Pre-Release Blu-Ray/DVD Giveaway - Home!

In celebration of the upcoming release of Home BluRay/DVD, we have something really fun and exciting to share with you and your family today! Please, check out these beautiful stills from HOME and enter to win your own shiny, new copy of HOME Blue-Ray/DVD!!!

GET THE PARTY STARTED AND GROOVE LIKE THE BOOV WHEN THE SUMMER MOVIE ADVENTURE - DREAMWORKS ANIMATION’S HOME - ARRIVES ON DIGITAL HD JUNE 26 AND BLU-RAY 3D, BLU-RAY & DVD JULY 28

“Heart-warming and hilarious." – Pete Hammond, Deadline.com

The HOME PARTY EDITION is Packed with over an Hour of Hit Music and Fun Dancing Content that will Get the Whole Family Shaking Their Boov Thing!

LOS ANGELES, CA – Celebrate family, friendship and fun in the surprise smash comedy hit of the year from the creators of How To Train Your Dragon and Shrek! In DreamWorks Animation’s HOME, Oh, a lovable misfit from another planet meets a girl named Tip. The two unlikely friends embark on the greatest journey of all time...the journey HOME. Hailed by critics as “an animated triumph” (CBS Radio News) that is “family fun with tons of heart” (Fox TV), Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will release DreamWorks Animation’s HOME PARTY EDITION on Digital HD June 26 and Blu-ray 3D™, Blu-ray™ and DVD July 28.

Directed by Tim Johnson (Over The Hedge, Antz), HOME features the voice talents of Golden Globe® and Emmy® winner Jim Parsons* (“The Big Bang Theory,” The Muppets), Grammy® winner Rihanna** (Battleship), Oscar® and Emmy® winner Steve Martin*** (The Pink Panther, Father of the Bride) and Golden Globe® nominee Jennifer Lopez (“American Idol,” Maid In Manhattan). 

“HOME is smart, fun and funny” proclaims Bill Bergoli of CBS Radio. A hit with audiences and critics alike, the film received an outstanding audience reaction with a coveted “A” CinemaScore®.

The HOME Blu-ray 3D™, Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD feature a Boov-tastic party of never-before-seen bonus features that will persuade the entire family to get their groove on, including “Oh’s Boovy Jukebox” of top tracks, “Oh’s Shake Your Boov Thing,” a toe-tapping, music video mash-up, hilarious deleted scenes, character-drawing tutorials and more!

DWAnimation’s HOME Blu-ray 3D™, Blu-ray™ & Digital HD:

Feature film in high definition Special Features:

• Best Party Ever! – A Boov-tastic introduction, featuring a HOME montage and voiceover from Oh, inviting you to enjoy all the out-of-this-world extras! 

• Party Play All – A Boov bonus meter fills up as you watch the fun-packed special features, leading up to an explosion of color and bubbles! 

• Oh’s Shake Your Boov Thing – Get up and dance with this exciting mash-up of feature footage and music that combines to create an exciting HOME dance video!

• “Feel the Light” by Jennifer Lopez – Music Video – Move and groove to the Boov beat watching Jennifer Lopez’s hit music video from the HOME soundtrack! 

• “Feel the Light” by Jennifer Lopez – Lyric Video – Watch Jennifer Lopez’s hit music video with colorful on-screen lyrics to help you sing along! 

• Oh’s Boovy Jukebox – Oh’s interactive jukebox includes 16 songs and will take you directly to all the magical music moments in HOME! 

• Oh’s Party Planning Tips – Oh’s top tip’s for party planning let you create an impressive Boov bash of your own! 

• This is Being Boov – Get to know all about the Boov in this humorous, handy guide showcasing the characteristics of this unique alien species! 

• Almost Home – See the trials and tribulations of the Boov on their journey across the galaxy, before they discovered Earth! 

• Testing Lab – See how the Boov tested out some uniquely human items in their super-secret Boov testing lab. 

• Deleted Scenes – The hilarious HOME adventure continues with 25 minutes of deleted scenes you couldn’t see in theaters! 

• Be an Artist! – Animator Andy Erekson introduces you to the HOME character drawing tutorials! 

