Alex J. Cavanaugh

Insecure Writer’s Support Group; Movie News and Trailers, and February Movie Preview

2026-02-04T04:00:00.054-05:00

Movie News

Actress Catherine O’Hara passed away last week at the age of seventy-one.

Season four will be the final one for House of the Dragon. I’ll miss watching the train wreck as horrible people do horrible things to other horrible people…

A two-part documentary is coming to HBO - Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man. Such a long and great career! Blazing Saddles is still one of my favorite comedies.

And if you haven’t seen it, here is the trailer for Christopher Nolan’s next masterpiece, The Odyssey.

February Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for February. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

6 –

Dracula
Director - Luc Besson
Stars - Caleb Landry Jones, Christoph Waltz, Zoë Bleuv When a 15th-century prince denounces God after the loss of his wife he inherits an eternal curse: he becomes Dracula. Condemned to wander the centuries, he defies fate and death, guided by a single hope - to be reunited with his lost love.
If it’s anything like Valerian, he should just call it Dracula Sucks and save us the time…

13 –

Cold Storage
Director – Jonny Campbell
Stars – Joe Keery, Georgina Campbell, Liam Neeson
When a highly dangerous fungus escapes from a secret laboratory, a former bioterrorism agent is called back into action. Alongside two young employees, he must confront an invisible and out-of-control threat.
Steve from Stranger Things still fighting monsters. Really want this to be fun!

20 –

How to Make a Killing
Director – John Patton Ford
Stars – Glen Powell, Margaret Qualley, Ed Harris
Disowned at birth by his obscenely wealthy family, blue-collar Becket Redfellow will stop at nothing to reclaim his inheritance, no matter how many relatives stand in his way.
Glen Powell trying to set a record for most movie and television appearances in a year…

27 –

Scream 7
Director – Kevin Williamson
Stars – Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, Isabel May
When a new Ghostface killer emerges in the town where Sidney Prescott has built a new life, her darkest fears are realized as her daughter becomes the next target.
I didn’t know someone could scream for this long…

Have you reread your older stories? What’s your favorite Mel Brooks movie? And what movies will you watch this month?

Insecure Writer’s Support Group; Reviews – Avatar 3, Stranger Things 5, and Frankenstein; and January Movie Preview

2026-01-07T03:00:00.067-05:00

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts for the January 7 posting of the IWSG are Shannon Lawrence, Olga Godim, Jean Davis, and Jacqui Murray!

January 7 question - Is there anything in your writing plans for 2026 that you are going to do that you couldn't get done in 2025?

Maybe develop a desire to write again?

Some of you are distressed when the writing bug leaves you. Afraid you are burned out. Worried stories will never return.

Writing does not define you. You may think it does, but it doesn’t. What defines you is your character, what you stand for, what you believe in.

So, stop and think about that.

While I would like to write again, it’s not imperative. It’s not life-altering. I have other creative things in life that rate higher. (Like music.)

So, give yourself a break. Maybe you need a break. Maybe your interests have changed. Regardless, it’s okay!

And we need co-hosts for February 4, March 4, April 1, and May 6! If you can help out any of those days, leave a comment or send me an email.

Reviews

Avatar: Fire and Ash
Same basic story – Terrans are harvesting Pandora’s resources unchecked while hunting down Jake and his family. (And if there are more movies, there really needs to be a new plot.) What makes it work though is the scope, the effects, and the characters.
Worth it to see it in 3D as the effects are jaw dropping and it’s one of the biggest spectacle movies you will ever see. Cameron knows how to make an epic movie and continues to up the ante with each one.
Jake’s family – and Spider – are what really makes the movie memorable. The film begins a short time after the second one ends, throwing the characters into situations and decisions rippling from the previous film. I'd also like to note that the Ash tribe leader is actually quite sexy for an alien!
It’s long (3:17) but if you enjoyed the first two, you will greatly enjoy this one. Recommended!

Stranger Things: Season Five
While there are those grousing that half the characters didn’t die in the end (what is wrong with people – would they want half of their friends and family to die?) make no mistake the fifth and final season is as excellent as the others. Many revelations, some new characters, dozens of twists, and excellent effects add up to one great season. The show also sets an exhausting pace sometimes as it piles on problem after problem.
An excellent ending to a great show! Highly recommended!

Frankenstein
Directed by Guillermo del Toro, you just know it’s going to be stylish and good.
It’s visually amazing. The director knows how bring a setting to life.
It was also a bit gorier than I anticipated. It presented a few surprising twists and turns as well.
Ultimately though, it couldn’t escape the shadow of a story told many, many times.
Still recommended if you are a fan of either the director or the story!

January Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for January. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

9 –

Greenland 2: Migration
Director: Ric Roman Waugh
Stars: Morena Baccarin, Gerard Butler, Sophie Thompson
The surviving Garrity family must leave the safety of the Greenland bunker and embark on a perilous journey across the decimated frozen wasteland of Europe to find a new home.
Stupid people making bad decisions. Slowly. Take two!

16 –

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
Director: Nia DaCosta
Stars Ralph Fiennes, Jack O'Connell, Emma Laird
As Spike is inducted into Jimmy Crystal's gang on the mainland, Dr. Kelson makes a discovery that could alter the world.
Probably better than Fifty Shades of Grey: The Bone Temple.

23 –

Return to Silent Hill
Director: Christophe Gans
Stars: Jeremy Irvine, Hannah Emily Anderson, Robert Strange
When a man receives a mysterious letter from his lost love, he is drawn to Silent Hill, a once familiar town now consumed by darkness.
That place is terrifying. Why do people keep going back? Someone needs to put up a warning sign or something…

Mercy
Director: Timur Bekmambeto
Stars: Chris Pratt, Rebecca Ferguson, Michael C. Mahon
In the near future, a detective (Chris Pratt) stands on trial accused of murdering his wife. He has 90 minutes to prove his innocence to the advanced A.I. Judge (Rebecca Ferguson) he once championed, before it determines his fate.
Exact same ‘I didn’t kill my wife!’ plot as a hundred other movies. Only with AI…

What are you going to do differently this year? Can you co-host the IWSG? Seen either movie or fan of the show? And do any of January’s movies spark your interest?

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Low Water Release, December Movie Preview

2025-12-03T03:00:00.050-05:00

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts for the December 3 posting of the IWSG are Tara Tyler, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, Liza, and Natalie Aguirre!

December 3 question - As a writer, what was one of the coolest/best gifts you ever received?

I really can’t think of any writing-related gifts. However, many, many years ago my wife got me an iPod. It only held three hundred songs or so, but just the ability to hold that many was awesome. It led to me finally getting an iPhone and holding even more music. And I picked that gift because music is such an important part of my inspiration and I listen to it when writing.

We have reopened the option for In-Person IWSG Writing Groups! Check it out here. Toi Thomas’ group is the first to join!

New Release!

Low Water by Jennifer Lane

Two lives marked by trauma. One chance to rediscover hope.
In the sun-drenched Lowcountry of South Carolina, a swim coach haunted by tragedy and a psychologist devoted to healing cross paths just as their lives unravel.
He once believed Olympic-sized dreams and awful dad jokes could get him through anything, but waves of grief threaten to pull him under. She has built a career navigating others through pain, yet she struggles to confront her own.
When their worlds collide, Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD forces the question: is it possible to dive into the past without drowning? Neither expects the other to become a lifeline. But with connection and courage, they search for a way forward—one stroke at a time.
Striving, tender, and surprisingly funny, this is a story about resilience and learning that the best way out of the deep end is together.

Find it on Amazon or check out the Universal Book Link

December Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for December. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

12 –

Lone Samurai
Director: Josh C. Waller
Stars: Shogen, Yayan Ruhian, Rama Ramadhan
A shipwrecked 13th century samurai considers ritual suicide until captured by cannibals on a seemingly deserted island. His will to live awakens.
I knew a cannibal who ate a clown. He thought it tasted funny.

19 –

Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Stars: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Kate Winslet, Stephen Lang, Sigorney Weaver
Jake and Neytiri's family grapples with grief after Neteyam's death, encountering a new, aggressive Na'vi tribe, the Ash People, who are led by the fiery Varang, as the conflict on Pandora escalates and a new moral focus emerges.
We’ve had earth, water, and fire – so is the last Avatar the Last Airbender?

25 –

Anaconda
Director: Tom Gormica
Stars: Jack Black, Paul Rudd, Hans Bauer
A group of friends are going through a mid-life crisis. They decide to remake a favorite movie from their youth but encounter unexpected events when they enter the jungle.
No Ice Cube? No Jon Voight’s terrible accent? No J-Lo’s butt? Pass!

Merry Christmas everyone! Christ is the reason for the season. I will be mostly offline the rest of the month as there are so many events and gatherings to attend. May you all be blessed and I will see you in January for the next IWSG post.

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Movie Reviews, and November Movie Preview

2025-11-05T03:30:00.059-05:00

Speaking of friends, we lost Sue, Elephant’s Child, last month. There is so much I could say about Sue, but Hilary and Nils both said it better. I will miss Sue’s Sunday Selections of birds, kangaroos, and flowers and her Words for Wednesday.

Reviews

John Candy: I Like Me

I’d heard good things about this documentary and it didn’t disappoint. Through his friends, fellow actors, and family, we learn about his actor journey. He was also a genuine person who elevated his fellow actors’ performances and devoted husband and father. (And I learned that interviewers often asked the crappiest questions, especially about his weight.) Definitely recommend it.

Weapons

All but one kid in a classroom vanishes in the middle of the night and many suspect their teacher.
While I certainly did not see it going the direction it did, it wasn’t an original direction. (I recently reviewed a film with the same trope.) It’s also more drama than anything else. It kept me interested but there were a couple major plot holes. From the doorcams, they knew which way the kids went – the cops couldn’t draw a line to their likely location? They also couldn’t bring in dogs? (I watch On Patrol Live – police dogs can find anyone!) If you can ignore those items, it’s worth a watch.

November Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for November. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

7 –

Predator: Badlands
Director – Dan Trchtenberg
Stars - Elle Fanning, Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi
A young Predator outcast from his clan finds an unlikely ally on his journey in search of the ultimate adversary.
The Reeces Peanut Butter Cup of cinema – Predator and Alien universes. (But PG-13? Come on, man!)

14 –

The Running Man
Director – Edgar Wright
Stars – Emilia Jones, Glen Powell, Colman Domingo
A man joins a game show where contestants, allowed to go anywhere in the world, are pursued by "hunters" hired to kill them.
No Schwarzenegger? No Dawson? Color me skeptical.

21 –

Altered
Director - Timo Vuorensola
Stars – Tom Felton, Aggy K. Adams, Daniyar Alshinov, Richard Brake
In an alternate present, genetically enhanced humans dominate society. Outcasts Leon and Chloe fight for justice against corrupt politicians exploiting genetic disparity, risking everything to challenge the oppressive system.
Please stop giving away the entire plot in the trailer!

26 –

Zootopia 2
Directors – Jared Bush, Byron Howard
Stars – Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Ke Huy Quan
Brave rabbit cop Judy Hopps and her friend, the fox Nick Wilde, team up again to crack a new case, the most perilous and intricate of their careers.
Mel Brooks put it best – The Search For More Money!

What did you imagine your author/writer career would look like? Did you know Sue? Seen either of the movies? And what movies catch your attention this month?
For those in the USA, have a great Thanksgiving!

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Television Series Reviews, and October Movie Preview

2025-10-01T03:30:00.053-04:00

That leaves CassaStorm, the middle child of my books. And probably still my best effort ever.

I thought I was wrapping up a trilogy (before CassDark came along) and so I threw the kitchen sink at it. Three points of view. The possible end of all races in the galaxy. Main character Byron stands to lose everything. And I think I pulled it all off and in a way that satisfies fans – and me! Crafting a novel is hard but I really think I managed to score a winner with CassaStorm.

What about you?

Series Reviews

Alien Earth
Enjoying the show despite the fact that occasionally the characters do things that are jaw-droppingly stupid. Come for the alien, stay for the eyeball creature.

Wednesday
This show is delightful. All the great elements of the Adams family and Tim Burton rolled into one. Quirky, fun, and Jenna Ortga nails the roll of Wednesday. Season two did not disappoint!

Mobland
Great cast especially Tom Hardy. While the show is compelling it’s hard to root for anyone when they are all so terrible. If you like gritty and violent with no redeemable characters, then you should enjoy it.

October Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for October. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

3 –

The Smashing Machine
Director: Benny Safdie
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader
The story of mixed-martial arts and UFC champion, Mark Kerr.
A heavy film about drug addiction…welcome to the jungle.

10 –

Tron: Ares
Director: Joachim Rønning
Stars: Jared Leto, Jeff Bridges, Evan Peters
A highly sophisticated Program, Ares, is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission.
Fingers, toes, and anything I can cross - really hoping this is good!

17 –

After the Hunt
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Stars: Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, Ayo Edebiri
A college professor finds herself at a personal and professional crossroads when a star pupil levels an accusation against one of her colleagues and a dark secret from her own past threatens to come to light. The movie's tagline: Not everything is to make you comfortable. Mission accomplished!

What’s your favorite that you’ve written? Watched any of the series? What movie catches your interest this month?

Movie Reviews and Updates! And News of Roland Yeomans.

2025-09-08T05:00:00.074-04:00

First, a bit of sad news…

Last week I asked if anyone had heard from Roland Yeomans. I was informed he passed away last month. Roland lost everything in Katrina, relocated to another part of Louisianna, and became a rare blood courier. He lost his job earlier this year, which just devasted him. (He was in his early seventies.) He also had heart issues and went into a care center, which is where he passed away. Roland was a great writer, an IWSG anthology author, and a good friend. He was dedicated to writing and I invite those of you who never read one of his books to try one. You can find his books and audiobooks on Amazon. I think my favorite will always be The Legend of Victor Standish.

Movie Reviews

I’ve only been to the theater once this past month but I have multiple movie reviews for you.

RiffTrax Live – Time Cop

Got out to the theater for this one and well worth the price of admission.
Released in 1994 and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Mia Sara, and Ron Silver, it’s actually a decent movie. Not A-class material but fun to watch.
However, despite its lack of awfulness, the guys came up with some of the best riffs ever for this film. Looking forward to seeing it again.
Not a lot of pre-movie slides, but there were some good ones:

Thunderbolts

A group of antiheroes band together after coming together in a death trap, going after the woman who sentenced them to die. Starring Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, and Julia Louise-Dreyfus.
This film was so much fun despite its dark material. Not a ton of surprises but you will enjoy the ride. Certainly one of the better Marvel films as of late.
And the father-daughter team of Harbour and Pugh was great to watch – definitely the best two characters.
Highly recommended!

Monster Summer

Set on Martha’s Vineyard, this film has a group of friends going up against a monster preying on children.
It’s definitely a throwback to 80’s movies with an innocent nostalgic vibe.
The kids are likeable (not annoying) but they do make some dumb decisions. (Like kids do!)
Mel Gibson is the retired police investigator the main kid entices into helping solve the mystery. Both Gibson and the kid (Mason Thames) have incidents in their past that have left them damaged and this helps bring them together.
Probably its only issue is the lack of development in some of the characters, but some of this can be blamed on its short run time. (1:37!) It was still a fun movie though.
Recommended

Greenland

An idea that’s been explored before (most notably in Deep Impact) this movie keeps it on a personal level, following just the family.
The scenes of comet pieces striking the earth are well done and realistic. The acting is solid and the actors fill their roles well. (And Baccarin is still hot at forty-six!) Overall, the movie is top quality production.
Where it failed was the stupid decisions by the leads and a complete lack of urgency. Hello, there’s an extinction level event coming in less than two days! Yet they stop and stare, take time for showers, long chats, more bad decisions – as the clock continues to tick. I’ve never heard my wife scream ‘Move!’ so many times at a movie.
If you can jet past the slow stupidity, it’s worth a watch, but I can’t recommend it.

Movie News

The Labor Day weekend box office was a bit of a surprise. Weapons retook first place but coming in right behind it was the fiftieth anniversary release of Jaws. Considering every streaming service is showing Jaws right now, it’s amazing so many would shell out the big bucks to go see it in the theater.

Sony is releasing a 4K Blu-ray version of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, also for its fiftieth anniversary. The restoration is supposed to be amazing.

Twenty years after the first film, Christophe Gans is bringing us Return to Silent Hill. Coming out next January, there is now a creepy movie trailer to watch:

Have you seen any of the movies? If so, what did you think? Ever seen a RiffTrax movie? How many times have you seen Jaws in the past fifty years? And did you know Roland?

Insecure Writer’s Support Group’s Anniversary! Plus September Movie Preview and New Releases

2025-09-03T03:00:00.018-04:00

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts for the September 3 posting of the IWSG are Kim Lajevardi, Natalie Aguirre, Nancy Gideon, and Diedre Knight!

We need co-hosts for the remainder of the year! Two more for October and four for November and December. And if you can do January, let me know. Leave a comment or send an email.

September 3 question: What are your thoughts on using AI, such as GPChat, Raptor, and others with your writing? Would you use it for research, storybible, or creating outlines\beats?

I think a lot of people are using AI for those things so I wouldn’t be opposed to it. Would never use it to actually write anything though. I can mess that up on my own, thanks.

And happy anniversary to the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Fourteen years ago, I started this blog hop with maybe forty people joining in. (And at one point, there were 330 of us!) The following year, we set up the IWSG site, and Facebook, X, etc. followed not long after.
Thanks to everyone who has stuck with us over the years. You rock!

And finally, has anyone heard from Roland Yeomans? His last post was for the May IWSG. Sent him emails with no response. If anyone knows, please share!

New Releases!

Edited Out by Rebecca M. Douglass -Seffi Wardwell Mysteries Book 3

Working part-time at the local inn is fun, until everything goes sideways. When a uniformly disliked writer-in-residence turns up dead, the local police ask Seffi to use her botanical knowledge to figure out what killed her. And could she hurry up, before the inn’s business tanks, and takes the bakery down with it?

Find it on Amazon - just $3.99 until October 1.

In the Wake of Honor (Sagebrush Springs Book 1) Melissa Maygrove

When duty called, love paid the price.
Former Union Army lieutenant Jackson Maguire returns to his war-torn hometown with plans to propose to Caroline Bennet, but a crisis of honor forces him to take her sister as his wife instead. When fate reunites them, will Jackson’s confession of his motives be enough to heal Caroline’s shattered heart?

Find it on Amazon You can also find the whole series on Amazon

September Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for September. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

5 –

The Conjuring: Last Rites
Director: Michael Chaves
Stars: Vera Farmiga, Patric Wilson, Ben Hardy
Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren take on one last terrifying case involving mysterious entities they must confront.
I guarantee if it makes a boatload of money it won’t be the last rites…

12 –

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues
Director: Rob Reiner
Stars: Rob Reiner, Michael McKean, Christopher Guest
That band reunites after a 15-year break for one final concert.
This will not go to eleven…

19 –

Xeno
Director: Matthew Loren Oates
Stars: Lulu Wilson, Josh Cooke, Paul Schneider
A teenager makes a terrifying extraterrestrial her friend after it crashes nearby in the desert. The youngster manages to deal with her sad mother and the mother's violent boyfriend while simultaneously protecting her dangerous new buddy.
If ET and Venom had a baby..

26 –

One Battle After Another
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro
When their evil enemy resurfaces after 16 years, a group of ex-revolutionaries reunite to rescue one of their own's daughter.
Chronicles a day in the life of DiCaprio breaking up with yet another girlfriend when she turns twenty-five.

How do you feel about using AI? What new release catches your attention? And can you co-host the IWSG?

See you next Monday for a slew of movie reviews!!

