Holiday Horror Movies, In Flames and Insomnium Album Reviews, Movie and TV News, and Holiday Horror Movie Trivia!

Holiday Horror Movies with Shannon Lawrence

When someone says “the holidays” we often leap to that time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, but we have a TON of holidays throughout the year. There are plenty of ways those other holidays can be scary. Here are a few horror films involving holidays found in Happy Ghoulidays II:

Easter – A mainstream film is Bless the Child, starring Kim Basinger. Easter plays an ominous part in this film. A young girl is kidnapped by a Satanic cult seeking her powers.

St. Patrick’s Day – The obvious film here is Leprechaun, starring Jennifer Aniston and Warwick Davis. An escaped leprechaun wants his gold, and he’ll do anything to find it.

Fourth of July – This may be the most popular holiday for horror films except for Christmas. There are a ton of mainstream gems among them, including Jaws, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Cape Fear, and Independence Day, giving us creature features, a slasher, a thriller, and even sci-fi action.

Halloween – Funnily enough, most Halloween movies aren’t horror, or they’re horror for kids. Halloween is an exception, as is Trick r’ Treat, an anthology of short horror films set at Halloween. Not what you’d expect, right? It’s likely because October is the month people seek out horror, even if it’s not something they watch normally, which makes all horror films Halloween films.

While some holidays have fewer horror films, there’s likely a horror film involving any holiday of your choice somewhere out there. If you want several at once, check out the horror anthology film Holidays, which will scratch your itch for a bunch.

Happy Ghoulidays II
Release Date: March 17, 2023
The holidays elicit a mixture of emotions, from joy and revelry to despair and rage. In these stories, we examine the dark side of the holidays with a twisted Easter egg hunt, a desperate St. Patrick's Day curse, a monster that's only visible in the light of fireworks, a mother's guilt on Halloween, and more in this follow up to Happy Ghoulidays that embraces the underlying shadows of our favorite holidays.
Available for pre-order on Kindle, Nook, Apple, Scribd, and Smashwords here

A fan of all things fantastical and frightening, Shannon Lawrence writes primarily horror and fantasy. Her stories can be found in over forty anthologies and magazines, and her three solo horror short story collections and her nonfiction title are available now, with her fourth collection releasing March 2023. You can also find her as a co-host of the podcast Mysteries, Monsters, & Mayhem. When she's not writing, she's hiking through the wilds of Colorado and photographing her magnificent surroundings, where, coincidentally, there's always a place to hide a body or birth a monster. Find her at The Warrior Muse and Mysteries Monsters Mayhem podcast

Album Reviews

In Flames – Foregone

Think of this as everything that In Flames has ever done put into a blender to create the most delicious Gothenburg metal smoothie ever.
Everybody wrote these guys off but apart from a misstep here and there, I’ve enjoyed all their albums. This one is old style In Flames meets new style In Flames and the results is amazing. Fans of early In Flames will find a lot to love.
Two tracks that will melt your face off are Foregone Part I and Foregone Part II.
Highly Recommended

Insomnium – Anno 1696

For my money, nobody does melodic death metal like Insomnium.
Skirting the line between mellow death and prog, this concept album is Insomnium doing what they do best.
Lyrically the album deals with the year 1696 and covers religious persecution, witch hunts, and a creature that lurks in the dark Finnish forest.
If you are looking for happy, upbeat music, this album is not for you. It’s a dark ride that deals with the unfortunate history of Finland during that time period.
Highly recommended if you are a true metal fan.

Movie and Television News

Season three of The Mandalorian is back!!
The first episode was good. As the t-shirt says, I’m not procrastinating, I’m doing side quests. And that is what the Mandalorian begins doing to achieve his ultimate goal. The pirate chase seemed odd though.
It will be interesting to see where this goes.



From the JoBlo site: A Disturbance in the Force: Documentary about the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special will premiere at SXSW
The worst misstep in the Star Wars franchise (even worse than Episodes I-III) gets a documentary
A Disturbance in the Force is a new film from Jeremy Coon and Steve Kozak that is determined to find out just what led to such an abomination to make it to air. I bet the documentary is a thousand times better than the film itself! (Which is only watchable thanks to RiffTraks.)

