This Means War - Movie Review

I was so excited that the meetup group I joined 'Movies and More' got pre-screening tickets to this movie you would have thought I won the lotto.



SCREEN RANT:

The basic premise for This Means War – ie. two CIA agents find out they’re dating the same woman – sounds like a variation on Mr. and Mrs. Smith… albeit, somehow even more (intentionally) ridiculous. So it’s perhaps appropriate that Smith co-scriber Simon Kingberg had a hand in scripting this new action-comedy, which was helmed by McG (the Charlie’s Angels movies).

Now we have an official trailer for This Means War, which focuses primarily on selling the film’s stylized action sequences – though, it still manages to cram in some laughs here and there.



This Means War stars Chris Pine (a.k.a. young Captain Kirk in the Star Trek reboot) and Tom Hardy – soon to be known as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises – as “the world’s deadliest CIA operatives” and BFFs. However, the two agents eventually start utilizing their technical skills and advanced spy gadgetry to defeat one another in the battle for the heart of a woman named Lauren (Reese Witherspoon) who is dating the pair simultaneously.

MY REVIEW:

This had comedy, romance, action, and it was just plain cute. Great 'Date Movie'! I took my husband and we went with over 38 members of our meetup movie crew. Male and females watched the movie, laughed with the movie, and gushed with the movie. It was just enough action with bad guys to keep the guys interested. Also great chemistry with all 3 characters. Not to mention eye candy for the ladies and female humor that made both men and women laugh out loud. My guy gave this a 4 'fist pump' and I gave it a 4.5 'dreamy sigh'.

The Bennie's to Blogging

When I first considered blogging I did it because I read that it's a great way to build a platform. That every writer must have a blog. That blogging is fun.

Well, let me tell you, some of the advice was true, but some of it didn't even touch the surface of what blogging has become to me.

BLOGGING FOR FUN

Blogging is actually fun for me. I enjoy coming up with my post and post regularly with my passions. Reading books with my daughter who post her reviews on my blog. Also my love of movies is something I love to post about. It’s enjoyable for me to have an audience to chat about some of my hobbies. In addition, it’s given myself and my kids a place to put our interest. My son has posted his video game reviews and all of my kids have been a guest and posted their book reviews since I personally feel that if I give a review on a MG or YA novel that it should be from the audience it’s intended for.

BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS

Now that I’ve gotten into blogging I realize that it is a great and powerful tool for some businesses. If done correctly blogging can capture and hold customers when the content is ripe and plentiful. Not to mention as a writer I could actually get a paid gig blogging for businesses. Sort of like writing for a publication – it just happens that the publication is a blog instead of a newspaper. Also, blogs can co-exist as another form for a company to share it’s ‘marketing copy’ it’s way of getting the masses excited about something it offers.

BLOGGING FOR BUILDING A PLATFORM AS A WRITER

In this I think ‘meh’ maybe it works, but maybe not. I mean I have to admit I’m not quite a numbers hog and use my blog specifically to get over a million would be purchasers for my book. Maybe I should but I don’t. I enjoy blogging way to much. But I don’t quite know if I can honestly say I personally know an author that built a platform, got an agent, sold tons of books just because they blogged.

Now what blogging does do for an author is keep them writing, give them content to tweet about, content to re-cycle into articles, guest blog spots, facebook share, sale to other areas, showcase work, and meet other authors, bloggers, people who just dig them and what they write about.

WHY DO YOU BLOG? AND IF YOU DON’T WANT TO WHAT WILL YOU LOSE?

I’ve followed lots of blogs that after awhile just die off. Or that are so sporatic I clean them out of my cue. However, when it’s not fun anymore, don’t do it. Life’s too short to do the things you hate – unless you have to put food on your table.

Chronicle - Movie Review

FANDANGO BLURB:
Andrew (Dane DeHaan) is a socially awkward, introverted teen whose main form of escape and expression is a video camera. But things begin to change when Andrew, his cousin Matt (Alex Russell) and popular classmate Steve (Michael B. Jordan) discover a mysterious substance that leaves them with incredible powers. As their abilities become more powerful, the teens' lives spin out of control when their darker sides begin to emerge. Andrew's camera captures the unfolding events.

