Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology Contest! Plus September Movie Preview, Ninja Around the Web, and New Releases

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.

My co-hosts today are Tyrean Martinson, Tara Tyler, Raimey Gallant, and Beverly Stowe McClure!

September 6 Question: Have you ever surprised yourself with your writing? For example, by trying a new genre you didn't think you'd be comfortable in??

I’ve always written science fiction. Blogging taught me how to write articles and guest posts and such. But a submission to Geekdom House and their magazine sent me in the direction of contemporary fiction.
And you know what? It was kinda fun.

Don’t forget the Show Your Writer Insecurity Contest is October 4! See the site for details. Cool prizes.



September marks six years for the IWSG group and four years for the website. You know what that means…

The annual IWSG Anthology Contest!

Eligibility: Any member of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group is encouraged to enter – blogging or Facebook member. The story must be previously unpublished. Entry is free.

Word count: 3500-6000

Genre: Mystery/Crime/Thriller

Theme: Tick Tock. The story revolves around a clock, is time sensitive, or has something about a specific time. This theme has plenty of scope and we’re open to pretty much anything along these lines. No erotica, R-rated language, or graphic violence.

Story deadline: November 1st 2017

How to enter: Send your polished, previously unpublished story to admin @ insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please format double-spaced, size 12 font, and no headers or footers. Include your contact details, your social links, and if you are part of the Blogging or Facebook IWSG group.

Judging: The IWSG admins will create a shortlist of the best stories. The shortlist will then be sent to our official judges:

Elizabeth S. Craig writes cozy mystery series for Penguin Random House, Midnight Ink, and independently. She curates links on Twitter as @elizabethscraig that are later shared in the free search engine Writers Knowledge Base.

Anne Hawkins is a partner in John Hawkins & Associates, Inc., New York. Founded in 1893 by Paul R. Reynolds, it is the oldest literary agency in the country. She works with mainstream literary and commercial fiction, including mystery, suspense, and thrillers and a wide variety of serious non-fiction, particularly history, politics, biography, science, and natural history. A number of her books have gained distinction through award nominations, book-to-film contracts, significant foreign rights sales, major book club selections, or placement on the New York Times bestseller list. Anne Hawkins is a member of the Association of Authors’ Representatives.

Candace Havens is the Editorial Director of Covet has written multiple novels for Berkley, Entangled and Harlequin. Her books have received nominations for the RITA’s, Holt Medallion and Write Touch Reader Awards. She is one of the nation’s leading entertainment journalists, runs a free online writing workshop, and teaches comprehensive writing class.

Author, Public Speaker, and Executive Producer, Lynn Tincher was born just outside of Louisville, Kentucky in the beautiful city of La Grange. She has written four books, with the fifth one currently in the making. Her first book, Afterthoughts was optioned for movie production by Kilted Pictures and Dancing Forward Productions in Los Angeles. It is currently in pre-production with plans to shoot in Louisville, Kentucky very soon.

Ion Newcombe is the editor and publisher of AntipodeanSF, Australia's longest running online speculative fiction magazine, regularly issued since January 1998. His qualifications and employment range from horticulture through electronics into literature and communications.

Patricia (Pat) Stoltey is the author of four crime fiction novels published by Five Star/Cengage including a historical mystery called Wishing Caswell Dead (https://www.amazon.com/Wishing-Caswell-Dead-Patricia-Stoltey/dp/1432834401/) (December 2017). She lives in Northern Colorado with her husband Bill, Sassy Dog, and Katie Cat. To learn more about Patricia and her books, visit her website/blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

Mason Canyon had a love of books since childhood encouraged by a mother who loved to read. A 30+year career in journalism fueled her desire to know what a story is all about. Blogging at Thoughts in Progress since 2009 and operating MC Book Tours for over a year. Loves to read and share great stories with others. MC Book Tours

Prizes: The winning stories will be edited and published by Freedom Fox Press next year in the IWSG anthology. Authors will receive royalties on books sold, both print and eBook. The top story will have the honor of giving the anthology its title.

We’re excited to see the creativity and enthusiasm that’s such a part of this group put into action. So don your creative caps and start writing. And spread the word!

Ninja Around the Web

I have a special feature involving the song that inspired Dragon of the Stars at West of Mars.
Feature Opportunity West of Mars - Susan Helene Gottfried is looking for new books to feature! See her guidelines for a Feature Opportunity West of Mars.

The Kindle Book Review’s September Author Meet & Greet Giveaway is open until the end of the month.
Dragon of the Stars is one of the books involved in the Meet and Greet.
You could win the “Ultimate Reader Gift Basket” ~ A 7″ Kindle Fire HD, a $25 Amazon gift card, and a bottle of wine.
Multiple ways to enter! And you can enter every single day. Visit September Author Meet & Greet Giveaway to enter.



