Writer Wednesday Blog Hop #24

Every week I weed through over 100 blogs, looking for writing advice and new and interesting books to read. Considering how time consuming this is, I share the posts I find the most interesting here every week. If you’d like me to add your blog to my feeder or a link from my weekly tour, leave a comment on the most current tour or send me a link via Twitter @by_wjhoward.

All About Writers

• On Dance on Fire, Hitting 50 ...and more, James Garcia Jr., on his four month journey through publication.

All About Books

• On Overbury Ink, Number 38, part 7 – by Ian Eliot LeWinter
• On Farm Lane Books Blog, White is for Witching – Helen Oyeyemi
• On Fantasy Literature's Fantasy Reviews, Who Fears Death: A book I will never forget
• On Bookgasm, Strip AND Blood Guts & Whiskey
• On Marissa Farrar's blog, The Strain by Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan

All About Writing & Publishing

• FAV! On Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors, Use All 5 Senses to Bring Your Setting to Life
• FAV! On Copyblogger, Charles Bukowski and the Secret to Immortal Writing
• On Vamplit's Library, Artwork A Personal Story of Jekyll and Hyde
• On the Wicked Writer's blog, Internet Writers Resources – free for the taking!
• On Rachelle Gardner's blog, How to Become a Better Writer
• On a Newbie's Guide to Publishing, The Difference Between Sales and Fans
• On Wylie-Merrick Literary Agency's blog, Has Your Ship Sailed?

Weekly Features

• Literary Agent, Nathan Bransford's This Week in Publishing
• Win on Wednesday on All Things Urban Fantasy
• This week's Where Stories Are Made: Paul Magrs over at Book Chick City
• On Book Lovers Inc., Around the Bookish World: News Week-in-Review

Blogging Events

• July 16 - 18, Book Extravaganza
• September 13 - 17, Book Blogger Appreciation Week

Join the Hop

Are you highlighting writers and books in your blog for Writer Wednesday? Then add your blog to my new blog hop link group. Powered by Linky Tools Click here to enter your link and view the entire list of entered links...

Writer Wednesday Blog Hop #22

Every week I weed through over 100 blogs, looking for writing advice and new and interesting books to read. Considering how time consuming this is, I share the posts I find the most interesting here every week. If you’d like me to add your blog to my feeder or a link from my weekly tour, leave a comment on the most current tour or send me a link via Twitter @by_wjhoward.

Spotlight

• Over on Fools & Sages, a personal friend of mine struggles with her love/hate addiction to the Twilight series in They Sparkle
• I also chuckled when I read The Spork Theory on Jim C. Hines blog

All About Writers

• On Blood Reads, Interview with C.J. Ellisson, Author of Vampire Vacation
• On Lexington Vampire Examiner, Interview with Mike Duran, Christian vampire author part 1

All About Books

I'm seeing a lot of the same books over and over again, so I don't have much to add here this week. I also need to clean out my book review feed folder. Too much paranormal romance and I'm slowly giving up on this genre.

• In Vamplit's Library, a review of Drawing Blood by Poppy Z. Brite A Review

All About Writing & Publishing

• On Working Stiffs, Let's Play -- The First Five Lines
• On A Newbie's Guide to Publishing, The Time Is Now
• FAV! On Wordplay, Why No Writer Knows What He’s Doing
• Loved R.J.'s post, Crunch Time on our Bloodlegger's blog.

Weekly Features

• Literary Agent, Nathan Bransford's This Week in Publishing
• Win on Wednesday on All Things Urban Fantasy
• This week's Where Stories are Made: Keri Arthur over at Book Chick City
• On Book Lovers Inc., Around the Bookish World: News Week-in-Review

Join the Hop

Are you highlighting writers and books in your blog for Writer Wednesday? Then add your blog to my new blog hop link group. Powered by Linky Tools Click here to enter your link and view the entire list of entered links...

Weekly Whine: Contradictory Feedback

We're on day 4 with no sun here in Denver and I feel like all my energy has been sucked out of me. The good thing...I'm wearing a sweater in June. Hate the heat. It's supposed to clear up today, and I can see the mountains, so at least no walking beagles in the rain today.

Anyways, I'm lacking motivation to write today, so I put in Drag me to Hell right before I sat down to write this. Get the heart pumping; wake me up. I know nothing about this movie other than a vague memory of the commercials last year. It just started and I'm not impressed with the gross gypsy woman and her curse on the pitiful Christine. Great timing with the storyline, considering the banking industry. Wrong target though. Can we please drag a few upper executives of the major banks to Hell...please.

I'm pretty excited that Literary Agent Rachelle Gardner is running a series this week in her blog on contradictory feedback. This has been my greatest challenge as I make my way through the feedback from my critique group. Best piece of advice she provides this morning.

