Watty You Talkin' About?

Don't know if you've heard but the Watty Awards are back! What are the Watty Awards, 

you ask? The Wattys are awarded, based on votes from the Wattpad community to the most

loved stories in PopFic, FanFic, and Original Fiction for young readers. The more people 

love a story, the better its chance of winning! So, yeah… it's a Wattpad popularity contest, 

but still I thought it would be fun to enter and see how I do. However, to enter I had to 

upload the entire book onto Wattpad, which means that "The Forsaken" is now available in 

its entirety to read for free on Wattpad! Originally I was only planning on adding one 

chapter a month from the book until it was complete and leave the whole book up on 

wattpad for just a couple of weeks. It seemed worth it to push the whole thing six months 

ahead of schedule for the chance to enter the contest. The Voting Period: Jan 6 - 31, 2014 

Winners Announced: February 2014 I'll make sure to remind everyone when voting starts. 

But until then here is some more info on the contest:

What the Winner Gets:

The Top Popular and On the Rise story in each subcategory of Original Fiction, PopFic, and 

FanFic, will be recognized with a Watty Award. We will cement your bragging rights as a 

Watty-award-winning writer by featuring your winning story in the Wattys Winner’s 

Showcase in the Discover section of our mobile app, on our blog, and on the Wattys 

Winner’s reading list.

All 16 winners in the Original Fiction category will each receive a $200 cash prize. 

Additionally, one lucky finalist in the Original Fiction category will win the chance to work 

with a Sourcebooks editor to develop his or her work for possible publication!

Anyway, I just wanted to share the news and get you all excited for the awards, too. Until 

the voting period starts you can still go and read my story as much as you like, but don't 

vote yet! To read it, go to this link: http://www.wattpad.com/story/4983406-the-forsaken. 

In the meantime I'm also participating in NaNo Wrimo this year 

http://nanowrimo.org/about. Feel free to buddy me on the website, my username is 

rjcraddock. I'm looking forward to writing at least fifty thousand words in book three "The 

Coven" this month. I'll keep you all updated on its progress as well.

Now go forth and read "The Forsaken" on Wattpad and share it with all your friends and 

family. If you do, make sure to review it on goodreads, amazon, and Barnes and Noble, 

too. Thanks!

R.J. Craddock

Writing Techniques

I just got back from another successful Writer's Retreat. One of the members of my critique group has a fancy-schmancy cabin in her family that she's been so kind to share with us. There's something about being in a cabin up in the mountains away from your everyday life that seems to spark creativity and open the mind to new possibilities. The last Writer's Retreat was in June. During that weekend I finished writing book two "The Offspring". This time around I started my first draft of book three "The Coven".

I got the prologue and the first two chapters of the book written, as well as a book outline done. I was there with three other talented ladies, Adrienne Monson, Rebecca Rode, and Karren Pellette. When we weren't writing, we talked about writing, went for walks to the lake, watched a movie, and played "Just Dance 3" on the Wii. I know it sounds like we just goofed off, but that's far from the truth. Each one of us got at least one of our writing goals accomplished this weekend. We started talking about outline writing verses discovery writing.

When I really thought about it, I realized that I am a little bit of column A and column B. No, I don't really outline my books, I daydream them. I live them out in my head till I know them backward and forward. Then I sit down and write them. So if ever I couldn't finish my series for any reason, there'd be no way for another to come along and finish it for me. I don't keep enough physical notes for anyone to even know where to start. When I do start writing though, new things always come to light as I try to translate my mental vision into words. So, in that way, I am a discovery writer. But I know details about the plot, and how every book will intertwine in ways that most discovery authors can't even fathom. Yet, I write in a way that is unlimited, organic, and creative in a style that most outline, rule-driven authors couldn't imitate. It's fascinating to talk to other authors and hear about their writing process. What works and what doesn't work for them and where they get their inspiration. Most of all, I love how unique and different we all are. No two people are alike and that is most diffidently true of authors, too.

Anyhow, I'd love to hear about all your writing process. Feel free to share. Now go forth, write, create, or just read and celebrate the written word.

R.J. Craddock

New and Blue

I have to apologize for completely spacing last weekend and not writing my blog. Sorry, patient readers. Let me try and make it up to you. A lot is going on right now in regards to the "The Children of Cain" series. Book two, "The Offspring", is complete and awaiting first edits. I'm almost done with all the interior illustrations, and am halfway done with the cover/art design. Next weekend I'm off to another writers' retreat to start the first draft of book three, "The Coven". To celebrate the completion of book two I painted my desk navy blue! It was looking run down and I'm not a fan of the brown or wood grain. Here are some pictures of the finished product: 

I'm hoping the new sophisticated look of my desk will help inspire me and I'll get book three written in no time.

