RiffTrax, October Movie Preview, Alien Movie Trivia, Battle of the Banned, Ninja News, and New Releases!

RiffTrax Thursday!

This Thursday, it’s RiffTrax Live - Miami Connection!

The show will be broadcast live from Nashville. (If you live in that town, for God’s sake, go see them live!) And they are being broadcast live into over a hundred movie theaters across the nation. Go HERE to find a theater near you.

You’ve heard me rant about RiffTrax before. Go and enjoy!

Blogroll Restored!

It took hours of work, but I built back up my blogroll in my side bar.

I may have missed someone, so if you are a regular visitor and blogger buddy, please let me know if you don't see your blog listed.

Ninja News

Jessica Therrien is hosting the READ AND REVIEW CHALLENGE! The event runs from October 1 to March 31, 2016. It challenges readers to read and review ten or more books from the list. Each review will enter the readers into a raffle for a monthly giveaway and those who review ten or more will be entered into the grand prize raffle. To add your book to the list (you have to supply a copy to the readers) fill out the form HERE. This is open to both traditional and self-published authors.

New Releases!

Static by SK Anthony
Find it on Amazon

We Had Flags by Sean McLachlan
The third in the Toxic World series of post-apocalyptic novels.
Find it on Amazon

Ghost Dancer by Christine Rains
The Paramours - ghost hunting with a kiss.
When Nina Azure’s talent as a ghost dancer doesn’t persuade a handsome phantom to talk, she entices him with sizzling sexual energy…
Find at Ellora’s Cave, Kobo, and Goodreads

Ghost for Sale by Sandra Cox
Find it at Kensington Publishing

The Art of the Sparkly Fart by Pat Hatt
Find it on Amazon

Demon in the Basement by River Fairchild
Find it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords

Alien Movie Trivia Answers

1 – Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde – 2011- Cowboys and Aliens
2 – Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura – 1987 - Predator
3 – Taylor Kitsch, Liam Neeson, Rihanna – 2012 - Battleship

4 – Kurt Russel, Wilford Brimley, Keith David – 1982 – The Thing

5 – Scoot McNairy, Whitney, Able – 2010 - Monsters
6 – Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Abigail Breslin – 2002 - Signs
7 – Joel Courtney, Ellie Fanning, Kyle Chandler – 2011 – Super 8

Battle of the Banned

This is Shady Del Knight’s Battle of the Banned. (Yes, Banned, not Band.) It pits two songs against each other and you vote for your favorite.

It might seem unfair to pit an original version against a remake. But VH1 lists the remake as one of the best ever – even better than the original. The band made it their own. So, you tell me – which version of Holy Diver do you like best?

Original Ronnie James Dio version -

Killswitch Engage’s version -

You know the routine – vote for your favorite!

October Movie Preview

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

2 –

The Martian
During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.
Director: Ridley Scott
Stars: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara
Sometimes, when I’m on a trip, I wonder if I forgot to turn off the oven. I can’t imagine how these people must feel…

The Walk
In 1974, high-wire artist Philippe Petit recruits a team of people to help him realize his dream: to walk the the immense void between the World Trade Center towers. Director: Robert Zemeckis
Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Charlotte Le Bon, Ben Kingsley, James Badge Dale
This is a must-see in Imax. I heard it’s jaw-dropping. (And I hope that’s all that drops…)





9 –

Pan
12-year-old orphan Peter is spirited away to the magical world of Neverland, where he finds both fun and dangers, and ultimately discovers his destiny -- to become the hero who will be forever known as Peter Pan.
Director: Joe Wright
Stars: Hugh Jackman, Levi Miller, Jimmy Vee, Rooney Mara
Lots of bad buzz and a grim story line. I don’t think it will pan out well…

Steve Jobs
Set backstage at three iconic product launches and ending in 1998 with the unveiling of the iMac, Steve Jobs takes us behind the scenes of the digital revolution to paint a portrait of the man at its epicenter.
Director: Danny Boyle
Stars: Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Sarah Snook
I’ll probably wait for this to show up on iTunes.





16 –

Crimson Peak
In the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider. Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds...and remembers.
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Stars: Charlie Hunnam, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikowska
Del Toro and a horror film dripping with atmosphere – a must see!

