Insecure Writer’s Support Group, January Movie Preview, Movie Reviews, 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 awesome co-hosts today are T. Powell Coltrin, Victoria Marie Lees, Stephen Tremp, and J.H. Moncrieff!

January 8 question - What started you on your writing journey? Was it a particular book, movie, story, or series? Was it a teacher/coach/spouse/friend/parent? Did you just "know" suddenly you wanted to write?

What started my writing journey was this illustration by Frank Frazetta for Battlestar Galactica:

It inspired me to write a scene that would later become part of a novel. That story sat in a drawer for years. When I pulled it out, that one scene and the two characters were all that survived the rewrite. And it became my first published novel, Cassastar.

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group made the list - The Write Life’s Best Websites for Writers 2020! 

That's four years in a row now.

Thanks to all of you for making it happen.

#IWSGPit is next Wednesday!



If you have a manuscript to pitch, don’t miss it.





Presenting the cover for the next Insecure Writer’s Support Group anthology:

Voyagers: The Third Ghost

Release date – May 5, 2020
Print 9781939844729 $13.95
EBook 9781939844736 $4.99
Juvenile Fiction - Historical / Action & Adventure / Fantasy & Magic
Dancing Lemur Press/Freedom Fox Press

Journey into the past…

Will the third ghost be found before fires take more lives? Can everyone be warned before Pompeii is buried again? What happens if a blizzard traps a family in East Germany? Will the Firebird help Soviet sisters outwit evil during WWII? And sneaking off to see the first aeroplane – what could go wrong?

Ten authors explore the past, sending their young protagonists on harrowing adventures. Featuring the talents of Yvonne Ventresca, Katharina Gerlach, Roland Clarke, Sherry Ellis, Rebecca M. Douglass, Bish Denham, Charles Kowalski, Louise MacBeath Barbour, Beth Anderson Schuck, and L.T. Ward.

Hand-picked by a panel of agents, authors, and editors, these ten tales will take readers on a voyage of wonder into history. Get ready for an exciting ride!

Pre-order on Amazon, Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, and Kobo

Movie Reviews

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

I’m sure the fanboys will whine, but I thoroughly enjoyed this film!
A little uneven in the beginning. But wow, the second half really redeems it with a ton of great action scenes and scenes that will hit you in the heart.
A lot a familiar faces show up, which is a lot of fun.
It ties it up nicely with several great twists.
And very cool in 3D.
(If you did hate it, go back and watch episodes 1-3. Now those sucked. Lucas was a horrible director and the dialogue worse than a soap opera.)
Recommended!

Jumanji: The Next Level

Not as fresh as the original, which was to be expected, but still a lot of fun. Also just a little slow in the beginning as it finds its footing.
Even with the newness off, the movie still gives viewers some new twists, which includes new characters – and new game characters.
Some of the scenes are incredible and others hilarious.
And a touching ending about friendship and growing older.
Recommended!

The Mandalorian

Let’s just get this out of the way – baby Yoda is damned cute. No denying it.
I’ve never been a fan of any of the animated Star Wars series. But I ended up absolutely loving this show.
It’s just like the Star Wars movies, but with eight episodes, there was more time to develop the characters.
The story is a space western. Mando is a hired gun who ends up doing the right thing and puts together a team to save the child – baby Yoda.

Each episode got stronger and stronger. Lots of replayability – I’ll definitely watch it again. If it were a movie, I’d place it at number two or three on my list. (Rogue One definitely number one.)
Highly recommended!


The Lion King

Let’s get this out of the way – the animation is stunning. One step away from totally realistic. Rivals The Jungle Book.
Now, let’s get to the truth.
How did this film make over a billion dollars?
The animals are realistic, which means – the voice comes through, but not the expression. The effect is – cold. Expressionless. Total lack of connection. And totally empty.
The film is also ninety-nine percent, shot-for-shot like the original. Same songs as well. Bottom line – there was zero reason for a remake other than a cash grab.
You want to see a Lion King that will move you and stay with you? Watch the original 1994 version. Skip this hollow, cold adventure.
Not recommended.

