Wednesday, August 5, 2020

Insecure Writer’s Support Group and Favorite Movies with Jemi and Jacqui

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 today are Susan Baury Rouchard, Nancy Gideon, Jennifer Lane, Jennifer Hawes, Chemist Ken, and Chrys Fey!

August 5 question - Quote: "Although I have written a short story collection, the form found me and not the other way around. Don't write short stories, novels or poems. Just write your truth and your stories will mold into the shapes they need to be."
Have you ever written a piece that became a form, or even a genre, you hadn't planned on writing in? Or do you choose a form/genre in advance?

I knew I was going for science fiction and a full length story. I probably envisioned something a bit longer than what I came up with though. All four of my novels have come in on the shorter end of the word count for the genre. I could force it but that’s just the way I write.

I did try a poem once. I think a nice way to describe the results was one freaking big mess…


The IWSG Anthology Contest is ending soon!

Guidelines and rules:
Word count: 4500-6000
Genre: Science Fiction
Theme: Dark Matter
Submissions accepted: May 6 - September 2, 2020
How to enter: Send your polished, formatted (double-spaced, no footers or headers), previously unpublished story to admin @ insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please include your full contact details, your social links, and if you are part of the Blogging, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter IWSG group.
Judging: The IWSG admins will create a shortlist of the best stories. The shortlist will then be sent to our official judges.
Our judges: Dan Koboldt, Lynda R. Young, Colleen Oefelein, Damien Larkin, Ion Newcombe, Julie Gwinn, and David Powers King


Voyagers is on sale!
Pick it up for $2.99 on Amazon

Favorite Movies with Jemi Fraser

Thanks for inviting me to the blog today, Alex! Everyone loves movies so I thought I’d check in with my characters for their favourites!

• Former SEAL Sawyer (Reaching For Normal) is helping reintegrate wolves into Vermont. He watches wildlife documentaries. His favourite movie from childhood is Never Cry Wolf based on Farley Mowat’s book.
• Freelance writer Myla (Reaching For Normal) has never had a home or a family. She adores adventures and prefers to watch movies that are full of fun. Her favourite all-time movie is ET.
• Quinn (Reaching For Risks) owns a sporting goods store. He prefers adventure movies with happy endings, but don’t tell anyone that last part. His favourite movie as a kid was Jumanji.
• Darby (Reaching For Risks) owns a Victorian-style B&B. She’s a romantic at heart and adores rom coms. She has a special affinity for Gracie in Miss Congeniality.
• Rayce (Reaching For Everything) is a carpenter and furniture maker. He’d rather be in his workshop that in front of a screen, but when he does watch, give him a superhero movie any day.
• Kami (Reaching For Everything) is a former tennis pro whose life has been anything but easy. When she does have time for a movie, she’s all about the escape a movie provides. Princess/General Leia is her favourite character.

What about you? Anyone have the same tastes as my characters?

Welcome to Bloo Moose, Vermont where love is worth the risk! Small-town contemporary romance with an element of suspense. Each book is a stand-alone.


Reaching For Normal
She’s no damsel in distress. He’s no Prince Charming. But if they don’t team up it won’t be only wolves that’ll be dying.
Amazon.com.    Amazon.ca.    Apple.     Kobo.    Google Play.

Reaching For Risks
One Reno List for the B&B. One Risk List for herself. One sexy retailer who should be the last one she wants.
Amazon.com.    Amazon.ca.    Apple.    Kobo.     Google Play
Barnes and Noble.     Goodreads.     Bookbub

Reaching For Everything
Love means nothing in tennis. Can he prove to her that love means everything in life?
Amazon.com.    Amazon.ca.     Apple.     Kobo.     Google Play

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.
Website                      Facebook                  Twitter           
Amazon                     BookBub                   Goodreads
Just Jemi blog


Top Ten Movies about Prehistoric Man By Jacqui Murray

With the publication of my latest novel, Against All Odds, Book 3 in the Crossroads trilogy and the fourth I've written about man's prehistory, I become maybe the most prolific writer in a genre with few readers. My stories are even more tangential because they deal with man's world a million or more years in the past. Don't even ask why I chose this subgenre. It's complicated, which is code for I don't understand.

