Thursday, September 19, 2013

Who Let The Trolls Out?



So much has been happening in the blogsphere lately. If you have not been caught in Alex Cavanaugh's CassaStorm put on your rain clothes and visit his site to find out about his NEW BOOK! You might even win a prize. 

Also Hart Johnson is offering her book 'A Flock of Ill Omens' for free today. This book is part I and the first episode of A Shot in the Light, an Apocalypse Conspiracy Tale about what happens when people play God for fun and profit. 

My blog tour is fastly approaching and Roland Yeoman has already been visited by the gossiping squirrel from Norse Mythology, Ratatoskr, who caught Roland by surprise when he broke into Meilori's looking for the inside scoup. Take a trip over to Writing in the Cross Hairs, make a left turn at the first crossroads and you can not help but see the sign for Meilori's. Word of caution...Tread lightly...Anything can happen at Meilori's, you might even meet a dragon on your way in.

Finally I would like to say that Minnie is rather discouraged at the turn out for last 
month’s gibberish... BUT she is giving her fans ONE last chance before she runs off into the vast cyber space never to return again.



All Minnie fans who love to play with a story made from YOUR Gibberish, here is the chance. The rules are easy, just continue the story from the previous comment in the comment box and Minnie will tie everything together next week so the gibberish at the end makes a certain kind of silly sense. Test your imagination and play. For previous stories check out my side bar. Now let's make a silly story together!


The Troll

 

The troll wiped the snot from his smiling face. He flung it at the mushrooms growing out of the walls of his tiny cave and stormed towards the exit, hoping they would follow him to...



Alex J. Cavanaugh said...



    ...the movie theater. Maybe if they saw the dancing mushrooms in Fantasia, they would also start to dance. But the mushrooms had other ideas...



   

Suzanne Furness said...



    ... they don't want to dance, in fact they don't want to do anything remotely fun. "You ain't no fungi!" the troll sniffed. "I'm going to ...



   

Michael Di Gesu said...



    "... squash you into the ground with my club." The troll raised his trunk-like club, swung, and ...



Minnie continues and says…missed the mushrooms as they flared into bright green hulk sized terror with snapping jaws that grasped towards….( Your Turn )

Do you want to see Minnie come back again? Have you been enjoying the CassaStorm? Have you downloaded Hart Johnsons book A Flock of Ill Omens? Are you going to join the Norse Gods on their blog tour? Have you visited Roland Yeoman at Meilori's today?


Monday, September 16, 2013

Weather Forecast: CassaStorm

Be prepared for tidal waves, heavy wind, lightning and thunder as CassaStorm travels this week across the world. CassaStorm is Alex J. Cavanaugh's final book in his Cassa series and it will be released upon the world tomorrow, Sept. 17th.

I asked Alex  if there were any games that he had played which inspired his writing,
"I’d have to place Dungeons and Dragons at the top of that list. It forces players to use their imagination and use teamwork to overcome challenges. I often played the Dungeon Master, which meant I had to come up with the campaigns. That really helped with my own storytelling."

Well Alex, I  am glad that you mastered the dungeons and dragons and left them for another galaxy! From Gamer to Writer, you certainly know how to entertain!

CassaStorm
By Alex J Cavanaugh

From the Amazon Best Selling Series!

A storm gathers across the galaxy…

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

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

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

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

“…mesmerizing story of survival, personal sacrifice, tolerance, and compassion. It’s a rare jewel that successfully utilizes both character and plot to tell a story of such immense scope and intimate passion…” - Nancy S. Thompson, author of The Mistaken

"An exciting, nail-biting read which sweeps the reader off on adventures in another galaxy."
- Nicua Shamira, Terraverum


Find CassaStorm:
Barnes and Noble
 Amazon
Amazon Kindle
Goodreads


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

Good luck Alex, aka Captain Ninja!

Want more answers to questions, then check out the CassaStorm page.

