Life So Far and Express Yourself Meme

Last week was a poor internet week. Combined with ghostwriting work and not being able to log on my blog for IWSG, another issue was missing the movie Lucy because it got sold out. But this week is looking up. I saw Lucy last night and LOVED it. I recommend it to everyone. Scarlett Johansson and Morgan Freeman both played their roles flawlessly and the Asian actors were scary awesome. Now those are top level henchmen for any bad guy.

Plus I have two ghostwriting orders for story plots that are a real challenge. But I enjoy helping others bring their ideas to life. Especially these two, both return customers. Also today I am finally going to see Guardians of the Galaxy. I try to go on half off days during the summer to save money and I'm going to see this 3D master piece of $650 instead of the usual $1300. Yay me! So what's up with you guys?

Express Yourself Meme

For August 4-8: One of my celebrity crushes from my teens was George Clooney. Remember ER? I Do!

August 11-15: I love everything about steampunk. It is such a creative and ever changing genre. I would like to do Jamaican Steampunk one day. So I guess what I love most is the creative way each writer of steampunk makes the world their own.

IWSG and Movie Love: How to Train Your Dragon 2 and Lessons Learned

I am excited to be apart of IWSG created by Alex Cavanaugh to bring insecure writers and co. together. Now I'm doing both IWSG and Movie Love today and hope you enjoy my post and maybe learn a little something. In a fun way of course.

Movie Love

On Saturday August 2, 2014 I went to see How To Train Your Dragon 2 at Palace Cineplex. It was a 2:40pm showing and I was pumped after missing seeing it in July because of various mishaps. But it returned to Jamaica for the early August weekend and no way was I missing it. Dreamworks comes right after Pixar (and Disney too after leaving the animated movie slump behind) in my book when it comes to amazing animated movies and I was determined to watch it this time. The first movie was amazing and I had great expectations for this one. Hiccup has grown into a smart and yes handsome young man. Strong in stature but still awkward at heart he and Astrid are closer than ever and the rest of the dragon riders from the first movie have matured as well. I truly believe the first fifty minutes of the movie was perfect. Both in story and visuals. 3D only helped enhance what was already there. But this movie like the first had a dark undertone. While on Berk dragons are now plentiful and allies, elsewhere there are still considered dangerous beasts. Various topics are covered in this movie including animal trapping and underlying slavery with main villain Drago Blood Fist willing to brand and terrify others to do his dirty work in creating a dragon army. Some of the best moments include the reuniting of Hiccup with his mother who now lives a new life but never forgot the boy she left behind. Touching and visually stunning this part you will be taken in. This movie has loads of heart and twists and turns that will keep you watching until the end. Sadly there is a falling point. After the first fifty minutes or so the rest of the movie is rushed to it's conclusion that could have been better brought about with an additional fifteen to twenty minutes more added to the movie time. This doesn't make this movie not great but I do believe the first one did a better job in pacing and character building. A must see for fans of the franchise and a perfect movie for newbies.

IWSG

While I still am in computer limbo I do my best to pop in. Nothing short of a heart attack could make me miss IWSG in August. Anyway I want to discuss lessons I have learned from watching How to Train Your Dragon 2.

1. Pacing is essential. I truly believe that if another twenty minutes were added or some edits were done to parts in the first fifty minutes to add time to later sections that this movie would be perfect. While nearly the first hour was practically flawless the last half hour/forty minutes or so was rushed including the big tragedy which went by so fast that if you blinked you would miss it. Yes it was sudden but damn there's sudden and sudden.

2. Drago was poorly characterized and that took away from his role. While I think a lot of times story is king sometimes character is a close second or trumps it. Drago had so much potential but he was one of the least developed villains I have seen in a while. Especially in a quality movie. I truly believe he should have gotten at least two flashbacks of his own. One showing how he got his cloak and another of his childhood. I truly believe that and a few other changes would have helped. In the end he was still a striking villain but more like a match going against the wind instead of the inferno he should have been.

3. Never be so seduced by the greatness of your story that you miss the faults. DreamWorks has a positive streak when it comes to movies but I think part of the reason Pixar often beats them in the animated movie business because Pixar will go to greater lengths to ensure their movies are top notch. Pixar isn't releasing a movie this year because they don't feel that they're ready. DreamWorks Animation however are determined to keep up a three movie a year momentum and I'm not sure if that is necessarily a good thing. More effort on this movie might have caught the few bugs and while this is still an amazing movie. It's one I wouldn't see twice because the bad points disappoint me a lot and I would still watch it's prequel a hundred times even now.

4. Do your best. No matter my criticism I still believe DreamWorks Animated went all out to create an amazing movie. I have no regrets seeing it and while I learned not to seduced into missing faults I saw a lot of beauty in this film in both the visual and story territory. This movie was amazing and I learned that doing your best is the greatest reward no matter how great or badly you end up.

So what have you guys learned? I'm off to go see Lucy and hope to get thoughts from you all when this post goes live Wednesday (Yup I wrote this Tuesday, told I'll be ready no matter what).

Sad Happy Face

Unfortunately due to all sorts of crazy annoyances I was unable to enter the Bella's Point Challenge before the deadline. Last week was a crap shoot with the best I was able to do was barely complete my writing gigd on time. But on a happy note I finally got to see How To Train A Dragon 2. Thank you all for your support and I will post Wednesday for IWSG and hopefully Friday as well. Love you guys forever.

Credit: Click @ MorgueFile

Celebrating Hans of the Sothern Isles

Hans of the Southern Isles will be coming to Once Upon a Time! I am so excited. Loved him in Frozen and those who have seen the movie and enjoyed watching his character might be excited about this development as well. Elsa and Anna are coming too and I can't wait to see trhe new season of the ABC series. A chill is on the way and I'm waiting with baited breath.

