Monday, February 3, 2014

Naked in the Apocalypse, February Movie Preview, Cassa Updates, Movie Trivia Answers, and Ninja News

A lot happening today! We kick it off with a visit from author and traveler, Sean McLachlan, whose book Radio Hope just came out.

People won’t be naked in the Apocalypse

I’ve noticed something strange about post-apocalyptic books and movies—everyone is dressed in rags. While that adds to the atmosphere, it’s not very realistic. The fall of civilization is actually going to make everyone better dressed!

There are two types of apocalypses—the fast and the slow. The fast apocalypse is what you see in books like The Road. It’s not clear what happened to destroy the world literally overnight. Judging from the effects I’m thinking it was a comet or an asteroid. Whatever it was, a large percentage of the population got wiped out and all industry and government ground to a halt.

What an opportunity for a wardrobe makeover! Think about it. In your closet you probably have enough clothes to last for at least a couple of years if you’re more concerned about avoiding the roving packs of cannibals than buying the latest designer duds. But even with the cannibals on the prowl you still can dress for success. If 95% of the population just keeled over, you can hunt through their closets for whatever you want. Don’t like what you see? Head over to the shopping mall. The security guards have all been eaten! Just don’t get trapped by zombies like in Dawn of the Dead.

The slow apocalypse is a bit tougher. In the century leading up to the story in my novel Radio Hope, there are wars, plagues, nuclear exchanges, and huge amounts of toxic emissions. At the very least that’s going to cause a bad hair day. But as civilization disintegrates, people will start making more things themselves. While the Biowars took out the horses and cows, it spared the sheep, so there’s plenty of wool. People also grow cotton and hemp. Well, this is a family blog so let’s not dwell on why the traumatized survivors of World Wars III-VI might want to grow hemp.

In any case, people will be well dressed in the apocalypse. The great thing about the fall of civilization is that we will no longer have mass media telling us to dress like Miley Cyrus! Long live the apocalypse!

Sean McLachlan is an archaeologist turned writer who is the author of several books of fiction and history. Check him out on his blogs Midlist Writer and Civil War Horror.
Purchase Radio Hope at Amazon.

Cassa and Ninja Captain Updates


From February 4 – 10, CassaFire will be 99 cents at Amazon and my publisher’s site. This is the first time they have ever run a promotional special like this and have ads running at several sites, including BookBub. If you can help me spread the news, starting Tuesday, I would greatly appreciate it. I will have some promotional Tweets and snippets posted on Wednesday. I’m the guinea pig, so hopefully the promotion rocks the house!

A wonderful and eloquent review of CassaStorm was posted on Amazon last week. I don’t usually post snippets of reviews, but I had to share:
This tale is basically a story of the struggle of a family pulled and wrenched in many ways by the frantic circumstances which are thrown in their path. They alone have the key to saving the universe from destruction. It is at once terrifying and uplifting.
It is a space story at its best. Through the fascinating plot, we are poised at a point which is critical to the safety of the galaxy. It is a great study of bravery and love.

Today, an epic battle ensues at Father Dragon’s between me and Lord Baldernot, Mark Koopmans. Who will come out on top?


I won the caption contest at The Geek Twins last week.

And here is the official A to Z Challenge Ninja Minion Army -
Joy Campbell, Michelle Wallace, Susan Gourley/Kelley, S. L. Hennessy, Rhonda Albom, Madeline Mora-Summonte, LG Keltner, Cathy Olliffe-Webster, Diane Riggins, and Melanie Schulz.


Ninja News

Today at the A to Z Blog is an interview with the awesome Challenge co-host, Tina from Life is Good. Tina is the glue that holds the A to Z Team together and if you missed her posts last year about a Swede’s first year in America, you missed something awesome.

Cathrina Constantine’s Tallas is now available! Visit her site to win some awesome stuff including gift cards.

And Cherie Reich revealed another stunning book cover last week!


Movie Trivia Answers

Name the town. (And sorry, I had the title of number four messed up at first.)

1 – Rango 2011 - Dirt
2 – Tremors 1990 – Perfection, Nevada
3 – Ocean’s Eleven 2001 – Las Vegas
4 – Doc Hollywood 1991 – Grady, South Carolina
5 – Ghostbusters 1984 – New York City
6 – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off 1986 - Chicago
7 – Ratatouille 2007 – Paris

February Movie Preview

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

7 –

The Monuments Men
An unlikely World War II platoon are tasked to rescue art masterpieces from Nazi thieves and return them to their owners.
Director: George Clooney
Stars: George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Bill Murray
Huge cast but getting mixed reviews. Bummer.

The LEGO Movie
An ordinary LEGO minifigure, mistakenly thought to be the extraordinary MasterBuilder, is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil LEGO tyrant from gluing the universe together.
Directors: Phil Lord | Christopher Miller
Stars: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Morgan Freeman
This will do well, although sadly I’m not excited. Those are not the Lego figures I remember.