New releases!

SIX STRINGS - SEASON 2: ISSUE 5 is now available!
Put together for Howling Wolf Records by Jeremy Hawkins, is packed with cool stuff.
10 Years working with "LORD OF THE RINGS: ONLINE"
INTERVIEW WITH COMPOSER "CHANCE THOMAS"
And more! Download your free copy of SIX STRINGS - SEASON 2: ISSUE 5.

Two Princesses by Tara Tyler 
Toss together two troubled princesses from feuding families, and see how well they work together to make their own happy endings. 
Find it on Amazon and Lulu
 
Dread by Shah Wharton






September Movie Preview

Here are the upcoming theatrical releases for September! As always, descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

8 –

It
In Derry, Maine, seven friends come face-to-face with a shape shifter, who takes the form of an evil clown who targets children.
Director: Andy Muschietti
Stars: Bill Skarsgård, Jaeden Lieberher, Finn Wolfhard, Sophia Lillis
It has potential. It looks good. I might see It. I hope It doesn’t suck…


15 –

American Assassin
A story centered on counterterrorism agent Mitch Rapp.
Director: Michael Cuesta
Stars: Dylan O'Brien, Michael Keaton, Taylor Kitsch, Scott Adkins
He’s an American, she’s an assassin. Together, they just might learn a thing or two about each other…and love! Wait, that might not be the storyline…

Kingsman: The Golden Circle
When their headquarters are destroyed and the world is held hostage, the Kingsman's journey leads them to the discovery of an allied spy organization in the US. These two elite secret organizations must band together to defeat a common enemy.
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Stars: Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Channing Tatum
Not sure if it’s appealing or not. (Also Golden Corral’s new slogan.)


29 –

American Made
A pilot lands work for the CIA and as a drug runner in the south during the 1980s.
Director: Doug Liman
Stars: Tom Cruise, Domhnall Gleeson, Caleb Landry Jones, Sarah Wright
Combine it with his last lame film and you have American Made Mummy…

Flatliners
Five medical students, obsessed by what lies beyond the confines of life, embark on a daring experiment: by stopping their hearts for short periods, each triggers a near-death experience - giving them a firsthand account of the afterlife.
Director: Niels Arden Oplev
Stars: Nina Dobrev, Ellen Page, James Norton, Diego Luna
Here’s a twist – instead of remaking films you loved as a kid, Hollywood is now remaking films you didn’t care about in the first place.


Submitting to this year’s anthology? Ready for the Writer Insecurity contest? What surprised you as a writer? Want to win a Kindle Fire? (Or a bottle of wine?) And what movies have your attention this month?

Be sure to visit my feature at West of Mars and enter the September Author Meet & Greet Giveaway!

121 comments:

Erika Beebe said...

There are so many fantastic opportunities coming up! Wow! The movies all look pretty action driven. I can't believe they are remaking Flatliners. I saw the trailer for IT. Funny thing is, I had a terrible nightmare about a toy similiar to the movie so I think I will steer clear of that one. I may watch the new flatliners just to compare. I loved the first one. Congrats on all the new releases!

lostinimaginaryworlds.blogspot.com said...

Thanks for doing this, Alex, providing a platform for so many writers to express their fears. My present writing problem is that I have promised so many people that my next children's book will be finished and available by October, and I'm struggling with so many other responsibilities, but I shall keep going!

Liza said...

Lots of action in this post. I am so impressed at how the reach of IWSG is growing. Kudos to you and all of your ninja supporters, Alex!

Mary Aalgaard said...

The new anthology contest looks intriguing. Glad to still be part of IWSG! Thanks, Alex

The Cynical Sailor said...

Another great theme for the IWSG anthology! None of those movies seem appealing. Hopefully, there's some better ones lined up to be released next month.

Chemist Ken said...

Oh no! It's anthology time already? Just what I need, more stress. Of course, I'll probably wait too long to get started, like I did last year, and won't have anything to submit. The theme certainly is interesting, however.

Thanks for setting all this up, Alex!

Cathrina Constantine said...

There is a lot going on this September, how exciting!!! Congrats to all the new releases! I love the theme for IWSG anthology contest. Have a great week, Alex.

Natalie Aguirre said...

I will try to visit 12 new blogs today. I haven't been as good as I could at doing this.

The anthology contest sounds great. Love the genre you picked as I've been reading a lot of these books lately.

Julie Flanders said...