• Stars of Home – Meet the characters of HOME and the extremely talented human actors who voice them! 

DreamWorks Animation’s HOME DVD includes:

Feature film in standard definition Special Features:

• Best Party Ever! – A Boov-tastic introduction, featuring a HOME montage and voiceover from Oh, inviting you to enjoy all the out-of-this-world extras! 

• Party Play All – A Boov bonus meter fills up as you watch the fun-packed special features, leading up to an explosion of color and bubbles! 

• Oh’s Shake Your Boov Thing – Get up and dance with this exciting mash-up of feature footage and music that combines to create an exciting HOME dance video! 

• “Feel the Light” by Jennifer Lopez – Music Video – Move and groove to the Boov beat watching Jennifer Lopez’s hit music video from the HOME soundtrack! 

• “Feel the Light” by Jennifer Lopez – Lyric Video – Watch Jennifer Lopez’s hit music video with colorful on-screen lyrics to help you sing along! • Oh’s Boovy Jukebox – Oh’s interactive jukebox includes 16 songs and will take you directly to all the magical music moments in HOME! 

• Oh’s Party Planning Tips – Oh’s top tip’s for party planning let you create an impressive Boov bash of your own!

Giveaway:

One winner will receive a BluRay/DVD copy of HOME - open to everyone! Ends: 7/28

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ABOUT DREAMWORKS ANIMATION DreamWorks Animation creates high-quality entertainment, including CG animated feature films, television specials and series and live entertainment properties, meant for audiences around the world. The Company has world-class creative talent, a strong and experienced management team and advanced filmmaking technology and techniques. DreamWorks Animation has been named one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” by FORTUNE® Magazine for five consecutive years. In 2013, DreamWorks Animation ranked #12 on the list. All of DreamWorks Animation’s feature films are produced in 3D. The Company has theatrically released a total of 31 animated feature films, including the franchise properties of Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, Puss In Boots, and The Croods. 

ABOUT TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is the industry leading worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox produced, acquired and third party partner film and television programing. Each year TCFHE expands its award-winning global product portfolio with the introduction of new entertainment content through established and emerging formats including DVD, Blu-ray™ and DigitalHD™. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is a subsidiary of 21st Century Fox.

Exclusive Movie Clip + Pre-Release Giveaway: The Longest Ride (BluRay)

In celebration of the upcoming release of The Longest Ride BluRay/DVD, we have something truly fabulous to share with you today! Please, check out this exclusive video clip from the movie based on a bestselling novel by Nicholas Sparks, and then enter to win your very own, beautiful, shiny new copy of the BluRay/DVD! :)

TAKE THE RIDE OF YOUR LIFE FOR LOVE

“The best Nicholas Sparks movie since The Notebook”

* Comes to Blu-ray and DVD on July 14

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (May 15, 2015) – What would you do for the love of your life? Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment invites you to grab the bull by the horns in THE LONGEST RIDE, which releases on Blu-ray™ and DVD July 14. Up-and-coming stars Britt Robertson and Scott Eastwood will tug at your heartstrings as they bring Nicholas Sparks’ beloved novel to life.

Based on the bestselling novel by master storyteller Sparks, THE LONGEST RIDE centers on the star-crossed love affair between Luke, a former champion bull rider looking to make a comeback, and Sophia, a college student who is about to embark upon her dream job in New York City’s art world. As conflicting paths and ideals test their relationship, Sophia and Luke make an unexpected connection with Ira, whose memories of his own decades-long romance with his beloved wife deeply inspire the young couple. Spanning generations and two intertwining love stories, THE LONGEST RIDE explores the challenges and infinite rewards of enduring love.

THE LONGEST RIDE Blu-ray™ comes packed with 45 minutes of extra features that will take you further into the film’s two central love stories. Join Eastwood on the ranch as he learns from the world’s best bull riders to control the beasts and learn more about the production with audio commentary from director George Tillman, Jr. and star Oona Chaplin.

THE LONGEST RIDE BLU-RAY™ SPECIAL FEATURES
• Deleted and Extended Scenes
• A Writer’s Journey: A Day in the Life of Nicholas Sparks
• Beyond the Ride
• Bringing it to Life
• Meet The Real Bull Riders
• Luke’s Bull Riding School
• Audio Commentary by George Tillman, Jr. and Oona Chaplin
• Gallery 

Exclusive Clip:

Giveaway:

One winner will receive a BluRay/DVD copy of The Longest Ride - open to everyone! Ends: 7/17


a Rafflecopter giveaway

ABOUT TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is the industry leading worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox produced, acquired and third party partner film and television programing. Each year TCFHE expands its award-winning global product portfolio with the introduction of new entertainment content through established and emerging formats including DVD, Blu-ray™ and Digital HD™. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is a subsidiary of 21st Century Fox.

Petals on the Wind (Dollanganger #2) by V.C. Andrews (Review + Movie Feature + Giveaway)

Genre:	Mystery, Romance, Drama, Gothic Horror
Publication.Date	May 20th 2014
Pages:	448
Published By:	Gallery Books
Author	V.C. Andrews
	Petals on the Wind on Goodreads
My review copy:	Received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Where to get:

For Carrie, Chris and Cathy the attic was a dark horror that would not leave their minds. 

Of course mother had to pretend they didn't exist and grandmother was convinced they had the devil in them. 

But that wasn't their fault. Was it? 

Cathy knew what to do. She knew it was time to show her mother and grandmother that the pain and terror of the attic could not be forgotten...Show them. Show them -- once and for all.

(Goodreads)

Angel, saint, Devil's spawn, good or evil, you've got me pinned to the wall and labeled as yours until the day I die. And if you die first, then it won't be long before I follow.

Life offers more than one chance, Cathy, you know that.

Beauty thinks it needs no talent and can feed on itself, so it soon dies.

What women wanted to be eaten alive, choked by a thrusting tongue? Not me, I wanted to be played like a violin, strummed pianissimo, in largo timing, fingered into legato, and let it grow into crescendo.

I sighed, he sighed, the wind and flowers sighed too. I think those marble statues sighed along as well, in their lack of understanding the human condition

     The Times Magazine called Petals on the Wind "an artfully twisted modern fairytale" and it's hard to disagree with that statement. Dark, shocking and spellbinding, it's a fabulous tale of forbidden love, lust, abandonment, abuse and revenge - the last one being the leading theme of this volume of Dollanganger series. I won't even try to deny it, I'm completely addicted to this insane little saga! 

"How young we were the day we escaped. How exuberantly alive we should have felt to be freed, at last, from such a grim, lonely and stifling place. How pitifully delighted we should have been to be riding on a bus that rumbled slowly southward. But if we felt joy, we didn't show it. We sat, all three, pale, silent, staring out the windows, very frightened by all we saw."

     After long years of being locked in the creepy, dark attic of a gothic Virginia mansion, Cathy, Chris and Carrie are finally free. Their freedom tastes bitter, though, as their lives have been irrevocably altered by the unspeakable cruelty and hatred with which they've been treated by their own family members. And that's not something you can just forgive and forget. Not something you can easily move away from...

     We meet them again as they're travelling on a Florida-bound bus, determined to start afresh some place better. Before they can get to Florida, though, Carrie falls very ill. Suffering from arsenic poisoning, she begins vomiting and eventually passes out, and the older siblings are forced to get off the bus and seek help for her. Luckily, a kind, mute maid comes to their aid, leading them to her employer, doctor Sheffield. Paul Sheffield, a lonely 40-year-old widower, takes them in and offers them shelter, education and parental guidance. His house becomes their new home and for the first time since being locked in the attic, they have a chance at a normal life. As it turns out, though, you can take the kids out of the attic, but you can't take the attic out of the kids.. All three Dollanganger kids are plagued by the attic-inspired nightmares and they are struggling to move on. Cathy is obsessed with revenge. Chris is obsessed with Cathy. And Carrie, poor little Carrie, is deformed, weak and broken inside. Can the "legacy of evil" and the long years of abuse ever be overcome? Or is there no going back after all that happened?

"I was fifteen. The year was 1960, and it was November. I wanted everything, needed everything, and I was so terribly afraid I'd never in all my life find enough to make up for what I had already lost. I sat tense, ready to scream if one more bad thing happened. Like a coiled fuse attached to a time bomb, I knew that sooner or later explode and bring down all those who lived in Foxworth Hall!"

     Oh Cathy, you twisted little witch. How I adore thee, though you definitely give me the creeps. Cathy is such a fascinating, multi-layered character. There is so much going on in her head and heart, she is definitely an interesting and entertaining character to follow, and I'm so glad that the Dollanganger books are written from her perspective. She might not be an easy heroine to like, moreover, it's quite possible her thoughts and actions will make you very, very disturbed, but hey, let's not kid ourselves, that is precisely why we reach for Andrews' books, am I right? All the juicy and gasp worthy scenes loaded with sexual tension, all the forbidden fruits served on a deliciously Gothic platter, all the shocking abuse, incest and other taboo topics Andrews so boldly explores in her novels... We might gasp and shake our heads in pretend disgust, but we keep on reading anyway. Why? Because it's entertaining and we enjoy it! Who doesn't like a good guilty-pleasure read every now and then?

     Cathy is only a teenager (she is 15 at the start of Petals) but she is already striking, and she knows it. And she uses her looks to her advantage. She plays the role of seductress. And she is so good at it, it's scary! No one can resist her beauty and her various sexual encounters are testament to that. Her twisted personality does not inspire sympathy, though. She's calculating, overly dramatic and often acts very selfish. Her mood swings can be pretty tiring and she is seemingly incapable of ever taking responsibility for her own actions ("It's all mother's fault!"). Forming healthy relationships is another thing Cathy is incapable of. From her sexual relationship with Paul who is more than twice her age, to the abusive relationship with the arrogant Julian, she often finds herself in situations no 15-year-old girl should ever experience, let alone actively seek. And yet, despite her wicked ways and twisted reasoning, she is utterly bewildering. 

"How can I find anyone else, when you've been bred into my bones - and are part of my flesh? Your blood runs fast when mine does! Your eyes burn when mine do - don't deny it!"

     While Cathy hates her mother with burning passion and would give just about anything to see her suffer, Chris is a whole different story. He still loves their mother, even after all the pain and suffering she has caused them, even despite the fact that she had tried to kill them all for money, and even though she is the main reason why Cory is dead. Both Cathy and Chris are obsessed with their mother, though for completely different reasons. For Cathy it's revenge, for Chris unhealthy adoration and a bit of an Oedipus complex. One might wonder if his love and passion for Cathy does not steam - at least partly - from the fact that she is an almost mirror like reflection of their mother. 

     The forbidden kisses and touches continue throughout the book, though Cathy seems determined to put an end to their "unnatural love" and force Chris to move on and find someone else. He's one incredibly handsome young man, though, and it's not always easy to resist the temptation. Bound together by years of suffering in isolation, these two continue to struggle with their feelings and sexual urges. 

"I was an instrument of yearning, filled with a ravenous desire for romantic fulfillment."

     Petals on The Wind is just as entertaining and disturbing as Flowers in the Attic, and I have loved every single page of it. It's a guilty-pleasure kind of read, but one that actually stays with you for quite some time after you put it down. Fast-paced and often times completely mind-blowing, it's a page-turner of a book, even if it's just a little bit (ok, a lot!) over the top at times. The writing is exceptionally compelling and quite beautiful, the descriptions evocative and seductive and the characters - even the supporting cast - fleshed out just enough to make the story believable, and, therefore, very unsettling. And guys, that ending! So satisfying and worth waiting for! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and am seriously dying for more!

About the movie:

FICTION INTO FILM: Pick up Petals on the Wind May 20^th and watch the movie May 26^th!

WATCH: The movie trailer, and tune in to Lifetime on  Monday, May 26^th, 9:00 pm ET to watch the World Premier of Petals on the Wind!

ENTER TO WIN: Go to the Pocket Books Facebook page beginning May 20^th to enter the sweepstakes for a prize pack of Flowers in the Attic and Petals on the Wind, and the Flowers in the Attic DVD.  Visit right before tuning into Petals on the Wind late May for the sweepstakes giveaway (date to be announced)!

Petals on the Wind cast:

Heather Graham              as Corrine

Ellen Burstyn                      as Olivia

Dylan Bruce                        as Bart

Rose McIver                       as Young Cathy (played by Kiernan Shipka in Flowers in the Attic)

Wyatt Nash                        as Christopher (played by Mason Dye in Flowers in the Attic)

Get excited, the sequel to Flowers in the Attic is coming to Lifetime very soon! You know what that means? More drama, more gut-wrenching shockers and more stunning performances from both old and new actors and actresses! Can't wait to watch it, May 26th can't come fast enough! I mean, come on, just look at that trailer!

Trailer:

Movie Review: Carrie 2013 (Based on a novel by Stephen King)

Sony Screen Gems

Rated R for bloody violence, disturbing images, language and some sexual content.

Running time: 99 minutes.

Cast: Chloe Grace Moretz, Julianne Moore, Judy Greer

Uninspired. Unoriginal. Unnecessary.

     I was eagerly awaiting the Blue Ray release of Carrie. I couldn't wait to get my grabby hands on it. As a huge Stephen King fan, I love watching movie adaptations of his books and seeing how they compare to the original works. Sadly, 9 out of 10 times the movie adaptations do not live up to my expectations. Kimberly Peirce's re-imagined version of Carrie is yet another case of "don't bother, just stick with the book". Or, better yet, watch Brian De Palma's classic version of it, it is way more atmospheric and unnerving. 

I honestly don't know what went wrong. Whether it was Chloe Moretz' inability to portray Carrie as a victim and a broken child. Or if this adaptation was just too literal, too close to De Palma's brilliant vision to bring anything new to the table. The fact is, I was very disappointed by this movie. 

Pierce remade the classic adaptation almost step-by-step, scene-by-scene. She didn't even bother re-adapting the story or putting a modern spin on it; except for the scene when Carrie gets her first period - that scene is now recorded with an iPhone and uploaded to YouTube. 

On top of that, this movie was dreadfully flat, lacking the creepy, disquieting atmosphere the book and the first adaptation sported. It was, to me, yet another mediocre teen horror-flick. It failed to deliver the book's core message. It failed to make me care for Carrie. Or even properly scare me. It didn't do anything for me, really. And to make matters worse, it was unnecessarily bloody and gruesome. And I don't mean the final scenes, when Carrie wrecks havoc in her hometown, finally getting her revenge on the cruel highschool kids. I mean, all throughout. From the bizarre birth scene at the beginning, to Mrs. White's bloodied attempt to scratch her way out of the closet. Gross! 

As far as cast is concerned, both Julianne Moore and Chloe Moretz weren't a good fit for their roles. Moore is just an old, crazed hag. Moping around the house, whispering prayers and looking all wrinkled and ungroomed. She doesn't have this silent (and very scary) power about her, the terrifying madness underlying her inner world. She's nothing but a permanent inhabitant of cloud-cuckoo-land. While Moretz shines in the final scenes, she is definitely not a good match for Carrie either. 70% of the time she's hunched and bent over, and her hair looks like a badly adjusted wig. There's nothing about her portrayal of Carrie that would inspire compassion, or any other feelings for that matter. You just kind of want to shake her and tell her to straighten up and brush her hair for God's sake! Let's face it, Moretz is not made to play a victim, she just doesn't know how. She's this kick-ass chic, a born-predator, not a scared, lost and confused girl. 

In the end, the new version of Carrie is not so much about the mental torture of social outcasts and victims of relentless bullying, as it is about high school being scary and unfair. And even then, there's nothing fresh or unique about it. The air is stagnant, the characters are unconvincing, and the message gets lost in the pointless gore-fest of a plot line. If you really feel like you need to watch it, please, PLEASE, read the book first. And then be sure to check out De Palma's adaptation as well, it is thousand times better than this one! 

On the left: Carrie as portrayed by Sissy Spacek.
On the right: Carrie as portrayed by Chloe Moretz.

About the book:

Paperback, 253 pages
Published November 1st 2005 by Pocket Books (first published January 1st 1974)

Stephen King's legendary debut, about a teenage outcast and the revenge she enacts on her classmates.

Carrie White may have been unfashionable and unpopular, but she had a gift. Carrie could make things move by concentrating on them. A candle would fall. A door would lock. This was her power and her sin. Then, an act of kindness, as spontaneous as the vicious taunts of her classmates, offered Carrie a chance to be a normal and go to her senior prom. But another act--of ferocious cruelty--turned her gift into a weapon of horror and destruction that her classmates would never forget.

Christmas Movies

Okay, so I got a little carried away with this list. I can't help it though - I just LOVE Christmas movies. I mean, seriously. How you could not love some of these holiday classics. In no particular order:

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966 and 2000)

You in no way can argue against the 1966 version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. It is a classic. A classic! At the same time, I found Ron Howard and Jim Carrey's version to be quite hysterical. He brought a whole new flavor to the story and I could watch it over and over.

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

Without a doubt, one of my absolute favorite Christmas movies. Michael Caine is an amazing Scrooge - probably my favorite ever - and the Muppets make an awesome supporting cast. Gonzo is Charles Dickens! You can't argue that. Also, I may be watching this movie right now. There goes Mr. Humbug there goes Mr. Grim . . .

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

This movie doubles as a Halloween movie and a Christmas movie - how can you top that!? I'm sure Sandy Clause would beg to differ, but I think this is definitely a contender for best Christmas movie. Plus, it gave us this awesome song that I love to "sing" after the first snow fall - or if you just came across something that you don't recognize.

 It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Honestly, I don't think it's Christmas until you've watched this movie. It's kind of like the Hocus Pocus of Christmas. At least in my eyes anyway.

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

I know this movie takes place throughout a whole year, but this is the movie that gave us Judy Garland's "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" so it gets to be included.

 

Elf (2003)
It's Will Ferrell. As an elf. How cold you not love this movie? Okay, I guess I can see that it appeals to a certain brand of humor. The kind where you have no sense of humor. That was rude. I apologize. Now go watch Elf. Because it's awesome and I said so. And don't forget your maple syrup!
 

 

  

Love Actually (2003)

Everything about this movie is just perfection.That's all you need to know.

Honestly, I could have gone on, but then we'd be here all day. I know there are some amazing Christmas movies out there that I missed, but tell me what your favorites are!

And for your further enjoyment, The Ultimate Christmas Movie. Just try not to get too lost on Supercut's YouTube page like I did . . .

Interview with Mark Obmascik, author of The Big Year + movie adaptation spotlight

I'm very excited to be joined today by Mark Obmascik, the bestselling author of Halfway to Heaven: My White-knuckled — and Knuckleheaded — Quest for the Rocky Mountain High, winner of the 2009 National Outdoor Book Award for Outdoor Literature, and The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession, which received five Best of 2004 citations by major media.

Mr. Obmascik is here with us today to talk about his book - The Big Year - its movie adaptation and his passion for writing (and not only!).

Make sure to check out The Big Year movie adaptation, starring Owen Wilson, Steve Martin and Jack Black! It's definitely one of the best movie adaptations of 2012 - a must see not only for every bird watcher, but also for everyone who appreciates good humor, meaningful plot line and fabulous sceneries!

E: Evie
MO: Mark Obmascik

E: In The Big Year you told the story of three birders - Greg Miller, Sandy Komito and Al Levantin – who are the three top contenders in the 1998 American Big Year. Would you mind explaining to my readers what is a Big Year and why did you decide to write a novel about it?

MO:  A Big Year is a contest to spot the most species of birds in a single year. Hundreds of people try one each year in their home counties or states, but the grandest competition of all is a North American Big Year. There are few rules and no referees. Birders just drive, fly, or boat anytime, anywhere, in the continental United States and Canada to chase a rumor of a rare species. It's all done on the honor system, and the winner gets nothing more than bragging rights. (It's a true story -- I couldn't make this up!) North America has about 675 native species of birds. The winner of this competition saw 745 birds, which meant that he saw dozens of rarities that were blown in from Asia, Latin America, and Europe by the strongest El Nino on record.

    I like stories about people who are smart, driven, and fun. Most people live their lives in check. What happens when you surrender to your obsession? As a longtime newspaper reporter who made a career out of reporting on murderers, rapists, and politicians, I was grateful for the chance to write about people I liked. On top of that, the story had a ticking clock in a contest that ran across a magnificent landscape.

E:  Your book, as well as its 2011 movie adaptation (starring Steve Martin, Owen Wilson and Jack Black), is full of fascinating information about birds, their habits, migration, but also the national and international birding communities. How long did it take you to write it?

MO: About a year.

E: Are you an experienced birder yourself or did you have to do extensive research for the book?

MO: I learned about birds and birders for the book. Because of my newspaper background, I was used to writing for general audiences, but The Big Year was a story about a subculture of experts with a unique, technical language. One of the biggest challenges in The Big Year was finding a way to write for readers who knew nothing about birds and also for readers who knew everything about birds. Doing all this research converted me into a birder. When someone cries, "Duck!" I look up.

E: Which of your characters do you feel is the most like you?

MO: I'm too chicken to follow an obsession for a year.

E: The movie adaptation of your book has an extraordinary cast of award-winning actors and actresses! Did you have any say in the casting of the actors?

MO: I had no say in the casting, but I was thrilled with the actors. We have three young boys at home, which means we already had just about every DVD of every movie of each of the three main actors. That includes Cheaper by the Dozen II. I wonder if Steve Martin even has that one.

E: Have you always wanted to be a writer? At what point in your life did you decide that writing is something you want to do?

MO: My dad helped teach me to read by coming home from work every night with the Chicago Daily News, plopping me on his lap, and reading aloud the world's greatest columnist, Mike Royko.

E: Your book (and the movie) is about calling - the characters in your book respond to a calling. What has been your calling? If you were to dedicate a whole year of your life to doing one thing you truly love, what would that be?

MO: Our three sons are 17, 14, and 8. At this point, my obsession is finding some way to pay for college.

E: How do you approach writing a new novel? Are you a plotter or a pantser?

MO: I'd rather make 500 phone calls than write 500 words. Reporting is fun. Writing is hard. I have to force myself to do it.

E: What’s next in line for you? Are you working on a new book now?

MO: I'm working on another non-fiction book now for The Free Press / Simon and Schuster. It's an extraordinary story I stumbled across while reporting The Big Year. It's about fatherhood, duty, and forgiveness. What happens when there's a conflict between family and country?

E: Where is your favorite place for writing? Do you have any special writing rituals?

MO: I am a nomad with a laptop. I write an hour or two at a time, then try it somewhere else. My great distractor is online backgammon.

E: Do you ever experience writer’s block? If so, how do you deal with it?

MO: I ride a bike, hike, run, eat, walk the dog, play with the kids, and drive my wife nuts. Ultimately, though, it's all about the fear of missing a deadline. Newspaper guys don't miss deadlines.

Mr. Obmascik, thank you so much for joining us today!  

I had a wonderful time watching the movie adaptation of The Big Year and am looking forward to reading your next book!!!

I hope you guys enjoyed the interview, for more information about Mark Obmascik and his books, please visit his website: Mark Obmascik.

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

WHEN IT COMES TO COMEDY…
NO GAME NO FOWL

THE BIG YEAR

Comedic Icons Steve Martin, Jack Black and Owen Wilson Star in the Hilarious Outdoor Adventure Coming to Blu-ray and DVD January 31!

Summary: Let the fowl play begin!  Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment presents the story of a competitive trio who quickly turn a simple quest into the ultimate competition when THE BIG YEAR spreads its wings on Blu-ray and DVD January 31.

Steve Martin, Jack Black and Owen Wilson portray three men from very different walks of life, facing a mid-life crisis, a work-life crisis and a no-life crisis.  In the biggest competition of their lives, they undertake an unforgettable trek through North America, engaging in hilarious and bizarre adventures and forming friendships that will last a lifetime!

Directed by David Frankel (The Devil Wears Prada, Marley & Me) and featuring outrageous supporting performances from Joel McHale (“Community”), Jim Parsons (“The Big Bang Theory”), Angelica Huston (50/50), Dianne Wiest (“In Treatment”),Brian Dennehy (The Next Three Days), Rashida Jones (“Parks and Recreation”), Kevin Pollak (Red State) and Anthony Anderson (Scream 4), THE BIG YEAR Blu-ray is loaded with special features including the theatrical and extended editions of the film, over 40 minutes of deleted scenes and the featurette “The Big Migration.”  The Blu-ray combo pack and single-disc DVD will be available for an average retail price of $29.99 and $19.99 respectively.  Prebook is January 4, 2012.

