Insecure Writer’s Support Group. November Movie Preview, Remakes Blogfest, 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 Tonja Drecker, Diane Burton, MJ Fifield, and Rebecca Douglass!

November 1 – last day to enter the IWSG Anthology Contest!

November 1 question - Win or not, do you usually finish your NaNo project? Have any of them gone on to be published?

I participated in NaNo 2010 right after my first book’s release. (And I totally missed it – October 19 marked seven years since the release of CassaStar!) I composed a crash outline based on a short story I’d written over thirty years ago. Total miracle, it was published – CassaFire came out February 2012.

While I’ve not participated in NaNo since, I jumped into June’s BuMo in 2012 to write the third book in my series. And while I just missed the 50,000 word count by 5000 words, I still finished it a few weeks later. CassaStorm was published September 2013.

Both books were better than my first and I still consider CassaStorm to be the best thing I’ve ever written.

So, if you’re considering jumping into NaNo or you are participating this month – go for it and good luck! What you write can become a published book.

New Releases

Full Dark: An Anthology
Publisher: Obsidian Books

What happens in the dark will come to light.

Full Dark is a benefit anthology. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the Gary Sinise Foundation, an organization that does many wonderful things for our country's active military, its veterans, and the countless first responders who sacrifice so much to keep us safe.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble

Mistakes of the Past by Patricia Josephine

Luc seeks atonement for the actions that banished him from his home.

Find it on: Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and Smashwords

Spirits in the Water anthology
From Untethered Realms

A haunted journey on a riverboat, water sprites borne of pennies; preternatural creatures, ancient serpents and The Lady of the Lake lurk in dark waters. Raging storms and magical rainbow fountains. Water is spectacularly beautiful but also treacherous.

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

November Movie Preview

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

3 –

Thor: Ragnarok
Imprisoned, the mighty Thor finds himself in a lethal gladiatorial contest against the Hulk, his former ally. Thor must fight for survival and race against time to prevent the all-powerful Hela from destroying his home and the Asgardian civilization.
Director: Taika Waititi
Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Mark Ruffalo
I heard it’s so laugh out loud funny, your sides will be Thor afterwards… (Oh! Bad pun. Movie is going to rock though.)

10 –

Murder on the Orient Express
A lavish train ride unfolds into a stylish & suspenseful mystery. From the novel by Agatha Christie, Murder on the Orient Express tells of thirteen stranded strangers & one man's race to solve the puzzle before the murderer strikes again.
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Stars: Daisy Ridley, Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Penélope Cruz, Kenneth Branagh
Spoiler alert – halfway through, Branagh dies and his moustache 

is forced to take over the investigation.

17 –

Justice League
Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy.
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher
I am a huge DC and Justice League fan. I have waited my whole life for this film…

Remakes Blogfest!

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!

Sign up below. Post on November 13 and visit others on the list. Time to unearth those good remakes!

What has been the results of your NaNo projects? Picking up some new books? Any of the November movies interest you? And who’s up for some good remakes?

Review of Stranger Things – season two coming next Monday! Yes, I’ve already watched all of it…

And I won Heather Holden’s Halloween giveaway! Here’s Mini-Alex posing with the cool ACEO of Nicholas. Thanks, Heather! 

The Remnant, Blood Father Review, Future Earth Movie Trivia, Awesome Fans, Monday's Music, and Ninja News

The Remnant – Book to Film Possibilities

Today I welcome fellow Dancing Lemur Press author, William Michael Davidson!

As an author, I obviously think it would be pretty awesome if The Remnant was made into a film. I've always seen it more as something that would make a good television series or an original show on Netflix. Having said that, I know there are some pretty sensitive issues that The Remnant deals with such as faith, belief in God, and where our culture is at with those issues. Because of this, a part of me would be surprised if someone ever did make this into an actual film. And if it was made into a film, I wonder how watered-down the whole book would be to make it "politically correct." To be honest, I don't see the book as just a Christian novel. Yes, I'm a Christian. Yes, I wrote the book. But I don't see this book as having an agenda. Still, however, I think there is a message beneath the surface and I wouldn't be surprised if a filmmaker would take some of those ideas out of a movie version to make it more mainstream.

So, could I see something happening with a film? Yes. But I would worry about what the end product would be and how much it would capture the original "heart and soul" of the novel.

But don't get me wrong. If I received a call from Steven Spielberg and he wanted to make it into a movie, I would be last one complaining.

Author William Michael Davidson is on tour with MC Book Tours featuring his new novel, THE REMNANT, being released Feb. 7 by Dancing Lemur Press L.L.C. You can follow Davidson’s tour schedule HERE for reviews, excerpts, interviews, features, and a chance to win a copy of his book.


THE REMNANT
by William Michael Davidson
Release date: February 7, 2017
Science Fiction (FIC028000) / Christian Futuristic Fiction (FIC0402020)
Print ISBN 978-1-939844-29-3 $15.95
eBook ISBN 978-1-939844-30-9 $4.99

One nation, without God...