Six years, really?? Wow!! What an amazing ride this has been.
The anthology sounds right up my alley! Will have to try to come up with a story. Love it.
Also love your movie descriptions as usual. The remake of Flatliners is so bizarre! Why on earth??

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

I am all set to see IT! Unless Hurricane Irma gets in the way....

Your comment about FLATLINERS totally cracked me up. :)

Lidy said...

Six years🎉🎉 Not sure if I'll watch It but can't wait for the new Kingsman movie. And I thought Flatliners sounded familiar. Is it me or has Hollywood gotten a bit lazy? They're mostly either remaking movies or a movie adaptation of a book, manga/anime or comic. Though I don't mind the DC Comic and Marvel films.

Lynn La Vita said...

It is interesting to see what happens when we respond to that little internal voice and urges to open the door and explore. Nice to know it was kinda fun.
Have you explore other genre and you didn't like it?

Jeremy [Retro] said...

Ha, you quote on Flatliners... genius! I also think they are bringing back old film cast to be in this turkey... I really enjoyed the first Kingsman film... Kingsman: The Golden Circle, looks very fun. So far "IT" looks spooky, but I think I know the story and first film that IT has passed my interests. Now the score for it, it spooked me pretty good while working on the computer... did not expect to jump. The composer is a new staple to the music world, in most cases doesn't let people down....

Also thank you for the shout out, this is so tight of an issue...well four pages, lol. Seriously thank you...

Jeremy

Arlee Bird said...

Sounds like you've been busy.

I don't see any films to get excited about in this bunch. Hollywood must be in a dry spell of original ideas this month.

Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Erika, who doesn't have nightmares about clowns?

Carole, if it's November, they'll survive.

Ken, you can do it this year!

Julie, I know! What an odd film to remake.

Madeline, I am here to amuse.

Lidy, I don't mind those either.

Jeremy, you're welcome!

Thanks, everyone. You made the success of the IWSG possible.

Donna K. Weaver said...

Yeah, stretching ourselves can open up some fun things for us.

"Here’s a twist – instead of remaking films you loved as a kid, Hollywood is now remaking films you didn’t care about in the first place."
ROFL

Charles Gramlich said...

I've been lucky in that most of the new things I've tried in writing I've felt like I was able to pull them off.

Pat Hatt said...

Remakes and American Made Cruise crap, think this will be an easy movie month to skip.

6 years is sure grand indeed. Should be interesting to see what entries come on in.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Alex - glad you've had some time off ... while I can't believe the IWSG has been going 6 years and the website four - probably time I joined fairly soon. Can't get to the grips with the films ... Fantastic range of authors as judges for the anthology - excellent ... I look forward to reading who wins, etc ... and reading their stories.

Your Dragon of the Stars looks a fascinating story line - I'd have never of thought of taking Queen Elizabeth I into space - still anything is possible!

Congratulations too to Jeremy, Tara and Shah ... for their new releases ... cheers Hilary

mshatch said...

Congrats on changing genres. I think it's fun to challenge ourselves.
As for the movies...It could be good but none of the others pique my interest much altho I did Like the original flatliners.

Nick Wilford said...

Really excited about the new anthology theme! So many ways it could go. Glad trying a new genre worked out for you. Cruise doesn't seem to have any filter when it comes to what to star in, he'll appear in any crap. I like the original Flatliners, it did come out when I was a kid and I thought it was cool. Don't want to see the remake.

Tamara Narayan said...

I saw The Dark Tower movie over the weekend and was disappointed. Even though the actors for Roland, Walter, and Jake were excellent, I missed Susannah, Eddie, and the billy-bumbler. The action sequences for the gunslinger were cool, but there wasn't much else to appreciate. You can't take seven novels and squish them into a movie. The parts they made up were just weak. I bet lots of fans were hoping for this series to get the treatment the Harry Potter series did. Too bad. I think they missed an opportunity.

I sure hope It is better. Please, let it be better.

I actually liked the original Flatliners. I wouldn't mind seeing a remake, but I bet the old one will be the better of the two.

Anonymous said...

I think I might try to write a story for the anthology. Maybe. If I don't talk myself out of it. :) It is right up my alley though.

Okay, so I never did go see Dark Tower because of all the terrible reviews. Not sure I'll get to it before it leaves the theatre this week. Even my oldest wasn't all that thrilled with it and went in with an open mind. I'm hoping It will be better, but...gosh...I don't know. The book is about a million pages long. How do you make that into a movie?

Enjoy the rest of your week!
Elsie

Heather M. Gardner said...

ALEX!
ALEX!
ALEX!


