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Thursday, May 31, 2012

PhoenixComicon 2012- Writers Panel + giveaway


Balancing Humor and Action in your stories.

I Smell Sheep converged on PhoenixComicon 2012 in full sheepy fashion! One of the first panels we sat in on was 'Balancing Humor and Action in your stories' hosted by Gini Koch, Marsheila Rockwell, Kevin Hearne, Sam Sykes and Kris Neri.

Not only was this an educational talk for readers but also writers who came out to get the inside tips from the guys and gals who are writing some amazing hit stories out on the market today. Mixed in with a large amount of humor, amongst the panel of authors itself, this hour event floated right by with pure entertainment. And by the way this panel was completely packed, standing room only. (Yeah, the authors are THAT good!)

Some of the panel is transcribed below:

Question: Mixing humor and action is something that can add to the story or detract from a scene, how do you find the balance?
Gini: I think that part of each one of us writes in our own sense of humor. Of course all of us are funny and witty and attractive. We understand that you all think that too. [Audience laughs] But in some cases you are balancing and adding in humor which can lighten tense situations but it can also highlight that a situation is tense based on what characters are doing.

In terms of how, I'm a very linear writer so I don't put a lot of pressure on myself to be able to describe how I write otherwise it stops being organic and so forth. Something to add, I really should have prepared something cause there are a lot of people staring at me going, "So, what's your point?" [Audience laughs] My point is that it's a balance and everyone will come to that differently and if you're writing it, there's no wrong way to do it. And for readers it all depends what you like. Some like sly humor some like more overt.

Q: How do you balance the action scenes in with humor?
Kevin: I would say head down to the floor (of the convention) and buy a Spiderman comic book because honestly if you just take one of those scenes and use it as a writing exercise. That's character driven humor. He was always a wise-ass in making fun of whoever he was fighting against. And I'm actually looking forward to the new movie because of the previews I've seen, they have put a lot more of that smart-aleck tone into the guy. And that's what I fell in love with when I was a kid. Here's Spiderman going around beating up dudes more powerful then him and making jokes the whole time.

I actually think of comic books when I am writing the action scenes because I grew up reading them so much. I am not a fighter. Look at me. [Audience laughs] But I have to imagine how things are going to work. So a lot of my old X-Men comics and Spiderman help me visualize stuff. Without having any martial arts training whatsoever. I mean some authors are like (in very deep gruff voice) "I beat up bears for breakfast." And "I have 5 blackblets and you have...no belt." [Audience laughs] So, and I'm like you're right but I can write it too because I've seen other people beat each other up.

If you've yet to check out any of the mentioned above authors you can find links to their books below. Truly a fun experience.

Photographed by: Scott Daniel

***Giveaway***

I have a signed post card from both Kevin Hearne and Sam Sykes, Marsheila bookmark and Gini. Make sure to list the following below to be entered to win:

1. Your Email Address
2. What kind of humor do you enjoy?
3. Double entries if you follow the blog.

Contest is open to EVERYONE and ends June 6th at midnight!

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Sheep Movie Review: Men In Black III


PG-13, 1 hr. 45 min.
Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy
Directed By: Barry Sonnenfeld
Written By: Lowell Cunningham
official movie site



In Men in Black 3, Agents J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) are back...in time. J has seen some inexplicable things in his 15 years with the Men in Black, but nothing, not even aliens, perplexes him as much as his wry, reticent partner. But when K's life and the fate of the planet are put at stake, Agent J will have to travel back in time to put things right. J discovers that there are secrets to the universe that K never told him -- secrets that will reveal themselves as he teams up with the young Agent K (Josh Brolin) to save his partner, the agency, and the future of humankind. -- (C) Sony

