Monday, September 30, 2013

Some Humorous Inspiration for Your Muse


Sometimes Mondays can just feel a bit icky.  You know how it is.  Your mind feels sluggish, and you aren't quite ready for the usual routine of a weekday.

Well, that's how I'm feeling today.  So, to get my mind working, at least creatively speaking, I sought out some funny videos.  (You might call it procrastination, and it isn't . . . well maybe . . . oh, I don't know, even if it is, it's at least a potentially valuable form of procrastination.)

This first one has a little fun with language and the art of essay writing in school. This is an example of how not to write essays.  So if you're in school, or simply want a good laugh, watch this.



This second video features Matthew Lewis (a.k.a. Neville Longbottom) playing innuendo bingo.  It's replete with examples of how the way you phrase things can inadvertently change the meaning.  So if you love language, or Harry Potter, you need to watch this!



Now that I've been sufficiently entertained, perhaps I will be able to get some writing done.  Wish me luck!

Saturday, September 28, 2013

The Weekend Philosopher: Change


I know I haven't done one of these posts in awhile.  I have no excuse, really. Some weekends I have been legitimately too busy, but there were others where I most assuredly wasn't.  On those occasions, I may have been working on other writing projects (which I suppose could be used as an excuse), but I also might have been stumped for what to post about.

Or maybe, just maybe, I was being a tad lazy.  Please don't judge too harshly. You know we all succumb to apathy from time to time.  I simply made a decision to be ambitious today.

Now, on to the actual topic I wanted to touch on.

Background image courtesy of adamr/
FreeDigitalPhotos.net
I got to thinking about change today, mostly because I was reflecting on some of the self-destructive behaviors some people engage in and some of the potential reasons why some people hurt themselves the way that they do.  We all know people who sell themselves short.  We all know people who harm themselves, whether it's through constantly berating themselves, or doing drugs, or remaining in abusive relationships.  The list of ways people hurt themselves could go on forever.

I'm not exempt from this list.  I've talked down to myself plenty of times.  And though I won't go into it now, when I was a teenager, I considered doing some pretty harmful things.  Luckily, I was far too stubborn a person to give in, especially as a teenager.

So I get it, at least to an extent.  Life can be hard.  Some situations can be downright insufferable.  Yet there are plenty of beautiful things in life to experience as well.  No matter how dark it may seem, as long as you're still living, there's hope for something better.  Yeah, I know, cue cheesy music.  It may sound like a cliche to say this, but that doesn't make it any less true.

So, on to the reason I chose this quote.  Some people may engage in harmful behaviors to escape from the moment.  They may be trying their best to get through the day.  I honestly try not to judge people too harshly, because even if we don't understand the reasons why people do things that are obviously stupid, in their minds, the actions may be justified by the things that are going on in their lives.  We can't always know, because we're not them.  We can't know exactly how it feels to be them, regardless of how much we may claim to know everything.  I've seen people take one look at a single woman with children who can barely afford her groceries, and they assume they can recite her entire life story.  Guess what?  You can't be that sure of anything.  Don't leap to judgment, especially if you don't want people to leap to judgment about you.

Okay, I got off on a bit of a tangent.  Anyway, as I was saying, people may not think about the consequences of their actions when they're hurting.  Or if they are, the negative consequences may seem worth the reprieve from the world they're currently inhabiting.  All I can say is this.  Maybe, if you're hurting yourself in some way, you should look down the road and truly consider where your actions may lead you.  Is that what you want for yourself?  If it's not, then perhaps it's time to choose a new direction.  As long as you're still here, it's not too late.

And if you don't think you're worth anything better than the disastrous outcomes you foresee, then let me respectfully tell you that you couldn't be more wrong.  You are unique and irreplaceable.  I hate using so many cliches in one place, because sometimes it makes a sentiment seem fake or contrived. (Even though, if you think about it, it may possibly be a cliche because so many people have seen the truth of it.)  Trust me when I say that I mean everything I say here.  We're all worth more than the limitations we place on ourselves.

“There is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost."

― Martha Graham

There are contributions to this world that only you can make.  You do what you do in your own special way, and it's all the more valuable because of the way it differs from what others do.  Embrace that as you look down the road ahead of you, and if need be, prepare to alter course.