14 –

Winter’s Tale
A burglar falls for an heiress as she dies in his arms. When he learns that he has the gift of reincarnation, he sets out to save her.
Director: Akiva Goldsman
Stars: Colin Farrell, Jessica Brown Findlay, Russell Crowe, Will Smith
Based on the book and with a great cast. I actually want to see this one.

Robocop
In 2028 Detroit, when Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) - a loving husband, father and good cop - is critically injured in the line of duty, the multinational conglomerate OmniCorp sees their chance for a part-man, part-robot police officer.
Director: José Padilha
Stars: Joel Kinnaman, Douglas Urbanski, Abbie Cornish, Gary Oldman
Yes, the original was cheesy. Yes, this looks better. Yes, I am sick of remakes
.
21 –

Pompeii
A slave turned gladiator finds himself in a race against time to save his true love, who has been betrothed to a corrupt Roman Senator. As Mount Vesuvius erupts, he must fight to save his beloved as Pompeii crumbles around him.
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Stars: Kit Harington, Carrie-Anne Moss, Emily Browning, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
I think we all know how it ends…

28 –

Non-Stop
An air marshal springs into action during a transatlantic flight after receiving a series of text messages that put his fellow passengers at risk unless the airline transfers $150 million into an off-shore account.
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Stars: Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, Lupita Nyong'o, Anson Mount
Neeson is really cranking out the action roles these days.


Whoa! How will you dress for the apocalypse? Get any of the trivia right? Excited about any of February’s movies? Ready for Wednesday’s IWSG? And can you help with CassaFire’s promotion this week? I am willing to grovel…

Now, go see me take down the bald one at Father Dragon’s blog.

149 comments:

Anonymous said...

WOW first again,
Good luck on Amazon, you deserve all the praise your books get. I am not into space travel books but have read all three......AND enjoyed them.

Yvonne.

Rhonda Albom said...

Not first, but close to the top. I am honored to be one of your Ninja Minions. Congrats on your very funny caption, and good luck on those book sales. I am sure they will be on fire.

Vanessa Morgan said...

Good luck with the battle today. I believe the police will come over and stop the battle when it'll become too bloody and then the two of you will spend the night in prison.
Have a lucky day ;-)

Jeremy [Retro] said...

I can only say, I loved, RoboCop... it had such a fun sci-fi atmosphere... the new "version" will be upgraded and does look pretty cool. I just wish they would have made it a continuation of the original... where Murphy retires.

Grand read for a Monday, congrats to the releases, covers, fight, Tina, and Sean... Radio Hopes!

Minions, Trivia... your book on a sweet sale and Geek Twins.

Jeremy

Sean McLachlan said...

Thanks for having me, Alex! I'm curious about The Monuments Men. I've read a few articles about the real guys back in WWII.

Tony Laplume said...

How does it end? How does it end???

Frankie Miller said...

If the apocalypse is slow we can plan our wardrobes. If it's sudden, then who knows? I could be enjoying a relaxing bath at the time - butt naked - oh dear! If anyone sees me like this I'll lose all my Google Friends. It's not a pretty sight!
Yea, I'd like to see 'Winter's Tale' - it sounds fascinating.

Brian Miller said...

ha. i would probably pee all over the furniture for dressing me like that....its a funny thought as well as to what i will be wearing at the apocalypse....hmmm....

S.A. Larsenッ said...

I'm thinking the cannibals might like the color red, so I'd toss all my red fabric. Hmm...

Annalisa Crawford said...

Sean makes a great point. Several of my friends have outfits I'd love to get my hands on :-)

Natalie Aguirre said...

Good luck with the book promotion. I'll tweet for you after I see your tweet suggestions on Wednesday.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Yvonne, thank you!

Rhonda, you will make a fine Minion.

Vanessa, they'd have to catch the Ninja first...

Sean, you are most welcome.

Fanny, that made me laugh!

Sheri, good point.

Thanks, Natalie!

Patsy said...

Good luck with the promotion.

Jo said...

Lots of news today. I already have your book - if only I had known. Will certainly visit the dragon's cave.

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

Congratulations on the wonderful review, Alex!

And I believe that all the Ninja Minions are women! :)

M.J. Fifield said...

I'd like to see Winter's Tale, too. And Pompeii because Kit Harrington's in it, and I may be crushing on him a little. And of course Non-Stop because I love Liam Neeson's action movies.

Whether I have the time/opportunity to see any of them remains unclear. And unlikely.

And now I MUST go over to Father Dragon's.

Optimistic Existentialist said...

I like a story with a fast apocalypse better. Not really sure why. I can't wait to see Robocop and Non-Stop!!

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Congratulations on the wonderful review, Alex! It's well-deserved.

I was looking forward to the apocalypse so that I'd fit in better! Not much of a fashion plate even right now and I was ready for everyone else to be in the same boat. :) Great post, though!

Creepy Query Girl said...

Ha! I never really thought of that before but yes, it would take an apocolypse for me to be dressed in couture...;)

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

Wow, I'm in the top 20~!

Good reviews, Alex. I'm making a list of movies to look for. Good news about my wardrobe, especially all my skinny clothes!