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Movie Reviews, August Movie Preview, and New Releases

2025-08-06T02:00:00.079-04:00

Movie Reviews

The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Must say, I thoroughly enjoyed this from start to finish. It’s a very fun film.
I really dug the 60’s vibe of Earth 828. The retro was stylish and complete but with futuristic elements woven in.
There is great chemistry between the four leads. They come off as real people and a genuine team.
Galactus and the Silver Surfer are great villains, with the later having a full character arc.
Great special effects, good story, and unlike the next film, it all made sense.
Highly recommended!

Superman
I wanted to love it. But sadly, I was disappointed. Watching Superman get his ass kicked for two hours is not my idea of fun.
Lex Luther was way too powerful. He could make his own superhero, pocket dimensions… His whole thing was jealousy and he wanted Superman dead, and yet when he had Superman in his grasp, he did not kill him.
Like most of the movie, it didn’t make sense.
Not all was lost. Mr. Terrific and Krypto were the best parts of the film.
Sorry, can’t recommend it.

New Releases!

If The Quest for Orichalcum was a movie, how would it be compared?
Well, it’s in the scifi realm, but more Star Trek than Star Wars. At this stage of this galaxy, wars are trifling things. And Pete and Lars wouldn’t be anywhere near them, because they meet at college, and are more interested in launching their careers than in fighting for powers they don’t believe in. Their adventures with planet surveys, space walking, girls, and bullies fit well into a Star Trek universe, but Pete has a secret destiny, and there’s a lot of lovely scenery, so maybe I can claim affinity with Lord of the Rings? There’s a touch of Casablanca about it, too, largely because the origin of my series started with a flash fiction mash-up of Casablanca and Star Wars… and all before they hit it rich… mining orichalcum.
- Jemima

Out August 12!
The Quest for Orichalcum by Jemima Pett
The Quest for Orichalcum tells how it all started – the revolution that transformed the galactic economy, let alone space travel.
Find it on Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo

Available now!
Past and Present by Rosemary Johnson
We need to know about the past in order to make sense of the present.
Find it on Amazon

August Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for August. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

1 –

The Naked Gun
Director: Akiva Schaffer
Stars: Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser
Only one man has the particular set of skills - to lead Police Squad and save the world.
I wonder if this one also has a nice beaver?

8 –

Weapons
Director: Zach Cregger
Stars: Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich
When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.
The real weapons are the Legos those kids left all over their bedroom floor…

15 –

Red Sonja
Director: MJ Bassett
Stars: Matilda Lutz, Martyn Ford, Rhona Mitra
An adaptation of the comic book, Red Sonja, a vengeful warrior known as a "She-Devil with a sword.”
She-devil with a sword, puppy with nunchucks, dik-dik with brass knuckles…

22 –

Primitive War
Director: Luke Sparke
Star: Tricia Helfer, Ana Thu Nguyen, Jeremy Piven
Vietnam. 1968. A recon unit known as Vulture Squad is sent to an isolated jungle valley to uncover the fate of a missing Green Beret platoon. They soon discover they are not alone.
Predator meets Jurassic Park meets the Vietnam War meets super low budget…you can see where this is headed.

29 –

The Toxic Avenger
Director: Macon Blair
Stars: Peter Dinklage, Jacob Tremblay, Taylour Paige
A horrible toxic accident transforms downtrodden janitor, Winston Gooze into a new evolution of hero: The Toxic Avenger.
Remake of an awful 1984 cult classic – is this what Dinklage gets for insisting Snow White not use real little people?

What do you think is an unethical practice? Seen either superhero movie? Picking up either book? Seeing any of the movies coming out in August?
I’ll be posting at the IWSG site on August 18. Otherwise, see you September 3 for the next IWSG post!

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, July Movie Preview, and Mother of Five Conquers College

2025-07-02T03:00:00.049-04:00

Determination: A Mother of Five Conquers College

The college dynamic clashed with motherhood. I oversaw the home, five young children, and their education. This was important as my oldest child is learning-disabled.
I hadn’t been in an academic setting in over twenty years. A collegiate classroom was alien to me.
Three courses. Professors thought I had unlimited time to read and complete assignments. I was a concrete thinker, couldn’t figure out theories, had no college preparatory courses, and developed an aversion to the blank page. I pushed myself, recorded my subject notes, and studied constantly, reaching for that degree one college course at a time.

Determination: A Mother of Five Conquers College
By Victoria Marie Lees
Universal Buy Link

July Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for July. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

2 –

Jurassic World: Rebirth
Director: Gareth Edwards
Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend
Five years post-Jurassic World: Dominion (2022), an expedition braves isolated equatorial regions to extract DNA from three massive prehistoric creatures for a groundbreaking medical breakthrough.
The last few have been so subpar – Edwards can only improve it!

11 –

Superman
Director: James Gunn
Stars: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult
Superman must reconcile his alien Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as reporter Clark Kent. As the embodiment of truth, justice and the human way he soon finds himself in a world that views these as old-fashioned.
Tenth reboot’s the charm? (No idea how many reboots. A lot. And I am excited for this one.)

18 –

Eddington
Director: Ari Aster
Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Deirdre O'Connell, Emma Stone
In May of 2020, a standoff between a small-town sheriff and mayor sparks a powder keg as neighbor is pitted against neighbor in Eddington, New Mexico.
From the director of Midsommar and Hereditary – the weirdness factor will be multiplied by a thousand.

25 –

The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, the Fantastic Four must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer.
Director: Matt Shakman
Stars: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn
Third reboot’s a charm! (And it really is three.)

What genre would you like to try? Gone back to college after having kids? And what movie catches your eye this month?

Happy Fourth of July! Almost two hundred and fifty years. Yes, all of Europe, Africa, and Asia is laughing at that number…

Enjoy your July. I will be a little scarce this month…catch you on August 6 for the next IWSG day!

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Father Dragon, Series Updates, and June Movie Preview

2025-06-04T03:00:00.065-04:00

Dragon and Ninja, Together Again

Some of you probably remember Father Dragon Al. One of the best friends a Ninja could ever have and I miss him in the blogging world.

Quite the talented artist, he decided to send me the original artwork of his blogging icon.

Al, this is quite the honor! I shall treasure it always. You are a good friend and an excellent dragon.

Series Updates

I spoke too soon in my last post – The Bondsman with Kevin Bacon has been cancelled! Ended on a huge cliffhanger as well. And it was doing well. Jerks.

The Wheel of Time was also cancelled. Nowhere near finished with the story. Ten million an episode was too much for their budget.

And they wonder why people don’t want to invest themselves in a series?

Thankfully, Resident Alien’s next season starts June 6! It ended on a huge cliffhanger, so small miracle we get to see how it is resolved. One of the funniest series out there today. Alan Tudyk is a comedic genius.

June Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for June. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

6 –

The Ritual
Director: David Midell
Stars: Al Pacino, Dan Stevens, Ashley Greene Two priests, one in crisis with his faith and the other confronting a turbulent past, must overcome their differences to perform a risky exorcism.
I’m out of order? The devil’s out of order. This whole freaking exorcism is out of order!

20 –

28 Years Later
Director: Danny Boyle
Stars: Jack O'Connell, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes
A group of survivors of the rage virus lives on a small island. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors.
One of the best trailers I’ve seen in a long time. Fingers crossed the movie lives up to it.

27 –

F1
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Stars: Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem, Kerry Condon
A Formula One driver comes out of retirement to mentor and team with a younger driver.
Basically, an old Brad Pitt in Days of Thunder: AARP Edition.

M3GAN 2.0
Director: Gerard Johnstone
Stars: Allison Williams, Jemaine Clement, Ivanna Sakhno
Two years after M3GAN's rampage, her creator, Gemma, resorts to resurrecting her infamous creation in order to take down Amelia, the military-grade weapon who was built by a defense contractor who stole M3GAN's underlying tech.
M3GAN 2.0 – Electric Boogaloo!

What books influenced you? Any of your favorite series get cancelled? Remember Father Dragon? And what movies will you be seeing this month?
Ironically, I haven’t seen a film in the theater since last year. Our theater added reserved seating. Couple that with fifteen minutes of commercials before the movie begins (and not on time) and the ever-soaring price of tickets and drinks, and movie theaters are destroying the entire movie-going experience.

Reviews – Wild Robot, Black Bag, and The Bondsman; Fanfiction; plus New Releases

2025-05-12T05:00:00.039-04:00

Surprise! I’m posting on a non-IWSG day. That’s because I had more reviews and new release announcements than room that day.

And, most importantly, I wanted to highlight something very special.

People write fanfiction all the time for Star Wars and Star Trek. They are huge franchises. But last week, someone wrote fanfiction for me! Truedessa posted part of a story that happens after the end of Dragon of the Stars.

So, please check it out. Truedessa, thank you. I feel like I’ve arrived as an author!

