CLICK HERE FOR BLOGGER TEMPLATES AND MYSPACE LAYOUTS »

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Tag, you're it

Christian Miles tagged me.
CLICK HERE TO READ "MY INK SPOT"


These are the questions I had to answer:

If you could write one word, what would it be?
Hope.


Use one word to describe yourself:
Open.


What is something random about you/your writing that you'd like to say right now?
I have a short story SUICIDAL INSTICT published at http://www.crossandcosmos.com/


Think up an absurd title for a book:
Endangered Spectacles.


What is the strangest sentence you can think of?
March in time with the dimes, sweet cheeks.


What do you write?
I write some Sci Fi, other stories I write are High World Fantasy. I think it's all Speculative Fiction these days.
I like to say: Character driven stories set in strange places, under strange circumstances.


If you had a weird disease and could only make one sound over and over, what would it be?
Shhhhh



And now I tag...
Kat Heckenbach
Aaron Johnson
Lori Lundquist

All readers answer in the comments!
Pick one question, if you don't want to answer them all!


Here's the rules:



1) Post about the award.



2) Award 3 other people



3) Answer the tag



Thanks for tagging me, Chris!

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Jeffrey Overstreet's Raven's Ladder CSFF blog tour




I have not read Raven’s Ladder but I’m telling you, I love this cover and the title.
 Gives me a pure fantasy image. I did read the first few pages. They were hard to read. I think I remember this about other things Mr. Overstreet has written.

 Have you read Auralia’s Colors or Cyndere’s Midnight?



    I did find some of the first few pages fascinating. Treasure (great name, huh?) hears: Harmony. That is the sentence. One word to give you the sense she is hears some singing in harmony. Although his voice was difficult for me to follow, I would like to read some more of this book, just based the few gems I found in the first couple pages.


Don’t forget to see what others on the tour have to say:



Jeffrey Overstreet's Raven’s Ladder


Jeffrey Overstreet's Web site and blog



Tour participants:

Brandon Barr

Rachel Briard

Keanan Brand

Beckie Burnham

Melissa Carswell

Valerie Comer

CSFF Blog Tour

Stacey Dale

D. G. D. Davidson

Shane Deal

Jeff Draper

April Erwin

Ryan Heart

Becky Jesse

Cris Jesse

Jason Joyner

Julie

Krystine Kercher

Dawn King

Rebecca LuElla Miller

Nissa

John W. Otte

Donita K. Paul

Crista Richey

Chawna Schroeder

Andrea Schultz

James Somers

Robert Treskillard

Steve Trower

Fred Warren

Phyllis Wheeler

KM Wilsher

Monday, April 26, 2010

Movie Monday ~ How to Train Your Dragon

Watch out Avatar - There's a dragon in town.

How to Train Your Dragon is one the best movies ever. It practically surpasses Nemo and Up. If you haven't seen this movie, go see it! It is full of humor, and adventure, and inspiration. And the story? Well, it is brilliant!



Synopsis from Rotten Tomatoes: From the studio that brought you “Shrek,” “Madagascar” and “Kung Fu Panda” comes “How to Train Your Dragon.” Set in the mythical world of burly Vikings and wild dragons, and based on the book by... From the studio that brought you “Shrek,” “Madagascar” and “Kung Fu Panda” comes “How to Train Your Dragon.” Set in the mythical world of burly Vikings and wild dragons, and based on the book by Cressida Cowell, the action comedy tells the story of Hiccup, a Viking teenager who doesn’t exactly fit in with his tribe’s longstanding tradition of heroic dragon slayers. Hiccup’s world is turned upside down when he encounters a dragon that challenges he and his fellow Vikings to see the world from an entirely different point of view.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Back in the Day ~ FCC

Remember church announcements back in the day? Someone stood behind the pulpit and said, "There will be a potluck Friday, and the Men's Bible Class is needing . . ."
Below is how FCC recieves its announcements every week. Sometimes there are skits. Sometimes some off the wall location, but they always make me laugh. I just love these guys. Take a quick look. SKIP AROUND to find the funniest parts. . .
Brandon and David are a blast:

Yeah, FCC Phoenix!
Your church have any unique things to share?

