Insecure Writer’s Support Group, After Appomattox by Melissa Maygrove, Zootopia 2 Review, and April 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 April 1 posting of the IWSG are Melissa Maygrove, Cathrina Constantine, Kate Larkinsdale, and Rebecca Douglass!

April 1 question - If you have a playlist (or could put one together) that either gets you in the groove to write or fits with one of your books, what is it? What type of music or what songs?

I listen to metal and prog rock, so my playlists feature artists in those categories – Rush, Dream Theater, Amorphis, Ayeron, Omnium Gathering, Insomnium, Symphony X, Megadeth, Haken, Voyager, Dynazty, etc. Anything with a pounding beat, intricate music, and high energy.

We would like to welcome Cathrina Constantine as our new IWSG Admin! Please visit her site (she is also co-hosting today) and say hello.

After Appomattox: The Stories That Begin When the War Ends by Melissa Maygrove

On April 9, 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House. The brutal war that had divided the country for four long years was finally over. For the soldiers who laid down their weapons that day, however, the story was only beginning. They still had to go home.

Weary, wounded men returned to farms that had fallen into ruin and towns that had changed in ways they never expected. Not only did families grieve lost husbands, fathers, and sons, former enemies had to learn how to live in the same communities again. Those are the kinds of stories that inspired my Sagebrush Springs series.

In the latest book, The Rebel’s Redemption, Union widow Rosalie Reed loses her husband at Appomattox and is left to run their Nebraska farm alone. She’s aided by Major Charles Avendon—the former Confederate surgeon who operated on her husband when he died. Once Rosalie discovers Charles’s real identity, she must decide whether to forgive him and whether to risk love again.

The Rebel’s Redemption is a poignant tale of second chances. History highlights the battles, but the rebuilding was just as powerful. And those are the stories that make the best romances.

Alex loves movies, so here’s a list:
The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
Glory (1989)
Gettysburg (1993)
Shane (1953)
Gone with the Wind (1939)

Thank you for hosting me on your blog!

The series is currently available on Amazon in e-book, paperback, and via Kindle Unlimited. Sagebrush Springs series: universal link
Book 2, The Rebel’s Redemption, is available now here
Book 3, The Widower’s Heart, is available for pre-order here

Hannah Keegan travels west to marry widower Eli Owens and become the mother to his children, only to discover his dying wife is the one who summoned her—and is still very much alive. When a young suitor offers Hannah the future of her dreams, she must choose whether to walk away or stay and risk loving a man who might never love her in return.

Zootopia 2 Review

Picking up after the first film ended, Judy and Nick try to crack a case and everything goes awry.
The film is both fun and funny with laugh-out-loud moments. The regulars return with several new characters including Gary De’Snake (Ke Huy Quan), Mayor Winddancer (Patrick Warburton), and Jesus (Danny Trejo).
This is light entertainment the whole family will enjoy. You’ll have fun until the movie ends, after which you really won’t remember much of it.
Recommended.

April Movie Preview

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

10 –

The Beast
Director: Tyler Atkins
Stars: Daniel MacPherson, Luke Helmsworth, Russell Crowe
MMA legend Patton James, now a commercial fisherman, is pulled back into the cage when his brother is in danger. Reuniting with his old coach Sammy, he commits to one final fight in ONE Championship against its brutal champion Xavier Grau.
Remember when Crowe actually was the fighter in the movie?

17 –

Lee Cronin’s the Mummy
Director: Lee Cronin
Stars: Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, Natalie Grace
The young daughter of a journalist disappears into the desert without a trace. Eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she is returned to them, as what should be a joyful reunion turns into a living nightmare.
Trailer looks interesting, but…who the heck is Lee Cronin?

Do you make playlists? Do you like after war stories? Seen Zootopia 2? Any movies catch your interest for April?
Happy April Fool’s Day, happy Easter, and good luck to all doing the A to Z Challenge this month!

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, New Book Releases, 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 4 posting of the IWSG are PJ Colando, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, and Natalie Aguirre!