THE REMNANT is available to order in eBook form at the following sites: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and iTunes
The print format of the book is available at these sites: Amazon Barnes and Noble, Chapters-Indigo, Book Depository, Foyles, Mediander, and Fiction DB
Be sure to add THE REMNANT to your bookshelf on Goodreads.

Movie Review

Blood Father
An ex-con finds his lost daughter and has to protect her from drug lords who want her dead. Starring Mel Gibson, Erin Moriarty, Diego Luna, and William H. Macy.
This film came out last year and I’d heard good things about it.
It’s a man search for redemption with his daughter. Gibson always plays the perfect hero, but here he is damaged, vulnerable, and looking to turn his life around. The interactions between father and daughter were great and some of the best moments of the film.
It’s not overly violent, but it is punctuated with extreme moments of violence.
While I did have problems with a couple small aspects, overall I really enjoyed the film.
Available on NetFlix – recommended.

Ninja News

The IWSG is honored to welcome an award winning screenwriter, Erik Bork!
Erik worked on projects such as From the Earth to the Moon and Band of Brothers – you don’t want to miss what he has to say.

Jeremy Hawkins works hard to produce the free online magazine, Six Strings.
And today, Six Strings Season 2 Issue 2 is available! In it you will find:
Interview with Composer... Tony Morales "DISNEY'S: ELENA OF AVALOR"
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story by: Michael Giacchino (Review) by: Kaya Savas
ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS (What if) STORY! by: Jason Lee Knight
Interview with Composer... Jasha Klebe “PLANET EARTH II” [2017]
Interview with Composer... Jacob Shea “PLANET EARTH II” [2017]
Where is #26? Mammoth’s Best New Horror Goes Hardback By KC Redding-Gonzalez
Listening for Romance in Horror By: Christina Persaud
Interview with Composer... Andre Matthias "On the film “The Drummer”
The Monkey King 2 [2016] [Review] Music by: Christopher Young By James Southall
Download your free copy HERE and please help spread the word.

February is kick-off month for WEP (Write…Edit…Publish) where a friendly group of like-minded bloggers astound each other and their readers every second month with their wit, wisdom, talent, sincerity and dexterity. The February WEP challenge is entitled 'Back of the Drawer'. Everyone's welcome to have a crack at it. Join the fun. We accept flash fiction, non-fiction, poetry, photo essays, artwork...1,000 word limit (but who's counting?)
WEP (Write…Edit…Publish) is hosted by Denise Covey and Yolanda Renee

Valentine Pets & Kisses 2 boxed set
Including a story by JL Campbell
Pick up your copy for just .99 cents.


Heather Holden is hosting a special anniversary giveaway:
Echo Effect premiered four years ago this month! It’s also been one year since I first launched my Patreon page. To celebrate, I'm offering free, personalized ACEOs of my characters! (ACEOs are art cards measuring 2.5x3.5 inches in size. Mine, specifically, are created with watercolor pencils and ink.)

Don’t forget we now have IWSG Swag!

Mini-Alex is showing off his awesome new IWSG pens.

He’s ready to challenge anyone to a duel with his IWSG pens!

Who can possibly challenge him…?

Monday’s Music Moves Me

Hosted by Xmas Dolly.

Since it’s a freebie, I’m posting my favorite Haken song, Pareidolia. This band is my current favorite. (I reviewed one of their albums in December.) It’s a prog rock blend of sheer awesomeness!

When Fans Make Your Day

I want to give a shout out to two special ladies who made my day last week!

Tess Julia had this to say:
I also wanted to give a shout out to Alex Cavanaugh for his book CassaFire, which I finished reading recently.
I think I have a bit of a crush on the main character Byron, and trust me, if they ever made a movie based on his series I'd be in line to see it! Really well written, definitely on par with Star Wars and Star Trek. I'm not even a sci-fi fan but I enjoyed both books so far and will be getting the rest of his books.

Lauren Bambrey, who blogs HERE, sent out this tweet and reply:
@LaurenBambrey - re read CassaStar a couple of weeks ago. Still reduced me to tears 6th time through!
@AlexJCavanaugh - Sixth time reading CassaStar??? Oh wow. Thank you! Laura, you just made my day. Still sorry I made you cry though...
@LaurenBambrey - One of my faves; will be read many more times too! Crying is good- sign of writing a beautiful friendship!

Thanks, ladies! You rock.

Movie Trivia

In honor of William’s book, today’s trivia is all about films set in Earth's future. Guess the film from the actors.

1 – Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, John Ratzenberger 2008
2 – Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko 2013
3 – Charlton Heston, Leigh Taylor-Young, Chuck Conners 1973
4 – Christian Bale, Sean Bean, Taye Diggs 2002
5 – Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Ray Stevenson 2010
6 – Michael York, Jenny Agutter, Richard Jordan 1976
7 – Jason Clarke, Keri Russell, Andy Serkis 2014

Answers next week!

Can you see your book as a movie? Or a world where belief in God is persecuted? Have you seen Blood Father? Going to download Six Strings or participate in WEP? Have you picked up your IWSG swag? (Mini-Alex is ready!) Has a fan made your day recently? And do you know any of the movie trivia?