Wow.  I think that may have sounded too corny.  Still, I stand by the sentiment.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go and unwind from my cliche overload.

Friday, September 27, 2013

A Follow-Up Snippet


I intended to write something else to share with you today, but you know how it goes.  "The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray."  Still, I wanted to post something so I wouldn't feel like a complete failure.  Then I remembered several people who read my scene from the More Than Just a Kiss Blogfest said they wanted to see more.  Well, I do in fact have more.  This is only a small portion of what I have written, but this is going to be a part of a much larger story, and I don't want to give away everything that happens!

If you didn't read my scene from the blogfest, click HERE to read it first.  Both scenes added together are still pretty short, so it won't take long.

I hope you enjoy!  Feel free to let me know what you think!

“How could you?  You know how I feel about her!  You’re supposed to be my best friend!” David raked a hand roughly through his black hair.  In the afternoon light, his hair shone, revealing subtle shades of other colors. 
Of course, Mitchell took note of that little detail to avoid looking him in the eye.  He couldn’t stand to face the sense of betrayal he knew he would see in them.  “I am . . .” he muttered lamely.  For a reason he knew all too well but could never say aloud, his eyes were now glued to the ground before his feet.  “I don’t know what to say.  I’m sorry.”
“That’s it?” David demanded incredulously.  “Do you think that makes it feel better?  You never showed any interest in her before.  Everyone else drools over her, but I never imagined I would have to worry about you stabbing me in the back!”
Mitchell’s heart quickened again, his eyes snapping back to David’s face.  His friend was too close to the truth.  Can he possibly know?  Or even suspect?  I’ve been so careful . . .
The inspection of David’s features did nothing to reveal how much he may or may not know about Mitchell’s motivations.  All he could see was the anger.
In his quest to protect himself, he’d ruined everything.
“I never meant to hurt you,” Mitchell whispered.
“Well, you did.  I hope it was worth it,” David muttered bitterly.  Then he turned abruptly on his heel and stalked off.
Mitchell stared helplessly at his retreating back, his pathetic reply playing silently over and over again in his mind.  But it wasn’t.  It really wasn’t.

Celebrate the Small Things-September 27, 2013


It's Friday, which means it's time for us to once again Celebrate the Small Things with VikLit.

All in all, it's been a rather uneventful week, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.  We managed to go about our daily routine without any spectacular fiascoes, which is something worth celebrating.

I've made some good progress as far as writing goes, so that's a positive thing.

I almost ran out of coffee this week, but I successfully acquired some coffee before the caffeine withdrawals could kick in.  This is a good thing, trust me.  My family knows how hazardous it is for me to be without my coffee.  You'd have to call in the national guard.  Marshal Law would be declared.  Cities would go up in flames.  It would be like a real life Godzilla attack.  You'd all get to see me on the news as I wreak havoc upon the world.

Okay.  That might have been a bit of an exaggeration.  Obviously I'm in a silly mood right now.  Yet that silliness is also a cause for celebration.  If we couldn't be silly once in awhile, life would get to be dull pretty fast.

What would you like to celebrate?


Thursday, September 26, 2013

FSF: Sparking Magnetic


It's time once again for Five Sentence Fiction.  The word this week is MAGNETIC.

You may find the entire "Unchained" story on this PAGE.

Unchained
Chapter 47: Sparking Magnetic

“Maybe they found out about our dealings with Orton, and maybe, just maybe, he was close to finishing his work,” Nara speculated, her eyes remaining fixated on the Kryllian ship.

“Even if that’s true,” Ylana whispered, “we’ll never be able to benefit from it, and all of those people down there will have died for nothing.”

The Kryllian weapon continued to penetrate the atmosphere of the planet below, the resulting magnetic disturbances creating the most dazzling light show either of the women had ever seen.

Just then, the proximity alarm sounded again, and Ylana jumped backward, too overwhelmed with horror to think rationally about what it could mean.


Image courtesy of elreviae at DeviantArt.
A much larger ship came into view, a shimmering tear in the fabric of space granting it entrance from whence it came, and though Ylana couldn’t begin to imagine to whom the ship belonged, she knew one thing for certain: it was not Kryllian.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

How to Date a Nerd Blog Hop


The rockin' Cassie Mae has reason to celebrate as her book How to Date a Nerd is now available for your reading pleasure!  And as part of her celebration, she's hosting a blog hop!

