Monday, August 11, 2014

The Next Ninja Blogfest! Plus Golon the Grumpy Dwarf, Movie Reviews, IWSG and Thoughts, and Ninja News

A lot happening today! Hope the recent shift to less promotional stuff and more fun stuff, including movie reviews and a bit about me, is to your liking.
If not, Mini-Alex will play his guitar until your ears bleed...

Golon the Grumpy Dwarf

Today I welcome Golon from Jack Lewis Baillot’s latest novel, A Test of Loyalty, Book Two. He’s a dwarf with an ornery streak and his party is on a quest to save Prince Lachlan. We had some fun with the interview…

Are you any relation to Gimli?
Who is Gimli? Is this some kind of trick question? Is it because our names are kind of the same? I have a feeling this is something I should understand and my Author is laughing at me for not doing so. She laughs at me a lot though, so it is hard to tell the cause of it.

If you are Grumpy, then which Dwarf is your brother?
I am only grumpy around Elves...and hermits. And certain princes. And sometimes my brother. Oh, right, there is more to this question. This I understood because I looked it up. He would be the one they call Dopey.

What are some of the ways you like to annoy people?
I mostly just taunt their cooking skills, and their race. Elves are easy to annoy. Just insult their bows and their gardens.

Do you think Dwarves are represented fairly in literature?
While looking up the Grumpy reference I discovered the tale he is from and I do not think that was an accurate representation. As a general rule, we don't sing cheerily when we go off to work. What is called Tolkien's work, however, is accurate.

What's your weapon of choice?
I don't have just one. I use an ax a good deal of the time but I would be lost without my short sword. Therefore, I have to say both.

Do you like Dragons?
I am pleased to say I have never met one. I have heard they do exist, but I question that as they have become more of legends, and one can never really trust a legend.

And tell us what you really think of your brother....
Ahem...well, since he isn't here. He annoys me, as only younger brothers can, but I would be truly lost without him. He has been my constant companion since the time he could walk and he does ensure my life is always interesting as he finds ways to drag me along on some of his wilder adventures.

And since that is the last of the questions, I will bid a fair well, and a thank you.

Jack is an Author. Basically, run. She's not impossible, just a bit unlikely.
Find A Test of Loyalty Book Two on Amazon


Ninja News

Today’s Themes that Rocked the Challenge features Andrew Leon, who posted about abandoned places. Check it out at the A to Z Blog.

Released last week – Shear Trouble by Elizabeth Craig

Available now - Trench Raiders by Sean McLachlan







Movie Reviews

(Space Pirate) Captain Harlock
Harlock and the crew of the Arcadia battle the Gaia Coalition in hopes of returning to Earth and saving mankind.
Visually stunning – some of the best computer animation I have ever seen.
In typical anime fashion, the storyline is convoluted. This was compounded by the subtitles when all I wanted to do was watch the graphics. However, it’s really unique and worth slogging through the story for the visuals alone.
Recommended

I Frankenstein
Mercifully, it was short – not counting ending credits, it clocked in at 1:21.
An A list cast heads up a D- story with C+ special effects.
Apparently Angels take the form of gargoyles to battle demons. (Who only live a couple blocks away – how convenient.) I won’t go into how Frankenstein’s monster is horseshoed into this nonsensical plot. But it wasn’t good.
Skip unless you’re a glutton for punishment.

Open Grave
Man wakes up in pit of bodies with no memory and finds a nearby house with five others who also don’t remember who they are. There are no phones, no cars, and deranged people running about.
This is a unique twist on zombies, as they aren’t really zombies but infected with a disease that destroys the mind. It’s more of a mystery as the six characters try to piece together what happened. Lots of tension and definitely not a feel good film.
Worth a NetFlix rental.

IWSG and Ninja Thoughts

Last week’s IWSG was awesome, as always!

Special thanks to my co-hosts and to Marta Szemik and L. Diane Wolfe – those two ladies have not missed a single post day since the IWSG’s inception. (The only other person who hasn’t missed is me. That would look really bad if I missed a post!)

There were some amazing posts. As writers, we are all unique in our style. I started writing down my thoughts as I read the posts Wednesday:

Someone talked about remembering why she started writing in the first place. I know why I started, but I don’t know how to stop.

Most people edit in layers. I work on everything with each pass. Yes, I fix typos and grammar mistakes in sections I might later delete. They distract and annoy me if I don’t.

I’m a really lazy writer. If I didn’t set word count goals and deadlines, I’d never write anything.

Crap, I take a long time to put together an outline. Most people are on their second and third drafts by the time I start my first.

I really want to go see Guardians of the Galaxy again…

Wait, I probably wasn’t thinking that when I was reading. But I do plan on seeing it again this weekend!

What were some of your thoughts?

Underrated Treasures Blogfest!


Because it’s been ages since I hosted a blogfest! Time for some fun.

Everyone has a favorite movie or band that no one else has ever heard about. For whatever reason, they remain undiscovered and underrated. Now is your chance to tell the world about this obscure treasure!