Alex asked me to come up with ten movies from my genre and share them with his readers. Sure, why not? And then I found out how challenging this was. Yes, there are a lot of movies about prehistory but most of them are a fictionalized world not based on fact. I found few that even vaguely resembled what really happened Back Then so I settled for the ones that were popular.
Here's my list:

The Clan of the Cave Bear
A young Cro-Magnon woman is separated from her family and rescued by Neanderthals who then raise her as their own. This movie was based on Jean Auel's wildly popular and well-researched novel, Clan of the Cave Bear. Readers loved her vision of early man and devoured everything in her series, Earth's Children.
1 Million BC
Tumak is banished from his tribe and meets Loana (Raquel Welch) who belongs to a different tribe and must fight others to win her favor. Little about this tale is based on fact but it's a typical boy-meets-girl sort of love story.
10,000 BC
When warriors in what we now call the Ural Mountains capture the mate of a powerful mammoth hunter, he with his tribe embark on an odyssey to save her. Though not well grounded in fact and panned by critics, the audience loved it.
Quest for Fire
Three Neanderthal tribesmen search for a new fire source. Though Quest for Fire often lacks a factual foundation, it does attempt to present early man in a respectful light and was well accepted by the movie industry.
Ice Age
Set during the Ice Age, this computer-animated film tells the story (in a humorous way) of a sabertooth tiger, a sloth, and a woolly mammoth who find a lost human infant and try to return him to his tribe.
Iceman
A Neolithic clan is attacked while their leader is away hunting. He returns to find most of his tribe dead, including his family, and wants revenge. This is based on a true story of the mummy called Iceman, one of the best known frozen humans in the world.
Ao, the Last Hunter
When his Neanderthal clan, including his wife and baby girl, are massacred, Ao leaves the North to join his twin brother. On his long and adventurous journey, he meets Aki, a Homo sapiens woman.
Walking with Cavemen
A BBC docudrama that portrays the life of early man.
#10
Truth, I couldn't find a #10. Some movies made other people's Top Ten lists--His Prehistoric Past (directed by Charley Chaplin), Three Ages (directed by Buster Keaton), Early Man (directed by Nick Park)--but these focused more on humor and entertainment than a portrayal of man's far past. If you liked these, I'd love to hear from you in the comments.

That's it! If you love prehistoric fiction but want it to be accurate, check out my latest novel, Against All Odds. Here's a quick summary:
Set 850,000 years ago, a time when man populated most of Eurasia, our ancestors were a violent species, fully capable of addressing the many hardships that threatened his survival except for one: future man, a smarter version of himself, one destined to obliterate all those who came before.
Available digitally (print soon) at: Kindle US   Kindle UK   Kindle CA   Kindle AU

Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy, the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers, and the Man vs. Nature saga. She is also the author/editor of over a hundred books on integrating tech into education, adjunct professor of technology in education, blog webmaster, an Amazon Vine Voice,  a columnist for NEA Today, and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. Look for her next prehistoric fiction, Against All Odds, Summer 2020. You can find her tech ed books at her publisher’s website, Structured Learning


Does the genre choose you or do you choose the genre? Want to watch some of those movies with the Bloo Moose crew? What are your favorite prehistoric movies? And are you entering the IWSG Anthology Contest – one month to go!
I’ll be back next Monday with a bunch of movie reviews for you!

103 comments:

Elephant's Child said...

Love your ongoing support of writers.
Movies just don't do it for me. I like to be able to stop and think about things - which would drive anyone watching a movie with me batshit crazy. Books on the other hand...

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Congrats to Jemi and Jacqui

I'm glad you didn't pad out your scifi novels. I love them the way they are.

Shannon Lawrence said...

Congratulations to Jemi and Jacqui!

I've been asked to write a poem for an anthology I'm collaborating on, and...well, it's been a long time since I wrote a poem, so I don't think it's going to go well, but we'll see.

A Hundred Quills said...

Congratulations to Jemi and Jacqui. Jemi's book has been on my list for long. I better catch up fast.
Thanks Alex for a great group.
Sonia from https://soniadogra.com

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Alex – You created wonderful stories with your series – and I suspect are better having not been expanded to the expected length. I’m sure you’ll have plenty of entries for the Anthology contest … good luck to all.

Love the idea re the movies … good luck to Jemi with her Bloo Moose series – her Dancing with Dementia highlights her love of music.

I’m looking forward to reading Jacqui’s book – now here … I just hope Raquel Welch doesn’t portray herself too much into Jacqui’s book!

All the best to all readers – take care, stay safe and thanks Alex for your support for IWSG members … Hilary

nashvillecats2 said...

