Anyways, I’m lacking motivation to write today, so I put in Drag me to Hell right before I sat down to write this. Get the heart pumping; wake me up. I know nothing about this movie other than a vague memory of the commercials last year. It just started and I’m not impressed with the gross gypsy woman and her curse on the pitiful Christine. Great timing with the storyline, considering the banking industry. Wrong target though. Can we please drag a few upper executives of the major banks to Hell…please.

I’m pretty excited that Literary Agent Rachelle Gardner is running a series this week in her blog on contradictory feedback.  This has been my greatest challenge as I make my way through the feedback from my critique group.  Best piece of advice she provides this morning.

It’s important for you to go with your gut and stick with your vision. Don’t allow anyone to take away your voice or an important part of your message. However, if you’re a newer writer and you’re not sure you’ve found your voice yet, you can allow those critics to help you refine your voice or find your vision. It’s a delicate and tricky balance – figuring out which changes feel like you’re improving the work, and which feel like compromise. Only you can decide.

I do go with my gut, but I’ve reached a point in my group where I have my favorite critique members.  And recently I’ve gone against my gut and experimented with a few suggestions that turned out helping the story flow better.  Interesting lesson and more contradictions.

Drag me to Hell is over.  My rating, 3 out of 5 stars.  They set it up, so it was very obvious how it was going to end.  All in all, the movie reminded me of a cutsie long and predictable Tales from the Crypt episode.

It’s Monday! What are You Reading?

What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme, hosted by Sheila at One Person’s Journey Through a World of Books where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Currently Reading: Road Trip of the Living Dead by Mark Henry & God Emperor of Dune by Frank Herbert

Listening to: Blood Trail by C. J. Box

Just Finished: Moonshine by Alaya Johnson & Small Favor by Jim Butcher (LOVED IT!!)

Next up: Dance on Fire by James Garcia Jr.

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Mickey Wade is a recently-unemployed journalist who lucked into a rent-free apartment—his sick grandfather’s place. The only problem: it’s in a lousy neighborhood—the one where Mickey grew up, in fact. The one he was so desperate to escape.

But now he’s back. Dead broke. And just when he thinks he’s reached rock bottom, Mickey wakes up in the past. Literally.

At first he thinks it’s a dream. All of the stores he remembered from his childhood, the cars, the rumble of the elevated train. But as he digs deeper into the past, searching for answers about the grandfather he hardly knows, Mickey meets the twelve-year-old kid who lives in the apartment below.  The kid who will grow up to someday murder Mickey’s father.

This book originally caught my attention in a review on Bookgasm.  When I read that the main character takes Tylenol from a bottle dated back in 1982 and slips back in time, I couldn’t resist.  I picked it up, read it in a few days and loved it.

I found this method of time travel unique and comical, which carried over into the personalities of the characters. In addition, Swierczynski creates real and honest characters that you love and hate. I also loved his writing style. It’s fast paced and almost like reading a much longer version of a graphic novel. There were times my heart raced while reading and that’s a gift. Can’t wait to read more by Swierczynski.

This blog post has been added to the Frightening Fiction Review, a month long blog hop hosted by Blood Reads eZine, for readers and writers who love the night. Join the hop and share reviews of our favorite dark fiction.

Sure, for major publishers it’s all about making money, and we the public have settled for what they produce. However, I get irritated when authors don’t even have to try to be unique anymore to get a huge book deal. Book after book are published, reusing the same old monsters, and we buy ‘em. Now we’ll get them with the same old classic novels. But they certainly won’t be books you read and say, “WOW!”

What I liked, first and foremost about this movie is that it has an interesting and almost believable storyline. The love story between the misfit and the vampire shows the awkwardness first love. The bullying endured by the misfit, and his eventual strength to fight back is the true horror story in this movie. It provides an excellent comparison between the cruelty in which humans are capable and a being without a conscience that feeds savagely on humans for survival. Which is worse?

What I didn’t like about this movie…well, nothing.

RATING: 5 out of 5

http://www.shelfari.com/books/52423/Brother-Odd-(Odd-Thomas-Novels)/bookthread?reviewid=938338

The 3D effects were excellent, and I appreciated the slowed motion of objects flying out at the audience, which left me cringing. Unfortunately l was left disappointed there weren’t more objects flying off the screen at me.

This is a teen must see movie, and I couldn’t help but wonder what it would have been like to see the movie in a theater filled with screaming girls, instead of one crazy middle-aged lady (me). I took my 14 year old son, and he absolutely loved the movie, especially the scenes with the 3D boobs and bullet flying at your eye.

All-in-all I loved the movie. If you like horror movies, don’t miss it in the theater.

RATING: 4 out of 5 (in 3D)

RATING: 4 out of 5