It's important for you to go with your gut and stick with your vision. Don't allow anyone to take away your voice or an important part of your message. However, if you're a newer writer and you're not sure you've found your voice yet, you can allow those critics to help you refine your voice or find your vision. It's a delicate and tricky balance - figuring out which changes feel like you're improving the work, and which feel like compromise. Only you can decide.

I do go with my gut, but I've reached a point in my group where I have my favorite critique members. And recently I've gone against my gut and experimented with a few suggestions that turned out helping the story flow better. Interesting lesson and more contradictions.

Drag me to Hell is over. My rating, 3 out of 5 stars. They set it up, so it was very obvious how it was going to end. All in all, the movie reminded me of a cutsie long and predictable Tales from the Crypt episode.

It's Monday! What are You Reading?

What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme, hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Currently Reading: Road Trip of the Living Dead by Mark Henry & God Emperor of Dune by Frank Herbert

Listening to: Blood Trail by C. J. Box

Just Finished: Moonshine by Alaya Johnson & Small Favor by Jim Butcher (LOVED IT!!)

Next up: Dance on Fire by James Garcia Jr.

Powered by Linky Tools Click here to enter your link and view the entire list of entered links…

Book Review: Expiration Date by Duane Swierczynski

Expiration Date is my favorite read this year and has been added to my all time favorites list. It’s fun. No, I mean FUN! REALLY FUN!! Okay, I’ll stop. What’s it about?

Mickey Wade is a recently-unemployed journalist who lucked into a rent-free apartment—his sick grandfather’s place. The only problem: it’s in a lousy neighborhood—the one where Mickey grew up, in fact. The one he was so desperate to escape.

But now he’s back. Dead broke. And just when he thinks he’s reached rock bottom, Mickey wakes up in the past. Literally.

At first he thinks it’s a dream. All of the stores he remembered from his childhood, the cars, the rumble of the elevated train. But as he digs deeper into the past, searching for answers about the grandfather he hardly knows, Mickey meets the twelve-year-old kid who lives in the apartment below.  The kid who will grow up to someday murder Mickey’s father.

This book originally caught my attention in a review on Bookgasm.  When I read that the main character takes Tylenol from a bottle dated back in 1982 and slips back in time, I couldn't resist.  I picked it up, read it in a few days and loved it.

I found this method of time travel unique and comical, which carried over into the personalities of the characters. In addition, Swierczynski creates real and honest characters that you love and hate. I also loved his writing style. It's fast paced and almost like reading a much longer version of a graphic novel. There were times my heart raced while reading and that's a gift. Can't wait to read more by Swierczynski.

* * *

This blog post has been added to the Frightening Fiction Review, a month long blog hop hosted by Blood Reads eZine, for readers and writers who love the night. Join the hop and share reviews of our favorite dark fiction.

Writer Wednesday Blog Hop #20

Every week I weed through over 100 blogs, looking for writing advice and new and interesting books to read. Considering how time consuming this is, I share the posts I find the most interesting here every week. If you’d like me to add your blog to my feeder or a link from my weekly tour, leave a comment on the most current tour or send me a link via Twitter @by_wjhoward.

WHOO HOO!

20 Blog Hops

All About Writers

• On Biting Edge, Start Saving Your Pennies... mentions that James Bond's car from Goldfinger is for sale and expected to sell for over $5 million. There's also some news on a future Bond book, as well as a link to a website with pictures of some really COOL bookshelves of the non human kind.
• Here's an review of Jaws, by Peter Benchley. It's always fun to run across modern day reviews of older books.
• On Fangtastic Books, Welcome Guest Author Yolanda Sfetsos

Books I Want to Read

Book reviews that caught my eye this week, and the books that got added to my GoodReads to-read list:

• On Bitten by Books, Ouroboros by Michael Kelly and Carol Weekes
• On Book Lovers, Inc., Review: Shades of Gray by Caitlin Kittredge & Jackie Kessler
• On Book Whisperer, Review: Blood Song by Cat Adams & Review: Blood Song by Cat Adams
• On The Cajun Book Lady, Review: The Second Coming by David H Burton

All About Writing & Publishing

• On 1st Turning Point, Pointless Networking ain't so pointless when you make those accidental connections
• On the Wicked Writer's blog, Long live the book… A view on the publishing industry
• On Jim C. Hines blog, Reading Reviews
• On The Journey is Everything, The Five Stages Of Author Booksignings

Weekly Features

• Book Blogger Hop at Crazy for Books
• Follow Friday for blogs at Parajunkee's View
• Literary Agent, Nathan Bransford's This Week in Publishing is a blog tour of sorts.
• Win on Wednesday on All Things Urban Fantasy.
• This week's Where Stories Are Made: Jaime Rush over at Book Chick City
• On Book Lovers Inc., Around the Bookish World: News Week-in-Review

Join the Hop

Are you highlighting writers and books in your blog for Writer Wednesday? Then add your blog to my new blog hop link group.