New Releases

And Then You Fall by Heather M. Gardner
Third in the Maguire's Corner series
Now the series is complete!
Find And Then You Fall on Amazon

Tales from a Hack by Ryan Bevan (Husband of our very own IWSG member, Deniz Bevan
Reminiscent of horror classics from film and pulp, this collection of original stories of the macabre will transport the reader to a delightful land of evil things.
Find it on Smashwords

January Movie Preview

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

10 –

1917
Two young British soldiers during the First World War are given an impossible mission: deliver a message deep in enemy territory that will stop 1,600 men, and one of the soldier's brothers, from walking straight into a deadly trap.
Director: Sam Mendes
Stars: Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay, Daniel Mays, Colin Firth
Yes, I featured this movie last month as a December release. That was its limited release (for Oscar consideration) – this is its wide release. Got it? Good, glad we got that clarified.

17 –

Doolittle
A physician discovers that he can talk to animals.
Director: Stephen Gaghan
Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Tom Holland, Emma Thompson, Ralph Fiennes
Tony Stark invents a gadget to talk to animals and discovers they all like Captain America better.

24 – 

The Gentlemen
A British drug lord tries to sell off his highly profitable empire to a dynasty of Oklahoma billionaires.
Director: Guy Ritchie
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Michelle Dockery, Jeremy Strong
Going out on a limb, Richie makes a London crime drama/dark comedy - we'll see if it works out...



What started your writing journey? Participating in #IWSGPit? Dig the Voyagers cover? Seen any of the movies/shows? And what movie strikes your fancy for January?

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, October Movie Preview, CassaSeries Tour, Screen Rights, 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 awesome co-hosts today are Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Mary Aalgaard, Madeline Mora-Summonte, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor!

October 2 question – It's been said that the benefits of becoming a writer who does not read is that all your ideas are new and original. Everything you do is an extension of yourself, instead of a mixture of you and another author. On the other hand, how can you expect other people to want your writing, if you don't enjoy reading? What are your thoughts?

We need to read to see how it’s done – both well and poorly –we just can’t adopt another author’s style as our own.
Of course, if you’re reading a genre outside your own and a style very different from yours, then it’s cool. But if your sweet love interests suddenly turn maniacal killers, then there’s a bigger problem…

Important dates:

This month’s Write…Edit…Publish challenge:
As you sow so shall you reap. What will your character sow - dragon's teeth, elven bones, gouged eyes from tormented souls? Most of our members go with horror or speculative for October. But that's not written in stone ... or blood.

January’s IWSG post day will be on January 8, the second Wednesday. The first Wednesday is New Year’s Day – do not post that day! Note it in your calendars now – January 8.

The next #IWSGPit - our Twitter pitch event – is January 15, the third Wednesday. This will be our fifth one and last year there were thousands of agents and publishers watching, ten thousand Tweets sent out, and #IWSGPit became a trending topic. Polish your pitches and check the site for full details.

CassaSeries Tour

Silver Dagger Tours is hosting a month-long tour for me that includes a giveaway for an Amazon gift card and swag.
Here are the final dates:

Monday – Guest post at Daily (w)rite and stops at Valerie Ullmer | Romance Author and 4covert2overt-A Place In The Spotlight
Tuesday – Guest post at Inside the Insanity and stops at Defining Ways and Speculative Fiction Spot
Wednesday – Stops at Better Read Than Undead, Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin', and Sylv.net
Thursday – Stops at Casey's Corner, Taryn Jameson, and Teatime and Books
Friday – Guest post at Introspective Press and stops at The Book Dragon and Twisted Book Ramblings
Monday October 7 – Stops at The Bookshelf Fairy, Word Processor, Romance, Cats, Kids and Creed, and Yearwood La Novela

Screen Rights by Damyanti Biswas!

Thank you Alex for the support on my debut novel, You Beneath Your Skin. It is a literary crime novel—a story that raises various social issues within the framework of a crime thriller. A woman from Delhi upper classes suffers an acid attack, and this case is investigated amid the backdrop of a crime spree. Unclad bodies of slum women are found stuffed in trash bags, their faces disfigured with acid.

This story is now being represented for screen rights by a top agent in Bollywood, and I’m writing a summary for adaptation pitches. It is so very different from a literary summary.
More pacey, more sensationalised, some literary parts suppressed. I’ve been at it for the past two days but am not even close to finishing.

