Thursday, May 31, 2012

DMG: Dave's Movie Guide

Over the past few months, I've been posting essays/reviews under the title of Dave's Movie Guide, consisting of films I grew up with that had some kind of impact on my life, either because of the movies themselves or the events surrounding the times I first saw them. They are somewhat irreverent essays that are a cross between actual reviews and autobiographical narratives.

Anyway, because of the number of hits those essays have gotten on Free Kittens, I've started a new blogsite (DMG: Dave's Movie Guide) dedicated just to those. You can find it here: http://davesmovieguide.blogspot.com/

In addition to continuing looks back at some great and not-so-great films, there are lists, old movie posters, movie ads, screen shots and old theater marquees, mostly surrounding movies fromt he 70s and 80s.

Please check it out, follow the blog, pass it along and feel free to leave comments about movies influential on your life.

Monday, May 14, 2012

"Shaken" Novel Trailer


Click the tsunami to view the promotional trailer for my second young adult novel, Shaken.

Natalie, a self-centered girl, is dragged away by her family at the worst possible time.

Damien, a juvenile delinquent condemned as an accessory to murder.

Connor, an angry young man unable to get over the death of his father.

Three teenagers from different backgrounds, each suffering pain and loss, must now find strength, responsibility, and heroism they didn’t know they possessed when the worst disaster in American history, a 9.7 earthquake devastates the Pacific Northwest. Their struggle for survival will not only test their resolve; it will affect the lives of everyone around them.

Can they let go of their own personal issues and look beyond themselves before a massive tsunami destroys them all?

Friday, May 4, 2012

"Shaken" Now Available in Paperback

Click cover to buy
My second young adult novel, Shaken, is now available in paperback. Click on the cover to order.

Natalie, a self-centered girl, is dragged away by her family at the worst possible time.

Damien, a juvenile delinquent condemned as an accessory to murder.

Connor, an angry young man unable to get over the death of his father.

Three teenagers from different backgrounds, each suffering pain and loss, must now find strength, responsibility, and heroism they didn’t know they possessed when the worst disaster in American history, a 9.7 earthquake devastates the Pacific Northwest. Their struggle for survival will not only test their resolve; it will affect the lives of everyone around them.

Can they let go of their own personal issues and look beyond themselves before a massive tsunami destroys them all?


A few review excerpts:

From Lavender Lines 
http://lavenderlines.wordpress.com/2011/12/27/shaken-d-m-anderson/ 

The way Anderson described the earthquake, and what happens after, made me feel like I was watching it happen. I could feel the tension, the hope, the desperation as characters struggled to deal with the aftermath and trying to survive. My heart was pounding during certain scenes, breaking during others.

Now, I don’t want you to think that this was just an action book, because that’s so not the case. There was some nice character development in Shaken. I enjoyed watching the teens grow and realize who they really are. I felt for these characters and I cared what happened to them.

Shaken was just a great all around read. For fans of disaster movies, disaster books and just great YA books, I recommend Shaken.

From Sabrina Sumsion
http://www.sabrinasumsion.com/index.php/writing-industry/15-book-reviews/18-shaken-by-d-m-anderson

Post trauma stories fascinate me. Imagine your world falling apart. What do you do? How do you survive? Do you let yourself fall apart? Do you do whatever it takes to survive? Do you find in yourself the strength to help others or crawl over their dying backs?

In Shaken, the story follows three teens who face these challenges. After a traumatic earthquake shakes the western coast of America, a small beach community tears asunder. One teen is a native, the other two are visitors who would have passed through with a few memories in normal life.

D.M. Anderson writes for teenagers using their slang and often showing an insight to their thoughts and maturity level that someone without access to teens regularly lacks. I felt sometimes he let too much slip into his narrative and weakened the flow of the story but luckily, the plot line contains plenty of action to keep a reader turning pages to find out what happens next.

For my cautious readers: I felt the story contained enough villainous acts to maintain a sense of danger without crossing the line into adult material. I only remember one word that would be considered profane. All in all, I am comfortable recommending this book to parents as a discussion book.