Monday, March 29, 2010

Next Top Spiritual Author Competition

I have recently joined a competition sponsored by James Twyman to become the Next Top Spiritual Author. This is an exciting competition that gives us authors lots of support in the writing and publishing process. I'd been struggling for some time to find a way to describe my book in a short and consise manner, and this competition has helped me do just that! The winner of this competition gets their book published by Hampton Road Publishing. To make it to the next level I need LOTS of folks to go to the website, view my video and vote for me. There are 2500 people entered from around the world and 250 will advance to the next level. So please go and vote for me and tell ALL YOUR FRIENDS to also go and vote for me. Thank you so much.

The title of my book is Reel Transformation: Your Life Now Playing. It is a book about the spiritual stages of transformation that are inherent in any spiritual journey...and we are all on a spiritual journey. My book talks about how these stages can be seen in the characters in movies and also in your own life.

To view my video and vote for me go to: http://www.NextTopAuthor.com/?aid=1911 if you can't click on this link then copy and paste the url.

Here's the video, but you need to go to the link above to vote for me. Thank you...and don't forget to tell your friends.




Blessings,
Cindy

Friday, March 5, 2010

READY FOR THE OSCARS AND PREDICTIONS

Every year I look forward to Oscar Night! As soon as I find out the date, I mark it in my daytimer. Nothing interferes with this date! This year I’ll be watching from a motel room. It’s not the first time I’ve watched while away from home.

Lots of people have Oscar parties, but not me. I don’t want to be partying and chatting during the Awards Ceremony…this is serious business to me…LOL. I did invite a friend over once, but she left early. I’m up for the long haul. It was easier when I lived in California where it airs earlier. It wouldn’t matter to me how late it ran, I’d stay up. I’d sleep all day if I had to…can you tell this is a big deal for me?

Also, I do my best to make sure I see all the movies nominated. I try to see even the ones nominated for actors etc., but I don’t always manage to see them all. Now that I live in a smaller town it is harder as some of the films don’t even make it here. I had to see The Hurt Locker on Netflix. I didn’t manage to see The Messenger or The Lovely Bones. The Lovely Bones is playing here, but I haven’t made time to see it yet. Maybe that’s because I went to see Avatar THREE times…LOL!!! I’ve only seen 3 of the ones nominated for Best Animated Film and haven’t seen any of the foreign films and only one of the documentaries.

I don’t usually make predictions, but thought I might try my hand at it this year just to see how well I’d do. I’m only going to predict the top awards as I have no idea about editing and cinematography etc. and there is a limited amount of time and space here…LOL. So here goes….

Leading Actor: I think this is Jeff Bridge’s year. He was excellent in ‘Crazy Heart’ and should have received an Oscar a long time ago. His is due! Personally I don’t think there’s any competition except for Colin Firth who was awesome in ‘A Single Man.’ Morgan Freeman was great in ‘Invictus’, but he’s always great and it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary for him.

Supporting Actor: Well I didn’t see Woody Harrelson or Stanley Tucci so this probably isn’t a fair vote, but the money this year seems to be on Christoph Waltz in ‘Inglourious Basterds’. He brought life to his role as a Nazi officer and I think he will win.

Leading Actress: Well I know everyone seems to think Sandra Bullock will win, and she was great, but I think it will finally be Meryl Streep’s year. Meryl has been nominated 16 times and has only won twice and only once for Leading Actress back for Sophie’s Choice back 1n 1983. She nailed the role of Julia…you almost forgot you weren’t actually watching Julia Childs.

Supporting Actress: There’s no competition here…it should and will go to Mo’Nique for her moving portrayal of the mother of Precious. As bitchy as she was, she actually made you feel sorry for her…for a few brief moments anyway.

Animated Feature: I think it’s sort of interesting that Up was nominated for both animated and Best Picture. It has no chance at Best Picture, but it will win here.

Directing: If Kathryn Bigelow doesn’t win, then I think women everywhere should boycott Hollywood. There have only been FOUR women ever nominated for Best Director and no woman has ever won it. IT’S ABOUT TIME!!! Barbra Streisand should have been nominated years ago for Yentl…but that’s a whole ‘nuther blog…don’t get me started.

Best Picture: It’s difficult to predict this category, because the Academy has done some surprising things in the past. The money seems to be between The Hurt Locker and Avatar. The Hurt Locker was very well made and an excellent movie. It was an innovative idea to film it to seem like a documentary. It was not an easy film to watch. Avatar, on the other hand, was an absolute joy to watch, and it has rocked the movie world! James Cameron held this vision for years and had to wait for technology to catch up with his vision. There has been nothing like it before….EVER. Yes, it has no actors nominated, but the film deserves Best Picture and I, for one, will weep if it doesn’t win. SO THERE!

Well there are my predictions…enjoy Oscar Night ….I sure will!