Colleen Houck's Blog, page 30

Barry Manilow

Now, now. I know what you’re thinking. Isn’t Barry Manilow like…dead? Actually he’s not. But dang is he old. I saw he was coming to town and bought tickets and since my hubby refused to accompany me, I took my friend Cindy instead.

 

 

First you have to know that Barry Manilow is who my mom listened to. This means that when I became interested in music, which was back in the 70’s, there was no way for me to access it other than via my mom’s old records. She had Elvis, Barry Manilow, and the Carpenters. I still listen to all of them.

 

The first thing I noticed was the giant disco ball hanging from the ceiling and then the grand piano adorning the stage. The opening act was okay. Some older fellow thinking he could still be sexy in his later years while blowing a saxophone. We giggled every time he wagged his eyebrows at the crowd and strutted around the stage.

 

 

I kinda felt sorry for the guys playing bass and guitar. They wore sunglasses the whole time even though it was dark which, to me, meant they were probably thinking, “Oh, man. This sucks. How did I end up on the Barry Manilow tour?”

 

We were pretty much surrounded by drunk seniors. One lady in front of us wore short shorts and a cut off shirt. Now, not many people even in their teens can pull that look off. It was just plain wrong and all kinds of distracting seeing the woman, who was at least in her early 60’s, get up and bounce around in front of us, body parts jiggling everywhere, while she shouted, “Barry! I love you!”

 

What surprised me the most about the concert was the fact that I literally knew every song the guy sang. Holy cow. He moved around the stage pretty well for an old guy. His hair is…unnatural but it somehow fits him. He must have been sweltering in his jacket but he’s a sequined professional. The people who set up the show brilliantly made use of video to show off his old material so he could catch his breath.

 

 

The crowd did a sing-a-long to “I Write the Songs” with on screen lyrics and a bouncing ball and everything. He joked about his age (he was born in 1943 so you do the math) and said he was turning 35 then added, “Just kidding. I’m more than twice than age now. But, I think of it this way, when my grandfather was this old, the best he could do was bring up phlegm.” 

 

 

While sitting at the piano and singing one of my favorites, Even Now, a rowdy group of ladies in the crowd screamed, “We love you, Barry!” He stopped playing and said, “I’ve still got it.” Then when he was done, he stood up and added, “You’re a romantic crowd aren’t you? I was even getting turned on myself for a minute there.”

 

 

 

 

He showed us a video of himself singing Mandy before he’d become famous and I was shocked to see he was actually a hottie. He looked like a Bee Gee or David Cassidy. Sort of. No? Maybe its the hair.

 

 

Then he talked about his new duets album and said, “All the old geezers are doing one, but I want mine to be different so I chose to do  duets with people who have passed on.” Barry said he wanted to call it “Death Duets” but the studio didn’t like his suggestion and dubbed it “Dream Duets” instead. He showed a video of Judy Garland singing and he joined it. Lovely. 

 

 

At the end of the show he sang a medley of maybe 20 to 25 songs and again I knew each one. Before he started, he said, “For all of you who’ve been dragged here tonight, this medley is going to be agony.” It wasn’t though. It was awesome. Then he left the stage and I was about to be all sorts of disappointed that the disco ball never came into play. But then he returned for an encore and sang, Copacabana with the whole crowd dancing under the disco ball. People, it just doesn’t get any more senior…er…I mean sweeter, than that.

 

Colleen Houck Book Club-June

The Stars Never Rise

by Rachel Vincent

Last month’s pick was The Wondrous and the Wicked by Page Morgan. For those of you who participated in the live chat on Goodreads with authors Page and Colleen Houck, thanks! It was so much fun! For the next reading selection Colleen has selected…

 

The Stars Never Rise

First Book in her new Paranormal Series

Rachel Vincent

Here’s a little teaser

“In the rebuilt town of New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. When Nina Kane discovers that her sister Melanie is hiding a dangerous secret, she knows she can’t protect them both on her own. Wanted by the Church and hunted by mutated monsters, Nina and a band of young fugitives fight to expose a startling truth that will change their world forever. In the rebuilt town of New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. When Nina Kane discovers that her sister Melanie is hiding a dangerous secret, she knows she can’t protect them both on her own. Wanted by the Church and hunted by mutated monsters, Nina and a band of young fugitives fight to expose a startling truth that will change their world forever.”

 

 Introducing Rachel Vincent

Here’s a little bio on Rachel.

“Rachel Vincent is a former English teacher and an eager champion of the Oxford comma. She shares her home in Oklahoma with two cats, two teenagers, and her husband, who’s been her # 1 fan from the start. Rachel is older than she looks and younger than she feels, and she remains convinced that writing about the things that scare her is the cheapest form of therapy—but social media is a close second.”

Check out more on her website at rachelvincent.com.  