On Monday, September 22, post about your favorite unknown –

MOVIE – BAND/ARTIST – TV SHOW – BOOK

Post about one or all four – dealer’s choice!

Underrated Treasures Blogfest signup -


What did you think of Golon? Seen any of the movies? What were your thoughts on last week’s IWSG? And who’s ready to share some underrated treasures…?

174 comments:

Unknown said...

I'm not going to watch it, but I do want to know how they put Frankenstein into that movie. Sounds wretched.

Elephant's Child said...

Goodness you are busy. Always. I suspect even your clones get tired.
I really hope that Golon is wrong. I need dragons to be a great deal more than legends...

Optimistic Existentialist said...

Open Grave sounds highly intriguing. I shall check that out for sure!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Alex - I'd rather not have mini-Alex blasting my ears out ... Open Grave sounds interesting ... finding out how the puzzle unfolds ...

Treasures blogfest - I'll be intrigued at everyone's ideas ..

Cheers Hilary

Brian Miller said...

ha.

i wanna see guardians again as well...and i want storyline rumors of the rest of the marvel movies coming out to be true...lol...

i, frankenstein...oh my, i got nothing good to say

dragons, def real...smiles.

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Open Grave does sound awesome, but doubt if I can watch it.

I'm not sure I can think of a band or movie no one has seen but I'll think on it.

Rhonda Albom said...

The movies all sound interesting . . . for someone else, not my genre. It was fun to co-host last week, and really enjoyed reading so many IWSG post. I like seeing mini-Alex up so high on the blog, but don't want bleeding ears.

Miranda Hardy said...

I think I'll see open grave on netflix only because the concept sounds interesting.

Finally saw Guardians of the Galaxy yesterday and I loved it.

There's been a lot of great posts lately and I think I'll be gearing toward the more personal side as well.

Sandra Ulbrich Almazan said...

Congrats to Andrew for being featured!

Sheila Siler said...

I have decided you must sleep only 4 hours a night. I haven't seen Guardians of the Galaxy yet, but both my boys have and they liked it. I shall spend the next month researching my unsung treasures of books, movies, tv shows and artists!

Anonymous said...

Open Grave sounds like a good flick. I'll have to look for it on Netflix. I like when the horror movies have an actual plot and aren't just hack and slash.

I enjoyed Jack's interview. Very entertaining. Also, I liked the "more you" way your blog was today. Does that makes sense? It does in my head!

The Happy Whisk said...

Good energy in this post. Keep 'em coming.

PS: We're seeing Galaxy this week.

Donna K. Weaver said...

I tend to edit all in one pass too, though I make several passes before it's done.

Only heard of I, Frankenstein. And it wasn't good. lol

Christine Rains said...

Great interview with Golon! I hadn't heard of two of the movies you reviewed. Thanks for the reviews and adding a couple more to my TBW list. I don't edit in layers either. I just go for the whole shebang! Have a good week. :)

kaykuala said...

Capt Harlocks appear to be ok. For the other 2, not really into horror movies though! Wonderful write Alex!

Hank

Anonymous said...

I wish I could sign up for the blogfest, but I already have something scheduled.

Great IWSG thoughts--it's always interesting to read about the processes of others--and I enjoyed the interview.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Anne, you've been warned...

Brian, really hope they are in Avengers three.

Rhonda, thanks again for co-hosting.

Miranda, wasn't it awesome?

Sheila, thanks for signing up.

Elsie, it makes sense!

Ivy, go and enjoy!

Christine, that's good to know.

Pat Hatt said...

I Frankenstein is one movie I won't be sitting through, looked like crap and now i know it is crap haha I edit that way as well, after done, just go and edit all at once.

Mason Canyon said...

Interesting interview with Golon the Grumpy Dwarf. Congrats to those with recent releases and Open Grave sounds intriguing. Looking forward to your Blogfest. Wish I could join, but I already have a review scheduled for that day. Have a great week.

mshatch said...

Fun interview! I still haven't seen Guardians of the Galaxy but I do plan to this Friday - can't wait!

Natalie Aguirre said...

I don't outline nearly as much as you but people have finished more than one book before I finish my first drafts.

The blogfest looks fun and one I can combine with the post I already have scheduled.

Dianne K. Salerni said...

I saw Guardians of the Galaxy and got killed on Facebook for saying the script was poorly written. People wanted to jump up and down on my face. The funny thing is, I DID enjoy the movie. There were a lot of laughs in it. But there was also backstory jammed into "As you know Bob" dialogue and lines that were horribly cliche and not in a good way. The writers were lazy, knowing the humor would carry the story. It could have been better, but they didn't bother.

In my mind, the epitome of an intelligent, satiric script that's practically perfect is Galaxy Quest.

Sigh, let the jumping on my face begin ...

Heather M. Gardner said...

Fun interview!

I haven't seen any of those movies. You were brave to sit down for I, Frankenstein.

Crossing my fingers I can take the boys out Friday night to see the raccoon with the machine gun!

YEAH, BLOGFEST!!!

Heather

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Golon could easily taunt my cooking skills.

That sounds like a fun blogfest.

Jeremy [Retro] said...