Hi. :)

The original Flatliners movie, the part with Kiefer, scared the snot out of me.
I tried to read IT a million years ago and I've been afraid of clowns ever since. :)
Your post scares me! (JK)

CONGRATS on 6 years for IWSG! It's an amazing, supportive group and I'm proud to be a part of it!

Heather

Christine Rains said...

Yay for the IWSG! 6 years is amazing. Flatliners was one of my favorite movies when I was a teen. I had no idea they had remade it. Really, there are so many new ideas out there. Why not make something new?

Jo said...

It is incredible that ISWG has been going so long. I congratulate you Alex on all the hard work you put into raising this child. I, of course, read Dragon of the Stars when it first came out. Excellent story as all your books have been.

Nope, none of the movies appeal to me this time. But congratulations to all the authors and their latest publications. Wish one could read them all, so little time.

Hope your time off was enjoyable.

Jennifer Hawes said...

I enjoy writing contemporary and fantasy or a mix of both. It's fun to try new things. Okay, that anthology is right up my alley!! But only 3500-6000 words??? I've never tried short stories or flash fiction. I'll have to think about it.

Cherie Reich said...

It is fun to try new genres from time to time. Good luck to all for the next IWSG anthology!

I really hope IT is good. It does look creepy.

Unknown said...

As much as I'm always afraid to go see Stephen King movies because they mess them up so bad in relation to the books, I'm going to give IT a try. Also I can't believe they're remaking Flatliners. I will withhold judgment until I see it.

Carrie-Anne said...

I might enter this year's anthology contest, though it's always hard for me to write a standalone short story that doesn't use pre-existing characters.

Congratulations on six years!

Shah Wharton said...

Yey, thank you for mentioning my book Alex. I really appreciate it.

Your movie comments, as always, made me chuckle! He, he.

I would love to write a thriller story. It's out of my comfort zone (but you know I've gone further out of that zone!) but I'd enjoy the challenge. Um, see if I can think of good enough story?

Shah X

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Donna, glad you liked that comment!

Hilary, you are welcome to join us. Hope my book's story line intrigues you.

Tamara, I've heard that from a lot of people.

Elsie, hope you send an entry! And the answer - you can't.

Heather! We're so glad you've joined the team.

Thanks, Jo!

Jennifer, you can do it.

Carrie-Anne, hope you give it a try.

Shah, you're welcome! And I bet you can think of something good.

Loni Townsend said...

Huh. Remaking Flatliners? I remember seeing that as a kid, and I vaguely recall being disturbed by it.

Best of luck with the IWSG anthology contest! Hope you guys get good entries. :)

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

The early reviews for "It" from the horror websites that matter are really good. A lot of them say that the group of kids was cast perfectly, that they leave people filled with a sense of nostalgia, and that there are plenty of humorous moments intermixed with all of the scares. On an aside note, I can't believe six years has passed for the IWSG. I remember way back when....

Hart Johnson said...

Oooh! That anthology might be the kick in the butt I need. A short story is a more bite-sized piece of writing and I love the clock theme.

Nicki Elson said...

Great meet & greet gift basket.

Congrats to Tara, Shah & Jeremy!

cleemckenzie said...

Six years and counting! The group just seems to get better and better. The lineup of judges is impressive and quite exciting.

The return of the Flatliners! I'm not sure about that, but I'll have to see it.

Here's to all the new releases!

stephen Hayes said...

I've experimented with poetry, but haven't yet written anything I'm proud of.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

None of the movies interest me.

There are SO many entries in the Meet & Greet already.

Laura Clipson said...

I've never written in that genre before, but I'm always up for a challenge! I love the theme for the contest this year.

M.J. Fifield said...

I don't think I'm planning to see a movie in theaters again until November...or whenever it is that Justice League and Thor are coming out. Definitely won't be seeing IT...I have enough trouble sleeping as it is. :)

Stacy McKitrick said...

I surprise myself with my writing every time I finish a book. Every. Time. I still don't know where that comes from. :)

I'm interested in seeing "It," but doubt I'll see it in the theatre. Unless my daughter wants to go, but her aversion to anything with clowns make that highly unlikely (and her aversion is thanks to the TV movie/mini-series "It").

Andrew Leon said...

Hope you had a great August!

I'll give the anthology thing a thought.
See if anything turns up.

You know, I still haven't finished seeing my summer movies, so I'm glad Sept only has crap.

Carol Kilgore said...

Gonna head over and read your piece on Susan's West of Mars blog. This anthology is going to be so awesome. I can't wait to read it. IT. The book scared the crap out of me on page two. I couldn't read any further. Not going to try the movie. Happy September!

Suzanne Furness said...

Congrats on those anniversaries, IWSG is amazing. I haven't made a trip to the movies recently but I do remember that original Flatliners!

