Nuggets for November

Looking for slang or jargon? Or maybe alternatives for cuss words? This is a very useful post for the "wordy" in all writers.
http://annerallen.com/slang-jargon-insider-lingo-11-ways-to-find/

A great post about blurb writing
http://www.adazing.com/the-perfect-blurb/

Do you need an editor? And what kind of editor?
http://emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitchofwriting/2016/11/no-you-dont-need-to-pay-for-a-copy-edit-except-when-you-do.html

A thought provoking article about how to make the unexpected twist believable
http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/write-unexpected-story-events/

In defense of to-be verbs
http://annerallen.com/should-you-eliminate-was-from-your/ 

marketing for the holidays
https://www.writtenwordmedia.com/2016/10/25/book-promotion-for-holiday/

Shopping for that Impossible-to-Buy-For Friend - the movie edition

Black Friday is just around the corner, so I figure this isn't a bad time to do another installment of shopping for that hard to buy for friend. This time, I'm focusing on movies and TV.


Do you know someone who's a fan of fantasy? I'll be they'd love Game of Thrones.




This is the hot series in fandom at the moment. It's very well done, though seriously, adults only.







Any one who is a Diana Gabaldon fan or who loves time travel or Scottish romance will love Outlander.


Really books to premium cable networks, that's the way to go for quality adaptation.




Not everything has to be the latest, hottest series. You can find some real bargains in older series. Some have stood up well. And did I mention you can find some real bargains?




One of my favorites is Soap.

And incredible ensemble cast, and you can pick up all four seasons for under $20.









WKRP in Cincinatti is on my personal wish list now that all the seasons are out. It's sad that they weren't able to get rights to all the great music they used on the original show, but I've seen the first season and it's still incredibly funny. How can it not be with Dr. Johnny Fever?










Another comedy that's aged well is Third Rock from the Sun 




John Lithgow will do anything for a laugh and so will the rest of the cast. Aliens are never as funny as Tom, Dick and Harry... and of course Sally.








As ensemble casts go, it's hard to beat Hamish MacBeth. This BBC America series is insanely funny. The only thing wrong with it was that it only lasted three seasons.






If you have a friend who's a fan of Star Trek or Star Wars, you can always check to see if their collection is complete or...




You can go with my favorite and introduce them to
Babylon 5


If this was being made today, it would be on a premium cable network. It has a stellar cast and a great story arc that spans five seasons.







I have a friend who LOVES bad science fiction movies. (Hey, it's not my place to judge.) Understandably, she also loves Mystery Science Theater.










And of course, one shouldn't forget Monte Python. I'm inclined to recommend starting with Monte Python and the Holy Grail but if you're a fan, really any of them will work.





The Mel Brooks Collection is a real steal at $30, especially since it gets you nine movies. Come on. That's less than $5 a movie.
Disc 1: The Twelve Chairs
Disc 2: Blazing Saddles
Disc 3: Young Frankenstein
Disc 4: Silent Movie
Disc 5: High Anxiety
Disc 6: History of the World - Part 1
Disc 7: To Be or Not to Be
Disc 8: Spaceballs
Disc 9: Robin Hood: Men in Tights


So those are my top choices.Other series that had large followings include Friends, Sex in the City, The Walking Dead, Beauty and the Beast, Mash, The Big Bang Theory,

One word of caution. If a series was made on a premium cable network like HBO, some of the content may not be appropriate for households with minors (I'm looking at you, Game of Thrones), so take that into consideration.

You'll probably have a hard time not picking something up for yourself. Go for it. Some of these are incredible deals.

Happy shopping.




Thursday Writing Quote ~ King

Where do I get my ideas? The more pertinent question is…how do I make them stop? ~ Stephen King