Welcome... Monday! I,Frank was a mess, I am we all agree. Open Grave was okay and worthy of a watching... Yeah, a blogfest...challenge accepted. I am hoping to bring some crazy to that... I am going to the Chicago Comic Con in two weeks, should be interesting.

Oh, why did the TURTLES film have to be number one... that is a bad sign, I would rather see GUARDIANS again. I have been asked to rate the MARVEL films in order to best to not-so best...

Have a great day, SIR NINJA!

Jeremy

Vanessa Morgan said...

I absolutely LOVE the idea for your blogfest and subscribed with both my blogs.

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

I look forward to IWSG day - I hope I offer as much support and encouragement to others as I always receive! :)

I've seen Open Grave on Redbox - might have to check it out now after your review.

Madeline @ The Shellshank Redemption

Unknown said...

Glad you got to see Captain Harlock. It was one of the best movies visually, but I had to watch it twice to get the dialogue.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Pat, trust me, it was crap.

Mason, no worries.

Natalie, awesome!

Dianne, I won't jump.

Heather, you will enjoy!

Jeremy, awesome! I'm also disappointed Turtles made so much money, Must be bulletproof.

Vanessa, thanks!!

Leovi said...

Yes, I think the wives are grumpy, ha ha!

River Fairchild said...

It boggles the mind that producers will spend big bucks on crappy storylines.

Jemi Fraser said...

Yikes! I already have someone booked to guest blog on the 22nd of Sept. Maybe I could post a day before or late????

Shell Flower said...

Open Grave sounds scary, but cool. I enjoyed the IWSG this time, too, especially that post you mentioned. And I love your blog hop idea.

Sarah Foster said...

I love the idea for your blogfest! I just need to narrow down what to write about...I may have too many ideas for this one.

Jay Noel said...

I loved the visuals for Captain Harlock too. The story of the pirate captain is pretty old, and there has to be half a dozen versions of that tale. This was was pretty good.

Unfortunately, I saw I,Frankenstein in the movie theater. I did a lot of laughing...probably not a good sign.

Signed up for your blogfest!

Loni Townsend said...

I saw I Frankenstein. It was one of those movies that made me go, "hmmmm." At least it was a free Red Box rental!

I've liked the shift in blogging. Please don't make my ears bleed, Mini-Alex...

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

On my next book - fingers crossed, there will be one - I'm going to take your route. It would work best for me to spend a huge chunk of time on the outline. My first novel has seen way too many changes and upheaval. It's a good strategy, Alex - tight outline, very detailed. The rest will (in theory, at least) go more smoothly.

Have a great week!

A Beer for the Shower said...

Movies like I Frankenstein just make me sad because it has nothing to do with the original story. Here's sexy Frankenstein battling gargoyles and demons on the streets of New York! Can't wait to see the next incarnation of Dracula where he's fighting mutant molemen on the moon!

George Beremov [Nebular] said...

Will be participating in this blogfest for sure! "Underrated Treasures"? What a great idea, Alex!

Do you think I should check out Open Grave?

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

Fun interview.
I enjoy the movie reviews, even though I seldom go to the movies.
The IWSG was great. I met some new writers and read interesting posts. It's always neat to see what problems or advice other writers have.
Have a super week.

Tonja Drecker said...

Cute interview :)
I found IWSG more positive this time (less insecurities). Maybe I just visited the right ones...or maybe summer sun? ;) But it was nice to see.
The treasure hop is a great idea. I'll just have to dig in the dusty corners of my brain of memory to find something.

Jo said...

I was thinking I didn't have a treasure, but I just thought of one.

Loved the interview with the Grumpy dwarf.

Sean McLachlan said...

Open Grave looks really cool. I'll have to check it out.
I've signed up for the blogfest. It's been a while!

Juliana Haygert said...

Open Grave sounds good.

I Frankenstein wasn't soooo bad lol But I guess I found it not too bad because I wasn't expecting it to be any good.

Anonymous said...

I want to see Guardians of the Galaxy again too. Also, I'm waiting to see what you thought of the new TMNT movies. I saw it this past weekend.

S. L. Hennessy said...

Not going to lie, I liked I,Frankenstein in that cheesy, throw popcorn at the movie screen kind of way. I also really liked Andrew Leon's A to Z topic. It was definitely a fun read every day.

And yay for another blogfest! Can't wait.

Stephanie Faris said...

Grumpy dwarves. Hahahaha. I played an elf in our senior class production of The Hobbit: A Musical (I couldn't make this stuff up!). We had to wear these horrendous blue body suits on stage in front of our entire school. I had one line...and had to roll one of the guys across the stage in a barrel. He was hiding from someone. I remember the first time I rolled him across during dress rehearsal, something was wrong with the barrel and it was poking into him. He was in major pain...I felt so bad! He's a lawyer now, so he probably wishes he'd sued.

If you ever feel bad about your outlining process, feel better about the fact that revisions take me FOREVER because I don't outline. I've found you put the work in either way, whether it's on the front end or the back end. Your way may be easier but my creative brain won't let me work that way. I get an idea and I have to start writing to figure out who my characters are.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Madeline, you do!

