Alex J. Cavanaugh's Taking the World by Storm Question Answered and My Writing Update: My Crazy Muse

I asked Alex, "What technology/abilities in your books would you like to see scientists discover and why?"

Alex said, "TELEPORTATION!!!!! I hate the commute to work and long days of travel. We need teleportation so we can avoid all that hassle. I just wouldn’t want to turn into a fly…"

Teleportation. Let's make it happen, people!

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…

“Cavanaugh has created wonderfully moving moments of great poignancy… CassaStorm could have been a dark story full of hardship and angst, but instead it's a cleverly balanced story about hope and triumph.”
- Lynda R. Young, author of Make Believe

"Cavanaugh makes world building on the galactic scale look easy. The stakes affect the entire known universe and yet Cavanaugh makes it intensely personal for our hero. The final installment of this series will break your heart and put it back together."
- Charity Bradford, science fantasy author of The Magic Wakes

Find CassaStorm: Barnes and Noble / Amazon / Amazon Kindle

 

Book trailer

$16.95 USA, 6x9 Trade paperback, 268 pages, Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C.

Science fiction/adventure and science fiction/space opera

Print ISBN 9781939844002 eBook ISBN 9781939844019

$4.99 EBook available in all formats

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.

Website / Twitter / Goodreads

---

 

Happy Wednesday!

First off, I wish to thank everyone for tweeting and posting messages on Facebook about The Nightmare Collection! Writers4Writers is definitely awesome! Keep up the great work, everyone!

As for my writing update, I got off to a slow start this month, but I'm picking up speed. I've been figuring out my map of Foxwick and its surrounding neighbors and hope to start drawing it this weekend. This week I'm working on "Mourner's Lament," and I might go ahead and start the other two short stories in Neighbors of Foxwick if I have time.

Unfortunately, my muse has been chucking ideas at me like crazy. My muse often acts up when I'm doing something hard. It tries to distract me. *sighs* Some days it's working too.

I originally planned to write The Loveless Princess after I finished with Reforged, but now I have an idea for not one tragic princess short novel but three: Loveless, Beautyless, and Dreamless. I was thinking of calling the series The Tragic Princesses. Not a very unique series title (I may come up with something better later on), but the stories have some twists of old fairy tales and would be set within my Foxwick world. Of course, if I keep up with the idea, then I'll need to put off writing The Loveless Princess, or now Loveless. I like to have first drafts written of all three before I publish the first one, especially if the second and third novels (featuring different MCs) don't work out.

Okay, so if I choose to put off writing Loveless, then what should be my fourth publication next year? Yes, my muse spoke up and has been telling me Reza's story. Reza is one of the queens of Amora (the world from The Fate Challenges but set 500 years before). She and the Phoenix Prophetess Brinlynn have quite a few challenges ahead of them. Brinlynn and Reza are both mentioned in Reborn too. The novel title will be Reigned, and I know it's a standalone book. It could fill the fourth slot in my publication schedule for 2014. That way I would have two Foxwick-related stories and two Amora-related stories out next year. I do like that idea.

And if that wasn't enough, I now have an idea for a serial futuristic sci-fi/dystopian story as a retelling of Homer's The Iliad. The serial would be in six parts (most likely), and right now the series title is The H.E.L.E.N. Wars. H.E.L.E.N. stands for "High Efficiency Level Electricity Network" or something like that. The idea is still in its infancy. My muse says it would be great for a 2015 publication slot, but we'll see if the idea pans out.

I keep telling my muse to be quiet for a little bit. After all, I have editing to do and stories to write. Has your muse ever gone on the fritz?

Fantasy Chat: Top Ten Movies Blogfest Fantasy Style and Cover Reveal

 

For today's Fantasy Chat, I decided to merge it with the Ninja Captain Alex's Top Ten Movie Countdown Blogfest. Today I'll tell you my top ten fantasy movies.

 

Click here to see the other participants.

My Top Ten in Fantasy Movies

(in no particular order)

10. How to Train Your Dragon

Such a cute, touching movie! And it has dragons!

9. Alice in Wonderland

Such a trippy story and movie. I've enjoyed most of the versions I've seen. And I remember being terrified of the Jabberwocky in the Through the Looking Glass movie they had back in the 80s.

8. Indiana Jones

I wanted to be an archaelogist because of these movies.

7. Cinderella

It's the first fantasy movie I ever owned. Plus, it's my beautiful cat's name too.

6. Batman

Yes, all the Batman movies, although I particularly love the newest ones. Superheroes are awesome, but Batman is the best.

