Tag: #IWSG

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Wormfest 2014! – The Prestige Quote

2014 National Wormhole Week and Blog Hop! 3/10-16/2014

Click to learn more.

This blog hop and blog tour are brought to you by: Alex Cavanaugh, L. Diane Wolfe, and Stephen Tremp– the author of Escalation.

For 2014, the theme is to name one thing where science advances mankind, and one where technology with unforeseen consequences will go too far and set mankind back. Example: De-Extinction, or bringing back extinction species through back breeding, genetic engineering, and cloning. With all the breakthrough discoveries mankind is on the cusp of, are we playing God?

Feel free to reference movies and books too. These provide no shortage if inspiration. Speaking of de-extinction, the book and movie Jurassic Park comes to mind where science takes a huge leap forward, but also backfires. I’m looking forward to all the amazing responses everyone will have.

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Today I’ll be stopping by Alex’s blog to drop-off my dishes for the potluck party going down today. I’m bringing three out-of-this-world courses.

I’m starting off with my Fire ’fly’ roasted Jayne ‘corn on the’ Cobb

Then I’m moving on to my Fifth Element Mangalores Surprise (not as scary as it sounds: a meatloaf in the shape of a chicken)

And finally my world-famous, lick the plate, Dean Winchester Pie.

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Each day this week I’ll be sharing quotes from sci-fi movies or books along with my thoughts on how far technologies still needs to go and where I think it will go too far.

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Today I’m focusing on how desperation turns technology dangerous.

The film I’ve picked for today is not a sci-fi masterpiece, but it’s pretty scary to consider the misuse of technology within it.

From the film, The Prestige, I give you…

“Now you’re looking for the secret. But you won’t find it because of course, you’re not really looking. You don’t really want to work it out. You want to be fooled.”~ Cutter (from IMDB)

Here we have a magician who is so desperate to seek revenge and out do his competition that he’s decided to create real magic with the use of new and unstable technology. The baseline argument here is, what do you do with a human clone? If you haven’t seen the movie, watch it, see what this guy does with it, and then decide for yourself.

I personally don’t think people should be playing around with forces they don’t understand, but I also realize that many advancements are made just that way. If you get the results you want, is the way you got them important? There are so many ethical issues concerning the story within this film and only half of them deal with the misuse of technology. (Watch it!)

Sure it would be great to clone food and be able to feed people in starving nations, but where would it end? Would there be side affects to eating cloned food? Would there be an imbalance in the ecosystem if plants and or animals were cloned?

So many questions?

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Be sure to stop by and see what everyone else is bringing to the potluck (here) and also be sure to check out all the other ideas and theories about where technology is heading and going wrong.

Powered by Linky Tools Click here to follow this hop or enter your link to join in.


Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

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IWSG

#IWSG March 2014: Negative Reviews

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Created and hosted by the Ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writers Support Group posts the 1st Wednesday of every month. Click the image to learn more or sign up.

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Before I start my spiel I just want to say that: I never have enough time, there is so much going on in my life that I feel like I’m constantly running even in my sleep, I missed one of my regular posts yesterday because I was on the road and forget to schedule it because of family drama…

But I keep on trying every day, anyway. 🙂

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So I’ve received my first two negative reviews for my debut novel, Eternal Curse: Giovanni’s Angel,  and I’m still here. I haven’t thrown my body into frozen shark infested waters, but I’m not going to pretend that the thought didn’t cross my mind. As far as I know, these two reviews haven’t been posted to the public yet, but I’m sure they’ll surface any day now.

I find that I’m not too bothered by the idea of these reviews going public for three basic reasons and one hope.

1. I value the opinions of readers. I mean, I do write to entertainment them, so why wouldn’t I try to take into consideration how they feel about my work. If authors pout, cry, and throw a fit every time someone doesn’t like their work, readers may just stop bothering to read.

2. I’m grateful to anyone who’s willing to give my book a try. In my personal experience, most people don’t “waste their time” reading the work of some unknown writer. Just how some people don’t watch indie films or listen to indie music, some people aren’t interested in reading anything indie, “new”, or “small”.