David, yeah, I was torn between following the subtitles and watching the visuals.

Karen, that's good to hear!

Jemi, that would be fine! Post a day early.

Jay, I'm sorry you wasted money on it.

Loni, he won't!

Robyn, so far it's worked for me.

George, awesome! I think you will appreciate the originality of the film.

T, we need a dose of positive now and then.

Sean, I know! Thought I was due...

Bish Denham said...

Golon sounds like a hoot! Grumpy, but loyal. The best kind of dwarf to have as a friend.

Love you new blogfest idea. My brain is already pulling stuff out of the nether regions.

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

We have to wait for all the movies to come to Netflix; too far from the theatre. Fun interview. I like the new mandate. Kudos to Marta and Diane.

I'm a lazy writer too, but that's because I've let life become overwhelming. I'm going to work on that.

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

I saw Guardians of the Galaxy for the second time this weekend. Also, thanks for reminding me to look up Captain Harlock. I really wanted to watch that one.

Unknown said...

yeah I'm the same as Stephanie. Either way you have a ton of work to do! I don't outline and revisions take months and months.

Morgan said...

I'm the same way where if I don't fix errors while I'm writing I can't keep working… they bug me too!!! And I feel like a snail in my writing compared to how fast other people pop out books. But I'm learning to just be content doing what I can.

And I actually want to see Guardians of the Galaxy!

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I like dwarves and their attitudes. Glad I skipped ever seeing I Frankenstein. I'm already thinking of some underrated movies that I like watching.

Maurice Mitchell said...

I heard Elves are terrible cooks Golon so feel free to taunt. Great reviews, but I was really hoping Captain Harlock would be live-action. Maybe next time.

EnglishRose said...

Blogfest sounds exciting Alex, will sign up later when I know how well my eyes are.
Yvonne.

Sarah Ahiers said...

Ooh, Open Grave sounds awesome! I'll have to check it out!

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Good info on I, Frankenstein! One to skip, for sure.

I think it's great that you meet your self-set goals and deadlines!

I liked hearing about the ornery Golon. :)

Al Penwasser said...

That "I, Frankenstein" just looks dumb.
Well, "Guardians of the Galaxy" was dumb, too.
Dumb and AWESOME.
Whereas, "I, Frankenstein" looks dumb and STUPID.
Yeah, pass.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Patricia, I didn't go, so you'll have to tell me what you thought.

Stephanie, you're right - you couldn't make that stuff up. And true, the work has to go in somewhere.

Bish, excellent!

Morgan, glad you fix that stuff as well.

Maurice, that would be one heck of a budget if it were live action.

Angela Brown said...

Tell Mini Ninja Alex to rock out all he wants :-)

The anime story sounds interesting. I'll have to check it out. And though I'm not exactly a glutten for punishment, I may still check out the Frankenstein movie just to see how they plugged him in.

cleemckenzie said...

I've seen enough Frankenstein movies anyway. Nothing can top the one with Wilder and Leachman. Tell Sir Dwarf there are dragons. He'll know one when he sees it. :-)

ilima said...

I already know what I'm choosing for your blogfest...what a great theme! And we're going to see Guardians again this weekend, this time with the kids. They are going to love it!

Unknown said...

Actually I enjoyed I Frankenstein. I mean I'm not running out to buy it or anything, but it entertained me.

OOO- blogfest- signed up :)

I think I write and edit in layers...

Anonymous said...

Alex, I always like your blog posts. You have something for everyone. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on I, Frankenstein. Was wondering if that one was going to be good or not.

Carrie-Anne said...

True to my dinosaur tastes, I'm sure almost no one would hear of any underrated treasures I might share! I'm so disconnected from modern books, films, and music, and barely even watch TV anymore.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Al, that about sums them up!

Angela, you've been warned...

Lee, and I watched part of that one yesterday!

Carrie-Anne, all the more reason to share them!

Karen Lange said...

Fun interview! I too, edit like that. Stuff just bugs me if I don't. I figure it polishes those editing skills. :)

Al Diaz said...

Ah the irony, I always say you can never trust a dwarf. Of course, legends can be trusted. A dragon never gives his word lightly, right Alex?

I'm going to see Guardians tomorrow. Or that's the plan. Lately plans don't come out as I expect.

So you ready for our raid together? I've heard of ninja turtles but never of ninja dragons. :D

Al Diaz said...

I tried to enter my name in the Linky list but it didn't work. Sent me to another page. Very weird. Maybe after so many months of not doing bloghops, I forgot how to do it.

Theresa Milstein said...

After reading your review of Frankenstein, not only do I not want to see the movie, but I want to keep reading your review.

I think it's great that you set up goals. We have to do whatever keeps us doing the work.

I watched Saving Mr. Banks on DVD recently. I also re-watched Good Will Hunting. None of the newest releases though.

Tony Laplume said...

Oh, by the way, I was shocked and appalled to learn that Rufus Sewell almost is a bad guy in Hercules. Next time you should edit for accuracy. Almost is the same as nearly. Which is basically the same as pretty much. Except of course this time he turns out okay in the end. Right. So you weren't lying. Kate Beckinsale takes back her tears.