Congrats to Jemi and Jackui. Thanks Alex for another wonderful post of reviewa.
Good to read.
Have a good month.

Yvonne.

Sarah Foster said...

Congrats to Jemi and Jacqui!
I think Ice Age is the only prehistoric movie I’ve seen.

Shady Del Knight said...

Hi, Alex!

In the early 2000s I completed a series of scrapbooks aimed at helping to preserve the Shady Dell legacy. Scrapbooking evolved into blogging, a format that allows me to continue that work while "hosting parties," another lifelong passion.

On the Jemi Fraser list, I share the love of wildlife documentaries, movies that are full of fun and films that provide escape.

Enjoy the rest of your week, good buddy Alex!

Patsy said...

I thought I was writing a short story when I began my novel Paint Me A Picture. 80,000 or so words in I realised my mistake, stopped working on it while I learned about novel writing and eventually completed it ten years after getting the original idea.

Nick Wilford said...

Write what works for you, Alex - it's seen great results!

Fun post from Jemi and congrats to Jacqui. That sounds like an interesting book; I haven't read something like that before. Three more prehistoric films that are ridiculous but clearly intentionally so: The Flintstones, The Croods, Year One.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Jemi, your characters have some good recommendations! I'll have to check those out.

Alex, I write short for my genre, too!

Susan B.Rouchard said...

Stick with your genre Alex, you know what you’re good at. Thanks for the movie reviews too. Polishing my entry for the Anthology .... Happy August writing.

Lynn La Vita said...

I've never written a word of poetry or appreciated it much. One or two our writer's group started reading their poetry and I had to listen. I've come to enjoy some of it.

I'm grateful you don't stuff extra words for the sake of length. Newspaper stories are filled with repetitive information. Drives me nuts.

Joanne said...

congrats to these authors. Quite the variety and good characters.
Alex - somehow I bet your poem wanted to be messy and that's what made it good. Everyone's a critic on their own work. Eager to read your reviews - I assume from all streamings....stay cool.

Natalie Aguirre said...

I think we have to write the way we enjoy. While I have to watch my word count some, I'm a writer like you who likes to make every word count. I really enjoy how you write your books and keep the plot moving.

Congrats to Jemi and Jacqui on their new books.

Jennifer Lane said...

I loved The Clan of the Cave Bear book but never saw the movie.

I think the genre of romance chose me instead of me choosing it. I was the opposite of you when I started writing--my novels were too long. Bloviating! Now they're more reasonable length.

Empty Nest Insider said...

Glad your dream of writing science fiction turned into such a successful series! I think you’re being too hard on yourself about your poem. The new IWSG Anthology sounds exciting. Congrats to Jemi and Jacqui!

Julie

Cathrina Constantine said...

Congrats Jemi and Jacqui! I Can't wait to read these awesome books! Jemi and Jacqui mentioned quite a few of my favorite movies.

Alex, your books are perfect. I have been learning how to tighten my drafts and stop adding fluff which only hurts the story.

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks, everyone! And thanks again, Alex for letting my highjack your blog!
Jacqui - your book sounds fascinating. The only movie I've seen on your list is Ice Age - lots of fun! Best of luck!!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Lynda, thanks!

Shannon, good luck.

Hilary, appreciate that.

Sarah, I've seen four of them on the list.

Shady, that's cool! Glad you are blogging now.

Patsy, surprise!

Nick, thanks, and I've seen the second one you mentioned.

Elizabeth, good to know.

Lynn, good point.

Joanne, yes, all from streaming.

Natalie, thanks!

Thanks, Cathrina.

Jemi, you're welcome!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I liked Never Cry Wolf although it was very sad. Loved the Ice Age movies though!

Rachna Chhabria said...

Alex, your Scifi novels are perfect the way they are. And I really envy all scifi writers :)

Chemist Ken said...

Movie reviews? Are movies still happening these days? ;)

I remember trying to write poetry back in middle school. I didn't care about themes or deeper meanings. All I cared about was making the words rhyme.

Hooray for Jemi and Jacqui!

Stacy McKitrick said...

Congrats to Jemi & Jacqui on your new releases. Hope you two get many, many sales.

I don't know if the genre chose me or if I chose the genre! I write what I like to read (paranormal romance). Of course, I always enjoyed reading horror, too, but never had the desire to WRITE it. So maybe I did choose paranormal romance.

kimlajevardi.com said...

