Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, IWSG Anthology Contest, Really Great Villains, Bad Adaptations and New Stories, and New Releases

The awesome co-hosts for the April 1 posting of the IWSG are Diane Burton, JH Moncrieff, Anna @ Emaginette, Erika Beebe, Karen @ Reprobate Typewriter, and Lisa Buie-Collard!

Today’s question -
The IWSG’s focus is on our writers. Each month, from all over the globe, we are a united group sharing our insecurities, our troubles, and our pain. So, in this time when our world is in crisis with the covid-19 pandemic, our optional question this month is: how are things in your world?

We’re blessed there aren’t a lot of cases in our area. I’m still going to work! (Apparently I am essential.) But with most businesses now shut down and a stay at home order in place, there is a lot less traffic on the road.

I have faith we will survive this and my heart goes out to those who’ve been affected, either through the virus or the shut downs. Until it’s over, I’ll just keep praying and doing my part to keep me, my family, and everyone around me safe.

We’re revving up for the annual IWSG Anthology Contest!

It doesn’t open until May 6, but here’s a sneak peek.

The genre – science fiction!

And the amazing judges –

Dan Koboldt, author and #SFFpit founder

Lynda R. Young, author

Colleen Oefelein, agent, The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency

Damien Larkin, author

Ion Newcombe, editor and publisher

Julie Gwinn, agent, The Seymour Agency

David Powers King, author


The IWSG Instagram prompts for April:


Really Great Villains by Jemi Frasier

Alex and I share a love of SF & Fantasy movies and books. Among my favourites are LotR, HP, Firefly, BSG, McCaffrey’s PERN, and of course Star Wars & Star Trek.

One of the commonalities we find in these stories is a really great villain. Sauron. Voldemort & the Death Eaters. Reavers. Thread. 1st Order/Vader/Palpatine. Cylons. The Borg.

Some adjectives for those great villains might be: subversive, sneaky, vile, insidious, unscrupulous, relentless. Great villains made for good reading and good watching, but aren’t so great in real life.

My book, Dancing With Dementia, deals with real life and a real life villain. Dementia. Like Thread from PERN, our villain isn’t human or alien, it’s not sentient. But it is a villain nonetheless and those adjectives apply.

Like any good story, Dancing With Dementia showcases our battle against our villain. We may not have lightsabers, wands, or phasers, but we do have our own weapons. Patience and a sense of humour are probably the most effective for us.

Having the Force on our side would be a good thing though!

It’s a pleasure to be participating in author Jemi Fraser’s DANCING WITH DEMENTIA, Recognizing and Coping with the Early Stages of Dementia MC Book Tours Blog Tour through today.
The author is offering a tour-wide international giveaway of an Amazon Gift Card. More information on the giveaway is listed below.

Recognizing and Coping with the Early Stages of Dementia by Jemi Fraser
ISBN-13: 978-1-9991258-1-3

Dementia and Alzheimer’s touch the lives of millions around the world, but so much is still unknown.
As first-generation Canadians, we didn’t recognize the early warning signs. We didn’t know the differences between regular aging and the early stages of dementia. We’ve made mistakes but we’ve learned a lot.
DANCING WITH DEMENTIA will help you:
•Identify those early warning signs
•Use visuals to improve communication
•Choose your words wisely
•Redirect and reassure
•Stay calm and cope with your own emotions
•Consider nursing home options
•Improve caregiver self-care
We’ve learned to dance the early steps of the disease with our love and laughter intact. If you are looking for help recognizing early signposts along with practical ways to cope with early Dementia and Alzheimer’s, this book is for you.

DANCING WITH DEMENTIA buy links:
Amazon.com              Amazon.ca          Apple Books       Barnes & Noble          Kobo

Add DANCING WITH DEMENTIA to your Goodreads shelf

Jemi Fraser writes both fiction and nonfiction. Her nonfiction work focuses on the ways that dementia has impacted her family. Her fiction work varies from contemporary romance to suspense and flash fiction. Years as a teacher have taught Jemi that life is short and that happy endings are a must.
Jemi lives in Northern Ontario, Canada where snow is always a topic of conversation and the autumn leaves make everything better.
For more on Jemi and her writing, visit her following sites:

Amazon Page        BookBub      Goodreads       Facebook       Twitter       Quick Tips Videos

This tour-wide giveaway is for a $20 Amazon Gift Card. The giveaway is open internationally. To enter the giveaway, just click on this LINK and follow the instructions.