 

 

I’m very excited to check out her novel and I look forward to discussing it at the end of the month with all of you on Goodreads for the live chat on June 27th at 7pm (PST). 

So everybody who wants to join us, go get your hands on this book. You can start leaving your questions right away (but don’t share spoilers just yet). Also, remember that you don’t need to read the book to participate in the live chat. It’s a GREAT opportunity to get to know the authors and ask any questions you’d like!

For fun there will be a GIVEAWAY including Rachel Vincent’s advanced reading copy of The Stars Never Rise and book by Colleen Houck during the live chat!

Stay tuned for the next edition of THE MODERN INK SOCIETY featuring guest blogger- Rachel Vincent!

Happy reading everyone!

~Till next time,

Linda Louise Lotti

Double Feature Movie Review: Avengers: Age of Ultron & Tomorrowland

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Colleen’s Movie Review

I always give spoilers so consider yourself warned. =)

Romance: So the guys all mention their significant others but none of the girls make an appearance in the film. There is a new teased romance however between Black Widow and Bruce Banner/The Hulk. She seems to like both versions of him pretty equally. We never really see this romance develop which is disappointing. It’s a bit like wham…there it is. You all make sense of it on your own. And even though there are obvious feels between them, nothing swoony actually happens other than some invading of personal space, the scintillating buttoning of a shirt, and the calming down of The Hulk.

Special Effects: Well you know anything Marvel does is going to have good special effects. It’s a given. It was pretty much as expected. The city rising up was cool as was the giant wormy mechanical thing. Also liked the army of iron men guys.

What I Liked: First off, I wish I had a Jarvis. Just saying. Also…sorry got lost for a moment thinking of Thor’s biceps. Me likey. Okay so the perfect Avenger’s boyfriend would be Tony Stark’s sense of humor and bank account, Captain America’s good boy code of honor, Hawkeye’s family devotion, Bruce Banner’s brain, and Thor’s accent and hair and beard and and smile and looks and…pretty much everything else.

 

Had to look up the red guy over here and he’s called Vision which is pretty much a boring name but man he was cool. My favorite thing about the movie actually. I really hope he pops up in the Marvel universe again. He was so much more compelling than the villain. Who was that again? Oh, yeah. Ultron.

 

Oh! And really loved the twins Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. They were really awesome. They don’t look like twins at all. Like in any way.

 

What I’d Change: The funny thing is…I remember liking the movie when I watched it but I can’t recall a single reason why, other than the charm of the heroes I love. I’m a bit nervous about the idea that the main Avengers will take off leaving behind only Black Widow (we’ll talk about her in a moment) and Cap and then an assorted hodgepodge of sidekicks. Can the Avengers work without Iron Man? I honestly don’t know. Not feeling optimistic though. He carries the movies in my opinion.

Okay so on to Black Widow. While I applaud wholeheartedly including a female among the superheroes, I don’t get her. Granted, I don’t read the comics that include her, but her backstory as told in this film was just sad and didn’t actually explain too much. So she’s a deadly assassin. Okay. How does that measure up to what the other guys can do? Also the sheer size of the buildings, trees, metal, cars, etc., they throw around should have killed her dozens of times. She needs a better power than just being deadly and super nimble. At least they let her calm down the Hulk which, if you ever watched the old Hulk television shows, pretty much any girl could do. Anyway, it gave her something to do.

There was too much destruction. This is surprising because Joss Whedon typically balances destruction with character development but since all these characters met previously, the dialogue was just slightly out of balance with the action. Iron Man having to contain the Hulk as he destroyed the city was just superfluous and a way to display someone’s cool  idea for a Hulk containment device.

The Tagline: A new age begins 

Not sure what new age is beginning. A new cast of Avengers is beginning. Maybe that’s what they mean. The tagline feels not quite right.

Hunky Hero: The Avengers is full of hunky heroes which is always a fun thing for me. Like I said before they each have good qualities.

 

The Villain: Ultron was much less interesting to me than Loki. If I had my way, I’d put Loki in everything. There were some good moments, like when Ultron overpowered Jarvis but I think taking out the human element lowers the stakes for me.

Best Line: 

Tony Stark: If I lift it, do I get to rule Asgard?

Thor: Yes, of course.

Tony Stark: I will be fair, but firmly cruel.

Maria Hill: [from trailer] All set up boss.

Tony Stark: Actually he’s the boss.

[points to Captain America]

Tony Stark: I just pay for everything and design everything, make everyone look cooler.

 

Best Scene: Definitely the hammer scene

 

Recommended for YA Fans: Obviously

Compared to the Book: Haven’t read the comics so I have no idea.