Sadira Stone said...

Cool! I'll get to work on a short story for the anthology. As for movies, critics be damned--I enjoyed the second Guardians of the Galaxy. I don't read much sci-fi, but I watch lots on big and little screens. This movie was a non-stop visual treat.

Ryan Carty said...

Sounds like a fun writing contest. I'll see if I have something interesting to submit. Also, did you find writing contemporary fiction a difficult transition? What, if anything, caused concern for you, slowed you down?

Truedessa said...

Hi Alex,

First congratulations on all the milestones in your journey. You should be proud of your accomplishments. You have opened a gateway for many writers. I would also like to thank all those that have supported your endeavors.

I visited West of Mars and of course Dragon of the Stars is my favorite! Amazing how a song can have such an impact on creativity. It's inspiring.

I am not too thrilled with movie selections right now.

Welcome back! You rock!

ps - The Gift Basket is looking mighty sweet!

Pat Garcia said...

Hi,
Stepping out into another genre is like stretching yourself. You never know what you will find until you do it. I'm happy you stepped out with Geekdom.
Shalom aleichem,
Patricia Everything Must Change

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Michael, I know!

Hart, you have no excuses then.

Laura, hope you enter.

MJ, that would be November all right.

Stacy, I think I can trace mine back to the first time I saw the circus...

Andrew, I did!

Thanks, Susan!

Rhonda, we just watched it this weekend - even better the second time.

Ryan, it was actually easy and the piece came together rather quickly. I think because I really let my snark fly.

Thanks, Truedessa!

Tyrean Martinson said...

I think that IWSG is doing an awesome job at giving writers opportunities to write and participate! Thank you, Alex, and thanks to all the admins!

Movies ... off the list for this month, unless it's on Netflix or a Rental. Looking forward to the Justice League movie which is a ways off ...

Juneta key said...

I actually love the original Flatliners but I am a paranormal writer lol. That is the only movie listed I am really interested in and maybe the assassin one.

I am thinking about submitting to the anthology but need to think about it.

Congrats on the meet and greet. I have that book I need to read it. I will be moving it up my reading list. The best to you always, Juneta @ Writer's Gambit

Diane Burton said...

Congrats (or Happy Birthday) on IWSG. It's a great opportunity for writers. To know we're not alone in our insecurities helps us get over them. Thank you. Congrats on trying a new genre. It's fun and stretches our imagination to try something new.

Re: movies. I agree about what Hollywood is remaking. What are they thinking?

kjmckendry said...

WOW! I can't believe it's been six years for IWSG!!! There is so much awesomeness going around! The contest and the anthology! I still haven't seen Wonder Woman, that's the next one I need to see; love your comment about Flatliners!

L.G. Keltner said...

It's hard to believe the IWSG has been around for six years already. Wow! The anthology contest theme is great. I'm sure there will be tons of amazing entries.

J.L. Campbell said...

Wow, time certainly flies. I know we'll have some great entries.

Raimey Gallant said...

That's quite the panel of judges. So, you mean business. ;) I'm going to have to ponder something. Don't tell anyone, but shorter fiction scares me. Shhh... I'm currently reading a Mystery Writers of America anthology, so maybe I'll be inspired. Thanks for all the hard work your putting in, and congrats on how successful this enterprise has become! :)

diedre Knight said...

I might just try the 'Tick Tock.' anthology. I own the hardback "It" and dust it gingerly and seldom. I won't see the movie or read the book again because the story still terrifies me. I do wonder why they made another movie - unless it's a sequel. I laughed at your comment on remaking movies we didn't like in the first place.
What surprises me is not so much that I write across genres, but that I like to.
West of Mars sounds exciting, as do all the new releases - Congratulations everyone!

Sandra Cox said...

Nice lineup of judges for the upcoming anthology.

Have a great one, Alex.

Joanne said...

my writing always surprises me - a complete coherent sentence...what?

many of the posts today have been good. You've got quite a collection of insecure writers who write with authority.

In regards to fall movies - you crack me up with your comments. Indeed, summer ended with barely a ripple. The Fall movie season has me reading more (and watching Netflix,etc)

Welcome back

C.D. Gallant-King said...

I forgot there was a new anthology coming up. Kewl beans.

The September movie scene looks meeeeeeeeeehhhhhh. Reviews for It have been very good so far, but the rest of it is a big shrug. The original Kingsman was pretty fun though, so maybe I'll see that one down the road somewhere.

J E Oneil said...

I've heard really good things about IT. It might actually be good! I'm so excited for it.

Elephant's Child said...

