#AtoZChallenge: I is for Imagination

Neverending Story

Without a wild imagination, my books simply wouldn't exist. I think I've always had a bit of a mad thing going on in my brain. My husband tells me so all the time! Not only am I constantly coming up with ideas for future stories, but I also see things that aren't really there. We'll be driving along the road and suddenly, there's this huge creature, like something out of Neverending Story right there on the side of the road. 

Of course, it's nothing of the sort, it's just a large stone boulder in an unusual shape. A little while back, we were sitting watching TV and I saw a little old witch hobbling along the wall behind our house. It turned out to a black bin bag that had blown into the garden and was moving in the wind.

And then of course there's our massive banana tree that has overtaken our back garden... I reckon it's related to Jack's beanstalk!

See? A wild imagination! 

Don't forget to download Raven FREE right here, and Daisy Madigan's Paradise, also FREE right here.

Thursday Threesome: The top fantasy movies of all times

Thursday Threesome, you ask? Well that should mean my top three... but I'm going to include all my other faves too, because there are just too many others not to mention, right? Okay, so here goes...

1. Harry Potter series

Ever since Daniel Radcliffe came on the scene back in 2001, I've been completely and utterly hooked on this series. Like many others, I devoured the books first, saw each movie at the cinema and then bought every DVD. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson grew up before our very eyes, getting better at acting with each film. I know I will never tire of the Harry Potter series. Will you?

2. Avatar

I saw it at the cinema in all its 3D glory and then watched it on a much smaller 32 inch TV and it was still as brilliant! Avatar has everything, action, romance, drama, fantasy. Its one of the most beautiful fantasy movies I've ever seen. I mean, the Tree of Souls? Gorgeous, just gorgeous.

3. The Tenth Kingdom

Okay, so technically this isn't a movie as such. Its a mini series but its just so awesome, I had to include it in my top three. The Tenth Kingdom is about a young woman and her father after they are transported from New York through a magical mirror into a parallel world of fairy tales, magical creatures, evil stepmothers and self-discovery.

And because there are tonnes of other mega awesome fantasy movies out there, I just had to share some of my other close favourites. Do you agree with me? Did I miss any?

Princess Bride

Ella Enchanted

The Chronicles of Narnia

Willow

Neverending Story

Lord of the Rings

The Nightmare Before Christmas

The Corpse Bride

Pirates of the Caribbean

Hocus Pocus

Hook

Nanny McPhee

Mary Poppins

The waterbabies

The Golden Compass

Legend

How The Grinch Stole Christmas

Enchanted

Inkheart

Dragonheart

Alice in Wonderland

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

The Spiderwick Chronicles

Stardust

Aquamarine

Splash

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Edward Scissorhands

The Wizard of Oz

Eragon

The Dark Crystal

The Snow Queen

Snow White - The Fairest of Them All

Merlin

The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns

Practical Magic

Conan the Barbarian

Clash of the Titans

Gremlins

Ghostbusters

Big Trouble in Little China

Mannequin

Beetlejuice

Big

Teen Witch

Casper

The Borrowers

Arthur and the Invisibles

Bridge to Terabithia

The Seeker: The Dark is Rising

The Water Horse

Bedtime Stories

City of Ember

Journey to the Centre of the Earth

Because my books are aimed at kids and young adults, I've not included any really scary fantasy movies but I know there are tonnes of super cool ones out there! So what do you think of my list?

Sunday Singalong: Neverending Story

I'm really having fun with the Sunday Singalong... I'm browsing Youtube for some of my favourite songs and today certainly comes under that category.
Many of my top songs are from movies that I've loved over the years. And this one I mentioned on Facebook a few weeks ago and I got lots of response. Neverending Story was one of my top movies as a child and the song that went along with it just blew me away every time I listened to it. In fact I just played it and it gave me goose bumps!
So here it is again, Neverending Story by Limahl (a guy I had such a crush on as a kid!)...

Where are they now: Neverending Story

I was going to just blog about the actress who played the Childlike Empress but figured I ought to research the three main actors from one of my all time favourite movies, Neverending Story. I'll start with that delicate little girl who played the Childlike Empress... a character I so wanted to be back then.

Tami Stronach

Surprisingly, Tami Stronach hasn't had much of an acting career since appearing in the family movie in 1984, because her parents didn't want to run the risk of her ending up like many child stars do. She did, however, release a single around the same time as the movie, which contained two songs, Fairy Queen and Riding on a Rainbow. Although Tami has since studied acting, she has yet to perform anywhere other than with an experimental theatre group. She is now a member of a well known dance group based in New York (http://www.tamistronach.com/tsd/home/). She's still as beautiful as before isn't she?

Barret Oliver

Bastian Bux was played by the young actor, Barret Oliver, who went on to appear in D.A.R.Y.L, Cocoon and Cocoon: The Return, but that's pretty much it as far as acting is concerned. He later joined the Church of Scientology and got married at 19 (and then divorced). He has since become a printer and photographer, apparently. Sorry but I couldn't find any images of what he looks like now!

Noah Hathaway

I want to cry just looking at this!

Boxey, Battestar Galactica.
Photo credit: Mjr Kool via photopin cc

Photo credit: Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer via photopin cc

Now this is the guy I wanted to date when I was a kid. Wasn't he just totally and utterly gorgeous as Atreyu? Sigh. That was by far his most memorable role... ever, right? Well, did you know that he also starred as Boxey in the original Battlestar Galactica series? No? Me neither. Neverending Story made him into a bit of a star, especially in Europe and he went on to appear in a couple of other movies including Casebusters, To Die, To Sleep, neither of which I've ever heard of (must look them up). He has since become seriously into martial arts and motorcycle racing and apparently appeared at a 2011 screening on Neverending Story in Adelaide, Australia! He's also been on tour with WizardWorld Conventions. Fascinating!