The Wild Robot

An AI service robot is stranded on an island and finds herself raising a baby goose with the help of a fox.
A bit of a clumsy beginning (literally, as Roz is the clumsiest robot ever) but once the orphaned goose and fox enter the picture, the movie shines. It’s about finding one’s place in the world, working together, and the meaning of love and family.
The animation is beautiful and the setting adds to the lushness. (Wild guess is the island is near/actually is Vancouver Island.)
There are some funny moments – when you have voice talents such as Bill Nighy, Ving Rhames, and Mark Hamill, no surprise there!
Recommended

Black Bag

An intelligence agent is giving a list of people and told to find the spy among them. The twist – his wife, also an intelligence agent, is on the list.
This is MI6 – a mix of Mission Impossible meets Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
Directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett, it will keep you guessing. The dialogue is fun and the characters quirky.
And at ninety-three minutes, it doesn’t overstay its welcome!
Recommended

The Bondsman

Series streaming on Amazon. A bounty hunter is resurrected and told his new bounty targets are demons.
Stars Kevin Bacon and Beth Grant (who plays his mom) are the reason to watch this show. They are both excellent and funny, with Grant stealing nearly every scene she’s in.
The show is quirky and irreverent, but it also has a heart. It also takes dark subjects and makes them light and sometimes funny.
It is a twisted premise though so the show might not be for everyone.
Love the thirty-minute format though. Again, doesn’t overstay its welcome.
Season ends on a cliffhanger so there better be another one.
Recommended

New Releases

Dirtbag Satan Worshippers From Down by the Bay (Gale Harbour Book 3) by CD-Gallant-King

Niall O’Neil is wallowing in teenage angst, still getting over Harper Jeddore, his childhood crush who helped him save the sleepy town of Gale Harbour from otherworldly monsters. Twice. When he meets a new, less-complicated girl named Stacey, it seems his life might be turning a corner. But Niall is pulled back into his old world when people start disappearing around town again, seemingly abducted by Satan-worshipping rednecks.
Torn between his new existence of simple happiness and his messy feelings for his old flame, Niall must make a decision: Enjoy dating girls, experimenting with drinking and making new friends, or risk his life to save the town one more time?
The fate of the entire world may depend on the choices of a hormonal fourteen-year-old with a flair for the dramatic.
Join Niall, Harper, Pius, Keith and Skidmark as they band together for one last adventure…

Find it on Amazon

A Murder Down Memory Lane by Elizabeth Spann Craig

Reunions can be murder, especially when the past refuses to stay buried.
Myrtle is less than thrilled to receive an invitation to her high school reunion. Fond memories of her teenage years? Not quite. Besides, who throws a 67th reunion, anyway? But curiosity gets the better of her when she learns that several classmates are making the trek from far-flung places.
The reunion turns out to be a haphazard affair, with a sparse turnout. Things take a turn for the mysterious as the event unfolds. Who organized this affair? Who sent out the invitations? And what’s the real reason behind the oddly-timed gathering?
When a body is discovered, the reunion goes from awkward to alarming. It’s up to Myrtle and her trusty sidekick Miles to unravel the mystery before anyone else takes a fatal trip down memory lane.

Find it on Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo

Badlands (Book 2 of Savage Land trilogy) by Jacqui Murray

In Badlands, Book Two of the trilogy, the tribes split up, each pursuing dangerous but necessary goals, all at the mercy of the Nature. How they collaborate despite their inborn distrust could end this journey before it starts or forge new relationships that will serve both groups well in the future.

Find it on Amazon Amazon

Have you seen either movie or the show? Which new release strikes your fancy?
Thanks for all the IWSG co-host offers! We are set through September. And the responses to this month’s question were touching.
Enjoy your May and see you next month!

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Movie Reviews, and May Movie Preview

2025-05-07T03:30:00.070-04:00

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts for the May 7 posting of the IWSG are Feather Stone, Janet Alcorn, Rebecca Douglass, Jemima Pett, and Pat Garcia!

May 7 question - Some common fears writers share are rejection, failure, success, and lack of talent or ability. What are your greatest fears as a writer? How do you manage them?

I guess lack of talent weighs on my most. For those who don’t know, I am the author of five books, a short story, contributor to numerous anthologies, and several magazine articles. And while I was really nervous the first couple of books, the last ones weigh on me the most. For better or for worse, my first two books sold huge. Four digits worth for many months. The others have not lived up to that success. Which bums me out as the next books were far better. So, I wonder if I was ever a decent writer.

And if you are curious, these are my books:
CassaDawn (free short story)
CassaStar
CassaFire
CassaStorm
CassaDark
Dragon of the Stars

We need co-hosts for July 2, August 6, and September 3. Anywhere from three to five co-hosts for each month. If you can help out, leave a comment or shoot me an email. Remember, it’s a ton of fun on the host side!

Movie Reviews

Companion

Directed by Drew Hancock and starring Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, and Harvey Guillen..
Begins with a group of friends gathering at a remote luxury cabin, and when one of them accidentally kill another, things get interesting.
I can’t give away too much and the less you know about it going in, the better the experience. What sets this apart from the obvious is the unique direction the film takes. It’s a mix of mystery and thriller, with a dose of drama and a dash of horror. Who is really more human and decent?
This one surprised me. I definitely recommend watching it.

Havoc

On Netflix, directed by Gareth Evans (who also wrote it) and staring Tom Hardy, Jessie Mei Li, Justin Cornwell, Quelin Sepulveda, Timothy Olyphant, and Forest Whitaker.
A messed-up detective, in a messed-up web of corruption, has to rescue a politician’s messed-up son.
I used messed-up a lot because that pretty much defines this film.
The action scenes are great. They really kick in during the second half of the film and are very impressive.
The problem lies with the writing. It’s a good story idea, just not well executed. (And since the writer was also the director, you would think he would’ve looked around and asked the actors if any of it made sense. I guarantee they would’ve said no.) So the story line is convoluted and challenging to follow.
If you like action films, give it a shot and keep your expectations very low.

May Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for May. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

2 –

Thunderbolts
Director: Jake Schreier
Stars: Florence Pugh, Lewis Pullman, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen
After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, an unconventional team of antiheroes must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.
Thunderbolts are go!

9 –

Clown in a Cornfield
Director: Eli Craig
Stars: Katie Douglas, Aaron Abrams, Carson MacCormac
A fading midwestern town in which Frendo the clown, a symbol of bygone success, reemerges as a terrifying scourge.
All I can think about is MST3K…Kitten with a Whip! Puppy with Nunchucks! Dik-dik with Brass Knuckles!

15 –

The Lost Princess
Director Hicham Hajji
Stars: Eric Roberts, Robert Knepper, Cillian O'Sullivan
A Billionaire discovers his true destiny after stumbling upon a haunted castle and fights to protect the castle's legacy.
I watched the trailer and just like the princess, I am lost…

23 –

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Stars: Tom Cruise, Vanessa Kirby, Janet McTeer
Our lives are the sum of our choices. Tom Cruise is Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning.
At this point, the tagline should be Ethan Hunt has fallen and he can’t get up.

30 –

Karate Kid Legends
Director: Jonathan Entwistle
Stars: Joshua Jackson, Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio
After kung fu prodigy Li Fong relocates to New York City, he attracts unwanted attention from a local karate champion and embarks on a journey to enter the ultimate karate competition with the help of Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso.
Kid moves to new city, is bullied, and competes in a Karate tournament. Sound familiar?

What are some of your fears as a writer? Have you seen either movie? What movies might you go see this month?
And can you co-host this summer?

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, April Movie Preview, Reuben Hayes and Westerns, and Catcher’s Mask and Sports

2025-04-02T01:00:00.080-04:00

Reuban Hayes

Alex asked for five movies similar to my new release. My picks: Big Jake, Silverado, Shane, Jeremiah Johnson and The Virginian. In all the movies the plots differ but the Western ethos or trope remains the same. A strong moral code, possessed by men and women of the old West. They did what was right. Regardless of risk. Regardless of consequence.
Reuben is no different.

A young woman shows up at the Hayes’ ranch, bringing bad news and danger.
Sage Baylor is the daughter of the only woman Reuben ever loved. Now she’s on his doorstep, bringing with her the news her mother is dead. Shortly after her arrival, her father, the Honorable Senator James Baylor from Missouri, arrives. That’s when bullets start flying.
Both the senator and Sage are in danger from an unknown source. When the senator leaves, he tasks Reuben with keeping his daughter safe. Help comes from an unexpected source in the form of an engaging young gunslinger. Between the two men, and Reuben’s cranky ole cook, they’ll keep the Senator’s daughter safe. No matter the peril. No matter the cost.

Find Reuben on Amazon. Find Sandra on her blog.

Behind the Catcher’s Mask

Behind the Catcher’s Mask features a sweet romance between a softball pitcher and baseball catcher. As an author of sports romance and a psychologist who works with athletes, I adore all things sports-related, including sports movies. Here are some of my favorites:

Hoosiers (1986). A tiny high school basketball team coached by Gene Hackman (RIP to a fantastic actor) dreams of a state championship. When I counsel athletes feeling anxious about the big game or taper swim meet, I show them this genius coaching lesson.
A League of Their Own (1992). With all the men off fighting WWII, Major League Baseball has to recruit women to fill the rosters. Shining moments include a compelling character arc for the coach played by Tom Hanks, an intense sibling rivalry, and the delights of female friendship.
Remember the Titans (2000). When a 1971 Virginia school board integrates all-Black and all-White high schools, football coach Denzel Washington has his work cut out for him. One of the best parts of sports is bringing people from disparate backgrounds together, and working toward a common goal may just be the unifier these students need.
Cutting Edge (1992). A rich, snobbish pairs figure skater needs a partner, so her Russian coach recruits an ice hockey player down on his luck. It’s an opposite-attracts romance with all the feels. Toe pick!
Honorable Mentions: The Karate Kid (fun Netflix series, too), Slap Shot (hysterical), Field of Dreams, The Way Back, Rudy, Breaking Away, Rocky IV, Miracle, and the TV show Ted Lasso.

Fast-pitch softball is Andie Wilson’s life. She’s a fierce pitcher hoping to score a college scholarship, and she hates the annoying distraction of cocky baseball players crashing her high-school charity game. But she doesn’t anticipate the impact of one baseball player: Colt Turner. As Colt stares at her through his catcher’s mask, his steadfast gaze may be just what she needs to guide her through a crisis. And Colt may need Andie, too—to cope with the secret hiding behind his mask.

Universal Book Link or Amazon

Author Jennifer Lane - Psychologist/author (psycho author) Jennifer Lane invites you to her world of sports romance and romantic suspense with a psychological twist!

April Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for April. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

4 –

Minecraft
Four misfits are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they'll have to master this world while embarking on a quest with an unexpected, expert crafter.
Director - Jared Hess
Stars - Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa, Emma Myers
In the game, you make crap. In the movie, they hopefully avoid making crap.

11 –

The King of Kings
The story of our Lord Jesus Christ as told by Charles Dickens and seen through the innocent eyes of a child.
Director - Seong-ho Jang
Stars - Pierce Brosnan, Mark Hamill, Oscar Isaac
Dickens telling the story of Jesus – sounds odd, but it looks inspirational.