Movie Trivia

Since Shannon is talking about horror and holidays, here are some films for you.
From the blurb, name the movie and the holiday. (Yes, double points!)

1 – A young man inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town. 1984
2 – Jack Skellington, king of Halloween Town, discovers Christmas Town, but his attempts to bring Christmas to his home causes confusion. 1993
3 – In a small town, brutal killings start to plague the close knit community. Marty Coslaw, a paraplegic boy, is convinced the murders are the doings of a werewolf. 1985
4 – Two death-obsessed sisters, outcasts in their suburban neighborhood, must deal with the tragic consequences when one of them is bitten by a deadly werewolf. 2000
5 – A private investigator is hired by a man who calls himself Louis Cyphre to track down a singer named Johnny Favorite. But the investigation takes an unexpected and somber turn. 1987
6 - Chaos breaks out in a small Maryland town after an ecological disaster occurs. 2012

Answers next week!

What holiday horror films do you like? Heard either new album? Watching The Mandalorian? Excited to see A Disturbance in the Force? And do you know any of the trivia movies?
We also need one or two more co-hosts for the IWSG posting April 5 – let me know if you can help.
Be back next week with another special guest!

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, What to Watch, and March Movie Preview

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 1 posting of the IWSG are Diedre Knight, Tonya Drecker, Bish Denham, Olga Godim, and JQ Rose!

March 1 question - Have you ever read a line in a novel or a clever plot twist that caused you to have author envy?

Not so much envy as admiration. Several Agent Pendergast (authors Preston and Child) have clever twists. Such as in Relic. (Spoiler alert.) The creature was originally human. Did not see that coming! And such brilliant writing. Yeah, I admire those guys.

We may not be doing anymore IWSG anthologies, but the IWSG Anthologies blog shall continue to rock on! The anthology authors and IWSG admins will continue to contribute to the site with some awesome articles. So don’t miss any!

What to Watch

Right now – not much! However…

Clarkson’s Farm, Season Two

Yes, Jeremy Clarkson is back and farming badly for a second season!

Right off the bat – he decides to give up the sheep and instead buys cows for a restaurant project that he’s not even gotten approval for from the city council. (Who by the way, hate all the traffic his farm shop and celebrity status have brought to the area.)

There’s the pole he runs into, the tractor on two wheels, badgers with TB, and impregnating cows. (Not that I saw that last one!) Plus Gerald, whom no one understands due to his thick accent. And of course his helper Kaleb who is a smart ass, but he does know his farming. Much, much more than Jeremy. Thus, the hilarity ensues.

Highly recommended!

March Movie Preview

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

3 –

Creed III
Director – Michael B. Jordan
Stars – Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Jonathan Majors
Adonis has been thriving in both his career and family life, but when a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy resurfaces, the face-off is more than just a fight.
Creed III making the bold assumption I even knew there was a Creed II.

10 –

65
Director – Scott Beck, Bryan Woods
Stars – Adam Driver, Ariana Greenblatt, Chloe Coleman
An astronaut crash lands on a mysterious planet only to discover he's not alone.
Does the Force work on dinosaurs?

17 –

Shazam! Fury of the Gods
Director – David F. Sandberg
Stars – Zachary Levi, Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu
The film continues the story of teenage Billy Batson who, upon reciting the magic word "SHAZAM!" is transformed into his adult Super Hero alter ego, Shazam.
Shazam family goes on road trip to fight evil gods – now, where’s the Winnebago?

24 –

John Wick: Chapter 4
Director – Chad Stahelski
Stars – Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgard
John Wick uncovers a path to defeating The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes.
Perhaps two hours and forty-nine minutes of Reeves shooting people in the head is a bit excessive?

31 –

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Directors – John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein
Stars – Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Hugh Grant
A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers embark on an epic quest to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people.
I hope this movie doesn’t roll a 1…

Something in a novel give you author envy? Watched Clarkson’s Farm? And which movies catch your eye for March?
Tune in next Monday when I have a special guest!

Vampire Movies, Reviews (Katatonia and Willy’s Wonderland) and News, and Box Offices Totals

Vampire Movies by L. Diane Wolfe

Alex asked me about vampire movies.