Bridge of Spies
An American lawyer is recruited by the CIA during the Cold War to help rescue a pilot detained in the Soviet Union.
Director: Steven Spielberg
Stars: Tom Hanks, Peter McRobbie, Alan Alda, Billy Magnussen
It’s a film about a group of spies who live under a bridge like trolls. Wait, that might not be right…




23 –

The Last Witch Hunter 
The last witch hunter is all that stands between humanity and the combined forces of the most horrifying witches in history.
Director: Breck Eisner
Stars: Vin Diesel, Rose Leslie, Elijah Wood, Michael Caine
The Iron Giant and Groot team up to kick some witch butt!

Going to see RiffTrax on Thursday? Participating in the Read and Review Challenge? Picking up some new books? Get any of the movie trivia right? Which version of Holy Diver do you like best? And what movies are on your radar for October…?

Disappearing Blogrolls, Alien Movie Trivia, Lucy Movie Review and Movie News, and Contests and New Releases!

The Disappearing Blogroll

As many of you probably noticed, last week Blogger at my blogroll. All of the blogs I had listed vanished. I was going to clean it up, but really hadn’t planned on starting from scratch. Bummer.

I was gone this past weekend, hanging out with friends, so I didn’t get to work on it. No worries if your blog isn’t listed yet. I’m still working on it and it will take me the rest of this week to complete the task.

And yes, I do use Feedly to follow and visit blogs. But the blogroll works better when I’m using my iPad. Besides, I like featuring my blogger buddies in the side bar.

On another note, I finally have a domain name for my blog. Hey, only took me six years!

Movie News

Movie Review -Lucy

With Luc Besson directing, you know it will be quirky.
The movie was fun but rather forgettable. It’s also really short. It felt like there was a longer, more fleshed out movie in there somewhere.
Scarlett Johansson was good and the evolution of her character as she learned to use more of her brain interesting.
If you like a science fiction action flick, it’s worth a rental.


Resident Evil: The Final Chapter is in production. Slated to come out January of 2017, you can read about the cast and more at JoBlo. Will it be the final chapter? Doubtful.

The Richest has an article, 12 Actors Who Hate The Role That Made Them Famous. Among them were a few former Star Wars actors – Alec Guiness thought Star Wars was poorly written and hated playing Obi-Wan; Jake Lloyd felt Lucas let down the fans and had angry fans criticizing both him and the movie; and Carrie Fisher didn’t like becoming a sex symbol and now has enough stalkers to last a lifetime.

Ninja News

The IWSG Anthology Contest is open until November 1! The theme is Alternate History/Parallel Universe and any member of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group is encouraged to enter – blogging (must post for the IWSG at least once in September or October) or Facebook member. Winners will be published in a royalty-paying anthology next year.

I’ve been asked to be a judge for Tell-Tale Publishing’s Halloween 2015 Scariest Scene Writing Contest.
Entries are due October 31. They are to be the beginning only of a completed unpublished story and no more than five hundred words.
See their SITE for further details and the entry form.


Blastr posted some amazing images of Pluto - check them out.

New Releases!

Simulation by Tara Tyler
Sequel to Pop Travel!
Find it on Amazon and Goodreads

A Not So Natural World by Pat Hatt
Find it on Amazon

9/11: Terrorists' Descent Into Jahannam by Holy Ghost Writer
Follow the real and fictional lives of those that lost theirs on 9/11, most into heaven, others into hell.

Bloodbrothers by Melanie Schultz
The fourth and last novel in the Newstead series.
Find it on Amazon

Movie Trivia – Aliens

Aliens coming to Earth! Name the film from the actors and dates.

1 – Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde – 2011
2 – Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura – 1987
3 – Taylor Kitsch, Liam Neeson, Rihanna – 2012
4 – Kurt Russel, Wilford Brimley, Keith David – 1982
5 – Scoot McNairy, Whitney Able – 2010
6 – Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Abigail Breslin – 2002
7 – Joel Courtney, Ellie Fanning, Kyle Chandler - 2011

Anyone else ever lose your blogroll and have to start from scratch? Seen Lucy? Surprised so many Star Wars actors hated their roles? Entering either contest? Picking up some new books? And do you know any of the movie trivia…?

Ninja News, Polar Night by Julie Flanders, My Favorite Martian Blogfest, and Alien Movie Trivia

Today is the My Favorite Martian Blogfest!

It is also Martin Luther King Jr. Day, honoring a man who had a vision and a dream.