Writer Wednesday Blog Hop #19

Every week I weed through over 100 blogs, looking for writing advice and new and interesting books to read. Considering how time consuming this is, I share the posts I find the most interesting here every week. If you’d like me to add your blog to my feeder or a link from my weekly tour, leave a comment on the most current tour or send me a link via Twitter @by_wjhoward.

All About Writers

• On Enchanted by Books, Guest Author Carolyn Crane & Giveaway! discusses the "Top 6 cool things about being a series author that I never expected"

Books I Want to Read

Book reviews that caught my eye this week, and the books that got added to my GoodReads to-read list:

• On Bookgasm, Decoding the Heavens: A 2,000-Year-Old Computer — and the Century-Long Search to Discover Its Secrets AND I Am Not a Serial Killer AND Tooth and Claw
• NEW FAV On Book Lovers, Review: Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane +Giveaway
• Looks like a pretty good list on Farm Lane's Book Blog in The Best Literary Science Fiction Books?

All About Writing & Publishing

• Platform, Shmatform on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing shows you don't have to be an established author to be a top seller.
• NEW BLOG On Guide to Literary Agents, 7 Tips on Book Publicity. I also watch Livia Blackburne's blog and she provides excellent advice. On her blog, How to Get (and Keep) People's Attention was a great read this week
• On 1st Turning Point, Marketing Before Publication? How About Before It’s Written?
• On Biting Edge, Writers and Readers...what we owe each other
• Fear was a focus on Copyblogger in Is F.E.A.R. Holding You Back? AND 7 Quick-Start Techniques for Fighting the Fear to Write
• On Editorial Ass, How to Throw an Awesome Book Launch
• On Passion on Paper by Gina Leigh Maxwell, Terrible Twos-day: Word Count vs. Words That Count
• On Wordplay, 8 Ways Longhand Writing Frees Your Muse
• On Richard Dansky's blog, Seven Things You Should Always Ask A Writer. We used the question about which book you wished you'd written this week on Vamplit Writers
• On Leterary Agent Rachelle Gardner's blog, Getting People to Read Your Book

Weekly Features

• Book Blogger Hop at Crazy for Books
• Follow Friday for blogs at Parajunkee's View
• Literary Agent, Nathan Bransford's This Week in Publishing is a blog tour of sorts. I also enjoyed What Makes a Great Setting
• Win on Wednesday on All Things Urban Fantasy
• This week's Where Stories are Made: Keri Arthur over at Book Chick City
• NEW On Book Lovers Inc., Around the Bookish World: News Week-in-Review
• On Overbury Ink, Number 38, part 5 by Ian Eliot LeWinter

Join the Hop

Are you highlighting writers and books in your blog for Writer Wednesday? Then add your blog to my new blog hop link group.

Writer Wednesday Blog Tour #18

Every week I weed through over 100 blogs, looking for writing advice and new and interesting books to read. Considering how time consuming this is, I share the posts I find the most interesting here every week. If you’d like me to add your blog to my feeder or a link from my weekly tour, leave a comment on the most current tour or send me a link via Twitter @by_wjhoward.

All About Writers

• On Fantastic Book Review I really enjoyed the questions asked in, Sensational 7 Q & A with Jennifer Murgia!
• On Enchanted by Books, Guest Author Michelle Rowen & Giveaway!
• On Paul D. Brazill's blog, Guest Blogger: Author & ex -cop Johnny Russell.

Books I Want to Read

Book reviews that caught my eye this week, and the books that got added to my GoodReads to-read list:

• In Damian Kane's blog, Book review: A Stir of Echoes, by Richard Matheson
• On Fantasy Literature, Wolfsangel: Fine heroic fantasy
• On Bookgasm, Neverland
• On The Neverending Shelf, Book Review: The Line
• On Taliesin Meets the Vampires, Dance on Fire – review
• On Writers Gone Wild, How To Spot A Bastard By His Star Sign

All About Writing & Publishing

• eBook Royalty: Another Way To Protect on Pub Rants
• On Rachell Gardner's blog, What if My Agent Doesn't Like My Next Book?
• There are some interesting comments over on the Wicked Writer's Blog this week on muses
• On Criminal Minds, Taking a Whiz on Book Marketing . . .
• On Jim C. Hines blog, Saying No to a Publisher
• On WOW, Women on Writing, Metaphors Are Fun, Creative and Therapeutic
• On Vamplit, Loving the Undead
• On A Newbie's Guide to Publishing, DRM Free
• On Haunted Dreams, Dark Destinies, Why I Write About Angels and Demons

