Capitol Couture vs. Material Girls

Having recently finished Material Girls, I was struck by the similarity of the "torture trend" in that story and one of the designs for the Panem digital magazine Capitol Couture. The model wearing "The Huntress" look seems to have a woven red muzzle on her face, which reminds me of the gags in the torture trend accessories. To see the final issue of Capitol Couture visit CapitolCouture.pn, or to see a behind the scenes video of the shoot visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j95WIsicG8M.

Monsterland Blog Tour - Interview with Michael Phillip Cash

Michael Phillip Cash Talks About Monsterland and a Cameo as a Zombie

People have probably been asking you this quite often lately, since the “Goosebumps” movie has been so popular with kids this fall, and especially since you are a screenwriter—do you have any plans to turn Monsterland into a film adaptation? Absolutely! Getting a movie made is my goal…that is my end game. I’ve already pitched Monsterland to a studio and they are interested in the script, which I’m currently polishing. There is another production company who is also very interested in producing Monsterland. The only thing I’m asking for is a cameo as a zombie. The “vitality challenged” have overrun the world and regular humans have withdrawn into fortified enclaves in most zombie stories. But in Monsterland the infected are safely contained in detention camps. Why did you decide to set up the situation in that way? I mean this in the nicest way possible, but how many times can we read or watch the same zombie story over and over again. Every zombie book/movie has zombies running rampant in the streets. I wanted to shake things up a bit. I asked myself, would the government really let the zombies take over the world? No way! The US government in Monsterland built camps and wrangled them in there. It would have been the same story as every other zombie story if I left them in modern society. The government had a plan and it succeeded. Were there other monsters that you considered including in the park, but then decided to leave out? If you did, what were they and why did you exclude them as you went forward with the story? Yes, there was. I wanted to include a haunted house and have ghosts be the main attraction. But I must say, it was very, very hard to toggle between the three main monsters – werewolves, vampires and zombies. Adding a fourth monster, say ghosts, with a fourth teen whose story is intertwined was just too difficult. I’m going to try it for the sequel though. J Wyatt, Josh, Melvin, and Howard share an interest in monsters, although they disagree on which would win in a face off. Did you have friends with whom you debated the merits of various creatures when you were a teen? Not necessarily monsters, but I’ve debated, and still do, other types of things worth debating. Best movie of the 80s. Best video game on the original Nintendo console. Best TV show. Best book of the 90s, etc.…I must say that having those three argue about which monster reigns supreme was a hoot to write. I loved the witty banter because I’m familiar with it. The only parents we see in the story are those of Wyatt and Josh, although Melvin’s mother is mentioned. Was that a deliberate choice, or something that happened organically as the story evolved? Yes, it was deliberate. I loved writing the characters of Wyatt, Melvin and Howard, and I certainly could have added more depth with their parents, but I really wanted the central story to be about these three boys overcoming their insecurities. I feel it would have taken away from them as the focus if I had included parents in the mix. This was about teens surviving a scary theme park and growing up to become men. There have been several series of books recently that are a multi-platform experience combining the book and online components where readers can watch video clips, hunt for clues, etc. Have you considered expanding Monsterland to include other media with which readers can interact? It’s an incredible idea, but I leave all the publicity and online components to my fabulous team. My mom handles all the publicity with my publicist Brittany Bass. Ann Gerber oversees all the Facebook and Twitter stuff. If these ladies in my life feel this is where we should go with Monsterland, then so be it. I listen to them…they’re my bosses. I just create and write the stories. Do you have any projects you are currently working on that you can give us a few hints about and pique our curiosity? I just finished writing the 9^th Star Wars movie and the Yoda spinoff. I have a meeting with JJ Abrams this afternoon. Other than that, it’s been kinda quiet. You know I’m only joking, although that is my dream to write a Star Wars movie. All kidding aside, I finished this creepy novella called “The History Major” that is currently being edited. I don’t want to reveal too much, but I will say it’s a bit of a departure from my previous works. I’m in the middle of beating out a wizard story called “Warlocked”. Two wizards from different factions and different time periods are fighting for the same guy … the chosen one. I have a few sequels in the works too. Witches Protection Program II and Monsterland II are being beat out as well. Finally, I have met with a production company who is currently setting budgets for one of my earlier novels to be made into a feature film. I’m hoping this dream comes true!

