My Monthly Update – Crazy Busy Month Ahead

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It is going to be a busy month. Here I what I am getting into this month:

 

The NCAA Final Four is at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. It is on my mother’s bucket list, so we are going.

Nascar is at Texas Motor Speedway and I’ve never been. Given how great Dale, Jr. is doing this season, I have to go.

My Cover Reveal for Another New Life is schedule for April 10th. You want to participate, please sign up here.

Oh, yeah, and there is a little thing called the A to Z Blogging Challenge. 26 posts in 30 days. Click on the badge to the left if you haven’t signed up, yet.

Movies Coming out in April

Captain America 2 – already rented the first movie and will watch it and the Avengers again the night before opening day.

Rio 2 – I loved the first one and Bruno Mars is in this one.

Draft Day – So excited for this one. Love any movie that shows behind the scenes of professional sports.

Transcendence – It’s Johnny Depp. Enough said.

Goals for April

Finish proofreaders notes on Another New Life

Finalize cover for Another New Life

Continue prep for the May release

Edit About You & Me (Book #1) – Prepare to pitch during RT Conference in May and RWA in July.

Awards

I received an award in March and although I don’t follow the award rules, I have to acknowledge the amazing blogger and one of my beta readers for recognizing me.

Thanks so much Tianna for the Being a Light in the World Award. The award was created to celebrate those wonderful people in our world who spread light, love, hope and peace in the name of humanity. – What a beautiful thought.

What’s on your April to do list? What movies are you looking forward to seeing in April? What are your writing goals for April? 

Life, Love and the Movies Blogathon

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Last year, I participated in three of 5 stages in the 5 Obsturction Blogathon created by Nostra of myfilmviews.com. I enjoyed the blogathon because it made me look at movies and movie reviews in a different way.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t finished it because life got in the way, but I promised myself if he hosted another blogathon, I would be all in. MyFilmViews.com along with Karamel Kinema have created the Life, Love and the Movies Blogathon.

The rules are simple, answer the following 16 questions.

Life

1. What was the first movie you saw in the cinema and what do you remember about that visit? The first movie I remember seeing in the movie theater was 1977 Smokey and the Bandit. The movie stared Burt Reynolds, Sally Field and Jackie Gleason. I remember not really understanding it. I was really young.

2. Are there any movies you have very strong memories of which are not because of the movie (for example something which happened at the time you were watching it)? Smokey and the Bandit holds a strong memory. The story: “The Bandit is hired to run a tractor trailer full of beer over county lines in hot pursuit by a pesky sheriff.” That trailer of beer was Coors beer and my father worked for Coors at the time in the marketing department and it was shameless marketing how often they showed that truck full of Coors beer.

3. Which movies had a big impact on you and changed a (small) part of your view on life? 1980 Urban Cowboy because it took place in Houston and that’s were I was living at the time. It was cool to have a movie set in your own city. We got to share it with the word. Although the movie didn’t do much to dispel any of the Texas stereotypes.

4. Do you have any comfort movies which you return to because you are in a specific mood (for example if you are feeling down/nursing a heartbreak)? Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is my go to movie to put myself in a good mood. Not only is it southern and sexy it has some amazing dialogue.

5. If a movie would be made about your life, what type of movie would it be and who would you like to portray you? It would be some type of chick lit movie with a lot of humor, but at the center, it would be my journey to find my passion. Thandie Newton could play me. Although we look nothing alike.

6. Which existing movie best represents you?  The Matrix – I spent most of my life doing what was expected of me. I wasn’t unhappy, but I always thought I was supposed to be doing something else. I feel like I had been asleep for a long time, but two years ago, I finally woke up.

7. If you knew you would die tomorrow, what would be the last movie you would want to see? The Avengers. It is my favorite movie with my favorite movie character (Tony Stark/Ironman) and the dialogue is brilliant.

8. If you can spend your life working in the film industry, what would you be and why? (you know, director, producer, actor, cinematographer, costume designer, sound designer etc?) I would like to be a studio executive/executive producer. I would have the opportunity to make decisions on what movies got made and help to raise funding for those movies. If I did have this job, trust me, there would be a new Avenger movie out every six months for the rest of my life.