Weekly Features

• Book Blogger Hop at Crazy for Books
• Follow Friday for blogs at Parajunkee's View
• Literary Agent, Nathan Bransford's This Week in Publishing is a blog tour of sorts, and my favorites in his blog this week are Every Writer Gets Rejected and How to Write a One Sentence Pitch
• Win on Wednesday on All Things Urban Fantasy.
• This week's Where Stories Are Made: MD Lachlan over at Book Chick City

Are you highlighting writers and books in your blog for Writer Wednesday? Then add your blog to my new blog hop link group.

Writer Wednesday Blog Tour #17

Every week I weed through over 100 blogs, looking for writing advice, publishing news and books to read. Considering how time consuming this is, I share the posts I find the most interesting here every week. If you’d like me to add your blog to my feeder or a link from my weekly tour, leave a comment on the most current tour or send me a link via Twitter @by_wjhoward.

All About Writers

• On Demon Vampire Horror Masters of Horror Anthology Author Interviews!

Books I Want to Read

Book reviews that caught my eye this week, and the books that got added to my GoodReads to-read list:

• On the Cajun Book Lady, Review: Sparrow Rock by Nate Kenyon
• NEW BLOG, Paper Cut Reviews has a post on 13 to Life by Shannon Delany in Kiss and Tell Meme. Shannon won the Textnovel contest in 2008.
• On Fantasy Literature, Ghosts & Echoes: This is what urban fantasy can be & Sisters Red: Hits all my favorite notes

All About Writing & Publishing

• On Pub Rants, Age is Just a Number and How Enhanced Ebooks Will Cause Havoc
• In Nathan Bransford's blog, The One Sentence, One Paragraph, and Two Paragraph Pitch
• On Rachelle Gardner's blog, The Value of the Verbal Pitch
• On Copyblogger, 10 New Ideas for Getting Inspired to Write.
• On Writers Inspired, Mini Check-up: Where are you on your goals for 2010? I'll be writing about this one on Monday in the Weekly Whine.

Fiction in a Blog

• Over at Overbury Ink, Number 38, part 4 by Ian Eliot LeWinter

Weekly Features

• Book Blogger Hop at Crazy for Books
• Follow Friday for blogs at Parajunkee's View
• Literary Agent, Nathan Bransford's This Week in Publishing is a blog tour of sorts.
• Win on Wednesday on All Things Urban Fantasy.
• This week's Where Stories are Made: Linda Wisdom over at Book Chick City

Writer Wednesday Blog Tour #15

Every week I weed through over 100 blogs, looking for writing advice and new and interesting books to read. Considering how time consuming this is, I share the posts I find the most interesting here every week. If you’d like me to add your blog to my feeder or a link from my weekly tour, leave a comment on the most current tour or send me a link via Twitter @by_wjhoward.

All About Writers

• Over at the Overbury Ink, an Interview with writer Nikki Curtis of IMP Girl Graphic Novel
• Guess I didn't get enough of it in last weeks subject on the Wicked Writer's blog.  Author Perspective: Dealing With Rejection over on the Neverending Shelf

Books I Want to Read

Book reviews that caught my eye this week, and the books that got added to my GoodReads to-read list:

• Over at All Things Urban Fantasy, 5 bats! Early Review: Hunted By The Others by Jess Haines they also posted Hot off the Press: May Urban Fantasy Releases
• Locke & Key, Volume 2: Head Games over at Bookgasm got me to put the first in the series in my queue
• Over on the Neverending Shelf, Book Review: The Clone Codes

All About Writing & Publishing

• Some interesting facts from an agent on releasing your book to the public unpublished or published an Pub Rants in An ISBN That Could Hurt
• Natan Bansford posted a great review of iPad!!
• 17 Easy Steps to Brilliant Blog Posts on Copyblogger.
• Over at A Brain Scientist's Take on Writing, Loading the First Impression for Quick Characterization (The Hunger Games
• On Pub Rants Starting A Novel In The Wrong Place
• What About Market Research and Guest Blogger: Christa Allan "Keep Your Hand Moving" on Literary Agent Rachelle Gardner's blog
• On Wordplay, When Your Story Doesn’t Turn Out Like You Planned

Weekly Features

• Book Blogger Hop at Crazy for Books
• Follow Friday for blogs at Parajunkee's View
• Literary Agent, Nathan Bransford's This Week in Publishing is a blog tour of sorts.
• Win on Wednesday on All Things Urban Fantasy.
• This week's Where Stories Are Made: Suzanne McLeod over at Book Chick City

Writer Wednesday Blog Tour #13

Every week I weed through over 100 blogs, looking for writing advice and new and interesting books to read. Considering how time consuming this is, I share the posts I find the most interesting here every week. If you’d like me to add your blog to my feeder or a link from my weekly tour, leave a comment on the most current tour or send me a link via Twitter @by_wjhoward.

