Archives for category: Movies

June Movie Review: Uncut Gems, Intense, Crude, Compelling But Not for Everyone Lisa Mason #moviecritic

June 15, 2020 //

We watch movies mostly once a month—sometimes Movie Night happens twice, but rarely. I’m busy writing new stories and novels. I’ve got at least six books to write before I die, finishing up several incomplete series, and I’ve still got to input PANGAEA I and II (originally published by Bantam), long and complicated books with illustrations. That inputting project will take me months, plus PANGAEA III still needs to be written.

Then there are several new books, some with new series that need to be written.

In the meantime, twenty months after the violent criminal Attack on me, I’m working on the physical therapy, but it’s been hard. I walked two miles yesterday, and my knee, thigh, and hip hurt so much that, when we got home, I had to lie down for three hours. I can’t possibly walk to my old publishing job.

So. Your support, my heroic patrons on my Patreon page, is very much appreciated.

We saw “Uncut Gems” on Movie Night.

The language is very raw and the pace is nerve-wracking, but I got a (sick) kick out of the extremely crude people dealing in precious gems and big garish rings to “celebrities” who apparently have more money than they know what to do with. Once you become accustomed to the crudity, the lightning-quick plot is compelling.

The n-word is used extensively by all kinds of people in reference to all kinds of people. One friend said he almost walked out of the theater. So if you’re offended by hearing the n-word over and over (and over), skip “Uncut Gems.”

The screenwriters apparently know this little world of the Diamond District in New York City well. No character is likeable, especially the lead, Howard Ratner, played intensely by Adam Sandler. Sandler usually stars is fluffy rom-coms like “The Wedding Singer.” Here, he is foul-mouthed, a cheater and an adulterer, and a fearless compulsive gambler. Somehow by the end of the movie, despite his abrasive personality, I grew to root for him. His obsessions become compulsive to the viewer. The ending took me totally by surprise, and (plot spoiler) I felt bad for what happened to him.

Recommended, with serious reservations.

Please join my Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=23011206 and help me while I recover from the Attack. I’ve posted brand-new stories and previously published stories, book excerpts, writing tips, movie reviews and recommendations, and more exclusively for my patrons. You can also make a one-time pledge, if you like.

Please visit me at Lisa Mason’s Official Website for all my books, ebooks, stories, and screenplays, reviews, interviews, and blogs, adorable cat pictures, forthcoming works, fine art and bespoke jewelry by my husband Tom Robinson, worldwide links, and more!

And on Lisa Mason’s Blog, on my Facebook Author Page, on my Facebook Profile Page, on Amazon, on Goodreads, on LinkedIn, on Twitter at @lisaSmason, at Smashwords, at Apple, at Kobo, and at Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

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Categories 2020, author, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook, Lisa Mason Official Website, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Screenwriter, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Lisa Mason's Patreon Page, movie critic, Movie Night at the Manse, Movie Review, Movies, Patreon, Uncut Gems

Four-Plus Movie Reviews: “Eye in the Sky”, “Gemini Man”, “Inferno”, “Bumblebee” and Others by Lisa Mason #writer #moviecritic #SFWApro #SFWAauthor

February 18, 2020 //

Once a month, Tom and I have a movie marathon and take-out food (or an extra-special dinner, if I’m in the mood to cook). I’m just getting caught up on my movie reviews.
I’ll only do shrinky-dink reviews of the other movies we’ve seen, borrowed from our wonderful little local library: “The Adventures of Robin Hood” with Errol Flynn in Technicolor, is entertaining but the library disk had a problem after which it quit (that’s an occasional problem with DVDs borrowed from the library, sigh, but they’re free). So we didn’t see two-thirds of the movie. Which was made to be Saturday matinee fare mostly for children and which we’d seen before.
“Live By Night”, a fairly recent gangster film written, directed, and acted in by Ben Affleck, from a novel by his fellow Bostonian Dennis Lehane, tries to be poetic among all the gangster violence and thus is very slow-paced. But my biggest problem with this semi-indie film was the sound quality was lousy. We had the sound on the entertainment center turned up all the way, and we still had strain to hear the dialogue. Between the slow pace and sound quality, I can’t recommend this film unless you’re a Ben Affleck fan.
“The Glass Key”, based a novel by Dashiell Hammet, a black-and-film filled with glittery costumes, is a reasonably good forties noir detective story (except for the overly long beating scene). But unless you’re into B&W (or Veronica Lake, who is so petite, she looked like a child to me), you may want to skip this.
So that’s it for the shrinky-dink reviews. Now then:
“Gemini Man”, with Will Smith, was a box-office flop. A long-time movie critic at The New Yorker, with whom I agree about seventy-percent of the time, really trashed this movie, complaining that Smith wasn’t up to his usual high energy and sassiness. Plus, the producers of “Gemini Man” did a big publicity push for the use of CGI technology to show Will’s character thirty years younger. (So did Scorcese for “The Irishman”, which we haven’t seen yet.)
I suspect the downbeat performance of Will Smith is due to story, which tells of a highly successful hit man who wants to retire. And has profound regrets about his life’s work. But the agency he works for doesn’t want him to retire. And another agency is working on his replacement. How can I say this without a major plot spoiler? I can’t. His replacement is a clone of himself (hence the anti-aging CGI).
The retiree has serious talks with his clone about what it means to be him—a collection of habitual behaviors, a set of attitudes, or more? I thought the issues raised were thought-provoking.
If you’re looking for a reasonably satisfying science fiction thriller with colorful locations, you could do worse than “Gemini Man.”
“Inferno”, based on the novel by Dan Brown, stars Tom Hanks as Professor Langdon, the symbols and history expert. I read the book a few years ago and, though I generally like Brown’s writing, this book was terrible. It was as if someone ghost-wrote it for him, or he took six months to crank it out when he usually takes two years writing. I, for example, liked “The Da Vince Code” very much. Quite a few readers on Amazon complained about the poor quality of Inferno, so it wasn’t my imagination. The book reads like a tourist guide to Florence, Italy, Venice, Italy, and Istanbul, Turkey. Plus, the outlandish plot did not end well.
When the movie was released, I didn’t want to see it. But Tom (my Tom) picked it up at our library, so I agreed to watch.
The production was high, since this is an Imagine picture, and Hanks was reasonably good, but the character of the doctor who treats him, played by Felicity Jones, winds up being totally unbelievable. The plot twist that sends her character off in a different direction wasn’t foreshadowed in any way, which makes her new plot arc seem false and far-fetched. Plus, the filmmakers didn’t want the movie to be too much of a downer, so they changed the ending from apocalyptic to feel-good happy.
If you want two hours of puzzle-solving thriller in the Dan Brown style, you may want to watch it. But I can’t whole-heartedly recommend it.
For reviews of “Bumblebee” and “Eye in the Sky”, please join my Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=23011206 and help me after the Attack. I’ve posted delightful new stories and previously published stories, writing tips, book excerpts, movie reviews, original healthy recipes and health tips, and more exclusively for my heroic patrons! I’m even offering a critique of your writing sample at Tier Five.
Visit me at www.lisamason.com for all my books, ebooks, stories, and screenplays, reviews, interviews, blogs, roundtables, adorable cat pictures, forthcoming works, fine art and bespoke jewelry by my husband Tom Robinson, worldwide links, and more!

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Categories 2020, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook, Lisa Mason Official Website, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Screenwriter, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Lisa Mason's Patreon Page, Movie, movie critic, Movie Night at the Manse, Movie Reviews, Movies, Patreon

Critical Review of “Once Upon a Time….in Hollywood” Lisa Mason #moviecritic #screenwriter #writer #brutalmurdertease #teaser #unsatisfactory #meandering #soso #dontwasteyourtime

January 26, 2020 //

I wrote a brief review on Facebook immediately after Tom and I viewed the movie. This was in December, 2019. I kind of enjoyed the movie, but didn’t want to see it again, and sent it back to Netflix. I gave it a passing grade—not the “loved it” best movie of the year, as so many viewers have.
Now, as of late January 2020, this movie gotten a glowing review by a long-time movie critic at The New Yorker, won the Golden Globe Award (in various categories), the SAG awards in various categories, and is slated to win Oscars (again, in various categories). The “various categories” include really important ones like “Best Picture,” “Best Actor,” “Best Supporting Actor,” and “Best Screenplay.”
But I’ve since read other critics’ thoughts, read the reactions of people I respect on Facebook, thought more about what I viewed (as I said above, we only saw the film once, not multiple times, as at least one laudatory critic has recommended), and I have more to say.
Ir’s bunk.
To see why I object so strenuously to this movie, please join my Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=23011206. Friends, readers, and fans, help me after the Attack. I’ve posted delightful new stories and previously published stories, writing tips, book excerpts, movie reviews, original healthy recipes and health tips, and more exclusively for my heroic patrons! I’m offering a critique of your writing sample per submission.
Visit me at www.lisamason.com for all my books, ebooks, stories, and screenplays, reviews, interviews, blogs, roundtables, adorable cat pictures, forthcoming works, fine art and bespoke jewelry by my husband Tom Robinson, worldwide links, and more!

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Categories 2020, author, Books, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook, Lisa Mason Official Website, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Screenwriter, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Lisa Mason's Patreon Page, Movie Review, Movies

Movies for Tom’s Birthday Week #GuardiansoftheGalaxy2 #WonderWoman #BeautyandtheBeast Lisa Mason #SFWApro #SFWAauthor #fantasymovies #moviereviews #tinyquibbles

December 24, 2017 //

Husband Tom’s birthday was two weeks ago, now, so I’m just getting around to comment on the movies we viewed during his birthday week: Guardians of the Galaxy 2 (GoG2), Wonder Woman (WW), and Beauty and the Beast (B&B). A wonderful time was had by all.

If you’re streaming movies for the holidays, all are recommended (with tiny quibbles).

What do these three very different movies have in common—besides all being SFF movies?

–Dancing. A man (or a man-creature) and a woman (or a green-skinned alien woman) dancing. Dancing is enjoyable to do, enjoyable to watch. Dancing is a physical and visual metaphor for love. Not a lot of dancing in GoG2 and WW, quite a lot in B&B.

–And nontraditional (or “broken”) families, with an absent parent in GoG2 and WW, or a dead parent in B&B. The broken family proves to be a significant plot point for all three movies. Hmm.

GoG2 is a tad too filled with sound and fury signifying nothing. And who knew a movie like this would climax with a tear-jerker ending? For a character we don’t give a rat’s ass about until his last line, “He may have been your father, but I was your daddy.” <cry> Character logic question: Why would god-the-father, who by his own declaration is immortal, appear as Kurt Russell at sixty-ish? Why wouldn’t he appear to his son as the Kurt Russell of a foxy twenty-five, as he’s digitally remastered in the early sequence? Just askin’.

WW is a joy to behold. Gal Gadot was born to be WW, and we can only hope she won’t be irretrievably typecast—she’s a fine actress who has done other very different parts—but so be it. Tom said you feel like you know her, even though she’s a woman superhero. I’m glad to see the story developed from her early training—I can just hear New York editors yelling, “It’s too slow! Start it when she gets to Paris!” I’m a great believer in allowing a storyteller to tell her story. I also don’t mind that the movie is a bit long. For people viewing in public theaters, that could be a problem. In our home theater, the length of a movie—if it’s enjoyable and not boring—is not a problem. If we need to take bathroom breaks, second helping breaks, more wine breaks—we just press Pause. Niggling plot point question: why does our hero/love interest/Chris Pine have to blow up the plane with the poison gas and himself? Can’t he just land the plane somewhere safe, have the Allies deal with the poison gas, and live to love Wonder Woman another day? Vaguely disappointed with the Unhappily Ending.

B&B is also a joy to behold. Who knew Emma Watson could sing? The story stays remarkably true to the original fairytale, which I recently reread. The classic fairytale hits hard on poverty versus wealth, ugliness versus beauty, faithlessness versus family loyalty. The fantasy dance sequences look dazzlingly like a classic Forties dance extravaganza. My only quibble? And this probably says more about me. The Beast is more exciting than the little blond-haired prince.

So there you have it, my friends.