Trailer:

A Kid’s Perspective

Josh’s Bio: First, may I introduce the energetic Josh. Joshua loves pepperoni pizza just like his dad, and like all boys he loves video games first and foremost. He loves Roblox, Minecraft, and Transformers Fall of Cybertron. Josh is in the 4th grade and is really good at math. He loves to play Pokemon with his older sister on the Nintendo 3DS whenever he can. He also flies remote control helicopters with his dad.
Josh’s Review: I thought Avengers: Age of Ultron was cool and I like Ultron the robot guy. And I loved the part with Thor’s hammer. Iron Man turned into a big gigantic robot and punch, punch, punched the Hulk! I like the evil guy Ultron best since he kept on upgrading himself. My favorite Avenger is Iron Man because his Stark tower becamethe Avenger tower.

Aidan’s Bio: Hi. I am in fifth grade and I like games. For example, Plants vs. Zombies, Minecraft, and Luigi’s Mansion. I also like building paper crafts and Legos, playing with my brother Lex and baby sister Ashley, and creating animation with my Nintendo 3DS using play dough and action figures. My favorite subjects are science and art. My least favorite is of course math! I have so many favorite treats I can’t list them all. My favorite books I’ve read include; Diary of a Wimpy Kid novels, the How to Train Your Dragon series, Big Nate books and The Quest for the Diamond Sword (Minecraft novel). When I grow up I’d like to be either an engineer or a scientist. Aunt Colleen is special because she loves me so good.”

Aidan’s Review: My favorite Avenger is Iron Man because he’s cool and invents very high tech stuff. My favorite part is EVERY battle! If I could choose what to see in the next movie it would be Thanos. If I could have one super Avenger power it would be Tony Stark’s smartness. I give this movie 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Lex’s Bio: Hi, I am in the 4th grade. I like everything Legend of Zelda. I also like swimming, jumping off the diving board, going to Great Wolf Lodge and the great big awesome water stuff there, playing pretend, and wearing pajamas (my cozy clothes). My favorite subjects are art & science. My least favorite is Math and laundry and sitting still. My favorite treats are gummy worms, chicken & pasta with lots of Parmesan, fried rice with hoisin sauce, and brownies. Tomatoes and cucumbers are the most disgusting foods ever. When I grow up I want to star as Link in the new Legend of Zelda movie or maybe design video games. 

Lex’s Review: My favorite Avenger is Iron Man because he is very cool and he has so many creations from the future. My favorite part of the movie was the last battle with the city rising in the sky. And also two parts that made me laugh were when the big Iron Man suit was punching the Hulk and that one where that new super hero picked up Thor’s hammer and all the Avengers were like, “What?!” And the part I didn’t like has to do with the Hulk and Black Widow when she was like, “Hey Hulk, I should’ve got in the shower with you.” I give this movie 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

A Guy’s Perspective

Brad’s Bio: I’m Colleen’s husband, Brad. I’m the youngest of four kids. I’ve been Deaf since I was five so I watch every movie with caption glasses. I love sports and reading (I’ll admit I’ve read Twilight but prefer thrillers like Jack Reacher). My favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip. I’ll never turn down a taco. I write poetry. My man credentials include: a high school career in wrestling, watching sports every time my wife is too busy to notice, a receding hairline, two repaired ACL’s, and a stockpile of Axe body wash.

Brad’s Review: 

I’m not going to say too much, because most of you have probably seen it by now, but suffice it to say I relished this sequel much less than the first Avengers film. Why? Well, for starters, the story wasn’t as enthralling. Second, though I know Ultron has a history with the Avengers in the comic books, on screen, for an artificial intelligence who had just been invented, he came off as too powerful, and trying too hard to be funny with his one-liners. As a whole, the Avengers need a super-bad enemy, but the marriage of pure-evil, CGI, humor, and superior power that was rolled into Ultron didn’t work.

Third, I didn’t really get the budding romance between Hulk and Black Widow. Where that came from, and why, was never explained. Fourth, the constant, non-stop action, fighting, and destruction becomes extremely tedious for me. I want a story with character development, not simple mindless chaos toward saving a planet. Naturally, the special effects were superbly delivered, and they were out of this world. Having seen this film once, I won’t see it again.

I give this film 5.5 out of 10 Hulk Smash Fists.

 

Tomorrowland

Colleen’s Movie Review

I always give spoilers so consider yourself warned. =)

Romance: There is a sweet relationship between Athena and a young Frank, George Clooney, but since we mostly spend time with the adult George Clooney, the love they shared once upon a time felt strange when they came across each other again. This is because she’s an android that doesn’t age.

        

Special Effects: Everything about tomorrowland the place was pretty much awesome. I liked the old fashioned rockets and the Eiffel Tower becoming a launch pad. The giant robot things felt out of place in a Utopian society. The hovercraft monorail was an obvious nod to Disney’s monorail. But hover anything is cool.