I started with shorts and poems. I was better at the shorts than the poems, but I did learn a lot. Have a great week, Alex!

S.A. Larsenッ said...

I hear you on the poetry front. I began writing in junior high school, which I would now call story through poetry. I couldn't call it verse because it didn't really follow much of a lyrical pattern if any at all. LOL I had no idea about structure. I just wrote it as it came to me. Still do, sometimes.

Liza said...

I started with poems. Graduated to essays. Dared to move on to novels...

I think you just have to know what you want to say. It will change, but start at the beginning...with a good story.

Hope all is well with you, Alex.

Carrie-Anne said...

I adore prehistoric fiction, and wish there were more books in the subgenre. I've wanted to write some prehistoric books for a long time, particularly about our awesome Neanderthal cousins. There's so much old misinformation perpetuated about them (e.g., using Neanderthal as a synonym for unenlightened and brutish), but all the research from recent years proves they were so much smarter and more advanced than assumed.

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

Look at all those books to read and movies to watch. A great way to spend the day. Congratulations to all.

Nancy Gideon said...

Thanks for letting me co-host the tribe this month! Always meet the best people and projects!! As for prehistoric movies, I think I peaked at Ice Age with my grandguy!! Loved me that Scrat!

M.J. Fifield said...

I used to write poetry quite a lot. But now, I've been languishing in prose-land instead. It was always an interesting experiment...even if a lot of them turned out to be big freaking messes. :)


I wonder what my characters' favorite movies would be. Fun post, Jemi!

Birgit said...

I could easily see choosing the genre and then writing. I don’t know those movies at all but the prehistoric flicks...sure. Even I love Raquel in the fur bikini. These are all fun films and I would add the 1925 film, The Lost World which was one of the first films using stop motion. I would also add the segment from Fantasia with Rite of Spring from Stravinsky. If you haven’t seen that segment, you should watch it.

Tamara Narayan said...

Genre. I've written a paranormal/detective and a historical novel and am in the middle of a contemporary novel. Maybe I'll try half a dozen genres and see which is my sweet spot. Not a good strategy for building an audience, but hey, I'm not publishing them, yet.

I've seen many of the movies loved by the Bloo Moose crew. They all sound like unique people I'd like to meet.

I really enjoyed the heck out of Clan of the Cave Bear, but haven't read the others.

Nicki Elson said...

What a great element for a character study - pick their favorite movies. And what a perfect theme for a guest post at this blog.

I'm glad you didn't try to force wordcount into what's typical for the genre - your authentic voice is why people enjoy your books.

Lynn J Simpson said...

So fun, Alex! Loved learning about your characters, Jemi and Jacqui, through the movies they pick. I did love Never Cry Wolf when I was a teen (book and movie), and Jemi's reminder makes me want to read it again.

cleemckenzie said...

It's interesting how each of us write. I've heard some people can write books the size of War and Peace (well almost) while others seem to tell their tales in much less time. I seem to end at about 70K in my YAs and 40K in my MGs no matter what I do.

Loni Townsend said...

Hehehe. Poems seem to be hit and miss with me too. I have managed some song lyrics for my books here and there. But I always have to consult my best friend (who majored in music composition) to see if I'm doing it wrong. :)

Doreen McGettigan said...

You are definitely a writer that has the back of other writers! You are always so supportive.
I can only imagine that poem you wrote, lol.
Since I've exhausted just about everything on NetFlix I may be watching a few of those movies.
Have a great August.

Gwen Gardner said...

I'm with you on the word count thing, Alex. For a writer, I'm a woman of few words (but lots of thoughts!).

Congrats to Jemi and Jacqui!

J.H. Moncrieff said...

The genre definitely chooses me. My writing is always darker than I expect.

I once tried to write a romance, and before I knew it, decapitation was involved. Talk about happily ever after. I think I'll stick to the dark side. :)

Toi Thomas said...

Thanks for another great hop.
I find that I like most movies, except for gory horror.
Nice list of prehistory movies. I've actually seen quite a few of these.
Looking forward to your movie reviews next week.

Sadira Stone said...

Congratulations, Jemi and Jacqui, and thanks as always to Captain Alex. Sci-fi isn't my bag, writing-wise, but I look forward to reading the anthology.

Sandra Cox said...

I'll be expecting AGAINST ALL ODDS to be prehistoric movie #11:)
'Lo, Alex:)

Chrys Fey said...

I enjoyed finding out Jemi's characters' favorite movies.