About the Book

Monsterland

Written by Michael Phillip Cash Welcome to Monsterland – the scariest place on Earth. All guests can interact with real vampires in Vampire Village, be chased by an actual werewolf on the River Run, and walk among the dead in Zombieville. Wyatt Baldwin, a high school student and life-long movie buff is staring bleakly at a future of flipping burgers. Due to a fortuitous circumstance, Wyatt and his friends are invited to the star-studded opening of Monsterland. In a theme park full of real vampires, werewolves and zombies, what could possibly go wrong?

“Monsterland contains solid ingredients for a horror feast: stupid teens, smart teens, a little challenged romance, family dynamics, action, blood and gore. Will civilization ever be normal again? You’ll have to read it to find out. We dare you!”—The Children’s Book Review

Ages 14+ | CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform | 2015 | 978-1517180676 Add this book to your collection: Monsterland Available Here:

About Michael Phillip Cash

Michael Phillip Cash is an award-winning screenwriter and novelist. He’s written eleven books including the best-selling Brood X, Stillwell, The Flip, The After House, The Hanging Tree, Witches Protection Program, Pokergeist, and Battle for Darracia series. Michael resides on the North Shore of Long Island. He writes full-time with his screaming monsters in the background. Website | Facebook | Twitter

Monsterland Tour Giveaway

Would you rather be a werewolf, a zombie or a vampire? Enter to win an autographed copy of Monsterland, by Michael Phillip Cash; plus a living dead themed travel mug and a $50 Amazon gift card!

Giveaway begins November 14, 2015, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends December 16, 2015, at 11:59 P.M. PST. US addresses only.

Monsterland Tour Dates

Thursday November 12 2015 The Children’s Book Review Tour Kick-Off & Giveaway Tuesday November 17 2015 The Review Wire Book Excerpt from Monsterland Tuesday November 24 2015 SciFiChick.com Guest Post written by Michael Phillip Cash Tuesday November 17 2015 Suz Reviews Author Interview with Michael Phillip Cash Sunday November 29 2015 The Cover Contessa Guest Post written by Michael Phillip Cash Tuesday December 1 2015 DCC Mealy Author Interview with Michael Phillip Cash Wednesday December 2 2015 Once Upon a Twilight Book Excerpt from Monsterland Saturday December 5 2015 The Fairview Review Monsterland Book Review Tuesday December 8 2015 Just Another Mom Monsterland Book Review Monday December 14 2015 Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers Monsterland Book Review Tuesday December 15 2015 Inspired by Savannah Author Interview with Michael Phillip Cash

Fall Reading 2015 So, Anyway

Have you ever met someone really interesting and intelligent that you enjoyed talking with and listening to? Maybe you've come out of a presentation or seminar and said, "I could have listened to him all day." That's the feeling you get from reading So, Anyway. John Cleese tells the story of his life, including everything from how his parents met to the first filming of the "Flying Circus" series. Tales of his schooldays are brutally honest about how awkward he could be socially and how he learned to use comedy to redirect potential bullying. And the description of how he came to choose a life of writing and performing comedy rather than a legal career is an almost unbelievably random string of opportunities. Through it all Cleese offers explanations of his choices and his theories on what worked best, and why, for each TV or radio show, script, or screenplay.

If you are expecting the book itself to be one long Python sketch, it is not. Instead of a 400-page running gag, it is an honest and often amusing recollection of a very busy life. The number of different projects that Cleese has worked on as writer and/or performer staggers the mind. He lists a sample from the time period of March 1966 to November 1967 which includes 41 radio show episodes, 80+ TV show episodes, another 12 TV appearances, 1 film appearance, and work on 2 film scripts and 1 TV pilot script. (And just think - it was all done before the days of cell phones, e-mail, and video conferencing.) It is also awe-inspiring to stop and think about all the other comedic greats he has known and worked with, such as Peter Sellers and Marty Feldman (just to name a couple).