In other news I was recently contacted by a publisher who was interested in reading my manuscript. Apparently they found my name and my book listed in the library of congress. I looked up this company and found out this is how they get their leads for suckers. They're one of those vanity presses that charges through the roof to publish your book. I say no thank you. I have done everything they can do for my book. The only thing I can't do is advertise the heck out of it. I just don't have the cash for that, but I'm working hard to get the word out about my book, and I'm doing just fine on my own. I love getting to draw all my illustrations and designing my own covers. Self publishing has been a very rewarding experience for me. I love it!

Anyhow, I'm off to work on "The Offspring". I know you're all dying to read it, so while you wait for it's release you can enjoy one of the illustrations. 

Now go forth read, laugh, cry and enjoy life and all it's little wonders!

R.J. Craddock

What's In a Name?

I for one have always been fascinated by the meanings and origins of names. For instance Ruth (that's my first name by the way) means mercy, merciful or friend to all. As a writer I put a lot of thought into what I name my characters, using a baby name books with meanings and origins as a writer's tool. Sometimes I like a name until I read the definition. Other times I can't think of anything and just start flipping through the pages of names until something grabs my attention. When naming my main character in "The Forsaken" I knew right a way her name had to be Gwenevere. When I checked the meaning: Fair One, I thought it fit perfectly.  However, Gwen can't speak English at the beginning of the book and is given the name Marianne by the orphanage. Marianne means sorrow or Bitterness, which also seems fitting as she isn't  very happy at the orphanage or when people call her by that name.
As Gwen delves deeper into the mystery of her past she'll go from the human world into the other worldly in book two of the Children of Cain series "The Offspring". Naming characters from another era, world, culture, or species is quite challenging. When my series went into the Fantasy realm I needed to get more creative, but I didn't want to get too complex. We've all read books (Fantasy in particular) where the names are so outlandish and unusual that you can barely figure out the pronunciation let alone agree with other fans how it's supposed to be said. I didn't want to have that headache in my series. Below is a list of some characters from book two "The Offspring"

Emon---------------------------Elf (scholar)
Angelo--------------------------Vampire (Italian)
Vinita---------------------------Elf (female)
Legion--------------------------Vampire Lord (French)
Slethum-------------------------Ogre
Morna--------------------------Fairy
Juniper--------------------------Witch
Ivan-----------------------------Vampire (English)
Lucca---------------------------Vampire (black)

As you can see... nothing too fancy. None the less they're still interesting and unique to the characters, their personalities or species. Well, that's how I do the naming game. How about you? I'd love to hear from my fellow authors out there. How do you get the inspiration for the names of your characters? Now go forth and leave a comment below and enjoy "Open Book" by Cake!

R.J. Craddock

A Poet's Tale

I've always enjoyed poetry. When I undertook writing poetry myself, I wrote in a style all my own. I'm not 

so much symbolic as I am straight forward. I write with emotion, and try to rhyme in unique ways. Mostly my

poetry is rather autobiographical. When I was a poor struggling art student I spent an enormous amount of 

time writing what I call "Napkin Poetry". I kept a sketch book journal as well. Most artists do. It was my 

goal to someday compile these scraps of paper and my collection of drawings into a book. Now, after 

having published my first novel, "The Forsaken" (The Children of Cain - book one) which includes my own 

illustrations; I feel confident to make that collegian dream a reality. So be on the lookout for my poetry/art 

book "Disenchantment" sometime next year. Until then you can enjoy a sample poem.

To read more of my work you can find me on Wattpad. Also, you can visit my website  

www.rjcraddock.com for more updates on The Children of Cain series and my other projects. You can 

follow me on Facebook or Twitter linked at the top of the blog. Now go forth and enjoy your weekend and

what have you. Till next time. 



R.J. Craddock

Some like it DARK

Most fiction writers put a lot of themselves into their hero/heroine. They either draw from their own life experiences when the character faces trials, or they endow the lead with some of their own characteristics. You have to invest a lot of time into your protagonist, to make them likable, interesting, and readable. Then you have to make the plot thicken so here comes the conflicts, the antagonist/villain, or natural disaster to liven things up a bit. So as a writer one has to do some pretty terrible things to their beloved characters. Which in itself is a little twisted if you think about it. It's like tormenting yourself, tearing out your own heart and soul and punishing one you love for the enjoyment of others. Yep, we authors are a sick twisted bunch.

In my series the "Children of Cain" my heroine, Gwenevere, goes through quite a lot to put it mildly. But for me, the dark nature of her reality is what gives the series a sense of realism. I, like many before me, have drawn heavily from my own life when creating my literary fantasy land. And although my childhood was not an easy one, I attribute the person I am today to my ability to overcome and learn from past mistakes and trials. To me a story such as mine wouldn't be realistic without the darkness. Her strength of character wouldn't shine forth without the obstacles to push her to find greatness within herself. So, although I love and worship my little sarcastic green-eyed Witch (Gwen) I have to push her to the breaking point time and time again.

Before publishing the first book ("The Forsaken") in the series, I had a group of beta readers give me some notes. However, a few felt that there was too much darkness in the subject matter. Some objected to certain "bad" characters in the book not understanding why they had to be a part of the story or why Gwen had to go through these terrible things.