 

What I Liked: The whole vision of tomorrowland was really cool. I especially liked the floating swimming pools. Not sure why there were in the middle of the city but it was interesting and a totally awesome and absolutely unattainable dreamy kind of idea. Can’t find a picture but I did find a picture of this which is not in the movie but it’s freaking awesome.

I really liked how I got a Tomorrowland pin when we went in to see the movie. That was a really awesome marketing tool! Disney is very adept at making things you want to collect and I see this pin becoming a collectible very quickly.

The acting was really good. I liked all the characters and especially enjoyed seeing the It’s A Small World ride being used to transport mysterious people to another dimension. Though I’m not entirely sure how the whole interdimensional contraption actually worked. 

 

What I’d Change: There were a lot of things about this movie that didn’t gel for me. 

1) While I liked the whole Utopia of Tomorrowland, I couldn’t figure out why people were jet packing around or getting into rocket ships. Supposedly this place is a top secret alternate dimension created for the super smart scientists of the world to go invent stuff without all the red tape or big brother watching over their shoulders. The thing is, I mostly saw teenagers goofing off or playing with high tech toys.

2) The robot bad guys with the toothy grins were cool but who sent them and why? Doesn’t make sense at all.

3) I liked George Clooney and Athena as young kids falling in love but seeing the older version with the young girl felt strange and awkward.

4) Why was the city destroyed?

5) Why were the inventions never used to help mankind?

6) How does negative thinking affect glaciers? 

7) What was the purpose of the tachyon thing or the giant robots guarding it?

8) Who put Hugh Laurie in charge? Why does he get to call the shots? 

9) Why is the teenage girl the savior of the world? And why is the hat so important?

10) Where did all the young androids come from? And why are all of them children?

11) What good is recruiting waitresses and tree planters to a scientific Utopia?

12) Why did we get into a sphere to go to the Eiffel Tower and board a rocket ship? Why couldn’t the sphere be the rocket ship?

13) How did the rocket ship travel interdimensionally? There was no special gate or shooting around the sun going on.

14) What was the point? I mean other than plugging Disney or Coke?

15) Where did the $190,000,000 dollars go? Maybe making pins.

The Tagline: Imagine a place where nothing is impossible

I like it, if Tomorrowland the place had actually lived up to its purpose. 

Hunky Hero: 

George Clooney is undeniably hunky. The little glimpses of warmth I saw when he looked at Athena were very sweet and reminiscent of his E.R. days. I want that George Clooney back. He can be so charming when he wants to be. He just doesn’t seem to care about that anymore.

The Villain: Hugh Laurie played David Nix, a character I didn’t really understand. He was the sort of gatekeeper of Tomorrowland and he alluded to the fact that he was using some kind of secret product to remain young. We never learn his true age but I can’t imagine he’d be older than 200ish since Tomorrowland’s “founding fathers” were early scientists like Thomas Edison. Regardless, he should be a man full of wisdom since he’s rubbed elbows with the best and brightest Earth can offer. Then he says things like, “We’ll be safe here in Tomorrowland.” This is while the Earth gets destroyed. My guess is that since Tomorrowland is layered on top of Earth there would still be consequences should the Earth fall. Also clearly something has happened to Tomorrowland to the point where even with robots they haven’t been able to make repairs. Not sure how safe they’d be or even why he’s so opposed to doing something about it. Which is ironic considering his big soapbox quote below. 

Nix: You’ve got simultaneous epidemics of obesity and starvation, explain that one. Bees butterflies start to disappear, the glaciers melt, the algae blooms. All around you the coal mine canaries are dropping dead and you won’t take the hint! In every moment there’s a possibility of a better future, but you people won’t believe it. And because you won’t believe it you won’t do what is necessary to make it a reality.

And then the theme of the film.

Casey Newton: There are two wolves who are always fighting. One is darkness and despair. The other is light and hope. The question is… which wolf wins?

Eddie Newton: The one you feed.

This is a nice idea but belief doesn’t always lead to action. Also sometimes bad things just happen. You can’t always do something about it.

Best Line: 

Athena: I’ve figured out why you couldn’t make me laugh.

Frank Walker: Why’s that?

Athena: You’re not funny.

This is funny because this movie was desperately screaming for some kind of humor to break up the bleakness. See the Nix paragraph above. I liked living in the 50’s version of the film. It was much more hopeful and exciting. By the time we moved into the modern world everything was depressing and just sad.

Best Scene: The Tomorrowland “commercial” shown to Casey Newton.

Recommended for YA Fans: It’s worth taking a look at. There are some interesting ideas here. If you’re a long time Disneyland fan you’ll like the beginning a lot. 

Compared to the Book: There is a book that has been written to go along with the film. It might be a good idea to read this before seeing the movie as it may help you to make more sense of the film. I can’t really speak to it myself since I haven’t read it yet.