Welcome back. I have missed your positive presence in the blogosphere and hope your break was wonderful.
A new anthology? My greedy reading self is excited. And delighted.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Yeah, when I saw the trailer for Flatliners, I thought, oh please no. Why remake THAT one? Can't we have some NEW stories please? lol

Nilanjana Bose said...

Welcome back! You sound like you've had a lovely time.

Congrats on ISWG - 6 years is fantastic! I'm a follower and I love the results of the contests. Someday I might get up enough nerve to join in...can poets join? :)

I watched a huge (for me) number of films over the summer break, am going back into a filmless retreat for this month now - nothing very exciting running at my end. :-)

Have a great week!

Jemi Fraser said...

Sadly, Hollywood tends to make lots of remakes of films we don't care about!!
The anthology sounds fun! Maybe it's finally time to try my hand at writing a short piece - we'll have to see :)

Olga Godim said...

The new anthology picks my interest. I'm not sure I'll be submitting - as a rule, I don't write mystery - but I want to try my hand at it anyway.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Thanks, Tyrean!

Juneta, be honored if you read it!

Kathryn, you have to see Wonder Woman!

Jen, that would be The Shape of Water! Looking forward to it.

Raimey, hope you enter. And you're part of why this group is successful.

Deidre, give it a try!

Joanne, I have one movie to see this month. Sad, huh?

CD, probably catch that one on NetFlix. And I can only imagine what you'd enter in the anthology contest!

Elephant's Child, glad to be back!

Lynda, exactly!

Nila, can you write a really long prose style poem?

Jemi, please do!

Olga, you never know...

Empty Nest Insider said...

I felt the same way about Flatliners when I saw the coming attraction IWSG is really action packed with great ideas and keeps getting stronger. I remember we were on a cruise ship when I submitted my first IWSG post 6 years ago! I signed up, because I knew it would be a helpful group if you were leading it. But I never imagined that it would take off like this. Congratulations Alex!

Julie

Chrys Fey said...

I was featured on West of Mars years ago for 30 Seconds. :) I had tried to do another feature for a recent release but didn't hear back. I may try again.

Yay for the IWSG Anthology!!! I hope many great entries come in.

Samantha Bryant said...

The new anthology sounds like fun . . .and I've never written mystery! I may have to give this one a go. @mirymom1 from
Balancing Act

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

I love the Tick Tock theme. That'll inspire some nail biters.
Thanks for all this fun information, Alex.
Be well and safe.

kimlajevardi.com said...

Cool beans about trying your hand at Contemporary. I enjoy splashing around in different ponds. It makes everything more interesting.

Anonymous said...

I hadn't even thought in terms of blogging as a separate genre, but duh. Congrats on six/four years of helming this ship. I'm hoping to participate more next year, when I officially "write for a living." Bwahahaha.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

So you're not recommending any of those movies? Another great contest for IWSG and how did that time pass so quickly?

Toi Thomas said...

Great post as always.
Not that I need to add to my current wip list, but I like the challenge of this anthology submission call.
I'm so looking forward to the Writer Insecurity contest.
I don't think September is going to be a movie going month for me.
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and offering your support.

M Pax said...

It is fun to try something new. Glad you enjoyed your contemporary trip.

Liz A. said...

I actually had kiddos in class reading It in class today in anticipation of the opening of the movie. Unfortunately, it was a math class... (Yes, they had a math assignment that they should have been doing.)

Elizabeth Seckman said...

Love the time concept for the anthology. Very intriguing.

None of those movies make me want to run to the theater.

So, how do I win that booze?

Stephen Tremp said...

Whew! I just got my post in the nick of time. Yeah a lot of movies coming out, well, seem like they will suck.

Stephen King movies do not necessarily do well at the box office although I loved The Shining as it picked up two-thirds the way through the book and left out all the BS.

The only Tom Cruise movie I liked was Collateral with Jamie Fox. Great flic! War of the Worlds? Fun movie but hey, I could have played the lead role.

Birgit said...

Welcome back! I hope you had a great summer and enjoyed Face Off:) the new contest sounds quite good and I bet people will have fun writing. Why would none want to remake Flatliners? I'm looking forward to the new Kingsman movie although I find it sad that the States have to get in on the action...sorta speak. It looks scary and I remember the miniseries with the creepy It clown played by Tim Curry. It was good except for the climatic ending which sucked and made me laugh

Fundy Blue said...