RaveAir said...

Robocop was provided a significant enjoyment at the VHS era. I fear the new movie won't give me the same entertainment.

Shell Flower said...

Good luck with battling Lord Baldernot and your book blasts. I can't wait to see Winter's Tale, it's one of my favorite books of all time. Robocop looks good for a remake, too.

Unknown said...

My family loves LEGO's!
We already have a trip to the movies planed to see it on opening day.
Good Luck on your Promo.

~Sia McKye~ said...

NO! you can't take out the horses, Sean! Damn. Hemp has been around for clothing and a multitude of uses besides pot, for thousands of years lol!

Winter's tale looks intriguing. Pompeii is a good setting. Be interesting to see how they do it--from home not the theater, lol! I'm sure that Non-Stop will also grace our DVD player.

Cherie's cover is stunning and I admit, the horse gets my attention--take that Sean!

See you Wednesday. Full work day so it will be in bits and pieces.

Sia McKye Over Coffee

Jay Noel said...

Now that's a great review. Congrats. And I will for sure help spread the word.

Now, to check out your epic battle!

Charles Gramlich said...

Lana has informed me that we WILL be seeing Winter's tale.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Madeline, you noticed that! Awesome, isn't it?

Thanks, Elizabeth.

Zoltan, I don't think so either.

Sia, that made me laugh.

Stephen Tremp said...

Great post by Sean McLachlan. I'll be sure to raid my neighbors closet. And Fridge. They wear nice stuff and are avid foodies.

Good luck with the promo! I'll do a shout out Wednesday. Are you using Twitter hashtags to help on Twitter? If so, I'll Retweet throughout the day.

Anonymous said...

Hilarious! Reminds me of New Zealand's The Tribe. All the parents were killed, so the kids wore anything and everything they wanted. I think I'd wear my clothes, and definitely some Forever 21 gear. ;)

Great promo for Cassafire! I'll remember to tweet about it! :D

David P. King said...

The sights in the dragon cave are hilarious! Can't wait for part 2. I'll be seeing the Lego Movie this weekend. For the kids. :)

A Beer for the Shower said...

Forget style. When the zombie apocalypse comes I'm just going to waddle around in a huge suit of armor. I mean, why has no one thought of that before? Zombies can't bite through iron.

Also, just so you know, our guest post stuff for next week will be coming to you in the next few days. Look for it soon.

Sean McLachlan said...

SA, You don't want to be a redshirt in the apocalypse!

Sia, I love horses too. Used to ride all the time when I lived in Denmark. Your reaction was exactly what I wanted! I want people to feel pain at the thought of the apocalypse. Yes, hemp has many uses, and mostly it's used for clothing in New City. But it also gives the local distillers some competition, lol!

Laura Clipson said...

Sean makes some great points there; all those clothes to choose from.
Ooh excellent, I've wanted to read CassaFire since I read CassaStar. I'll definitely be buying it.

Julie Flanders said...

Good luck with the sale/promotion - I will gladly tweet, etc. Love your kryptonite caption, LOL.

Bish Denham said...

The problem isn't knowing how to dress for the apocalypse it's that I just don't know WHAT I'm going to do with my hair! :)

Those are some awesome book covers.

I'll be happy help spread the word about CasaFire! I can do something on Thursday.

Dianne K. Salerni said...

Sorry, Sean. If I have to make my own clothes, I WILL be dressed in rags. I've never been able to sew on a button and have it stay. Imagine what would happen if I tried to make seams!

Leovi said...

Great deserving of winning the contest in The Geek Twins title. Congratulations !

L. Diane Wolfe said...

If there's an apocalypse, I'm raiding the mall for clothes.

Be happy to help you spread the news, Alex.

Gossip_Grl said...

Gosh I hadn't considered wardrobe problems in the apocalypse. Sounds like a great special going there! It's doubtful I'll get the theater this month, but doesn't seem like a good selection of movies is out there in Feb- at least none from my favorite genre is listed here. Not sure of the Lego movie either. I saw the trailer for it and nothing really stood out. I'm sure the grand kiddies will be going to see it though.

Unknown said...

We will spread the word about Cassafire on Wednesday. Have the post almost ready. Thanks for the mention. :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Stephen, thanks! I do have a couple hashtags for the Tweets.

Thanks, Debra.

David, sure it's just for the kids... And yes, Al's post this morning was awesome. Thanks for mentioning it at your blog.

Brandon and Bryan, that is sheer genius. Will be watching for your email. I'm sure it will be epic.

Thanks, Laura!

Appreciate it, Julie.

Bish, that would be awesome.

Thanks, Diane.

ilima said...

The apocalypse clothes post was kinda funny but so true, haha. And I was gonna ask if you meant Doc Hollywood but didn't want to sound stupid. LOL.

My entire family can't wait for the Lego Movie. Also, I'm a big Joel Kinnaman fan (The Killing) and am excited for Robocop. In fact last night I was dreaming I was in a Robocop world with things blowing up around me...so not kidding.