Everyone wants to know…is it worth seeing? Yes! At least I think so, but it started out a little awkward for me. Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones have aged a lot since the last film. It was kind of jarring, but they didn’t try and pretend the movie happens right after the end of the second one; Agents K and J have been working together 15 years when this movie begins. I think the writers came up with a clever story angle with this one and pulled it off beautifully. Watching Josh Brolin as a younger Agent K was definitely worth the price of admission. Agent K of the past is much more lighthearted and optimistic than future K and Agent J has always wondered why K acts the way he does. The answer was touching and added a nice twist to the story.
scary dude with freaking hands
 One thing to be careful is taking younger kids if they get scared. The bad guy, Boris the Animal, is pretty bad and he kills lots of aliens and people by impaling them with spikes...in the head. I like the darker edge to the villain but small children might not. One of my favorite characters was Griffin, he is the last of his kind and can see infinite futures. He is such a lovable character and even though he dresses and acts silly, there is a deeper message there.

Here is Griffin, isn't he cute!
The film is full of snarky one liners, lots of action and a great ending that will warm your heart. I feel it was worth the matinee price. I don’t think seeing it in 3D would have enhanced my experience though so you might want to save that money.

4 “You must have come from the planet DAMN!” Sheep






Before you leave, do us a favor and look at the flashy thing....
...you will pledge loyalty to I Smell Sheep, send us moon pies and Kool Aid *Katie pokes Sharon* OUCH! Okay...and smexy men, send lots of smexy men. be nice to sheep and people, have a nice day.

Actor Thomas Jane hangs with the Sheep + giveaway


I Smell Sheep recently attended Big WOW! Comic Fest in San Jose CA. Among the many folks we had the wonderful opportunity to meet that day was the man who played Punisher in the 2004 Marvel Studios mega hit Mr. Thomas Jane! You may also remember some of his other films like: The Mist, Deep Blue Sea and Dreamcatcher.

Early Life:
Jane was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Cynthia, an antiques dealer, and Michael Elliott, a biogenetic engineer. In 1987, he graduated from Thomas Sprigg Wootton High School in Montgomery County, Maryland.

At age 18, Jane relocated to Hollywood to pursue an acting career. He was initially homeless and lived out of his car. Regarding his time as a busker, Jane has noted "I had two songs in my repertoire that I hammered to death — 'Hey Joe' and 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door'....People used to pelt me with change just to shut me up."

Career:
Jane began his acting career with the Telugu film Padamati Sandhya Ragam (1986), directed by Jandhyala, a renowned filmmaker in Telugu Cinema. His early roles included Zeph in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992). He had supporting roles in several high profile films, including The Crow: City of Angels (1996), Boogie Nights (1997), The Thin Red Line (1998), Thursday (1998) and Magnolia (1999). After receiving critical acclaim as baseball player Mickey Mantle in 61*, Jane began receiving leading roles such as that of Andre Stander in the 2003 South African film, Stander for which he gained further critical acclaim.

Jane, director Jonathan Hensleigh and Avi Arad have said in many interviews that Jane was the first and only actor to be asked to play the title role in the 2004 movie The Punisher. Jane initially turned down the role twice, as he did not have much interest in the superhero genre. Jane said that when they asked him the second time to play the Punisher it was Tim Bradstreet's artwork of the Punisher that piqued his interest. After finding out that the character was not a traditional superhero, but more of an anti-hero and a vigilante crime fighter, he accepted. He read as many Punisher comics as he could find and quickly became a fan. Jane trained for 6 or 7 months with Navy SEALs and gained more than twenty pounds of muscle for the part.

On December 18, 2008, HBO announced it was picking up the dark comedy Hung, and Jane was contracted to star in the show. He plays the character of Ray Drecker, a high school history teacher and baseball coach, who, after attending a self help class while being down on his luck, decides to market the large size of his penis as a path to success. The series was renewed for a second season which aired in the summer of 2010.

Truly an amazing actor who we're excited to continue watching in his upcoming roles!