3. I understand that everything isn’t for everyone. I’d be a fool to think that my book would be the first to be loved by all unconditionally and universally. On top of that, I like the idea of being able to learn from such reviews to see if there are things I want to change or improve about my writing. In essence, some people will enjoy my work and some will not because that’s how the world turns, and I’m okay with that.

4. It’s my hope that when these reviews go public that the reviewers are honest without being hateful. I know for a fact how one of these reviewers feels about my book and can’t and won’t argue how she feels. She was very honest and clear about what she did and didn’t like. I may not be happy about it, but I can’t be mad at her for being honest…Now, I have no idea what this other reviewer is going to say. This may be a bash fest in the making or maybe this other reviewer will also be honest and clear, without invoking hate, to explain why he/she didn’t care for my book.

While I’m glad to currently have more positive reviews than negative ones, I’m ready to face the reality that others may not like my book…And I’ll be sure to travel with a buddy when around sharp objects and the ocean.

BTW-Eternal Curse is participating in the Cover Wars over at The Masquerade Crew. Visit my side panel to check it out and possibly give me a vote. 😉

After hanging out with Alex, be sure to stop by and visit this month’s co-hosts:  Tina Downey, Elsie, Elizabeth Seckman, and Julie Flanders!

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Click here to visit other IWSG blogs and sites to receive and share inspiration and support. (This month, I’m #220).

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

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IWSG

#IWSG February 2014: Blog Hop

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Created and hosted by the Ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writers Support Group posts the 1st Wednesday of every month. Click the image to learn more or sign up.

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I’m trying something new, well, new to me anyway. I’ve participated in so many blog hops, but have never done one of my own. I think deep down I’m just avoiding the fact that I need to do more to promote my book and I just don’t feel like it. Sometimes it’s hard trying to sell something I love so much that I almost want to give it away just so I know people have it…

But enough about that, back to my endeavor to host a blog hop. I’m very nervous about this and hope I’m able to get a few participants (oh, there go my insecurities). After receiving some interesting insights about the romantic tension in my book (the one I haven’t been promoting enough), I started thinking about the nature of wooing. How does someone get someone else to fall for them or vice versa? Aside from flexing muscles and batting eyelashes, there have to be actual acts and jesters that just really turn people on. Some are probably universal, but some must be more specific; I want to know them all.

So, I give you, How do you Woo? Blogfest! (It’s a title people. Stop overthinking the grammar.)

howdoyouwoo

Love is in the air and it’s time to share, Wednesday, February 12th.

Tell a story, give examples, share an experience…how do you romance the one you care about or vice versa? In 500 words or less, teach us, entice us, and get us thinking all while keeping it, at least, PG-13. 😉

All are welcomed to participate. Please feel free to promote any contests, giveaways, or works you wish, but please post content ratings if your selections are a little more than simply adult. Feel free to use the image I’ve included here or come up with one of your own, but please use the Linky posted below to participate and use the hashtag, #howdoyouwoo, in promotions.

Aside from what I’ll be sharing in my post, I’ll also be offering a giveaway: a box of Ferrero Rocher®. There will be no liking, following, tweeting, etc… involved; all you have to do is leave me a comment about wooing. The winner will be drawn at random and announced on Friday, February 14th (HappyValentine’s Day).

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Please click here to join in and be a part of this romantic blog hop.

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All in all, I guess you could say that I’ve completely ignored my insecurities this month and have replaced them with practical deeds. Who knows, I may find a way between now and then to involve this hop in my weak book promoting efforts. Next month, hopefully I’ll be more on the ball and actually have something worthwhile to share; perhaps words of encouragement, a tale of progress, or even something more heartfelt…We’ll just have to see.

Be sure to stop by, visit, and thank our host as well as this month’s co-hosts: Sheena-kay Graham, Julie Musil, Jamie Ayres, and Mike Swift!

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Click here to visit other IWSG blogs and sites to receive and share inspiration and support (this month, I’m #234).

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords