Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Writing Update: Loving Instincts and Feeling the Rhythm

Hello, everyone! I just wanted to check in and give you all a quick update on the latest in my writing adventures.

We'll start first with my upcoming release, the third vampire novel in the Instincts series, LOVING INSTINCTS. I'm still in edits on this one, but I'm happy to say the edits are moving along nicely and things are looking good for an August release. Don't have a specific day yet, but when I do, I'll announce it. And once I get through one more round of edits, I'll post a little sneak peek excerpt of it ;-) The novel is standing at just a little over 100k words, and with the major additions and deletions finished on it (at least I hope so!), it looks like that's going to be the final word count, so it's a long one!

Next in writing news, I've been working away on Conquest's Brad Delfini's story. Really, I have! I know this one has been a long time coming, but Brad had to be ready to tell his story on his time. Now, his story has broken the 50k mark with more to go. Along with that, I think I've settled on a title: FEELING THE RHYTHM. I'm still hoping to have it finished by the end of summer and am keeping my fingers crossed for a winter release and for it to be my last novel release of 2012.

And that's it! That's what I've been up to. Hope it all sounds like good news to everyone, and I hope when these books do go live, that all who give them a read will enjoy them.


Thursday, July 19, 2012

Movie Review - Judas Kiss

Hey, everyone! I'm doing something a little different here. Usually I post updates on my writing, things going on at The Sweet Spot, Weekly Inspiration (which we all know isn't very weekly, anymore), but I wanted to share with you about a movie I just watched, Judas Kiss.

Honestly, with how I love watching movies, I thought back when I started this blog, I'd write more reviews to share with everyone. But my time is so limited I don't get to watch as many movies as I'd like, and with writing reviews, I feel if I'm going to write anything, it should be on one of my manuscripts. Even when I decide to watch a movie, the guilt factor kicks in, leaving me thinking through much of it, I should be writing. And I'm sorry to say, the movies I've selected lately aren't able to hold my attention and they end up becoming background noise as I crack open my laptop and start doing just that.

So these days, there has to be something about a movie that really motivates me to set the time aside to watch it, and once I'm watching it, the next challenge comes in it has to intrigue me enough to not become reduced to background noise. And then there's the third challenge, one that's so rare for a movie to meet; can it motivate me to put my book writing time aside to write a review for it? Well, congratulations goes to Judas Kiss. It came through all three challenges victorious.

First, let me introduce you to the movie. The blurb reads:

Failed filmmaker, Zachary Wells, is convinced by his best friend and hotshot director, Topher, into replacing him as a judge in their film school's annual festival. Zach's one-night stand with a student backfires when that student walks into an interview the next morning calling himself Danny Reyes, the name Zach went by when he attended the school. And Danny's film, "Judas Kiss," is a finalist in the competition Zach is judging. Zach's film, also "Judas Kiss," won the festival years before. As Zach scrambles for answers, a mysterious, chain-smoking campus tour guide, counsels him: "Change the kid's past, change your future." But how? Zach comes to believe he can mend his life by disqualifying Danny from competition, putting him on a different path than Zach followed. But will Zach's plan work?


Sounds interesting enough, right? I still wasn't fully sure what to expect when I went into it, but I was very pleased with what the movie presented in the story line. At it's most basic is, Judas Kiss is a movie about the decisions a person makes, how those decisions shape your life, and what would you do if you were given a chance to go back to a certain point in your life and do things differently. A concept that's familiar and anyone can relate to. Who hasn't wondered what it would be like to travel back in your life and coach yourself to do something differently? While it's a familiar enough plot, how it's presented in Judas Kiss makes it creative and fresh. So how does it accomplish this? In my opinion, two ways; excellent script writing and solid acting.

It's no easy thing to take a familiar idea and make it fresh, but that's what Judas Kiss does. Most movies and stories about going to the past to change your future are all about redemption and ultimately becoming happy with where you truly are in your life and learning to accept the journey - mistakes and all - that brought you there. This is still very true for Judas Kiss, but it's the way it's written that makes it feel like a new concept. It's edgy in its presentation and there's almost a feeling of darkness hovering over it.

In these types of "time travel" movies, I always know the protagonist is going to do the right thing. Not with Zach. He's a good guy...but doesn't 100% so. As he confronts his younger self, Danny, I was never fully certain what he was going to decide, whether to help Danny be successful in that moment, or deny Danny what he wants most to perhaps better his (their) future. That questioning and doubt of what Zach's going to do, the complexity of the situation, kept me intrigued and guessing through the movie.

The thing about Judas Kiss is as it goes on, it gets stronger. It keeps building, and when it does reach it's climax, it's an emotional punch in those last twenty to thirty minutes. And that most certainly is a mark of good writing.

Now for the acting. We have the following characters and the actors who played them:

Zach Wells played by Charlie David
Danny Reyes played by Richard Harmon
Shane Lyons played by Timo Descamps
Chris Wachowsky played by Sean Paul Lockhart (Brent Corrigan)

There are other characters, but these are your main players. I have to start out by saying that all the actors delivered solid performances. It's really been a long time since I've watched a movie, including blockbuster Hollywood "sensations", where the acting has been able to pull me in, but these guys had me completely engrossed in the story. Two, though, did an exceptional job, and of those two, one in particular truly shined. I'll get to him in a second.

Of the first who I felt did exceptional is Richard Harmon. He gave the character of Danny multiple layers, from the arrogant film student prodigy to a young man desperate for a chance to make his life better. His performance was so strong, and he made me care about Danny, which in turn, made me care about Zach. To me, that's the sign of good acting.

Now for the actor who shined the brightest; Sean Paul Lockhart. He was phenomenal. Absolutely phenomenal! His role was a secondary character, that of Chris, but every scene he was in, I found myself watching him more than anyone else, and as the movie progressed, waiting for him to come on screen again. He has that special trait that a person can't be taught, they're just born with; charisma. His acting was so natural, I didn't feel like I was watching an actor. I believed his performance. His facial expressions, his gestures, his line delivery, were spot on perfect. For me, I could see so much of the character Chris's emotions and moments of internal struggle, his vulnerability, in the expressions Sean Lockhart presented and put forth in the tones and inflections in his voice. It was a stellar performance by him, and I really hope to see him in more films and in leads roles.

And so, there it is, ladies and gentlemen. My review of Judas Kiss. If I were to put a star rating on it, I'd give it 5 out of 5. It's a fresh spin on a timeless concept, edgy and emotional, thought-provoking with a tint of darkness, but ultimately uplifting. The acting was all around strong, and Sean Paul Lockhart will have you captivated the moment he comes on screen. Very highly recommended.

For more information on Judas Kiss, here's the official website: http://judaskissmovie.com/
There are plenty of viewing and purchasing options for it on its website, but you can also view it HERE at Amazon.com.


Sunday, July 15, 2012

Weekly Inspiration - Adam Von Rothfelder

As usual, the Weekly Inspiration hasn't been very "weekly" lately, but on the plus side, the first round of edits are now finished on the third novel in the Instincts series, LOVING INSTINCTS. Woo hoo! And so, with having a little breathing room until the next set of edits hit me, I thought I should get some inspiration up for everyone. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present, Adam Von Rothfelder.

According to the info I've found on him, Adam is not only a model, but he's also a personal trainer, he owns a gym in Milwaukee, WI called Drench Fitness Boutique, and was a professional UFC fighter. And just look at all that beautiful ink on him! Yeah, tons of inspiration going on with him.

For modeling, he's done work for Baskit as an underwear model, and has also done numerous other shoots, so there are many images of him out there on the Net for those who'd like to see more. Enjoy!















  

Friday, July 6, 2012

July 7th Reader Appreciation Day Prize List




Hey, ladies and gentlemen! This Saturday, July 7th, is Reader Appreciate Day at The Sweet Spot. Woo hoo! We've got a great list of generous and talented authors donating prizes as their way of saying Thank You to you, the reader! Want to know what you'll have a chance to win if you swing by and post to our giveaway thread? Well, here you go!



Leigh Elwood - ebook copy of M-SQUARED

K-lee Klein - ebook copy of LUCIUS' BITE (Family of Misfits, No. 1)

Harper Fox - ebook copy of ALL ROADS LEAD TO YOU

Belinda McBridge - ebook copy of UNCOMMON WHORE BOOK 2: WHEN I FALL

Tara Lane - ebook copy of BEACH BALLS

Erica Pike - ebook copy of THE WALLS HAVE EARS

L.C. Chase - ebook copy of RIDING WITH HEAVEN

L.C. Chase - ebook copy of LONG, TALL DRINK

T.N. Tarrant - special short story, ONE OF THOSE DAYS, AGAIN

Lisabet Sarai - ebook copy of CROSSED HEARTS

Rawiya - ebook copy of SMOOTH LIKE LATTE

J.M. Cartwright - ebook copy of A CHANGE OF PACE

Kendall McKenna - ebook copy of WAVES BREAK MY FALL and a swag bag full of useful and luxurious items

Jambrea Jo Jones - ebook copy of a title from her backlist

Sloan Parker - print copy of MORE

Sloan Parker - $15 in eBook Bucks to AllRomance eBooks

S.J. Frost (Me!) - ebook copy of a title from my backlist

S.J. Frost (Me, again!) - $15 in eBook Bucks to AllRomance eBooks



It's all thanks to these fantastic authors that we can hold this event and it's all for you wonderful readers who give us so much support. Sloan, Jambrea, and I are extremely happy to have this giveaway on our group for everyone!