All About Writers & Books

• It's National Library Week and The Neverending Shelf posted Libraries: Your Home Away from Home and The State of Americas Libraries, both great reads. We reposted the later on the Wicked Writer's blog.
• On Fantasy Author Jim C. Hines blog this week I happened across a creative idea for those who need help reviewing books in Mad Lib Reviewing I'm still chuckling. FAV!
• Just wanted to quickly mention that I love Paul D. Brazill's blog.
• Author Interview ~ Nicole Hadaway at Listen to the Voices
• Book reviews that caught my eye this week, and the books that got added to my GoodReads to-read list:
  
  • Over at Fiction Fixon, Review: Frost Moon by Anthony Francis and Review: Silver Kiss by Naomi Clark
  • Over at Fantasy Literature, Waking the Moon: One of my Desert Island books, Under Heaven: Award-worthy, The Stones of Green Knowe: Very sad to see its end, and especially Primavera: A fascinating story
  • Review: Hourglass by Claudia Gray at Book Lovers Inc.
  • Ex-Heros at Bookgasm is not a favorable review, but I'm still tempted to read. And how could you not add a book like Body World when the review begins, "Imagine if David Lynch and David Cronenberg collaborated on a graphic novel."
• Don't miss these weekly features:
  
  • Win on Wednesday on All Things Urban Fantasy.
  • This week's Where Stories are Made: Marianne de Pierres over at Book Chick City

All About Writing & Publishing

• Publishers + Ebooks = Epic Fail on a Newbie's Guide to Publishing really makes me want to self-publish FAV!
• Nurmal Resources PUBLISH ME! Contest on the Writer's Beware blog
• Daydream or Die on Wordplay
• AutoCrit: A Helpful Tool for Editing Flash Fiction is about a fun tool you can try out on the Internet. I especially found the repeated word function helpful. Would love to know if anyone is paying to use this tool.
• Choosing the Right Titles for Your Work (Or: Heh, You Said Titular)
• James Moore on Deadlines over at Storytellers Unplugged

Other Blog Tours

• Blogmania is Sweeping the Web over at Between the Pages is an opportunity to tour blogs and win prizes
• Book Blogger Hop at Crazy for Books
• Follow Friday for blogs at Parajunkee's View
• Literary Agent, Nathan Bransford's This Week in Publishing is a blog tour of sorts.

The Short of It

We wrote short stories at the Wicked Writer's blog last week. My post was Served Up Short with a Side of Gore.

Read the other blogger's opinions:

• C. J. Ellison was out this week and Kerri Nelson was her guest blogger in Does Size Matter?
• Greg Marshall Smith, The Short and Long of It (Sort of)
• David Sartof, My First Time... (or the Virgin Short Story Writer)
• Supriya Savkoor, Keeping 'em Short
• Brande Waldron Book Review: Tales of the Red Moon Clan

Writer Wednesday Blog Tour #11

Every week I weed through over 80 blogs, looking for new reading material and writing advice. Considering how time consuming this is, I share the posts I find the most interesting here every week. If you’d like me to add your blog to my feeder or a link to my weekly tour, leave a comment on the most current tour or send me a link via Twitter @by_wjhoward.

All About Writers & Books

• Hurry over to Bookgasm to enter to Win Bite Me by Christopher Moore before Friday
• Author Interview & Contest with Diana Rowland at Amberkatze's Book Blog
• Book reviews that caught my eye this week, and the books that got added to my Goodreads to-read list:
  
  • Book Review: I am Not a Serial Killer over at Book Chick City sounds fabulous
  • Expiration Date by Duane Swierczynski looked so good I had to get on the wait list now for it at the library
  • 5 bat Review: Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater got me to put the first in the series in my reading queue
  • Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey - Review
  • Creatures of the Pool by Ramsey Campbell, one of my favorite horror authors
• Don't miss these every week:
  
  • Nicole Hadaway's movie & book reviews over at her All Things Smart & Scary.
  • Win on Wednesday on All Things Urban Fantasy.
  • This week's Where Stories are Made: J F Lewis over at Book Chick City. Here are a few other articles and posts you'll enjoy on writers' spaces:
    
    • Where is Your Writing Abode?
    • Q4U: Room of One's Own
    • Does a room of one's own really help you write a great novel?