What are you doing to prepare for the storm? Have you signed up for the Norse Gods Blogfest on October 9th? My own Blog for the release of my new book 'Secrets of the Ash Tree' starts on October 7th, more details later.

Please stop by and say hi to Minnie! She is still waiting for more Gibberish players.

Hope everyone has a fantastic week!



Friday, September 13, 2013

Superstition

  

So is it a good day to watch the movie (or movies) Friday the 13th.  It is also a good day to check out Christine Rains cover reveal for her new series, 'The Thirteenth Floor.'

What is it Friday the 13th other than just another day? Let’s take a look at Friday, a day which in many different cultures is both unlucky and a day when evil forces are at work. If that is the case then it is strange that we have adopted the saying, “Thank God it’s Friday!”


In Ancient Rome, Friday was execution day. In Britain it was Hanging Day. From the bible Friday is said to be the day Eve gave Adam the apple and were expelled from the Garden of Eden, it is also the day that they died. The great flood happened on Friday, the Temple of Solomon was destroyed on Friday and Christ was crucified and died on Friday.


Witches prefer Friday for coven gatherings. If Friday was a holy day for "heathens" the Church felt it should not be for Christians, so Friday became known as the "Witches' Sabbath." The name Friday is derived from the Norse goddess known either as Frigg - wife of Odin (the goddess of marriage & fertility, the moon & witches) or Freyja (goddess of love, beauty, sensuality, war, good fortune, magic & wisdom). Pre-Christian Teutonic people actually considered Friday to be lucky, particularly for wedding, because of its association with these goddesses. This however changed when the Christian church came into ascendancy. Frigg/Freyja was re-cast in folklore as a witch and her day became associated with evil doings.


As legend goes, the witches of the north used to observe their Sabbath by gathering in a cemetery in the dark of the moon. On one such occasion Freyja came down from the mountaintops where she lived, and appeared before such a group of 12 witches. She gave them one of her cats and ever since then the witches' coven, and every properly-formed coven, is comprised of thirteen members.


Other superstitions concerning Friday include: Clothing made on a Friday will never fit properly. Visiting your doctor on Friday will not have a good result. Never change your bed on a Friday, as it will result in nightmares and bad dreams. One should not move their residence or marry on a Friday, if they expect any good to come of it. Cut your nails of Friday and you cut them for sorrow.  Friday is an inauspicious day to start a trip as "misfortune will follow." Ships that set sail on Friday will have bad luck.



The suspicious number 13 and the misfortune it is associated with are known more or less planet wide. There are so many people with a fear of the number thirteen, and they will go to great lengths to avoid it entirely. This is why there are cities that do not have a thirteenth Street or Avenue, highways often do not have a thirteenth exit, many airports do not have a thirteenth gate and many buildings do not have rooms and in some cases floors number thirteen.


One of the most commonly known and observed superstitions concerning the number thirteen, has to do with dining. It is said to be incredibly unlucky to be invited to dinner and have thirteen people at table. The belief is that the first person to rise from table and/or the last person to sit down at the table are destined to die within the calendar year. The only way to avoid this is for everyone to be seated and to rise from the table at the same time. There is some hope for everyone's survival if two or more of the people at dinner are seated at another/separate table. According to the bible, at the Last Supper Judas Iscariot was the last person to take a seat at the table.


Interestingly enough, precisely the same superstition has been attributed to the ancient Vikings. As one story goes, twelve gods were invited to a banquet at Valhalla. Loki, (god of mischief) had been left off the guest list but crashed the party, bringing the total number of attendees to thirteen. True to character, Loki incited Hod (the blind god of darkness and winter) into attacking Balder the Good (fairest of the gods). Hod took a spear of mistletoe offered by Loki and shot it at Balder, killing him instantly. This tale apparently explains why the Norwegians still believe that thirteen people at a dinner party is just plain bad luck.


