Orion EFT-1

UPDATE: 6:53am est

"No Go" on on the original 7:05am est launch time- Reports of a boat being too close. Stand-by.

UPDATE: 7:06am EST
New launch time is 7:17am EST

Update 7:10am EST
Launch on hold - there was a Ground Wind Violation due to a gust of wind exceeding the safety levels.  Standby by for new launch time.


UPDATE: 7:24am EST
All Holds Removed - GO-GO-GO

UPDATE: 7:31am EST
New launch time to be awaited - as based on wind. - Orion is on External power - holding for wind.

UPDATE: 7:45am EST

New Launch time of 7:55am EST

UPDATE: 7:52am EST

Another Hold on Launch.


UPDATE: 8:15am EST

New Launch time of 8:26am EST


UPDATE: 8:23am EST

Aborted - Hold

UPDATE 8:30am EST

NASA is planning on cycling the fuel valves 5 times... they did not properly close during the last launch countdown. Over an hour of launch window time left.

I'm going to lay in my bed and watch under my cover. - Good night :)

UPDATE: 9:30am EST

 Launch postponed until Friday, December 5th, 2014



-----------------

If you are into space exploration as much as I am...

I would imagine you are pretty excited over this Orion launch taking place this morning.

The Orion will delivered into orbit by the powerful Delta IV Heavy rockets.

Today is only an unmanned test flight...

But the result and info gained will be instrumental in the upcoming planned manned mission to Mars.

History is made today!

Click the mission patch below to watch a live stream of the launch:

The graphic below is an overview of what NASA hopes to accomplish for this test flight.

Unmanned test flight today... One day manned mission to Mars.

The Curse of Oak Island

There is this show on the History Channel...

You may or may not have heard of it...

"The Curse of Oak Island"

If you haven't heard of the show... and you havent heard of Oak Island...

Then are you in for a treat.

The show is a great introduction to one of the greatest mysteries left on Earth.

Oak Island - An island along the Southern shore of Nova Scotia, Canada, which has been the subject of intense treasure hunting over the course of the last 200 plus years. Oak Island is home of the famed "Money Pit" which was discovered in 1795. In 1803, excavations reached a depth of 90 feet, and a stone was found with strange carvings which are believed to be translated as "Forty feet below, two million pounds lie buried."  Shortly after the discovery, the "Money Pit" flooded with sea water that is believed to be channeled via a tunnel system to keep out would be treasure hunters. 

Over the past 200 years, many people have tossed their hat into the ring trying to uncover, unearth, and solve the mystery. Including John Wayne,  and a young President Franklin D. Roosevelt. But no one to date has ever done so. 

Legends of Oak Island claim Pirate Treasure lies beneath, or perhaps that the Knights Templar left something hidden there. Some say its the lost manuscripts of William Shakespeare, perhaps a viking ship that crashed and was buried, or maybe a Spanish Treasure Fleet Ship. Mystery and speculation are in no short order when it comes to Oak Island.

The show 'The Curse of Oak Island' follows the story of two brothers Ricky and Marty Lagina, who have dedicated their time, money and passion in order to embark on a 'once and for all' quest to discover what lies beneath Oak Island. The Brothers, as well as Oak Island resident and Treasure Hunter Dan Blankenship, were inspired by the January 1965 issue of Reader's Digest magazine, which featured an article on the Restall family's work to solve the mystery of the so-called "Money Pit."

One of my favorite things about the show is that the brothers are going about discovering the secrets of Oak Island in a very real manner... They aren't running around screaming and baiting in viewers with silly gimmicks. The brothers and their partners seem to really want to do this, and do it right, and genuinely get to the bottom of things... No pun intended. This is one of the reasons I never miss an episode.

The show also covers an excellent scope of the Oak Island history and theories, and it's a nice medium to learn about the history of the island. While I do know what I consider to be a fair amount about the Island, I have learned things from the show that I wasn't previously aware of... Which is most excellent, since I'm planning to write a (fiction) novel that may have something to do with Oak Island, so any and all information that I can get is much appreciated. 

So if you have a interest in history, exploration, archeology, mystery and great television, check out this show.

'The Curse of Oak Island' airs on Tuesdays at 9pm EST on the History Channel.

You can also watch full episodes online. Just click the link or the photo below to visit the History Channel page for the show.

 http://www.history.com/shows/the-curse-of-oak-island

Dear Santa

An aspiring and talented actress named Adra Janean is competing for an extraordinary chance to meet legendary Casting DirectorLindsay Chag and gain career boosting exposure. With our help, she has a great shot at achieving this.