Hi, Alex! It's nice to see you back after a well-deserved break! Tick Tock! I've never written a mystery/crime/thriller. We shall see! Not sure if I'll tackle it this year! I definitely will not be seeing "Flatliners." My best friend ever died the day I went to see that movie. I was visiting in Calgary and received a call from her husband just when I walked through my mother's front door after I saw the movie. My sister and her fiancé Peter had taken me to see it. I had just met Peter ~ What an introduction to me! I couldn't afford a last minute airplane ticket from Calgary to California for her funeral, so I was devastated. Nope ~ no "Flatliners" for me!

dolorah said...

I'm pretty much there for the wine. I might be able to come up with a story for the anthology. Shhhsh, I may have to revert to being a writer with the several anthologies I've got picked to submit to.

I'm shy of IT also; the last mini-series did suck.

Happy Anniversary IWSG!

Mason Canyon said...

Congrats to those with new releases. I'm not sure there's much on the movie scene to catch my attention.

Cathy Keaton said...

I never would have pegged you, Alex, for trying your hand at contemp fiction. Kudos to you for trying something new and liking it!

Shadow said...

I hAvE to see 'It' purely because it scared the living daylights outta me, first in the book and then the movie... will it be the same???
And American Assassin for a Saturday night *grin*

And then Ugh!!! I so want to write a book but alas, the attention span is too short, and it boggles the mind the planning, Ugh!!! but I'll still give it a shot some day, and who knows... never stop dreaming, right? right!

Leigh Caron said...

In the Internet far, far away was the start of the IWSG blog. Six years! Great job! Glad to be part of it. I'm enticed by the anthology topic. Hmm? Maybe. And didn't know Flatliners. Loved the original. Can't wait to see this new version.

Tonja Drecker said...

Congrats on six years! But then, it is an awesome group :) I'm not sure on that remake of Flatliners, but that could just be the 'old' part of me resisting change. I love the new theme for the anthology contest. There's always so much going on.

Jemima Pett said...

Thank goodness I stopped by to see what you were saying this month - and found the Anthology Contest. Of course, I should have known to watch out for it, but....

Thanks for everything you do to help us insecure writers, Alex.

Jemima

Patsy said...

I sometimes surprise myself by reading older pieces which I don't recall writing!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Julie, glad you're a part of it!

Samantha, please do.

Susan, It is getting great reviews. Will be seeing that one.

Toi, you should try it.

Liz, at least they were reading!

Elizabeth, click and enter!

Stephen, maybe you should've been an actor.

Birgit, Face Off was great! Digging the new series as well. And yes, the first It's ending sucked.

Fundy, I'm sorry. What a terrible memory.

Donna, hope you submit!

Cathy, it was fun.

Shadow, you never know!

Jemima, hope you submit.

Sandra Cox said...

I popped over to Mars:) I loved learning where your story came from and the song.
Wouldn't that be a fascinating way to teach history, through music?

Michelle Wallace said...

Congrats on 6 years of awesomeness!!

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

If I can drag myself out of the editing cave, it might be fun to try my hand at writing something for the next anthology. I've never written a true mystery or thriller, but I've certainly read enough of them... might be fun!

I hope "It" doesn't suck, too. The book was over-the-top creepy.

Liesbet said...

Wow! I can't believe another year has passed already and the IWSG is due for another anthology. Time sure flies fast and I am not getting much closer to my writing goals in 2017. Hope you had a nice summer, Alex! Mine was busy, but I did manage to see Dunkirke last month and thought it was fantastically done!

Victoria Marie Lees said...

As always, thanks for all you do, Alex, to help your fellow writer. So much going on. Congratulations to everyone's new releases! Unfortunately, I don't have much time for movies. I wish I did. It's like being able to finish a book [storyline] in one sitting. I listen to lots of books on CD as I'm doing household chores. I like to see how authors put their plot together. I'm not sure I have the time to add one more story to write, but the anthology sounds great. Good luck to all who submit.

How does one become a co-host for the monthly question at IWSG? Thanks again for all you do to help us, Alex.

Shannon Lawrence said...

I'm looking forward to It, and also hoping it doesn't disappoint. I see no reason to see Flatliners (though I did like the original). And Tom Cruise...blech. No thanks.

I always recommend people try to stretch outside their comfort zone in writing. The one memoir short piece I wrote has been one of my best publishing experiences, yet was so far out of my realm of comfort.

Morgan Cartwright said...

I didn't realize there were a few new movies coming out this month that I might actually want to see.

Also, Flatliner, ehhh... really? Remake that one?

Anonymous said...

Good luck to everyone who enters for the anthology.

erica and christy said...

Learning to write articles and posts is a completely different kind of writing from fiction! Something I don't know if I'll ever learn... probably why I struggle to blog very often. There are always so many amazing things going on with the #IWSG and its members! Thanks! Christy

Helena said...

