February Movie Preview!

It’s movie time again! Where the heck did the month go?

And I'm visiting the blog of Chris Phillips today with a song that inspired the writing of CassaStar. It’s a short piece – and also a cautionary tale for those who leave suggestive comments. (Read it and you’ll understand!)

1st -

DVD - Monsters
Excellent film! Haunting. Read my review HERE





4th -

Sanctum
Director: Alister Grierson
Stars: Rhys Wakefield, Allison Cratchley, Christopher Baker
The Plot: A diving team experiences a life-threatening crisis during an expedition to an unexplored cave system.
James Cameron is the producer, which bodes well for this film. And while this is based on a real event, it bears a striking resemblance to the horror film, The Cave. (Sans creepy monsters of course.)


11th -

Gnomeo and Juliet
Director: Kelly Asbury
Stars: James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Maggie Smith
The Plot: An animated version of Shakespeare's play, where Gnomeo (voice of McAvoy) and Juliet (voice of Blunt) are would-be lovers from rival garden-based families.
Not holding my breath on this one, as the previews look cheesy…

15th -

DVD – Unstoppable
Another great movie – lots of action and tension. Read my review HERE




18th –

Unknown
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Stars: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones
The Plot: Dr. Martin Harris (Neeson) awakens from a coma, only to discover that someone has taken on his identity and that no one -- not even his wife (Jones) -- believes him. With the help of a young woman (Kruger), he sets out to prove who he is.
If it’s done well, this one could be really good.

Vanishing on 7th Street (limited)
Director: Brad Anderson
Stars: Hayden Christensen, Thandie Newton, John Leguizamo
The Plot: When a massive power blackout causes a city's population to vanish, a handful of survivors band together inside a tavern in an effort to survive as darkness approaches.
Anderson has done some great films (like Session 9) but so far early reviews are “eh.” Bummer, was really hoping for a good film… It’s free on Direct TV on the 16th, so I’ll still check it out.

I Am Number Four
Director: D.J. Caruso
Stars: Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Dianna Agron
The Plot: Nine alien teens come to Earth after their planet is destroyed by an enemy species. But soon discover that their enemy is now after them on Earth.
I know so many are excited for this film, but after reading story behind the publisher and the writer (who earned a whole $500 for this tale and that's it) I’d rather not give money to that machine…


25th –

Drive Angry 3D
Director: Patrick Lussier
Stars: Nicolas Cage, Amber Heard, William Fichtner
The Plot: A felon (Cage) breaks out of hell for one last chance at redemption: to prevent the cult who murdered his daughter from sacrificing her baby in three days' time. He's aided by a young waitress (Heard) and her ex-boyfriend's muscle car, and together the duo will have to face down the leader of the cult, the police, and a killer known as "The Accountant" (Fichtner) -- who wants to return him to the Devil.
Expecting another cheesy fest in the same vein as Ghost Rider.

DVD – Megamind
I skipped this one in the theater, but I’m looking forward to seeing it on video.


All movie info and descriptions from the IMDB.





So, what are you catching next month?

The 500, News, and Writing Around Family with the FFW

I don’t know how it happened, but I hit 500 followers this week. Wow! Thanks guys. Need to have a party or something… I’ll get back to you on that.

Today I am at Donna Hole’s site, discussing the features of the iPad and how they relate to writers, readers, and bloggers. Please stop by and say hi – she was so worried I’d forgotten her!

Elizabeth Spann Craig started something really cool! A search engine for writers. No more useless Google searches! Get the details HERE

And don’t forget the A to Z Challenge! Details HERE


Guys, you don’t want to miss this!!!



Today is another edition of Fantastic Friday Writers! I invite your to check out my Fantastic Friday Writers partners - Elizabeth Mueller, Anastasia V. Pergakis, J. D. Brown, and Deirdra Eden Coppel - for their take on this subject. I’m sure it’s better than mine!

Working Around Family and Finding Time to Write

And I guarantee my entry will be the most unique!

Some would say family members are those pesky people who get in the way of our writing. They have schedules we’re to follow and demand attention. If it weren’t for family, we could’ve written twenty novels by now!

Oh really?

I think a lot of it has to do with our mindset. Do we view our family as help or hindrance? If we’re struggling to find time to write and balance family life, maybe it’s time for a new approach. Have we tried communication?

The key plot points for a story apply here as well:

WHY? Let our families know why writing is so important.

WHAT? Tell them what we hope to accomplish.

WHEN? Discuss how often we’d like to write and at what times.

WHO? Discuss the duties of the house and the new people who will enter our lives as a result of writing.

HOW? Figure out how to maintain a balance that makes everyone happy.

With good communication and the right attitude, it’s much easier to work writing into our life.

And the “Oh really?” comment? If it weren’t for my family, I wouldn’t be writing at all. My wife is my cheerleader, encourager, and best friend. Without her, I wouldn’t be writing at all and my accomplishments as an author would mean nothing. She’s not a distraction in my life.

Are you using communication to secure writing time? Have you tried?

BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS!

First, thanks to everyone who participated in the Top Ten Countdown Music Blogfest. Was that not a blast? 114 bloggers! If you missed some of the posts, please check out the tabbed page above for a full list of participants. All links lead directly to the Top Ten post. Thanks again to everyone who got involved!