While none really mirror the setting of my story, I picked a couple fun vampire stories.

Fright Night
The original with Chris Sarandon and Roddy McDowall is so much fun. “You’re so cool, Brewster!” I fell in love with this film when I saw it in the theater in 1985 and it’s still a fun film.

Hotel Transylvania
There are now four movies and they are so much fun. Sadly, we watched the first one when our cat Spunky had just gone through his cancer surgery. It was snowy that day and with poor Spunky on my husband’s lap, we watched the first movie. It’s not the greatest in the world, but I just love it.

Let the Right One In
The foreign version of this is SO much better than the American version. It hit the right notes and was creepy, moving, and sad.

Dracula (1979)
I’d seen other Dracula films, but this one with Frank Langella really stuck with me. It’s scary and sexy and so atmospheric. It’s a slow and steady pace but such a great film.

The Lost Boys
Cheesy, commercial, and yet it works. The soundtrack is super. I might even enjoy it more than the movie. Some great stars: Corey Haim, Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Patric, Corey Feldman, Jami Gertz, Dianne Wiest, Alex Winter, and Jamison Newlander.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Gary Oldman really took on the role. He was sexy and the story was so consuming. I remember a woman coming into the place I worked and seeing my Dracula t-shirt – she said it was so disturbing. I told her that it was a beautiful love story.

Shadow of the Vampire
This is a fictionalized account of what happened during the filming of Nosferatu. Willem Dafoe is Nosferatu and he is spot on! It’s just an odd, quirky film but so fascinating.

Nosferatu
The first and unauthorized version of Dracula and the vampire legend. The vampire is renamed Count Orlok and he is incredibly creepy. This is a must-see for every vampire fan.

Again, none resemble my story at all. Think more of a medieval fantasy quest that just happens to feature vampires. And a bit of a love story!

A professional speaker and author, L. Diane Wolfe conducts seminars, offers book formatting, and author consultation. She’s the senior editor at Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C. and contributes to the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.
Find Diane at website, blog, Facebook, Pinterest, and Goodreads

In Darkness: The Vampire
By L. Diane Wolfe
Romance/Paranormal/Vampires - Fantasy/Paranormal - Fantasy/Romance
eBook ISBN 9781939844903 $3.99

Souls shrouded in darkness…
Stuck working as a barmaid for her demanding father, Anna dreams of adventure. When mysterious strangers enter the bar, she overhears they seek Zancrela, an ancient fortress filled with treasure and a magical library. Taking her chance, she offers to guide them. The conditions: deliver Zancrela or die.
As they journey through the wilderness, she discovers their secret: they are vampires. And most view her as food. One takes interest in her and her heart dares to hope, but it might not be enough to change her fate. Will Anna find Zancrela or become a vampire morsel?

Links: Amazon / iTunes / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Scribed / Goodreads

News and Reviews

Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars

Katatonia is one of those rare bands that have endured, and they are celebrating thirty-plus years of awesomeness with what is (for me) their best album. Their roots may be doom/gothic metal, but this album is progressive and full of energy. Every song is on point with great hooks, catchy choruses, and intense grooves. It clocks in at 51 minutes and it’s all meat, no filler. There are eleven tracks and if you ask me to list some favorites, I would say song one through eleven. They’re all great! It’s February and I already have a contender for album of the year. If you like your Scandinavian metal with clean vocals and a singularly unique sound, you must check out this album.
Highly recommended!

Willy’s Wonderland
From the IMDB: A quiet drifter is tricked into a janitorial job at the now condemned Willy's Wonderland. The mundane tasks suddenly become an all-out fight for survival against wave after wave of demonic animatronics.
Yes, you read that right – the animatronics come alive and kill!
This is another case of Cage playing a bat-crap crazy person. (He doesn’t say one word during the entire film.) It’s watchable though and funny in some places.
You’ll think twice about going into a Showbiz Pizza or Chuck E. Cheese’s after this film!
If you are looking for something really unique, give it a try.

Available February 14:
Balance of Love: A Sweet Fantasy Romance (Influenced Book 2) by Patricia Josephine Lynne
Enemies to lovers sweet romance fantasy
Order from all retailers HERE

Box Office

It’s been a while since I did a recap of the current worldwide box office.