Unknown said...

I did have Frankenstein in my Netflix dvd queue, and after your review, it will be removed shortly. :) Thanks for the forewarning. I was already iffy about it. I'm curious to see Space Pirates Captain Harlock. Saw it in Netflix the other day. My boyfriend and I are big anime fans.

Sherry Ellis said...

I wasn't impressed with the I. Frankenstein trailer. It doesn't surprise me that the movie wasn't that good.

Roland D. Yeomans said...

I work at a place that is just like the plot for OPEN GRAVE!

I've always been a fan of CAPTAIN HARLOCK. The trailer for I, FRANKENSTEIN made me cringe.

I will watch GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY next week to prop me up for the upcoming cancer surgery on my face again! Ouch. Maybe the good vibes will carry me through.

And The Father willing, I will join your blogfest! I have the movie all picked out ... after I dusted the cobwebs off it. :-)

Birgit said...

Oh I think Mr. Dwarf needs some chocolate chip cookies:) he may need to beat up a clown. Why a Clown? They always look slightly sinister so they deserve to be beaten up. I joined the blogfest and already know what I will blog about. Glad you can breathe a little easier now:)

Tyrean Martinson said...

Wonderful interview with Gorlon!!! I'm a fan of his already. :)
Thanks for the movie reviews, and the IWSG wrap up. I thought I could participate on the road but we went out of cell range for a while in South Dakota and Wyoming.
I'm signed up for the fest!

Andrew Leon said...

Is that a new Captain Harlock? huh...
I'll have to go look that up.

mooderino said...

It wouldn't be anime if the story wasn't totally bonkers. I'm off to check it out and expect to understand nothing!

mood

Carol Kilgore said...

LOL - I don't know how to stop writing either!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Al, I hope you finally get to see it! And why not Ninja Dragons? Are dragons not stealthy?
And do you want me to help you with the sign up?

Theresa, thanks, and that really made me chuckle.

Tony, he redeemed! And who knows - maybe that was his plan all along?

Anna, save yourself!

Roland - funny! Sorry you face yet more surgery. Hope this is the last round.

Birgit, clowns deserve it.

Tyrean, no worries.

Liza said...

Hi Alex! Signed up for the blogfest. I know this is going to sound a lot like whining,but I'm actually quite proud of this accomplishment. I'm pretty sure I've published during every IWSG since it started. It keeps me going...and keeps me honest! That said, I know you have so many bloggers who step up and help out in such amazing ways. I am in awe of all of you! But just so you know, there's a quiet little blogger here who holds tight to her pride in IWSGing every month even though in the first few months I spelled it wrong (ISWG!!! Yikes.) I just went through and fixed those!

Cherie Reich said...

Love the interview! And I want to see Guardians of the Galaxy again too. Groot is my favorite. :)

J E Oneil said...

I put I, Frankenstein on my skip list a long time ago, when I first saw the trailer in the theater. Open Grave looks awesome, though.

Gwen Gardner said...

I don't edit in layers either, Alex. I look at everything as I'm going through. If I can't fix it then, I make notes of the things that I have to come back to. I use outlines, too. My writing would be way easier if I took more time with them.

Thanks for all the news!

Unknown said...

Sorry you saw so many crappy films this week. But, I love your blogfest and I'm going to take part! Have a great week.

J.L. Campbell said...

Glad I haven't ever met a dragon either.

Congrats to everybody with a new book out.

To each writer, his own process. :)

All signed up for the blogfest.

Cathrina Constantine said...

Your blogfest sounds interesting and fun!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Liza, that makes me chuckle that you spelled it wrong! And have you posted all thirty-six times? I'm sorry, I was trying to keep track of everyone...

Clarissa, awesome!

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Thanks for the warning about I Frankenstein. Think I'll miss it.

I want to go see Guardians again as well...and that's a rare thing for me. Loved the movie. I take joy tearing apart a movie and listing all it's faults, but I struggled on that count with Guardians. Sign of a good movie.

Robin said...

I will think about your Blogfest. I don't always know what is known and what is unknown until I talk about it on my blog. Sometimes I think it is Known until I find out that no one else knows what I am talking about... Ooops. Guess that makes it Unknown.

Suze said...

'I know why I started, but I don’t know how to stop.'

Smiling so huge. And thinking of Chicago's Hard Habit to Break.

Botanist said...

Hah! Love the fun interview. And Golon deserves a bit of light mockery if he knows Tolkein's work well enough to claim accuracy, but doesn't know who Gimli is :)

I edit as I go, too. If I see an error or sloppy wording I have to correct it or it'll bug me. The downside is that it makes it hard to cut stuff out later on.

Liz A. said...

Seems like every "underrated treasure" I can think of already has a legion of followers. I'll have to think about this one.

Helena said...

The Frankenstein movie from 1931 is such a stunning classic that I don't bother with any remakes or wannabes because they just can' measure up to the original. From the invention of F's flat head and bolts in his neck to the mad scientist and the photography, we're talking cinematic perfection. Why not concentrate instead on making an original flick?