An independent enterprise and a free-lance writer since 1991.
I intended to sell this story to a magazine.
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From the author of Summer Of Love, A Time Travel (a Philip K. Dick Award Finalist and San Francisco Chronicle Recommended Book). On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo. On Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, India, Mexico, and Netherlands. BACK IN PRINT at https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Love-Travel-Lisa-Mason/dp/1548106119/

The Gilded Age, A Time Travel (a New York Times Notable Book and New York Public Library Recommended Book). On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. On Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, India, Mexico, and Netherlands. BACK IN PRINT at https://www.amazon.com/Gilded-Age-Time-Travel/dp/1975853172/

One Day in the Life of Alexa. On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo. On Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, India, Mexico, and Netherlands. NOW IN PRINT! Order at https://www.amazon.com/One-Life-Alexa-Lisa-Mason/dp/1546783091

The Garden of Abracadabra (So refreshing….Stephanie Plum in the world of Harry Potter.” “Fun and enjoyable urban fantasy . . . I want to read more!) On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. On Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, India, Mexico, and Netherlands. NOW IN PRINT at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1978148291/.

Strange Ladies: 7 Stories (“A must-read collection—The San Francisco Review of Books). On Nook, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo. On Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, India, Mexico, and Netherlands. IN PRINT https://www.amazon.com/Strange-Ladies-Stories-Lisa-Mason/dp/1981104380/!

Arachne (a Locus Bestseller). On US Kindle, UK Kindle, Canada Kindle, Australia Kindle, Barnes and Noble, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. On Kindle in France Kindle, Germany Kindle, Italy Kindle, Netherlands Kindle, Spain Kindle, Mexico Kindle, Brazil Kindle, India Kindle, and Japan Kindle. SOON BACK IN PRINT!

Cyberweb (sequel to Arachne). is on US Kindle, BarnesandNoble, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. Also on UK Kindle, Canada Kindle, Australia Kindle, Brazil Kindle, France Kindle, Germany Kindle, India Kindle, Italy Kindle, Japan Kindle, Mexico Kindle, Netherlands Kindle, and Spain Kindle. SOON BACK IN PRINT!

Celestial Girl, A Lily Modjeska Mystery (Five stars) On Nook, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo. On Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, India, Mexico, and Netherlands.

Shaken On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. Also on Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, India, Mexico, and Netherlands.

Hummers On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. Also on Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, and India.

Daughter of the Tao On US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, BarnesandNoble, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. Also on Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, India, Mexico, and Netherlands.

Every Mystery Unexplained On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. Also on Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, and India.

Tomorrow’s Child On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. Also on Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, India, Mexico, and Netherlands.

The Sixty-third Anniversary of Hysteria On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. Also on Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, and India.

U F uh-O On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. Also on Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, and India.

Tesla, A Screenplay On US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, BarnesandNoble, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. Also on Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, and India. SOON IN PRINT!

My Charlotte: Patty’s Story On Barnes and Noble, US Kindle, UK Kindle, Canada Kindle, Australia Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo. On Kindle in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, Netherlands, and Mexico.

“Illyria, My Love” is on US Kindle, Barnes and Noble, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. Also on UK Kindle, Canada Kindle, Australia Kindle, Germany Kindle, France Kindle, Spain Kindle, Italy Kindle, Netherlands Kindle, Japan Kindle, Brazil Kindle, Mexico Kindle, and India Kindle.

If you enjoy a title, please “Like” it, add five stars, write a review on the site where you bought it, Tweet it, blog it, post it,, and share the word with your family and friends.

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Thank you for your readership!

Tags Beauty and the Beast, Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author on Facebook, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Movie Reviews, Movies, Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies, Wonder Woman

Categories 2017, Authors, Books, Ebooks, Fantasy, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook, Lisa Mason Official Website, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Screenwriter, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Movie Night at the Manse, Movie Reviews, Movies

Excerpt from Tomorrow’s Child, The Omni Story That Sold To Universal Studios, Lisa Mason #SFWApro #fathersanddaughters #womenssciencefiction #featurefilm

May 3, 2017 //

Tomorrow’s Child by Lisa Mason
1

The cop said they found Turner’s daughter, but she wasn’t at the Palo Alto PD, she was in Emergency at Stanford Medical. It was bad. Even over the phone, the cop couldn’t conceal the anguish in his voice. Real bad.

Turner told his driver to take the Rolls right up to the Emergency entrance. Three car-accident victims were also coming through, their twisted limbs spelling out some terrible omen.