Ninja News

In two weeks, I will finally announce the subject of my next blogfest. So, keep saving March 18 – it will be a fun and easy blogfest for everyone!

Started a year ago by Jessica Bell and Dawn Ius, Vine Leaves just put out its fifth issue! They are taking submissions and hiring as well. Check it out on Jessica’s SITE.

Don’t forget the contest Tim Knight is hosting at HeroPress. The "Design-a-Monster" competition runs until January 31 and is in celebration of his six-year blogging anniversary. There are some cool prizes involved (including copies of my book) so check out the details HERE.

Are you persistent? Do you have the right attitude? Then read what Milo James Foster at In Media Res had to say on Sunday:
"Beneath the Surface" was the first short story I submitted for publication, way back in the summer of 2009, and it's been on a long journey ever since. Rejected 24 times over the past three years, held for consideration by the likes of Strange Horizons, Apex Magazine, and NewMyths, it finally found a place to call home in the new Arcane anthology.
This story never would have been published if I'd given up after the first, fifth, or fifteenth rejection. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Believe in yourself. Believe in your work. Cool stuff will happen. Every rejection letter is just a permission slip to send your story where it really belongs!

Teresa at Fangirl Next Door sent me this – it’s a podcast interview with Jeff Heimbuch, author of It’s Kind of a Cute Story. The book is about Rolly Crump, one of the original Disney imaginers, and one of the last people alive today that worked directly with Walt himself. Listen to it HERE

Cover Reveal

Polar Night by Julie Flanders
Available February 7 from Ink Smith Publishing

When Detective Danny Fitzpatrick leaves his hometown of Chicago and moves to Fairbanks, Alaska he wants nothing more than to escape the violence and heartbreak that left his life in pieces. Numbed by alcohol and the frozen temperatures of an Alaskan winter, Danny is content with a dead-end job investigating Fairbanks' cold cases. That all changes when a pretty blond woman goes missing on the winter solstice, and Danny stumbles upon some surprising connections between her disappearance and that of another Fairbanks woman three years earlier. Forced out of his lethargy, Danny sets out to both find the missing woman and solve his own cold case.

The investigation points Danny towards Aleksei Nechayev, the handsome and charming proprietor of an old asylum turned haunted tourist attraction in the Arctic town of Coldfoot. As he tries to find a link between Nechayev and his case, Danny's instinct tells him that Nechayev is much more than what he seems.

Danny has no idea that Nechayev is hiding a secret that is much more horrifying than anything he could ever have imagined. As his obsession with finding the missing women grows, Danny finds his own life in danger. And when the truth is finally revealed, the world as he knows it will never be the same.

Find Julie here – blog, Twitter, and Facebook.

My Favorite Martian Blogfest

Hosted by several bloggers, including Maurice and Nigel at The Geek Twins,, Just a Dash of Geek, and Liesel at Musings on Fantasia - post about your favorite alien!

I’m going to be a rebel and select two! Ninjas are just sly that way…

Ronon Dex from Stargate Atlantis
He is a Satedan and his home world was destroyed by the Wraith. He became a Runner and eventually joined Sheppard’s Atlantis Expedition team.
Ronon is proficient with weapons, a warrior, and a bit unpredictable sometimes. In other words, he is just badass! I’d want him on my team for sure.

T’Pol from Enterprise
She was the first Vulcan officer to serve long-term on a human vessel. She started as an observer on the Enterprise and then requested an extension. Eventually she resigned from the Vulcan High Command and accepted a position from Starfleet.
T’Pol is incredibly smart, ice cold, and smoking hot. I’d want her on my team as well.
(And yes, mostly because she is smoking hot!)

Visit the hosts for a list of participants or to join the geeky alien fun!

Who is YOUR favorite alien?

Alien Movie Trivia

And in honor of our alien blogfest, some quotes from films featuring aliens.

1 – "Yes, she knows it’s a multi-pass!"

2 – "Look, I have one job on this lousy ship. It’s stupid, but I’m going to do it, okay?"

3 – "What the hell are you?"

4 – "Somebody in this camp ain’t what he appears to be. Right now that may be one or two of us. By spring, it could be all of us."

5 – "I hope you’re not going to take your skin off, because I really like skin on a woman."

Entering Tim’s contest or submitting to just ONE more magazine now? Excited for Julie’s book? Who is YOUR favorite alien? And know any of the movie quotes?