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Word Wednesday ~ Wild Horses

SO I open the verse for today:


“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.”- Psalm 23:1-3

And I can hear Susan Boyle sing “Wild Horses”. It floats from the other room where my mom is listening to it.

I read the verses from the 23rd Psalm and think of the last few months where I have not really believed that the Lord is my Shepherd. I mean, He’s my Father, and my God. . .but I’ve not chosen to think of Him as my Shepherd or my friend. I have really felt like He is out there watching me, not in here between the blue canopy and the green carpet walking with me and guiding me.

Why, you ask? Because He has seemed to be so silent.

But this past week He has spoken. . .Can’t explain it. He just started to whisper. . .or I heard Him whisper. . . “Things are about to change. Take my hand.” And, true to these whispered words, change is in wind and He is no longer silent. Here is the biggest and best change of all: His voice, His comfort, His peace.

So I listen as the Wild Horses keep dragging Susan Boyle away, and I wonder why I felt so distant from him before. Are my Wild Horses: anxiety, despair, worry? I think so. I think these Wild Horses have been dragging me away for several months. In the silence, I have grasped onto to the reigns of anxiousness and sat in the saddle of depression rather than taking His hand. . .

That’s okay though, cause I just heard Him say again: “Things are about to change. Take my hand.” Forget the horses, I am going to take His hand.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

LES EDGERTON ~ THELMA AND LOUISE

Phoenix College puts on a writer’s conference every year, called MICROBURST.
This year:

Les Edgerton demonstrated how analyzing film structure can enhance the fiction writer’s work. This event was designed to give you the tools to create riveting stories and scripts. Edgerton led participants step by step through an analysis of Callie Khouri’s award-winning screenplay as we watched Thelma & Louise. “Virtually every frame includes a valuable teaching moment for fiction writers.”


A few of my notes from Microburst

  • Thelma was the protagonist.

  • I missed the definition for: "inciting incident". ugh.

The inciting incident in THELMA AND LOUISE:
When Thelma attempts to get permission from hubby to go on weekend trip with Louise.

Thelma: Hon.

Hubby: What!?

(She doesn’t ask. She has already embarked upon her character journey.)

Thelma: Nothing. What do you want for dinner?

There is almost no back story in THELMA AND LOUISE. When it does come, it is at almost to the halfway mark. And is peppered. Hinted. Never told.

The readers should do some work. The readers want to do some work. They don’t want you to tell. Don’t have the character sit down over coffee and spill back story.

• When Louise shoots the man hurting Thelma, this is the point of no return - not the inciting incident.


• Get out of your character’s head.

• Water cooler moment = a scene that people will be discussing around the water cooler.

One in THELMA AND LOUISE is when they get pulled over by the cop, take him hostage, and:

Thelma tells Louise: Shoot the radio.

Louise shoots the AM/FM.

Thelma says: The police radio, Louise!

• You want at least 6 water cooler moments for a best seller/blockbuster.


• Protagonist has to make her own decision – for herself – no one can make it for her.

Thelma: what are you doing?

Louise: I’m not getting caught.

(later)
Thelma: Okay then, let’s not get caught.

Louise: What?

Thelma: Let’s keep going.

Louise: What do you mean?

Thelma: Go.

Louise: You sure?

Thelma: Yeah.

An ending must have elements of loss and win.

Loss in THELMA AND LOUISE is obvious: All.

Win in THELMA AND LOUISE is: Freedom from men, on their own terms.

I know lots of you are at Desert Dreams and other writer’s conferences this weekend. What can you share?

HAPPY WEEKEND :0)

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Lost Mission by Athol Dickson

Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy Blog Tour



I don't know about you, but this sounds great. There is an Arizona link that I am thrilled about, of course. And the spanish connection seems fresh. Take a look for yourself.