There had been other hospitals, other calls from Emergency, and Turner had come for her. From the boardroom, making hasty exits from important meetings, he had always come. Anger and displeasure with her had long ago replaced most of the worry. He thought of himself, self-righteously, as fulfilling his fatherly duties at moments like these. He wondered what crazy prank she’d pulled this time.

But nothing could have prepared Turner for what had happened to Angela.

The crisp, mottled thing with no fingers or toes or recognizable face lay packed in ice water beneath a plastic tent. A web of tubes was somehow keeping the alien-looking body alive.

If alive made any sense.

Jeanine, recovering from her faint in the lobby, began a hysterical chant, “How could she do this? How could she do this?”

Turner told her to shut up. Ever the obedient wife, she did.

“Well?” Turner confronted an ashen doctor.

Angela had suffered second- and third-degree burns on more than ninety percent of her body. The cops had found her in some East Palo Alto shooting gallery. The bedroom had gone up like a torch. She and her hoodlum boyfriend had been cooking up a methysynthetic known on the street as blue moon.

The boyfriend hadn’t made it.

Turner assembled these facts in an orderly fashion and filed them neatly in his mind under an incomprehensible heading called Angela. He bent over the tent. Fury filled him.

“Angela,” he said. “You dumb little bitch. I could kill you for this.”

“Mr. Turner,” the ashen doctor said. “She’s not expected to live through the night.”

He didn’t want to in front of all those strangers, but Turner began to cry.

So there you have it, my friends. “Tomorrow’s Child” was a short story for a glossy magazine acquired by an editor who preferred tight writing that would fit among all the advertisements. Enjoy! A thirty-day blog, “The Story Behind The Story That Sold To The Movies,” is included in the ebook.

Time Travels to San Francisco (boxed set of Summer of Love and The Gilded Age). On US Kindle, UK Kindle, Canada Kindle, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo. On Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, India, and Japan.

Arachne (a Locus Hardover Bestseller). On US Kindle, UK Kindle, Canada Kindle, Australia Kindle, Barnes and Noble, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. On Kindle in France Kindle, Germany Kindle, Italy Kindle, Netherlands Kindle, Spain Kindle, Mexico Kindle, Brazil Kindle, India Kindle, and Japan Kindle.

The Garden of Abracadabra (“Fun and enjoyable urban fantasy . . . I want to read more!) On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. On Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, India, Mexico, and Netherlands.

If you enjoy a title, please “Like” it, add five stars, write a review on the site where you bought it, Tweet it, blog it, post it,, and share the word with your family and friends.

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Thank you for your readership!

Tags aliens, burn victim, burn wound victim, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author on Facebook, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Movies, Omni, Omni magazine, Omni story, science fiction, teenage girls, teenagers, teens, Tomorrow's Child, Universal Pictures, Universal Studios

Categories 2017, an Omni story, Authors, Books, Burn victims, Burn wound victims, Ebooks, Families, Family in Fiction, Family in Science Fiction, Fathers and daughters, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook, Lisa Mason Official Website, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Screenwriter, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Magazine Story, Magazines, Movie Sale, Movies, Omni magazine, Omni Story, Science fiction, Short Story, Speculative Fiction, Story Sale, Story That Sold to the Movies, Teenage Girls, Teenagers, Teens, Tomorrow's Child, Tomorrow's Child published in Omni, Universal Pictures, Universal Studios

Tomorrow’s Child, The Omni Story That Sold To Universal Studios, Lisa Mason #SFWApro #fathersanddaughters #womenssciencefiction #moviesale #featurefilm #burnvictims

May 1, 2017 //

A high-powered executive is about to lose his estranged teenage daughter to critical burn wounds and only desperate measures may save her life.

Tomorrow’s Child started out as a script for a medical documentary for the 3M Company, transformed into a lead story published in Omni Magazine, which at the time had a circulation of five million worldwide, then sold outright as a feature film to Universal Studios, where the story is presently in development.

The ebook includes my 30-day blog, The Story Behind The Story That Sold To The Movies, describing the twists and turns the story took from inspiration to movie sale.

Tomorrow’s Child is on BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords.
Tomorrow’s Child is also on Amazon.com in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, India, Mexico, and Netherlands.

If you enjoy a title, please “Like” it, add five stars, write a review on the site where you bought it, Tweet it, blog it, post it,, and share the word with your family and friends.