18 –

Sinners
Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.
Director - Ryan Coogler
Stars - Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O'Connell, Michael B. Jordan
It’s about vampires, so we certainly hope it sucks!

The Accountant 2
Christian Wolff applies his brilliant mind and illegal methods to reconstruct the unsolved puzzle of a Treasury chief's murder.
Director - Gavin O'Connor
Stars - Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal, Cynthia Addai-Robinson
Never in the history of cinema has filling out a 1040 tax form been so dangerous!

Until Dawn
A group of friends trapped in a time loop, where mysterious foes are chasing and killing them in gruesome ways, must survive until dawn to escape it.
Director - David F. Sandberg
Stars - Ella Rubin, Odessa A'zion, Michael Cimino
Unlike Sinners, I really hope this one doesn’t suck!

Who would you like to go on a quest with? Can you co-host next month? Into Westerns? How about sports films? And what movie do you want to watch this month?

You crazy A to Z Challenge people have fun this month!

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Irascible Immortals Jams, and March Movie Preview

2025-03-05T03:30:00.072-05:00

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts for the March 5 posting of the IWSG are Ronel Janse Van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, and Liza @ Middle Passages!

March 5 question - If for one day you could be anyone or *thing* in the world, what would it be? Describe, tell why, and any themes, goals, or values they/it inspire in you.

Honestly, I just want to be me. That’s enough. Sure, I could be John Petrucci for a day – I’m the greatest guitarist in the world. And then it would be – Hey, I’m back to sucking again. Too disappointing!

We are saying goodbye to Michelle Wallace who has been an IWSG admin since the beginning. We will really miss her and appreciate all the years of dedication she has given us.
Diane has stepped up to take over the IWSG Facebook group and introduced several new weekly prompts, so be sure to check them out this month.
We do need another admin who is also on Facebook to help with the group. If you are interested in becoming a part of the awesome IWSG team, working behind the scenes, send me an email or leave a comment!

And finally, special mention to the awesome Truedessa who wrote a poem that ties in with my book, Dragon of the Stars - Somewhere Beyond the Stars

Irascible Immortals Jams!

I enjoy listening to music while writing. Because the Irascible Immortals series needed a bit of crazy, I added some songs that aren’t my usual style (think Vengaboys and Wham!), but I had a lot of rock songs to keep me company, too. I listen to my playlist on repeat – something which I’ve heard can drive others crazy – to keep me in the right headspace while writing. This playlist helps to keep the tone, themes and characters consistent throughout the series.

My favourite rock songs for this series:

• Breaking the Habit by Linkin Park
• Supremacy by Muse
• How You Remind Me by Nickelback
• Blaze of Glory by Bon Jovi
• Symphony of Destruction by Nightwish
• Zombie by The Cranberries
• Tom Sawyer by Rush
• In the End by Linkin Park

Rock is the music of the universe… It certainly created the rich world my characters inhabit.

Award-winning Dark Fantasy author Ronel Janse van Vuuren writes about kick-ass heroines, the duality of being human and loves to use folklore to underscore her point. She’s a Rottweiler pack leader, chicken wrangler and horse servant.
All of her books are available for purchase from major online retailers.

Find Smoke on the Water:
Links: Universal, series page, and website
The playlist for this series is here.
And the first book is free until March 8 here.

March Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for March. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

7 –

Mickey 17
Director - Bong Joon Ho
Stars - Robert Pattinson, Steven Yeun, Michael Monroe
Mickey 17, known as an "expendable," goes on a dangerous journey to colonize an ice planet.
Watching the sparkly vampire die over and over might be entertaining.

21 –

Snow White
Director - Marc Webb
Stars - Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot, Tituss Burgess
Live-action adaptation of the 1937 Disney animated film 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'.
With so many production issues, this movie has disaster written all over it. Besides, Gal Gadot (playing the evil queen) is the fairest of them all!

28 –

Death of a Unicorn
Director - Alex Scharfman
Stars - Jenna Ortega, Paul Rudd, Téa Leoni
Father-Daughter duo Elliott and Ridley hit a unicorn with their car and bring it to the wilderness retreat of a mega-wealthy pharmaceutical CEO.
Be prepared because this is not a sweet unicorn. Think Cabin in the Woods. Those who love unicorns – this is going to give you nightmares!

Who would you be for a day? Interested in joining the IWSG Admin team? What’s on your book’s playlist? And what movies are you watching this month?

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, February Movie Preview, and New Shows

2025-02-05T01:00:00.079-05:00

I don’t think there are many edits I would do, but I'd like to change the amount of readers of my solo book, Dragon of the Stars. I recently went back through it (something I rarely do) and I think I created a fun and adventurous story based on an almost mythical war ship. Truedessa, you are the biggest fan of Dragon and I thank you for that. For anyone who reads it, there is a short story sequel, Dragon’s Destiny, available for free – and written for Truedessa as she didn’t want the adventure to end.

We need co-hosts for April, May, and June! And one more for March wouldn't hurt. It's a lot of fun and you get new visitors that day. Let me know when you can co-host.

We are going to be trying some new things over in the IWSG Facebook group, so be watching for that.

We’d also like to formally extend an invitation to our members to write an article for the IWSG site – something beneficial to the group about writing, publishing, marketing, etc. You’d get a chance to feature your latest book! Contact me or email the IWSG email if interested.

For Your Viewing Pleasure

Season two of The Rig recently dropped. Looking forward to more weirdness.

Season two of Squid Game is also available. Taking a little different direction this time.

Part one of the six hour movie Horizon is out. Western set in the Wild West after the Civil War and starring Kevin Costner. It's okay - would've been better as a series, especially with the huge cast of characters.

Alice in Borderland recently became available. A Japanese series, it follows a gamer guy who finds himself in an alternate dimension Tokyo playing games for his life. Twisted but fun.

Watched The Cursed, a 2021 movie set in the 1800's. A land owner massacres a Gypsy village on his land and they place a curse on his family. Really good and a really unique take on the werewolf legend.

Also watched Howl, a 2015 film set in Britain. A train breaks down in the woods and the passengers are hunted by a pack of creatures. Also good and another unique take on werewolves.

February Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for January. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

7 –

Love Hurts
Director: Jonathan Eusebio
Stars: Ke Huy Quan, Ariana DeBose, Mustafa Shakir
A realtor is pulled back into the life he left behind after his former partner-in-crime resurfaces with an ominous message. With his crime-lord brother also on his trail, he must confront his past and the history he never fully buried.
I watched the trailer and now I think I’ve seen the movie…

14 –

Captain America: Brave New World
Director: Julius Onah
Stars: Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, Rosa Salazar, Liv Tyler
Sam Wilson, the new Captain America, finds himself in the middle of an international incident and must discover the motive behind a nefarious global plan.
Love Anthony as Falcon, but Captain America is supposed to have super powers. It should’ve been Bucky.

21 –

The Monkey
Director: Osgood Perkins
Writers: Osgood Perkins and Stephen King
Stars: Adam Scott, Theo James Osgood Perkins
When twin brothers Bill and Hal find their father's old monkey toy in the attic, a series of gruesome deaths start. The siblings decide to throw the toy away and move on with their lives, growing apart over the years.
I prefer my monkeys playing symbols but one playing drums is okay…

28 –

Last Breath
Director: Alex Parkinson
Stars: Woody Harrelson, MyAnna Buring, Simu Lui, Finn Cole
A true story that follows seasoned deep-sea divers as they battle the raging elements to rescue their crew mate trapped hundreds of feet below the ocean's surface.
It’s like Deep Water Horizon, The Poseidon Adventure, The Abyss, and Cheers all had a baby…

What story or stories would you like to go back and change? What are you watching this month on television? Any movies catch your eye?

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Reedsy Creative Writing Prompts, Landman Review, and January Movie Preview

2025-01-08T03:30:00.046-05:00

Special opportunity from Reedsy and their Creative Writing Prompts contest – which we are hosting!

The theme is "Great Expectations," and the winner of this contest will not only be awarded $250 — they’ll also receive a special bonus prize from IWSG!

So, head on over as only a few days remain to enter this contest.

Review - Landman

Starring Billy Bob Thornton and set in the proverbial boomtowns of West Texas, Landman is a modern-day tale of fortune seeking in the world of oil rigs.
First off, Thornton is hilarious. He delivers his lines perfectly, with snark, anger, and annoyance. He is the light, however dark, in this heavy drama.
Many of the characters have hangups but they are just quirky and fun enough that you don’t dislike them.
There are some real shocks and working an oil field is not for the faint of heart.
Streaming on Paramount, I highly recommend it!

January Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for January. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

10 –

Den of Thieves 2: Pantera
Director - Christian Gudegast
Stars - Gerard Butler, Jordan Bridges, O'Shea Jackson Jr.
Big Nick is back on the hunt in Europe and closing in on Donnie, who is embroiled in the treacherous world of diamond thieves and the infamous Panther mafia, as they plot a massive heist of the world's largest diamond exchange.
Den of Thieves 2: Electric Boogaloo!

13 –

Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare
Director – Scott Chambers
Stars - Jenny Miller, Chrissie Wunna, Kierston Wareing
Wendy Darling strikes out in an attempt to rescue her brother Michael from 'the clutches of the evil Peter Pan.' Along the way she meets Tinkerbell, who will be seen taking heroin, believing that it's pixie dust.
Disney’s licenses have expired – release the flood gates of crap.

17 –

Wolf Man
Director – Leigh Whannell
Stars - Julia Garner, Christopher Abbott, Matilda Firth
A family at a remote farmhouse is attacked by an unseen animal, but as the night stretches on, the father begins to transform into something unrecognizable.
The bar has been set way low – maybe they can trip over it.