There is an amazing prize package to be won by a lucky participant!  It includes NERDS candy, Nerdy t-shirts, a signed copy of How to Date a Nerd, How to Date a Nerd keychains and buttons, and Spiderman 3 on DVD.

Sounds good, right?  I thought so!  If you'd like to join in, there's still time!  The rules are simple.

Post an answer to this question: What is the nerdiest thing about you?
Post the blog hop picture on your post and on your sidebar.
Post the Goodreads link to How to Date a Nerd.


Here.  I'll post the Goodreads link, along with a few others.  That way you have many reading options available to you!


Goodreads

Amazon
Barnes and Noble 

So, without further adieu, here is my nerdy blog hop contribution.


“Nerd. One whose unbridled passion for something, or things, defines who they are as a person, without fear of other people's judgement.” 
Zachary Levi


“If you like nerds, raise your hand. If you don't, raise your standards.” 
- Violet Haberdasher

“I think, that if the world were a bit more like ComicCon, it would be a better place.” 
- Matt Smith

“Sci-fi nerds are respectful, honorable. You can trust them.
-Claudia Christian 

I'm a certifiable word nerd.  See how I couldn't resist looking up quotes and using them to define what it means to be a nerd?  It's a compulsion I can't turn off.  And, also being a sci-fi nerd, I had to include Ivanova's words of wisdom.  (Bonus points to anyone who gets this reference!)

This isn't the only way I prove my verbal nerdiness.  I'm a writer.  I think by definition, all writers have to be verbal nerds to some degree.  Otherwise, why would we subject ourselves to hours of torment as we search for the right way to tell a story?  It can be torturous sometimes, but we soldier on because we love telling stories too much to give it up.

I also do something on occasion that might have some people thinking me rather silly.  Yet I embrace my nerdiness, and I am not afraid to reveal the truth here.  One of my friends from college frequently talks to me on Facebook.  Our conversations frequently take a turn for the weird.  What do you mean by that, you may ask.  Well, we reminisce about our days at the Star Fleet Academy, and talk about the time we got in trouble for stealing a shuttle craft.  We joke about our crazy spring break on Risa, and we wonder what it would be like to captain a star ship.

And, by the way, we talk about this in all seriousness, like it actually happened. My love for Star Trek runs that deep.

Then again, my love for sci-fi in general runs that deep.  I'd probably do this for Firefly, Star Wars, Babylon 5, and Doctor Who as well.  My love for narrative is just that strong.

Still, I'm not crazy.  You can trust me.  Claudia Christian says so.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Express Yourself: Lunch With An Author


The Express Yourself Weekly Meme is brought to you by Jackie @ Bouquet of Books and Dani @ Entertaining Interests.

This week's question is: What author(s) would you love to have lunch with?

I have several answers for this one, so it's a good thing we're allowed more than one.

One obvious answer is J.K. Rowling.  I love her work, and I love her life story. She started out broke, and she succeeded beyond all reasonable expectations. That's just awesome.

Another is Neil Gaiman.  The man rocks.  There's no other way about it.

Terry Pratchett.  He's funny, and his books are full of relevant social commentary.  His work is truly wonderful.

Neil deGrasse Tyson.  Yes, he's primarily an astrophysicist, but he's published some great books too.  Anyone who's interested in the universe would benefit from reading his books.  He's also a tremendous speaker, which adds to my desire to meet him in person.

If you could have lunch with an author, who would you choose?


Follow Fest


I decided to participate in Melissa Maygrove's Follow Fest.  This is a good way to build your platform and meet fellow writers/bloggers.  You can still join in on the fun, so check it out!

Image courtesy of nuttakit/
FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Fiction or nonfiction?
Fiction.  I write as a way to explore real world problems, but I feel more free to do that in a fictional setting.  In the world of fiction, I can look at possible repercussions of pressing issues, experiment with new ways of looking at an issue.  And sometimes, it's a matter of pure escapism.

What genres do you write?
Science fiction mostly.  Some fantasy.  There's often a romantic element mixed in with whatever I'm writing.

Are you published?
As a kid, I had a few poems published in various anthologies, as well as a short essay in a small magazine.  I also had a short piece published recently in Nick Wilford's anthology Overcoming Adversity.