Your participation really matters.
Thank you for your readership!

Tags aliens, burn victim, Families, fathers and daughters, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author on Facebook, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Magazine story, Omni magazine, Omni story, science fiction, Tomorrow's Child

Categories 2017, an Omni story, Authors, Books, Burn victims, Ebooks, Families, Family in Fiction, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook, Lisa Mason Official Website, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Screenwriter, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Magazine Story, Movie Sale, Movies, Parents and Children, Science fiction, Short Story, Speculative Fiction, Story Sale, Tomorrow's Child, Tomorrow's Child published in Omni

Movie Night For the Autumnal Equinox! Lisa Mason #LisaMason

September 24, 2016 //

To celebrate the Autumnal Equinox—and Athena’s second birthday, we made a pasta dinner and watched some movies. Athena is the first cat whose birthday I know. All the other cats were adopted some time later in their lives and I never found out when they were actually born. Athena mostly slept through the movies in her kitty cup.

First up, was “Captain America: Civil War.” I like many of the Marvel movies, but not all. The first “Captain America,” the first “Avengers,” the first “Iron Man” were great. “Ant-Man” was terrific. But the parade of sequels often leaves much to be desired. “Civil War” is a good example. Chaotic plot, a retread of the world’s negative reaction to the Avengers from the previous two films, quiet “personal” moments that drag, then over-the-top action sequences that last too long. Reasonably entertaining, but if you’ve got something better to spend two hours on, skip this.

Next, “Coriolanus.” Ralph Fiennes produced this modern take on a Shakespeare play, with modern warfare and settings but characters speaking in Elizabethan English. A very acquired taste that won’t work for everyone.

Lastly, “Zootopia,” an animated film entirely populated by talking animals, was completely wonderful. We like animation, anyway, and this is right up our alley. Highly recommended!

From the author of Summer Of Love, A Time Travel (a Philip K. Dick Award Finalist and San Francisco Chronicle Recommended Book). On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo. On Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, India, Mexico, and Netherlands.

The Gilded Age, A Time Travel (a New York Times Notable Book and New York Public Library Recommended Book). On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. On Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, India, Mexico, and Netherlands.

Time Travels to San Francisco (boxed set of Summer of Love and The Gilded Age). On US Kindle, UK Kindle, Canada Kindle, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo. On Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, India, and Japan.

Arachne (a Locus Bestseller). On US Kindle, UK Kindle, Canada Kindle, Australia Kindle, Barnes and Noble, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. On Kindle on France Kindle, Germany Kindle, Italy Kindle, Netherlands Kindle, Spain Kindle, Mexico Kindle, Brazil Kindle, India Kindle, and Japan Kindle.

Strange Ladies: 7 Stories. On Nook, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo. On Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, India, Mexico, and Netherlands.

The Garden of Abracadabra. On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. On Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, India, Mexico, and Netherlands.

The Garden of Abracadabra, Book 1: Life’s Journey. On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. On Kindle in Australia, Brazil, Germany, France, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, and Spain.

The Garden of Abracadabra, Book 2: In Dark Woods. On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. On Kindle in Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, and Spain.

The Garden of Abracadabra, Book 3: The Right Road. On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. On Kindle in Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, and Spain.

Celestial Girl, The Omnibus Edition (A Lily Modjeska Mystery). On Nook, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo. On Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, India, Mexico, and Netherlands.

Celestial Girl, Book 1: The Heartland (A Lily Modjeska Mystery). On Nook, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo. Also on Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, and India.

Celestial Girl, Book 2: Jewel of the Golden West (A Lily Modjeska Mystery). On Nook, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo. Also on Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, and India.

Celestial Girl, Book 3: The Celestial Kingdom (A Lily Modjeska Mystery) and Celestial Girl, Book 4: Terminus are on Nook, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, Kobo. Also on Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, and India.

Shaken. On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. Also on Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, India, Mexico, and Netherlands.

Hummers. On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. Also on Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, and India.

Daughter of the Tao. On US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, BarnesandNoble, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. Also on Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, India, Mexico, and Netherlands.

Every Mystery Unexplained. On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. Also on Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, and India.

Tomorrow’s Child. On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. Also on Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, India, Mexico, and Netherlands.

The Sixty-third Anniversary of Hysteria. On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. Also on Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, and India.