***Giveaway***
Thomas was kind enough to sign a Punisher comic book for us to giveaway today. So, if you would like to have your very own copy make sure to list the following in the comments below:

1. Your Email Address
2. If you could have the Punisher be your BFF for a day what would you have him do? (It can be anything you can think of!)
3. Do you follow the blog? If so make sure to tell us for DOUBLE entries.

Contest is open to everyone! Ends June 9th at midnight. Good luck!

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Musa Publishing releases

I wanted to share with you some titles I found over at Musa Publishing. A couple of them I have gotten for review.
This one caught my eye immediately, cause it has Gnomes, mean nasty ones...

$1.99
Word Count: 8000
Author: Julie Jansen
ISBN: 978-1-61937-196-5
When a gnome family takes up residence under a house in a suburban neighborhood, a human family realizes the creatures aren’t your normal garden variety. They’re a new breed, a mutated invasive species infiltrating North America. The animals are worse than rats, bats, possums, or raccoons. They’re extremely territorial and skilled with bows and poison arrows. When an unemployed dad is tasked with ridding his house of the nasty little pests he realizes he’s got his work cut out for him. The chore proves one that endangers not only his property value, but the lives of his family.

This one sounds like a blast to read. I got a review copy :)

$4.99
Word Count: 90000
Author: Ted Mendelssohn
Heat Level: 1
ISBN: 978-1-61937-195-8
Genre Epic Fantasy
For a thousand years, Excalibur has been the sword of heroes. Unfortunately, its new owner isn’t one.
Ever since he arrived in Paris, Henry the Rat has made a pretty good living selling“magic” swords to gullible knights. But when Henry sells one to Geoffrey Plantagenet, brother to King Richard, his happy days are over for good. Geoffrey forces Henry into a dangerous, uncomfortable quest for the most famous magic sword of all time, Excalibur, even though Henry is certain that it’s just a myth.
Then Henry actually finds Excalibur - and his troubles really start: For Excalibur is not just the sword of heroes…it’s also the sword that won’t SHUT UP. It communicates with its owner, it knows what kind of owner it deserves, and Henry doesn’t even come close.
To keep Excalibur and the world safe from the appalling Geoffrey, Henry will have to masquerade as a knight, crash a royal wedding, rescue a princess, break a siege, penetrate the secrets of the Perilous Brotherhood, and find Excalibur’s rightful bearer, all while trying to reach an accommodation with a snotty, aristocratic hunk of steel that mocks him, takes over his body, and keeps trying to turn him into the one thing he hates most…a hero.

If you love Gini Koch, she writes for Musa under the name Anita Ensal.

$1.99
Word Count: 5500
Author: Anita Ensal
ISBN: 978-1-61937-204-7
When Little Mams and Junior suspect there’s trouble brewing in the big city, Big Mams, armed with an old iron skillet, comes to investigate.
When their neighbors are disappearing and acting strangely, Junior and Little Mams know it’s time to call in for reinforcements—Big Mams.
Things aren’t usually what they appear to be for anyone from The Neighborhood, and the neighborhood where her daughter and son-in-law are living in the “big city” is harboring something very nasty. But Big Mams didn’t come to visit alone…and she won’t be going home alone, either.

I also got this one for review- one of the characters is named Sharon <G>

$2.99
Word Count: 17200
Author: S.G. Rogers
Heat Level: 1
ISBN: 978-1-61937-179-8
Genre Spec Fic, fantasy
An adventurous woman meets a romantic hero from the pages of a book, bigger than life and twice as Elvish.
Kidnapped from Earth and abandoned in Asgard of Norse mythology, Dani Avery must fight to return home. When she stumbles upon a band of outlaws, Prince Rein agrees to take her to the Rainbow Bridge personally. Although Dani is attracted to the handsome elf, his only interest seems to be in separating her from the magical sword and shield at her side. In Asgard City, rules, regulations and bureaucrats stymie Dani’s quest. Increasingly frustrated and desperate, she seeks help among powerful immortals. Unfortunately, Dani becomes ensnared in a devious trap that may leave her stranded and alone in Asgard forever.