When Bad Movie Adaptations Inspire New Stories

About 12 years ago, when my wife and I were still newlyweds, we spent many a weekend watching a ton of movies (her favorites and mine). Then one Friday night, we watched an adaptation of one of her favorite fantasy books. It seemed weird to me. Maybe something you’d see on the Disney channel, but not in theaters. So then we discussed movie adaptations, and why it seems so difficult for Hollywood to stick with the source material. Then, out of the blue, my wife gave me a challenge: “write something I would like”. You see, until that point, I was a fledgling writer who had only written a Sci Fi trilogy. She’s more into fantasy, especially of the fairytale persuasion. I thought about it. I took her up on it, but not as a rewrite of other fairy tales. That’s been done over and over to death. Something different. A discovery novel. It would star a princess. It would need magical creatures. Oh, and a dragon! Definitely needs a dragon. In six months, I drafted my first fantasy novel with my wife’s interests in mind. Luckily for me, she loved it, and she still loves it to this day. I’m curious how an adaptation of it would turn out?

If you want in on this magical goodness, The Dragon’s Heart is available now in paperback and ebook, on Amazon. Also, it’s free with Kindle Unlimited. Free is good.

A princess. A dragon. Their quest.
Terrible things happen whenever Princess Celesia falls in love—she blacks out and attacks her suitors, which makes an alliance with a more powerful nation impossible. Believing that she’s cursed, Celesia is given two choices: marry without love, or be responsible for her kingdom’s demise. Instead, she sneaks off in search of a remedy. She doesn’t make it far when she encounters a dragon who bears a curse of his own—he is a prince, desperate to reclaim his humanity before the dragon takes over. He's heard of a stone that can lift both of their curses, but neither of them can find it alone, and they’re not the only ones after it. An evil alchemist is intent on using it to steal the land’s magic and dominate the realm. Only together, with the help of an even greater magic, can Celesia and the dragon stop this evil, or be bound forever by their curses.

David was born in beautiful downtown Burbank, California where his love for film inspired him to write. His works include the internationally published YA Fantasy Woven and The Undead Road: My Zombie Summer. An avid fan of science fiction and fantasy, David also has a soft spot for zombies and the paranormal. He now lives in the mountain West with his wife and four children. Find David - Blog, Twitter, and Amazon

Find The Dragon's Heart on Amazon and Goodreads


New Releases!

Finding the Perfect Mate by Stacy McKitrick

Finding the Perfect Mate just got way more complicated.

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

The Elusive by Pat Hatt

After thinking their long struggle had come to an end, Sally, Travis, and the others are thrust into more danger than ever before.

Find it on Amazon


How are you coping? Think you’ll enter the IWSG Anthology Contest? (Many of you have time to write now.) Who do you consider to be a really great villain? Has a bad movie adaptation ever inspired you? And if you’re doing the A to Z Challenge, good luck.
Special thanks to Tara Tyler for this badge and the prize in the mail:

120 comments:

Shady Del Knight said...

Hi, Alex!

It's good to know that you and your family are AOK. Mrs. Shady is on the front lines as a hospitalist nurse practitioner, doing her duty in spite of the risk of infection. I want to look into Dancing With Dementia. It is important to recognize the early warning signs and take proper action. The topic is being addressed this season on the hit TV series This Is Us.

I hope you and your loved ones stay healthy as the viral crisis continues to unfold. Have a safe week, good buddy Alex!

Elephant's Child said...

Stay safe, stay healthy.
I do love a good villian, and loved Jemi's book - though dementia is a villian I would like to see defeated for all time.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Alex - stay safe. I loved Lynda's book Wielder's Prize ... a really good read. All the best to David with his new publication, as too Jemi's - about Alzheimer's ... always good to learn about. Take care - Hilary

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Patience and a sense of humor are excellent weapons, Jemi! Good reminder...those are weapons we could all use right now.

As an introvert, this is a crisis I'm designed for, but my family is getting a bit antsy!

Arlee Bird said...

My biggest personal concern over the past couple weeks was a raging toothache. Fortunately my dentist was opened so they could address the issue. Five hours in the dentist chair yesterday left me a wreck, but hopefully today I'll be on the road to feeling better in that department. Now I guess I can think more about Covid.

Wishing Jemi well with her release. Love the title Dancing with Dementia

Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out

Pat Hatt said...

Patience and sense of humor sure are needed.

Essential sure is getting thrown around a lot. That and indefinitely. Things will get better at some point though.

Hans Gruber was a good villain. Not sci-fi or fantasy, but still. Thanks for the shout too.

