Voluted Tales: Nerdful Things

I just wanted to let folks know about one of my latest projects. I am currently writing a scifi genre pop culture column for the online speculative fiction magazine Voluted Tales.

If you haven't checked out Voluted Tales before, you definitely should, and if you're a writer of short speculative fiction, think seriously about submitting.

My new column, called Nerdful Things, can be found here. This month's article talks about Marvel has changed how we watch movies, and last issue's was about expectations for the new Godzilla film.

And you can check out the current issue of Voluted Tales, for a small subscription fee, right here. Enjoy!

Godzilla 2014

You know me, I am a hardcore Godzilla fan, and earlier this week, thanks to friend Skott Stotland of The Nerd Signal, I got to see an early showing of the new American Godzilla film.

You can read my spoiler-filled review of the movie over at Biff Bam Pop!, click here. I've got a lot to say.

And while you're in the monster mood, please check out Skott Stotland's review of Godzilla here, fellow Biff Bam Pop! staff writer J.P. Fallavollita on Gareth Edwards' Monsters here (and my review of that film as well), and good friend and fellow writer Becca Butcher's rebuttal to my review here.

The Rock Blog Tour - Skinn Jakkitt

Welcome back on board the Rock Blog Tour featuring Skinn Jakkitt...

Skinn Jakkitt released their first national release, a self-titled album, on November 5th of this year, recorded with The Tate Music Group.

The Hickory, North Carolina-based band consists of Barry Sams and Shane Farris on guitars, Jeff Hayworth on bass, Jeff "Pup" Price on drums, and Greg Stephens on vocals.

The first song and video from the album is "Epiphany," check it out below:



For a taste of Skinn Jakkitt live, these videos show the band in their natural habitat:





You can see Skinn Jakkitt perform live next on December 14th, with Amnesis in Waynesville NC, and at The Wizard Saloon in Hickory NC on January 25th.

If you haven't already checked them out, please see the previous stops on this Skinn Jakkitt Blog Tour with Whitney Coble, Tim Marquitz, Becca Butcher, Kristyn Phipps, and Jennifer Walker. Please come by and check out my friend Robin Renee's blog The Dream Between for the next installment on Tuesday, December 3rd.

Please visit Skinn Jakkitt's website, hear them at ReverbNation, Like them on Facebook, and Follow them on Twitter.

The Rock Blog Tour

Today marks the beginning of The Rock Blog Tour, featuring Skinn Jakkitt. The first stop is at The Southern Girl's Guide to Life by Whitney Coble, and you can check it out here.

Upcoming stops will be at the blogs of Tim Marquitz, Becca Butcher, Kristyn Phipps, Jennifer Walker, and Robin Renee. I'll be hosting the tour right here at Welcome to Hell on December 1st.

Please visit Skinn Jakkitt's website, hear them at ReverbNation, Like them on Facebook, and Follow them on Twitter.

The Robin Renee Blog Tour - Wrap-Up

Wrapping things up here on the Robin Renee Blog Tour, and I want to thank everyone involved. Special thanks goes out to all the folks who participated and helped with to tour, including, and not limited to, Shelley Szajner, Marie Gilbert, Becca Butcher, Patti O'Brien, Fran Metzman, Ray Cornwall, Andy Burns, the South Jersey Writers, the GAR! Podcast, Biff Bam Pop!, and especially to Robin Renee herself. You all rock, very hard! Thank you!

Here is a breakdown of the stops on the Blog Tour.

Robin Renee is interviewed by Shelley Szajner here about inspiration, Kirtan, and This..

Marie Gilbert runs down some of the places where Robin can be found on the internet here.

Becca Butcher gives her thoughts on the This. release here.

Here, I give a song by song review of This., along with Robin adding her thoughts and observations as well.

Patti O'Brien talks about Robin's music, and then interviews her about her travels here.

We return to Welcome to Hell, where guest blogger Fran Metzman interviews Robin about her influences, inspirations, and creative process. See it here.

Over on the South Jersey Writers blog, Marie Gilbert returns to interview Robin about encouragement, inspiration, and the ups and downs of a music career.