Something all writers understand, but not all readers do, is that every obstacle, every plot turn along the journey is carefully orchestrated to develop the character or to move the story along. There is a reason Gwen has to go through these things, it's all to turn her into the person she needs to be by the end of the series when she has to make some pretty hard choices.

One of my favorite dark tales is "The Black Jewels" series by Anne Bishop. A great read if you like Fantasy, dark magi,c and amazing world building. I've noticed that the books that I truly enjoy are the ones that aren't afraid to go into dark places and expose the weaknesses of their world. However, they often end with a message of hope that seems to reiterate the saying, "There can be no light without the dark."

But what do you think? Do you like things on the dark side or do you prefer to keep the mood light? What are your favorite books? Whether dark or light, share them in the comments. Now go forth and read, love, and enjoy life. Till next weekend.

R.J. Craddock

Second Edition of "The Forsaken" now available!

I'm not sure how many of you read my blog post about the interesting errors we found in the original first edition of my debut novel "The Forsaken" but either way I'm glad to announce that the second edition edits are done and the new improved version of "The Forsaken" is now available on my website www.rjcraddock.com

Along with fixing the typos we also tweaked the cover a little. Nothing too major but enough of a difference that if you compare the first edition and the second edition you'll be able to tell them apart.
Also, the eBook version of "The Forsaken" is under way. I'll keep you posted on its release. I'd like to announce that the book will be available as an Audio book in the near future. I'm really excited about the audio book because we're going to do it a little differently. Instead of having one narrator and one voice doing all the characters in the story, we'll be doing a different voice actor for each part. My husband, Jonny Craddock, who is a very talented actor, will be the narrator. I will be doing the voice of my lead character Gwenevere. The other members of the cast are still being, well... cast. I've always enjoyed audio books myself, so this is a really fun project for me. I'm looking forward to lending my voice to my own story, and hearing the whole story when it's finished. Keep checking back on my blog, Facebook, Twitter, and my website for more info about the eBook and Audio book releases.

Now go forth and get your copy of the near-perfect second edition of "The Forsaken". You know you want to!

R.J. Craddock

Dyslexic Novelist

As children, we dream of who we’ll be or what we’ll do when we grow up. Most of us were told by our parents, teachers, or friends that we could do anything! “Be whatever you want to be.” This kind of encouragement and blind faith in the potential of a child has helped some of the greatest individuals throughout history become who they are. However, what do you say to a child whose dreams seem impossible? What do you say to the little girl who believes she was born to be a writer but is diagnosed with dyslexia? What if this child grows up in a public school system that seems either to be unaware of how to handle dyslexia or just doesn’t seem to care? How do you encourage this child to pursue this goal? What if they can barely spell, reads things backwards, can’t remember the rules of grammar, and gets discouraged in school because no one seems to know what’s wrong with her? Fortunately now days there are dyslexia organizations that can help these types of kids. Unfortunately, for me, when I was a child there was no help. I was that little girl with the impossible dream.

I knew from a very young age that I was meant to be a writer, that it was in my soul. However, it became apparent in Kindergarten that I had some kind of learning disability. A disability that seemed to affect how I spoke, read, wrote, spelled, and my very ability to recall information. On the other hand I was very creative, imaginative, and had a very high IQ. This seemed to puzzle my teachers, who didn’t understand how I could excel in some things but be completely hopeless in others. It wasn’t until high school that I truly understood my condition and how it affected me.

Then, I had the good fortune to be a student of a great English Teacher named Mr. Garlan Fitzgerald. He encouraged me in a way no one else really had. He saw the poetry in my writing, appreciated my unique author’s voice and told me I should be a novelist. This helped me gain some confidence but sadly I was still too insecure, too afraid to even submit my poems to the high school literary magazine. Still, I kept writing and developing my stories in secret, only really showing them to the people closest to me. Now I’m almost thirty (sigh) and finally I’m in a place in my life where I feel confident enough in my talent as a writer to share it with the world. I have been blessed to marry an exceptional man who has encouraged me in the same way my teacher once did and then some. He’s helped me overcome a lot of my struggles and I wouldn't be here now with my first novel published if it weren't for him.

Now, I’d like to give back to others like me. I don’t remember hearing of a dyslexic author when I was growing up; maybe there are others out there, maybe not. Either way I’d like to show the youth today that it really is possible to do anything you put your mind to even if your mind doesn't work like everyone else’s. So, it is my intention to donate ten percent of the profits earned from my book “The Forsaken” to a dyslexia foundation. Good teachers are the key to conquer learning disabilities. As well these organizations which need funding to help provide services to the families who can’t afford expensive tutors, so that everyone can be helped. I’m still shopping around for the right dyslexia charity. Royalty payments are only paid quarterly so for now I’ll just have to look forward to the day that I can give a little back. I hope that after you read this you might consider if there is a child in your life who needs help like I did. If there is, I hope you try to support, encourage, and love them in any way you can. It is amazing how a little bit of faith from another can give hope to the hopeless and change the course of a person’s life.