MY REVIEW:

WOW! This one TOTALLY surprised me. I'm a super hero fan. Okay - fanatic (a little) but this movie blew my mind. Mainly because the way it was filmed made you feel like you were actually with the characters during this. I mean, I felt like part of the gang. Not to mention they became real and likeable to me. Also, it seemed realistic the way the boys characters developed, changed and made mistakes. Also the interaction between the boys seemed natural and reminded me of how my son is with his friends. The way it unfolds into a climatic end just - Wow! So you know what I'm giving this don't you? I FREAKIN' give it 5 shots out of 5. Ye-ah baby!

C'mon My Friend's Having a FB Release Party!

Yeah Baby! You won't be bored this Friday night! No way. You've got to come on over to the COMPULSION RELEASE PARTY!

COMPULSION by Kymberlee Burks-Miller - buy her book here!



Welcome to the Compulsion Release Party line up!!! I am going to introduce you to everyone involved in making this event THE online PARTY of the year!! To the left, is the very same picture of Compulsion that is being for the party and if you click it, it will take you to the event~~So now on to the amazing people that are participating! This is a central location for ALL of their links. LOADS OF FREE STUFF will be up for grabs, and everyone gets a chance to win! BUT, at this party no one leaves empty-handed!! Door prizes for all that attend! **REMEMBER, it all kicks off Friday, February, 3rd at 12pm central/1pm eastern standard time and goes non-stop for 36 hours!!!
Away we go:

Here's the link for the star-studded guest list. Oh and there will be PRIZES!

And while you're there, go on, follow her blog. Share the love!
http://kymberlee-burks-miller.blogspot.com/

A TOUCH OF LOVE IN YA

Most Young Adult novels have a sprinkle of a crush, love and attraction. With a majority female audience it’s perceived that love and attraction is a strong part of youth. And lets face it – it is.

WHY PUT SOME IN

Because it appeals to both male and female readers as long as it doesn’t consume the type of book when writing a Young Adult book that isn’t specifically a romance. I get many beta readers for my books, both male and female requested a bit of a love interest. It adds another dimension to the plot.

A SPRINKLE without SEX is good too

I personally don’t believe sex is necessary in a Young Adult book to such graphic detail unless it moves the plot. Adding a love interest, sex, physical aspect can turn off young readers. Writers should focus on the story they are trying to tell and not on how they describe sex in a scene for shock value. Readers can pick it up and may be turned off.

HIGH Emotion can LEAD to ATTRACTION

When writing a Young Adult book with a sprinkle of romance, there is no need to throw it in the readers face. Let it develop, do it with style, and make sure that your readers fall in love – as the characters are falling in love.

DON’T Count ON LOVE TO SAVE YOUR NOVEL

If you are not writing a Young Adult Romance, and you are putting in your sprinkle of love, don’t expect that to make your novel appeal to the young adult crowd. These readers want it all. They crave adventure, drama, mystery, love, and great pacing. So when you mix up your recipe to deliver a masterpiece for your willing and eager YA audience, make sure you don’t sell them short on depth and a great plot.

DO YOU THINK LUV IN YA IS OVERKILL?

Exiled by Rashelle Workman

NYIA! Our Teen Book Reviewer is in the house. *Sniffle* and she's started her own blog. They grow up so fast, but she's agreed to still post her reviews here as a guest.




Amazon Blurb:
EXILED: Worlds divided them. Chance brought them together, Only love will save them.

BUY HERE - Click


NYIA's Review:

I really loved this book so I thought I’d tell some people about it’s amazingness. The author did a great job of making a simple science fiction novel. I liked that the book didn’t have a bunch of complicated language or super long explanations about nothing. The book was filled with adventure, secrets, and romance, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. The concepts introduced in the book weren’t hard to understand or keep up with. I liked that the author wrote the book in various two points of view, but focused mainly on Venus. I would recommend the book to girls who want romance with more action in it. I suspect that the book is the first in a series because it ended with a lot of unanswered questions. I give the book a 4 out of 5 only because I was mad about love triangle going on. Hope you decide to read it; it’s really a good book.