U F uh-O. On BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. Also on Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, and India.

Tesla, A Screenplay. On US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, BarnesandNoble, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. Also on Kindle in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, and India.

My Charlotte: Patty’s Story. On Barnes and Noble, US Kindle, UK Kindle, Canada Kindle, Australia Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo. On Kindle in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, Netherlands, and Mexico.

Please visit me at Lisa Mason’s Official Website for all my books, ebooks, stories, and screenplays, reviews, interviews, and blogs, adorable pet pictures, forthcoming works, fine art and bespoke jewelry by my husband Tom Robinson, worldwide links, and more!

If you enjoy a title, please “Like” it, add five stars, write a review on the site where you bought it, Tweet it, blog it, post it,, and share the word with your family and friends.

Your participation really matters.
Thank you for your readership!

Tags Athena our cat, authors, books, ebooks, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author on Facebook, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Movie Reviews, Movies

Categories 2016, Athena our cat, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook, Lisa Mason Official Website, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Screenwriter, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Movie Night at the Manse, Movie Reviews, Movies

Movie Night at the Mason-Robinson Manse Lisa Mason

June 25, 2016 //

We decided to kick back last night with some movies and a pasta dinner.

We saw “Deadpool,” which was an unexpected worldwide hit. This is a Marvel Comix movie that is something of a spoof of Marvel Comix movies. It wasn’t nearly as laden by profanity as the reviews said and not nearly as slapstick. We liked it. There was an unexpectedly serious, sentimental subplot.

Next up was “Stir of Echoes” with Kevin Bacon in the lead. This film was released the same summer as “The Sixth Sense” and also is a supernatural thriller involving the dead. Not quite as compelling as the bigger film, but enjoyable enough if you like that sort of thing.

Finally, since I’ve been writing about Peter Sellers, we saw “The Mouse That Roared.” Tom saw this as a child when it was first released, I’ve never seen it. This is a very gentle comedy with Sellers again playing three roles. The satiric premise is that the smallest country in the world, facing financial problems, declares war on the United States, intending to lose and then collect reparations.

So there you have it. Altogether, a pleasant time was had by all. Today, back to work!

Tags Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Movie Night, Movie Reviews, Movies

Categories 2016, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook, Lisa Mason Official Website, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Screenwriter, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Movie Night at the Manse, Movies, Uncategorized

Have Your Tastes Changed Over The Years? Hate That Film or Book You Used to Love? Lisa Mason

June 18, 2016 //

I’ve been reviewing our film collection on video acquired maybe fifteen years ago and deciding which ones to buy on DVD, which to ditch. The criterion is—would I want to see this film this weekend? Five years from now? When I’m ninety?

Some films stand the test of time for me, others get even better. Still others are been-there-done-that, seem boring in retrospect, or have become somewhat distasteful.

We’ve got two Stanley Kubrick films in the video collection. The first, “Dr. Strangelove,” released in 1964, is a hilarious dark comedy about an unhilarious topic—nuclear world war. Peter Sellers is at the height of his comedic powers in three pitch-perfect roles—the nervous British officer taken hostage by a psychotic American general, the President of the United States negotiating by phone with the Soviet Premier, and Dr. Strangelove, a former Nazi war strategist now advising the U.S. The scene of Strangelove wrestling with his own arm, which insists on thrusting up in a Nazi salute, then tries to strangle him, is worth the price of admission alone.

There are plenty of pokes at the military and sexism. Early on, after an explanation of Strategic Air Command, we cut to the cockpit of a U.S. jet carrying nuclear bombs. The cockpit shakes a bit as we view the pilot in full gear, gazing sternly, steadfastly down. Then the camera pans down a hair, and we see that the pilot is staring at a Playboy Magazine. In a later scene aboard the jet, Slim Pickens itemizes the contents of a survival kit provided for each crew member in the event they crash-land in enemy territory. “One pair of nylon stockings, one lipstick, one pack of cigarettes, one hundred dollars in ten-dollar bills, one pack of condoms. Shoot, a feller could have himself a good time in Vegas with this stuff.”

It’s funny. The send-ups of sexism don’t offend me fifteen years later, they’re spot on.