 

Trailer:

A Kid’s Perspective

 

Lex’s Review: I like the girl robot because she is awesome and cool. My favorite part of the movie is when the girl gets the pin. If I could create a new ride in Tomorrowland it would be called Pacific Rim. Here’s how the ride would work. First you would go through the Jaeger’s head, then you go through the Kaiju’s mouth, then you would come out underwater and fight at the bottom of the ocean. I give this movie 5 out of 5 stars.

Aidan’s Review: I like the guy, Frank, with a lot of tech. My favorite part is when they touch the pin. My idea for a ride in Tomorrowland is to be on a roller coaster and I could ride through different scenes in the movie and you would get splashed by the water. I would give this movie 5 out of 5 stars.

A Guy’s Perspective

Bio: I’m Colleen’s husband, Brad. I’m the youngest of four kids. I’ve been Deaf since I was five so I watch every movie with caption glasses. I love sports and reading (I’ll admit I’ve read Twilight but prefer thrillers like Jack Reacher). My favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip. I’ll never turn down a taco. I write poetry. My man credentials include: a high school career in wrestling, watching sports every time my wife is too busy to notice, a receding hairline, two repaired ACL’s, and a stockpile of Axe body wash.

Review: 

 

Tomorrowland is perhaps my favorite, most intriguing section of the Disneyland theme park. For me, the film successfully transmitted that sense of wonder and curiosity that I often feel as I stroll through that section. Although the central message was somewhat clichéd and cheesy—typical of most Disney films— Tomorrowland was better than I expected as there was rarely a dull moment. An aura of mystery lingers throughout the film, keeping me on my toes to find out what happens next, and the special effects were excellent.

George Clooney (Frank) is the celebrity attraction, but Britt Robertson (Casey) has the most film time and she carries the film adequately. Casey is pleasant enough, almost too teeming with a positive-Mickey-Mouse-Club-never-say-die demeanor, but not annoying or unlikeable, whereas Clooney comes off as a bitter old man with an axe to grind. Apparently, her upbeat demeanor is what sets her apart from the rat race heading for the inevitable apocalypse.

While the special effects were well-done, I thought the Eiffel Tower splitting in half to reveal a secret rocket in the underground compartment was a tad unbelievable. On the other hand, I enjoyed the scenic transformation when Casey touches the Tomorrowland pin, and she takes us with her on her journey of discovery.

The conclusion is a bit of a stretch, but I did not feel like I had wasted my money. Though I did think directors/producers/writers Brad Bird (The Incredibles) and Damon Lindelof (Lost) could have done a better job, I would still give this film 7 Hulk Smash Fists.

I give this film 7 Hulk Smash Fists.

 

Mayday Monday (6)

 

Goodreads | Amazon

Kenna is tired of being “normal”. The only thing special about her is that she isn’t special at all. Which is frustrating in a world of absolutes. Villains, like the one who killed her father, are bad. Heroes, like her mother and best friend, are good. And Kenna, unlike everyone else around her, is completely ordinary— which she hates.
She’s secretly working on an experiment that will land her a place among the Heroes, but when a Villain saves her life during a break-in at her lab, Kenna discovers there’s a whole lot of gray area when it comes to good and evil and who she can trust.. After all…not all strength comes from superpowers.

Tera Lynn Childs and Tracy Deebs are both awesome people. I have enjoyed other works they have written but this will be my first where they co-author. You should definitely check out this book!

REAWAKENED Book Trailer Reveal, an Interview, PLUS Contest!

The long awaited moment is finally here! Colleen Houck has teamed with Crush Creative for a book trailer on her new Egyptian series REAWAKENED. After much collaboration and creative genius, we are excited to bring you the new Reawakened book trailer, but first . . . A little behind the scenes interview with the creative geniuses behind the show,

Q:     Who/What is Crush Creative?

A:     Crush Creative is anything and everything from Storytellers and Typographers to   Makers and Visualizers. They are a design agency that provides creative solutions across all print, digital and moving media. The company is run by seven (eight if you include their dog Pepper). The REWAKEND book trailer was spear headed by the very talented Chris Ryatt.

Q:     How do you story board?

A:     First we sketch out a script which we then fine tune and eventually approve with the client. We tend to tailor the script to reflect the kinds of things that we want to see in the trailer. Once the script is approved we then sketch out the frames just to show what will be included in the scenes and then suggestions of how we might transition from frame to frame. Once the contents of the trailer is agreed upon, we then begin to replace our pencil sketches with style and content tests before we begin animation. (Here’s a sneak peak at some of their sketches)

Q:     How do you decide what to keep and keep secret?

A:     When we are writing the script with the client, we have an ongoing discussion about what we want to include and whether some scenes or the inclusion of certain characters or landmarks would give too much of the plotline away, much like a film trailer, we want to include elements and scenes that are exciting but keep the major plot points and conclusions hidden.