Monday, May 28, 2012

Sheep Book Review: Obsidian Flame by Caris Roane

From paranormal romance author Caris Roane comes the fifth book in the "Guardians of Ascension" series, Obsidian Flame. Thorne's book starts out with a bang and keeps the party going to the very last page!

For a hundred years, Marguerite has been imprisoned and used for her powerful psychic abilities. Her only relief comes from her regular visits with Thorne, her vampire lover. His every touch leaves her hungry for more..and aching for their next encounter. When Marguerite is finally set free, she returns to Mortal Earth to begin a new life for herself. She dyes her hair white-blonde, paints her nails blood-red, and seduces a sexy-hot stranger. Why can’t she stop thinking about Thorne?
Now that Marguerite is gone, Thorne craves her more than ever..and follows her to Mortal Earth. Unfortunately, he is not the only vampire who wants her. As one of three powerful women with obsidian flame abilities, Marguerite is a valuable treasure—and a dangerous weapon. For Thorne, she is a soulmate he must protect at any cost…even his own life.

Thorne is the leader of the mighty Warrior brothers tasked with defending Second Earth from the evil forces that want to conquer it for their own nefarious purposes. When Thorne takes a sudden hiatus to chase after the woman he loves, the boys back home are left scrambling to take up the slack. Thorne's character is the complete package: powerful and strong but at the same time patient and protective, and yes he does cut out for a bit to chase after his woman but after 2000 years of service I think the man was due for a little vacation! Thorne also happens to be smokin' hot and able to kick some serious butt when the kickin needs to get done. This warrior is everything a leader should be on the front lines and behind doors he knows how to crank up the heat!

Marguerite’s been locked away in a convent for the last century by her religious parents who want to beat submission into this free spirit. Down but not out for the count this powerful seer finally gets free from her chains and heads out on the open road. But chasing hot on her heels is Thorne, the man who wants to bind her to him for all eternity. I felt for this spunky gal and totally understood her need for freedom but at the same time you fall for Throne and want the big guy to be happily in love with his soul mate.

The drama of the building enemy armies side-plotline take some twists and turns that keep the overall story moving along at a steady pace. A few twists I didn't see coming should complicate just how we all have come to understand the draw to your chosen one. Endelle, the ruler of Second Earth, tops it off with yet more outrageous outfits and an in-your-face take-no-prisoners attitude. But no matter which way this story world goes, every detail is written and delivered with gusto. Caris leaves no man behind in her writing!

My only downside was a few missing words in the paperback copy I had. I'm not sure if the editing department missed some things or there was a printing error. But that aside Obsidian Flame is another hit from Caris, the writer everyone should be checking out.






Getting 4 and 1/2 bar hoping sheep
KD
Find Caris Roan online


World of Ascension
1. Ascension (2010)
2. Burning Skies (2011)
3. Wings of Fire (2011)
4. Born of Ashes (2012)
5. Obsidian Flame (2012)
6. Gates of Rapture (2012)
Brink of Eternity (2011) 

feast your eyes on this cover buffet of Smexy!




Sunday, May 27, 2012

Sheep Review: Shadow Play by Erin Kellison

SHADOW
The world is growing dark with it as mysteries from antiquity and legend creep into our time, bringing a new world of danger, beauty and…

MAGIC
Dr. Cam Kalamos has dedicated his life to studying its strange properties, but nothing is more intriguing than a woman whose soul is split in half, one part under her control, one part bent on…

SEDUCTION
How can he resist the lure of a lover with no inhibitions and an insatiable desire to possess him? Both Ellie and her shadow want Cam, but there is an innocent child to be rescued from the forest and the strange fae creatures of…

TWILIGHT
Love, loyalty, betrayal—which will rule? As Ellie sends her other self into the darkness, there is only one certainty: Trusting in shadows is a dangerous game.


