Buy One Buzzwordathon Fail, Get Two Free

Back in May, I wrote about my first fail in the Buzzwordathon Readathon. Because the book I selected, The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman, put me in a “reading slump”, I didn’t finish it within the month. When I read A Horse Called Holiday by Frances Wilbur, I was able to get back on track with my Buzzwordathon goals. So, for September, I thought I received a second chance to read All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. Unfortunately, this book took me longer than a month to read. This also derailed my Buzzwordathon reading plans for October and November. However, I did recently complete all three books I planned to read for these aforementioned months. Unlike my other Buzzwordathon reviews, I will be writing shorter reviews for each novel.

Old-fashioned books image created by Macrovector at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/books-seamless-pattern_1539033.htm’>Designed by Macrovector</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Macrovector – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

September

All the Light We Cannot See book cover found on Goodreads

Title: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Theme: Light & Dark

As I said in the introduction, it took me longer than a month to read All the Light We Cannot See. However, it felt like I spent a year reading this book. One reason is how Anthony prioritized explaining the characters, their actions/choices, and what was happening in their world over telling a story. The book’s 530 page count contributed as the other reason. But Anthony’s attention to detail allowed me, as a reader, to picture the story in my head. There was also a strong use of descriptive imagery. Even though All the Light We Cannot See was broken up into parts, each part consisted of a collection of shorter chapters. This decision gave the book a steadier pace.

Overall score: 3 out of 5 stars

October

White Bird book cover found on Goodreads

Title: White Bird by R. J. Palacio

Theme: Creatures & Animals

I found White Bird to be a solid graphic novel! There was a good balance between well-crafted story and visually appealing illustrations. The use of lighter and darker lines provided a nice distinction between the 1930s/1940s and the present day. I also like how color was used to bring focus to a character, object, or location. While White Bird contained good messages, the delivery of some of them was a bit heavy-handed. The book features heavier subjects, which doesn’t give it a high re-readability rate. However, this was the best novel out of the three I’m reviewing!

Overall score: 4.2 out of 5 stars

November

The Decoding of Lana Morris book cover found on Goodreads

Title: The Decoding of Lana Morris by Laura & Tom McNeal

Theme: Words that end in “ing”

Based on the book’s synopsis, Laura & Tom McNeal had potential to create a charming and whimsical story. Sadly, The Decoding of Lana Morris ended up being one of the worst books I’ve ever read. When creating a story with “magical realism”, it’s important to maintain a balance between the magical and realistic elements. In The Decoding of Lana Morris, though, the magical elements were so underutilized, they were far and few between in the text. This made the story feel like a generic, ‘slice-of-life’ tale. I was not a fan of the protagonist, Lana Morris. It took her longer than necessary to figure things out. She lacked foresight and critical thinking skills because of this creative flaw.

Overall score: 0 out of 5 stars

Have fun during Buzzwordathon!

Sally Silverscreen

Disclaimer: All the Light We Cannot See, White Bird, and The Decoding of Lana Morris contain subject matter that may not be suitable for some readers. Reader discretion is encouraged.

And now, a word from our sponsor of The World Television Day Blogathon

Well, another blogathon has come and gone. While the turn-out this time was smaller, it was still a nice event. I was not only introduced to a made-for-tv film, I was also inspired for a future editorial! I even finally got around to writing about Hallmark Hall of Fame’s The Flamingo Rising! To everyone who participated, thank you for joining my World Television Day Blogathon. There will be another blogathon taking place in 2023. But the theme and dates are still pending. In the upcoming months, I will also be introducing a new series. As it’s been said in the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series, however, you have to “trust the timing”…

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Have fun on television!

Sally Silverscreen

Welcome to the World Television Day Blogathon!

The day you’ve been waiting for is finally here; the World Television Day Blogathon! Since the dawn of television, this particular medium has become a staple in popular culture. Through this lens, history has been recorded and memories have been made, giving people a way to look back on the past. Television’s broad landscape has provided something for everyone, from cozy mystery shows to beloved musical competitions. In this blogathon, various television related topics will be showcased. Each entry highlights different decades, made-for-tv movies, and shows, illustrating the importance of World Television Day!

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18 Cinema Lane — Four Reasons Why ‘The Flamingo Rising’s Adaptation is Different from its Book, Top Ten Characters Who Didn’t Reach Their Full Potential

The Stop Button — THE JERICHO MILE (1979, MICHAEL MANN)

Taking Up Room — My Top Twelve “Gilmore Girls” Episodes

The Conclusion to my 80s-tastic Mall-tacular Double Feature!

The films I reviewed in this double feature, The Legend of Billie Jean and Night of the Comet, were referenced by Dan, from the Youtube channel, This is Dan Bell. Because both movies were classified as “mall movies”, I assumed at least one of these titles would primarily take place in a mall. But after I watched The Legend of Billie Jean and Night of the Comet, I discovered this was not the case, as both stories featured a mall for a very short amount of time. This made me reflect on the idea of movies being defined by a singular location and the inconsistency of that idea. As I’ve already said, Night of the Comet and The Legend of Billie Jean are labeled “mall movies”, despite their respective malls not being the story’s primary setting. Yet, I have never heard anyone call Phantom of the Megaplex a “movie theater movie”, even though more than fifty percent of that film takes place at the Megaplex movie theater. This can also be said about the “destination film”. Whenever a protagonist in a Hallmark movie travels to somewhere other than their small hometown, “destination film” is the distinction these titles are given. But by Hallmark’s logic, wouldn’t the Fast & Furious films be considered “destination films”, especially since, more often than not, the characters are shown traveling to destinations outside the United States? The idea of movies being defined by a singular location and its inconsistency is a fascinating one that might be covered in a future editorial or double feature!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Image by Freepik

If you want to read the other articles associated with this double feature, I’ll provide the links here:

The 80s-tastic Mall-tacular Double Feature Introduction!

Take 3: Night of the Comet Review (80s-tastic Mall-tacular Double Feature Part 1)

Take 3: The Legend of Billie Jean Review (80s-tastic Mall-tacular Double Feature Part 2)

Have You Signed Up for The World Television Day Blogathon?

Do you like TV? Do you like talking about television? Then you’ll love The World Television Day Blogathon! If you’re interested in joining this fun, exciting event, you still have a month to sign up. All the information about the blogathon can be found at this link:

Coming to a TV near you: The World Television Day Blogathon!

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Have fun on World Television Day!

Sally Silverscreen

Coming to a TV near you: The World Television Day Blogathon!

When I published my review of Murder, She Wrote: The Queen’s Jewels for August’s Buzzwordathon, I announced I would be hosting a new blogathon this November. I also said more details were to follow. Well, the time has come to reveal more information about the event! As I mentioned in the aforementioned review, the theme is ‘World Television Day’. Because this particular holiday takes place on November 21st, my blogathon will happen between November 19th  and November 22nd. Television is such a broad topic, so here is a list of ideas if you are interested in participating:

  • Television Shows (favorite or least favorite, specific episodes, talent involved, etc.)
  • TV Movies and Mini-Series
  • Films based on or inspired a show (Downton Abbey: A New Era, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, etc.)
  • Books based on or inspired a TV show (Murder, She Wrote, etc.)
  • Songs used in TV productions
  • Sports Events (Super Bowl, Olympics, etc.)
  • Televised Contests (pageants, Eurovision, etc.)
  • Historical Events (Challenger Disaster, etc.)
  • Podcasts or Youtube videos about TV shows
  • History of Television
  • Lost/Found Media related to TV (Sesame Street’s infamous Wicked Witch episode, etc.)
  • Public Service Announcements (PSA) or Public Information Films (PIF)
  • Commercials, Trailers, or TV Spots
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Once you’ve selected an idea, take a moment to read the official rules:

  1. Please be respectful toward other participants and the subject(s) you’re writing about (especially if you choose to write about historical events on television).
  2. Please let me know in advance if you plan on publishing your post(s) earlier or later than the allotted time-frame (November 19th to 22nd).
  3. Only new posts will be eligible for the event.
  4. Because of how broad the subject of television is, I will not be allowing duplicate entries.
  5. There is a three-entry limit for each participant.
  6. All entries must be original work.
  7. Subjects from any genre, year, or country are allowed.
  8. If you’re interested in participating, please share your idea(s) in the comment section below.
  9. Pick one of the four banners and spread the word about the World Television Day Blogathon!
Created by Sally Silverscreen at Adobe Creative Cloud Express