Liza said...

Wishing you and your family continued good health, Alex.

CV Grehan said...

We're part of the hunker down team. My better half is working from home. I always work from home. I'm so appreciative of those who are holding it together for us out in the world. Many of them, my family and friends.
Stay well!

Stacy McKitrick said...

Thanks for the book mention, Alex. It's much appreciated!
It's nice that you're still working, but sad that you still have to go into work. Too bad you can't work from home! My husband is (because the company he works for is essential as they make firemen/emergency personnel PPE--not medical unfortunately). That's the only thing that's different for me during this crisis. Everyone is home WITH me. I'm so used to being here alone. But I'm getting used to it.

Pat Garcia said...

Hi,

Doing what I can do to help others live with their fears takes up a lot of my time. Here in Germany, we are in a period of Lockdown. Only medical people, grocery stores, and pharmacies are opened. The majority of the people went into a panic mode. It is sad so I do whatever I can to help others and to stay safe myself. For us here, since they have closed everything, I believe many are fighting to not go under.

To Jemi,

Hi,
I am a Star Trek fan. Don't laugh but I have never seen Star Wars. However, Star Trek and especially Star Trek Voyagers with
Captain Janeway was my favorite series. I am now looking at the new Picard Series but have only seen the first one so I can't say how I feel about it.

Wishing you much success with your wonderful book. For me, it is a hit.

Take care.

Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange

Joanne said...

continued good luck being an essential worker bee. Me too. I'm sure there's a lot of writing going on as folks settle into their "new" routine. Like babies in 9 months, books galore will be exploding into the createspace of the world. Should be interesting.

Jennifer Hawes said...

Glad to hear you are still able to work! I've noticed that traffic is pretty thin these days. Our hiking trails are pretty populated right now. But enough space for all of us to spread out and keep walking. Prayers for your family!

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

Of course you're essential, Alex! :)

Hoping you and yours continue to be safe and well. Take care!

T. Powell Coltrin said...

David is an awesome writer! Jemi's book will be the best guide through the terrible world of dementia. Much luck to you both.

Our county hasn't reported any cases, but it's only a matter of time.

Stay safe, Alex.

Mason Canyon said...

Alex, glad to know you and your family are safe and well. Thanks for being a part of Jemi's tour. Congrats to those with new releases.

Jemi, it's always fun to know someone else is a Star Trek and Firefly fan.

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

I’m glad you’re ok. I think the question this month is very poignant. Congratulations to Jemi. Max Brand’s new novel comes out today too. Life goes on.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Shady, I pray your wife stays healthy.

Hilary, Lynda's book was awesome.

Elizabeth, same here!

Lee, that sounds awful.

Pat, you're welcome.

Stacy, you're welcome! Sadly, almost no way I could work from home.

Pat, you stay safe there. And while I'm a far bigger Star Trek fan, you do need to see Star Wars sometime.

Joanne, very true!

Mason, happy to do so.

mshatch said...

Super happy for Jemi's new book and glad you're staying well.

Cathrina Constantine said...

My husband is still going to work too, but I'm home in isolation. I just hope he doesn't get sick. New York City is hit hard and Buffalo has hundreds of cases and its escalating. People have to take a break from the world news, it's good to be informed but it also causes mass hysteria like hoarding. We're hoping the weather breaks so we can at least get outside for walks. Take Care. Stay healthy.

kaykuala said...

Had a fair share of dementia when my MIL was afflicted. We were utterly confused initially and devastated but later managed it reasonably well. Good to have a peek at Jemi's just to be prepared. Stay safe Alex. We bloggers are lucky that the lockdown is not disastrously foreign for the sedentary living.

Hank

Natalie Aguirre said...

Glad your wife and you are healthy and that you are still able to work. Since I work at home as a contract writer, I can work too. Since I live alone, it gives my days some structure.

Congrats to everyone on their new books!

Jemi Fraser said...

Alex - thanks so much for hosting Dancing With Dementia today!!! Glad you & your wife are staying safe
David - The Dragon's Heart sounds fantastic - good luck with it!
Stacy & Pat - good luck with the releases!!
Shady - I hope your wife continues to be safe. Kudos & thanks to her! I hope DWDementia will help lots of people recognize early signs!
Sue - I agree! Wish we could defeat dementia!
Hilary - Thank you!
Elizabeth - definitely - humour and patience are powerful!
Arlee - thanks - Mom loves music and dancing so it works for us!
Pat H - totally agree!
Pat G - Ack!!! You have to see Star Wars, too!! I adore Janeway & the new Picard is great! I appreciate your support :)
Teresa - thank you so much!!
Mason - I love so many SF shows - Firefly might be my all-time favourite!
Joylene - thank you!
Marcy - thanks so much!!
Kaykuala - it is such a horrible disease! Glad you were able to manage it!
Natalie - thank you!