Below I've added a few links to dyslexic organizations and sites for further information on dyslexia for those of you who aren't familiar with the condition.

Now go forth and buy my book (you know you want to!) and remember that each copy of “The Forsaken” sold could help a child overcome a learning disability and achieve their impossible dream. Thank you!

R.J. Craddock

http://www.uread.org/index.php/resources/69-dyslexia-tutoring-of-utah

http://www.interdys.org/index.htm

http://dyslexiainstitutes.com/

http://dyslexiafoundation.org/

http://www.ncld.org/types-learning-disabilities/dyslexia/what-is-dyslexia

Wattpad do you think?

So, I've got some great news! My first shipment of "The Forsaken" arrived today! I'm overcome with joy. I'm happy to say that the book looks even better in my hands than I imagined it would. I've done my geeking out over it and now it's back to business.

I've got a lot of book promoting to do and I'm a one woman team. So to help boost enthusiasm for my book, I will be releasing one chapter a month on Wattpad. This way readers can get a taste of my writing style and if they like the story they can share it with others. Wattpad is free to join, and everything on the site is free to read. If you don't mind reading the book like an old time serial in a newspaper, and you're short on funds, you can read my book here. However, I should warn you that "The Forsaken" consists of a prologue and fifteen chapters. As a whole (with prologue) it is 349 pages. My chapters average at about eighteen pages each. By the time the whole book is posted on Wattpad, the second book "The Offspring" will be released. Also, I plan to only leave the book in its entirety on Wattpad for a week before I will remove most of the book, leaving only segments as samples. However, once book two is out I will do the same thing with "The Offspring" and so on until the entire series is published. Right now you'll find the prologue and chapter one on my Wattpad page. Tomorrow I will upload Chapter Two. I'll make sure to keep you all informed as new chapters are posted to my page. I'm going to keep it short and sweet today, so that’s it for this blog.

Now go forth and check out my Wattpad page http/wattpad.com/RJCraddock or if you can't wait over a year to read the whole thing through than you can just go get it at www.rjcraddock.com. Happy reading!

R.J. Craddock

Is It Your Cup of Tea?

Yes, the wait is over and I'm happy to announce that my debut novel "The Forsaken" came out May 1st! This is three years of hard work realized, and I couldn't be more thrilled. This is a huge accomplishment for me. Self-publishing is a lot of work, but I believe it is very rewarding and empowering as well. One of my biggest concerns this last year while submitting my work to publishers was how much control I would retain of my book. Well, with self-publishing from Createspace, and utilizing freelance professionals, I was able to keep total control of my book and still produce a quality product.

I read a blog recently that said "Self-publishing is ruining the industry" and I got to say I disagree. I think it's amazing that we live in an age where technology makes it possible for everyone to have a voice, for everyone to find an audience. In another blog a reader made a comment, "It's the job of the book reviewers to help the readers find the cream of the crop and the garbage will stay at the bottom of the heap." I partially agree with this statement. However, different critics have different tastes and their opinions will reflect those tastes. Likewise we listen to the opinions of others who have similar tastes to ours. I'm a big movie fanatic and at one point in my life being a film critic was my dream job, so I want to liken the publishing industry to the film industry for a moment.

There are countless production studios out there. Every single one produces different movies across all the genres. Isn't it fair to say that not one studio has a flawless record? What I mean is not one studio can boast that they've never made a crappy movie. At some point or another, they've all had a box office flop or been criticized by the critics. So, similarly, I have to say that just because a film (or book) is produced by a big company doesn't mean that it’s quality, or does it guarantee that it's everyone's cup of tea. There are a lot of big budget films out there that make me wonder what the big guys are thinking! I often say to my husband, "Who read that script and said, ‘Wow! We've got to give this guy a couple million dollars to make this piece of crap!’” However, the same movies that make me question my beloved film industry's integrity are the same movies that others rave about. Likewise a lot of the books that are produced by big publishing houses and get worldwide acclaim, I personally can't stand.

I recently read a book that I thought was just awful that was traditionally published by a smaller press. I went to leave a review for it on goodreads and was surprised by how many glowing reviews others had written of the same book. I thought, "Either these people have awful taste, or they see something I don't." Somehow books like these find an audience, but not because they’re better than others, or have a fancy name attached to the cover. There are nearly seven billion people living on this earth, and every one of them responds differently to the same things. So, of course, we don't all love the same movies, music, or books. We all have minds of our own.

The books that get published traditionally are ones that appealed to a particular person’s taste at a particular time. J.K. Rowling's manuscript "The Sorcerer's Stone" was rejected ten times before she was offered a publishing contract. Now she's a world renowned author, with a best-selling, critically-acclaimed series, and box office hit films based off of her books. I bet those other publishers wish they had taken a chance on her book now, but at the time Harry Potter just wasn't what they were looking for.