I hear there is great debate and lots of conversation about Lost Mission.



Lots of hot conversation out there, be sure to take the tour!





Lost Mission 2009 Howard Books (Simon & Schuster)

In short:


A billionaire

driven mad by grief.

A pastor

in love with the wrong woman.

An illegal immigrant
desperate to feed his family
Only Lupe de la Garza can

save them from the ancient
evil lurking in a lost mission’s
ruins, but it will take an act of

faith beyond all human power.

An epic suspense story spanning two centuries and brimming with magical realism.



Lupe de la Garza, a simple shopkeeper in a mountain village in Mexico, believes God wants her to go to
America to preach the gospel. She is guided on her quest by her people’s greatest treasure: an altarpiece
painted by the eighteenth century Franciscan friar who founded her village after fleeing the mysterious
destruction of his California mission outpost. When Lupe is distracted by desire for a young minister who rescues her from certain death in the Arizona desert, and when her preaching in a southern California beach town inspires only apathy and laughter, she begins to lose faith in her quest. Then the slumbering evil that destroyed the friar’s Franciscan mission rises up again after two hundred years, and Lupe once more looks to the altarpiece for guidance, only to find the true purpose of her quest in the midst of her single greatest fear.

Check out these sites!

LOST MISSION


ATHOL DICKSON WEB SITE



ATHOL DICKSON BLOG




Don't take it from me, take the tour. Lots of great conversations. Click on these supreme blogsters below:



Brandon Barr


Keanan Brand

Amy Browning

Valerie Comer

CSFF Blog Tour

Stacey Dale

D. G. D. Davidson

Jeff Draper

April Erwin

Timothy Hicks

Jason Isbell

Becky Jesse

Cris Jesse

Jason Joyner

Julie

Carol Keen

Krystine Kercher

Dawn King

Rebecca LuElla Miller

New Authors Fellowship

John W. Otte

Donita K. Paul

Crista Richey

Chawna Schroeder

James Somers

Steve Trower

Fred Warren

Phyllis Wheeler

KM Wilsher

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

CINEMA SOUND OFF -- GREEN ZONE


Welcome to the very first Cinema Sound Off. My good friend
Lynn Rush and I love movies
and now we'll be sharing our reviews with you every second Tuesday of the month.

Our first movie to review: GREEN ZONE

KM's review:

I feel mislead by a trailer I saw for Green Zone a while back. I felt like it honed in on The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum. And so, when I sat down in my Harkins Theater seat, I was expecting Jason Bourne to walk onto the screen. Maybe not exactly Jason, but someone like him. Green Zone is not an Operation Treadstone flick. It is more of a political/war action/thriller and less the Special Forces-007 feel of the Bourne series.

I like political/war type action/thrillers. I am a big fan of Blackhawk Down, loved Behind Enemy Lines, but Green Zone? Not so much. I grant it 2 tickets. (Click here for rating system)

Allow me insert a note in here. This film would have received at least one more “ticket” from me if not for the shaky camera style. Why replace writing a good story and putting on a good performance with this home-movie-cinematographic technique? I’m going to have to purchase the motion sickness bracelets people wear on cruises and wear it to the theater anymore. Who enjoys it? I would have walked out on Matt and his quivering Green Zone, if it hadn’t been for CSO.

If I am to look beyond the shaky cam, there are things that I did enjoy. It kind of has a conspiracy-theory look at weapons of mass destruction. I love the match up of CIA verses the Army. And Matt Damon looked good. Age looks good on him.

However, if not for the handheld camera, Green Zone's blemishes would have been more apparent. Without spoiling it for those who love Paul Greengrass and his Nausea cam, I'll just say, the ending is predictable. And the anticipation this story builds is short lived and easily solved.
So Green Zone receives

2 tickets See it, but by yourself on DVD or Blue Ray

from KM Wilsher.

Now head on over to http://www.lynnrush.com/ to see what Lynn Rush has to say about Green Zone.