24 –

Flight Risk
Director – Mel Gibson
Stars - Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Dockery, Topher Grace
A pilot transports an Air Marshal accompanying a fugitive to trial. As they cross the Alaskan wilderness, tensions soar and trust is tested, as not everyone on board is who they seem.
The flight risk is that Wahlberg tried to give himself a haircut in turbulence.

Who did you admire as a youth? Entering Reedsy’s contest? Watching Landman? Any movies catch your attention this month?

Welcome to 2025!!

Insecure Writer’s Support Group and January Movie Preview

2024-12-04T03:30:00.083-05:00

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts for the December 4 posting of the IWSG are Ronel, Deniz, Pat Garcia, Olga Godim, and Cathrina Constantine!

December 4 question - Do you write cliffhangers at the end of your stories? Are they a turn-off to you as a writer and/or a reader?

I do not write cliffhangers. All of my books are one complete story line and arc. As a reader, cliffhangers are annoying. Enough so that I just might not pick up the next book to find the answers. I also like my movies to end without cliffhangers. (Although it’s okay if there is a part two to the film, just not more than one year away. I’m talking to you, Dune and Fast and Furious!)

Television series are different. I can handle a cliffhanger from one season to the next. Just be sure there is a next season! (Curses to those who cancelled Outer Range on a cliffhanger.)

I want to mention special prayers for IWSG admin Juneta Key. She's been going through a terrible ordeal and is right now in a terrifying place. If you know her, please contact her and give her some encouragement. She needs a miracle in her life.

We need co-hosts for January, February, and March! Leave a comment or send me an email.

And note that the next IWSG post date is January 8!!! We are not posting on January 1, New Year’s Day.

December Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for December. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

6 –

Werewolves
Director: Steven C. Miller
Stars: Frank Grillo, Lou Diamond Phillips, Katrina Law
Two scientists try to stop a mutation that turns people into werewolves after being touched by a super-moon the year before.
Like the movie poster says, illegal to turn – meaning impossible to turn this into something good.

12 –

Kraven the Hunter
Director: JC Chandor
Stars: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Russell Crowe, Christoper Abbott
Kraven 's complex relationship with his ruthless father, Nikolai Kravinoff, starts him down a path of vengeance with brutal consequences, motivating him to become not only the greatest hunter in the world, but also one of its most feared.
I think they are releasing this close to the end of the year because it’s an Oscar contender…?

13 –

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
Director: Kenji Kamiyama
Stars: Brian Cox, Miranda Otto, Lorraine Ashbourne
A sudden attack by Wulf, a clever and ruthless Dunlending lord seeking vengeance for the death of his father, forces Helm Hammerhand, the King of Rohan, and his people to make a daring last stand in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg.
Somehow they took Middle Earth and moved it to Tokyo…

20 –

Mufasa: The Lion King
Director: Barry Jenkins
Stars: Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner
Simba, having become king of the Pride Lands, is determined for his cub to follow in his paw prints while the origins of his late father Mufasa are explored.
It’s no longer the circle of life but the circle of cash.

25 –

Nosferatu
Director: Robert Eggers
Stars: Bill Skarsgård, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin
A gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman, and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her causing untold horror in its wake.
Kraven the Hunter versus Pennywise!

29 –

Alien Wars: Judgement Day
Director: Jeffery Schneider
Stars: Donna Hamblin, Nick Dent, Luc Bernier
After an alien catastrophe, a few remaining human souls try to hold on to their sanity and their reality as humanity slowly slips into darkness.
There’s only in theaters, only on NetFilx, and only with RiffTrax. Guess which one this is?

How do you feel about cliffhangers? Can you co-host next year? Any of those movies look interesting?
Remember, the next IWSG day is January 8!!!

I will be offline for most of the second half of December. Everyone have a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Insecure Writer’s Support Group and November Movie Previews

2024-11-06T04:00:00.060-05:00

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts for the November 6 posting of the IWSG are Diedre Knight, Lisa Buie Collard , Kim Lajevardi, and JQ Rose!

First, IWSG Admin Michelle is building an independent online teaching business and will be integrating aspects of creative writing into the business. You can learn more about it on her FaceBook page.

November 6 question - What creative activity do you engage in when you're not writing?

Guitar! I play in a Christian band, so I love the ability to rock out for God. I’ve played multiple instruments over the years, but guitar is my favorite. I’m lead, but I sometimes let our rhythm guitarist play the lead. It’s not about me, it’s about honoring and worshipping God. And while I’ve enjoyed writing and the five published books, music is still my first passion.

And it’s been so long that I should probably note my published works for those who are new to my site:
CassaDawn - free prequel short story
CassaStar - first in the series and my first published book
CassaFire - second in the series
CassaStorm - third in series and possibly the best story I’ve ever written
CassDark - fourth in the series
Dragon of the Stars - an independent, stand-alone story and also one I am very proud of

November Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for November. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

8 –

Conclave
Director: Edward Berger
Stars: Ralph Fiennes. Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow
Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with leading one of the world's most secretive and ancient events, selecting a new Pope, where he finds himself at the center of a conspiracy that could shake the very foundation of The Church.
You haven’t seen balls-to-wall action until you’ve seen a bunch of Cardinals meet to elect a new Pope!

15 –

Red One
Director: Jake Kasdan
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Lucy Liu
After Santa Claus (code name: Red One) is kidnapped, the North Pole's Head of Security (Dwayne Johnson) must team up with the world's most infamous bounty hunter (Chris Evans) in a globe-trotting, action-packed mission to save Christmas.
This was written by AI. Or someone threw Scrabble tiles on the floor and this is the result.

22 –

Gladiator II
Director: Ridley Scott
Stars: Joseph Quinn, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington
After his home is conquered by the tyrannical emperors who now lead Rome, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum and must look to his past to find strength to return the glory of Rome to its people.
Gladiator II: Electric Boogaloo!

27 –

Moana 2
Directors: David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, Dana Ledoux Miller
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Alan Tudyk, Auli’I Cravalhov After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana journeys to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she has ever faced.
Moana 2: Electric Boolagoo! (They are making these too easy.)

What creative outlet do you have outside of writing? Did you know about my published work? And what movies catch your attention this month?

Pioneer Movies with Melissa Maygrove and Movie Reviews

2024-10-14T05:00:00.001-04:00

Pioneer Movies

Thanks for hosting me today!

Alex asked me to list some movies that have a similar feel to my book—movies set in the same era with Native American characters, etc. I’m more of a reader than a movie buff, so it wasn’t an easy task. And I’m going to show my age before it’s over. You might not have been born when some of these were released.

The first movie that came to mind was the obvious Dances With Wolves (1990).

A Civil War soldier develops a relationship with a band of Lakota Indians. Attracted by the simplicity of their lifestyle, he chooses to leave his former life behind to be with them. Tragedy results when Union soldiers arrive with designs on the land.

Second is a movie that will always stand out in my memory, Against a Crooked Sky (1975). I watched it when I was a kid, around the same time that Where the Red Fern Grows was popular.

The daughter of a pioneer family is kidnapped by a mysterious Indian tribe, and their eldest son risks his life to track down and rescue his sister.

Last, I came across a TV movie from 1997, titled Stolen Women, Captured Hearts.

In 1868 Kansas, a Lakota Sioux warrior stubbornly refuses to free the two white women he kidnapped, triggering a war between his tribe and General Custer's rescuing troops. One of the women falls in love with him. Now she must choose between the world she lost and the love she found.

I haven’t watched it, but it looks interesting—and romantically intense. I envision the MCs in Battered Pride looking at each other the same way as the actors in the trailer. LOL

My novel Battered Pride pits a half-Mojave hero against a white heroine whose late husband was found scalped and murdered in his field. Conflict and (in the beginning, at least) outright hatred abound. It is most definitely an enemies-to-lovers story.

It was fun to write, but a lot of research went into this one. Not only am I picky about getting details right in my historicals, I wanted to be able to write authentically from the POV of a hero who was half Native American, without perpetuating stereotypes. As I say in the ‘Notes from the author’ section of the book, I hope I succeeded.

Battered Pride (Forging America Book 4) by Melissa Maygrove
When a Mojave clansman insists on helping a struggling widow whose husband was scalped and murdered, survival isn’t the only battle on the frontier.
Amazon - book series page on Amazon

Show and Movie Reviews

Rings of Power season two

I enjoyed it more than season one. It moved at a much faster pace.
I will say it does seem to follow too many characters and plot threads though. We’d go several episodes without seeing some characters at all. But it’s still a great ride and beautiful to look at.
Prequels are odd sometimes because we know how it ends…

Night Shift

A horror film set at a run-down motel with just a handful of actors.
Draw your own conclusions regarding the gaping plot holes at the beginning and end.
There were some decent spooky moments though. Setting was great – a motel in the middle of nowhere. But again, some pesky plot holes.

The Watchers

Horror film starring Dakota Fanning and directed by Ishana Shyamalan. (Yes, M. Night’s daughter.)
It was an interesting idea, trapped in a building in the forest with creatures that stalk them at night. But it was poorly executed. Gaping plot holes. (Like how the building was constructed when the creatures killed all the workers every night?)
The acting was good, and the idea was novel and interesting. Just…huge, huge plot holes.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

Directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Henry Cavill, this follows a British strike force going behind enemy lines during World War II.
If you are a big history fact, it’s probably not accurate, just loosely based on something that might’ve happened.
However, it’s a great deal of fun! Ritchie does a good job unspooling the story. The good guys are witty and droll, the Nazis cruel and evil. Felt like a throwback to movies like Wild Geese and Shout at the Devil.
Great World War II action-adventure film.

Have you seen any of the movies Melissa mentioned? Picking up her new book? Seen any of those movies or shows? Any you can recommend?

I'll be back November 6 for IWSG day.
And quick note – the first IWSG post day of 2025 will be January 8. (Since first Wednesday falls on New Year’s Day. I don’t know about you, but I’m not even going to turn on my computer that day!)

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Ghost Stories, and October Movie Preview

2024-10-02T03:30:00.070-04:00

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts for the October 2 posting of the IWSG are Nancy Gideon, Jennifer Lane, Jacqui Murray, and Natalie Aguirre!