If you'd like a chance to win one of these prizes, just head over to The Sweet Spot tomorrow, July 7th, and leave a comment on one of the giveaway threads. The first thread will be posted at 8:00am EST, and then periodically throughout the day, with the giveaway ending at 8:00pm EST. Authors, if you've donated a prize, please feel welcomed to stop by! Say hi to the readers, post some blurbs and excerpts, let us know what you got going on!

Hope to see everyone there!

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Reader Appreciation Day - July 7th


Hey, ladies and gents! It's that time again, Reader Appreciation Day at The Sweet Spot, the Yahoo Group run by Sloan ParkerJambrea Jo Jones, and...me! We hold it on the first Saturday of every month, and here's the official announcement.


SloanJambrea, and I are thrilled to announce M/M Reader Appreciation Day at The Sweet Spot. This is one day every month for authors of M/M romance to say thanks to all you readers out there who support our writing efforts.

Readers, every month stop by the Yahoo Group  to chat with authors and enter for a chance to win free books and other prizes from a variety of m/m authors.

Reader Appreciation Day will be held on Saturday, July 7. On that day, we'll post a full list of all prizes available in the group. Just respond to the giveaway thread on the Yahoo Group between 8am and 8pm EST to be included in the drawing.

Authors, if you're interested in participating in the giveaway, send an email to: thesweetspotmm@gmail.com

Please include what you'd like to donate for the June giveaway, a link, and a cover art pic. In the future, we'll include you in our monthly announcement for a chance to donate. You can participate as little or as often as you'd like. During the Reader Appreciation Day event, everyone who donated a prize is welcome to post to the group with a blurbs and excerpts of their work. Other than books, gift certificates and other prizes are also welcomed!

Hope to see you all there!

Independence Day Blog Hop Winner!


Hey, everyone! Before I announce the winner of the Celebrating Independence Blog Hop giveaway, I just want to extend my appreciation to everyone who stopped by here. It was wonderful to see familiar faces and new ones, and the kind words and good wishes you all offered gave me such a smile :D Thank you all so much!

And now, because I know everyone wants to know who the giveaway winner is, it's....

Suze!

Congratulations, Suze! I'll be getting in touch with you very soon.

As always, the winner was chosen using Random.org, so that way the computer did the dirty work. I just can't pick a winner on my own. But there's two pieces of good news I can offer to everyone.

First; you can have a second chance to win one of my books this Saturday, July 7th. That day is Reader Appreciation Day at The Sweet Spot, the Yahoo Group run by me, Sloan Parker, and Jambrea Jo Jones. I'm offering up a title from my backlist in ebook as a prize, as well $15 in eBook Bucks to ARe. But I'm not the only one offering prizes. Many other authors are too, and I'll be getting a full list up soon.

Second, for those who haven't seen, you can download a free story from me, "Of Honor and Love", at Goodreads, Smashwords, and AllRomance eBooks. Whichever is your preferred choice, the story is at all three places in PDF, mobi (prc/Kindle), and epub (Nook).

Thank you again, so very much, to each and everyone one of you for visiting here!

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Celebrating Independence Blog Hop Giveaway!


All right, guys and gals, it's time for another blog hop! I do enjoy these hops, getting to be introduced to new authors, and for me personally, to give a little something back to readers :-)  Once again, I'll be giving away one book off my backlist, in ebook. For a chance to win, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post. Be sure to include your email address, so I can contact you in case you win. If you're not comfortable putting your email out there for everyone's eyes, you can also email your entry to me at s.j.frost3@gmail.com  I'll be announcing the winner on May 5th.

And don't forget to stop by other blogs participating in this hop for a chance to win more books and prizes! There are over 200 authors taking part from many different genres. To see who's offering prizes, please go HERE.

I also have to give a huge thank you to Drea Becraft for all her time and efforts with organizing the hop. Great job, Drea!

 To everyone, I hope you have a safe and fun 4th of July! Best of luck to all who enter the giveaway!


Weekly Inspiration - 4th of July Edition

Hey there, ladies and gentlemen! With the 4th of July holiday coming up in a few days, I thought I'd go patriotic and put up another special edition of Weekly Inspiration. I sadly don't have much in the way of names for these models, so I do apologize for that. Some of these pics I may have posted on the last Independence Day, but hey, they're worth checking out again, I think.

Here's wishing everyone a happy and safe 4th of July!