I’m told that I need:
· a better logline,
· a short character sketch of the main voices
· less setting and characterization, and more action
· good handle on the beginning middle and end.

To the audience of this blog, and to Alex, my question and request would be for advice. Has anyone written a screen treatment? How do you go about it? Do you have any advice for me? Have you read You Beneath YourSkin?

Damy, here’s hoping you get those screen rights!

New Releases

One Good Catch by Heather Gardner
The next book in the Maguire’s Corner series
Find it on Amazon

A Sampler of Shadows by Roland Yeomans
Find it on Amazon

For a great laugh, visit Roland’s IWSG post today – he has some fun with me.




And here is the main character in Roland’s Dark Hollywood Cycle who's spoken of in several stories and appears in the last one in this collection:

September Movie Preview

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

4 –

Joker
A gritty character study of Arthur Fleck, a man disregarded by society.
Director: Todd Phillips
Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Jolie Chan
Yes, I’ll go see it. No, I don’t think I’ll like it. (And have to add after seeing it, while I'll never watch it again, the film was brilliant. Set in DC's Detective Comics world. Phoenix will get an Oscar nod.)




11 –

Gemini Man
An over-the-hill hitman faces off against a younger clone of himself.
Director: Ang Lee
Stars: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Will Smith, Clive Owen, Benedict Wong
Didn’t we see this already and it was called Looper?

The Addams Family
An animated version of Charles Addams' series of cartoons about a peculiar, ghoulish family.
Directors: Greg Tiernan | Conrad Vernon
Stars: Catherine O'Hara, Charlize Theron, Finn Wolfhard, Chloë Grace Moretz
From television show to movie to television show to animated movie – what next, Claymation?

Parasite
All unemployed, Ki-taek's family takes peculiar interest in the wealthy and glamorous Parks for their livelihood until they get entangled in an unexpected incident.
Director: Joon-ho Bong
Stars: Kang-ho Song, Sun-kyun Lee, Yeo-jeong Jo, Woo-sik Choi
The true story of kimchi gone bad…




18 –

Zombieland: Double Tap
Columbus, Tallahasse, Wichita, and Little Rock move to the American heartland as they face off against evolved zombies, fellow survivors, and the growing pains of the snarky makeshift family.
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Stars: Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, Zoey Deutch, Bill Murray
Zombieland Two – Electric Twinkieloo

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
Maleficent and her goddaughter Aurora begin to question the complex family ties that bind them as they are pulled in different directions by impending nuptials, unexpected allies, and dark new forces at play.
Director: Joachim Rønning
Stars: Angelina Jolie, David Gyasi, Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer
Are we sure this isn’t just an Angelina Jolie biopic?

25 –

The Aeronauts
Pilot Amelia Wren (Felicity Jones) and scientist James Glaisher (Eddie Redmayne) find themselves in an epic fight for survival while attempting to make discoveries in a hot air balloon.
Director: Tom Harper
Stars: Felicity Jones, Eddie Redmayne, Himesh Patel, Tim McInnerny
Rogue One meets Harry Potter meets Jason and the Argonauts.

What do you think about writers who don’t read? Participating in WEP this month? The CassaSeries tour coming to an end – have you visited a stop or two and entered to win? And what movies catch your attention this month?

We are going on a family vacation, leaving next Monday and coming back the following Monday. So I won’t be posting those two weeks or visiting anyone next week. See you on October Twenty-first!

CassaSeries Tour, What Worries Me When I Write, New Releases, and Movie Trailers

The CassaSeries tour continues!
Silver Dagger Tours is hosting a month-long tour for me that includes a giveaway for an Amazon gift card and swag. Full list at their site.