And Alex, you are so not a lazy writer, you're just thoughtful. I'M the lazy writer.

Golon's interview was fun!

Kirsten said...

IWSG was great last week! And Golon is hilarious. I love it when writers aren't afraid to poke some fun at the tropes out there. :)

Denise Covey said...

IWSG was great. I think I've only missed once or twice and signed up on Day 1. Not bad. I always enjoy what I read, and wish I had the time to read everyone's post...no chance.

Have signed up for your 'fest and posted the linked badge on my blog:)

SpacerGuy said...

Underrated treasure blogfest sounds exciting. Count me in. I'll definitely have the sitting room lights on full for Open Grave.

Cathy Keaton said...

This new blogfest sounds really cool, Alex! I'd love to try it out.

Tammy Theriault said...

I am definitely a lazy writer, too! cheers!

Empty Nest Insider said...

Open Grave sounds intriguing! I can't imagine you ever being lazy, Alex. Thanks for the writing tips, and I wish I were half as organized as you are. Your blogfest sounds fun. I'll have to start thinking of ideas.

Julie

Mark Koopmans said...

I grew up in Dublin, and like, there is this little band that like a few people know, but I think U2 would enjoy their music :)

SC Author said...

I edit everything as I go too! I *try* to edit in layers. Almost never happens that way. I just see it and my eye twitches and I start line editing. That's why beta readers help so much.

Shannon Lawrence said...

I was excited about I, Frankenstein, but disappointed. I did like how they did the wings/cloaks, though. I'll pass along your blog hop on one of my Wednesday posts. I like the thought of writing down thoughts as I read the IWSG posts. That was a lot of "I" statements, but I'm going to resist the urge to edit it.

Unknown said...

I have a funny story about going to see Guardians of the Galaxy on the weekend.

I bought tickets with my daughter at 2:01 pm on Sunday afternoon for the 2:20 session. My husband met us inside the foyer at about 2:25 pm and after waiting for him to go to the little boys room, we entered the cinema at about 2:30 pm.

Of course we missed the beginning. What was so funny that after the movie finished, we realized we missed a lot more. We were sold tickets for the 1:40 pm session.

After complaining, we now have three free tickets to view a movie of our choice for 12 months.

But, this doesn't help us with the fact that we missed half of the movie. What we saw, we really enjoyed and we will certainly see it again.

mail4rosey said...

Dopey was a cute little dwarf.

Mini Alex is cute too, I mean very menacing looking w/his guitar.

I just read on another blog that people call you the Blog Father, hahaha. That's cool. :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Lynda, it's a rare movie I want to see again as well.

Robin, I bet you could come up with something.

Suze, glad I could amuse you.

Helena - thoughtful. I'll try to remember that.

Denise, no way I could read all of them.

Mark - funny!

Shannon, thanks!

Carolyn, bummer! Go back and see what you missed.

Rosey, I have many nicknames...

Unknown said...

Guess I'll be skipping Frankenstein then. :)

Mark Means said...

"I Frankenstein" had some great concepts and cool special effects but, besides for those things, not much else going for it. Too bad, I wanted it to be a decent, Van Helsing-esque, flick.

Count me in on the blog hop, sounds fun :)

Jennifer Lane said...

Hey Alex, interesting observations about writing styles. How are edits coming along for your book? We finally finished edits for mine and now we're working on interior design (typesetting? I think that's what it's called.)

Your blogfest looks like a blast but I already signed up for another one that week. I would have said the movie Grand Canyon. Not many people saw it but I loved the depth and acting.

Patsy said...

IWSG is always good!

Nicki Elson said...

Aww, brotherly dwarf love. :)

Another great, fun blogfest idea, as always!

Annalisa Crawford said...

Love the blogfest idea - signed up!

D.G. Hudson said...

You always have fun blogfests, Alex. I'm sure this one will be too. If I can come up with the four unknowns, I may join later. There's plenty of time to consider it.

It's hard to 'move forward' when your 'other half' is ill. I'm stuck in Pause mode.

Chrys Fey said...

That was a fun interview!

And I signed up for your blogfest. I can't wait! :)

Leovi said...

Funny interview with Jack Lewis Baillot!

Tamara Narayan said...

Great idea for a blogfest. I'm in, but it will be hard to think of just one underrated book.

Unknown said...

Such a funny interview with Golon! Good luck to Jack - I wish him much success!

Congrats to Elizabeth and Sean!

Thanks for the mini-reviews. All three movies sound interesting. I don't mind awful fantasy movies - I see plenty on SciFi. ;)

I share all your weaknesses as a writer. In fact, I'm getting so far behind my deadlines, I'm thinking of taking Sept off from blogging. I told my agent I'd send her my new WIP in Aug, and all I have is 1/3 of the book and even that needs revising. *sigh*

L.G. Keltner said...

We all have our different ways of writing. I frequently chastise myself for being a lazy writer. Fortunately, I'm too addicted to writing to ever quit.

