New RiffTrax, Dinosaur Movie Trivia, Are You a Genre Purist, CassaFire Translation, and Ninja News

I’m visiting EE Georgi’s at Chimeras today, discussing the path of my books and what it took to start over with a new universe in Dragon of the Stars. (*It's live now!)

And if you missed it, I talked about the secret to marketing at Patricia Stoltey’s last Thursday.

New From RiffTrax!

Remember the travesty that was Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare?

RiffTrax describes it as hair metal meets hideous puppets!

Go HERE to download or stream.

Ninja News

Today at the Insecure Writer’s Support Group we have none other than the amazing Elizabeth S. Craig, discussing audio books for independent authors.

And at the A to Z Blog, the Themes That Rocked the Challenge guest is Hank Kaykuala. He highlighted his friend, Yusuf Hashim, who takes people on photo adventures around the world. Be sure to stop by!

Out Now –

Avalon: a Heartwarming True Cat Story by Vanessa Morgan

Find it on Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon CA, and Amazon FR, Amazon NL

And visit her site this month for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card, a signed book of Avalon, a cat collar, and a pack of cat toys!

Available June 9!

Jophiel: Path of Angels by Patricia Lynne

They must fight to stay on the path…

Find it on Amazon and Goodreads

Find Patricia: Website-Blog, Twitter, Wattpad, and Goodreads





Battle of the Band results –

The song was Shock the Monkey and despite early votes one direction, favor swung later on. The voting tally, counting mine for Coal Chamber:

Suburban Tribe - 15

Coal Chamber - 22

CassaFire Translation Details

Appreciated all of the congratulations last Wednesday!

Several of you had questions regarding the translation of CassaFire into Turkish, which I will do my best to answer here.

The publisher is Gürer Yayıncılık Publishing, LTD and CassaFire will be the beginning of their science fiction line. (Yes, they picked my book first! No idea why…)

The translation won’t be available until next year. I’ll keep you posted on the release date.

I hope to get a copy of the book (they are doing a print run as well as eBooks) but it depends on how many copies they send to my publisher.

No, I can’t read the Turkish language! But if I get a copy, it will be really cool to see my book in another language.

My titles are available worldwide, but this will be the first translation.


And in other news, Andrew Leon gave CassaStorm a really in-depth and thoughtful review last Friday. I even managed to surprise him! Double Ninja Score.

Movie Trivia

With Jurassic World coming out this Friday, I thought it was time for a little dinosaur trivia. Name the dinosaur movie from the clues. Answers on Monday!

1 - This 1975 movie with Doug McClure took place during WWI and involved a German sub finding a place called Caprona.
2 – This 1969 film was half Western and involved a T-Rex.
3 – This 1988 animated film spawned many, many sequels.
4 – This 1997 movie involved two groups of people with different agendas on an island with dinosaurs.
5 – This 1993 film was produced by Roger Corman, spawned two sequels, and starred Diane Ladd.

Genre Selective or Purist?

I’m going to throw this question out for you – are you a genre purist when it comes to books? Do you read several genres or stick to one main genre? If you are a writer, do you primarily read in your genre or do you explore others?

They say to read other books in your genre to get a feel for it and keep up to date. And I know authors who read almost exclusively in their genre. But they also say to expand your literary horizons and read a variety.

I may write science fiction, but I probably read more fantasy than anything else. I also read a variety, especially as I have author friends who write a in variety of genres. (I’ve read paranormal romance, memoirs, chick lit, poetry, and all sorts of books I wouldn’t have read otherwise.)

What about you? Do you stick to your genre and rarely venture further? Or do you read a wide variety?

Going to check out RiffTrax’s Rock and Roll Nightmare? Picking up some new books? Know any of the trivia? Seeing Jurrasic World this weekend? And do you read mostly your genre or do you read a variety?

Don’t forget to visit EE Georgi’s Chimeras!

I'll be on vacation this week from Thursday through Sunday with limited Internet. I will be checking my email though. If I miss your visit, I will catch you next week.

Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Plus RiffTrax Live, June Movie Preview, Members of Band Mastodon Die, and New Release From Heather Gardner

Today (Wednesday) I am visiting Lynda Young and discussing why writers need support. Thursday, I am visiting Patricia Stoltey and discussing the best way to market a book. Please stop by and visit both amazing ladies!

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

My awesome co-hosts today are M. Pax, Tracy Jo, Patricia Lynne, Rachna Chhabria, Feather Stone, and Randi Lee!

We are also adding new things to the site. The Publications page now includes conferences, conventions, workshops, festivals, retreats, and seminars, broken down by month. Plus we announced some upcoming stuff, so check it out today.

I’m in a good place now as far as books and writing go. Dragon of the Stars is selling well. There have been many ads in program guides and bookmarks handed out at science fiction conventions. (Next conventions are Space City Comic Con in Texas and Pensacola Comic Con in Florida.) I have guest appearances online through the middle of July. (Monday I visited Rachna’s Scriptorium and discussed the importance of characters.) I might even write a short story about what happens after Dragon ends. (For a very special fan and friend.)

The big news came yesterday from my publisher - CassaFire has been picked up by a publisher in Turkey for Turkish translation into both print and eBook. My book will be available in another language! That is just too wild. Never in my wildest dreams...

Otherwise, I intend to focus more on the IWSG this summer and what I can do to help other writers!

RiffTrax: Live!

Coming to you live, 8:00 pm, July 9 – RiffTrax: Live – Sharknado 2!
If you’ve never seen Mike, Kevin, and Bill, the members of RiffTrax, do a live event, now is your chance.
It will be held in Nashville, TN and broadcast live to hundreds of screens across the country.
Visit the RiffTrax site to get tickets.
And if you want to know more about RiffTrax, check out my interview with Kevin and Bill from earlier this year.

Ninja News

From Entertainment Weekly - Three members of the metal band Mastodon were killed Sunday night – on Game of Thrones! Bill Kelliher, Brent Hinds, and Brann Dailor were all Wildlings, killed and resurrected by the White Walkers. The guys said it was an incredible experience.

Out this week!
Already Home – A Maguire’s Corner Novel by Heather Gardner
Find it at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Goodreads
Congratulations, Heather - you rock!

June Movie Preview

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

5 –

Entourage
Movie star Vincent Chase, together with his boys Eric, Turtle, and Johnny, are back - and back in business with super agent-turned-studio head Ari Gold on a risky project that will serve as Vince's directorial debut.
Director: Doug Ellin
Stars: Adrian Grenier, Kevin Connolly, Jerry Ferrara, Kevin Dillon
I’ve never watched the show. Good chance I’ll never watch the movie.



12 –

Jurassic World
Twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park (1993), Isla Nublar now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond. After 10 years of operation and visitor rates declining, in order to fulfill a corporate mandate, a new attraction is created to re-spark visitor's interest, which backfires horribly.
Director: Colin Trevorrow
Stars: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, Judy Greer
Star Lord battles dinosaurs and a fifty foot tall Rocket – awesome! (And if you didn’t get that, go rent Guardians of the Galaxy this minute!)



19 –

Inside Out
After a girl moves to a new home, her emotions are plunged into chaos as they compete for control of her mind.
Directors: Pete Docter | Ronaldo Del Carmen
Stars: Diane Lane, Rashida Jones, Amy Poehler, Kyle MacLachlan
I want to love Pixar again. I hope this does it.





26 –

Ted 2
Newlywed couple Ted and Tami-Lynn want to have a baby, but in order to qualify to be a parent, Ted will have to prove he's a person in a court of law.
Director: Seth MacFarlane
Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried, Morgan Freeman
Foul mouthed Teddy bear wants to have baby with a woman – what’s not to love? (Oh wait, this could be in really bad taste…)

Big Game
A young teenager camping in the woods helps rescue the President of the United States when Air Force One is shot down near his campsite.
Director: Jalmari Helander
Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, Onni Tommila, Ray Stevenson, Victor Garber
I know it sounds awful! But it’s from the director of Rare Exports, the strangest and most unique Santa Claus film you will ever see.