World Television Day Participants

Sally from 18 Cinema Lane — The Flamingo Rising: Book vs. Movie, Top 10 or 15 Characters Who Didn’t Reach Their Full Potential

Rebecca from Taking Up Room — List of Top 10 Gilmore Girls episodes

Andrew from The Stop Button — Review of Jericho Mile (1979 made-for-tv movie)

oldbooksandmovies from Old Books and Movies — Ten Favorite Songs Preformed Live on TV During the Golden Age (1948-1959), Raymond Burr’s two appearances on the Jack Benny Show

Created by Sally Silverscreen at Adobe Creative Cloud Express
Created by Sally Silverscreen at Adobe Creative Cloud Express

Have fun at the blogathon!

Sally Silverscreen

A Special Thanksgiving Message to the Participants of A Blogathon to be Thankful For

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope you are having a safe and wonderful holiday! Now that my blogathon has concluded, I would like to thank each participant who took the time to write and submit an article for the event. Your involvement means a lot to me. In fact, I’d say A Blogathon to be Thankful For was more successful than last year’s event! I would also like to take the time to announce a new blogathon I will be hosting in 2021! However, more details will be revealed in January.

Image of Thanksgiving dinner created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Have fun on Thanksgiving!

Sally Silverscreen

A Blogathon to be Thankful For has arrived!

Welcome to A Blogathon to be Thankful For, the second blogathon hosted on 18 Cinema Lane! From November 19th to the 22nd, participants will share posts about movies, people, and subjects related to Thanksgiving! This post will host the list of participates and their articles of choice, separated by the categories that were set up in May. Each participant put time and effort into their entry/entries, so please check out as many posts as you’d like!

Created by me, Sally Silverscreen, on Adobe Spark.

Collection of Participants

Category A

Movies Meet Their Match Movie Review: Holiday Inn (1942)

MovieRob — A Blogathon to Be Thankful For – The Vicious Kind (2009), A Blogathon to Be Thankful For – The Object of My Affection (1998), A Blogathon to Be Thankful For – The Daytrippers (1996), A Blogathon to Be Thankful For – The Myth of Fingerprints (1997)

Silver Screenings — The Bully at Thanksgiving Dinner

Hamlette’s Soliloquy — “Rocky” (1976)

Neil “The Musical Man” Powell — Thoughts From The Music(al) Man (2020) on… The Gold Rush (1925)

Taking Up Room — We Gather Together

themomshiediaries — DON’T YOU LOVE NEW YORK IN THE FALL? – A YOU’VE GOT MAIL REVIEW

Pure Entertainment Preservation Society — 100 New Code Films – #92. “Plymouth Adventure” from 1952; The True Meaning of Thanksgiving

Category B

KN Winiarski Writes — Thankful for Singin in the Rain

Pure Entertainment Preservation Society — Thankful for Code Films – A Blogathon to be Thankful For

Critica Retro — Rediscovering Marcel Perez

Category C

18 Cinema Lane — ‘Phantom of the Megaplex’ at 20: A Reflection on the Movie-Going Experience

Along the Brandywine — Movie Review // Pride & Prejudice (2005) with Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen

Category D

Dubsism — Sports Analogies Hidden In Classic Movies – Volume 95: “The Why I’m Thankful For The Comedy of Jonathan Winters Double-Header”

Created by me, Sally Silverscreen, on Adobe Spark.

One Week Left Until “A Blogathon to be Thankful For”

Hello everyone!

If you’re still interested in participating in my blogathon, A Blogathon to be Thankful For, you have a week left to sign up! Even though there is a three entry limit, you are allowed to publish more than three posts. Just let me know before November 19th if you plan on doing so.

Have fun at the blogathon!

Sally Silverscreen

Created by me, Sally Silverscreen, on Adobe Spark.