The photos of Cleese along with his friends and family help you to imagine the scenes he describes. In a similar way, the inclusion of script excerpts from different projects gives a taste of what the performances were like. While I would have wished for more details on his time with Monty Python, that would probably fill another book of its own. This is a very enjoyable read and feels like a humorous monologue about the author's life and what he has observed and learned along the way. It has been like a visit with a dear and very funny friend, and when the book ended I was sad that the visit was over.

Check the publisher's website for more information about the author or the book.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Fall Reading 2015 Material Girls

What if the country's economy was turned around by having teenagers running everything? What if kids were chosen in middle school to become fashion designers, movie producers, media stars and then the rest of the population followed whatever trends they set, no matter how extreme? Doesn't that seem a little drastic? But that is just what has happened in the society that Ivy and Marla live in. We're not given a specific date, but it seems to be fairly near to our time, though still a bit futuristic. Ivy Wilde is a top pop star with a carefully created and maintained persona; her manager and publicist choose her songs, her clothing, even her boyfriend. Marla Klein is a superior court judge at one of the top five fashion houses, choosing which clothing will be endorsed and produced by the company and what the newest trends will be. But their paths cross at just the right time and they collaborate on a project that all the "Silents" (adults working behind the scenes in the big corporations), don't like at all. Will they stand their ground or cave in to the pressure and conform?

This story takes a lot of current issues and shows what happens when they become accepted as the norm. For instance, Ivy's publicist arranges her entire schedule, including how often she should be drunk and disorderly in public to keep up her "wild girl" image. Torro-LeBlanc, the design house where Marla works, cautions her that she is showing too many individual opinions during the court sessions. They say she needs to be more cohesive with the other judges. And in the background of all this glitz and glamour are sweat shops with underage workers where all the beautiful new trends are manufactured and all the "adequates" who receive a normal education and work in offices or as doctors or other necessary professions, feel envious of those "tapped" to leave school early for one of the elite positions. Who wouldn't want to shake things up in an environment like that?

Told in alternating chapters from the viewpoints of Ivy and Marla, the book moves at a fast pace and keeps the reader guessing about what will happen next. Will this person actually rebel against expectations? Will that one turn out to be an ally or a foe? Who will win, the corporations or the individuals? And there is also a smidgen of romance mixed in, but I can't tell you who winds up with whom.

If you like stories about underdogs taking on the big shots of the world, about individuals trying to find their place and a career that actually fulfills them creatively and individually, and about finding out how far you are willing to go to pursue your dreams, then you should give Material Girls a try. 

I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

Wishapick Blog Tour - Author Guest Post by M.M. Allen

Creating Mood in a Story and with Music

MM Allen & Deborah Wynne MM Allen: Mood is a feeling a reader or listener gets when reading a book or listening to music. It can also be a variety of feelings all at once. What you feel when reading a book or listening to music is created by the author or composer for your enjoyment. I develop mood in my stories using words, dialogue, descriptions and action. Within my narrative, I may change the mood by describing an action. In Wishapick, Jack had many harrowing, ominous, and heroic moments involving his interactions with King O’Sirus. In the passage below, in his last battle with the king, Jack in one second of descriptive action was rendered helpless.

He knew he was in trouble as the king thrashed his head about in a rage. Jack barely held on. Yellow bile dripped from the king’s mouth. Jack lost his grip and slipped. The king flexed his muscular body and tossed his head. Chest first, Jack crashed onto the meadow. In agony, with the wind knocked out of him, unable to move, he curled his body into a fetal position. – Excerpt from Wishapick, Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk.