I have missed blogging regularly so much. I love you guys and I'm going to try to blog Monday and Friday or Wednesday and Friday. Next week I will be blogging on Monday and Friday. Monday I will be entering Elizabeth Seckman's Blogging Challenge so tune in to see my entry. Thank you everyone who has visited me through my sporadic posting and commenting. I love you all (whether you came or not). Enjoy your weekend.

Wear a Smile

A smile is the most attractive thing you can put on. Share one today.

Photo Credit: Hogg @ Morguefile

Broken Branch Blog Tour: Fun Interview with Tara Tyler!

Just getting this up because the computer at the library wouldn't post the html. Don't ask. Anyway I'm happy to having Tara Tyler over today for a nice old chat about her latest book Broken Branch Falls, the star goblin Gabe, vampires, and blogging versus writing. You know you want your dose of Tara so I now hand the post over to her.  Oh and Happy Fourth of July Americans!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY, AMERICA!

Sheena-Kay, is such a trooper! She's been having technical difficulties and is still hosting me for my BROKEN BRANCH FALLS blog tour. So happy I have the privilege to know her and I can't wait to meet her in sunny Jamaica some day...

Enough of my daydreaming, on with the interview!

1. Who would play your lead character in the movie version? Would you prefer live action or animation?

For our nerdy, spunky main character Gabe the goblin, I would choose Johnny Galecki (from Big Bang Theory) or Devon Werkheiser (from Ned's Declassified) - they're older, but young at heart! And I think this would be geared toward an animated feature...

2. How is your book tour going?

Pretty awesome! Lots of positive comments and reviews! Busy, busy, busy.

3. Pitch your book in two sentences.

Teenage fantasy creatures break the rules, causing the adults to split up their town. Gabe the goblin leads a perilous quest to try and save it!

4. Do you think your book has something special to offer?

Of course =) Several reviewers discovered that even though it's a fun adventure, there is a deeper level of treating each other fairly, no matter what people look like or where they're from. And everyone should have a chance to follow their dream!

5. If a vampire wrote you a scathing letter complaining about lack of or zero inclusion of their species in your latest book. What would you write back.

But there are  vampires! But fairies, those aren't included. I incorporated creatures that have special abilities, but can't perform magic. And there's a reason for that - I'll just say, it's chemical magic!

6. How is writing a novel different from blogging?

Blogging is talking to people, sharing ideas, advice, and personal concerns, etc. Writing a novel is telling a story. They're both ways to connect with readers, but blogging is more direct.

7. Is there anything you would like to say to potential readers?

This is a note for all readers of any book, not just mine... My wish is for readers to enjoy a book with an open mind. Some will start reading a book with preconceived notions or expectations, but if they enter the world of the book in a state of wonder, I think they will get more out of it. That's what I try to do.

Thank you again, Sheena!
I really appreciate you coming up with these great questions and letting me come over!
I hope you all had a good time with us!
(And don't forget to enter the giveaway below!)

BROKEN BRANCH FALLS (MG Fantasy)
by Tara Tyler
Release Date: June 24, 2014 (NOW!)
Publisher: Curiosity Quills

Gabe is an average fifteen-year-old goblin. He’s in the marching band, breezes through calculus, and gets picked on daily by the other kids at school, especially the ogres. But Gabe wants to break out of his nerdy stereotype and try other things. He has his eye on the new ogress at school. Though it’s against all beastly rules, there’s just something about her.
Gabe starts a fad of mingling with other species, forcing the High Council to step in and ruin things by threatening to destroy the school and split up Broken Branch Falls. With help from other outcast friends, Gabe sets out on a quest to save his town. They'll show 'em what different friends can do together!

Available at
B&N ~~~ Amazon
Add it to your GOODREADS list!

Tara Tyler has had a hand at everything from waitressing to rocket engineering. After living up and down the Eastern US, she now writes and teaches math in Ohio with her three active boys and Coach Husband. Currently, she has two series, The Cooper Chronicles (techno-thriller detective capers) and Beast World (MG fantasy) She's an adventure writer who believes every good story should have action, a moral, and a few laughs!

Twitter ~~~ Facebook ~~~ Blog

Also by Tara Tyler, techno-thriller detective series,

The Cooper Chronicles, Book One: POP TRAVEL

Enter Giveaway Here

IWSG: Nerves and Shark People?

The Sand felt like a second skin between my toes.

So started yesterday my July Camp Nanowrimo project The Bite Sisters. Right now I am excited to see where this stored away idea now brought to life will take me. But I'm also nervous. My MC Tiffany is a bit like the typical lacking in confidence teenager. I try to avoid that because I don't want to be the Debbie Downer of YA books. Sometimes it seems that too many YA books take this route. Yet I know I have a story to tell and maybe a teen should be nervous about being a part of the secret race of 'shark people'. What do you guys think? Am I making much ado about nothing or do I have reason to nervous. Otherwise I'm very excited about my latest manuscript.

On other news sadly I was unable to see How To Train Your Dragon 2 yesterday due to a huge bus debacle which ended with the bus I finally got on being pulled over by the police and taken away by a wrecker. I mean seriously talk about a sign to go home. I was at the bus stop for over an hour!

But at least today I get to say that I sent the defective laptop in the mail on Monday to await my refund and today I'm getting my new glasses! I was called after 10:00 a.m. and told they're ready! Three Business Days is way better than 5-10! Yay me! Hope you guys have a great day and thanks Alex for IWSG. It's a great place to relax and vent.