Do you do anything in addition to writing?
Besides try to remain sane while taking care of my young boys and keeping our lives in some semblance of order?  Nothing professionally.  I've considered learning to do things like cover art, but I haven't yet tried my hand at it.  Maybe someday.

Where can people connect with you?
First of all, there are many options for following this blog.  In the sidebar, you'll find what you need to follow through GFC, Bloglovin', Networked Blogs, and by email.  Just scroll down and look beneath the rotating map of Earth.

You can also follow me through Google + (follow this link or look in my sidebar).

My Twitter name is @LGKeltner.  You can follow the link or look in the sidebar for the Twitter button.

I also have a Facebook page.  You can find it HERE or click on the Facebook badge in the sidebar.

You can also find me monthly at the Insecure Writer's Support Group.

So, yeah.  If you really want to find me, I'm around.  Feel free to follow me!

Monday, September 23, 2013

Musing About Laughter and Tears


I've been working on two WIPs for the last few days.  One is a comedy.  The other is tragedy. Both have elements of science fiction.  When it's me, how can that possibly come as a surprise?  I'm excited about both projects, and the benefit of working on two extremely different projects seems to be this: no matter what mood I'm in, it seems I'm in the right mood to work on one of them.

Today seems to be a tragic mood.  Not that I'm sad or anything, because I'm not. I'm just in the mood to make people cry.

Wow.  When I say it like that, it sounds bad.  Hopefully my fellow writers will understand.  I want to evoke powerful emotions in my readers.  I want people to connect with the worlds I create.  It's not like I want to go up and kick someone in the shins in the hopes of producing tears.  That would just make me a jerk.

I'll let you know more as my newest project begins to unfold.  All I can say for now is that I'm optimistic.  Though the fresh cup of coffee I have in hand might be a contributing factor in that.  

Friday, September 20, 2013

A Brief History of Adam Evans and His Failed Romantic Encounters (Excerpt)



Hey guys!  I know this is a late posting.  I wanted to share this with you earlier, but real life demanded attention.  It has a way of doing that sometimes.

Though I haven't gotten as much work done as I'd have liked at this point, I have been trying to expand on and polish "Adam's Apple", which some of you may remember as my April A-Z Challenge story.  There's plenty more I'd like to do, but patience and persistence will get me there.

I wanted to share a little bit of the back story I've been writing for the protagonist Adam Evans.  Consider it bonus content.  While not crucial to the main story, it's still fun.

Here's an excerpt from "A Brief History of Adam Evans and His Failed Romantic Encounters."  The story about the go kart, the peach, and the turtle follows this piece, but I have to keep some things to myself.  At least for now.


Failed Encounter #1
Teenage Letdown

Adam Evans never knew quite how to interact with girls when he was high school.  His especially scrawny frame didn’t help, either, because he felt invisible next to the athletic types who seemed to have no trouble attracting female attention.  He needed to make an extra effort to stand out.  A lot of other boys his age might have been able to say they felt the same way, of course, but Adam seemed to have a special talent for screwing up each romantic possibility with dramatic flair.

He wanted to be confident around women, because he’d heard from plenty of people that women preferred a man who was confident.  However, he quickly learned that, when feigned badly, the confidence he hoped to display could come across as arrogance.  More than once he walked away from a girl with a well-deserved welt rising on his cheek.  Each injury, whether it was physical in nature or simply manifested itself as a bad case of wounded pride, steered him in the right direction.  The course corrections were gradual, and he often wondered if he would ever achieve the desired result.

Fortunately for Adam (or so he reckoned at the time, anyway), the course corrections eventually led him to Magdalena White during his senior year.  She had stunning long brown hair and . . . well, he would have noticed her gorgeous green eyes sooner if his attention hadn’t been drawn to certain other attributes.  Yet, even with this distraction competing for his attention, he couldn’t help but notice Magdalena’s sense of humor and casual demeanor.  She was cool without even trying.

One day he approached her in the hall.  On any other day, he might not have managed it, but he noticed she was wearing a Captain McNinja and the Bonehead Brigade t-shirt.  This had been his favorite comic book series since he was a kid, and if nothing else, he could surely talk to her about that.  Shoving one hand into his jeans pocket, he tried to adopt the relaxed walk he’d seen some of the more popular guys employ.  Unfortunately, the unnatural gait required so much attention that he didn’t see the classroom door swinging open directly in front of him.