Jacqui, I adore Ice Age. I used to watch that with my oldest nephew almost daily when he was little. <3

A big congratulations to Jemi and Jacqui!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Rachna, thanks!

Ken, yes, they are dumping the average ones on On Demand.

Carrie-Anne, you should write one then.

Nancy, thanks for co-hosting!

Birgit, I love Raquel in her bikini!

Nicki, thanks!

Lee, that's good though.

Doreen, come back Monday and hopefully you'll find something new to watch.

Gwen, Amen!

JH, I would read that.

S.E. White Books said...

Congrats Jemi and Jacqui! It was kind of you to feature them on your blog. I had no idea Raquel Welch was in a caveman movie? The things you learn from blog hops, haha. I'm also looking forward to hearing who will be featured in the upcoming IWSG anthology, it's so fun to find an internet friend's name on the list. Happy IWSG day, fearless leader!

Computer Tutor said...

@Alex--thanks so much for hosting me. You always have a fun, busy blog!

Computer Tutor said...

@Elephant's Child--I understand about movies. I don't go to nearly as many as I used to. Books, though--read a ton of those!

@Lynda--Thanks for stopping by!

@Shannon--Hehee I liked your honesty about the poem. I hope it exceeds your expectations!

@Hundred Quills--Thanks for visiting!

@Hilary--Hehee--about Raquel Welch. That surely showed their lack of effort to be accurate but I do believe the movie was a smash hit!

#nashvillecats2--Thanks for dropping in, Yvonne

@Sarah--And I missed that one. Any good? Or more for kids?

@Shady Del Knight--Interesting about the evolution of scrapbooking. I like that.

@Patsy--I think a lot of people start with a short story and realize it's really a novel. It takes a lot to fully explain what's going on.

@Nick--I guess I didn't know Flintstones was a movie. I'll check that out!

@Joanne--Thanks for visiting!

@Natalie--I like tight writing--making every word count. Agreed, Natalie!

@Jennifer--I tried to find the movie (for free) and failed. It was such a great book.

@Empty Nest Insider--Thanks for dropping in, Julie!

@Cathrina--Jemi had a few of mine, too. Good list!

@Jemi--Thanks! It's definitely a niche genre. Your movie list is great!

@Diane Wolfe--it amazes me how many have seen Ice Age. I better order it!

@Chemist Ken--had to laugh at your comment!

@joylene--That was her best book. The next few also but the last few, not as good.

@Stacy--Your lips to God's ears!

@Carrie-Anne--Come on over! Me too--love prehistoric fiction. Neanderthals certainly are interesting. I'm way before them right now but eventually, I will work my way to their species.

J E Oneil said...

I think everything I write is a freaking big mess XD

Olga Godim said...

Love Jemi's idea of asking her characters about their favorite movies.
And Jacqui's post was a revelation: I didn't know there are so many movies about prehistorical men.

Computer Tutor said...

@Nancy--Always better to watch movies with kids!

@Birgit--Crowd pleaser if not authentic!

@Tamara--That was the best; the next few still excellent; the last few--good to better

@Lynn--Thanks! Never saw Never Cry Wolf.

@Gwen--Thanks so much, Gwen!

@Sadira--Thanks for visiting!

@Sandra--Oooh wouldn't that be wonderful.

@Chrys--I really need to watch Ice Age. Way too many people I like loved it.

@Patricia--Thanks for visiting!

@SE--She probably headlined it.

Jemima Pett said...

FWIW I prefer the length of your stories. I find I prefer my scifi on the slightly shorter side if it makes the story better! Some of them seem padded, and therefore lose the interest in the middle (usually in middle, when going from exciting start to devilish finish). The exception being Becky Chambers, who doesnt pad and the whole lot is brilliant!

Fundy Blue said...

Haha ~ I've written a few poems, but only if absolutely required and under duress, Alex, so I got a kick out of your comment. I enjoyed your list, Jemi. I never saw the movie "Never Cry Wolf," but I've read many of Farley Mowat's books. I loved Princess Leie, but I have to admit I loved Han Solo more!
And, Jacqui, I love your prehistoric fiction! The prehistoric movies are usually ridiculous, but I enjoyed 10,000 B.C. I must look for "Iceman" because I've read so much about him. Happy IWSG Day, everyone!

Diane Burton said...

I've never written a poem. If it did, it would be like yours. LOL Not my form. Thanks for starting IWSG and keeping it going.

Tyrean Martinson said...