Then I got to the second Kubrick. I personally know people on Facebook who list this film as their Favorite. I became involved in a lively discussion on a LinkedIn scriptwriters’ group about the three-act structure. Is it required? Is it overly restrictive? One writer claimed that this Kubrick film is, in his opinion, the greatest film ever made, and it has a five-act structure, so there.

The film is “A Clockwork Orange,” released in 1971. I said to husband Tom, “We haven’t seen that in a while, let’s watch it.”

I got maybe fifteen minutes in, up to the gang rape scene, when I said to Tom, “Stop it. Eject it. Ditch it.”

My sense of revulsion was visceral. Yes, it’s supposed to be dark comedy again. But for me, there is nothing even remotely funny about gang rape. I don’t really care what else happens. It’s history in my library. I don’t know why I thought enough of this film to buy it in the first place. Shame, shame on my younger self.

So there you have it. Do you have a film or book you used to love that you now hate?

Tags authors, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author on Facebook, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Screenwriter, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Movie Reviews, Movies, Tastes Change

Categories 2016, Authors, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook, Lisa Mason Official Website, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Screenwriter, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Movie Reviews, Movies, Uncategorized

Tomorrow’s Child, the Omni Story That Sold to the Movies Lisa Mason #SFWApro

October 24, 2015 //

A high-powered executive is about to lose his estranged teenage daughter to critical burn wounds and only desperate measures may save her life.

Tomorrow’s Child started out as a script for a medical documentary for the 3M Company, transformed into a lead story published in Omni Magazine, optioned and then sold outright as a feature film to Universal Studios where the project is presently in development.

The ebook includes my 30-day blog, The Story Behind The Story That Sold To The Movies, describing the twists and turns the story took from inspiration to a six-figure movie sale.

This is a high-concept story that sold to a magazine editor who needed to have the language super-tight. My film rights agent said he cried at the end. The president of Burn Victims of America wrote me a fan letter.

So there you have it, my friends. Tomorrow’s Child is on BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords.

Tomorrow’s Child is also on Amazon.com in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Netherlands, Japan, and India.

From the author of Summer Of Love (a Philip K. Dick Award Finalist and San Francisco Chronicle Recommended Book) on BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo.
Summer of Love is also on Amazon.com in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

The Gilded Age (a New York Times Notable Book and New York Public Library Recommended Book) on BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords.
The Gilded Age is also on Amazon.com in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

The Garden of Abracadabra, Volume 1 of the Abracadabra Series, on BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords.
The Garden of Abracadabra, Volume 1 of the Abracadabra Series, is also on Amazon.com in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

Strange Ladies: 7 Stories on Nook, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo.
Strange Ladies: 7 Stories is also on Amazon.com in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

Celestial Girl, The Omnibus Edition (A Lily Modjeska Mystery) includes all four books. On Nook, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo;
Celestial Girl, The Omnibus Edition (A Lily Modjeska Mystery) is also on Amazon.com in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

My Charlotte: Patty’s Story on Barnes and Noble, US Kindle, UK Kindle, Canada Kindle, Australia Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo;
My Charlotte: Patty’s Story is also on Amazon.com worldwide in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, Netherlands, and Mexico.

Whew! Did I forget anything? I don’t think so, but I didn’t include every title in my whole list, either. For that—

Visit me at Lisa Mason’s Official Website for books, ebooks, stories, and screenplays, reviews, interviews, and blogs, adorable pet pictures, forthcoming projects, fine art and bespoke jewelry by Tom Robinson, worldwide Amazon.com links, and more!

And on Lisa Mason’s Blog, on my Facebook Author Page, on my Facebook Profile Page, on Amazon, on Goodreads, on LinkedIn, on Twitter at @lisaSmason, on Wikipedia, at Smashwords, at Apple, at Kobo, and at Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

If you enjoy a title, please “Like” it, add five stars, write a review on the site where you bought it, Tweet it, blog it, post it, and share the word with your family and friends.

Your participation really matters.
Thank you for your readership!

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Categories Authors, Books, Burn wound victims, Ebooks, Families, Fathers and daughters, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook, Lisa Mason Official Website, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Screenwriter, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Movie Sale, Movies, Teenage Girls, Teenagers, Teens, Tomorrow's Child, Tomorrow's Child published in Omni, Universal Studios