A smash to the face and painful collision with the floor ensued.  Adam sat up as quickly as he could manage in an attempt to salvage his dignity.  Not that this was possible in a hallway filled with students.  A crowd grew around him within moments.  Several students were snickering, while others simply looked on in awe at how quickly Adam’s damaged nose released blood onto the floor.

Magdalena, however, stepped forward with a handful of tissues.  “Here, it looks like you need these.”

Humiliated, Adam took the offering and used it to stem the crimson tide that was threatening to wash away the last of his nerve.  Pushing himself to his feet, he decided to forge ahead before the blood loss made his head go fuzzy.  “I like your shirt.”

It didn’t take him long to see how disjointed that scene from his life must have looked to any outsider.  Magdalena surely thought he was already delirious, but she simply smiled.  “Thank you.”

She walked with him to the school nurse, holding on to his elbow the entire time.

“Did you hear they’re making a new Captain McNinja total immersion game?” Adam asked.  He wanted to get some kind of conversation going since she was still there.

“Yes, I did.  I hope it’s better than the last one.”  She shook her head.  “They completely ruined the ending with the reveal that McNinja’s father was actually the Assassin.  It only introduced a bunch of continuity errors, and it’s an overused plot point anyway.”

Hearing those words come from her mouth made him dizzy with awe.  Or perhaps it was the continued blood loss.

After being patched up by a doctor, he returned to school the following day.  Adam successfully engaged Magdalena in conversation every day for the rest of the week without offending her, or without embarrassing himself a second time.  After accomplishing that seemingly impossible feat, he worked up the nerve to ask her out.  She even said yes!

They had exactly one date.  All went well until he dropped her off at home.  He got his first real kiss that night, which was fairly amazing.  At least for him.  Apparently the feeling wasn’t mutual.

“You deserve a girl who can appreciate everything you have to offer,” she told him afterwards.  “I think you’re a cool guy, but the kiss didn’t do anything for me.  That’s essential, you know?”


Adam went home feeling more dejected than ever.  How could he guess that this would be the most normal of his romantic failures?

Celebrate the Small Things-September 20, 2013


It's Friday, and once again it's time to Celebrate the Small Things with VikLit!

Overall, it's been a good week.  We had a mild illness go through our house last weekend, and Jude missed school on Monday because of it.  Still, it wasn't all that bad, and we were all back on our feet in no time.

Once again, I got some good writing done this week.  That's always worth celebrating.

I walked walked to pick up Jude from preschool today, with my two year old in tow.  On our way back, we got a great view of a thunderstorm rolling in.  Nature truly is beautiful and awe-inspiring.  We also desperately needed the rain here, so I won't complain about the damp afternoon.

I also found out that I am the first place winner of the More Than Just a Kiss Blogfest!  YAY!  I can't begin to tell you how great it feels to have your writing recognized like this.  Especially when the judges are such talented writers!  If you haven't read my kissing scene, you can find it HERE.  You can also  look HERE to see a listing of all the other wonderful winners.

All in all, the week ended strong and has left me feeling good as we go into the weekend.  It doesn't get much better than that.

What would you like to celebrate?


Thursday, September 19, 2013

FSF: Urge to Run


It's time once again for Five Sentence Fiction!  The word for this week is WILD.

The entire "Unchained" story can be found on this PAGE.

Unchained
Chapter 46: Urge to Run

Image courtesy of
Michal Marcol/
FreeDigitalPhotos.net
A wild, almost animalistic urge to run unfurled in the pit of Ylana’s stomach as the Kryllian ship continued to open, nearing the completion of its power-up sequence.  Once the death flower opened, the low light in the center would light up like a sun.  She had never personally witnessed such a thing, but she’d heard the terrible stories of the power the Kryllians had at their disposal.

“I wonder why they’re here,” Nara said softly, her wide eyes drinking in the bone-chilling sight, “because last I knew, the Kryllians had no interest in this world.”

“Maybe they know I’m here and what I’m trying to do,” Ylana whispered in reply, and her stomach sunk as she realized the deaths of billions may soon be on her hands.