Teens Can Plan For Success

This week at my kid's high school they are selecting their schedule of courses. Not to mention, I watched Waiting For Superman, a movie about the school system and how inaffective it is for supporting the majority of students in their journey to personal successful learning.

I fight the battle of motivating my kids to be challenged, to figure out ways around boundaries and to stay positively motivated to do their heart's desire.

But it's been hard. I've had to teach them to fight for their education as well.

IF YOU ARE SERVED APPLES but you want ORANGES

My 9th grader is an acceptional student. She always scores high on test and with me fighting for her she was placed in the Gifted and Talented courses. But she wants more.

AP courses were offered to her this year, but I think outside of the box in everything and I wanted her to forego AP courses and just go direct to Community College to take some of her classes - and I found out from taking my daughter to the counselor at the community college that she could take classes at the community college that could go towards her High School diploma while giving her credit for her degree!

So we asked her High School Counselor to approve my daughter's registration. The woman told me "I don't know why you would want to waste your money on that when she can just take AP classes"

DON't LET 'NO' stop YOU! FIND A WORK AROUND

I couldn't believe the woman was discouraging me in supporting my daughter with MY MONEY. Had I not known that it was possible to send a student in this direction (I had done the exact same thing for my son - and had to fight even harder to do so) then I would have just agreed with the woman.

BUT I will take a "No" and create my own "Yes"

TEENS HAVE POWER

One thing I told my daughter when we left was, "You can do or be anything, and that is a lesson that the road won't always be easy. You always need to look for your detors."

HOW HAVE YOU as a young person TURNED a 'NO' into a 'YES' by not giving up?

Explorer X-Beta is now on KDP and Amazon!

I'm excited to announce that my second book in the my middle grade science fiction adventure novel, is available for FREE in ebook kindle format on KINDLE DIRECT and only $0.99 on amazon until release day of the Paperback version April 1st.

The paperback release date is April 1st and will be kicked off with a twitter party TWITTER PARTY is April 3rd, 2012 and BLOG TOUR the week of April 8th-17th.

LM Preston Tour and Stops:

Farpoint Convention (Baltimore, MD) 2/17-19th
Public Library Conference (PA) - 3/12th
Twitter Launch Party (Promo Explorer X-Beta) - 4/3th
Explorer X-Beta Blog tour - 4/8-17th
Book Expo America (NY) - 6/6-7th
Otakon (Baltimore, MD) 7/27-29th
Shore-Leave (Baltimore, MD) 8/3-5th
Baltimore Book Festival - 9/28-30th
Capclave (Baltimore, MD) - 10/12-14th

Weekly on Twitter:
#MBPA twitter chat on Thursdays at 9pm hosting as board member of Mid Atlantic Book Publishers Association www.midatlanticbookpublishers.com
#Yalitchat twitter chat on Wednesday as Moderator and support of Yalitchat.ning.com

Underworld Awakening - Movie Review

Fandango Blurb:
In the years since she and her human-lycan lover, Michael, defeated Elder Marcus, vampire warrior Selene (Kate Beckinsale) has been taken captive by humans, while they wage an all-out war against both lycans and vampires. Awakening after more than a decade, Selene discovers that Michael is dead, but that she has given birth to his daughter, Eve. Shunned by nearly all surviving vampires, save one (Theo James), even Selene seems powerless against her latest opponent: a genetically enhanced lycan.

My Review:
Action Overload with just enough of a plot to tease you. I have to admit it, I'm a lover of the Underworld movies series. They have vamps that don't count on their 'sexy' to get them a kill and lycans that make me want to run and hide in the theatre. A sprinkle of romance laced the earlier movies but there's no time for love in this one only a few touching lovey moments. This was 100% action, killing and vamp vs lycan war. This was so fast paced I didn't even realize the ride was over until the end. And Selene (Kate Beckingsale) kicked but like before and I loved it. Not much bloodsucking in this one, but a lot of fighting, shooting and blowing stuff up. I give it 4 out of 5 stars because again there was little plot and I'm a vamp and lycan lover that loves action.