Robin was a guest on The GAR! Podcast where discussion included DEVO, David Bowie, Saturday Night Live music moments, and the creative process. You can listen to the episode here.

And finally, you can go here for the Biff Bam Pop! interview with Robin Renee, with a few edits for space considerations showing up here.

Robin can be found at her website, and on her blog, and check out her music at CD Baby, and at iTunes. Follow her on Twitter here, and Like her Facebook page here.

And don't forget about Robin's terrific new single "All I Am," now available at CD Baby, with 20% of the proceeds going to the You Will Rise Project.

Thank you, everyone!

The Robin Renee Blog Tour Continues

Today's stop on the Robin Renee Blog Tour is at Gilbert Curiosities, where Marie Gilbert lists some of the artist's various links where she and her work can be found online. You can check that out here.

Besides her music, Robin is also a poet, an artist, a blogger, and a journalist. She has done some great work, like these remembrances of Richie Havens and Stompin' Tom Connors.

But then, yeah, there's the music. Here's one of my favorite original tunes from Robin Renee, the acoustic version of "The Other End of the Line," from her spirit.rocks.sexy collection.

Earlier this month, Robin released a terrific pop/rock single "All I Am" with proceeds going to the You Will Rise Project. I am showing my true colors here and being non-objective, but I have to say I really love this song. You can obtain it through CD Baby here.

Tomorrow the Blog Tour continues at Becca Butcher's Blog, and then on Sunday returns here for my thoughts on Robin's latest full release, This.. I'll see you then.

The Robin Renee Blog Tour

Today marks the start of the Robin Renee Blog Tour. For the next week or so, we'll be guiding you through a journey of the work singer/songwriter/poet/activist/journalist, Robin Renee.

Who is Robin Renee? Besides, my talented and creative friend of several decades of course, Robin Renee is Mantra-Pop! - accessible, lyric-driven alt-folk rock with a spiritual twist. Conscious and melodic with an edge, think of blending the voices of Chrissie Hynde and Joan Armatrading with the wordsmith intelligence of Elvis Costello and the mystical passion of kirtan chanting.

Her CDs include In Progress, All Six Senses (produced by the world renowned Scott Mathews who has worked with George Harrison, Elvis Costello, Barbra Streisand, and many more), Live Devotion (East-meets-West chanting), and spirit.rocks.sexy – mantra-pop headlines from the clairaudient dreams of the evocative Robin Renée.

She has shared the stage with some of the West’s best-loved kirtan singers including Krishna Das, Dave Stringer, and Girish. Also a poet, artist, and writer, Robin’s work has appeared in PanGaia, Big Hammer #12, Curve Magazine, Songwriter’s Market, Blessed Bi Spirit – Bisexual People of Faith (Continuum Press), That Takes Ovaries – Bold Females and their Brazen Acts (Random House), and many other publications.

Her newest recording, This. (chant and sacred song), will be followed by ..and Everything Else (songs and spoken word) in 2014.

Here's the schedule for the Blog Tour:

Tomorrow, Thursday, July 18th, Shelley Szajner will be interviewing Robin at her blog.

Friday, July 19th, Marie Gilbert will be hosting at her blog, Gilbert Curiosities.

Saturday, July 20th, Becca Butcher will be hosting at her blog.

Sunday, July 21st, we return here to Welcome to Hell, where I'll be reviewing Robin's "This." Album.

Monday, July 22nd Patti O'Brien will be hosting at her blog, A Broad Abroad.

Tuesday, July 23rd, Fran Metzman will be guest blogging an interview with Robin here at my blog, Welcome to Hell.

Wednesday, July 24th Marie Gilbert will be hosting an interview with Robin at the South Jersey Writers Blog, Tall Tales and Short Stories.

Thursday, July 25th Robin Renee will be a guest on The GAR! Podcast, with Ray Cornwall and myself.

Friday, July 26th I will be conducting an interview with Robin Renee at Biff Bam Pop!.

Saturday, July 27th I will be closing out the blog tour here at Welcome to Hell.

And don't forget to check out Robin Renee's new single "All I Am" at CD Baby, with proceeds going to the anti-bullying organization, the You Will Rise Project.

See you tomorrow, at Shelley Szajner's blog!