Birgit said...

That is a great comment from amazon and I will do my best for you:) I want to see the WW2 film. It almost sounds like a remake of The Train with Burt Lancaster which was based ona true story. Gary Olman is in that Pompeii film?? I wonder if it will star by showing the cast of 2 lovers in an embrace and then go back to seeing thembefore they are burnt to a crisp. I want to see that film with Colin Farrell too.

Pat Hatt said...

haha that is very true, there will be clothes all around to use. Bookbub special will surely crank up your sales a ton. I'll probably watch the lego one for the heck of it.

Huntress said...

So many places to go after I exit your blog!

Going to Sean's place first. That man can WRITE!

Next this eyebrow-raising duel between you and the grassskirt-wearing MK. Hm. Maybe I need to tiptoe carefully.

Movies: Although you didn't mention it, I say too bad I Frankenstein got such bad reviews. I loved the concept. oh well, I'll probably still watch it when it comes out on DTV.

Sarah Ahiers said...

Really looking forward the Monuments Men, but Pompeii just looks so dumb to me. Every time i see a trailer for it, i roll my eyes

Heather M. Gardner said...

I always have issues with how people are portrayed after an apocalypse. I can't believe that we just fall apart that easily. Everyone thinks we are all so dependent on technology but we would figure it out pretty quickly. I think. :)
Great post!

I will absolutely help advertise for you!

Great team, Alex! Great team!

We can't wait for The Lego Movie! My son asked Santa for it for Christmas! Santa wrote back saying it wasn't out in the theater yet!

HMG

Cathrina Constantine said...

Without technology I think our society would freak! We've become so dependent on it. Devoid of electricity, heat, clean water we'd have a problem. The Amish will survive, though. Congrats on a great review for CassaStorm, and thank you Alex for plugging my book!

H. R. Sinclair said...

I totally get Sean's point. It's so wonderful to get a book with a different edge!

D.G. Hudson said...

Checked out Father Dragon's site and you look much more collected and cool than your competition. Someone has to play the evil or dark side, and Mark does it well. (Alex)Don't take the bath, it might strip your powers. . .

I've just started reading Radio Hope by Sean,and I'm enjoying it. Nice to know the difference between a fast and a slow decline. . .not sure which I'd prefer.

Rusty Carl said...

In any fast apocalypse I intend to be dead within the first week. So I won't worry about my clothes too much. If the slow variety happens then I guess it will be a boon for those whole steal from clotheslines. I could probably do that.

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

I won't survive an apocalypse. I need medicine and health care to keep me alive, and I have bad vision. As soon as my glasses broke, I'd be in trouble. But that's an interesting post about clothes. I haven't given it much thought.

Suzanne Furness said...

Well that has certainly given us thought for post apocalyptic fashion tips! Hope the promotion is a success.

L.G. Keltner said...

I've never been good with fashion, so while others might be able to dress for success when the apocalypse comes, I'll probably fail miserably at it. Oh well.

Good luck with the CassaFire promotion!

The Angry Lurker said...

I must admit I'm looking forward to The Monuments Men!

SC Author said...

I'll be sure to tweet about the promotion! And I want to watch Non-Stop it looks great.

Tina said...

Thanks for your kind words about me, my dear Ninja Captain. Brought a smile to the face of this depressed Bronco fan...

Loved the part about the clothes and the apocalypse - so totally true. Since this is my favorite sub-genre of sci-fi, I've watched a lot of movies, and no one seems to catch on that it's possible to be clothed...

Will absolutely help promote the promotion by your publisher...I'm getting better at Tweeting! And I could put it on my blog, too, on Wednesday.

As to the new movies, first of all, I'd love more snark. I know you're a busy guy, but bigger doses would be great! Supersize me! I'm sick of remakes, too, especially if the first version was made during my adulthood. C'mon people. Let's get creative!

It's like my sister's neighborhood: 124th Pl, Court, Circle, Way, Drive, Avenue. Totally confusing. Why can't we just name streets NAMES? I mean, if all else fails, open a damn dictionary! Use foreign words. If you like a theme, then go with say, flowers. We have at least 10 different Tulip Streets in my town. They don't connect. They should have separate names.

Hollywood needs to accept more screenplays from new writers and take a chance!

Sorry for the rant. The Broncos lost. I'm cranky.

Tina @ Life is Good
A to Z Team @ Blogging From A to Z April Challenge 2014
@TinaLifeisGood, #atozchallenge

Hart Johnson said...

And everybody KNOWS if we all end up NAKED, then we don't call it an apocalypse, we call it paradise! *cough* Seriously, though--writing near term apocalypse stuff myself--when you are on the move, scrounging for stuff that FITS can be a hassle, as you want to travel light and weather can change, but you're right... not grubby.

Melissa said...

Hahaha -Love the post. Looks like I'll be hauling out the old formals and bridesmaid dresses. Whether or not I'll fit into them is another story. :P

Great news about the Cassa special. I'm back online just in time to help you tweet. ;)

Crystal Collier said...