Q:     What programs do you use?

A:     firstly we use good old fashioned pencil and paper! Then we take our sketches into Photoshop and any type and illustrative elements are done in Illustrator and overlaid in Photoshop. We then design each key frame which goes to animation in After effects and any 3D elements will be rendered in Cinema 4d.

Q:     How much time/work does it take for a min long trailer?

A: From initial script structuring and storyboarding to final files, we generally are looking at about 4-5 weeks worth of work.

Q:     What makes a successful trailer in your opinion?

A:     A good trailer should look beautiful and really excite the viewer. When kids watch book trailers its a good way to introduce them to the story without reading the blub. Kids are used to grabbing information quickly online, sharing it with friends will generally build up excitement for the release of the book. A successful trailer leads to kids reading the book at the end of the day!

Q:     Are there awards for book trailers?

A:      Not that we know of.

Q:     How many people end up working on a book trailer?

A:     Generally 4 people work on the trailer, the designer/artdirector, the animator, the soudeffects artist and the client as they will be providing feedback throughout the process.

Q:     How are book trailers different from movie trailers?

A:     A  movie trailer is usually a really great edit of the best bits of a film without spoilers. With a book trailer however you start with a blank canvas. Apart from a book cover there isn’t usually any visual look and feel to feed off. Sometimes we take influence from the cover but often the script is the thing that feeds our visual imagination.

Q:     How are they the same?

A:     Their objectives are the same at the end of the day – to build excitement before the release. But with books the viewer is really building up the visual story in their mind. Thats why we like using illustration and animation for book trailers because it leaves much more space for the readers interpretation when reading. If you use real footage and characters it can bend the viewers point of view too early.

Q:     How many book trailers do you make in a year?

A:     We are making less and less each year but I would say over the past 5 years we have made about forty. Seventy five percent of the trailers are for the young adult or children markets.

Q:     What was the first book trailer you ever did?

A:     When we made our first book trailer we didn’t even know we were making a book trailer. We just saw it as another piece of promotion. It was this one: https://vimeo.com/6697193  for the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. We showed that one to another publishing company who loved it and bingo… we were off and running – we must have done about ten in the first year.

Q:     Are book trailers a fad or are they here to stay?

A:     The success of book trailers is really down to promotion. If they are made, stuck on line and no one promotes them then yes they will die out. However in the right hands, a book trailer can be very powerful. They need to be spread via social media, blogged and tied into author & publishers web pages. They are a great way to get the flavour of a story across in thirty seconds.

Q:     Why is video important to marketing?

A: Same as above.

Q:     Tell us more about Crush Creative!

A:     Too much to tell! We are 7 creatives based in Brighton UK that love to make beautiful work. See what we do here http://www.crushed.co.uk

 

 

So without further delay, may I introduce for the first time ever, Colleen Houck’s Book 1 in the Egyptian Series, REAWAKENED book trailer!

From New York Times bestselling author Colleen Houck comes an epic adventure about two star-crossed teens who must battle mythical forces and ancient curses on a journey with more twists and turns than the Nile itself.

 

 

In celebration of this book trailer reveal, we’d like to host a contest!

 

 One lucky person will win a REAWAKENED PRIZE PACKAGE (includes an advanced reader copy of REAWAKENED and lots, lots more)!

Here’s how the contest works,

SHARE THE BOOK TRAILER via some social media platform  (facebook, twitter, email, youtube, twitter, or pinterest) and add the REAWAKENED book on your Goodreads page “to be read” list.

How? You simply share the book trailer, copy the link (the url address) and paste it in the rafflecopter below.

There is no limit to how many times you enter this contest. You can even share every day if you’d like! Hey, it might annoy your friends but it’ll increase your chances to win right?

 

Good luck everyone!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~Till next time,

Linda Louise Lotti

Reawakened Playlist Reveal & Playlist Winner Reveal

It’s time to release the playlist for REAWAKENED, Colleen’s new book from her Egypt Series.  Songs tie us to moments in our life. That is true for Colleen and her characters as well.  I can still remember slow dancing at a youth dance with my first boyfriend to Madonna’s, “I’m Crazy for You.”  Songs are like points on a map that show us where we have been. We half smile as we drive down the road listening to the radio while lyrics take us back to High School.  We feel temporarily heart broken again as we recall a hard breakup in college.  We slow down for a a good cry when we hear songs that remind us of a lost loved one.  Songs can be a direct link to our emotions. So let’s see what songs Colleen chose and the top fan suggestions.