I think I could watch a bunch of movies with the Bloo Moose crew created by Jemi! I haven't seen many of the ones listed by Jacqui - but I'm glad to have a few to add to my TBW pile. :)

I think we often find the genre, but sometimes, the genre finds us.

Carol Kilgore said...

Great visiting all my fave blogs again :)
I tweeted about your sale.
Congrats on all things BLOO MOOSE, Jemi. I'm reading the first book now and loving it!

Elizabeth Mueller said...

Yep. The genre I've written in which I've never written in before is for Dark Matter. Well, never mind. I wrote a sci-fi short story for Immortal Works but it was rejected--my character was a Mary Sue. Oops. LOL

I wrote my first horror short story when I was a teen but when I came across that story in my later years, I was freaked out by the depth of horror so I tore it up. Never looked back. heh.

Liesbet said...

It almost sounds like the sci-fi genre chose you, Alex! It seemed to have flown very naturally for you to write these tales! All I've ever written is non-fiction. It might sound boring, but it's based on my life and that has been all but boring! :-)

I like Jemi Fraser's way of presenting movies based on her character's preferences. And, how wonderful to see the multi-talented Jacqui here on your site. I can imagine it was hard to come up with accurate movies about pre-historic human life, as it is hard to find the same content in books. Welcome Jacqui Murray! I can't wait to dive into her Crossroads Trilogy, whenever my own writing path is a bit less hectic.

diedre Knight said...

Howdy, Captain!

Feels like I walked in on a party - I love it!

"But that's just the way I write," I like that attitude ;-)

I've seen and enjoyed several movies listed. I'd see them again!

Happy August!

Jemi Fraser said...

Sue - you always make me laugh. I’d love to watch a movie with you!
Sonia - thank you for your support!!
Hilary - thank you so much! Music can make everything better!
Shady - the wildlife docs are so good!
Nick - Thanks!
Elizabeth - have fun with them!
Joanne - thanks!
Diane - Never Cry Wolf is such a powerful book! I remember it more than the movie
MJ - I bet your characters would make interesting choices!
Tamara - they are a diverse bunch! I think they’d make great friends too!
Nicki - thanks - choosing movies that match personalities is always fun!
Lynn - Mowat is such a powerful writer!
JH - decapitation does tend to ruin the mood! :P
Chrys - thanks!
Olga - It was fun to find out their faves!
Fundy - Mowat is a fabulous writer! I adore Han as well! :)
Tyrean - We could have a fun watch party all together!
Carol - yay!!! You just made my day. Thanks!!
Liesbet - thank you!

Jennifer Hawes said...

Romantic Suspense? Now there's one genre I haven't tried yet. Although, the YA books I read are mostly mystery with some romantic elements! Does that count?

Sherry Ellis said...

I'd like Sub-Zero Heros. That's my style. :)

When I saw the poster for One Million Years BC, it brought back a memory of my trip to California and a visit to Madam Tousoud's wax museum. There is a wax figure of Raquel Welch in that pose and in that attire. My ex was practically drooling over it.

Erika Beebe said...

Congrats Jaqui! I've seen several of those fun movies :)

PJ Colando said...

Thanks for your enduring support for me and all writers, who inevitably feel insecure at one time - or maybe all times. Your kindness is much appreciated, Alex.

Sometime, I'd like to know how and why you began this golden opportunity for all.

How is it that you are able to watch movies in this new phase of life? The one I've named Corona-culture.

Computer Tutor said...

@Fundy Blue--There are fascinating stories of earliest man. Iceman is amazing in it's effort to represent the truth. That's the side I'm on. My females don't wear fur bikinis!

@Tyrean--the prehistoric movies are a nice diversion when you need it, from what you usually watch. They are quite different!

@Liesbet--I did have to search a bit for movies. I wanted accurate ones but those mostly ended up to be docudramas or documentaries. Still, the ones I listed are fun!

@Sherry--Sorry to tell your husband but females didn't look like that a million years ago. They were shorter, stocky, hairier, but definitely more like you and I than their predecessors. They were an amazing group.

Mason Canyon said...

Huge congratulations to Jemi and Jacqui. Enjoyed the movie connections.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Jacqui, you're welcome!

Jemima,good to know - thanks!

Diane, thanks for being a part of it.

Carol, thanks!

Diedra, thanks.

Sherry, as I would've been...

PJ, thanks. All from a writer friend's comment this began.