Deborah Wynne: Creating mood in music is similar to creating mood in a story, but rather than dialogue, action and descriptions, a composer will use melody, rhythm, tempo and mode, among other things. If I want a happy mood for a song, I will often use complimenting harmonies in the melody line, a smooth rhythm, an upbeat tempo and a major tonality/mode. If I want to change the mood in a piece of music, I might move to a slower tempo and perhaps a minor tonality/mode, which will feel more contemplative or sad. The mood of a song must of course fit the lyrics. On the Wishapick Cd, an example of mood change in a song would be in King O’Sirus and Queen Sanctuary. When King O’Sirus (a threatening character) is singing, the tonality is in the minor mode and he sounds quite scary, but as Queen Sanctuary (a character of grace and goodwill) begins to sing, the mode changes to a major tonality and the mood of the song moves from scary to comforting. The lyrics below reflect this change of mood. King O’Sirus: I’m the King of the night and I’ll give you such a fright, if you fall into my deep dark den. I will coil, I will hiss and my rattle you can’ miss, so welcome now let’s begin. Queen Sanctuary: Go, Jack, to the deepest darkest place, go now and don’t worry. I will help you, soon you shall escape, my name is Queen Sanctuary. –Lyrics from Wishapick, Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk. MM & Deborah: Words, imagery, and sounds take on a different meaning when presented by different authors and composers. Interesting, exciting and fresh ideas spark our imaginations through the feelings a story or piece of music evoke in us. To feel something uniquely ours, whether it be happy, sad, whimsical or forlorn, is the authors or composers gift to us as reader or listener. We do hope the feelings you get from our work, Wishapick, Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk will spark your imagination so that new exciting fresh ideas will be born into the work you do. With every good wish - MM Allen & Deborah Wynne Wishapick, Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk

About Wishapick: Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk

Darkness. Utter blackness. Was this why his mother had refused to let Jack unlock his father’s old trunk? It had been two years since his dad had died, and all Jack could think about was examining whatever treasures were stored inside the beloved trunk. But when he finally lifted the lid, he didn’t just fall in—he fell through it into a pit of rattlesnakes! Trying to recall his mother’s stories about “the Breath of All Good Things”—anything to shed light on his current situation—Jack wishes he’d paid better attention rather than mock the tales as childish myths…and that he’d waited to enter the trunk with his sister, Lilly, so they could at least face this together. Like L. Frank Baum’s Oz and C. S. Lewis’s Narnia, M. M. Allen brings to life the fantastical world of Wishapick—a land of courageous animals ruled by a cruel rattlesnake king who has condemned the villagers to live without light. Chosen as the reluctant hero to save the villagers, Jack must face terrifying creatures and overwhelming odds if he wants to help his new friends—and return home himself.

"... a breathy and fantastical storytelling style, imaginations will flourish and the tale will be enjoyed by kids ages 8-12 who enjoy the genre of fantasy.”—The Children's Book Review

Wishapick: Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk is available on Amazon.

Fun Stuff

Wishapick Soundtrack Be sure to check out the companion music CD, Wishapick, for purchase or download from DeborahWynne.com Book Club Questions Get to the heart of Wishapick by downloading this set of book club questions: Wishapick by M. M. Allen: Book Club Questions

About M. M. Allen

M. M. Allen, author of the acclaimed children’s picture book Let’s Play Ball, is the mother of two adult children and aunt to twenty-three nieces and nephews, including ten great-nieces and great-nephews. MM is a former teacher and university lecturer. She has also worked extensively in marketing and communications with varied businesses and non-profits. MM lives in a picturesque northern California town where she enjoys writing, tending to her rose garden, and caring for her West Highland terrier, Pip. www.Wishapick.com | Facebook

About Deborah Wynne

Composer and lyricist Deborah Wynne created a companion CD of songs to accompany Wishapick: Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk. Wynne’s primary talents lie in choral singing, stage musicals, and composing. Her musical projects include the 2013 album Strands of Gold and 2007 musical Moment of Truth. She is an active singer and composer in Santa Barbara, California, where she lives with her husband and their two shelties, Sparkle and Gracie. DeborahWynne.com

Wishapick and iPod Nano Giveaway

Enter to win an autographed copy of Wishapick: Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk written by acclaimed author M. M. Allen; plus an Apple iPod Nano to listen to your downloaded copy of the Wishapick: Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk soundtrack composed by the talented Deborah Wynne! Giveaway begins November 5, 2015, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends December 31, 2015, at 11:59 P.M. PST. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wishapick Tour Dates