Lynn La Vita said...

I've struggled with the uncertainty and appreciate this question. Writing the answer gave me an opportunity examine my world.
I finally figure out how watch Star Trek Picard, here on the boat. Rick is a big fan and enjoyed the first two episodes.

Sandra Ulbrich Almazan said...

Stay healthy, Alex! Thanks for your guest posts, Jemi and David! Off to check out your books now.

Jennifer Lane said...

I'm also still working, and I feel blessed to have a job and structure to my week, but I also have a little FOMO about cleaning out my closets and lounging around. Glad to hear the cases are low in your area--hope it stays that way.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

What we're going through right now proves that real life villains are worse.

Congrats to Jemi and David on their new books.

Chemist Ken said...

I'm excited about the upcoming anthology. When do we get to find out this year's topic?

Congratulations to David and Jemi.

I hope you and your family stay safe!

Rachna Chhabria said...

Hi Alex, glad that your place has few cases and that you are still going to work. In India too only essential services are working. Please take all the necessary safety precautions. And, yes like you I too believe we will get through this soon. My heart goes to all those affected and who have lost loved ones. My prayers for your health and safety.

Heather M. Gardner said...

Hi Alex!!

Congrats to Jemi, David, Stacy, and Pat!
Congrats to Tara!

Let's all remember that when we got stuck in our homes, we turned to the arts to help us get through.
Heather

Carrie-Anne said...

It's great you're still able to go to work and that your area isn't too affected. I'm looking forward to resuming normal life and hopefully finally being able to move.

I'll definitely enter the next IWSG Anthology Contest! Though I don't write it often enough, sci-fi is my next-favorite genre.

Ellen Jacobson said...

Glad to hear you and your family are doing well!

Congrats to Jemi on her release. Dancing with Dementia is a wonderful book - very moving. Love the cover of David's book - you can't go wrong with a dragon :)

Congrats to Staci and Pat on their new releases as well.

Take care!

Tonja Drecker said...

Of course, you're essential! (doesn't that sound good???) Outside of the kids being home...which thanks to all of the snow days they were pretty much anyway...not much has changed here. Can't wait to see the anthology's theme! a

Nicki Elson said...

Stay safe out there! And thank you for doing your essential job. It will be interesting to see what we're all reporting a month from now.

Congrats to David, Stacy & Pat!

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

Being stuck at home is stressful for some people, but having to work in the midst of the outbreak is worse. I'm glad there haven't been many cases in your area, and I hope it stays that way. GA's cases and death toll are both soaring, and our hospitals and medical personnel are already overwhelmed. On the plus side, I never thought I'd see so little traffic here in Atlanta. Makes driving to the cancer center a breeze. :)

I've ordered both Jemi's and David's books, and I'm looking forward to reading both of them.

Science fiction, eh? That's in your wheelhouse... I hope you write something for the anthology. Hunker down, and take care.

PJ Colando said...

Thanks, as always, for maintaining a monthly appointment and safe place for writers, insecure or not, to connect. Now, more than ever, it's what we need in this era of unending - and enforced - isolation.

So glad that you and your family are safe, Ninja Man!

diedre Knight said...

Happy April, Captain!

I see that my comment on your last post did not go through somehow. Just wanted to say I was impressed with Novena, more so with the song Corazon.

Dancing With Dementia is definitely on my TBR list! Often a message is clearer when spoken from the heart.

We think you're pretty essential here at IWSG too!

J.Q. Rose said...

I like Jemi's comparison of COVID-19 to being a villain. Right on and we are battling this monster with all we can throw at it. Patience and sense of humor and I would like to add persistence are keys to winning!! Congratulations on Jemi's new release. I believe we all know a friend or family member who has been attacked by this villain.
JQ Rose

Bish Denham said...

Jemi's book is so needed and wanted. And I'm glad she wrote it. I'm also very curious about The Dragon's Heart, sounds like a book I'd enjoy reading.

Hubby and I have been hunkering down for over two weeks now with no ill effects. I guess that means since we haven't killed each other yet we aren't likely to. :D

Stay safe, stay well.

Yolanda Renée said...