 

These are the Semi Finalists

1)  When I Look At You by Miley Cyrus submitted by Allana Lopez

 

2)  Two Young Hearts by Sabrina Carpenter submitted by Helen Gomez

 

3)  C’est La Mort by The Civil Wars  submitted by Janellie Berlanga

 

 

4) Fire N Gold by Bea Miller submitted by Debi Tonks

 

Honorable Mentions



Bright by Echosmith submitted by Samantha Rae
We’ll Be The Stars by Sabrina Carpenter submitted by  Vikimarie
Stars by Grace Potter And The Nocturnals submitted by Cali Marie
 








WINNER



Your Arms Feel Like Home-3 Doors Down submitted by Jen H.
 

 

OFFICIAL REAWAKENED PLAYLIST

 Thanks for all of the great song suggestions.  Songs already listed on the Playlist were not chosen but you might see them there. That’s means you’re totally in sync with Colleen!

Romantic Times Convention 2015 in Dallas, Texas

 

The Romantic Times Convention 2015 was held in Dallas, Texas this year.   We started off our first night in the chic restaurant Five-Sixty by chef Wolfgang Puck. Wolfgang Puck has been the chef who has catered for the Oscars for years and we were excited to enjoy such a treat.  The restaurant is in the top of the sphere and it rotates so you can see the panoramic view of downtown Dallas.

 

 

Tuesday night we attended the Young Adult Slumber Party with a large group of fun authors.  Check out all the prizes Colleen gave away.  These parties are always a blast.  We played games, they had drinks and snacks, and there was a contest for best slippers.  I don’t know where you guys get your slippers, but I need to step my game up and buy some statement slippers  for next year.

 

Wednesday Colleen led a panel including authors Bree Despain, Stacey Kade, Ann Aguirre, Aprilynne Pike, and Carrie Ann Ryan.  Cross promotion was the theme and Colleen shared information about YASH. YASH or Young Adult Scavenger Hunt is a bi-annual cross promotional event where authors give away free books, swag, and bonus material to their eager fans.  If you haven’t adventured into one of these hunts add your name into the YASH website to get added to the email list, and we will remind you.

 

 

Thursday Colleen co-hosted a Reader’s Party titled, YA:You’re Never Too Old.  We had 27 Young Adult authors and 24 fun filled themed tables covered in awesome swag including jewelry, make-up, themed candy, pencils,  headbands, and so much more. Check out the give away bags of books each reader received packed with at least 4 books and stuffed with swag.

 

That night we attended the Steampunk Party all dressed up.  We had a blast!

 

Friday was our shopping day.  We took a taxi to the Galleria Mall, ate lunch, and shopped until we attended the party  “Avon Presents a Night in Paris… Texas.”  These parties are so much fun for readers because romance authors from various genres, yummy food, and ton’s of free books are the recipe for this event.  I watched as person after person weighed down with totes full of books left the party with smiles on their face and a limp in their step because they were so weighed down with so many books.

 

 

 

Saturday is the big day for Colleen.  We woke up early and started on hair and make-up.  Colleen wanted to have an Egypt themed hair and make-up day.  We saved pictures of hair and make-up ideas we found and tried to recreate them.  If you head to Pinterest and check out the Colleen’s Beauty Board you can see all the ideas we’ve been collecting.

 

We then ran off to the huge book fair weighed down with gifts for as many fans as we could carry.  Colleen brought Tiger’s Promise and the ARC for Reawakened, perfumes created to smell like her characters, themed chocolate, and so much more.

One of the last events of the day is the “Teen Day Party” when readers can get another tote full of books plus an extra book or two in the grab room.  The room is full of teens, authors, and food.  If you can ever make it to the Teen Day of the Romantic Times convention, do  it!  It only costs $30 for the ticket and it gets a teen and an adult in.  You definitely get your money’s worth just in books, and you can meet the author and have them sign the book.

Shara Lane

Modern Ink Society-June

FEATURING GUEST

Page Morgan

A Day in the Life of an Author

Welcome to the sixteenth session of

THE MODERN INK SOCIETY!

“We live and breathe words. …. It was books that made me feel that perhaps I was not completely alone. They could be honest with me, and I with them. Reading your words, what you wrote, how you were lonely sometimes and afraid, but always brave; the way you saw the world, its colors and textures and sounds, I felt–I felt the way you thought, hoped, felt, dreamt. I felt I was dreaming and thinking and feeling with you. I dreamed what you dreamed, wanted what you wanted“.

 

— Cassandra Claire


“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”  
                                              –  Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Introducing the lovely

Page Morgan

 A Day in the Life of an Author

“Where do you find the time to write?” This is one of the first questions I get whenever I tell someone I’m an author. When I think of full time, work-from-home authors, I picture them sitting down at a desk with a cup of coffee in the morning, getting up to eat lunch, then sitting back down and writing for a few more hours.

One of these days, that might be what my writing day looks like. But right now, my days aren’t anywhere near that ordered. Some days, like when my youngest child is in preschool, I can write for four or five hours straight. Heaven! Other days, I start and stop so many times I can’t begin to add up how much time I’ve spent writing. Sometimes, when I’m really lucky, I get to go to my little one-room writing cabin my husband renovated for me a few years ago.