October 2 question - Ghost stories fit right in during this month. What's your favorite classic ghostly tale? Tell us about it and why it sends chills up your spine.

I’m old, so even though it’s not a ghost story, it’s The Exorcist for me. I found it incredibly disturbing. It was the first film to deal with demonic possession and in such a horrible way, taking over a young girl. It’s been duplicated and watered down over the years, but at the time, the original was terrifying.
And on most horror movie lists, it’s number one.

Another top pick is The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, both the book and the movie. Read the book as a kid and was fascinated by an apparition that terrorizes a town, and it’s the basis of a lot of urban legends you hear about today.

We need one more co-host for December! If you can help out, please leave a comment or send me an email.

New Releases!

Top Five Movies Set in Japan
By Sherry Ellis

Bubba and Squirt’s final adventure, The Legend of the Lost Pearls is set in Japan. In honor of its release, I’ve come up with my top 5 picks of movies about or set in Japan. Here they are:
1. Memoirs of a Geisha (2005), starring Ziyi Zhang, is the story of Nitta Sayuri, a young Japanese woman who as a child was taken from a fishing village and later became one of Japan’s most famous geishas.
2. The Last Samurai (2003), starring Tom Cruise, is set in 19 th century Japan. Nathan Algren, a US army captain is hired by the Emperor of Japan to train his army in modern warfare techniques. It becomes a struggle between two eras.
3. Tokyo Pop (1988), stars Carrie Hamilton who plays Wendy, an aspiring singer who travels to Tokyo with dreams of making it big in the music business. There she meets Hiro, a rock and roll musician who makes her the lead singer in his band.
4. The Karate Kid Part II (1986), stars Pat Morita. Daniel accompanies his mentor, Mr. Miyagi to Okinawa. Miyagi visits his dying father and faces an old rival. Daniel falls in love and ends up with a rival of his own.
5. Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), stars Mike Myers. After discovering his father has been kidnapped, Austin Powers travels to 1975 to defeat the villain, Goldmember who is working with Dr. Evil.
Are you familiar with these movies? Do you have a favorite? Any not on the list that you like?

A big thanks to Alex for having me as a guest and getting the word out about Bubba and Squirt’s The Legend of the Lost Pearls!

Bubba and Squirt’s Legend of the Lost Pearls by Sherry Ellis

Journey to the past!
Bubba and Squirt embark on their most dangerous quest yet. Whisked away through the vortex to Japan, they must find two fabled pearls that hold the key to saving their father.
To top it off, they must go back and change the events of the past. As they race against time, the fate of their father, and their own lives, hang in the balance.
Will they outwit the cunning creatures that stand in their way or face their own demise trying to save their father?

Print ISBN 9798988625124 $8.95/ eBook ISBN 9798988625131 $3.99
Juvenile Fiction - Action Adventure / Fantasy & Magic / Legends, Myths, Fables – Asian

Find the book on Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and Goodreads

Mystery Loves Company by Elizabeth Spann Craig

Myrtle Clover Cozy Mysteries | Book 25

Truth blooms in unexpected corners.

Purchase options here

October Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for October. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

4 –

Joker: Folie à Deux
Director: Todd Phillips
Stars: Joaquin Pheonix, Lady Gaga, Zazie Beetz, Ken Leung
Failed comedian Arthur Fleck meets the love of his life, Harley Quinn, while in Arkham State Hospital. Upon release, the pair embark on a doomed romantic misadventure.
I guess it’s a better name than Joker: The Musical.

Monster Summer
Director: David Henrie
Stars: Mason Thames, Lorraine Bracco, Mel Gibson
When a mysterious force begins to disrupt their big summer fun, Noah and his friends team up with a retired police detective to embark on a monstrous adventure to save their island.
I’ve always wanted a mash-up of The Goonies and Lethal Weapon.

25 –

Venom: The Last Dance
Director: Kelly Marcel
Stars: Tom Hardy, Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans
Eddie and Venom are on the run. Hunted by both of their worlds and with the net closing in, the duo are forced into a devastating decision that will bring the curtains down on Venom and Eddie's last dance.
I just can’t believe we live in a world that has three Venom movies…

What’s your favorite ghostly tale? Picking up either book? Any movie catch your interest this month? Seems to be slim pickens the next few months! And can you help co-host in December?

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, IWSG Anniversary, September Movie Preview, and Bloodstone!

2024-09-04T03:30:00.078-04:00

And this is the thirteenth anniversary of the IWSG! It began in 2011 as just a blog hop and then morphed into a website, Facebook group, newsletter, Twitter group, and Instagram group.
Thanks to all of you for supporting the IWSG all these years.

Coming Soon!

Bloodstone by H. R. Sinclair
Lost Witch, Book One
Release date – September 22v ISBN: 9798329367645
Katelyn Grey is a gardener in Southern California. She’s content with pruning shrubs and looking after her step-mom, the only family she has left. That is, until a lawyer shows up and tells her that her long-lost aunt died, leaving her the family home on the other side of the country.
Though Katelyn hates to travel, a weird clause in her aunt’s will forces her to visit a quaint New England seaside town. Her world changes when she discovers she’s inherited a haunted brownstone, fickle magic, and a hidden key that someone else wants. And they’re willing to kill for it.
Now, she must learn how to use magic, find the key, and figure out what it’s for before she ends up like her long-lost aunt. Dead.
Find it on Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, and Books2Read

September Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for September. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

6 –

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Director: Tim Burton
Stars: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Jenna Ortega
After a family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia's life is turned upside down when her teenage daughter, Astrid, accidentally opens the portal to the Afterlife.
The director returns to his roots in hopes of creating a film that isn’t awful.

13 –

Speak No Evil
Director: James Watkins
Stars: James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNairyv A family is invited to spend a weekend in an idyllic country house, unaware that their dream vacation will soon become a psychological nightmare.
Speaking of evil…wait, I’m not supposed to speak it! And if this movie sucks, I might wish I’d watched no evil as well.

20 –

Transformers One
Director: Josh Cooley
Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson
The untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever.
Michael Bay is not directing, so let’s see if they can keep it under four hours.

27 –

Megalopolis
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Stars: Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel
An architect wants to rebuild New York City as a utopia following a devastating disaster.

After the fake quote fiasco, I’m not sure I’m trusting the reviews, either.

What writing rule messed you up? Picking up Holly’s book? Any movie catch your interest this month?
I’ll be offline some of the second half of September but right back here for the October 2 posting for IWSG.

Insecure Writers Support Group, Deadpool and Wolverine Review, August Movie Releases, and New Books!

2024-08-07T03:30:00.073-04:00

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts for the August 7 posting of the IWSG are Feather Stone, Kim Lajevardi, Diedre Knight, C. Lee McKenzie, and Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen!

August 7 question - Do you use AI in your writing and if so how? Do you use it for your posts? Incorporate it into your stories? Use it for research? Audio?

I have never used AI for anything that I know of. I do my own research. (So, I guess if Google is AI…?) I don’t use Grammarly. But ultimately, true AI doesn’t exist for the general public. The AI we have access to has restraints. It’s not true AI. (Real AI is a bit scary.)

We need two more co-hosts for September and then four co-hosts each month for the remainder of the year. Leave a comment or send me an email if you can help. If you have never co-hosted – it is a blast! Ask our regular co-hosts. You will get a ton of visitors and meet some new friends. Go ahead – give it a try!
And don’t take my word for it – this is what first-time co-host JS Pailly had to say last month:
I wanted to thank you for letting me co-host IWSG last week. I wasn't 100% sure what I was getting myself into, but it turned out to be way more fun than I expected.

Movie Review – Deadpool and Wolverine

It was a lot of fun to watch. I laughed a lot. Tons of funny lines, most of which I can’t remember now.
Tying it in with all the other Marvel properties was smart. And obviously the pairing of the two leads was brilliant. Wolverine is an A-list Marvel character and he really brought in the crowds to see the film.
The cameos and Easter eggs are overflowing.
Also the bloodiest Deadpool movie to date.
However, they broke the fourth wall so many times with references to 20th Century Fox, Disney, and Marvel that it kept reminding me it was just a movie and that pulled me out a lot. There might have been some plot holes as well. Nothing that ruined the movie though.
If you enjoyed the other two, you will enjoy this one.

New Releases!

Deep Curse: A Mermaid Romance (Cursed Waters Book 1) by Patricia Josephine
A thousand year curse.
A mythical creature of the deep.
Is true love enough to save a cursed mermaid?
Find it on Amazon

Because No One Noticed by C. Lee McKenzie
Five juniors at Las Animas High have a long history together. They love, dislike, or tolerate each other depending on the day. Occupied with class assignments, career choices, family disharmony, and the usual teen turbulence, none of them thinks seriously of the danger lurking in their near future or how fragile and temporary life is.
Find it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo

Laya’s Vacation by Jean Davis
Short-tempered from the summer heat, Laya takes a vacation in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, far away from her family and friends. She travels to Paradise, Whitefish Point, and Tahquamenon Falls to see what animals and sights exist beyond the chicken yard.
Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble

The Trespassers by Steven Arellano Rose, Jr.
After crash-landing on a desert planet, astronaut and forensic anthropologist Gav Torres becomes separated from the rest of his expedition. He soon enough reunites with everybody except one person: his fiancé, Shelley Wu. Gav’s persistence to find Shelley will soon reveal to him the alien terror from beyond death that may be responsible for her disappearance, the previous expeditions’ disappearances and the likely annihilation of himself and the rest of the current expedition.
Find it here

August Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for August. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

8 –

RiffTrax Live – Point Break
The guys are riffing Point Break, the early nineties flick starring Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves.
The only bummer is this isn’t actually live, as they have already recorded it and will broadcast it on August 8 and 13.