So many great books out this spring, I've read Jemi's and it's wonderful. I'll have to give David's a go. I love that his wife was his inspiration!

Sadira Stone said...

Thanks, Captain Alex, for keeping this connection going during this crazy time. It's truly a highlight of my month. Stay safe and well.

Tyrean Martinson said...

Alex - I'm glad you and your family are doing well! My husband gets to work from home and it's working out really well, thankfully.
Congrats to Jemi, David, Stacy, Pat, and Tara!!!

emaginette said...

As always, a lovely and supportive post. :-)

Anna from elements of emaginette

Jemi Fraser said...

Sandra, Diane, Ken, Heather, Ellen, Yolanda, Tyrean - thanks so much!!
Susan - thanks for the order!!
Diedre - thank you! Writing the book was such an emotional experience!
JQ - thank you! Persistence is vital, isn't it?
Bish - thank you! It was a tough 'write' but I'm glad I did it!

cleemckenzie said...

I have Jemi's book and look forward to reading it. Congratulations to David on his latest and to you on your Beast World recognition badge. Tara's very sweet.

Computer Tutor said...

I have to say, Alex, this was a wonderful and timely question. I'm drawing strength from reading these posts, seeing we are all in this together, often doing the same things. Thank you for this.

Lori L. MacLaughlin said...

Glad to hear you and your family are doing okay, Alex. I work from home anyway so it's not a big adjustment for me. My daughter is home from college and finishing her semester online. My son works at a grocery store and is considered essential so he's still out there in the general public, which makes me nervous, but somebody's got to do it. Congrats to all the new releases! Alzheimer's/dementia is a horrible disease, so cruel to everyone involved. We've been through it with my father-in-law and grandmother. Someone has to find a cure. Let's hope it's sooner, rather than later.

Michelle Wallace said...

The world has gone mad.
I’ve decided to focus on what I can control… there’s enough doom and gloom out there.
Stay safe, Alex!

David Powers King said...

Thanks for the shout out, and congrats to Jemi! That's one nice looking badge, glad to hear you are essential, but we already knew that. Stay safe, Ninja Alex Sir! :)

Mary Aalgaard said...

I'm taking it one day at a time. Appreciating having one of my boys home with me. Playing music. Journaling. Connecting in ways that are safe, at a distance, but still seeing faces.

Botanist said...

Glad to see sci-fi in the spotlight for this go around. I'll give it a pass - I just don't get along with short pieces, I love the broader canvas of a novel - but I wish you all the best success with it. Stay safe!

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I love a good 'bad guy' too whether they are monsters or people. Congrats to all those authors releasing new books.
Less traffic is strange in a dystopian kind of way. Stay safe.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Catharina, you be very careful in that area.

Hank, very true!

Jemi, you're welcome!

Lynn, glad you're enjoying the show.

Ken, on May 6!

Carrie-Anne, you have to enter.

Tonja, thanks!

Susan, I almost want to see Atlanta deserted. And since I'm an admin, I can't enter.

Diedre, thanks for listening!

Sadira, I like to hear that.

Jacqui, thank IWSG Admin Elizabeth - her idea.

David, you're welcome!

Susan, yes it is...

Nilanjana Bose said...

So very glad to know that you and family are okay. Stay safe and well.

I like lovable rogue type villains, humans and otherwise.

Chrys Fey said...

All the best to Jemi and David!

Stay safe and healthy, Alex.

Fundy Blue said...

Hi, Alex! I finally got my IWSG post up. The anthology one was a bear to put together, even though it looked simple, so I was up very late working on that last night. Regardless, I enjoyed your post today. Congratulations to the authors you featured! Of course, I have already ordered Pat's new book. Great genre for the new anthology contest! I'll have to think about a really great villain and get back to you on that. Certainly one of the most fascinating is Satan in "Milton's Paradise Lost." Well, I'm off to a FaceTime workout with my trainer. Take care, my friend. I'm saying prayers for us all!

J E Oneil said...

Things have gotten really scary. There are a lot of people I'm worried about, and I just hope everyone's doing okay.

Anonymous said...

All is calm in Magick-land. We're staying in and doing our part to not add to the problems. Patience and humor are, indeed, necessary in these strange days.

Very excited about the new anthology! I definitely plan to participate.

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

I wonder if there are more A-Zers because of the pandemic, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

We could've told you that you're essential, Alex.
Stay safe and well.

Empty Nest Insider said...

Best of luck to Jemi and David! The new IWSG Anthology is also sure to be a hit. I agree with Robyn that you are definitely essential, Alex! Be careful at work and wishing you and your wife continued good health.