Fashion faux pas for the apocalypse... Awesome. Just goes to show, we have to do some amazing world building to have a believable world, eh?

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I do want to see Robocop but yeah, enough of the remakes.
I certainly will help out with promotion and tell my son to buy it for the new Kindle Fire I got him for Christmas.
I guess I'll be able to get back into my 'thin me' jeans after a few months into the apocalypse.

Theresa Milstein said...

Well, Sean, I've never thought of it that way. I'll have to see which way our future apocalypse goes. I hope whatever it is, we look stylish and comfortable. I hope high heels don't make it into the new culture.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Al, appreciate it! Thanks for the face off with Lord Baldernot.

Karen, thanks - I will!

Birgit, burnt to a crisp - that made me laugh!

Carol, I'll watch it on NetFlix as well. Can't be THAT bad, can it?

Thanks, Heather!

Cathrina, you're welcome.

DG, not getting naked for anyone but the wife!

Thanks, SC!

Tina, you have every right to be cranky. Would be awesome if you blogged about it. And will add more snark to the next movie preview. I was pressed for time with this one...

Hart, that made me chuckle.

Melissa, thanks!

Susan, thank you!

Rachna Chhabria said...

Good luck with your book promotion. I will mention it on all my sites. Will hop over to Father Dragon's blog now.

Sheena-kay Graham said...

Sean does have a point. But there are apocalypse stories where the bad wardrobe is properly explained. Though in showing, not telling. Here's to a well dressed apocalypse and I really enjoyed your post Sean, it was, informative and a little on the creepy side. Sorry Alex but I'm excited about the Lego movie, for once a disappointing hero actually knows he's disappointing and isn't afraid to say so. I mean it's not his fault he was chosen. Or is it? I'm sort of sick of remakes but hope Robocop is a good movie. Still pissed to hear the negative reviews about I, Frankenstein. Sounds like it's worse than Smurfs 2 and I actually saw that at the movies. Hopefully this month I'll have a movie I love and actually can go see it.

DiscConnected said...

Alex-

This is off-topic, but I wanted to mention that there is a new Transatlantic album out (features Mike Portnoy) if you did not already know.

I am still digesting it, but do not think I like it as much as the last...but it's still pretty good.

Larry

Carrie-Anne said...

The Monuments Men and Pompeii sound like films I might like, as long as they get the history right.

Empty Nest Insider said...

Loved your caption! Great review for CassaStorm! Congrats to all of your minions! I'll head over to Father Dragon's later.

Julie

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

So many fun facts to comment on - I love your caption about kryptonite. Congratulations! That was a worthy win.

I really want to see the Lego movie. Thus far, I can't find anyone who wants to see it too. When Legoland opened, I went solo. Couldn't find anyone then either.

Sure, I'm happy to help with promotion.

Happy Monday, Alex.
xoRobyn

Maurice Mitchell said...

That's a great point Sean! Tailoring is always the first to go. Alex, I'll see the RoboCop remake even if it's awful which is what the studio is counting on. My son and I are totally into legos now, so we'll catch that one for sure.

Karen Jones Gowen said...

I'm eager to see Monuments Men and Pompeii. Good luck with your new release, Sean!

Cherie Reich said...

Thanks for sharing the cover for People of Foxwick, Alex! :)

I must admit I kinda want to see Pompeii, especially since volcanoes are pretty cool to watch on the big screen.

Sherry Ellis said...

It's so good to know we can all look fashionable during the Apocalypse!

Robin said...

Who knew that there was a Bright Side to every apocalypse??? Food might be scarce, but we can DRESS WELL. hahahaha. Actually that book sounds very good:)

I want to see Winter's Tale. I didn't know it was based on a book. Now I want to read it, too.

mooderino said...

If the apocalypse comes I think I'll be looting the bullet-proof vest store and wearing a lot of camo. Unless it's a vampire apocalypse, in which case high-collared shirts will be all the rage, I'm guessing.

mood

Sandra Ulbrich Almazan said...

One good thing about being petite--it'll be easier to shorten all of those clothes than worry about letting them out! Who's going to tailor them, though, let alone wash them?

Sounds like Winter's Tale is a remake of Shakespeare's play. It'll be interesting to see this one--if I ever get the chance to do so, that is. But does anyone exit, pursued by a bear?

Sean McLachlan said...

Theresa: You can't run in high heels, so they're definitely out!

Arlee Bird said...

In the interest of marketing research I hope you'll let us in on the effectiveness of the 99 cent sale at Amazon. I've heard of a lot of people doing it, but I rarely hear about how well it works.

I'll be happy to Tweet about it.

Lee
An A to Z Co-Host
Tossing It Out

J.L. Campbell said...

Congrats to Sean on his release.You're right, lots of stuff happening. I'm sure the promo will go well.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Thank you, Rachna!

Sheena-kay, go enjoy the Lego movie!

Larry, I knew one was out, but hadn't picked it up yet. I will be prepared.

Carrie-Anne, don't hold your breath. I'm still worried about the Noah movie.