Monday – stops at Chapters through life, Books all things paranormal and romance, books are love, and Luv Saving Money

Tuesday – guest post at Maiden of the Pages and stops at Tome Tender, Books, Authors, Blogs, and Craving Lovely Books

Wednesday – stops at Dragon's Den, A Wonderful World of Words, and Breanna Hayse Romance

Thursday – stops at TNT Book Promotions, A Blend of Sass and Class Blog, and T.L. Gray Blog

Friday - stops at Drako's Den, eBook Addicts, and Girl with Pen

What Worries Me When I Write by Jacqui Murray

Six years ago, when I prepared to publish my first book, I shared my worst fears with blogging buddies. Now as I publish my seventh book, The Quest for Home, I still don't feel like I have my shine on. Here's the list now:

That I'll get a bad review on Amazon. You can't unring that bell. It ruins your averages.
That I'll over-think what I'm writing, take myself too seriously. I have to shake it out and start over.
That my characters come across as shallow--people even I wouldn't want to know.
Anton Chekov once warned: "Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass." What if I miss that? What if I miss it twice?
That I'll spell 'siesta' with an 'f'--or 'Freud' with an 'a'. How about 'luck' with an 'f'? So much to worry about.
That I'll use 'was' twelve times on one page and drain the energy out of my story like a leaky boat.
That I'll 'tell' not 'show'.
That my novel will have so many problems, when new ones come along, it'll take me two weeks before I have time to worry about them.
That agents will say, 'There's a story that didn't live up to its query letter'.
That I've written a Goldilocks story--not too fast, not too slow, just boring.
That my writing has more enthusiasm than expertise.
That my novel will reach a climax and I won't notice. The corollary to that: I won't know where the beginning is.
That I'll think 'seriousism' is a perfectly good noun to use.

As if this list isn't bad enough, I found a bunch more on Twitter that sounded like me:

That I'll start to believe statistics like 83% of new writers don't get published, or the average American has one testicle and one ovary.
That I will bury my voice in the effort to 'follow the right rules'
That I will turn a world class ending into a mediocre one.
That my muse will abandon me.
That even now, the fat lady is singing.
That my lips will get tired before I finish all the writer's how-to books I need to read.
That my woke story will come out stupid.

And here's my #1 fear and it's a bit of a conundrum: If I write from my heart and no one reads it, have I really written anything?

How about you? What's your worst fear?

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, In the Footsteps of Giants, Winter 2021.

New Releases

This one is from a very dear blogger buddy of mine and I am so happy for her!

You Beneath Your Skin by Damyanti Biswas
From Simon and Schuster IN

LIES. AMBITION. FAMILY.
It’s a dark, smog-choked new Delhi winter. Indian American single mother Anjali Morgan juggles her job as a psychiatrist with caring for her autistic teenage son. She is in a long-standing affair with ambitious police commissioner Jatin Bhatt – An irresistible attraction that could destroy both their lives.
Jatin’s home life is falling apart: his handsome and charming son is not all he appears to be, and his wife has too much on her plate to pay attention to either husband or son. But Jatin refuses to listen to anyone, not even the sister to whom he is deeply attached.
Across the city there is a crime spree: slum women found stuffed in trash bags, faces and bodies disfigured by acid. And as events spiral out of control Anjali is horrifyingly at the centre of it all …
In a sordid world of poverty, misogyny, and political corruption, Jatin must make some hard choices. But what he unearths is only the tip of the iceberg. Together with Anjali he must confront old wounds and uncover long-held secrets before it is too late.

Buy it on Amazon

Re-release!

Already Home by Heather Gardner
A Maguire's Corner novel
Book 1 in the Maguire's Corner series

Find it on Amazon

New cover. Completely rebranded. Same corpse-raising middle grade adventure.
MOTLEY EDUCATION: The Urd Saga, book I by S. A. Larsen

"A deftly crafted ... and entertaining read!" - Midwest Book Reviews - Children's Watch 2017

Motley Junior High: School for the Psychically and Celestially Gifted Terms of Enrollment
Order signed books from The Children’s Book Cellar via Facebook message.
Find it online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, Kobo, and Smashwords There’s also a Twitter Giveaway.

New Trailers

Some interesting looking movies and shows coming soon…

What are your writing worries? Picking up some new books? Do those trailers look enticing? And are you following any of the CassaSeries tour?

Thor: Ragnarok Review, Stranger Things 2 Review, Justice League, SciFi Month, IWSG, and Remakes Blogfest

Movie Review – Thor: Ragnarok

Hela, Goddess of Death and Thor’s sister, returns to Asgard to reclaim the throne and Thor must return in time to stop her.
The story rocks from beginning to end. It’s just a ton of fun.
And this is without a doubt the funniest Marvel movie yet! Yes, probably even funnier than the first Guardians. Every character has his lines and while the moment was hilarious, it was never silly. Korg (voiced by the director himself) was the funniest, especially the way he delivered his lines.
All the actors were great – Hemsworth, Hiddleston, Blanchett, Thompson, Urban… Elba gets to be a big hero and Goldblum does what he does best – be Jeff Goldblum. Some of the situations are actually really deep, but the light touch and humor keep this from being anything but a dark film.
The special effects are amazing. Some shots looked like straight out of a Frank Frazetta painting.
Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song rocks the first and last fights – and fits the action and movie perfectly.

Look for a couple big name actors in cameo roles. Also try to catch the 3D showing. And do stay for the double ending – don’t leave until the credits  are completely done.

Overall, it’s an incredibly fun time at the movies. Highly recommended!

Stranger Things – Season Two Review

Or how to do a review without giving away spoilers!
As hinted at the end of season one, they were not finished with the Upside Down.
Will struggles with visions. Nancy struggles with Barb’s disappearance. And Hopper struggles to hide and contain a powerful young lady…
Season two stays true to the first season. It’s lost a little now that there is no surprise, but the story line is just as great.
It’s also great to see the cast again. They are like family. Plus there are a couple new characters you will really enjoy.
The second season fleshes out the characters even more. They are real people, just like us. (Less the threat of the Upside Down of course!) But at a time when every writer is going for super damaged, edgy, and unlikeable characters, this cast is refreshing. You can root for them. They pull together and help each other. It’s very reminiscent of the time period the show is set in, the 80’s.
The only spoiler I will give (and stop reading if you don’t want to know) but the ending is definitely for the fans.
If you haven’t already binge-watched this on NetFlix…what is wrong with you? Watch it now! Highly recommended.

Movie and Science Fiction News

A DC heroine takes the crown! According to JoBlo:

WONDER WOMAN has officially become the biggest superhero origin movie ever, edging out the likes of IRON MAN and SPIDER-MAN. As of this writing, WONDER WOMAN has made exactly $821,749,588 at the global box office, narrowly beating SPIDER-MAN’s $821,708,551.



That leads right into these cool promo posters that were also featured on JoBlo:

Can you tell I’m a bit stoked for Justice League?

I also found out through Books Bones Buffy that November is Science Fiction Month.
It’s hosted by Over the Effing Rainbow and There’s Always Room for One More.

You can sign up there or just follow the Twitter account - @SciFiMonth

Insecure Writer’s Support Group

Today we have special guest at the IWSG site - B. O'Malley from Screenplay Readers. Check out his article The Top Newbie Mistakes Made By Writers Adapting their Book into a Screenplay

The IWSG Anthology Contest closed last week – and wow, we have about as many entries as last year! We appreciate everyone who submitted. The admins are choosing the best ones this week and then those will go off to our official judges. We’ll announce the winners on January 3, 2018.

Thanks again to my co-hosts, the IWSG admins, and all of you who participated last Wednesday in the monthly blog posting. Those are some of the most thoughtful and honest posts I read all month.

Remakes Blogfest!

Coming next week! Hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh and Heather M. Gardner.
Remakes – most of them suck. Now and then, one comes along that is as good as, if not better, than the original. And after all of the bad ones we’ve endured, we want to know about some good ones.
On November 13, 2017, blog about your favorite remake: movie (or television show into movie and vice versa), song, or book – or all three! Post a YouTube video and links where we can find these treasures. Tell us why THIS remake doesn’t suck!
Join us! Sign up HERE.

Who else saw Thor: Ragnarok? Binge-watched all of Stranger Things already? Stoked for Justice League? Celebrating SciFi Month? Did you enter the IWSG Anthology Contest? And who is ready for some good remakes next week?

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Hidden Figures Movie Review, February Movie Preview,a dn IWSG Swag!

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 awesome co-hosts today are Misha Gericke, LK Hill, Juneta Key, Christy and Joylene Buter!
 

The IWSG is proud to announce we have two new admins joining the ranks!

Heather Gardner will be running the conferences page at the IWSG site.

C. Lee McKenzie will be our media relations expert, expanding our reach into the world and bringing in experts.

Please stop by their sites and welcome them today!

