johnson posted about this last week. Her view was that reviews are for readers not authors and we shouldn’t ever read them. (Because at that point, we can’t change the book anyway.)

I think we should read them. Sure, we’ll be bummed by negative reviews, but we can learn from those - they can reveal where we lacked and what we need to work on in the next book. They can also guide us as we write the next book – what do the fans want? And of course, the good ones just plain make us feel good!

If I hadn’t read reviews for CassaStar, I wouldn’t have known I needed more detail, depth, and world-building. I also wouldn’t have known how much fans wanted a female character!

What do you think?

Now for the other tough subject. This one is huge:

Patriots or Giants – who do you have winning the Super Bowl?

I am still groveling for votes for CassaFire’s book trailer at You Gotta Read Videos. (And the groveling isn’t a pretty sight.)

And don’t forget to visit the awesome Charity Bradford.

You are now free to leave your opinion and move about the Internet!

Major Ninja News!

No, the Ninja Captain has not changed rank – I just have a lot of cool stuff for you guys today.

First, I have the honor of a guest post at Melissa’s Imaginarium! Melissa is awesome in every way possible, so please visit her. And Thursday is her birthday!

The Debutante Ball: Feast of Debut Authors continues! December 13 was Regan Guerra, December 14 is Melissa Pearl, and December 15 is Joseph Beekman. Lots of cool things to win!

Our very own Talli Roland has a new book out – Build A Man! Yeah, I know you ladies would rather do that then deal with us… Talli is the most supportive and cutest English-Canadian you will ever meet, so go say hey!

One of my most favorite blogger buddies, Yvonne Lewis at Welcome to My World of Poetry, has a new book -“Written From the Heart” Yvonne has worked SO hard on her second book and so many things went wrong in the process. Please stop by and congratulate her and check out her book!!!

Voting is still open for The Movie 411 Awards.

The most successful author I know is Milo James Fowler at In Media Res. He’s sold dozens of short stories this year, and that is due in part to his participation in Write1Sub1:

Once upon a time, Ray Bradbury was a struggling young writer in love with the craft. He wrote a short story every week, polished it up, and submitted it to a magazine. Rejection letters flooded in, mainly due to his prolific number of submissions, but there were also acceptances along the way, and they inspired Bradbury to keep doing what he loved: telling stories as only he could.

This year, over 150 writers decided to follow in Mr. Bradbury’s footsteps by joining Write1Sub1. Some have written and submitted a new story or poem every week, and some have done so every month. So far, more than 40 participants have had their work accepted by over 100 different markets—from Twitter fiction to pro-paying, SFWA-qualifying short story markets—and we've cheered each other on every step of the way. But we've also been there to commiserate with disappointments and rejections, because that’s what Write1Sub1 is all about: community. We're dedicated to creating high-quality written works, and we're determined to submit them until they find good homes.

It's never too late to join as either a weekly or monthly participant, and Write1Sub1 RELOADED is only a few weeks away: 1/1/2012!

David Powers King co-founded Ink Pageant, a parade of blog posts for writers!

We want to help writers improve their craft and reach their goals.
We're not alone. There are scads of authors and aspiring writers out there willing to help each other, and they're willing to share advice through their blogs. We want to help bring it to you and make it easy to find.
Ink Pageant has a few other purposes. You can share recommended reading or sell your books through your profile page; announce book signings, conferences, and other events; and share movie or book reviews. Most importantly, posts you submit can be put in front of an interested audience, benefitting them and bringing your blog a little extra traffic.
Right now their December giveaway is an in-depth 10 page critique from Eschler Editing – check it out HERE

See some good books? Ready to tackle Write1Sub1? Join Ink Pageant? Head about to explode from all the news? Now, go visit Melissa’s Imaginarium!

The Ease of Making a Book Trailer - NOT!!!

Today I have something that will rock your world – an awesome author and the premier of a brand new trailer. Ciara Knight is here to share her experience of creating a book trailer. (And after reading it, I’m really glad my publisher does all the work!) If you’ve created your own trailer, you’ll understand. If you haven’t, well I hope this doesn’t scare you into a quivering pile of goo…

I’m so excited and nervous about this book trailer. I mean, maybe if it’s good enough I’ll be accepted into Alex’s Ninja Army! Hey, I can dream, right?