This next blogfest looks like a lot of fun!

Sheena-kay Graham said...

Blogfest! I'm in. I like the changes you made Alex and the movie reviews a breath of fresh air. Also who doesn't want to know more about a ninja. No offense to the grumpy dwarf but aren't dwarves like dragons supposed to be legends? Just saying. Amazing anime graphics are always a sight to see. I'm bad at keeping up my writing deadlines too. Not sure if it's laziness or just my slow writing pace. Can't wait for your next post Alex and hi Mini-Alex!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Jennifer, you can always do both. And my book is now with my critique partners!

DG, if you can only think of one, that's cool. And I'm sorry.

Tamara, dealer's choice if you need to post about more!

Lexa, I'm sorry!!

Liesel K. Hill said...

It's been forever since I did a blogfest. Really need to get back into things. :D Thanks for the movie reviews. Open Grave sounds intriguing. I wasn't really planning to see I Frankenstein anyway, but it's good to know I'm not missing much. :D Thanks so much for stopping by my blog as always, Alex. Happy Tuesday! :D

Anonymous said...

Golon sounds awesome! I had fun posting my horrible words for IWSG this month :-)

Truedessa said...

Hi Alex,

I think the blogfest is clever and looks like a lot of fun. I may have to join in..would you care to dance to a tune..smiling..have a great week ninja..

Kim Van Sickler said...

Love your blogfests. Mulling over my underrated gem choice right now.

Trisha said...

Great idea for a blogfest! I think I could list about a zillion little-known bands. hehe. As for movies ... hmmm, that would take a lot more thought on my part!

Look forward to the 'fest.

I also correct typos as I go along. I just can't leave them there, 'cause even if nobody else ever sees them, I DID.

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

Your blogfest sounds like a fun one. However, September is a crazy month for me, and I don't dare participate. Enjoy!!!

Mary Montague Sikes

Arlee Bird said...

Tempting me with another blogfest, eh? Since just about everything I write about is usually pretty obscure and underrated then this is an appropriate topic for me. I'm in. Maybe this will kick off regular Monday posting for me.

Lee
Tossing It Out

Crystal Collier said...

Ah, Guardians of the Galaxy... My husband is still raving about it. Great movie.

(I love grumpy dwarfs.)

I wish I could come play along during the bloghop, but we're going to be in a brand new house, have family in town, and I'll still be working on promotional material for my next book release. Whew! I need my time stopper.

Liz Blocker said...

Yay for fun stuff! I like it :) I also loved the character interview; a lot of fun to read.

OK, no Frankenstein movie. Crossing that one off!!

Rachna Chhabria said...

I am definitely going to catch the Guardian movie this week as I have a few days holiday from college. I loved the character interview.

Signed up for your blogfest:) Looking forward to reading all the entries.

Suzanne said...

Hi, today visiting via the A-Z Road Trip rather than my blog feed :) Went to see GotG -loved it, even my husband enjoyed it, and, apart from Dr Who, he's really not into Sci Fi :) Suzanne x

Dean K Miller said...

Wonderful interview. And who outlines these days? Isn't there an APP for that?

Jennie Bennett said...

I like the shift! I'm a lazy writer too. In fact, I should write something today...

farawayeyes said...

I love Galaxy Quest, a totally smart, funny satire. Talk about an 'underrated film'.

farawayeyes said...

I think it may be time for me to try yo re-enter the world of the living(blogging). Your 'underrated blog feet' sounds like just the thing. I'm in.

Susan Kane said...

Fortunately or unfortunately, we have missed those movies. Oh, well, what can I say.

Leigh Covington said...

Great interview. And thanks for more movie reviews. I always like a heads up on what I shouldn't waste my time on, and what's worth it :)

Intangible Hearts said...

Good interview with Jack and I guess living with two naughty chihuahua's gives me some insight into dwarf mentality.

Chemist Ken said...

I work on everything during each editing pass also. Just can't help myself. So what if it gets deleted.

I'm sure I'll be seeing Guardians again with my daughter, although my son and wife won't be coming along. They just thought it was okay.

M Pax said...

Golon is funny. :) He seems more like a comedian dwarf.

IWSG is a cool monthly get together. It's great to see what everyone talks about.

Have fun with the blogfest. I'm only posting Wed now except for the Realms Faire/Joust in November.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Liesel, please join us!

Truedessa, only for you! Please join us.

Lee, you should have no problem with your choices!

Rachna, glad you're on board.

Dean - I wish!

Faraway, glad you're with us.

Ken, what's wrong with them????

Mary, no worries. Hope I can participate during the Joust!

Mason T. Matchak said...

I love character interviews. ^_^ And the new blogfest sounds great, I've got all kinds of stuff I could recommend. I doubt any of it will be something nobody's ever heard of, but still, it'll be good to share.

T.F. Walsh said...

Ohh haven't heard of open grave, but it sounds like the type of movie I'd love... going to check it out now... thanks:)

Michelle Wallace said...

Can a favourite unknown movie/TV show be one that I've heard lots about but never watched...??? LOL
... back to my "time-out"...

Margo Kelly said...