Going to see RiffTrax? (Go once and you’ll laugh so hard, you’ll never miss another one!) Did you see Mastodon die in Game of Thrones? Picking up Heather’s new book? Any of those movies catch your attention? And what are your writing insecurities today…?

Don’t forget to visit Lynda Young today and Patricia Stoltey on Thursday!

Rush R40 Concert, Tomorrowland Review, Question of the Month, Battle of the Bands, and Ninja News!

Today I am visiting the great Rachna’s Scriptorium and discussing a writing topic - Don’t Lose Sight of the Characters. Please stop by!

Rush – R40 Tour

Caught these guys recently on their R40 tour, celebrating their 40 (actually 41) year career.

It was bittersweet knowing it might also be their last tour. Neil Peart wants to spend more time with his family, plus the guys are in their sixties now. It’s a shame, because they’ve never sounded as good as they do right now.

The stage set was awesome and very clever. It went backwards in time from the steampunk setup of Clockwork Angels to old amps on folding chairs with a high school gym on the big screen in the background. (Their first paid gig!) The stage hands worked hard to keep the set evolving backwards throughout the show.

They played some songs they haven’t played in years. (Again, going back in time with their selections.) Highlights included Between the Wheels from Grace Under Pressure, Cygnus X-1 Book II from Hemispheres, and Xanadu and Cygnus X-1 Book I from A Farewell to Kings.

It was an amazing show – Rush has never let me down!

Movie Review

Tomorrowland

It started off intriguing, and then went into a slow decline.

There were a lot of plot contrivances and parts of the film were a bit convoluted. And unbelievable. (A rocket ship built under the Eiffel Tower over a hundred years ago? Right…) Plus there were some unoriginal clichés, like the diatribe by the villain at the end.

The Tommorwland sets and designs were really cool. Just a shame most of the movie takes place in the here and now.

It was also a bit preachy. (Not as bad as Happy Feet, but still preachy.)

Overall it was all right but not great. A decent way to shoot two hours. Just don’t expect to remember much after you leave the theater. If you want a great film that you will remember, go see Mad Max: Fury Road instead.

(And for a really great breakdown of the movie’s borrowed plots, read the review at Pensuasion.)

Ninja News

Beth Ellyn Summer signed a deal with Bloomsbury Spark for her manuscript At First Blush!

Out now!
Layers of Lace by Christine Rains
Find it Ellora’s Cave, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Goodreads

Don’t forget this Wednesday is Insecure Writer’s Support Group day!

Have you picked up you’re a to Z Challenge t-shirt?
Created by our very own Jeremy Hawkins, you can purchase it at the NeatoShop

Battle of the Bands

Hosted by Faraway Eyes and Stephen T. McCarthy.

I decide to pick something a little different - Peter Gabriel’s Shock the Monkey.

Now, if I’d just pitted Coal Chamber’s version against Gabriel’s, then quite likely the original would win. But I dug around and found another band who had covered the song. You know the routine – pick your favorite:

Suburban Tribe


Coal Chamber (with Ozzy Osbourne)


Make your selection! Votes will be tallied and posted next Monday.

Question of the Month

Hosted by Michael at A Life Examined, this is the debut of Question of the Month!

If your house caught on fire, what's the one thing you'd grab before running out?

Trusting that my wife would be running out with me, I would grab my guitars. I have several Les Paul guitars and a Music Man, and I would do my best to scoop them all up. Loosing those in the fire just might make me cry!

Have you seen Rush in concert? (Have you seen them almost thirty times like me?) Seen Tommorrowland? (More important, have you seen Fury Road?) Got your Challenge t-shirt yet? Ready for Wednesday’s IWSG post? (Plus the June movie preview.) Which version of Shock the Monkey is your favorite? And what would you grab if your house was on fire...?