Truedessa said...

Hi Alex,

I am glad you didn't go for the added cushion in your books. A lot of times readers can feel the filler. I enjoyed all of your books especially "Dragon of the Stars".

I once wrote an epic poem without really intending to do it. I didn't choose the form, the form chose me. It just took on a life of its own. I was inspired by a writer I admire.

I did see Ice Age.

Wishing everyone a great week!

Jenni said...

So funny about your poetry attempt! I was once in a crit group with a gal who wrote poetry, and I was really impressed with how much goes into it. It seems harder than prose.
And my poetry is probably not fit to see the light of day either. :)
Really enjoyed hearing about the favorite movies of Jemi's characters and the prehistoric movies!

L.G. Keltner said...

It's okay that your novels are at the shorter end for the genre. Adding material just to hit a word count can destroy a story that would have been perfectly fine at a shorter length.

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

I think your stories should be the length you want them to be, however many pages it takes to tell your story. That's what is important, not the page count. In my humble opinion.

Lori L. MacLaughlin said...

It's probably better to write short. Less cutting that way. Unfortunately, I've never been able to do that.

Congrats to Jemi and Jacqui! I like Gracie, too, and Princess Leia. The Bloo Moose books take place in my neck of the woods. I'll have to check those out. Of the prehistoric movies, I've seen Ice Age and that's about it. Guess I've got some more movies to watch.

Happy IWSG Day!

Botanist said...

I echo other comments. A story is the length it should be, no more, no less. Many of the famous sci-fi classics are very short by today's standards.

Liz A. said...

Interesting question. I think you choose the genre, although maybe sometimes unconsciously.

Lidy said...

In the beginning, for most of the stories, I think I’m choosing the genre. But then when I’ve written a great deal, I or I should say my story and characters prove me wrong.

My favorite pre-historic movies are the Ice Age movies. And Encino Man but you can’t say that’s pre-historic when the movie is about the antics of a frozen Neanthradal thawed out and let loose in modern times.

Stephen Tremp said...

Ha! Marl Coker once said he was hesitant to publish poetry because most of it was really bad. My attempts were bad, although I can write American version of haiku pretty darn good.

Nilanjana Bose said...

I'm a book person rather than a film person generally, but I love ET and Jumanji too. As for the genre question, definitely the genre has way more control over me than I'd like :)

A Lady Lawyer said...

I’m actually quite interested in the pre-historic sub-genre but haven’t read much on it. Will check out the novels. Thank you and congratulations!
www.nooranandchawla.com

Deniz Bevan said...

Such fun guests!
I loved that Farley Mowat book. I haven't seen the movie yet!
I hadn't realised they'd made a movie of Clan of the Cave Bear!

Computer Tutor said...

@Mason--Thanks, Mason! I'm glad you liked my choices.
@Truedessa--I really need to watch Ice Age!
@Jenni--glad you liked my prehistoric movies. It was a bit challenging finding them!
@Lori--Thanks for commenting. I haven't seen most of the movies I listed, either. I like authentic and really, our predecessors looked nothing like Rachel Welch a million years ago!
@Lidy--I haven't heard of Encino Man. I'll have to check it out on Netflix!
@Lady Lawyer--Clan of the Cave Bear is the most popular in the genre. I so wanted to watch the movie but nowhere could I find it for free. Darn!
@Deniz--I didn't either--the movie of Clan of the Cave Bear. I got excited until I couldn't find it!

mshatch said...

Congratulations Jemi and Jacqui! I remember devouring Clan of the Cave Bear ages ago.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Thanks, Truedessa!

Ian, very true!

Deniz, yes, back in the 80's.

Computer Tutor said...

@mshatch--Me too! that was an amazing book.

Pat Hatt said...

Yeah. No need to force the word count. Can just hurt the story that way. And you proved you can rhyme with the cat any old time at our blog mat lol

Jumanji sure is a fun one indeed. Watch that many times as a kid.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I don't write many characters who live in a time or place where they could watch movies. That's fun exercise though. I liked the book Clan of the Cave Bear, but I didn't even know there was a movie.

Computer Tutor said...

@Susan--me either! It's an old one and I can't believe I can't find it for free!

Jemi Fraser said...

Jenni - thank you!
Lori - Gracie is a great character!!
Nila - I’m a book girl too - but ET is always a good one!
Deniz - I’ll always prefer the book, but they did a good job of the movie!
Pat - it sure is - so much fun :)
Susan - I can't see your characters snuggled on the couch watching TV & eating popcorn! :)

Steven Arellano Rose Jr. said...