She performed a #HolidayJournalEntry monologue written by author me for https://www.tentsquare.com and did an awesome job.

Your view count will help her video rise in TentSquare ranks, securing her spot in the top 10 performances. Any help, such as viewing or sharing the video, would be very helpful. Then on December 13th, members of TentSquare will be able to vote on their favorite performance every 24 hours, and the winner will get a chance of a lifetime:

$200 cash, consultation with Lindsay Chag, two actor badges for the TentSquare Fest™ where the monologue performance will be played or performed live if actor chooses, entry to TentSquare Awards™ in NYC 2016.

See Adra's video performance here:

https://www.tentsquare.com/adra-janean-fenstermaker/submissions/dear-santa-by-d-r-acula-by-d-r-acula-2

Adra Janean's Twitter Handle:

@AdraJanean

Adra Janean's IMDB:

www.imdb.com/name/nm6657154/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Adra's Blog

http://adrafenstermaker.blogspot.mx/2014/11/dont-call-me-fat.html

TAMARA

Yesterday October 29th 2014 Jeffrey Reddick and co-writer J.D. Matthews published Jeffrey's first book titled 'Tamara'.  

Yes, the very same Jeffrey Reddick who created the Final Destination Franchise...

It hasn't been that long since my last blog about this massively talented individual. 

My write up on Jeff's short film 'Good Samaritan' 

So... Tamara... 

Tamara is a book that's based off the 2005 classic cult film of the same name.  

Here is a link to the film version:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0401815/   

I haven't seen the film.  BUT... I have read the book :)

The description from the kindle page is as follows:

"Based off the cult classic film of the same name, "Tamara" tells the tragic story of a misunderstood and mistreated teenage girl. A shocking event transforms Tamara from plain to sexy, from meek to bold, and from a victim to a dark avenger after it unleashes a mysterious power within her." 

Intrigued by the description. Come on, High School really sucked for me...

When the book became available for purchase, I grabbed it at the first opportune moment.

I didn't actually get to settle down and start reading it until about 9pm... 

Thought "Hey... read a lil... and let it soak in and pick it up tomorrow" ...Yeah I'm a lazy reader.

I read the first 4 chapters and put it down.  "Cool deal" I said to myself. "Liking this so far."

I go off on my merry way, it wasn't long... I peered over to my phone... I grabbed it and opened up my Kindle App and started where I left off... I couldn't resist...

Line after line... chapter after chapter... 

It flowed, it vibed, it entranced me.  

I read through to the half way mark... I promised myself I would put it down and go to bed... But I couldn't... I wouldn't...

It was as if... 'Tamara' herself, had me under her finger.

I finally finished reading it as the sun was getting ready to bust over the horizon. 

"What a book... What an ending!"  I marveled in thought.

There are moments of terror, and moments of suspense, moments that make you empathetic and compassionate, you really "feel" for this character...

There is humor, I found myself chuckling out loud more than once.

The dialogue is nicely done, as each character talks you get a sense of them being their own person. Which doesn't always come through in literary works... It did so superbly in 'Tamara'  

There is action which grabs you and carries you along for the ride.

By the time it was over, I felt like I had personally been on this journey that had just unfolded before my eyes. 

Which was glorious, since it is based on a film... and I haven't seen the film... I wondered how my experience reading this book would turn out...

I must say, that I didn't need any knowledge of the film... Everything was complete, the story was there and I felt emerged in this world.

But I can't help but wonder... Whats the film like?

While there are several links to 'Tamara' placed inside this blog already, you can either click the link or picture below to visit the amazon kindle page for the book.

 'Tamara'

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OYU2GCC 

While I do affirm that this is a great book,

Don't take my word for it... 

Discover for your self.

I leave you with the book trailer:

 

You can catch updates about the book on the Official 'Tamara' Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/Tamarathenovel

   

You can follow Jeffrey the Author of Tamara on Twitter:

@JeffreyAReddick

Mobsters, Monsters & Nazis

My latest blog is a special treat for you and for me!

I got a very special glimpse at the cover of Mobsters, Monsters & Nazis

 Which is the latest work of:

Author Dan O'Brien and Illustrator Steve Ferchaud

It's not every day that you get to be one of the few people to see a cover before it is revealed to the public at large. So when I got home from visiting relatives over the weekend... and I spied with my eye this cover... waiting in my inbox... I was ecstatic!

Dan O'Brien is an excellent writer and his past works have been a testament to his skill with the pen.