THE BIG YEAR Blu-ray Special Features

• Extended Feature Film
•  “The Big Migration” featurette
• Deleted Scenes
• Roger Tory Peterson
• Bird Behavior
• Stu Late for Boat, Bird Puns with Brad & Ellie, Stu Gets Bostick’s Autograph
• Longer Boat End, Dock, Pretzels & Skippy
• Nozzle Theft and Other Newscasters
• Longer Cars to HI
• Cereal Rat with Talk
• Lanky Birder Makes Time with Ellie
• Stu’s Summer Montage with Fire Island Fauna
• Bostick Returns Home
• Long Pelagic
• Bostick Goes to China
• Gag Reel

THE BIG YEAR Blu-ray Combo Pack
(Catalog #2277373)
Street Date: January 24, 2012
Prebook Date: December 28, 2011
Screen Format: 16:9 (2.35:1)
Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio,
Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English, Spanish
U.S. Rating: PG
Total Run Time: 100 minutes
Closed Captioned: Yes

THE BIG YEAR DVD
(Catalog #2277366)
Street Date: January 10, 2012
Prebook Date: December 28, 2011
Screen Format: 16:9 (2.35:1)
Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital,
Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital, French 2.0 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English, Spanish
U.S. Rating: PG
Total Run Time: 100 minutes
Closed Captioned: Yes

Uncovering The Big Year with Avery Delacroix

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BOOKS by MARK OBMASCIK:

The Big Year

Hardcover, 288 pages

Published January 27th 2004 by James Bennett Pty Ltd

Every year on January 1, a quirky crowd of adventurers storms out across North America for a spectacularly competitive event called a Big Year -- a grand, grueling, expensive, and occasionally vicious, "extreme" 365-day marathon of birdwatching.For three men in particular, 1998 would be a whirlwind, a winner-takes-nothing battle for a new North American birding record. In frenetic pilgrimages for once-in-a-lifetime rarities that can make or break their lead, the birders race each other from Del Rio, Texas, in search of the rufous-capped warbler, to Gibsons, British Columbia, on a quest for Xantus's hummingbird, to Cape May, New Jersey, seeking the offshore great skua. Bouncing from coast to coast on their potholed road to glory, they brave broiling deserts, roiling oceans, bug-infested swamps, a charge by a disgruntled mountain lion, and some of the lumpiest motel mattresses known to man.
The unprecedented year of beat-the-clock adventures ultimately leads one man to a new record -- one so gigantic that it is unlikely ever to be bested...finding and identifying an extraordinary 745 different species by official year-end count.

Halfway to Heaven: My White-knuckled--and Knuckleheaded--Quest for the Rocky Mountain High

Hardcover, 288 pages

Published May 12th 2009 by Free Press

Fat, forty-four, father of three sons, and facing a vasectomy, Mark Obmascik would never have guessed that his next move would be up a 14,000-foot mountain. But when his twelve-year-old son gets bitten by the climbing bug at summer camp, Obmascik can't resist the opportunity for some high-altitude father-son bonding by hiking a peak together. After their first joint climb, addled by the thin air, Obmascik decides to keep his head in the clouds and try scaling all 54 of Colorado's 14,000-foot mountains, known as the Fourteeners -- and to do them in less than one year.

The result is Halfway to Heaven, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Obmascik's rollicking, witty, sometimes harrowing, often poignant chronicle of an outrageous midlife adventure that is no walk in the park, although sometimes it's A Walk in the Woods -- but with more sweat and less oxygen. Half a million people try climbing a Colorado Fourteener every year, but only twelve hundred have reported summiting them all. Can an overweight, stay-at-home dad become No. 1,201? 

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About the Author

Evie is the Blogger behind Bookish. She enjoys reading many different genres, especially YA, Paranormal, Contemporary Fiction and Fantasy.

She loves talking to authors and is always happy to welcome them for interviews, and guest posts. She also likes spreading the love for awesome books and  chatting with fellow book-worms.

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