The only consistent thing is that I write almost every single day. Still…even if I’m not writing, I’m thinking about writing. It’s safe to say I’m obsessed. Before I had kids I would wait for the muse to kick in. I would have a hard time getting into the writing zone, too. Not anymore. When I realize I have 30 minutes free time to write, I jump at it. I don’t need a zone. I don’t need total silence. I just start writing. I have to, or else I don’t reach my daily goal of 1K words. Do I reach that goal every day? Not at all. But I always write something.

I’ve also given myself permission to write totally crappy first drafts. My mantra lately is, “Write it now, fix it later. Just get the words down.” I’ve finished four books within the last twelve months, so something about my schedule seems to be working. It’s an exhausting schedule, sure, but I love my crazy, hectic writing life, and I wouldn’t want to spend my days doing anything else.”

A huge thanks to Page for sharing a little glimpse into her writing world! I’m amazed at her ability to stay on task and get work done with all of life’s distractions. I mean wouldn’t it be so much nicer if author’s had the ability to go and sit in a quiet field or lay on a blanket of soft grass with pen and paper (or laptop) in hand and just type away hour after hour? It seems the more I learn about the day to day routine of an author, the more I find that they juggle many roles and responsibilities all the while finding the words that make their story come to life.  Crazy and inspirational! If you’d like to learn more about Page Morgan and check out her books, you can go to her website, pagemorganbooks.com.

 Also, remember that you can participate in the live chat on Goodreads with her and Colleen tomorrow May 27th for a chance to win free books!

~Till next time,

Linda Louise Lotti

Mayday Monday (5)

Check it out, I’m on a roll with these Mayday Mondays! Let me know if there’s a YA book that you’re waiting to be released that I can feature!

The Maze Runner meets Scott Westerfeld in this gripping new series about teens held captive in a human zoo by an otherworldly race. From Megan Shepherd, the acclaimed author of The Madman’s Daughter trilogy.

When Cora Mason wakes in a desert, she doesn’t know where she is or who put her there. As she explores, she finds an impossible mix of environments—tundra next to desert, farm next to jungle, and a strangely empty town cobbled together from different cultures—all watched over by eerie black windows. And she isn’t alone.

Four other teenagers have also been taken: a beautiful model, a tattooed smuggler, a secretive genius, and an army brat who seems to know too much about Cora’s past. None of them have a clue as to what happened, and all of them have secrets. As the unlikely group struggles for leadership, they slowly start to trust each other. But when their mysterious jailer—a handsome young guard called Cassian—appears, they realize that their captivity is more terrifying than they could ever imagine: Their captors aren’t from Earth. And they have taken the five teenagers for an otherworldly zoo—where the exhibits are humans.

As a forbidden attraction develops between Cora and Cassian, she realizes that her best chance of escape might be in the arms of her own jailer—though that would mean leaving the others behind. Can Cora manage to save herself and her companions? And if so . . . what world lies beyond the walls of their cage?

 

Releasing tomorrow, this premise totally makes me want to watch Men In Black with the little aliens in the locker…. Tell me you know what I mean!

Glamming up for the Steampunk Party at the Romantic Times Convention 2015

 

Another awesome convention has come to an end, and I’m already suffering from sister withdrawls.  This year all three sisters came to celebrate Colleen’s overwhelming success and we even lassoed a few extra family members and friends into our corral in Dallas, Texas.

 

 

We started to plan for this party last year as we shopped for corsets, torture devises that can really boost or destroy your self esteem with just a few painful tugs, homemade aged metallic jewelry, boots that make you cheer with appreciation for what they can do for your squat height, and bustles that somehow make you feel thinner since your derrière is covered in yards of copious fabric.  We just added some last minute goggles, hats, and faux leather leggings. 

My mom loves dressing up in costumes and we wanted to make her proud.  So we put on our false eyelashes, metallic eye shadows, and curled our hair.  If you don’t know exactly what goes into a Steampunk costume just mix add a mix of a pirate, Mary Poppins, and a dirigible captain. 

 

For my hair we tried to copy a pretty braided headband style we found online. We had some pre-braided hair extensions and we just clipped them in and wound them into little buns nestled tightly next to one another. To finish off the look we used our last braid to weave in-between each bun to fill in the blank spaces.  The rest of the hair hung loose with thick curls. We added some extra jewelry pieces to finish off the look.

 

 

 

Click and watch this fun Steampunk make up tutorial. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see Colleen had the complete costume including her miniature hat with feathers.  She looked so pretty!  The apples(s) didn’t fall far from the tree since we all love dressing up.  At the party they had some dancing and the green screen photo op with all of us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you want to read a Steampunk novel check these out.

 

 

 

 

Shara Lane