9 –

Borderlands
Director: Eli Roth
Stars: Jamie Lee Curtis, Haley Bennett, Gina Gershon
Based on the best-selling videogame, this all-star action-adventure follows a ragtag team of misfits on a mission to save a missing girl who holds the key to unimaginable power.
Do the video game to movie adaptations that suck also end up in the landfill with ET?

16 –

Alien: Romulus
Director: Fede Alverez
Stars: Isabela Merced, Cailee Spaeny, Archie Renaux
While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.
Stop me if you’ve heard this – a group of people go on a ship and encounter an alien…

23 –

The Crow
Director: Rupert Sanders
Stars: Bill Skarsgård, FKA twigs, Danny Huston
When soulmates Eric and Shelly are brutally murdered, Eric is given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself and sets out to seek revenge, traversing the worlds of the living and the dead to put the wrong things right.
This is a cash grab! Skip it and watch the original brilliant and haunting version with Brandon Lee.

Do you use AI? Have you seen Deadpool and Wolverine? Picking up some new books? What movies catch your eye for August? And can you co-host the IWSG any month this year?

Writers and AI #IWSG, Movie Reviews, and Evergrey Album Review

2024-07-15T05:01:00.043-04:00

Surprise! A mid-month post. That’s because I had too many reviews for the next IWSG post and I have a post at the IWSG site today. I have compiled some information on writers, AI, ethics, programs, copyright, and more at the IWSG site, so check it out!

Movie Reviews

Despicable Me 4
Gru, Lucy, Margo, Edith, and Agnes welcome a new member to the family, Gru Jr., who is intent on tormenting his dad. Gru faces a new nemesis in Maxime Le Mal and his girlfriend Valentina, and the family is forced to go on the run.
It was entertaining.
Nothing against Gru and his family, but bring on the Minions! The family dynamics are sweet and nice, but at this point, more interested in Minion shenanigans. Fortunately, there are plenty.
I’d say the second half worked best, once the girl next door got involved. And the honey badger.
The animation is stunning, as there are close up moments that look so real, like Gru’s hands near the end when he’s holding on for dear life.
Recommended. Unless you didn’t like the other five movies. This one won’t change your mind.

Plane
A pilot finds himself caught in a war zone after he's forced to land his commercial aircraft during a terrible storm.
Starring Gerard Butler and Mike Colter, it’s a surprisingly good film with a terrible title.
Shot on a very modest budget, the director makes the best of the locations and his two stars. He delivers an action-packed, edge-of-your-seat thriller. It also had an 80’s-90’s vibe to it.
Recommended

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
Axel Foley returns to Beverly Hills after his daughter's life is threatened and works with old pals John Taggart and Billy Rosewood to uncover a conspiracy.
It’s actually a super fun movie. While not as good as the first two, it delivers a lot of good laughs and crazy action scenes. It’s almost an apology for the third film.
Eddie Murphy doesn’t look like he’s aged. Certainly not forty years from the first movie!
It’s a definitely throwback to the 80’s films. Same vibe, style of music, and makes one smile.
Recommended

Music Review – Evergrey – Theories of Emptiness

Released last month, their seventeenth album has quickly grown to be one of my favorites.
From Sweden, this is a prog band that focuses on shorter tracks with great hooks and catchy choruses.
Falling From the Sun is the perfect way to lead off an album. It’s an earworm with a melody you won’t soon forget.
The rest of the album is just as impressive. Standout tracks include Say (the video hinted at the departure of their drummer and it was indeed announced a week or so later – the video is a nice sendoff), We Are the North, and Cold Dreams (featuring Jonas Renkse, lead singer from Katatonia.)
This album is a must-have for those who love metal/rock with clean vocals.
Highly recommended!

Have you seen any of those movies? Heard of Everygrey? Doing anything fun this summer?
Be sure to visit the IWSG site to get information on AI and writing.
After this week, I’ll see you again for the August posting of the IWSG!

#IWSG day! July Movie Preview and New Releases

2024-07-03T03:30:00.072-04:00

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts for the July 3 posting of the IWSG are JS Pailly, Rebecca Douglass, Pat Garcia, Louise-Fundy Blue, and Natalie Aguirre!

Don't forget to add your link over on our IWSG Facebook page - it helps people find those who have posted.

The July 3 question: What are your favorite writing processing (e.g. Word, Scrivener, yWriter, Dabble), writing apps, software, and tools? Why do you recommend them? And which one is your all time favorite that you cannot live without and use daily or at least whenever you write?

Despite all of the tools and software out there, I really only use Word. I know, there are all these neat programs like Grammerly and AI software, but I’m happy to just use Word and its features. Simple but it works.

Thanks for all of the suggestions from last month’s question! We pulled together some of the top requests and are trying to work them into the system. We’ll keep you posted.

And please welcome the newest IWSG Admin, M. Louise Barbour!
She is taking over for Sandra Cox.
Sandra, thanks for helping us and being a part of the Admin team.
Louise, welcome to the rocking IWSG Admins!
Now, everyone go tell her she’s awesome.

New Releases!

Ghostly Protector by Stacy McKitrick

He finally found his long-lost love, but will he have to arrest her for murder?

Find it at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, Kobo, Google, and Smashwords

Out of Circulation by Elizabeth Spann Craig

In the sun-kissed haven of Charleston, Ann and Grayson race to solve a deadly puzzle before more than just books are out of circulation.

Buy links for every platform are here.

July Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for July. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

3 –

Despicable Me 4
Directors: Chris Renaud and Patrick Delage
Stars: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Joey King
Gru, Lucy, Margo, Edith, and Agnes welcome a new member to the family, Gru Jr., who is intent on tormenting his dad. Gru faces a new nemesis in Maxime Le Mal and his girlfriend Valentina, and the family is forced to go on the run.
Um…Banana!!!!

12 –

Longlegs
Director: Oz Perkins
Stars: Nicolas Cage, Alicia Witt, Maika Monroe
FBI Agent Lee Harker is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case that takes unexpected turns, revealing evidence of the occult. Harker discovers a personal connection to the killer and must stop him before he strikes again.
Nicolas Cage, bat-crap crazy. Take one thousand!

19 –

Twisters
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Stars: Glen Powell, Katy O’Brian, Kiernan Shipka
An update to the 1996 film 'Twister', which centered on a pair of storm chasers who risk their lives in an attempt to test an experimental weather alert system.
Different movie. Or is it the same cow?

26 –

Deadpool and Wolverine
Director: Shawn Levy
Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Wolverine is recovering from his injuries when he crosses paths with the loudmouth, Deadpool. They team up to defeat a common enemy.
The Reese's Peanut Butter cup of movies. Two great things that (we hope) go great together.

What software do you use for writing? Picking up either new release? What movies catch your eye this month?

I'll be gone for a while this month, so catch you guys here and there.

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Furiosa and Shōgun Reviews, and June Movie Preview

2024-06-05T03:00:00.048-04:00

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts for the June 5 posting of the IWSG are Liza at Middle Passages, Shannon Lawrence, Melissa Maygrove, and Olga Godim!

The June 5 question - In this constantly evolving industry, what kind of offering/service do you think the IWSG should consider offering to members?

This is where you need to let us know what you want – what would help you as a writer? We are no longer doing anthology contests and our #IWSGPit is on hold. However, we still have:
The Insecure Writer’s Support Group website with weekly tips and a huge database of information. Plus we are partnered with Reedsy, Medium, Mary Kole, the Ninja Writers Club, and we have a monthly newsletter.
Our Facebook group with prompts, tips, and connection opportunities.
Our Twitter/X account with tips and shares.
We’re also on Instagram with prompts and writing tips.
So, what else can we offer you?

Reviews

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Beginning with Furiosa’ abduction from the Green Place, she ends up under the control of Chris Hemsworth’s character, Dr. Dementus. From there, she ends up in the Citadel with Immortan Joe, hiding out as one of the War Boy workers and eventually part of the team driving the big rig.
First off, there is no way to beat Mad Max: Fury Road. It’s the perfect action film. Once this gets going, it’s got some amazing sequences and strong characters.
The beginning is a little frustrating (your mother said run from danger) but once at the Citadel, it takes off.
Taylor-Joy and Hemsworth are excellent in their roles. So is Tom Burke as the driver who helps her learn the ropes.
There is a chase scene involving a car flipping over onto the hood of the semi that is amazing.
Like most movies these days, it’s too long. A little less action means more scenes that should’ve been trimmed. Plus you know Furiosa and Immortan Joe will make it as they are in Fury Road.
However, it was an entertaining film and I would recommend it.

Shōgun

When a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village, Lord Yoshii Toranaga discovers secrets that could tip the scales of power and devastate his enemies. Series on hulu and FX. Based on book by James Clavell.
This is a great historical (fictional) drama. It felt very authentic and genuine. No agenda other than telling a grand story. The acting, production values, settings, etc. – everything top notch.
I loved that most of it was in Japanese with subtitles. That’s a turn off for some, but don’t let it stop you from watching this incredible show.
Highly recommended!

June Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for June. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

7 –

Bad Boys: Ride or Die
Directors: Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah
Stars: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Vanessa Hudgens
This Summer, the world's favorite Bad Boys are back with their iconic mix of edge-of-your seat action and outrageous comedy but this time with a twist: Miami's finest are now on the run.
How far into the film before Smith slaps Lawrence?

14 –

Watchers
Director: Ishana Shyamalan
Stars: Dakota Fanning, Olwen Fouéré, Georgina Campbell
A young artist gets stranded in an extensive, immaculate forest in western Ireland, where, after finding shelter, she becomes trapped alongside three strangers, stalked by mysterious creatures each night.
Trapped in a glass house with people outside who want to kill them – must be how mimes feel.

28 –

A Quiet Place: Day One
Director: Michael Sarnoski
Stars: Joseph, Djimon Hounsou, Alex Wolff
Experience the day the world went quiet.
Technically, it probably wasn’t very quiet – lots of screaming, gunfire, explosions, etc.

What do you think the IWSG should offer its members? Have you watched Furiosa or Shōgun? What movies will you see in the theater this month?
Enjoy your June!