March 4 question - What elements do you include in your book launch? Or what do you have in mind for your future book launch? Or what advice do you have to offer to others planning to launch a book?

First, my advice is find out what is working for book launches now. What worked for mine, most of which came out last decade, won’t work now. Everything is changing so fast and you’ll need to tap into the current trend. Check with authors such as Elizabeth S. Craig, Angela Ackerman, and Anne R. Allen. They post great tips on their sites and are happy to guide new authors.

We are good for April but need another one or two co-hosts for May. And hosts for the summer! Let me know when you can help in the comments or send me an email.

The Novelry is looking for writers to join The Big Idea Challenge for March! Lots of cool stuff, so check out their site.

We are also saying goodbye to Louise Barbour (Fundy Blue) as an admin. She was such a great addition to the team, bringing a breath of fresh air with her. Louise, you will be missed big time!

And finally, the A to Z Challenge kicks off April 1! Visit the site for details.

New Releases!

Plot Twist by Elizabeth Spann Craig
Something old, something new, something borrowed, someone's through.
Universal buy links here

Happy Birthday to Us! by Sherry Ellis (Official website)
Celebrate the joy of sharing a birthday with America!
Buy Links: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Walmart, and Bookshop

Balance of Nature, Book 3 of the prehistoric trilogy Savage Land by Jacqui Murray
A tribe haunted by the past. Lies that threaten the future. A reason to find the truth.
Available exclusively on Amazon as print or digital

Ruthless Kingdom by Cathrina Constantine
Two Kingdoms - Two Kings
One King Vows to Rule Them All
Find it on Amazon

Jewels of Darterra by J. Lenni Dorner
Do some people having more options impair the existence of others who were born with a distinct path and purpose?
Find it on Barnes and Noble and Smashwords

The Rebel's Redemption (Sagebrush Springs Book 2) by Melissa Maygrove
A Confederate past. A Union widow. One chance to make peace—with her and himself.
Release scheduled for March 31st – pre order on Amazon

March Movie Preview

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

6 –

The Bride
Director – Maggie Gyllenhaal
Stars – Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Jale Gyllenhaal
In 1930s Chicago, Frankenstein asks Dr. Euphronius to help create a companion. They give life to a murdered woman as the Bride, sparking romance, police interest, and radical social change.
Looks like a dumpster fire. It will make us long for the Sting and Jennifer Beals version.

13 –

Undertone
Director – Ian Tuason
Stars – Nina Kiri, Adam DiMarco, Michele Duquet
The host of a popular paranormal podcast becomes haunted by terrifying recordings mysteriously sent her way.
A24 Studio’s motto – Making sure you never get a good night’s sleep again!

20 –

Project Hail Mary
Directors – Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
Stars – Ryan Gosling, Milana Vayntrub, Ken Leung
Science teacher Ryland Grace wakes up alone on a spaceship light-years from Earth. As his memory returns, he uncovers a mission to stop a mysterious substance killing the sun and save Earth. An unexpected friendship may be the key.
Does it have to take two and a half hours to save the world? Can’t he do it in ninety minutes?

27 –

They Will Kill You
Director – Kirill Sokolov
Stars – Zazie Beetz, Patricia Arquette, Myha’la
A woman takes a job as a housekeeper in a NYC high-rise, unaware of the building's history of disappearances. She soon realizes the community is shrouded in mystery.
It’s like a horror take on John Wick. Come for the blood and gore, stay for the blood and gore…

What advice do you have for those about to launch a book? Can you help co-host the IWSG? Picking up some new books? And what March movies capture your attention?

Insecure Writer’s Support Group; Movie News and Trailers, 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 4 posting of the IWSG are J Lenni Dorner, Victoria Marie Lees, and Sandra Cox!

February 4 question - Many writers have written about the experience of rereading their work years later. Have you reread any of your early works? What was that experience like for you?

A few years after my first book (CassaStar) was published, I was given the opportunity to go back through it to make edits. I was surprised at the difference between that and the third book which had just been published. I could see my growth as a writer. It was also very odd to read something I had written!

How about you?

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

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?