Robyn, thanks, and just take yourself to the movies.

Cherie, you're welcome!

Moody, smart thinking.

Lee, thanks, and I will keep everyone posted.

Andrew Leon said...

As old as re-makes are getting, I really want to see Robocop. I have an unwarranted fondness for the original.

Elizabeth Seckman said...

Sean is so right! And seriously? How much money do we waste throwing out perfectly good clothes just because some magazines laughs at us and puts black bars over our faces when we wear them?

I totally read Doc Hollywood and thought Doc Holiday. I'm good like that! Still would have gotten it wrong.

Father Dragon is a funny man.

And I will happily give your book a shout out! Hope it works :)

ediFanoB said...

Hi Alex,

of course I will support you. Tomorrow,4th of February, I will post about the CassaFirE promotion!! Furthermore I will tweet about it.

"Radio Hope" by Sean Mclachlan is a most interesting book which I added immediately to my books to buy list. Furthermore I will talk about it in the next issue of my weekend post.

SK Anthony said...

Good luck on your battle with Lord Baldernot! lol
Great review, congrats :D

Now going to visit Father Dragon's blog!

Michelle Wallace said...

Congrats on the awesome review Alex!
I've just returned from Father Dragon's place. I can picture Lord Of The Clones musical on Youtube - it could definitely go viral LOL. It's brilliant.
And I can tweet for CassaFire - no problem.

Jack said...

I'm excited for The Monuments Men, I'm hoping it is good.
Love your thoughts on Pompeii, that made me laugh.
And I am REALLY excited about your book!!!!!! I've been wanting to read it for awhile now.

Yolanda Renée said...

Honestly, never thought about how I'd dress for the apocalypse always saw myself as the first to die! LOL

Not going to be on the road either I'm staying home to wait it out!

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

I don't want to be involved in an apocalypse. Probably wouldn't worry about the rags situation!

Mary Montague Sikes

Cate Masters said...

Ha! I annoy my hubby every time the commercial airs for Pompeii by saying, "Spoiler alert - they all die!"
I so want to see Winter's Tale (and read the book). And of course The Lego Movie. For the grandboys!

Angela Brown said...

I'm still LOLing from your winning caption :-)

Carol Kilgore said...

Loved Sean's post! And a lot of February movies I want to see.

Karen Lange said...

Nice to hear from Sean today. Wishing him all the best! Thanks, Alex for hosting and for sharing the info and links.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Elizabeth, thank you!

Edi, appreciate that! Think you will enjoy Sean's book.

Michelle, viral would be scary. And thank you!

Jack, hope you enjoy the second one.

Cate, that made me chuckle.

Angela, isn't that what small dogs do?

G. B. Miller said...

Can't stand remakes because of the following:

1) they make them politically correct (example the remake of the Henry Fonda/Lucille Ball movie in which the military theme was somewhat downplayed.

2) They lower the rating (example would be Total Recall. Originally an "R", it got watered down to a "PG-13).

J E Oneil said...

I have to say, I'm not looking forward to any of the movies due out this month. Most seem like they've been done before.

Christine Rains said...

I never thought that about the apocalypse, but yes, I could finally have the wardrobe I've always wanted! Great guest post, Sean. My IWSG post is all ready to go. And I feel the same way about the Lego movie, Alex. Tomorrow I have a teaser from CassaStorm on my Teaser Tuesday post, and I will help promote your sale then too. :)

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Woo! Go the apocalypse!! ;)

Happy to spread the word for Fire.

cleemckenzie said...

I'd never considered closet trolling for my post-apocalyptic wardrobe, but I'm making note of it now! What a fabulous archeological perspective.

Hope your promo goes well, but I'm sure it will.

I'm a tad intimated by the bald one. It has to do with the flowered togs I think. I won't troll his closet if Armageddon comes before Macy's next sale.

Brinda said...

Answering that naked-in-case-of-apocalypse question is just what I've been waiting to discover. THanks!! lol

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

GB, I completely agree with both points!

Christine, really? Whoa! Thank you on both counts.

Thanks, Lynda!

Lee, that made me chuckle.

Brinda, now you know!

Susan Kane said...

Dress for the apocalypse? Hmmm. So little in the closet. Jeans and a t-shirt or pajamas.

Thinking about the movies you listed and had to chuckle about Pompeii. You are so wise.

River Fairchild said...

Whoa...wait a minute. You already know how Pompeii ends? People said that when Titanic came out and ruined it when the ship sinking leaked out. ;)
I noticed S.A.M. got you to take off your clothes and bathe! Wowsers...and we haven't even seen your face.
Will happily tweet for your book. :)

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

Good luck with your book promotion. I'll try to tweet it. About the clothes. If the world has almost come to an end I'm not sure what I wear matters. I read The Road and found it very depressing.

Toi Thomas said...

I don't know how, but I think I missed last week. The trivia looked great.
I loved this article about the apocalypse. I've often wondered about such things myself. As long as I as can wear something made of denim, I think I'll be fine.
The book Tallas looks great, I hope I win a copy.
Oh and I'm looking forward to tweeting about your CassaFire discount.