Mobsters, Monsters & Nazis is a six-story illustrated series that will launch on Halloween, and run to Christmas before it concludes. 

If you have enjoyed Dan's work in the past, you will not be disappointed in his future. If you like noir, pulp, Lovecraft, and detective fiction... then this is a series worth checking out... I mean just look at the cover below... a nice throw back to those serials of the golden age of dime store comics. 

It is available for pre-order starting today, so be sure to grab it and spread the word!

You can pre-order it for only $2.99 by clicking on the cover below or by following this link:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OE781J2

And now... without further ado... I present the cover for:
Mobsters, Monsters & Nazis

 

Isn't that cover awesome?! Yes!

You can follow Dan O'Brien on Twitter:

@AuthorDanOBrien

'Good Samaritan'

So I recently got a chance to watch a screening of Jeffrey Reddick's short film 'Good Samaritan'

Yes, the very same Jeffrey Reddick who created the Final Destination Franchise.

The same Final Destination that has reminded me to:

*Never place beverages on my computer monitor and/or TV...

*Always look 3 times before crossing the street...

*NEVER, never park your car on a train track...

*Always put your coffee in a cup holder, never between your legs when driving...

* While AC/DC's 'Highway to Hell' is an awesome song, never listen it on the interstate.

*Log trucks = Stay the hell away!!!

*Avoid Amusement Parks because they are not so amusing.

and many more scenarios that have made me more careful/paranoid.

'Good Samaritan' by my own description is a psychological horror.

Written by Jeffrey, and being his directorial debut, It has this perfect mix of ambient creepiness, "Scare the hell outta you", and 'Make ya thinks'

Imagine... suffering from Agoraphobia... A horrible disorder, that is a psychological condition which triggers anxiety and even panic attacks from being in open spaces... In severe cases the fear prevents people from leaving their homes...

Its a very real disorder, that very real people suffer...

So imagine having a severe case of Agoraphobia and witnessing a horrific crime just outside your door...

You WANT to help...

but... remember as soon as you open that door... the fear, the anxiety, the panic of the world outside comes flooding in...

FLOODING IN...

That immobilizing fear turns your body into a prison...  

This is the scenario that the character Nathan Rome of 'Good Samaritan' is faced with...

A character that was perfectly brought to life by Toby Hemingway

 As you are watching his struggles, he conveys them so believable, you really feel for this dude! You want to be there encouraging him on....  
"You can do it! Come on bro, its gonna be ok" 

But that's after you forgive him... Because...

Actor Rainn Wilson nails it, as he portrays a news personality, a pundit with a very powerful manner of speaking by the name of George Reed. The type of guy you do not want doing a story on you, even if you are an 80 year old grand mother, who has been as sweet as a bag full of kittens her whole life... He'll find something to shame granny. He's good at what he does. 

"You did what grandma? For Shame :("

 

Essentially, after the aforementioned scenario of witnessing a crime outside his home...  Nathan Rome becomes haunted... tormented... by his inability brought on by his condition, that prevented him from helping someone in need... a fiery interview at the hands George Reed certainly doesn't help the guilt factor.

The use of the word 'Haunted' gives you some context here ;)

'Good Samaritan' also contains the super acting talents of:

Jane Badler

&

Jeff Locker

Also a shout out to the composer who did the score, Chris Lott. 
Very nicely done! It captured the feeling of the short perfectly. Music is an important part of any film and he did not disappoint. The score built upon that "crawling up your spine through your nervous system" feeling.

To all the other folks who worked on this and made it happen, I may not know your name... But you did an awesome job making this film come to life.

I am really glad Jeffrey put this short film together, it just gives credence to him as an artist... not only has he proved to us many times that he is an amazing writer...

He shows us he is also a truly talented director.

I would love to tell you more... or break down the film further... but I don't want to give anything away... because this short not only has to be watched... it needs to be experienced.

After the film was over... I wanted more.

While it was a great short... It successfully did the hard hard task of introducing characters to us, and telling us a story about them... in a short film time line... 

All while being aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

But...

It would be even more epic as a full length feature.

Which I pray our souls will be frightfully entertained by one day.

'Good Samaritan'  has been screening at several film festivals across North America already this year, and will receive its European debut during the Berlin Short Film Festival  which takes place October 26 – 31, 2014

Stay up to date and connect with 'Good Samaritan' on social media

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/goodsamaritanfilm?ref=br_tf

Twitter:

@GoodSamaritanSh

and follow the man himself on Twitter:

@JeffreyAReddick

'Twas the night before Imaginarium

Its Thursday September 18th... 