Here are the top movies from 2022:

Avatar: The Way of Water - $2,213,093,090
Top Gun: Maverick - $1,488,732,821
Jurassic World: Dominion - $1,001,978,080
Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness - $955,775,804
Minions: The Rise of Gru - $939,628,210
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - $842,121,221
The Batman - $770,945,583
Thor: Love and Thunder - $760,928,081

And here are the top grossing films of all time:

1 Avatar - $2,923,706,026,  2009
2 Avengers: Endgame - $2,799,439,100,  2019
3 Titanic - $2,216,990,964,  1997
4 Avatar: The Way of Water - $2,213,093,090,  2022
5 Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens - $2,071,310,218,  2015

There are now fifty-one movies that have made over a billion dollars! The oldest one in the bunch is Jurassic Park, 1993. Next oldest is Titanic, 1997. Both of their totals are impressive.

Three of the top five are from James Cameron for a take of over seven billion dollars. He’s not hurting!

What vampire films do you like? Picking up Diane’s book? Heard Katatonia or seen Willy’s Wonderland? Seen all of the big box office winners last year or all time?
Enjoy your February and I’ll see you March 1 for the next Insecure Writer’s Support Group post.

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Special Friends, Series to Watch, and February Movie Preview

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 February 1 posting of the IWSG are Jacqui Murray, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, and Gwen Gardner!

February 1 question - If you are an Indie author, do you make your own covers or purchase them? If you publish trad, how much input do you have about what goes on your cover?

My publisher will touch base with me to get a better description of a scene they are considering for the cover. Then I just wait and see what they design. And I’ve yet to be disappointed!

And thanks to everyone who participated or spread the word about #IWSGPit on January 25 – we were trending! (And trending so well, we were getting spammed with a ton of ads.)
If you participated and end up with requests or even a contract, let us know.

On February 1, WEP is back, better, bigger, bolder. We’re in our eleventh year, so Team WEP has learned what writers want.  If you’re a writer who practises your skills on a regular basis –- likes to try out your WIP -  get feedback on your writing - win an editing prize from professionals - be included in a book of the best of WEP writing, be part of a supportive online writing community -- WEP is for you.

This year our bi-monthly prompts are based on movies – so we give you the Year of Movies. We have a Challenges 2023 page packed with creative ideas.

Posting for this challenge is February 15 - 17.

Check out our new-look website here!

Special Friends!

My special friend, Robyn Alana Engel sent me a case of Hot Tamales and a wonderful note. She says her word of the year is gratitude, and I am certainly grateful for a friend like her. (Be sure to pick up one of her books.) She definitely rocks!

And no, these Hot Tamales will not last the year.

What to Watch

The Rig

A strange fog rolls in on a remote Scottish oil rig and crazy stuff ensues.
This one has great characters. A couple of them you really hope will make it to the end.
It does have a couple issues and missteps, but the storyline is still good and enjoyable.
If you like science fiction weird with a Scottish accent, this is the series for you.  Streaming on Amazon Prime.

Battlebots: Champions Tournament

Yes! More Battlebots. Battles with some of the best bots on the circuit.
The funny thing about Battlebots is when it ends, you just want more Battlebots.
Season ends soon so jump on this one quick!

February Movie Preview

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

17 –

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Director: Peyton Reed
Stars: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Jonathan Majors, Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Douglas
Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne, along with Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne, explore the Quantum Realm, where they interact with strange creatures and embark on an adventure that goes beyond the limits of what they thought was possible.
They’re doing a movie based on an album by The Who? Oh wait, that’s Quadrophenia. (That one’s for the Boomers.)

24 –

Cocaine Bear
Director: Elizabeth Banks
Stars: Ray Liotta, Keri Russell, Margo Martindale
An oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists, and teens converge in a Georgia forest where a 500-pound black bear goes on a murderous rampage after unintentionally ingesting cocaine.
This will be a trilogy, followed by Crack Squirrel and Meth Badger.

Do you work on your own covers or have input? Did you participate in #IWSGPit? Watching either show? Either movie rock your boat?