All About Writing & Publishing

• How I Became a Better Writer Thanks to Distracted, Hungover College Kids at Copyblogger, "But after years spent writing in professional newsrooms, I was surprised to discover how teaching college students actually helped make me a better student of the craft of writing."
• Interesting posts from a few agents out there: On Confidence, or, WWDTD, title, title, title
• Query Letter Subject Lines: Act Now!! Get It While It Lasts! is hilarious in that anyone would actually do it
• Am I Good Enough to Epublish?
• Novel Survey Results, Part III
• Best and Worst of Writing over at Labotomy of a Writer

Other Blog Tours

• Follow Friday for blogs at Parajunkee's View
• Literary Agent, Nathan Bransford's This Week in Publishing is a blog tour of sorts.

Wicked Book Reviews

This week's posts over at the Wicked Writer's blog were book reviews of recent reads. My post, Hmmm... What to Review? ended up discussing Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert and Happy Hour of the Damned by Mark Henry.

Read the other writer's opinions:

• C. J. Ellison, Book Reviews: C.J.’s choice is Urban Fantasy
• Greg Marshall Smith, Greg’s review: Composition in Black & White
• Supriya Savkoor, A View from Norway
• And our guest this week:Harley D. Palmer & The Art of Reviewing

Writer Wednesday Blog Tour #9

I know, I know. I'm late this week. Read my Monday's Whine and you'll know that I'm behind thanks to another bout with a cold/flu virus. Frankly I'm a little surprised I got this out before lunch.
It's a little short this week and expect lots of typos ;-)
ENJOY!

How to Join the Tour

All About Writers & Books

• Win Scott Eckert Interview. At least drop by for the cover art.
• I've got my eye on Angelology so this interview with the author, Danielle Trussoni Q&A & Contest for ANGELOGY, over at Vampire Wire was a welcome read.
• I wished there was more to this Robert M. Price Interview
• 15 Great Books About Bad Movies. Oh my, I own a few of these.
• Book reviews that caught my eye this week, and the books that got added to my GoodReads to-read list:
  
  • Butcher Shop Quartet, although I feel I'm taking a big risk on this one.
  • 5 Bat Review: The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
• Don't miss these every week:
  
  • Nicole Hadaway's movie & book reviews over at her All Things Smart & Scary.
  • Win on Wednesday on All Things Urban Fantasy.
  • This week's Where Stories are Made: Linda Wisdom over at Book Chick City

All About Writing & Publishing

• Novel Survey Results, Part I on Jim C. Hines blog. "The goal of the survey was to learn how writers broke in, and to use actual data to confirm or bust some of the myths about making it as a novelist."
• What's a Standard Submission Process Like, Part 1 & Part 2 over at Editorial Ass
• Straight Talk About Self Publishing: An Interview with Miles Nelson of Dog Ear Publishing over at the WOW! Women on Writing Blog
• Never, Ever Give Up over at Working Stiffs
• Value of eBooks over at A Newbie's Guide to Publishing

Other Blog Tours

• Literary Agent, Nathan Bransford's This Week in Publishing is a blog tour of sorts.

Writer Wednesday Blog Tour #8

All About Writers & Books

• This week's highlight was an interview with fellow Wicked Writer Gregory Marshall Smith over at Labotomy of a Writer. I finished reading They Call the Wild Muryah and Greg is quite the new talent in Sci Fi writing. The eBook is free on Smashwords and well worth the read!
• There's an awesome new feature over at Book Chick City. A kinda Cribs for writers that features their writing space. This week, Where Stories Are Made: Tim Waggoner. Haven't read his books, but they look pretty darn good, so Nekropolis also ended up in my reading queue.
• Over at Writing is About Putting Yourself to Words, How does an unknown author become a Kindle bestseller? Perseverance.
• I'm a new fan of Mark Henry, and he guest blogged over at Vampire Wire this week.
• And, I've got to support a Colorado writer in Guest Blog, Chat and Contest with Author Mario Acevedo over at Bitten by Books.
• Book reviews that caught my eye this week, and the books that got added to my GoodReads to-read list:
  
  • Kalayna Price's Once Bitten and Twice Dead sure have gotten some mixed reviews. Still, I think I might give 'em a try.
  • I've got high hopes for the hero type I've been looking for in this review of Defeat the Darkness. But I'll be starting with Dark Protector, the first in the Paladins of Darkness series.
  • Bible Black because, "Clearly, it’s not for the easily offended. Really, really not."
  • Not new, but the Mageworlds series looks awfully good. I might have to move these one to the top of my read list.
  • Being a girl from "sweet home Chicago," I had to put the first in the Chicagoland Vampire series in my queue base on the review of Friday Night Bites by Chloe Neill over at Bitten by Books
  • And last but not least, Darkness on the Edge of Town.
• Don't miss these every week:
  
  • Nicole Hadaway's movie & book reviews over at her All Things Smart & Scary blog. Nicole guest blogged for us this week over at the Wicked Writer's Blog. And, Nicole finished the first draft of Return, her sequel to Release and I'm so excited for her.
  • Win on Wednesday on All Things Urban Fantasy.