It is no secret I love Erin Kellison’s writing and adore the world she built in her Shadow series, so I will try to keep the fangirl moments to a minimum. Shadow Play is the second novella in her Shadow Touch series, which is a spin-off of her Shadow novels. And for our readers not yet introduced to Kellison's books, you don’t have to read the novels to enjoy the novellas. Kellison does a great job of catching the reader up on the important world building elements, so you haven't tried a novella yet or not impressed with them, then give Kellison a try. She has perfected the art of the novella, giving the reader a whole novel experience in a small package.

In the first novella, Shadow Touch (my 5 Sheep review), we meet Cam, a researcher working for the Segue Institute. Segue is an organization that was created to study Shadow, the magic that is slowly spilling into our world from a place called Twilight and the subject of Kellison's novels. Twilight is home to the Fae and the barrier between our realm and theirs is thinning. Ellie comes to Segue looking for help, her shadow can separate from her and acts on primal urges like sex and rage. Ellie can’t control her shadow and wants to be free of it before something bad happens. Ellie starts out as a subject to be studied, but Cam soon starts to have feeling for her and good romance stuff happens <G>.

Shadow Play takes place a few months after the events of Shadow Touch. Cam and Ellie are working to control her shadow and trying to make their relationship work. Ellie is resentful of her shadow self and sees it as an obstacle to her happiness. While I enjoy the romance developing between Cam and Ellie, it is the imaginative world building and storytelling I love most. The main plot focuses around a waterfall from Twilight which has appeared and spills from midair in a desert. Segue is called in to help rescue a young boy who was lured into it and turned with a Fae changeling. The story is full of action and suspense and a new faction has been added, Mages. At this point I am not sure if they are good or evil, but I love the direction the story is headed.


The Shadow Touch series is a perfect way to check out Erin’s writing and get a taste for her Shadow world as well as a great introduction to the Urban Fantasy genre if you have been curious. You can get an ecopy of the first novella Shadow Touch for $1.49 and Shadow Play for $1.99.


5 Shadow Sheep



SharonS (edited by BAK)

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Kalpar Lectures: Da Orks

Today I'm going to continue with the Kalpar Lectures series, which so far has been me explaining Warhammer 40,000 stuff to those who are unfamiliar with the franchise. And honestly, I've been in the mood to talk about the Orks. I don't know why, and since the orks never really go for much logic themselves it seems a perfect time.

To start, I'll talk a little about how the Orks play on the tabletop. I will admit that I have never personally fought Orks on the field or know anyone who fields the so a lot of what I'm going on is what other people have written on the internet and what information I can surmise from their stat blocks. Now, apparently like the Space Marines there are a lot of options available to the Ork player, however Orks have the advantage of being much cheaper in terms of points than Space Marines. (Don't expect to shell out less money, though. This is Warhammer 40k after all.) Thus in a 1,500 point army you can field significantly more Orks and overwhelm your enemy with sheer weight of numbers. However, while Marines can do pretty much anything at least competently if not extremely well, Orks gravitate towards close combat. Orks are extremely tough and have a decent Weapon Skill which makes them well-suited to close combat, while having a fairly low Ballistic Skill. A common tactic is called the "Green Tide" in which a large number of Orks are sent towards the enemy battle line and engage them in brutal hand-to-hand fighting. The greatest appeal of the Orks, though, is their fluff material and status as the comedic relief race of Warhammer 40k.

When talking about Orks, it's important to mention their biology. Simply put, Orks are a splice of fungal and animal DNA by an ancient race of aliens to fight the Necrons. (The Necrons are a race of zombie robots who want to wipe out all life in the galaxy to appease their dark gods. More on them later.) As a result, Orks have very few organs to damage, the remaining organs are extremely hardy and they're green. Seriously, the reason Orks are green in 40k is because they're a type of fungus. Like most fungi, Orks reproduce by spreading spores constantly and they emit a large number of spores when they die. This means that in terms of population Orks outnumber humans by a significant margin, and any planet unlucky enough to be invaded by the greenskins will probably never really be free of them. What is even weirder about the Orks is that the mysterious precursors have hard-wired certain Orks to turn into Mekboyz and Painboyz, which practice engineering and medicine respectively. Well....what passes for engineering and medicine in Ork circles anyway.