Julie

Gwen Gardner said...

I'm so glad you're safe and still able to work. Take care, Alex!

Congrats to everyone on your new releases. Hope all is well. Keep on writing!

AJ Bock said...

Isn't it odd to be determined essential? I'm still going to work too. Hopefully this blows over soon and we can get back to normal! Stay safe.

Michael Di Gesu said...

Hi Alex,

Happy to see you are doing well. Also, happy to hear that you don't have too many cases. I am currently in Orlando and sadly we have over seven thousand! I am anxious to get back north to my home. (Never realized we I left in very early March that the virus would escalate to this level. I never would have left!) Driving through the country now is not wise and I am not sure if it is even allowed. I hope in a few weeks I will be able to do so.

Congrats to Jemi on her new book~ All the best, Jemi!


Congrats to David on his new novel as well!


Congrats on YOU NEW WIN! I love the Beast World series!

Stay safe... off to draft my post! I forgot today is the first Wednesday of the month!

Birgit said...

Glad you are both doing well. I am working from home so you be safe. Dementia is an evil villain and robs so much. I understand this since my mom had vascular dementia but at least she remembered who I and my brother were. I was lucky in that way. Jaws the shark is a great villain. Blofeld from James Bond films and the usual you already mentioned. Stay safe!

Carol Kilgore said...

Glad to see some new books showing here. Jemi, I wish you a bestseller! The upcoming anthology should be another hit. Stay safe, everyone.

Olga Godim said...

It's good you're safe. Stay safe, Alex.
Thanks for the heads-up about the new books and the upcoming scifi anthology. I might participate. Can't wait to discover its theme.

J.H. Moncrieff said...

Glad to hear you're still well and working, Alex. Wishing you and your family continued good health through this crisis.

Jemi Fraser said...

Lee, Patricia, David, Susan, Nilanjana, Chris, Julie, Gwen, Michael - thank you!
Lori - it is such a cruel disease! I hope the best minds in the world are working on it & COVID-19 right now!
Birgit - you were lucky with that part of the disease - it is truly awful. Glad she remembered you!
Carol - thanks! I'm just hoping for double digits at this point!

Diane Burton said...

Glad you & family are well, Alex. Stay safe.

Liz A. said...

Yes, bad movie adaptations frequently inspire me. I always want to make it better. Congrats to David and Jemi.

Liesbet said...

Hi Alex!

I hope you and your family are doing well. Such challenging times. Probably a good thing you can still go to work and put your mind on that. No movie reviews? I guess theaters are non-essential businesses... :-)

I liked the introduction of Jemi Fraser to her book. Well done, describing the disease as a villain. I have thought the same about cancer, and even this Coronavirus.

The only time I'll attempt a story for an IWSG anthology is when it's non-fiction. Stay positive and healthy!!

Jenni said...

I'm glad you and your family are doing well, Ales! I really enjoyed David's story of his inspiration from the bad movie and his wife. It's interesting the many ways we can be inspired.
As I was reading your post, I was thinking it's interesting that the best villains seem to be from fantasy. Although here are a couple I loved in classic kidlit: Nellie Olsen from Little House and Mrs. Lynde from Anne of Green Gables.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Louise, you did a great job with the Anthology blog post!

Lee, don't add to the problem - wise advice!

Thanks, Robyn. There actually seems to be a lot less.

Michael, that's a lot.

Olga, it's a good one.

Leisbet, we've been watching DVDs and movies I've already reviewed I'm afraid...

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

Congratulations on all the new books. Reading them will help pass the time when you can't go anywhere.
Stay well, Alex and Family.
And pray. This, too, shall pass.

Loni Townsend said...

I'm considered essential too... but thankfully my job lets me work from home. Stay safe!

Truedessa said...

Hi Alex,

Glad you and your wife are doing well. I am lucky as I can telecommute. I have been working home for 3 weeks and it doesn't look like that will change any time soon.

Congrats to all with new books, they all look fantastic. I plan on buying a few books to keep me busy. I have read Pat's other two books in the series so that is a must.

Be well, Be safe All...

love, health and faith...

Lisa said...

One of the worst/best villians I've seen in a movie was the character played by Matt Damon in "The Talented Mr. Ripley". That movie stuck with me for days...and not it a good way! Don't think I'll try the anthology this time, don't write scifi! Stay safe!

S.E. White Books said...