And come back in May. I hear we will review Ironman 2.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

LOST MISSION by ATHOL DICKSON * CHRISTIAN SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY BLOG TOUR

Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy Blog Tour
I don't know about you, but this sounds great. There is an Arizona link that I am thrilled about, of course. And the spanish connection seems fresh. Take a look for yourself.
I hear there is great debate and lots of conversation about Lost Mission.
Be sure to take the tour!



Lost Mission 2009 Howard Books (Simon & Schuster)

In short:
A billionaire
driven mad by grief.

A pastor
in love with the wrong woman.

An illegal immigrant
desperate to feed his family.

Only Lupe de la Garza can
save them from the ancient
evil lurking in a lost mission’s
ruins, but it will take an act of
faith beyond all human power.

An epic suspense story spanning two centuries and brimming with magical realism.
Lupe de la Garza, a simple shopkeeper in a mountain village in Mexico, believes God wants her to go to

America to preach the gospel. She is guided on her quest by her people’s greatest treasure: an altarpiece

painted by the eighteenth century Franciscan friar who founded her village after fleeing the mysterious

destruction of his California mission outpost. When Lupe is distracted by desire for a young minister who

rescues her from certain death in the Arizona desert, and when her preaching in a southern California beach

town inspires only apathy and laughter, she begins to lose faith in her quest. Then the slumbering evil that

destroyed the friar’s Franciscan mission rises up again after two hundred years, and Lupe once more looks

to the altarpiece for guidance, only to find the true purpose of her quest in the midst of her single greatest

fear.

Check out these sites! 
LOST MISSION 
ATHOL DICKSON WEB SITE
ATHOL DICKSON BLOG

Don't take it from me, take the tour. Lots of great conversations. Click on these supreme blogsters below:
Brandon Barr

Keanan Brand
Amy Browning
Valerie Comer
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Timothy Hicks
Jason Isbell
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Dawn King
Rebecca LuElla Miller
New Authors Fellowship
John W. Otte
Donita K. Paul
Crista Richey
Chawna Schroeder
James Somers
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Phyllis Wheeler
KM Wilsher

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Lynn Rush's interview with KM Wilsher

Check it out, Lynn has interviewed me: click here


My short story: Suicidal Instinct is in the third edition of The Cross and the Cosmos. It came out April 1.


CLICK HERE to go to The Cross and the Cosmos and read SUICIDAL INSTINCT by KM Wilsher.

Once you get there click on the blue rectangle to the left. Thank you all for the great support.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Suicidal Instinct by KM Wilsher

My short story: Suicidal Instinct is in the third edition of The Cross and the Cosmos. It came out April 1.
CLICK HERE to go to The Cross and the Cosmos and read SUICIDAL INSTINCT by KM Wilsher.
Once you get there click on the blue rectangle to the left. Thank you all for the great support.



The editors at The Cross and the Cosmos, Glynn Shull and John Turney, are genius!  Writers SUBMIT! Reader CHECK it out!  The Cross and the Cosmos is on the cutting edge of Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Earthquake in Phoenix, Arizona

Aproximatly 3:50 p.m. an earthquake hit Baja California/Mexico
Felt it here in Phoenix, Arizona. My clothes were swinging in my closet, hangers clinking together.
The ground swung back and forth. Wow!

Time Magnitude Location


8 minutes ago 4.5 Baja California, Mexico Map

28 minutes ago 4.1 Northern California Map

37 minutes ago 6.9 Baja California, Mexico Map

earthquake.usgs.gov

Happy Easter! This is the best day of the year. The day we celebrate as the day Jesus walked out of the grave with the keys to death. Thank you, my Lord, my Love.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

SUICIDAL INSTINCT by KM Wilsher

My short story: Suicidal Instinct is in the third edition of The Cross and the Cosmos which came out today.


CLICK HERE to go to The Cross and the Cosmos and read SUICIDAL INSTINCT by KM Wilsher.


Thank you all for the great support.
The editors at The Cross and the Cosmos, Glynn Shull and John Turney, are genius!