Nicole said...

I'm trying to decide whether or not to see Winter's Tale. It does sound intriguing!

Anonymous said...

I'd like to see the Lego Movie, but I think I can wait until it's out on DVD. I think I'd enjoy it.

JJ said...

I'm planning to go out the same way I came in. I'm not exactly a clothes horse anyway.

Cynthia said...

Thanks for telling us about the sale for your book!

Yes, I'm ready for IWSG. While everyone was watching the Superbowl on Sunday, I was formulating my post. =)

Intangible Hearts said...

Chock full of stuff. Wow. I'm overwhelmed just being here. Hemp clothing? Kryptonite? Life is Good--I love her story by the way and movies too. Wow, wow.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

River, sorry I spoiled it! And thanks!

Toi, thank you!

JJ, keep it simple, right?

Cynthia, I was watching a lame football game...

Liesel K. Hill said...

Congrats on winning the contest over at The Geek Twins! I really want to see Monument Men (hope it's good) and Winter's Tale. Haven't made up my mind about Robocop. I'm impressed that Liam Neeson has managed to re-vamp his career so much in recent years. No one would have thought of him as an action star more than ten years ago.

Helena said...

Of course I'm going to dress for the Apocalypse. I've got some new boots that look fabulous and will help me run away from all those starving zombies. And by the way, if Sean's book has his comical voice, I'll love his story.

Congratulations on a well-deserved review, Alex. It's on my pile of to-read books (I prefer hard copies).

And I don't care about the reviews for Monuments Men, I still want to really see that movie.

Unknown said...

Great review! I just started reading Cassa Storm today, so far so good! Of course.

Congrats to Cherie! Another lovely cover!

Kyra Lennon said...

Lol at your comment about remakes. I feel the exact same way!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Liesel, I think he started doing a lot of these roles after his wife died.

Helena, thank you!

Carolyn, that's good to hear - thanks!

Ellie Garratt said...

Will be tweeting CassaFire for Amazon.co.uk.

Apocalyptic clothing has always fascinated me, especially as I always see there being few survivors and a lot of clothes. Assuming fire hasn't destroyed most clothing stores and houses!

Anonymous said...

If an Apocalypse meant no more Miley Cyrus, sign me up!

Be happy to help spread the good news for you today on Twitter!

River Fairchild said...

Liz just gave me an idea...what if there were an apocalypse and Miley was one of the few survivors? *shudder*

Unknown said...

Sweet- I'll share your .99 book on Facebook for you. :)
Have a great day!

J.Q. Rose said...

Oh, puh-leeze, re-write the apocalypse clothing dilemma. I vote for keeping the survivors naked. Then no worries about fit, laundering, putting away, OR fashion. Life would be so simple if we didn't need clothes. BTW, hopefully the world would stay at 72 degrees with a sun that doesn't shine UV rays on our skin and all the bugs and mosquitoes wouldn't bite our bare bodies cause they're annihilated too.

Glad to shout about your 99 cent offer. I know it will be a success!

Leovi said...

I've always loved movies of George Clooney, The Monuments Men hope not disappoint me!

Jen said...

Whew! That was a lot of info :) LOVED the Apocalypse essay. Hysterical! As for Feb. movies...not so much. Monument's Men looks interesting. Started reading Winter's Tale before I knew it was going to be made into a movie. Very well written and descriptive though those darn previews totally ruined my vision of the main characters.

Congrats to all the new books out and on that glowing review!

Cheers!
Jen

Mina Burrows said...

What a wonderful review! Congrats, Alex!

Rachel Schieffelbein said...

Lol. I never thought about that before! I guess you could go shopping in the closets of all the coolest dead people, but you might have more important things on your mind. ;)

Lynda Dietz said...

Congratulations on the caption contest win! I'll happily help spread the word about CassaFire; no need for groveling.

Fundy Blue said...

Great Post, Alex! If the preview of Radio Hope is any indication, the book should be good. I love post-apocalyptic books. One of the earliest I read as a child hooked me: "The Day of the Triffids" by John Wyndham. Never saw the movie ~ why ruin a good book. This summer I read two good ones set in the Denver area: Dan Simmons' Flashback (sloowww apocalypse), and nobody was well-dressed! Also Peter Heller's "The Dog Stars." I'm definitely checking out your books on Amazon! Have a good one!

Patricia Stoltey said...

Radio Hope sounds like a great read....and I snagged my copy of CassaFire for my Kindle. Yay!!

Anonymous said...

I have officially lost my mind. Let me know if you find it, Alex. I thought I commented on this already. Duh.

Anyhoo, I plan on going to see Robocop. I know, I know. It's a remake but, it just seems like one of those movies that can survive one.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Thanks, Ellie!

Liz, I agree! And thanks.

River, that is terrifying...

Thanks, Decadent!

JQ, I couldn't handle the bugs. And thanks!

Lynda, thank you!

Fundy, thanks! And don't bother with the movie.

Patricia, thanks!

