Astrology - Big Love: Get Ready For Fireworks As Jupiter & Venus Collide Next Week

Click the link below to find out about when the jolly giant, Jupiter collides with the romantic, goddess Venus. Abundance meets love.

I hope it's good for you and yours!
Ashlyn

Big Love: Get Ready For Fireworks As Jupiter & Venus Collide Next Week

Relaunch - "The Beginnings of Hen Party" Video

Narrator Cat

During these last weeks, I’ve been watching Hollywood movies on the big screen and thinking my first little story video could do with some help. 

When I posted it back in May, I was disappointed I had to squint to read the writing in the scenes. 

Worse still, I felt creatively blocked about making any more video productions that fizzled instead of sizzled with fun.

So…there was nothing for it, I had to get over my techno snag…and try again. 

Buy bigger images and increase the size of the writing. I’ve had a laugh putting together the retro cartoon art and music. 

Here’s hoping I can win your smile!

My thanks to Jessica M. Vázquez for her creative video compilation of version 2.

Ah-ha! The bad-girls from the Hen Party are ready to relaunch the beginning of their story. Without further ado, here’s a look at the party action.

Enjoy!

Ashlyn 

Romance Update

Hey, I’m back from the movies and keen to dive back into the world of romance books again. I thought I’d share some news, and what I’m writing and reading.

In the News…

Fifty Shades of Grey, Book 4

Author E.L James has announced she’s written a new book from Christian Grey’s perspective. The release date is his birthday, June 18 2015.

Romance Writer, Valerie Parv

Congratulations to Valerie Parv who was honored with the Order of Australia Medal in the 2015 Queen’s Birthday honors for significant service to the arts as a prolific author, and as a role model and mentor to young emerging writers.

Valerie has sold more than 29 million books worldwide.

I have attended conferences at the Romance Writers of Australia where Valerie has freely given her advice on romance topics and offered encouragement to writers. This is a well-deserved honor for Valerie.

I’m Writing…

Ambush and Surrender (Historical Romance)

I’m about three quarters of the way through writing the first story in the Renton Manor series. 

Earlier on in the story, Vonnie, the heroine, was desperate to get past the locked gates of the Renton Manor to find her sister. 

Now Vonnie is having all sorts of trouble escaping the grounds of the manor house, and leaving behind the handsome, good-hearted Dirk Renton. 

Hen Party (Contemporary Romance)

There are about four chapters of the Hen Party story left to write. Mr J, is the “rooster on the loose” at the Hen Party, and the tension from the bachelorette action is building towards a crisis point. 

Kyra, the heroine, won’t escape the disaster unscathed. Her attraction to Mr J could be her final undoing in this first story with the crazy girls.

I’ve made the first Hen Party video and posted it lower down in the blogger, but I think the images and writing are too small and hard to read. It’s been a learning curve to figure out the video techno stuff for the Blogger and Facebook. I couldn’t do it alone either.

Anyway, my recent trips to the movies inspired me to try again. So, next week, I’m planning to relaunch the “Beginnings of Hen Party” story video. Fingers crossed!

I’m Reading…

“Kiss of Steel” (London Steampunk) by Bec McMaster

The story is a combination of Victorian age London, steampunk and paranormal elements. The hero, Blade, is a scoundrel from the get-go. But he looks after the people he cares about, and proves it to the heroine, Honoria, by his actions. As Honoria’s life circumstances become more and more dire, I’m having trouble putting the book down.

 I hope you had a good week and an even better weekend!

Ashlyn

Movie - "Spy"

Source: 20th Century Fox

I made another trip to the movies this week to watch talented, comic actress, Melissa McCarthy in “Spy”. 

I become a McCarthy fan after “The Heat”, her buddy cop movie with Sandra Bullock. 

I've previously posted some comments about the “The Heat” lower down in this blogger page if you haven’t read it or are interested to find out more.  

So what was the spy story about?

Here’s the official rap from 20th Century Fox Studios;

(Source: http://www.foxmovies.com/movies/spy)

Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) is an unassuming, desk-bound CIA analyst, and the unsung hero behind the Agency’s most dangerous missions. But when her partner (Jude Law) falls off the grid and another top agent (Jason Statham) is compromised, she volunteers to go deep undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent a global disaster.

There were many moments in the “Spy” movie that drew a Blurgh! response from me.

What I didn’t like about the movie the most was;

•        The F-bombs were frequent, unoriginal and lost their effect. 

•        The repeated and opportunistic groping of an unwilling woman’s breasts – not funny. The same applies to the contrived, crotch scenes.

•        Shooting people and seeing the blood spurt out of the bullet holes-a total gross out. I was practicing my sideways stare there. 

But I sat on my seat, biding my time, and waiting for my laugh-out-loud moments to come. And they did arrive. Sometimes in multiples, one after another, and I struggled to catch my breath in between. 

Source: 20th Century Fox

That’s why I bought a ticket to watch “Spy”…to be entertained. 

Unpredictably, the humor didn’t come from Melissa McCarthy alone (great as she was), two other actresses, Miranda Hart and Rose Byrne also added to the laughs. 

The story begins with Susan Cooper working as a techno backup to a suave, pseudo 007-James Bond-ish type character. When his spy mission goes wrong, she saves him and she thinks she’s in love with him. 

At the debriefing meeting afterwards, Susan doesn’t sit in an equal place at the table with her colleagues. She’s sits quietly on the sidelines, beside the lamp, watching, listening, looking homely, and her presence is largely ignored by the others. 

When she does stand to her feet, open her mouth and volunteer to become a field agent to get the mission back on track, her male colleagues perceive her offer as a joke. The top agent tries to shut down the discussion by name-calling her the “lunch lady”.

At this point in the story, Melissa McCarthy shows her acting prowess, to be vulnerable and connect with the everyday woman the world over. The work meeting also sets the scene for the transformation of desk-bound Susan Cooper and the comic charge that comes with her change of circumstances.

Susan Cooper is given the opportunity to become the field agent to save the world from the villains. She does the job her way. That’s when my laughter really started.

Source: 20th Century Fox

Source: 20th Century Fox

Actress, Rose Byrne plays the role of the deadly arms dealer and she shares moments of comic chemistry with Melissa McCarthy.

While actress, Miranda Hart was funny in her own right as well as being the buddy side-kick to Melissa. 

Miranda plays the role of another desk-bound CIA analyst who becomes Susan Cooper’s techno backup. 

Miranda’s polished Brit accent implied a conservative nature and as she became involved deeper and deeper in the undercover action, she busted personal boundaries. I enjoyed watching Miranda's performance very much.

Before I go, I also wanted to mention the Italian playboy and bad guy for reasons other than comedy, more like ooh-la-la. His tanned complexion and dark looks hit my delish zone. The way he wore a suit, mmmm…. The tailoring, the silver tie whatchamacallit and the blended colors of his shirt, tie and jacket brought to life the appearance of a man from romance central. What a shame he was a villain and not a hero in the movie!

  

I’ll leave you with the trailer.

Bye for now.

Ashlyn