An important thing to keep in mind about Orks is that their very race runs on a weird kind of psychology. Basically anything the Orks believe to be true....becomes true. Warbosses and Nobz, the leaders of Ork society, grow bigger and stronger because Orks that are in charge are supposed to be the biggest and 'ardest boyz around. Because Orkz never stop growing during their lifetime it's not unusual for an Ork Warboss to be nine or twelve feet tall. In fact Warboss Ghazghkull, one of the more notorious Ork Warbosses, apparently clocks in at over eighteen feet tall, all of it well-honed killing muscle.

The Ork gestalt psychology gets even weirder when you start looking at their technology. For example Orks believe that "red wunz go faster", and oddly enough vehicles with red paint do move faster. Most of Ork technology is scrap metal and whatever parts they can find, welded or bolted together in some semblance of the desired product, that somehow works. Many an Imperial enginseer has looked at a captured Ork vehicle, only to conclude that the ramshackle monstrosity shouldn't even be able to move, much less fight under combat conditions. Taken to its logical conclusion, as my friends like to joke, if you give an Ork a stick and tell him it's a gun, somehow the stick will shoot bullets.

The Ork mentality is very simple and straightforward: the Orks love having fun. The best way to have fun? Fight. I guess the point I'm trying to convey is that Orks love to fight all the time. If there isn't someone else to fight, the Orks will fight amongst themselves for any reason imaginable, including if they're just bored. Did I mention they love to fight? As far as the Orks see it, at the end of the day if they won, they won, if they died, then they died fighting and it doesn't count, and if they had to run away, well they can come back for another go. It may seem an odd mentality, but in the rather dark world of 40k it's downright optimistic.

Broadly speaking the Orks are divided into six major clans, each which have their own unique characteristics and wears a specific color. The clans are as follows:


  • Bad Moons: Wearing yellow, the Bad Moons are the wealthiest of the clans because their teeth grow most quickly. (Oh yeah, Orks use teeth as currency.) As a result the Bad Moons have the flashiest equipment and love the big shootas.
  • Blood Axes: The only clan without a distinct color, the Blood Axes have the longest history of fighting the Imperium of Man. As a result they've begun to pick up tactics like camouflage and battle plans. As a result a large number of Warbosses come from the Blood Axes.
  • Deathskulls: Wearing blue because it's a lucky color, the Deathskulls specialize in looting equipment from the battlefield, sometimes even while the battle is still raging. As a result they have a large number of converted enemy tanks in their arsenal.
  • Evil Sunz: Orks who love speed, it's common to see an entire Evil Sunz army charging along on cobbled-together motorcycles and wartrukks. Because they love to go fast, and as you know, red ones go faster, the Evil Sunz often wear red themselves.
  • Goffs: The toughest of the Ork clans, the Goffs love getting into the thick of close combat. The Goffs wear black they consider other colors to be "un-Orky".
  • Snakebites: The Snakebites are staunch traditionalists and generally look down on using new-fangled technology. While other Ork clans might use armor and vehicles, the Snakebites use war paint and ride into battle on giant boars. Although less common in the more-developed Ork hordes, Snakebites are still a dangerous force.
Usually the various clans fight amongst themselves, but on occasion a cunning Warboss can unite the various clans into a mighty WAAGH!, a mighty invasion of Orks which is best described as one part mass migration, one part holy war, and one part pub crawl. Any planet that finds themselves in the path of an oncoming WAAGH! is in serious trouble.