So what am I saying? I'm saying that, yes, it's nice to have a big publisher behind you. There are advantages to having someone else invest big bucks into your book to get it on the shelf and in the hands of readers. However, it doesn't guarantee you'll be a success, nor is it the only way to get your work out there. Self-publishing has been a great experience for me and I'm glad I did it! I believe there is an audience out there for my book, all I have to do is get out there and find the readers that are waiting for my words.

That’s enough of a rant from me today. You can find me and "The Forsaken" (The Children of Cain Series, Book #1) on goodreads. Now, go forth and visit www.rjcraddock.com to just read up on my book or to get a copy of your own. I think it's awesome but you don't have to take my word for it. Read it for yourselves and then let me know what you think.

R.J. Craddock

The Hobbit - Movie Review

Yes! Finally, "The Hobbit" is now available at redbox! So, we checked it out last weekend and enjoyed it with our son, who loved it. "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey." by Peter Jackson based (loosely) on the novel of the same title by J. R. R. Tolkien. It is the prequel to "The Lord of the Rings Trilogy" (in case you didn't know). I read this book right after high school when "The Fellowship of the Ring" was about to come out in theaters. Immediately afterward I read the rest of the series.

I, for one, love Tolkien's elaborate and poetic storytelling and enjoyed the books immensely. However, since I read the book over ten years ago, I couldn't remember it all with perfect clarity. After watching the film version I felt like I needed to re-read the book; just to verify whether what's in the film's plot was an invention of Tolkien or a creative liberty taken by Jackson.

The film starts off with old Bilbo Baggins writing his memories of his adventures from his youth to leave for Frodo after he's gone. (This is supposed to take place before Bilbo's birthday party in "The Fellowship of the Ring"). From there we go back into the tale and see Bilbo as a young man meeting Gandalf as he passes by his home. The conversation turns to adventuring and somehow, without even knowing it, Bilbo agrees to go on a quest. Later that night random Dwarves-- whom he's never met before in his life--start showing up at his door and inviting themselves in for dinner. Finally, when Bilbo is at his wits end, Gandalf arrives to explain everything. It turns out Bilbo is to be the 13th member of this company, sworn to take back their home, Erebor, from the evil dragon, Smaug. From there we go on a whirlwind adventure into unknown parts of Middle Earth. Along the way we learn the history of the Dwarf Prince, Thorin Oakenshield, and his fallen kingdom. I remember some of this from the book, but then they tell of the Dwarf Prince and all the homeless Dwarves trying to take back the ancient Dwarf kingdom called Moira. Only problem is there are Orcs already squatting there. So a battle ensues involving a legendary Pale Orc astride a white Warg (Giant Wolf) who has sworn to end the Dwarf royal line of Thorin.

However, he doesn't succeed in killing Thorin because the Dwarves end up winning the fight but not regaining the mines of Moira (this is all back story). Before the company of 13 finally reaches The Lonely Mountain, Bilbo the Hobbit accomplishes many things. First, he saves the Dwarves from being eaten by Trolls. Second, he escapes capture from an Orc hunting party. Then, he stumbles into the Elvish kingdom of Rivendale. Then, he escapes from the Goblin fortress. And finally, he saves Thorin's life. Not to mention he wins a magic ring of invisibility from Gollum in a game of riddles. For such a humble little fellow, Bilbo Baggins proves to be quite the hero in this tale.

As far as the movie goes, the production value is just as excellent as "The Fellowship of the Ring". The story is well told if only a bit off course from time to time. The only things that really bothered me were the parts that turn out aren't in the book. The Pale Orc astride a white Warg is a Jackson invention to give us more of a definite villain. In the book it was always Smaug the dragon. However, since Peter Jackson decided to break this tale up into a trilogy, Smaug seems more like a mythical creature instead of an imminent threat. Also, the whole thing with Moira confuses me. This is why: in "The Fellowship of the Ring", Gimli, son of Glóin, takes Frodo and the Fellowship through the mines of Moira expecting to meet his kinfolk who rule there. However, they find out that the Dwarves are all dead, and Balrog, the fire demon, and his orc minions, now inhabit it. Now if "The Hobbit" happened quite some time before "The Fellowship of the Ring" then how come no one knew Moira was inhabited by evil until they got there? Why didn't Gandalf warn anyone? (Listen to me, I sound like A Tolkien fanatic!) I was confused a little, yes, however these plot holes did not take away from my enjoyment of the film.

Overall I give "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" three and a half stars. It was well done and definitely got me excited to see the next film in the series. Now go forth and see it yourself (if you haven't already). Or, go re-read the book that inspired it. Either way you'll be having a good time.

R.J. Craddock

www.rjcraddock.com

facebook.com/RJCraddockAuthor

Dark Shadows – Movie Review

Some of you out there may not know this but Tim Burton's film "Dark Shadows" is based off of the popular daytime soap opera. With Vampires, Witches, Warlocks, Werewolves, and other supernatural creatures, it was the phenomenon that ran on ABC-TV from 1966-1971.