It is said that if you have thirteen letters in your name you will have the "Devil's luck." There may be some truth in that as Jack the Ripper, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Theodore Bundy and Albert De Salvo all had thirteen letters in their names. Here are some more interesting facta about the number thirteen: There are thirteen steps leading to the gallows. There are thirteen knots in a hangman's noose. It is thirteen feet the blade of a guillotine falls. Lizzy Borden was said to have spoken only thirteen words at her trial. The thirteenth card in a Tarot deck is "Death" often pictured as the Grim Reaper (a skeleton, often in a hooded cape, carrying a scythe). It should be noted however, that the Death card is rarely if ever read as "death" but as transition, change or new beginnings. The driver of Princess Diana's vehicle hit pillar #13 at Place de l'Alma when she was killed in Paris, France. Apollo 13. In 1970, the thirteenth mission was to be launched from pad #39 (13 x 3). The mission was aborted, after an explosion occurred in the fuel cell of their service module. The rocket had left launching pad at 13:13 CST and the date was April 13th.


There is evidence to show that although most people will claim not to be superstitious, businesses, worldwide, show a marked decline in sales etc. on Fridays the thirteenth, as many choose to put off business decisions, investments of money, business and personal travel and even personal events such as weddings. Many others choose not to go in to work, eat in restaurants, and go to movies, theatrical performances or to entertain in their homes on that day.


Do you have a theory about Friday the 13th, some scary tale to tell or do you believe like I do that if you go looking for bad luck you most surely will find it.  Remember to say, “Thank God it’s Friday” 13 times today and see what happens. Have a great week-end and stay safe.

Minnie still needs some help with her Troll so try to stop by and add your twist to the story. I will try to finish it off before Alex Cavanaugh's Cassa storm hits next week. Check out his site for more details!

Friday, September 6, 2013

Gibberish with Minnie: The Troll



 
All Minnie fans who love to play with a story made from YOUR Gibberish, here is the chance. The rules are easy, just continue the story from the previous comment in the comment box and Minnie will tie everything together next week so the gibberish at the end makes a certain kind of silly sence. Test your imagination and play.

The Troll

The troll wiped the snot from his smiling face. He flung it at the mushrooms growing out of the walls of his tiny cave and stormed towards the exit, hoping they would follow him to...(Your Turn)

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

IWSG: My Gutsy Story



Today is the two year Anniversary of Alex Cavanaugh’sInsecure Writers Support Group, a group focusing on encouraging other writers. Please take the time to check out other posts made by the members of this group and if you want to join, you are most welcome!

For two years now I have been a loyal member of this group, posting every first Wednesday of the month, and to be honest with you I am running out of things to say. I feel like I have covered every aspect of a writer’s self-doubt because I have been there first hand. We all have.

Today I want to share my inspiration for taking my writing seriously. I had been writing in a journal for years but my decision to do more started with blogging which led me to Sonia Marsh and my first published story in an Anthology called My Gutsy Story which is now available in hard print on Amazon. My gutsy story was inspired by a post that I had made on my blog called Lost and Found. Many of you may remember the journey we made together as I wrote about the son I had rediscovered and the daughter I was getting to know all over again.

Inspiration is the keystone to following your dream. The ability to share with words your hopes and fears will never let you down. I want to thank every one of you for your encouragement which has led me to be published in 4 anthologies and my own book.

What has inspired you to write?

Congratulations Alex on two years of an amazing group.

Minnie is a bit late this time but she will be here on Friday for those that want to play with words. Until then, have a great week!

Monday, September 2, 2013

IN YOUR PANTS BLOGFEST


 Today I am in a playful mood and Summer Ross provided me with an excellent opportunity to have some fun with her blog fest IN YOUR PANTS! It is simple, just add the phrase in your pants to the book you are currently reading. I expect to see some funny posts today! Check out some of the other blogs on this blogfest and see what "in your pants" has done to their reading material.

The book I am reading now is by Karen Jones Gowen:



Farm Girl Country Cooking: Hearty Meals for the Active Family ...in your pants

I love what those few words do to the meaning of Karen's book!

Now back to my cookbook for some dinner ideas. If you love comfort food you will love this book!

Have a great week!