I'm not surprised at all that you're also good at contemporary fiction, Alex. For myself, I've started writing a sci fi novel, which is really out of character for me. But hey, a story came to me and I simply want to write it, and what I don't want is to be confined with the artificial construct of genres.

Rachna Chhabria said...

Hi Alex, I've always been fascinated with writers who write science fiction, and you Alex come in that category. The IWSG Anthology contest sounds interesting. Fingers crossed that I can get a story ready for it.

G. B. Miller said...

I think your quote about Flatliners is the best one I've heard about any movie yet.

What surprised me as a writer is that I was able to write a G-rated short story that I was eventually able to get published. As you well know, my speed is adult fiction that starts at "R" and works its way upwards, so this was a mighty accomplishment on my part.

I Are Writer!

mail4rosey said...

I wasn't a fan of Flatliners, but I do remember liking some of the actors in it. I think it's fun that you enjoyed writing outside of your comfort zone. Change can at times be welcome/interesting. :)

Botanist said...

I really enjoyed reading "It", but I'm always skeptical when they try to make a movie out of a good book. It rarely measures up (although LoTR was an outstanding exception to that rule).

Yvonne Ventresca said...

Happy to hear about the next IWSG anthology!

I read It--very scary. I won't be seeing the movie.

Brandon Ax said...

I finally rejoined IWSG. I always want to enter the anthology, but I can never fit my word count into the parameters. Maybe one day I will get better at this.

I want to see American Assassin, mostly for more Keaton. As far as It, loved the mini series as a kid, loved the book as an adult and now taking my daughter to see it this weekend.

DMS said...

The contest sounds interesting! I have seen the previews for Flatliners. Looks like it could be scary.

Thanks for sharing.
~Jess

Sandra Cox said...

Congrats to Tara and Shah.

Hope your weekend is going well, Alex.

EEGiorgi said...

Ooohhh, that's an exciting theme... makes me think of Agatha Christie, Poirot of course :-) I won't be able to submit but I can't wait to read the final product!! Best of luck, everyone!

Leslie S. Rose said...

I'm excited about Kingsman! A remake of Flatliners - really! With all the great original screenplays floating around Hollywood why dredge up such a remake?

H.R. Bennett said...

Not really sure how I feel about Flatliners. Absolutely loved the original, but Hollywood hasn't done well with the reboots recently.

EEGiorgi said...

Also, if you do go see IT please post a review :-)

Magic Love Crow said...

I actually really liked the first Flatliners! Why do they have to remake films!!!
So much going on! I hope you had a great weekend Alex!

Mason T. Matchak said...

Weird thing is, I think the first time my own writing really surprised me was when I was writing my first novel, way back in 1999. One of the main characters ran to attack a dragon instead of doing... whatever it was she was supposed to be doing, I've forgotten. It's bizarre to have that sort of thing happen, especially when writing by hand.

Also: "Here’s a twist – instead of remaking films you loved as a kid, Hollywood is now remaking films you didn’t care about in the first place." was hilarious. ^_^

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

So much is happening I can't keep up with it all. Must get busy.

J.H. Moncrieff said...

Seeing It tomorrow, and I'm so excited, though I do have a soft spot for the original mini-series. I really liked the adults' friendships in the original.

Happy to see the new anthology's genre is up my street. I'll have to give that some serious thought.

Doreen McGettigan said...

This is so much fabulous information! The writwr of the new IT movie grew up in my area. I hope it doesn't suck too. I'm too chicken to see it but I hope its good.

XmasDolly said...

So, I wanted you to know that I've started typing up my book again. Hopefully I'll be able to finish it this time. It's very difficult and when you read it you'll see why. Anyway, thanks for stopping by and I'm happy you like Charlie. He's a pet granted, but he's my company where my heart is no longer alone if you can understand that, but I do have to teach this puppy so he can stay under our roof. If he doesn't stop chewing everything in site hubby we'll say he's GOT TO GO! :( I personally think it'll break my heart, but i do understand. Have a great day my friend and thanks for stopping by. Next time maybe a few friends will follow you... hehehe I really need to figure out how to get more people to stop by my blog. BIG HUGS

UplayOnline said...

I loved the first one. Congrats on all the new releases!


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Mina Burrows said...

Four years? I can't believe it's been that long. On one hand it seems like yesterday and on another, it feels like it's Hallmark of sorts.

Love the contest theme. I bet there will be a ton of great submissions. Very exciting.

So excited to Tara's Two Princesses. So awesome!

Can never forget Flatliners. That's a blast from the past, huh?

I survived Hurricane Irma - had no power for a week, which is nothing compared to other folks serving Harvey and Irma. I'm blessed for sure.