With two Dark Shadow films, multiple tries at re-vamping (pun intended) the series, a score of fans and even a Dark Shadows Festival, the show's legend has lived on in various forms. I, myself, am an old fan of the soap opera and watched the re-runs on the Sci-Fi Channel in junior high. When I heard that Tim Burton was remaking "Dark Shadows" with Johnny Depp as Barnabas Collins, I was out of my mind with ecstasy. Burton and Depp are the perfect pair to tackle this project, and I knew they would do it justice. I have to admit if I had millions of dollars I might have done a "Dark Shadows" movie myself.

The show started with Victoria Winters, the outsider who comes to Collinwood, to be the new governess. She soon finds out that the Collins family has more than just skeletons in its closet. In the soap opera Barnabas Collins wasn't introduced to the cast until nine months into the show, becoming the first Vampire with a conscious in pop-culture history. However, in Burton's film version the story begins with Barnabas Collin's mortal life before he was cursed by Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green)--his jilted Witch lover--and transformed into a Vampire and entombed for two centuries. We jump a head in time to 1972 with Governess Victoria Winters, played by Bella Heathcote, on her way to Collinsport Maine. When she arrives at the old gothic-style Collinwood mansion she meets the Collins played by an all-star cast.

Michelle Pfeiffer plays her employer, and head of the Collins family, Elizabeth Collins Stoddard. The family's live-in-shrink, Dr. Julia Hoffman, is played by the very talented and always awesome Helena Bonham-Carter. The brother, Roger Collins, a drunken widower and negligent father, is played by Jonny Lee Miller (who was once married to Angelina Jolie just so you know). The Collins children are played by Chloë Grace Moretz (also seen in "Kick-Ass" and "Hugo") and Gulliver McGrath (also seen in "Hugo" and "Lincoln"). The family has plenty of personality all their own, but things get even stranger at Collinwood when Barnabas Collins is accidently released from his coffin. He returns to his home to find that Collinsport has changed considerably.

His family's fishing company is all but extinct and his family manor in shambles. Luckily, he has a hidden stash of wealth in the mansion and goes about trying to reconnect with his family and return the family business to its former glory. Only problem is his wicked Witch of an old flame is still alive and owns the rival fishing company and pretty much owns the town. What ensues is a hilarious farce of dark magic, Vampires, and 1970's culture. There's even a part where Barnabas kills a bunch of hippies (awesome)! I loved this movie and laughed out loud all the way through. However, they never explain exactly how Angelique Bouchard managed to live two hundred years. The film likewise does not explain where the modern day Collins descendants came from. In the beginning of the film, they portray Barnabas Collins as an only child; his parents both killed by one of the Witches' curses before he became a Vampire. These two plot holes bugged me a little but not enough to take away from my enjoyment of the film. I would recommend this movie to anyone who likes Tim Burton, Jonny Depp, supernatural beings, and has a dark sense of humor. You don't have to be an original "Dark Shadows" groupie to love the movie, but it doesn't hurt.

Below is a link to the movie trailer and a dark shadows fan site for you to check out as well. Now go forth, children of the night, and view this flick. Love it or hate it, I'd love to hear what you thought of it.

Till next time,
R.J. Craddock

http://www.collinwood.net/info/

Favorite Movie Quotes - Comedy

So, I noticed the other day that my movie quoting turrets doesn’t seem to be carrying over into my blog. Apparently, I only suffer from this condition verbally. However, to make up for this oversight I have decided to do a series of my favorite movie quotes from different genres. Today’s genre is Comedy. The following will be the quotes and a brief description of the film and why I love these lines. These are in no particular order so let’s get to it shall we?

1)      “There’s a shortage of perfect breasts in this world, t’would be a pity to damage yours.”  - The Princess Bride

Released 1987, it stars Cary Elwes, Robin Wright (before she was married to Sean Penn) and Mandy Patinkin. It’s got fencing, fighting, giants, monsters, revenge, chases, escapes, true love, and Miracles. It’s a med-evil comedy not to be missed. Honestly, if you haven’t heard of this movie then you might have been living under a rock for the last thirty years.

2)      “We’ve got a piper down. I repeat, a piper is down!” – So I Married an Axe Murderer

It stars Mike Meyers, Nancy Travis, and Anthony LaPaglia, with Alan Arkin in the supporting role. This hilarious comedy/mystery came out in 1993. About a young poet with a phobia of marriage and a tendency to find strange flaws in all his girlfriends, who suddenly falls in love only to find out that his dream girl just might be a husband killing maniac!

3)      “I was in love once… she was Brazilian, or Chinese, or something weird.” – Anchorman

It’s a 1970’s period piece about a legendary anchorman suddenly having to share his spotlight with a female co-anchor. With an all-star cast including: Will Farrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, and Steve Carrell (along with many famous cameos). This film just might be one of the funniest and most quotable movies of all times.