Thursday November 5 2015 The Children's Book Review Tour Kick-Off & Giveaway Friday November 6 2015 The Review Wire Book Excerpt & Soundtrack Clip Tuesday November 17 2015 Suz Reviews Creating Mood in a Story with Music Monday November 23 2015 On Starships & Dragonwings 5 Things About the World of Wishapick Tuesday November 24 2015 Valerie's Reviews Book Excerpt & Soundtrack Clip Tuesday November 27 2015 Batch of Books Author Interview with M. M. Allen Saturday December 5 2015 The Fairview Review Wishapick Book Review Thursday December 10 2015 Inspired by Savannah Wishapick Book Review Tuesday December 15 2015 Just Another Mom Wishapick Book Review Wednesday December 23 2015 Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers Author Interview with M. M. Allen Sunday December 27 2015 Little Miss History Author Interview with M. M. Allen

Fall Reading 2015 King Dork Approximately

Picture the love child of "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and "Revenge of the Nerds." That comes close to capturing the feel ofKing Dork Approximately. Our narrator is Thomas "Tom" Henderson, a sophomore in high school. We find Tom recovering from a vicious tuba attack. No, seriously, he was hit in the head with a tuba and has the scar and stitches to prove it. To add to his overall misery, his parents don't plan to sue anyone over the injury. Once he comes home and does a bit of convalescence, he also learns that his school is being closed and he will have to finish out the year at Clearview High. But you know what they say about every cloud having a silver lining, and maybe this is Tom's chance to start over. He can rise above being King Dork and actually be successful at this new school where many people don't know him yet. 

Tom gamely narrates his triumphs (not many), and his failures through the end of the school year. Among the various situations that arise - he finds himself with a girlfriend, his mom and stepfather have marital problems, his friend Sam is listening to confidence-building tapes, his band actually performs in public, and he finally figures out what his English teacher is looking for in the required book reports. Throughout the story he often uses words that he is a bit unsure of, so he says, "...if "erstwhile" means what I think it does," or whichever word he has used most recently. (He does get most of them right.) He spends a lot of time writing songs for his band to practice and one day perform, but having a girlfriend cuts into his time for that. Between the crazy diatribes against normalcy, the odd letters he receives from classmate Roberta, trying to learn to play "O'Brien Is Tryin' to Learn to Talk Hawaiian," and serving as Sam's sidekick, Tom is a pretty busy guy for an antisocial dork.

The book does a good job of capturing some aspects of high school life: popular kids picking on those who are different, the inability of adults to see what is really going on, the need for geeky kids to run in packs, the incomprehensibility of some teachers and their assignments, it's all in there. You also get a good dose of Tom's theories on rock and roll, what makes a good book, and how normal people should all be done in so that the meek can inherit the earth (since normal = the popular kids that pick on everyone else). Through it all we see Tom struggling to decide how much of his theories he is willing to give up in order to fit in and avoid trouble (hint - probably not enough).

If you enjoy realistic fiction punctuated with power vocabulary words, rock and roll references, and a jaundiced eye toward lettermans' jackets, then you will probably find this very entertaining. 

I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

Fall Reading 2015 The Witch of Lime Street: Seance, Seduction, and Houdini in the Spirit World

An intriguing look at the worldwide popularity of mysticism and mediums following World War I, The Witch of Lime Street goes into incredible detail about the period and the key players. Among the stars of the era were Harry Houdini, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Mina Crandon (a.k.a the Witch of Lime Street). It may seem strange to those who have not read any other accounts of Houdini's life, but the famous escape artist was very involved in exposing frauds who posed as psychics. Even stranger, Doyle was a major proponent of speaking with spirits through seances - something you wouldn't expect from the creator of the ultra-logical Sherlock Holmes.

Author David Jaher has researched many existing museum and archival collections of journals, letters, and other papers from the main characters of his book, as well as reading innumerable articles and interviews from the time period. He has managed to reconstruct a story spanning from 1918 to 1941 (even including background and important events from earlier in the lives of the principals), and ranging across the U.S., England and Europe. He shows how Houdini and Doyle met, how Houdini became involved in the contest sponsored by Scientific American magazine to find proof that psychic phenomena were real, and the various competitors for the prize money.