At the end of the day, the Orks are a brutal race that love to fight and get into trouble. However they're also downright silly, with technology as likely to harm them or break down as it is to actually harm their enemies. As dangerous and intimidating as the Orks are, I still find them kind of funny and their philosophy rather logical. In the Grim Darkness of the 41st millennium where there is only war, perhaps the Orks are the ones that have it all figured out. If you're going to die horribly on a battlefield, you might as well enjoy it, right? The Orks certainly seem to enjoy it, and they're definitely not going away anytime soon.

- Kalpar



Sheep Movie Review: Chernobyl Diaries

Chernobyl Diaries (2012)
Horror: released 5/24/2012
Directed by Bradley Parker

"A group of six young vacationers who, looking to go off the beaten path, hire an "extreme" tour guide. Ignoring warnings, he takes them into the city of Pripyat, the former home to the workers of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor, but a deserted town since the disaster more than 25 years ago. During their exploration, they soon discover they are not alone."

This movie takes place at the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster site where, in 1986, approximately 45,000 people were evacuated within 3 days after the Nuclear explosions, but don’t forget the 100,000 + others that were living within 30 kilometers of the radiation site. It was considered one of the worst nuclear power plant accidents in history and still stands untouched after all these years.

I'll admit I went into this movie with low expectations and was pleasantly surprised, not saying I loved it, but it wasn't a total let down. When the movie starts we're introduced to 4 strapping 20 somethings (Natalie, Amanda, Chris, and Paul) and they're in Europe visiting the wild, carefree brother Paul. They're set to go to Moscow (compared to where they end up going....they should have stuck with Moscow) and it is there Chris wants to propose to Natalie. From this point on there are so many freaking flags that even Bill Engvall got tired of handing out the signs to all the parties involved. I had to suspend my belief that people were really this ignorant to the warning signs, but it's a horror movie so I suppose bad decisions are a MUST.

Before the "tour" starts two other young hippies join them and they load into the van and away they go on what will be the worst vacation ever. They're stopped at the gate leading to Chernobyl and not allowed in due to maintenance (by now this is like the 4th sign of *go back!*) and of course Paul wants his tour damnit! So Uri the tour guide has other means to access the area, in which they pass, oh like 3 other signs of "shouldn't be here!".

The movie stayed true to the mood of the setting and you really got a sense of the creepiness of the whole disaster and how everything was left untouched when everyone disappeared. I'm a sucker for abandoned, dilapidated buildings so I really loved the scenery and the beauty of its creepiness and character. This horror movie is more about having the horror part off camera, so for those who are squeamish worry not, there's barely any gore. As for the actors I thought they did pretty well with the material given to them, if anything they've all got their crying and screaming down! Especially that Zoe, she's got a blood curdling scream.

The movie is decently paced and I really enjoyed the last 10 minutes (not just because it was ending) where they threw in a nice little twist that tied it all together. The ending is grim and really, as a horror fan, I prefer it that way.

So with that said I give Chernobyl Diaries 3 mutant sheep heads
.

guest reviewer Bunni Darling




Friday, May 25, 2012

Geek Pride Day- GIVEAWAY!


Geek Pride Day

To celebrate all the wonderful things the geek culture has to offer, I Smell Sheep is hooking up all the geeks with a chance to win some cool stuff!

A little info on Geek Pride Day
Celebrated on 25 May, the date was chosen as to commemorate the release of the firstStar Wars film, A New Hope on 25 May 1977, but shares the same date as two other similar fan "holidays": Towel Day, for fans of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy trilogy by Douglas Adams, and the Glorious 25 May for fans of Terry Pratchett's Discworld.The initiative originated in Spain in 2006 as "Orgullo Friki" and spread around the world via the internet.

So let's keep the Geek Pride alive and rockin hard! We have two prize packs up for grabs so make sure to list if you are US or International.