Today’s optional question - How has being a writer changed your experience as a reader?

I notice things now. While I can forgive some typos, I do notice mistakes and poor writing more now. What really bugs me is pacing. Slow or uneven pacing, especially if watered down with too much description, just takes me right out of a story.

How has your reading experience changed?

If you haven’t seen the cover for the upcoming IWSG anthology, Hero Lost, stop by the IWSG and check it out.

Also, on Monday we are having an amazing guest at the IWSG - Emmy and Golden Globe winning screenwriter, Erik Bork. You don’t want to miss it!

We’ve also developed something new - IWSG Swag!

Jeremy Hawkins developed a t-shirt for us a couple years ago, but now we also have pens and magnets.

Sales of these items will benefit the IWSG directly and help us to expand to bigger and better things for you, the members.

Time to be insecure and proud!
Visit the IWSG site for yours.



Finally, the IWSG anthology authors of Hero Lost have started a really cool website. Check it out!

Movie Review

Hidden Figures
This film follows three real life NASA employees and their struggles.
An excellent film, it’s important on so many levels.
All three women struggle to achieve their goals at a time crucial to America’s history. Set in the early sixties, civil rights play a big role, but more on a personal level for each woman. They fight not only for the rights of blacks, but of women in general.
Taraji P. Henson is stunning in the starring role. (And a big shame she was not nominated for an Oscar.) She is mathematically gifted but meek, and yet when she needs to assert herself, she does. (Her tirade to Kevin Costner as to why she has to trek halfway across the NASA facility to use the bathroom is very moving.) Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae are also fighting a barrier with everything they’ve got.
This film hits on many issues. The women aren’t just fighting for their civil rights. They have to deal with prejudice as women and jealousy. (Jim Parsons takes a big leap in playing a very unlikeable character, as does Kirsten Dunst.)

While predictable in the path it will take, Hidden Figures hits all the key notes perfectly. Highly recommended!

February Movie Preview

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

10 –

John Wick: Chapter 2
The continuing adventures of former hitman, John Wick.
Director: Chad Stahelski v Stars: Ruby Rose, Keanu Reeves, Bridget Moynahan, Ian McShane
Considering the body count in the first John Wick film, by the time we get to chapter ten, everyone in the world will be dead.




17 –

A Cure For Wellness
An ambitious young executive is sent to retrieve his company's CEO from an idyllic but mysterious "wellness center" at a remote location in the Swiss Alps but soon suspects that the spa's miraculous treatments are not what they seem.
Director: Gore Verbinski
Stars: Jason Isaacs, Dane DeHaan, Mia Goth, Adrian Schiller
Hopefully more like The Ring and less Wacky Adventures of Jack Sparrow.

The Great Wall
European mercenaries searching for black powder become embroiled in the defense of the Great Wall of China against a horde of monstrous creatures.
Director: Yimou Zhang
Stars: Matt Damon, Tian Jing, Pedro Pascal, Willem Dafoe
Matt Damon fights Donald Trump over who’s going to pay for the damn thing. (It will be huuuuuuuuuge….)



21 –

DVD release – Hacksaw Ridge
Based on a true story about a conscientious objector who joins the army and without ever carrying a weapon, saved seventy-five people on Hacksaw Ridge. Excellent film and my pick for Best Motion Picture. Lead Andrew Garcia is also nominated for Best Actor. Don’t miss this one.


28 – 

DVD release – Doctor Strange
An egotistical plastic surgeon goes in search of a cure for his crippled hands and finds a mystical world and talents he never knew he possessed. A lot of fun and the 3D and special effects are mind-bending. Benedict Cumberbatch is great as the doctor. A must for you superhero collection – and watch for the doctor in the next Thor film.

What are your insecurities today? How has being a writer changed the way you read? Anyone else see Hidden Figures? What movies or DVD releases interest you this month?

Don’t forget to welcome Heather Gardner and C. Lee McKenzie to the IWSG fold.

Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Plus RiffTrax Live, June Movie Preview, Members of Band Mastodon Die, and New Release From Heather Gardner

Today (Wednesday) I am visiting Lynda Young and discussing why writers need support. Thursday, I am visiting Patricia Stoltey and discussing the best way to market a book. Please stop by and visit both amazing ladies!