Oh! Blogfest ... I haven't participated in one in ages, and this sounds like a fun one. Count me in. :)

Huntress said...

Hilarious interview, LOL.

I so wanted I Frankenstein to be a good one. The premise sounded so cool.

Blogfest. Yes. I need to re-join the blogosphere and this sounds like a treat.

msmariah said...

Oooooo Alex! I'm so excited you're doing another blogfest! I'll have to enter! I Frankenstein will be on my worst list this year! What was Aaron Eckhart thinking? I will check out 'Open Grave.' Is it on instant or Netflix dvd?

I hope you've had a nice summer!

Lynda Dietz said...

What a whole lot of information! The dwarf interview was great; next time I want to annoy someone, taunting their cooking skills will be my first attempt.

I do like hearing a little more about you. It is your blog, after all. And thanks for the heads up of what movie NOT to see.

Jeff Chapman said...

Loved the Golon interview. I would like to listen in on a conversation between Gimli and Golon.

Jennifer Lane said...

PS that Frankenstein movie looked horrible--sorry you suffered through it!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Mason, it would be difficult to post about something no one has heard about!

Michelle - funny!

Margo, awesome!

Carol!! Good to hear from you and glad you're on board.

MsMariah, it's just DVD right now.

Stephen Tremp said...

just signed up for the Blogfest! I didn't know about it until I stumbled upon it by mistake. That'll teach me for taking a blogging break.

And I'm definitely watching Open Grave this weekend!

DMS said...

Great character interview!

Also- I always enjoy the IWSG posts I read. So interesting to hear from other writers. :)
~Jess

Unknown said...

"Golon Breaks the Fourth Wall"

Shah Wharton said...

I watched I' Frankenstein and Open Grave last year. They both made me wince in horror, but for different reasons. As you say, the first was just bad. The second was a nice twist. Best zombie-type movie I've seen in a while though? Chrysalis. Highly recommended.

I've signed up to the blogfest. Hopefully by then, I'll be back to blogging proper.

Shah X

shahwharton.com

TBM said...

Signed up for the blogfest. Now I need to put my thinking cap on. I Frankenstein sounds pretty bad. I may have to watch it to find out how bad.

RaveAir said...

The I, Frankenstein was a terrible movie, I agree with you.

However I watched yesterday evening the Guardians of the galaxy which was really awesome. I want to see lots of Indiana Jones/Uncharted movie staring with Chris Pratt!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Stephen, glad you're on board.

Shah, I'll have to watch that one.

Zoltan, it was such an awesome film.

Rachel Schieffelbein said...

I love the idea of an underrated blog fest! Hmm, now to start thinking. . .

Ava Quinn said...

I'd like to see Guardians of the Galaxy for the first time.

Unknown said...

Gotta love dwarves. In all honesty, when you first wrote you were having an interview with Golon, I misread it and was really excited you had put Gimli on here :).

Leovi said...

Thanks, I forget I Frankenstein

Anonymous said...

I started streaming Harlock from Netflix and thought the animation was great -- but I had to pause it for a later time when I feel like reading. Saw Guardians again yesterday and can't wait for the sequel.

Deniz Bevan said...

That's a great idea for a blogfest!

And Open Grave sounds really interesting. Can't wait for Netflix to come to Switzerland at the end of the year.

Julie Dao said...

Alex! How have you been? I hope you've had a great summer so far (and tell mini-Alex he can play as much guitar as he wants; I love his technique!). That movie with the twist on zombies sound fascinating. There've been so many twists on vampirism as a disease, etc. that I guess it was only a matter of time until they did zombies, eh?

Carrie Butler said...

I have Captain Harlock on my Netflix list! I'll have to bump it up now. :)

Lisa said...

I entered Alex in the blogfest linky but my name did not appear, don't know if it awaits approval or I should resubmit again.

Gossip_Grl said...

I enjoyed reading the interview for the book Golon the Grumpy Dwarf. Definitely didn't catch any movies this week. Sounds like a really fun blogfest. Can't wait to read the posts on the 22nd.

D.G. Hudson said...

I've added my name to the linky list. Surely I can find at least one thing out of four categories.

Sept 22nd is younger daughter's birthday, too. Must be a good omen. . .

Toi Thomas said...

Oh how I've missed this!
Anyway...
-Golon was funny.
-So glad that IWSG is going strong.
-I love you new formant; it's very entertaining.
-I'm excited about getting back on track with my bloggging and can't wait to join your latest blogfest.
-I lov your movie reviews. I was wondering about I,Frankenstein. Thanks for the heads-up.

J Lenni Dorner said...

That interview is HILARIOUS!

Open Grave- sounds interesting.

"I really want to go see Guardians of the Galaxy again…" -- yup, me too. I <3 Groot.

The blog fest sounds like fun.

Unknown said...

Tuesday 16th september 2014
Dear Alex,
I've scheduled my post to come alive on the 22nd September.
Best wishes,
Anna

Unknown said...

I love the Golon interview and he'd have much to taunt with my cooking skills!

Loving the blog so no need for little Alex's skills :)