4)      “It’s called a day spa! D-a-i-y-e… Daiye. – Zoolander

Released in 2001 starring Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, and Will Farrell. A ridiculously funny film about the hard life of a male model, and the pressures of being professionally really, really, ridiculously good looking. One of my favorite movies to quote.

5)      “He can’t forgive me and I can’t forgive him for that.” - Money Pit

A young couple desperately needs to find a new place after the girl’s ex-boyfriend returns from Europe, kicking them out of his apartment. They end up being conned into buying a beautiful disaster of a house and the story follows their renovation nightmare and the havoc it wrecks on their romance. Released in 1986; starring the very funny Tom Hanks and Shelly Long, in what is perhaps the best comic performance of either of their careers.

There’s my top five. Each of these films had multiple great quotes but these are the ones that come to my mind the most readily. Unfortunately, I had to leave a few of my other favorite comedies off this list, so I might end up doing a part two Favorite Movie Quotes - Comedy later on. Anyhow, there they are. I hope you enjoyed the quotes and share my excellent taste in comedy. Or, if you haven’t heard of or seen some or all of these flicks, perhaps you’ll go check them out after reading this. Now go forth and share the cinematic love.

R.J. Craddock

The Host - Movie Review

While out on a movie night with my mom I saw "The Host", a film based off of the novel by Stephanie Meyer. After reading the "Twilight" saga I was all Stephanie- Meyered-out, so when "The Host" came out I couldn't have cared less. However, seeing the film has changed my mind. Perhaps Meyer's talent lies with Science Fiction instead of YA Paranormal Romance.

The movie begins with a voice over of Uncle Jeb (William Hurt) telling how wonderful the world is now that the human race has been taken over by alien parasites. Yeah, sure the world finally has peace but it's no longer our world. The Seekers of this Alien Race seek out the last of the Human resistance. Amongst these last remaining few is Melanie Stryder, played by (Saoirse Ronan) of course; she gets nabbed by The Seekers at the very beginning of the film. In her attempt to get away from them she tries to kill herself. However, The Seekers just take her near-lifeless-body and heal it with their advanced alien medicine. Now her body can play Host to another alien soul, called Wanderer or Wanda for short. But unlike other humans who give in to the invading souls and lose control of their bodies, Melanie refuses to give in and fights Wanda for control of herself. Especially, when Wanda is asked by The Seeker (Diane Kruger) to access Melanie's memories and finds the rest of the human resistance. Melanie will do anything to protect her boyfriend Jared Howe (Max Irons) and her little brother Jamie (Chandler Canterbury). Melanie plays on Wanda's sympathy and convinces her to help her protect the ones she loves.

Wanda escapes The Seekers at Melanie's directions and goes in search of Melanie's uncle Jeb, the one place she knows Jared and Jamie would go to be safe. What proceeds is an emotional journey for both alien and host. Wanda learns to care for humans and their spirits and Melanie learns to Love Wanda. I can't tell you how the rest of the movie goes, of course, but it is an interesting tale of survival and the human spirit. Also, this story has the classic YA love triangle but with a twist. Melanie still loves Jared who she met while she was on the run. On the other hand Wanda begins to have feelings for Ian O'Shea, (Jake Abel) one of the humans living in the cave-like refuge on Uncle Jeb's property in the desert. This is a conflict since Melanie won't let Wanda do anything about her feelings, but also can't stand to let Jared kiss her because he's also kissing Wanda. Confused yet?

Overall I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. I enjoyed all the casts' performances, even Saoirse Ronan whom I'm not particularly a fan. However, she felt like a good fit for this role of dual personages trapped in one body. I loved the location of the Human's cave hideout, not a bad place to live in a time of peace let alone during a global takeover. The ending was a little corny but not so much as to turn me off. Anyway, they kind of leave it open at the end for a sequel. I didn't know the book was part of a series but now that I do, I might end up reading this one after all. I'm still not a Stephanie Meyer enthusiast, and I'm most definitely not a Twihard (someone who is a die-hard "Twilight" fan). Still, I found this storyline far more to my liking than the melodrama that is "Twilight".

I'd give this film a three and a half star rating. Below you'll find "The Host" trailer and the cover art from the book. Now go forth and read the book or go see the film if you're interested. I thought it was fun. You might, too.

R.J. Craddock

Introducing Raven

With the release of my book “The Forsaken” on the horizon, I'd like to take a moment to introduce you all to one of my characters: Raven, aka Adam Matthews. Although the series centers on Gwenevere, Raven does play a significant part in the books. Found lost and wandering in the woods Gwenevere is put into St. Paul's Catholic Orphanage.There she meets a kindred spirit, Adam, who she promptly renames Raven. Both misunderstood they bond together and find out that they are not like the other children; there is something supernatural about them. When Gwen finds she can no longer stay at St. Paul’s, Raven embarks on a journey with her to find their kind. A lot of this story was inspired from my own childhood. I am not an orphan and did not grow up in a place like St. Paul's. However, I, too, was misunderstood and was befriended by a boy; his name was Jonathan. In a lot of ways Raven was based off of him and our friendship. Below is an excerpt from “The Forsaken” featuring Raven just to give you a taste of his character and my writing style. I hope you enjoy the read.