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 awesome co-hosts today are M. Pax, Tracy Jo, Patricia Lynne, Rachna Chhabria, Feather Stone, and Randi Lee!

We are also adding new things to the site. The Publications page now includes conferences, conventions, workshops, festivals, retreats, and seminars, broken down by month. Plus we announced some upcoming stuff, so check it out today.

I’m in a good place now as far as books and writing go. Dragon of the Stars is selling well. There have been many ads in program guides and bookmarks handed out at science fiction conventions. (Next conventions are Space City Comic Con in Texas and Pensacola Comic Con in Florida.) I have guest appearances online through the middle of July. (Monday I visited Rachna’s Scriptorium and discussed the importance of characters.) I might even write a short story about what happens after Dragon ends. (For a very special fan and friend.)

The big news came yesterday from my publisher - CassaFire has been picked up by a publisher in Turkey for Turkish translation into both print and eBook. My book will be available in another language! That is just too wild. Never in my wildest dreams...

Otherwise, I intend to focus more on the IWSG this summer and what I can do to help other writers!

RiffTrax: Live!

Coming to you live, 8:00 pm, July 9 – RiffTrax: Live – Sharknado 2!
If you’ve never seen Mike, Kevin, and Bill, the members of RiffTrax, do a live event, now is your chance.
It will be held in Nashville, TN and broadcast live to hundreds of screens across the country.
Visit the RiffTrax site to get tickets.
And if you want to know more about RiffTrax, check out my interview with Kevin and Bill from earlier this year.

Ninja News

From Entertainment Weekly - Three members of the metal band Mastodon were killed Sunday night – on Game of Thrones! Bill Kelliher, Brent Hinds, and Brann Dailor were all Wildlings, killed and resurrected by the White Walkers. The guys said it was an incredible experience.

Out this week!
Already Home – A Maguire’s Corner Novel by Heather Gardner
Find it at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Goodreads
Congratulations, Heather - you rock!

June Movie Preview

Here are the upcoming theatrical releases for June! As always, descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snarky comments by me.

5 –

Entourage
Movie star Vincent Chase, together with his boys Eric, Turtle, and Johnny, are back - and back in business with super agent-turned-studio head Ari Gold on a risky project that will serve as Vince's directorial debut.
Director: Doug Ellin
Stars: Adrian Grenier, Kevin Connolly, Jerry Ferrara, Kevin Dillon
I’ve never watched the show. Good chance I’ll never watch the movie.



12 –

Jurassic World
Twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park (1993), Isla Nublar now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond. After 10 years of operation and visitor rates declining, in order to fulfill a corporate mandate, a new attraction is created to re-spark visitor's interest, which backfires horribly.
Director: Colin Trevorrow
Stars: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, Judy Greer
Star Lord battles dinosaurs and a fifty foot tall Rocket – awesome! (And if you didn’t get that, go rent Guardians of the Galaxy this minute!)



19 –

Inside Out
After a girl moves to a new home, her emotions are plunged into chaos as they compete for control of her mind.
Directors: Pete Docter | Ronaldo Del Carmen
Stars: Diane Lane, Rashida Jones, Amy Poehler, Kyle MacLachlan
I want to love Pixar again. I hope this does it.





26 –

Ted 2
Newlywed couple Ted and Tami-Lynn want to have a baby, but in order to qualify to be a parent, Ted will have to prove he's a person in a court of law.
Director: Seth MacFarlane
Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried, Morgan Freeman
Foul mouthed Teddy bear wants to have baby with a woman – what’s not to love? (Oh wait, this could be in really bad taste…)

Big Game
A young teenager camping in the woods helps rescue the President of the United States when Air Force One is shot down near his campsite.
Director: Jalmari Helander
Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, Onni Tommila, Ray Stevenson, Victor Garber
I know it sounds awful! But it’s from the director of Rare Exports, the strangest and most unique Santa Claus film you will ever see.

Going to see RiffTrax? (Go once and you’ll laugh so hard, you’ll never miss another one!) Did you see Mastodon die in Game of Thrones? Picking up Heather’s new book? Any of those movies catch your attention? And what are your writing insecurities today…?

Don’t forget to visit Lynda Young today and Patricia Stoltey on Thursday!