More than just recounting the facts, Jaher manages to convey the emotional atmosphere of the times. First there is the weary feeling after the war, with so many missing their loved ones who died during the fighting. Then he captures the almost manic gaiety of the Roaring 20s with the dance marathons, speak-easies, and flappers. And finally he shows the gradual decline of the giddiness as the 20s gave way to the Great Depression. Those eras were important in creating a climate where thousands were desperate for contact with the deceased and eager for new breakthroughs, and then the change of focus from the great beyond to daily subsistence as the economy collapsed.

The use of extensive quotes from the primary source material helps to preserve the voice of the individuals involved in the quest to prove or disprove the question of mediumistic powers. Readers will also appreciate the way in which the author lets us know the fates of Houdini, Doyle, and Crandon, rather than abruptly ending the story with the end of the competition.

Excellent reading for those interested in the historical periods covered, or in the famous personalities involved.  And the glow-in-the-dark cover adds a wonderfully spooky touch.

Learn more about the author and the book from the publisher's website.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Fall Reading 2015 The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever

Some people say high school is stressful. Imagine trying to finish the final month of your freshman year, work a part time job, study for finals, and occasionally still squeeze in some time to eat and sleep. Doable, you say? Now add on the tasks of writing a screenplay, auditioning actors, advertising for extras, finding the money to pay for special effects, scouting locations, and filming an entire feature-length film - all within that same month. Still sound possible? Well, impossible or not, that's exactly what Justin, Gabe, and Bobby decide to do. And if that wasn't enough pressure, their female lead is also the girl of Justin's dreams.

This book is full of references to the long and gory history of zombie films, including debates on the relative merits of slow versus fast zombies, the difference between the infected in "28 Days Later" and actual zombies, and whether the original versions or remakes of their favorite films are better. The friends face challenges such as scary investors, Stinky the Clown, fires, automobile collisions, body piercings, and possible suspension from school. Their lives are spiraling out of control as they try to make their deadline and the story covers every embarrassing detail.

I began laughing as I read the warning at the front of the book to readers who feel, "Books about zombies are evil! Eeeeeevil!" and the calm response of, "Perhaps we'll reconnect on a future novel." And if the professional courtesy shown in that paragraph doesn't get a small giggle out of you, perhaps the next section will. The author goes on to address those of us who are still reading and have not run off to find some lighter fluid to burn the evil book. He states, "Okay, they're gone. No no, don't judge them." How can you resist a book that starts like that?

The overall feeling from the story that stayed with me was similar to films like "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World," a sort of slowly mounting sense of chaos looming over our hero as he tries to fulfill his quest. Fans of books and films featuring such epic struggles will identify with Justin and his friends and, of course, zombie fans will want to see if the guys succeed in creating the greatest zombie movie ever.

I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

The following content is re-posted from a Sourcebooks announcement:

Jeff Strand Is Back with Another Gut-Bustingly Hilarious Book

Click on the photo to visit Jeff's website! The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever Jeff Strand 978-1-4926-2814-9 $9.99/TP Ages 12+ * March 2016

After producing three horror movies that went mostly ignored on YouTube, Justin and his filmmaking buddies decide it’s time they create something noteworthy, something epic. They’re going to film the Greatest Zombie Movie Ever. But with only one month to complete their movie, a script that can’t possibly get worse, a cast of uncooperative extras, and incompetent production assistants, Justin must face the sad, sad truth. He may actually be producing The Worst Zombie Movie Ever… What was your inspiration for some of the wonderfully disastrous problems Justin and crew run into while filming? Almost all of it was just made up in an evil “Heh heh heh, what could go wrong NOW?” manner. I worked on my wife’s short zombie film CHOMP, and there were many, many, many challenges, but I didn’t use them as direct inspirations for the disasters in this book.   What are some of the actual greatest zombie movies ever? Shaun of the Dead. The Return of the Living Dead. Both the original Dawn of the Dead and the remake. Re-Animator.Dead Alive. Day of the Dead.   There aren't any real zombies in the book, but how do you think your characters would fare in an actual zombie apocalypse? Gabe, the fifteen-year-old producer of the film they’re making and the constant (if often ignored) Voice of Reason, would make it through. I hate to say it, but everyone else is toast.