Wednesday, September 18, 2013

A Heartfelt Letter to a Lovely Teacher


I knew I wanted to post something today, but the time got away from me.  This was in part due to the fact that I have kids and other demands that occupy a fair bit of my time.  It was also due in part to the fact that I was procrastinating.

Yes.  I was procrastinating.  We are all guilty of it from time to time, and perhaps more often than we would like to admit.

Then I thought, hey, I can use my procrastination as a source of inspiration.  I started thinking about being a kid and putting off homework.  I was always a good student, but that didn't stop me from leaving things until the last minute.

Anyway, I envisioned a kid doing everything he could to avoid doing his homework.  This little story is the result.  Enjoy!


A Heartfelt Letter to a Lovely Teacher

Dear Ms. Meade,

I am writing this letter to you under the most grievous of circumstances.  Though I eagerly anticipated working tirelessly through the night to complete the writing assignment for your wonderful class (which also happens to be my absolute favorite class, by the way), I was rendered incapable of doing so by the cruel wheels of fate.

After eating dinner, I settled in my room to do my assignment.  My notebook was open, an assortment of pencils ready to go.  Then my walkie talkie, which I use to talk to my best friend Bill who lives next door, started to emit the strangest sounds I’ve ever heard in my long fourteen years of living.  I looked around the room, eager to locate the source of the interference so I could get to work on my assignment.  That’s when I saw it.

A beam of glowing blue light shot through my bedroom window.  I sat there, stunned into silence as a life-size hologram of the President of the Interstellar Alliance materialized before me.  Of course, I didn’t know who she was until she introduced herself.  She told me that she came all the way from Pollux to ask me for my help.  The fate of a dozen worlds hung in the balance, and due to a special skill that only I have (I would go into more detail about it here, but it’s a matter of interplanetary security now) I was the only person who could save the day.

Believe me when I say that I agonized over my decision to put the lives of countless billions of people before completing my homework on time.  I genuinely wanted to fulfill my obligations as a student, but I also acknowledged that I needed to fulfill a more pressing set of obligations.

I’ll tell you, the job she needed me to do wasn’t easy.  I was up until well past midnight completing my vital task.  I cannot go into too many details, as the political landscape of the Interstellar Alliance has been strained as of late.  Were I to accidentally divulge too much, my slip-up could contribute to the unraveling of the peace treaties that bind these worlds together in peace and prosperity.  That could lead to war, invariably nullifying all of my previous efforts.  Clearly I could not allow that.

You are a wonderful educator and an all-around good person, so I am certain you can understand why I chose as I did.  In the real world, the needs of the many outweigh my need to get a good grade on a single English paper.  I can only hope that you kindly allow me the opportunity to make up for my failure in the future.

Sincerely,
Simon Griswald


Dear Mr. Griswald,

I can only say that I found your letter most fascinating.  I have been an educator for many years, and I have seen some interesting excuses for late work in my time.  This is perhaps one of the most eloquent and creative excuses for failing to turn in an assignment that I have ever seen.  I am impressed by the way you carefully worded your letter to elicit a specific response in your reader.  That takes skill.  It takes thought.  Also, judging by the length of your letter, it also took you a bit of time.

Perhaps I should make a suggestion that may help you in the future.  Next time, you could try channeling your creativity and your undeniable way with words into the actual assignment.  It probably would have taken you the same amount of time to do so as it took you to write this letter.

Sincerely,
Ms. Meade


P.S. I can easily see you going into a career in writing or politics.  You could go a long way with your talent.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Express Yourself: Movie Character


The Express Yourself Weekly Meme is brought to you by Jackie @ Bouquet of Books and Dani @ Entertaining Interests.

The prompt for this week is: Name a movie character's personality who is you to a tee.

I've seen a bit of myself in a lot of characters.  A recent Harry Potter quiz determined that I am most like Hermione Granger.  I told my husband about my results, and he just gave me a look that said, "Yeah, and this is news?"  I am a bookworm, and I like to impress others with my recall of useless trivia.  At least Hermione frequently recalled facts that got them out of sticky situations.  My recall of similar facts makes me good at Trivial Pursuit, but has the unfortunate side effect of annoying a lot of people.

Then again, I also have a bit of a sarcastic attitude.  I don't go looking for fights, but I will stand up for myself when I have to.  I like to think that I'm smart, confident, and snarky like Princess Leia.  Perhaps she pulls off the confidence better than I do, but I try my best.