Thanks, Alex and Jacqui, for coming up with that list! I don't watch a lot of movies set in the prehistoric past. I watch more where the prehistoric past comes to us, so to speak (e.g. Jurassic Park; The Sound of Thunder). However, if I'd have to pick a favourite it would be One Million Years B.C. simply because it features dinosaur attacks and battles which I'm a big fan of. No, it isn't accurate (pre)history or science, but I think it's a really good entertainment film for suspending our disbelief for 90 minutes to two hours. But they do need to promote more realistic prehistoric-set films and stories.

Number 10, just speculating, could be either Caveman which was from the late '70s/early '80s starring Ringo Starr or 2013's animated film The Croods. They're both hilarious films, although Caveman gets a bit too, uh, crude in some of the humour it's overall funny. And The Croods humour? Well, I think they wordplay on the title, let's put it that way, although it wasn't overly crude in the humour, just crude enough for being (marketed as) a family movie. As far as a more factual based film for number 10 goes, like I said I don't watch a lot of those type films so I wouldn't know but I'm sure there must be something out there waiting to fill the space. If I come across anything I'll let you know.

Mary Aalgaard said...

I didn't have an answer for this month's question. I stick to pretty much the same style, realistic fiction, or personal essay for articles. I got side-tracked by watching virtual shows for MN Fringe Fest this week and didn't write for the August IWSG. Thanks for commenting, anyway, Alex. You are always so supportive, even when the post isn't relative to writing.

Computer Tutor said...

@Steven The prehistoric movies are fun but not terribly instructive. It takes a lot to understand what life was like Back Then. I think most of them are more cultish or niche--which my book is also. It was interesting reading your thoughts on this.

Ray Rousell said...

I'll have a look out for the Crossroads trilogy, sounds good.

Computer Tutor said...

@Ray--if you like thrillers, like flawed superheroes that can do the impossible, with an unbreakable moral compass, you might like this trilogy!

Mary Kirkland said...

Congrats to them.

I saw Clan of the Cave Bear a long time ago.

Andrew Leon said...

Not having read the book, are you sure 2001 doesn't count as a movie about prehistoric man?

dolorah said...

For some reason action movies are my thing. Fantasy, superhero, war, doesn't matter. Last of the Mojicans, Gladiator, Braveheart, are some of my favorites.

Michael Di Gesu said...

Hi Alex!

Terrific post today. CONGRATS JEMI! I enjoyed learning about your characters fav movies and I actually liked many of their choices! Your books sound like a terrific read and I wish you all the best!

Alex, Thanks for sharing Jemi's Fav movies and also Jaqui's top ten Prehistoric movies....I definitely like 10,000 BC, Quest for Fire,and all the Ice Ages.

Roving Jay said...

I tried a poem once.. and then tried it again and again. And ended up creating two poetic memoirs... one about my mother's dementia, the other about our cultural integration into our new home in Turkey. I didn't intend them to be memoirs, but they just evolved.

Computer Tutor said...

@Mary--You're ahead of me. I can't find it anywhere for free. It's an old movie. Seems like I should be able to find it!

@Andrew--Hehee. You may be onto something!

@Michael--Quest for Fire was amazingly successful. They tried to get parts of that right. I liked it.

mail4rosey said...

I'm with Rayce. Give me a superhero movie any day. :) The list was good, even better that it was hard because that means she was being thoughtful to her craft. Have a wonderful day!

Jemi Fraser said...

Michael - thank you!! The Bloo Moose crew do have good taste!
Rosey - superhero movies are so much fun! Thanks :)

Susan Kane said...

We have watched every prehistoric movie we could find. Good or bad, we have watched them.

My genre is short stories. But, I will still head in a different direction.

Beth Camp said...

I applaud your amazing energy and support for writers . . . and readers and watchers of movies! Isn't it interesting how some forms (fiction, flash, poetry, plays -- or drawing!) appeal to us and others do not? Maybe one day, you'll post one of your poems and find it's not really the mess you think. When I write poetry, it brings me closer to observing and feeling, and that's pretty much the same illogical approach I use in writing . . . Be well in the coming month.

Arlee Bird said...

Recently we watched the sixties version of One Million Years BC and quite enjoyed it. I'd seen the older version from the forties, but I thought the remake was better. It was better than I thought it might be.

Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out