Which means its the day before the Imaginarium!

I awoke this morning filled with much anticipation.

Looking forward to the start of the Convention!

The feeling that amassed inside of me felt very similar to the excitement I feel every Christmas Eve...

That longing to have this day over... 

To get things started...

To be standing in Louisville, Kentucky at the Imaginarium!

So... I got to thinking about the famous poem of Clement Clarke Moore

One thing lead to another and before too long with the help of my wife Kylie 

We revised that classic poem...

==============

'Twas the night before Imaginarium, when all through the expo,
Not a writer was writing, not even an intro.
The banners were hung by the entry with care,
In hopes that thousands would soon be there.

Guests were coming from far and wide,

As visions of creative writing fueled their stride.

Kylie and I had just packed our gear,

For the time to leave would soon draw near.

When trending on Twitter, there rose such a clatter,
I sprang to my desk to see what was the matter.
Away to the net I flew like a flash,
Opened Safari, and cleared out my cache.

The tweets were sent out, each 140 count,

"#Imaginarium is awesome, without a doubt!"

And readers were cheering with readerly glee,

"The #Imaginarium is where I long to be!"

They lined up in droves to enter the door,

To visit the expo, to learn and explore.

A gleam in their eye, creative writing in mind,

Everybody had one hell of a time.

The weekend over, Imaginarium a success,

They exclaimed, "This convention is by far the best!

And though we all scatter, to the 4 winds,

Next year we'll all gather to do it again!"

As we rode out of sight, headed back home,

We sent out this tweet from our cell phone:

"Imaginarium was fun, and such a delight.

Happy writing to all, and to all a good write."

============== 

Check out the main Imaginarium site here:

http://www.entertheimaginarium.com/

You can also find The Imaginarium On Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/imaginariumconvention

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ImaginariumCon

Imaginarium Convention

In the month of September...

From the 19th day to the 21st day...

In the year of our lord Twenty-14...

In the bustling city of Louisville in the land of Kentucky...

An event... filled with much Epicery...

Much greatness... will take place.

This event is the legendary

Imaginarium Convention

What is this Imaginarium you may ask?

The Imaginarium Convention  is a writers convention that offers, panels, workshops, art, a film festival, a masquerade ball that hosts an costume/cosplay contest. It is a melting pot for writers, aspiring writers, publishers, readers, and anyone in the creative writing business to meet and network and learn.

 

And 55 bucks gets you into the convention for the entire weekend!

 $25 bucks will get you in the door for a day.

But if you can get together a group of 8 or more... Its only 35 bucks per person for the entire weekend!

You can register here:

http://www.entertheimaginarium.com/attendee-registration/ 

Check out the main Imaginarium site here:

http://www.entertheimaginarium.com/

You can also find The Imaginarium On Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/imaginariumconvention

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ImaginariumCon

Other informative posts about the Imaginarium:

The Quote below is from the awesome website 'I Smell Sheep' concerning a 6 part post series... links are below.

"Ever wonder what goes into creating a convention? Stephen Zimmer has agreed to take us through the steps. He has agreed to do a six week series about what it took to put together Imaginarium which will make its debut this September." - From I Smell Sheep

The Genesis of The Imaginarium Convention- Part I: concept and venue

http://www.ismellsheep.com/2014/08/the-genesis-of-imaginarium-convention.html 

The Genesis of The Imaginarium Convention- Part II: The Building of a Guest List

 http://www.ismellsheep.com/2014/08/the-genesis-of-imaginarium-convention_17.html 

The Genesis of The Imaginarium Convention- Part III: The Programming (part 1)

http://www.ismellsheep.com/2014/08/the-genesis-of-imaginarium-convention_24.html

The Genesis of The Imaginarium Convention- Part III: The Programming  (part 2)

http://www.ismellsheep.com/2014/08/the-genesis-of-imaginarium-convention_31.html

The Genesis of The Imaginarium Convention- Part IV: Convention vs Conference

http://www.ismellsheep.com/2014/09/the-genesis-of-imaginarium-convention.html

--- 

There is also the excellent Blog of Selah Janel: 

    http://selahjanel.wordpress.com/2014/09/10/why-imaginarium/

---

Listen to the Star Chamber Show on Blog Talk from Wednesday night that features author guests scheduled to appear at the convention, Logan Masterson and Jay Wilburn

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/starchambershow/2014/09/11/starchamber-show-41-imaginarium-show-w-jay-wilburn-and-logan-masterson

==================================================================

I do hope to see you at this years Imaginarium :)