5. Jurassic Park

Yes, I'm fudging a bit here, since it is more science fiction, but it's such a fantastic movie.

4. The Hobbit

Loved the movie and can't wait to see the other two.

3. Beauty and the Beast

Yes, I love the Disney version. I just find it magical.

2. Lord of the Rings

Don't make me pick one movie out of the three.

1. Harry Potter

Ditto as LotR. Love them all!

What's your favorite fantasy movie?

And here is the cover reveal of 1305 and 1306 - The Oracle and the Vampire by Christine Rains.

Having fallen for her gorgeous neighbor might not be so bad if Harriet McKay wasn't in her hideous banshee form every time Kiral saw her. Such is her curse. True, he's a vampire struggling with a drug addiction, but he's a good soul. Yet no one could love a cursed witch, especially one not even her cats respect.

After having a vision of Kiral's death, Harriet makes it her mission to save him. Never before has she attempted to change fate, but so strong is her love.

How can Harriet convince Kiral to see past her vile appearance and return her love? If only she can force him to listen to reason coming from a raving crone, perhaps she can save him from the demons hunting him and from himself.

Release Date: May 13, 2013

Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood, but make her a great Jeopardy player. When she's not writing or reading, she having adventures with her son or watching cheesy movies on Syfy Channel. She's a member of Untethered Realms and S.C.I.F.I. The 13th Floor series is her first self-published series. She has six novellas and twenty short stories published.

Website / Blog 

Cheers, Cavanaugh Blogfest!

 

Welcome to the “Cheers, Cavanaugh BlogFest.”

Hosted by Mark“The Madman” Koopman, ”Marvelous” MorganShamy, Stephen“Breakthrough” Tremp, and David “Kingpin”Powers King, the BlogFest runs from December 10 - 12.

While Alex is an awesome blogger, he’s also an enigma.

So, here’s my answers to the four questions: 

In +/- 20 words, what does Alex look like? He's a shadowy man of mystery. He could be anyone, anytime, anywhere sneaking around and doing random acts of kindness.

In +/- 20 words, who could play Alex in a documentary? (Living or dead.) I don't have a name, but the person would rock the guitar and have super quick ninja skills.

In +/- 20 words, who does Alex remind you of? He reminds me of that guy in high school everyone thinks is cool but is also really nice to everyone.

In +/- 100 words, (excluding the title) write flash fiction using all these prompts: Cavanaugh Ninja IWSG Cosbolt Guitar

"Cavanaugh, what is that racket?"

"The guitar, sir."

"Writers are having insecurities on Scriptus. They need you."

"Yes, sir." Cavanaugh placed it in its case and headed to his Cosbolt.

Ready for the mission, his navigator asked.

You know it.

After a systems check, Cavanaugh flew to Scriptus.

Scriptus, home to writers, was in chaos. Writers tore their hair or scribbled on everything before ripping it to shreds.

"I'll never be published again!" One writer wept.

Like a ninja, Cavanaugh spread an acronym: IWSG. The writers gathered to tell their insecurities and joys.

Cavanaugh had saved the day.            

For Bonus Points:
In +/- 40 words, leave a comment for Mrs. Cavanaugh - thanking her for sharing.

Mrs. Cavanaugh, they say behind every good man is a great woman, so Alex must have one of the greatest women around. Thank you for sharing him with us.

And thank you, Alex, for doing all you do.

I've been interviewed by the Ninja Captain!

Yes, Alex Cavanaugh interviewed me about the A to Z Challenge and what it was like writing 26 flash fiction stories for the A to Z Flashes of Foxwick collection. You can read my interview here.

And my IWSG post is here.

Genre Favorites Blogfest

 

It's time for Alex J. Cavanaugh's Genre Favorites Blogfest! According to our awesome ninja captain, we're supposed to talk about our favorite genres of music, books, movies, and our guilty pleasure from one of the categories.

Music

A few of my favorites that are on my Kindle Fire.

My favorite genre is pop music, i.e. whatever is playing on the radio. My favorite radio station in the area is K92.3 FM. They're awesome!

Books

Just a few of my mystery books.

I love mysteries and thrillers. I want to try to figure out what's going on. Who did the crime? They're so much fun.

Movies

A sample of my horror movie collection.

I love horror movies. The thrill of the scare and then the laughter afterwards.

My Guilty Pleasure

And yes, I like the books the musicals are made from. The cat pillow case is my cat Cinderella's.

Showtunes! That's right. When the house is empty, I can be found belting out songs from Wicked, The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, and many more!

So what are your favorite genres?