Love

1. Did you ever have a first kiss with someone while at the cinema and if so which movie was playing? I haven’t, but how cool would that be.

2. What is your favorite movie relationship and why? Anna Scott & William Thacker – not only is it the regular  person with the famous person, but the movie doesn’t just stop when they finally get together, you get to find out what happens after that. That movie had the most satisfying ending.

3. When did your love for movies start and how has it grown? I have loved movies as long as I can remember. A movie a week was normal for my family growing up. Often we had a movie day on Monday holidays, we would spend the whole day at the movies watching one after the other.  We got in four one time. It’s my favorite escape.

4. If you have to choose one film to watch with your loved one, what would it be and why? I have two depending on where we were in our relationship. He’s Just Not that Into You if I needed him to think differently about relationships and Titantic if I wanted him to see what never dying love is all about. (I know, most of them die, but it’s a feeling)

5. If you can choose one character from a movie to be your significant other who would it be and why? Legolas from LOTR and The Hobbit. Not only is he beautiful in the most masculine sort of way for an Elf, but he is loyal, understands tradition, spiritual and he will fight and die for you.

6. What was the first movie that made you fall in in love with film and cinema? I had an early love of movies, but I think The Breakfast Club made me recognize and fall in love with a perfect movie. It was the first moment I realize what an amazing script, amazing cast and an amazing director could create.

7. How did your passion for movies turn you into a movie blogger?  My friends used to play the movie quote game and I would pick the most obscure dialogue or line and stump them every time. On a trip to London when I was 15, I got home sick and the thing that made me feel better was reciting the entire script of The Breakfast Club. My love of quotes is where Sydney Quotes the Movies come from.

8. What is your favorite date from a movie? I don’t know if this actually qualifies as a date, but my favorite couple moment is from Notting Hill when Anna gives William the Chagall painting and says my favorite movie line of all time, “I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.”

Where did your love of  movies come from? Join the blogathon and tell us. 

Heroes & Villains Blogfest SQM Version

HvsVblogfestI though about this one long and hard. I wanted to make sure I got this right. This was a hard decision, but I think I have narrowed it down to 4 each.  Sorry, it’s the best I can do.  Heroes & Villains are what make the story worth while.

Thank to all our host. Click on the badge to check out what other Heroes & Villains made the list.

Let’s start with the Villains:

Villain #4 – Loki from The Avengers
Villain #3 – Darth Maul from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace – scared the hell out of me as an adult
Villain #2 – Darth Vader from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi – scared the hell out of me as a kid
Villain #1 – The Joker – from The Dark Knight – brilliant performance by the late, great Heath Ledgerimages

“If you’re good at something, never do it for free.” 

Now, the Heroes:

Hero #4 – Yoda from Star Wars New Hope – there are no Jedi’s w/out Yoda

Hero #3 – Bumble Bee from Transformers 3 – the radio voice track and a heart full of gold.

Hero #2 – Maximus Decimus Meridius from Gladiator

Hero #1 – Tony Stark/Iron Man (the original) and The Avengers

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“Let’s do the head count here.  Your brother, the demigod; the super soldier, living legend who kind of lives up to the legend; a man with breathtaking anger management issues; a couple of master assassins and you, big fellow, you’ve manage to piss off every single one of them.”

What are your favorite Heroes & Villains?  

Top Ten Movie Countdown Blogfest

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It is time, once again, for another legendary blogfest from our Ninja Captain Alex. This time it is all about my favorite subject, movies.  But, to pick only ten. Wow, only ten.  Can I possible narrow my list down to ten? Let me give it a try.

Sydney Aaliyah Michelle’s Top Ten Movie Countdown (quotes included):

# 10 – The Matrix (1999) – “You hear that Mr. Anderson?… That is the sound of inevitability… It is the sound of your death… Goodbye, Mr. Anderson…” “My name is … Neo.”

#9 – Goodfellas (1990) – “As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.”

#8 – Fight Club (1999) – “All the ways you wish you could be, that’s me. I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.”