Today I am visiting Susan Says describing how to find one’s voice online!

And now - you don’t want to miss the event of the year!

Announcing the
April 2011
A to Z Challenge!

The brainchild of Arlee Bird at Tossing It Out, the A to Z Challenge began last year with a hundred participants, including me.

This year Arlee is thinking BIG. Really BIG! Three hundred participants. He needed year to spread the word and Talli Roland, Jen Daiker at Unedited, and myself are proud to co-sponsor this event.

What is the A to Z Challenge?

It’s blogging a letter of the alphabet every day the month of April (with Sundays off for good behavior.) It begins April First with the letter A and ends April 30 with the letter Z.

And it’s more than just a challenge! It’s a way to get in the habit of blogging on a schedule. It’s a chance to gain followers. Last April, I was a new blogger and went from thirty to eighty followers in one month. But more importantly, those of us who participated became like family. We grew and stretched together. And we had a blast in the process!

So please join Arlee, Talli, Jen, and me as we set off on a quest for three hundred participants in the A to Z Challenge!

I also have several very special guest spots this week! Yes, Alex has been busy...

Wednesday I was at L’Aussie Writing talking about my publishing journey.

I’m also at Selling Books! My publisher had forwarded the opportunity to be a featured author on this site and I filled out the questionnaire last December. So I’ll be just as surprised to read it!

And special announcement:

L’Aussie also posted how authors, publishers, and readers can help Queensland. So read her post HERE for details!

Top Ten Countdown Music Blogfest!!

The Top Ten Countdown Music Blogfest is here!

Hardest post... ever. Distilling 100's of all time favs down to just 10 is almost impossible. (Those of you who were struggling, I feel your pain!) So, with apologies to all the great songs that didn't make the list, here we go.

1. Natural Science - Rush - Permanent Waves
I could have made a list of top 100 Rush songs. But Natural Science is a standout track among standout tracks. Musically complex and layered this is a prog fan's dream song. I never get tired of listening to this masterful piece of work.

2. The Count of Tuscany - Dream Theater - Black Clouds and Silver Linings
Just when I thought DT couldn't get any better, their latest disc dropped with an instant classic. A master class in musicianship and arrangement, this is DT at their very best. I was fortunate enough to see DT live and watching Guitarist John Petrucci shred through this song was astounding. Clocking in at a little over 19 minutes, this is a true musical journey.

3. System - In Flames - Reroute to Remain
I picked up this disc after hearing "Cloud Connected" but "System" was the track that made my jaw hit the floor. Heavy, aggressive, catchy...this song manages to encapsulate everything great about metal into one signature song.

4. Wasted Years - Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time
One of the greatest riffs ever. This song had an amazing video showing artist renditions of Eddie (the Iron Maiden Mascot) over the years. And I truly appreciate the lyrics that become more poignant as I grow older.
"Don't waste the time always searching for those wasted years. Face up, make your stand. And realize your living in the golden years."

5. Painkiller - Judas Priest - Painkiller
Everybody thought JP was done after the ill-conceived album "Turbo" (although I kinda liked it.) But they fought their way back with the disc "Ram it Down" and then cemented their status as metal gods with the blistering anthem "Painkiller." Pure aggression and balls-out metal, this is one of the best.

6. Easter - Marillion - Seasons End
I learned to play the guitar, in part, just to play this song. Such an achingly beautiful song about the warmth of the Irish spirit. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a beautiful land full of people raising families amidst the threat of violence. I listened to this song over and over during a train ride to Scotland and the song is indelibly linked together with those great memories.

7. Rose of Sharyn - Killswitch Engage - The End of Heartache
I just love the lyrics to this song. For me (lyrics can have different meaning for different people) the song deals with Jesus singing to God while on the cross. A heavy song with great riffs and crushing vocals, the song is also quite beautiful.

8. Cowboys from Hell - Pantera - Cowboys from Hell
This song was a game changer for an entire genre of music. Dimebag Darryl and the boys came along and ushered forth a new heavy in heavy metal. This song takes aggression to 11 and beyond. At the time, this was the most aggressive onslaught that I had ever heard and I absolutely loved it.

9. Over My Head - King's X - Gretchen Goes to Nebraska
Tinged with mixes of soul and hard rock, this song blew my socks off. With an incredible riff and a catchy chorus that stays in your head for days, this is one of the coolest songs ever written.

10. My Name is Love - Rob Dickinson - Fresh Wine for the Horses
Rob is one of my all time favorite singers when he was with Catherine Wheel. His solo album starts out with a song that speaks to my heart. I can now sum up my relationship with God with this one song.
"When everything inside, ups and changes our lives,
When everything else has died,
My name is Love"

Special props to:
Rainbow in the Dark - Dio
Shooting Shark - BOC
Albatross - Corrosion Of Conformity
Holy Wars, The Punishment Due - Megadeth
Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck - Prong
Thoughts Without Words - Shadow's Fall
It Can Happen - Yes

Please visit the others who’ve signed up for the blogfest, as I’m sure you’ll find some cool new tunes.

Comments, thoughts, and what are YOUR favorites?