                                                                                                                                                                              

“What’s going on, Raven?” Gwen asks, perplexed. Then, a stream of images invades her mind as she senses the thoughts and feelings of the driver. The things he’s thinking of Raven appall her. Apparently, the man thinks her best friend--the nicest, kindest boy in the world--is some kind of child molester. Gwen is just about to try and calm the driver down when she notices something strange happening with Raven.

            “We’re not going back there!” Raven shouts. The twelve year old boy shakes all over, almost as if he’s having a seizure. His muscles are tensed; he seems to be fighting his own body for control. Gwen gasps in horror as Raven’s features began to change, his very form mutating before her eyes.

            Hair begins to sprout out of his flesh as if by magic, covering him in a black-silvery fur. His fingernails grow, his hands becoming like massive claws. His golden eyes become animal-like as his nose and mouth becomes a muzzle, his ears becoming pointed and furry. All the while, Raven screams in agony, as every bone in his body seems to realign itself, disjointing from its natural human form into that of a ferocious animal. Behind the wall of his pain, he is vaguely aware of Gwen’s little voice screaming his name, her little hands tugging at his left arm, even as it distorts and reshapes itself. He can’t comprehend anything else happening around him, the excruciating pain swallowing him whole into a cocoon of thoughts, feelings, and emotions that are not his own. He feels the feral animal instinct taking over his will. Raven’s human consciousness is being suppressed by the animal’s need to hunt.

            Gwen tries in vain to get Raven to respond to her, to look at her. However, he has transformed almost completely, to the point that he no longer resembles a boy, but a wolf of some kind. All her attention is focused on trying to touch Raven’s mind, completely forgetting about the man driving the truck.

            She catches a sudden gleam of metal in her peripheral vision and turns barely in time to see Rex--whose face is distorted in panic and fear--pull out a handgun and aim it at Raven. With a speed that even surprises her, Gwen grabs Rex’s hand and yanks the weapon upward, the gun going off suddenly, shooting a hole in the roof of the truck.

            Rex gives out a yell of surprise, the truck swerving all over the road. He tries to regain control of the wheel with his left hand as he struggles with Gwen for the gun with his right. Suddenly, the truck veers off the road into the forest, jostling the vehicle as it goes over dirt and rock. Gwen lurches forward, and Rex hits the windshield with a loud crack when the truck rams straight into a tree, causing the vehicle to come to an abrupt stop.

            Gwen rocks backward and hits her head on the back wall of the cab, her vision blurs and the world begins to spin around her. Gwen tries to regain control of her senses when she hears a low growling sound from Raven. She pears over the seat and sees a large, silver and black wolf sitting in the passenger seat; a cold, gold-eyed stare directed at Rex. The man, barely recovering from the impact of the crash, turns and looks disbelieving at the animal only two feet away from him. The black wolf bares his teeth at Rex, his growl intensifying. In a panic, Rex, with a hand to his bleeding forehead, opens the driver side door and stumbles out into the forest, desperately trying to flee from the creature. No sooner does Rex escape then the wolf pounces, leaping out of the truck through the open door and into the night after his prey.

Well, there you have it. Coming soon more tidbits and insights into the book “The Forsaken” coming out in May 2013. If it peeked your curiosity, go forth and share, comment, and like on Facebook and Twitter.

R.J. Craddock

www.rjcraddock.com

Win a Free Copy of my book "The Forsaken!" - Contest Blog

I promised to announce the details of the contest for the free copy of my book "The Forsaken" so here it is. There are two contests:

Contest #1 (Facebook) - Starting today, April 3rd, until May 1st the person who comments/shares/likes my R.J. Craddock Author Fan page, and my posts from that page, the most wins a book! (easy enough, right?) Remember, my blog is updated every Monday and Friday.

Contest #2 (www.rjcraddock.com) - Again starting today, April 3rd, until May 1st the person who refers the most people to join my website gets a free book. To do that you have to be a member yourself. Subscribe and then the site will give you the option to invite your friends to join. When you do this, add a personal message. Make sure to let them know that they need to make a comment on my contest blog on the website and add the name of the person who referred them. That's how you'll get credit. On May 2nd I'll announce the winners! Good luck, everyone!

Now as far as the book's actual release date, we're looking at May 1st. I'll have my offical book launch party a week or two after that. I'll make sure to annouce that as well. Keep an eye out for the "The Forsaken" trailer coming by the end of the month. 

Again, if you're entering the Website Contest, your referrals have to post your name in the comments of the contest blog at www.rjcraddock.com. Make sure to tell them that, or you won't get credit for them! Thanks all for entering the contest. Happy sharing and such. 

Now go forth and promote my book for me, and win a free book while you're at it!

R.J. Craddock