All About Writing & Publishing

• Whoa There, eBook Writer contains some excellent advice for writers and was probably my favorite post this week.
• Authors Who Don't Read, doesn't seem like a reality. What do you think about it?
• How are Multiple Book Deal Advances says it all in the title. Now I need to get one.
• Persistence, a little something I could use so far this year. You also might want to read What I Learned from My 3 Favorite Authors.
• Tips for Developing Character Voice from Dee Garretson over at Livia Blackburne blog reminds us writers each character not only has something different to say, they say it differently.
• Social Media Networking - Is It Working? from a writer's perspective.

Other Blog Tours

• Literary Agent, Nathan Bransford's This Week in Publishing post is a blog tour of sorts. I still haven't gotten to all the links and it was posted last Friday. And, don't miss his post Don't Believe eBook Skeptics.

And...this week I added the following blogs to my watch list: Fantasy Literature & Paranormal Haven. If you'd like me to check out your blog, add a comment below and include a link.

Writer Wednesday Blog Tour #7

How to Join the Tour

All About Writers & Books

• I really enjoyed Fairy Tales Gone Naughty over at Book Junkie because I've dabbled in writing a few of my own. This week wrapped up with guest posts by Brenna Lyons and Natasha Moore
• If you're looking for new releases, check out New Vampire Books for March 2010. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith looks really interesting and FUN!
• Fellow writers, read some good news over at C.J.'s Daily Grind to remind yourself that the path is not always a difficult one. CONGRATS on all your success, C.J.
• More from Ian LeWinter over at Overbury Ink in Why We Write, Part 4. And if you missed Part 1 & Part 2 & Part 3.
• Book reviews that caught my eye this week, and the books that got added to my GoodReads to-read list:
  
  • Wished I could have added Dark Legion by Isabella Jordan, reviewed on Bitten by Books, but it's not on GoodReads.
  • This review of Blood Cross by Faith Hunter over at Book Lovers, Inc read good enough that I put the first in the series, Skinwalker, in my queue.
  • I've seen the book cover to Shift, by Rachel Vincent everywhere this past week. Does that mean I should read the Shifters series? Will I like it or hate it? So I decided to take a moment and read the interview with the author over at Fantasy Literature. Nothing really grabbed me hard about the series, but I did go ahead and put Stray in my to-read list. The reviews are all over the place though, so this one will get ordered up from the library.
  • Angelology, and if you hurry, you can enter to win a free copy.
• Don't miss these every week:
  
  • Nicole Hadaway's movie & book reviews over at her All Things Smart & Scary.
  • Win on Wednesday on All Things Urban Fantasy.

All About Writing & Publishing

• One of my favorite posts this week was Contests and My Tedious Ramblings About E-Piracy & Publishers' Websites over at Vampire Wire. I suggest you read through the comments as well.
• I had to chuckle a little reading Seven Questions You Should Never Ask a Writer over at Storytellers Unplugged.
• A link to All About Sequels came to me from Supriya Savkoor, fellow Wicked Writer. I enjoyed his post as well as a few older ones, and sure hope I don't have acute sequelitis. He sure opened my eyes to the publishing industries take on new writers publishing serial novels.
• This scares me: How Publishers Can Use Virtual Currency

Other Blog Tours

• Wasn't sure I'd find one this week, but WOW came through. Bonnie Hearn Hill, YA author of Aries Rising, launches her blog tour! Doesn't see look a little like Frasier's agent, what was her name? Bebee?

And...this week I added the following blogs to my watch list: Bookgasm, Nathan Bransford-Literary Agent. If you'd like me to check out your blog, add a comment below and include a link.

Writer Wednesday Blog Tour #6

How to Join the Tour

All About Writers & Books

• I really enjoyed this interview with Pamela Samuels Young over at Book Junkie, especially when she talks about trying to get people to critique her first novel.
• New Way of Book Reviewing was good for a chuckle. It's one student's comparison of 'Titanic' and 'My Life' by Bill Clinton.
• Where have I been hiding? I'm wondering because I've run into quite a few book reviews lately, like Defeat the Darkness and Spider Bite, that seem like they'd make better comic books or graphic novels.
• Book reviews that caught my eye this week and the books that got added to my GoodReads to-read list:
  
  • Over at Paranormal Haven a review of Born of Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon. This is an old book and first in a series I might get hooked on.
• Don't forget to check out the regulars:
  
  • Nicole Hadaway's Writer Wednesday over at her Vampire Blogspot.
  • More from Ian LeWinter over at Overbury Ink in Why We Write, Part 3. And if you missed Part 1 & Part 2.