Glad to know you and the family are okay, may it continue.
Congratulations to all the new releases! The Dragon's Heart, in particular, looks awesome. I'll have to add it to my wishlist. I have to say I'm already close to hitting my Goodreads reading goal thanks to the stay-at-home orders. It's one tiny bright spot, finding all of these wonderful books to read and having the time to read them.
Happy IWSG day!

Doreen McGettigan said...

I'm so happy to hear you and your family are well, praying you stay that way! If you need hosting help, let me know..I have a lot more free time for the next few months:)

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Good to hear you're staying safe.
Congrats to Jemi and David.
Jemi, all your favs are my favs too!!

Karen Lynn said...

I'm looking forward to seeing the Sci Fi anthology. I don't know if I'll come up with anything, yet. Happy IWSG Day.

Erika Beebe said...

Hi Alex. I love your optimism. I think it’s a great strength and a necessary feeling to get through these murky times. My writing has slowed but it will pick back up in the next couple of days as I have calmed down some. I am definitely sending out prayers for all to remain healthy and maintain good heart and spirit.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Truedessa, glad you are home.

Erika, as am I.

kimlajevardi.com said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
kimlajevardi.com said...

We're in one of the locked-down states, but we're doing well so far. I hope you and your family continue to stay healthy!

dolorah said...

I agree; not all villains are human. Or tangible. Disease is a terrible villain - or good villain, if we're talking something that totally terrorizes and incapacitates its victims. Someday maybe we will have a cure.

SciFi theme? Bring it on!!

Good luck David. The book sounds awesome. Hope your wife is pleased.

Be well and safe Alex.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations to the authors! This makes what, number elventy-hundred for Pat? haha Love you, Pat!!

My hubby and I are also blessed to still be able to work. He goes in a few days a week. I go in once a week. The rest of the time, we work from home. We're both hoping it will stay that way and no layoffs are ahead.

Stay healthy and safe,
Elsie

Kalpana said...

Congratulations to everyone on their new releases. I'm glad to hear you're safe and well. I don't know if I'll write for the Anthology - I haven't written SciFi. Till now. Let's see.Stay safe and well.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Doreen, thanks!

Donna, we are bringing it on!

Elsie, hope not!

Ronel Janse van Vuuren said...

Stay safe, Alex!

Couple of interesting books...

Tamara Narayan said...

Right now the villain is Covid-19, but congrats to Jemi for working on such an important topic like dementia.

Debra Renée Byrd said...

I work in an essential division, and my boss is the director, so I'm still working, just from home.

I totally forgot about A to Z. I haven't done it in a few years, but it snuck up on us, didn't it?

Sandra said...

We could have told you that you're essential:)

Yvette Carol said...

It's reassuring to hear from everyone that they're doing okay. Keep keeping on.

Mary Kirkland said...

We have 1100 cases in Nevada right now. I'm staying inside as much as possible. I hope we stop seeing new cases soon.

Steven Arellano Rose Jr. said...

I think two of the greatest villains (there are too many to name), are Dracula and Darth Vader. Both are tragic figures when you hear (or see) their full stories and yet they are menacing to the core.


Congratulations, Alex, on winning the Beastworld campaign! Take care and stay healthy.

Jo said...

Oddly enough I just bought Dancing with Dementia and I have David's book too. Of course I am dancing with Dementia so am interested to see what is written about dealing with it. I also have Dancing with Elephants which is written on much the same premise. But, I regret to say, that much as I love reading, I can get bored with doing so being stuck at home and being commanded by my friends not to go out.

Stay safe Alex.

J Lenni Dorner said...

I have seen some bad movie adaptations, but they inspired me. I've seen some movies that were supposed to be comedies and, for the life of me, I have no idea what was supposed to be funny. (The giant, glaring plot holes from the serious lack of basic research?)

Onward was pretty good though. It was fantasy mixed with rpg and had a story about family- about brothers. That was good.

And yeah, I'm doing the A to Z Challenge. Co-hosting, doing my own blog, and as part of the Operation Awesome Team. Crazy, right? But it's good to be back to blogging.

I moved my blog.
https://jlennidorner.blogspot.com

Rhonda Albom said...

Glad to hear you are safe. We are too. I am glad our girls are both at home for the lockdown. In NZ we are on day 9 of a minimum of four weeks. I am trying to remain positive and enjoy the family time. With my girls both transitioning to adults, this may be the last time we are all together.

Sherry Ellis said...

I bet there will be a lot of entries for the next anthology contest. Sci-fi will be a popular genre.