Discovering A Hidden Muse

If you are a writer, dreamer, actor, artist of any sort then you are always looking deeper. Studying people, trying to connect with something or someone that will allow you to create.

As a writer I like to study people. Never take anyone for granted since you can't figure out a persons life journey by just looking at their faces.

Well this weekend I discovered something about one of my kids that I'd missed.

SAY WHAT? IS THAT MY KID?

Parents usually seem to make assumptions about their kids without actually studying them. Getting to know them. Know what makes them ticked.

Well this weekend I learned something about my 8yr old that I've taken for granted. Only because the kid is always around me.

HE's A SHOW HOUND

While in Downtown Disney, my oldest son (17yr old) started dancing. My 8yr old copied his dance moves, but about 5 minutes into their duo and a large crowd later,my 8yr stole the show. I didn't even know this kid could dance like this. He did break-dancing, flips, and moves he'd been watching on several Dance Crew shows and the boy actually absorbed it all. He had a huge crowd and my mouth was hung opened because I so didn't know this kid!

TRANSFORM IT INTO YOUR ART

The writer in me just soaked it in - after my tongue made it's way back in my mouth. And I tucked that knowledge away to put into one of my characters to come. That little something that gives them a ZING, BOP ... and makes the reader cheer for them.

REALITY TO ART

That's what writers need to continue to do. Find time to get out and discover people - discover your art. And have fun too!

Don't be afraid.

SO HAVE YOU FOUND A HIDDEN MUSE? Where? Do Tell...

Warriors Omen of the Stars by Erin Hunter

Hello ya'll my new Middle Grade Book Reviewer - MIA is here to give a review of a series she absolutely loves!!

The Warriors Series by Erin Hunter

Warriors: Omen Of the Stars

Amazon Blurb:

Four warrior Clans have shared the land around the lake as equals for many moons. But a prophecy foretells that three ThunderClan cats will hold the power of the stars in their paws. Jayfeather and Lionblaze know that they are two of the cats in the prophecy. Now the brothers must wait for a sign from StarClan to discover the identity of the third cat.

Meanwhile, Dovekit and Ivykit—kin of the great leader Firestar—are poised to become ThunderClan apprentices. Soon one sister will have an ominous dream—and will begin to realize that she possesses mystical skills unmatched by any other cat.

In the midst of a cruel season that threatens the lives of all four warrior Clans, bonds will be forged, promises made, and three young cats will start to unravel the secrets that bind them together.

MIA's Review (5th Grader)

First of all, I love animals. I wanted to read a book about them and I found the Warriors series at the library. I can't stop reading them. When I read it I like that I can see the story like a cat would see it. The adventure was about helping the ancestors. It makes me think of the cats like sort of an tribe. They close family and I really got attached to Dovepaw and Jayfeather.

I liked the first two series the most. But haven't read all of them yet. Every one of these books have cats that have a great adventure.

PARENT Review (by LM Preston)

My 5th grader wasn't always a reader. She loved graphic novels but would shy away from chapter books. Until we found a series of books of topics that interested her - animals. She loves animals and this series seems to wet her appetite. This series is more for a upper middle grader, but I read it with my daughter and she did well with it.

I've Been Inspired!

The beginning of the year I was exhausted. And started to think, maybe kicking out three manuscripts was a tall order. Maybe, I didn't want to write for a small while. You know take a break, evaluate if this is something I need to keep doing - for myself.

INSPIRATION COMES IN THE MOST OBVIOUS PLACES

Then my 10yr old daughter came to me with her manuscript - YEP, she had written five full pages of her story. She loves animals and wrote a story about a baby lion named Theo who wanted to unite the species of his land.

OMG! This is why I write - not just for me, but for myself and others. My little girl told me, "I want to write like you mommy. Maybe you can help me with my story."

MORE ... and MORE

Then I get an email from one of my writer friends, telling me she needs me to motivate her to finish her book.

MORE and MORE

Then it came ... another idea for a series. And the promise to my little girl to help her write her story.

AND IT BEGINS AGAIN ... inspiration

FIND Yours ... and share :-D