All About Writing & Publishing

• Kristin over at the Pub Rants blog brings up some interesting points on required contract verbiage changes due to the whole evolution of eBooks. This post is specifically about publishers holding reserves on eBook editions.
• Social Networking for Authors: Tips from Margo L. Dill. Title says it all.
  

Other Blog Tours

• WTFckery or Not, You Decide is sort of a blog tour of bizarre stuff.

And...this week I added the following blogs to my watch list: Book Junkie & Query Shark.

Movie Review: My Bloody Valentine 3D

The first thing I have to say about My Bloody Valentine 3D is SEE IT IN THE THEATER. Outside of the theater it'd be a typical horror movie with plenty of blood and guts, or in this case hearts. The acting is mediocre and the storyline typical, although they did a pretty good job of switching the true killer at the end of the movie.

The 3D effects were excellent, and I appreciated the slowed motion of objects flying out at the audience, which left me cringing. Unfortunately l was left disappointed there weren't more objects flying off the screen at me.

This is a teen must see movie, and I couldn't help but wonder what it would have been like to see the movie in a theater filled with screaming girls, instead of one crazy middle-aged lady (me). I took my 14 year old son, and he absolutely loved the movie, especially the scenes with the 3D boobs and bullet flying at your eye.

All-in-all I loved the movie. If you like horror movies, don't miss it in the theater.

RATING: 4 out of 5 (in 3D)

Movie Review: Something Wicked This Way Comes

I've seen this movie more than once but not for a number of years. I came across it while searching for movies at the library and decided to take some time to watch it again. Here's what the movie is about:

"After a carnival comes to Green Town, the good citizens are compelled to follow their deepest desires, caught under the spell of the malevolent Dr. Dark (Jonathan Pryce) who can grant those desires on one condition: that the grantees will forever join his freak show. Dr. Dark is after two young boys from the town in particular, while others in the town would certainly be easy marks. The sour-faced, older schoolteacher (Mary Grace Canfield) wants to be a seductive young woman, Ed the bartender (James Stacy) would like to regain his lost left arm and leg, and the librarian (Jason Robards) worries about a wasted life spent only in books. As Dr. Dark works his own brand of voodoo, the citizens and the two boys -- as well as the whole carnival itself -- approach a final reckoning. Something Wicked This Way Comes was based on a Ray Bradbury novel. Eleanor Mannikka" --Barnes & Noble website

I enjoyed this movie just as much as I did the last times I'd seen it. With Halloween coming, this is a great family movie to watch with the kids. Based on a story by Ray Bradbury (who I also believe wrote the screenplay), the storyline is exceptional. This is also a Disney movie, so of course the special effects have held up over the 25 years that have elapsed since its release. This is a movie you'll want for your collection.

RATING: 5 out of 5

Book Review: The Black Book of Horror, by Various Writers

Another typical collection of short horror stories--some good; some bad. There were a couple that stood out as unique and well written, which is why I think this book got such great reviews. Unfortunately, there were also a few that were poorly written, with many grammar errors. At times I wondered if anyone actually edited this book prior to publication.

UPDATE (9/17/08)

I got called on my terse review, so here's some more of my opinions of some of the stories in the book.

When I pick up a book of short stories, I usually read it slowly. I think I started reading this book about three months ago, and during that time, I’ve read about thirteen other books. This collection took longer than usual for me to read, so my memory of some of the less interesting stories has sadly faded. I do remember Regina vs. Zoskia as a story that I’d include as one of the top twenty (maybe top ten) short horror stories I’ve ever read. The story was well written, as well as being unique and thought provoking. I also enjoyed Crows because the author was able to create a suspenseful story, although it was obvious how the story would end. The Sound of Muzak, was a great mix of horror and sci fi. I especially enjoyed the short bits about the demise of people affected by the Muzak. I also enjoyed two other stories, Family Fishing and Lock-In. One of the stories that disappointed me was Power, which I expected to have a more philosophical ending. Only In Your Dreams unsuccessfully twisted the overdone child vs. monster plot. Also in the overdone category is To Summon a Flesh Eating Demon. I found myself nitpicking through a mixture of stupid characters and a far-fetched plot in Subtle Invasion. The grammar in Subtle Invasion was the worst, adding to my frustration while reading the story. (Let me add that I’m currently on a grammar critiquing mission because I’m finding issues in my own writing. Transitioning from a nonfiction and research style of writing to fiction has been more challenging than I had expected.)

RATING: 3 out of 5