Don’t forget to visit Rachna’s Scriptorium!

Metal Band Name Generator, Muse Party Blogfest, Bee Shortage, Movie Review, and New Releases

Today I am visiting Tyrean Martinson and discussing writing influences. And there's trivia!

Thanks again to everyone who participated in the Blood, Boobs, and Carnage Blogfest!

Heavy Metal Band Name Generator

In need of a metal band name or just a good laugh? Check out Heavy Metal Band Name Generator – one press of the button randomly generates a suitable metal name.
So far, my favorite has been Boob Holocaust.

Movie Review

Probably seeing Tomorrowland today, so will post review next week. In the meantime…

White House Down
Directed by Roland Emmerich, the story is ridiculous and very unrealistic. It’s full of gaping plot holes.
However, the leads are very likeable and manage to pull some entertainment out of the flick.
Watch if you’re really bored.

New Releases

Fixation by J. L. Campbell
Find on Amazon and Smashwords

A Change of Mind and Other Stories by Nick Wilford
A Change of Mind and Other Stories consists of a novella, four short stories and one flash fiction piece. This collection puts the extremes of human behaviour under the microscope with the help of lashings of dark humour, and includes four pieces previously published in Writer’s Muse magazine.
Find it here: Amazon US, Amazon UK, and Goodreads

Ten Zany Birds by Sherry Ellis
Find it on Amazon

Bees in Danger by Jo

Jo on Food, Life and a Scent of Chocolate mentioned a shocking report she had read on honey bees and how they were declining in numbers. A report featured on IFLScience described how in recent decades honey bee numbers in the US had declined by 60%. This is shocking in itself but the latest report by the Bee Informed Partnership together with the Apiary Inspectors of America, which surveyed over 6,000 apiarists, indicates that there has been a further loss of 42% of honey bee colonies in the United States. Some of this has been caused by the destructive varroa mite, a lot of the problem is related to toxic chemicals used by humans, but some is totally unexplainable. While the bulk of the cereal crops (which are wind pollinated) would survive, many fruit and vegetable crops would disappear. Australia has been protected from pests like the varroa by their very strict quarantine laws but, even if they end up with the only healthy honey bee population, that won't save the world's food crops. We need the honey bee. If it dies out, we are in serious danger of dying out too. Visit the blog of Helen Venn for more information.

The Muse Party Blogfest

Hosted by Sarah Foster.

I don’t really have a muse, so I decided to bring along one of my characters instead.

Who is your muse (or character)? Tell us a little bit about him/her and why you brought them. I’m bringing Athee from my Cassa series. She’s beautiful, strong-willed, outgoing, and will offset the fact I’m not really a party guy.

What are you guys wearing? Dressing up or keeping it casual? I’m always dashing in a tux and I hope she’s wearing something low cut.

It's a potluck! Did you bring something yummy? She would bring a traditional Tgren dish with all the trimmings and I would bring a traditional snarky guy dish of Hot Tamales and Gummy Worms over rice.

Open bar! What are you both drinking (booze or otherwise)? I’m drinking whatever makes me not care about the awkward words coming out of my mouth.

Wallflowers or social butterflies? I’m the wallflower of the two.

What song(s) will you and your muse sing for karaoke? She opts for a traditional Tgren song and I opt for Cowboys From Hell by Pantera.

What's your favorite party game? Whatever gets my date naked the fastest. (Hey, you asked!)

Which one of you is more likely to end up dancing on a table top? Definitely Athee. I will be sleeping under the table at that point.

Has your muse been a good date and would you ever hang out with them again? Excellent date… reminds me a lot of my wife!

What heavy metal band names did you get? Seen White House Down? Picking up some new books? Have you seen a decrease in bees in your area? And what would your muse or character be like at a party?

Don’t forget to visit Tyrean Martinson!

And happy Memorial Day.