When it comes to the way I fail to fit in with my surroundings, I feel like Luna Lovegood.  Yes, I know, another Harry Potter character.  So what?  It fits.  I like how she's weird, but she wears her weirdness with grace.  She knows who she is, and she doesn't apologize for it.  I was weird and awkward when I was younger, but as I get older, I can embrace my strange nature more and be comfortable with it.

So, yeah, I didn't choose one,but I think I chose three that mirror certain aspects of myself quite well.  Hopefully that works well enough!


Sunday, September 15, 2013

Taking the World By Storm

The always supportive and all around amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh has a big week ahead as he awaits the release of his final book CassaStorm on Tuesday, September 17th!  Comment on on his blog this week for a chance to win a Cassa mug, mousepad, magnet, and swag!

To help celebrate the launch of this new book, Alex gave us the opportunity to ask him one question.  The question I decided to ask is: What is the most unusual or unique thing that has inspired your writing?

Hmmm… unusual. I can’t think of anything really unique, but the music that inspired CassaStorm was different. I don’t tend to listen to soundtracks, but my wife likes the Tron: Legacy disc. Daft Punk’s soundtrack engrained itself on my brain and set the tone for story.

Music can be quite influential for me too, so I can relate to this.

Now, who wants to learn more about CassaStorm?  That is, after all, what this post is about!

CassaStorm
By Alex J Cavanaugh

From the Amazon Best Selling Series!

A storm gathers across the galaxy…

Commanding the Cassan base on Tgren, Byron thought he’d put the days of battle behind him. As a galaxy-wide war encroaches upon the desert planet, Byron’s ideal life is threatened and he’s caught between the Tgrens and the Cassans.

After enemy ships attack the desert planet, Byron discovers another battle within his own family. The declaration of war between all ten races triggers nightmares in his son, threatening to destroy the boy’s mind.

Meanwhile the ancient alien ship is transmitting a code that might signal the end of all life in the galaxy. And the mysterious probe that almost destroyed Tgren twenty years ago could return. As his world begins to crumble, Byron suspects a connection. The storm is about to break, and Byron is caught in the middle…


See, doesn't it look cool?  I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but that doesn't mean you can't appreciate a fine work of awesomeness.  And the positive reviews should also successfully persuade you that this book is worthy of a MUST-READ status.


“CassaStorM is a touching and mesmerizing space opera full of action and emotion with strong characters and a cosmic mystery.” – Edi’s Book Lighhouse 

“With a talent for worldbuilding and a compelling cast of characters, Alex J. Cavanaugh combines high powered space battles and the challenges of family dynamics to provide readers a space opera with heart.” 

- Elizabeth S. Craig, author of the Southern Quilting and Myrtle Clover mysteries

“I thought the revelation was going to be one thing and I was completely wrong … CassaStorm pushes the limits…”
- Tyson Mauermann, Speculative Reviews

There's also a book trailer that should also serve to get you invested in reading this book!



Now that I've hyped up the book, I should probably give you information on purchasing it, right?  It only makes sense.

$16.95 USA, 6x9 Trade paperback, 268 pages, Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C.
Science fiction/adventure and science fiction/space opera
Print ISBN 9781939844002 eBook ISBN 9781939844019
$4.99 EBook available in all formats

Find CassaStorm:
Amazon -

This is, of course, the end of a trilogy.  Still, that shouldn't deter anyone who hasn't read the first two.  The solution is simple.  Read them too.  Imagine this handsome collection on your bookshelf.


Seriously, who could pass that up?

Now, you may ask, who is this Alex J. Cavanaugh anyway?  That is a question whispered often throughout the blogging world, and even so, he remains a bit of an enigma.  Still, after bribing a few ninja minions (who shall remain unnamed for their own protection), we have learned this much.

Alex J. Cavanaugh has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and works in web design and graphics. He is experienced in technical editing and worked with an adult literacy program for several years. A fan of all things science fiction, his interests range from books and movies to music and games. Online he is the Ninja Captain and founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. The author of the Amazon bestsellers, CassaStar and CassaFire, he lives in the Carolinas with his wife.

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4287922.Alex_J_Cavanaugh

Good luck with the book release, Alex!  All of your blogging friends are cheering you on!