Pack 1 ~US ONLY~
Comics! (as shown in picture)
Book of Sith
Marvel candy
Superhero Pez
Sheep Swag

Pack 2 ~INTERNATIONAL~
1 Superman comic
Sheep Swag


To Enter make sure to fill out the rafflecoptor below. Contest ends May 31st at midnight!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Blood Betrayed by Gabrielle Bisset - Release Day Celebration

I Smell Sheep is proud to announce the
Grand Opening
of our virtual diner where we will be inviting guest authors to tempt your taste buds with some of their alpha-male recipes.
Today we invited author Gabrielle Bisset to cook up the vampire heroes from her books
Blood Avenged and Blood Betrayed which is released today!



Vasilije (Vampire)
Recipe created by Gabrielle Bisset
Blood Avenged-Book #1 Sons of Navarus series

2 gorgeous blue eyes
1 head of jet black hair
2 razor sharp fangs
4 cups of sensuality
A dash of royal blood
400 years of hedonism

Slowly rub with oil using your bare hands making sure every inch is covered. Sprinkle with favorite spices and slow cook for hours.
Serve hot on a bed of your choice.
Caution: Beware of burning your tongue. He's smokin' hot.
Makes: one unforgettable male


Saint (Vampire)
Recipe created by Gabrielle Bisset
Blood Betrayed-Book #2 Sons of Navarus series

2 soulful brown eyes
1 pair succulent lips
2 razor sharp fangs
1 six pack of rock hard abs
A pinch of each: smart ass and rebellion
1 heaping cup of tortured soul blended for 100 years

Gently knead with fingertips until slightly softened. Bring to boil in broth of betrayal. Remove from heat and let stand until firm. Garnish with the zest of one good woman.
Makes: one powerful Alpha male Recommended dessert: Baileys Mousse Pie with genuine Irish cream topping

Blood Betrayed releases today! So Gabrielle has sent along a little snippet to help wet your appetite for Saint.

I am everything forbidden. I am vampire.
Haunted by betrayal, Saint hides in the human world, giving his heart to no one and finding the only solace from his past in the arms of human women. Now as the Archons begin their takeover of the vampire world, this Son of Navarus has been marked for death.
Summoned to defeat the Archons by the world that shunned him, Saint must face his past and Solenne, the woman he loved and lost a century ago, for only in accepting her will his body and soul finally find salvation.



Excerpt:

"Solenne, can you find a woman who doesn't smell like she's been deep fried in animal fat tonight?"

Closing the door to the refrigerator, Solenne turned to see Saint standing at the kitchen's center island. Shirtless. Again.

"Saint, do you own any shirts or do you need me to pick some up for you?"

Smirking, he raised his eyebrows in amusement. "Have we become a prude?"

Pushing past him, she sat down at the table and popped a grape into her mouth. "Don't you concern yourself with me, but dial back the Cro-Magnon act, can you?"

Leaning against the counter, Saint propped himself up on his elbows and rolled his eyes. "And the girl from last night?"

Solenne secretly enjoyed the thought of him repelled by Marie for any reason. Maybe he didn't drink from her. That would explain why he was being such an ass. Maybe he didn't sleep with her either.

"Marie seemed perfectly fine to me," she said casually as she picked grapes off the vine. "Maybe you just weren't her type. Maybe she has more refined tastes in men."

"Yeah, that sounds right. A woman who smells like a French fry has refined tastes. Just find me a woman who smells like a woman should."

You'll be lucky if I bring you one at all.

Saint strolled past her after issuing his order as if he were the king of the castle. God, he was infuriating! If she'd ever met a man who could push her buttons more than Saint, she couldn't remember him. Wouldn't have wanted to remember him, at any rate.

It still amazed her how different he and his brother were. Teagan was smooth and so much fun to be around. And Saint? Always the darker, more sullen brother, he'd transformed into a shell of the man she'd met a hundred years ago, more detached and alone than anything else now.

But behind his gruff exterior—behind the defensiveness—that vulnerable soul she'd known then must still exist. At least she hoped it did.

It did no good to think about that now, though. She had a job to do, and at the moment that meant finding a human female to provide him with what he needed.

Even if it felt like she was betraying everything she held dear in her heart the whole time she was doing it.



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