I have to admit, designing and creating my first book trailer was an interesting experience. You see, I’m always full of crazy ideas, it’s the execution I struggle with.

First off, I thought I’d contact a local art school to see if one of the students would be interested in creating a book trailer for me. I ended up with a few responses and even met someone for lunch to discuss it, but even the students wanted a LOT of money to create what I wanted. I came home to Mr. Knight and told him about what I’d have to pay for a book trailer and he laughed for about five minutes. Okay, so first brilliant idea squashed.

I did some research and came up with my second brilliant idea, I’ll do it myself. Hey, my heroine in The Curse of Gremdon, Arianna, isn’t scared of anything. I decided to channel my inner Arianna and go for it. Why not? I mean, I can figure it out. I’ll buy a book or something. What could be so difficult? We already had Adobe Premiere Pro, so I was set.

After about eighteen hours of watching You Tube instructional videos I knew how to create a new project, import, and use some of the special effects. Great! I was set. I grabbed my husband’s HD video camera and headed for a hike near our home. Oh, did I mention my knee and foot were swollen. No worries, if Arianna can battle hideous creatures with nothing more than a dagger, I could make it through a hike. I gimped for a mile using the monopod as a walking aid (don’t tell Mr. Knight about that) and set up for some great footage. Of course, I had to choose a day that every hiker in the southeast was out. Finally, I take the PERFECT video, hobble all the way back to my car, and return home for a couple of ice packs.

My husband pulls the video in and we discover the monopod did absolutely no good. It looked like I’d been on a caffeine high when I took the video. Hope is not lost because Mr. Knight says that he might be able to stabilize the video in Adobe, so I get to work creating my awesome book trailer. Ten hours later, I’ve got my video in there, I’ve learned how to make it look like the woods are changing to fall, then make it go dark. I’ve pulled in images. Hey, it’s looking pretty good.

Mr. Knight arrives home and says, “The video needed to be stabilized first.” Um…seriously? Geesh, maybe this entire book trailer thing wasn’t such a great idea. No, I’m not going to give up. Arianna would never give up so easy. I wait for hubby to stabilize the video for me, because he knew how and I didn’t have eighteen more hours to watch You Tube instructional videos.

The next day I pull up his video and it looks great. I spend all day, while my little monsters are at school, working on the trailer. Mr. Knight arrives home that evening and takes a look. “Well, I think we need to start over.” At this point I realize I’m not Arianna and it’s probably a good thing, because if I had her dagger in my hand I might have harmed my husband.

The next day Mr. Knight started over and spent all of his day off working on it for me. At that point I realized I’m nothing like Arianna, but we did have one thing in common. A great hero to watch our back.

I hope you like the trailer my awesome husband helped create. Although, I still think I’ll be able to do the next book trailer without his help. Seriously.


Now that I think about it, Mr. Knight might be the one accepted into Alex’s Ninja Army.

Author bio: Ciara is happily married and enjoys family time. She has learned to embrace chaos, which is a requirement when raising three boys, and utilizes the insanity to create stories not of this world including: Fantasy, Paranormal, Sci-Fi, and Young Adult Biopunk. Her first love, besides her family, reading, and writing, is travel. She's backpacked through Europe, visited orphanages in China, and landed in a helicopter on a glacier in Alaska.
Follow Ciara here: Website and blog Facebook Twitter Goodreades

Questions for Ciara? Or her Ninja husband? Have you created a book trailer? Are you terrified to try now…?  

Debutante Ball: Feast of Debut Authors kicks off today – twenty days of prizes! I’m participating next week and today it begins with Elizabeth Mueller.

Yvonne Lewis at Welcome to My World of Poetry has a new book coming out today! More on “Written From the Heart” on Wednesday. Congratulations, Yvonne!!

The Movie 411 Awards I’m up for two awards, Best Science Fiction Blog and Best Post for the Worst Movies Blogfest. (And it’s a close race for the Best Blogpost.) Don’t forget to vote for my fellow blogger buddies: Cinemarvellous! nominated for Best Design, Best Gossip, and the Gold Award. iZombie! nominated for Best Horror. Melissa at Melissa’s Imaginarium nominated for Sexiest Female. MsMariah’s Space Blog-yssey nominated for Best Newcomer.

You are now free to comment and move about the blog!