Elsie, I'll keep a lookout for it...

Deniz Bevan said...

Love that caption!

Hmm, not sure I want to see The Monuments Men. I think I'd rather read a book about it!

Great thoughts from Sean about apocalypse clothing - it's true, there's not much excuse for rags! Unless the weather heats up abominably and no one wants to wear layers anymore...

Mark said...

Oh, man, great comments about clothes in the apocalypse! I'd buy CassaFire, but I already bought and read all your books:)

Al Penwasser said...

I'd get all jazzed to see "Pompeii" but I'm worried it will be a silly move-of-the-week (remember those?) movie. Instead of something along the lines of "Gladiator" or "300" I fear it will be more like a clichéd love story. At least we know how it turns out. Oh, wait, that's probably not good. Where's the suspense?

Rebecca Green Gasper said...

Sean- I'm always left wondering why everyone is wearing dirty, ragged clothes in post-apocalypic novels/films. What, with all those closest full of good clothes to "borrow".

Alex- Nice promotion. Good luck! And great line up of movies and books.

Congrats to the A-Z ninja minions! Looking forward to another A-Z challenge!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Mark, I know, and I appreciate that!

Al, we'll hope for Titanic and pray we don't get Pearl Harbor.

Kirsten said...

Yeah, my post-apocalyptic characters do have pretty ratty wardrobes, so that's definitely something to think about. They did raid the Sharper Image however, for some of those comfy lounging chairs and one of those fancy Leatherman tools that has a screwdriver, a knife, a spoon and even a corkscrew. :)

Thanks for the movie reviews!

Anonymous said...

No need to grovel . . . we've got your back! I loved the guest post today too :-)

msmariah said...

Alex-- Another great post. Wow Cassa Fire .99 cents! Is this is the 2nd book in the series? I need to start with the first one.

You're right everyone is dressed in rags during the apocalypse. You're right? Why would they be? I guess I look it like someone traveling on the Appalachian Trail. Everything you own you have to carry so you travel light. You only take what you need. So you replace only what you need to when you need to replace it. Also, since there are no washing machines, things look dingy. I have to say that 'The Road' felt the most realistic. I read the book and saw the movie. One of the most disturbing reads I have ever read. Ok, I've thought way too much about this.

Truedessa said...

I actually bought your first book in the series and I am currently reading it so far I am enjoying it.

I also want to see Winter's Tale..it sounds like something I would really enjoy.

So, Alex you are a ninja and a knight..haha..may weave you into
one of my stories with Pat..

Lydia Kang said...

I'm so behind on my movies, I hardly knew any of these!

klahanie said...

Good grief, dude!

So much to take in here. My last two brain cells cannot possible fathom all I just read.

Seriously, good sir, I personally wish you would shorten your postings. However, I respect what you are doing.

Radio Hope does fascinate from a rather surreal angle. I like that.

All the best with your endeavour, Alex. You will get plenty of interaction.

IWSG, done.

Father Dragon, after I actually get some sleep, will be visited

A to Z! Yikes and there goes April. Seriously, good to see Tina over there.

Gary

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Kirsten, that made me chuckle.

Thanks, Jamie!

MsMariah, yes, it's the second one.

Truedessa, glad you are enjoying it. Feel free to add me to your tales. Ninja wannabe.

Gary, it was almost longer...

Ella said...

Great geek comment-you are so funny!

Gosh, I missed this...damn off to look! Weather in our lovely state is killing me-damn sinuses. I will move someday...I will.

Off to see how you and Mark fared!

Anonymous said...

I hope to be stylish when the time comes.

Great book news. I'm getting my IWSG post ready for the morning.

Ali Cross said...

I LOVED that Apocalypse post! So, so funny and . . . TRUE! I'll never think of the Apocalypse the same again.

And funny caption, dude. I need to get one of those costumes for my dog. :P

Kathy said...

There's a scene in Stephen King's The Stand where one character is doing laundry (not an easy task since they don't have electricity at this point) and her boyfriend is like, "Why bother? You can just go into any store in town and pick up new clothes." The laundry-doing character is like, "But...but that's cheating!" and I'm like, "No. no it is not!"

Anonymous said...

Interesting post, Alex. I think the Lego movie will be a fun one to see.

DMS said...

I love that you focused on clothes during an apocalypse! You are right though- we would all be well dressed between our clothes and all the abandoned clothes. Our hair might be another story. Not a lot of time for upkeep when worrying about saving ourselves. :)
~Jess

Sean McLachlan said...

Kirsten, a hardware store would be the first place I'd go after the apocalypse! I live in Spain so there are no gun shops. I could raid the police station for some weapons, though. And Kevlar. Got to have some Kevlar.

Cherie Colyer said...

Congrats on getting into a groove. When I start a new novel, I always end up making notes on things that I need to go back and add or tweak. Sometimes I make notes like "fill in a scene" and have to add it later. I'm always impressed by writers who don't have to do that.

Sorry I missed IWSG this month. I'm not sure how I missed that last week was the first Wednesday.