Glad to hear you haven't had much trouble with the coronavirus. We've had it here. I had it. Recovered. I will say, it's nice not to have all the Atlanta traffic!

Victoria Marie Lees said...

Congratulations on your blog award from Tara. It couldn't have happened to a better blogger. Bravo! These new releases sound wonderful. All the luck with them to the authors. I'm glad you are staying well and safe, Alex. I'm praying for an end to this mess as well. All best to you, sir!

lostinimaginaryworlds.blogspot.com said...

Thank you, Alex, as always, and wishing a safe time through this, kind regards, Carole 🤗

Juneta key said...

Glad to hear you are doing well. Congrats to all the authors of new releases. Stay safe, stay health, and belated IWSG!

Jemi Fraser said...

Liz, Beverly, Truedessa, Elsie, Kalpana, Tamara & Juneta - thank you!
Liesbet - thank you - there are definite similarities with dementia and COVID-19!!
Jenni - those are great choice. Nellie & Mrs. Lynde have given me lots of angst!
Lynda - I knew we were friends for a good reason!
Donna - totally agree! We need those cures!
Jo - I haven't read Dancing With Elephants yet - it's on the list!

mail4rosey said...

I do love a good book! Glad to hear you and yours are safe. We are doing the same as you mentioned, just doing our part to help keep ourselves and others safe, and sending up a lot of prayers. One of my dear friends is a respiratory therapist, and her whole life has turned upside down, as it has for many. Extra-extra kudos to those who still do their part even when it is very difficult.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Debra, we were a bit preoccupied...

Thanks, Sandra!

Jo, Jemi's book will probably help you. And you stay at home!

J, it will also keep you occupied.

Rhonda, enjoy it the best you can.

Sherry, wow! Glad you recovered.

Rosey, I'm sure it's heartbreaking for many.

Powdered Toast Man said...

Thinking about villains in the real world makes me think of the villain support group in Wreck-it Ralph.

Toi Thomas said...

Thanks for another great hop and for visiting my blog.
I'm excited to hear the next anthology challenge will be science fiction.
Some villains make the hero better.
DANCING WITH DEMENTIA and The Dragon’s Heart sound like good reads.

The Happy Whisk said...

Tim goes to work as well (outside of the home), and I continue to work at home (as I did before the pandemic). Loved the eggs and the Alex from your most recent post. Happy Holiday to you and Mrs. Alex.

Andrew Leon said...

I don't really have a comment today.
Flatten the curve.
I suppose that was a comment.

Lynda Dietz said...

I popped over to say have a blessed Easter. I'm glad for your income but sorry for your exposure with you as an essential employee. We've been recording our worship sets with a very small team of the same people each week to minimize risk, and it's been wonderful to see that more people are watching our YouTube services and joining us for the premier of them on Sunday mornings each week. In many cases, it's people who might not ever enter the church building but who are hungry for comfort right now.

Deniz Bevan said...

Happy Easter1
Congratulations to Jemi! :-)

Sandra Cox said...

I toddled over and read Nancy's article. Awesome! Thanks for recommending.
You and yours stay safe. Stay healthy.

Magic Love Crow said...

Alex, good to know that you and your loved ones are safe and healthy! Please continue to take care of yourselves! Wishing you a Happy Easter!Jemi's book sounds fantastic! Big Hugs!

Susan B.Rouchard said...

Thank you Alex, for all your news and the sneak peek at the Anthology Contest. Would love to participate this year but feeling a bit daunted by the company ... as my WEP flashes haven’t had much success ...
Thank you David for sharing the origins of your debut fantasy novel and congratulations.
Have an inspiring Easter and Spring. Take care . Stay safe.

Sandra Cox said...

David, I think it's outstanding you wrote a book for your wife.

Morgan said...

HAPPY EASTER, ALEX!!! Hope it's lovely for you!! <3

Mark Koopmans said...

Best wishes to our DPK on his book and this IS a great time for all of us to grab a new book, or genre, and see what may tickle our fancy.

Alex, thanks for the comments and support these past couple of weeks. Much appreciated.

Wishing you and yours a happy, and!! if you're staying home (sorry, couldn't help it) a great/relaxing Easter holiday weekend. :)

Mark Koopmans said...

Alex,

Wishing you and yours a happy Easter, and if you're staying home (sorry, couldn't help it) have a great/relaxing holiday weekend. :)

PS: Thanks for the continued support these past couple of weeks. Much appreciated.

Damyanti Biswas said...

Glad that you are doing okay. Love that cover.

Sandra Cox said...

Happy Easter, my friend.