#7 – Gladiator (2000) – “My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions and loyal servant to the TRUE emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.”

#6 – The Empire Strikes Back (1980) – “No. Try not. Do… or do not. There is no try.”

#5 – The Bourne Identity (2002) – “I can tell you the license plate numbers of all six cars outside. I can tell you that our waitress is left-handed and the guy sitting up at the counter weighs two hundred fifteen pounds and knows how to handle himself. I know the best place to look for a gun is the cab or the gray truck outside, and at this altitude, I can run flat out for a half mile before my hands start shaking. Now why would I know that? How can I know that and not know who I am?”

#4 – Notting Hill (1999) – “I’m also just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.”

#3 – Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) – “There ain’t nothin’ more powerful than the odor of mendacity!”

#2 – Transformers (2007) – “We live among its people now, hiding in plain sight, but watching over them in secret, waiting, protecting. I have witnessed their capacity for courage, and though we are worlds apart, like us, there’s more to them than meets the eye. I am Optimus Prime, and I send this message to any surviving Autobots taking refuge among the stars. We are here. We are waiting.”

#1 – The Avengers (2012) – “Let’s do the head count here.  Your brother, the demigod; the super soldier, living legend who kind of lives up to the legend; a man with breathtaking anger management issues; a couple of master assassins and you, big fellow, you’ve manage to piss off every single one of them.”MV5BMTk2NTI1MTU4N15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwODg0OTY0Nw@@._V1_SY317_CR0,0,214,317_

Do you agree with my list?  What films are on your top ten list?  

My Weekly Update – Look, Read & Follow

 Look Challenge – thanks to Karen at Different Corners in My Life who tagged me in this challenge.  The rules are to find the word ‘look’ in my WIP and then post a few paragraphs around that word. This is from Ink: A Permanent Love Story. My MC, Emilynn, is moving to New York City after inheriting a lot of money from her father who recently passed away.  She has serious trust issues to deal with along with trying to reconcile how she feels about herself with how others see her. Not sure if you will get that from this passage, but it is kind of funny.  Oh, and, they are sitting in an airplane.

     This may be a strange thing to admit given my circumstances, but since I have determined that most guys are liars, my confidence when talking to them has risen.  Like the knowledge they are untrustworthy in general makes me more able to be myself.  It is a weird twist to my behavior that I have noticed, lately.  
     And, it seems guys that I have never been attracted to are the ones hitting on my.  I must be giving out some pitiful sad girl vibe that these type of guys are attracted to. Even this guy senses it.  
     “It is nice.” I said as I lean in and offer him my glass, “taste for yourself.” 
    “David.” We both turn to look across the aisle and there is the guys wife and kid.  And, the wife looked pist.  At me.  She needs to check her husband. 
     It could be a symptom of my new found wealth, as well.  I mean, lets face it, having a million dollars in the bank makes me walk a little taller.  Makes me talk with a bit more confidence.  Having money makes me hot.  

Read these Post

Sev shares with us 41 Things I’ve Learned in 41 years of life – #32, #33, & #35 are my favorite.  Happy birthday Sev. I know it sucked, but like you said, you have 364 more days to make this birthday mean something.
Falls Into Writing explains What Joss Whedon Teaches Us About Writing – As the Director and the Screenwriter of the greatest movie of the decade (so far) THE AVENGERS, his work has some great lessons for us to learn.
Jeff Goins penned this quote in a email recently and it rang true for me:  That discomfort you feel when you experience beauty, that ache you feel, is good. It means you aren’t finished yet. That there is still great work in you the world has yet to see. That there is an intention to your imagination.
 
Follow these people
All World Issues
Word Fusion – Exploring Countries Around the World
Chris Martin
Inside K Phipps Warped Exotic Mind – Not a PG site. 
Bookendings
Kim Cox
 
Next Weeks Schedule
Tuesday – Tattoo Tuesday
Wednesday – Insecure Writer’s Support Group
Friday – Write Practice – I need to start practicing and The Write Practice has some fun prompts geared towards different parts of writing. I am going to post some of practice for the world to see. 
Sunday – My Weekly Update