Don’t forget to visit Erik Bork at the IWSG site!

The Astonishing by Dream Theater, Legends of Tomorrow Review, The Golden Schmoes Awards, Transylvania Writing Workshop, and the Ninja News!

Dream Theater – The Astonishing Review

There are bands that make music and there are bands that create art. Now, we all know that art is subjective and one man’s treasure is another’s trash. For me, The Astonishing lives up to its lofty title.

This is a two-disc, 2 1/2 hour concept album; a rock opera about a dystopian future where music has been discarded and one man with the gift of music leads a rebellion. Certainly not the most original story, but in this case, the plot fuels an amazing musical journey.

To be honest, the first two listens didn’t click with me but certain elements brought me back for a third listen and that’s when it all came together. This music rewards a patient listener. It’s not instant gratification because the musical intricacy takes time to digest. This is not new territory for the band (listen to 1999’s Scenes from a Memory) but this might be their most accomplished work to date.

If you are a fan of progressive rock and give this music a chance, you may find a true masterpiece that you will be listening to for years to come.

You can also visit The Astonishing web site for cool artwork and a rundown of: Characters, Places, Map, Tracklisting, Videos, and NOMACS.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow

When I was a kid, I read DC comics. So for me, it’s very exciting to see my childhood heroes on the small screen. The Flash has quickly (pun intended) become one of my favs and hopefully I will be able to say the same of Legends.

It certainly starts off strong. Time Master Rip Hunter assembles a group of unlikely heroes to help him stop the nefarious Vandal Savage from destroying the world. These heroes include The Atom, Firestorm, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Heat Wave, Captain Cold, and White Canary.

The effects are good, the pacing is fast, and the story lines are fun. I’m really hoping the show can maintain all this just like the Flash series. Only time will tell. (Time pun also intentional!)

The Golden Schmoes

Voting opens February 8 for JoBlo’s 15th Annual Golden Schmoes Awards! What are the Golden Schmoes? They are the voice of real movie-goers and fans.

From JoBlo’s site:

Thanks to your nominations we have now compiled the final list of nominees for The 15th Annual JoBlo Movie Awards (aka The Golden Schmoes)! Final voting runs from Monday, February 8th through Wednesday, February 24th, with winners to be announced on Friday, February 26th, just ahead of the Oscars!

To note, the Golden Schmoes have been a staple of the site since its inception and we're proud to represent the popular vote and even have our winning results counted in the awards tally at IMDB
 
The full list is posted with Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Mad Max: Fury Road leading the nominations. To vote, visit the 15th Annual Golden Schmoes Awards!

Writing Dark Fiction in Dracula’s Shadow

Transylvania workshop lets writers explore the ‘Mecca of Horror’

Writers & Publishers International (WPI) offers writers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work on a novel or short story in Transylvania, the birthplace of the infamous Vlad the Impaler.

Running from August 7th to 14th, the Horror Writer’s Workshop is the ultimate summer vacation for any writer of dark fiction, from extreme horror to paranormal romance and everything in between. Attendees will dramatically improve their writing skills while exploring the darkness lurking behind the beautiful castles and fairytale villages of Romania.

It’s impossible to remain uninspired while walking the cobblestone streets of Sighişoara, where Vlad the Impaler was born, or while exploring the eerie Râșnov Fortress, where two Turkish well diggers met their doom.

During the month of February, WPI is offering a special two-for-one discount—those who book with a spouse, friend, or family member will get 50 percent off their registration fees. This deal ends on February 29th.

Between visits to some of the region’s most notorious sites, writers will benefit from the experience of instructor Brian Evenson, a multi award-winning horror writer and professor.

If you’re interested, it’s best to reserve your spot with a deposit, as the workshop sold out quickly last summer. Click Here for more information…if you dare.

- JH Moncrieff

Ninja News

Don’t forget articles for the IWSG newsletter are due soon – February 17 for this month and March 2 for next month. Two hundred words or less, and must be a member of the IWSG.
Send a DOC attachment to Chrys Fey at ChrysFey(at)yahoo(dot)com Put “Member Article” in the Subject Line.

I am at the A to Z Blog today with my ‘getting to know your co-hosts’ piece. Clones, Ninjas, and snark included.

Sign-ups for the 2016 A to Z Challenge are open now. Join us for a month of fun and alphabet insanity.


The authors of the IWSG anthology, Parallels: Felix Was Here, have set up a Website for it! If you want to meet all the authors, check it out.

Tethered by Letters is pleased to announce the F(r)iction Winter Literary Competition. There are three submission categories: 1) short stories of any genre ranging from 1,000 to 7,500 words, 2) flash fiction with a word limit of 750 words, and 3) poetry no longer than three pages. Winners of the contest will be published in a future issue of F(r)iction alongside stunning original artwork from TBL’s talented team of artists.

Artist and author Heather R. Holden needs your support: What’s Patreon? It’s a site where you can support creators of all kinds with monthly donations. If you decide to support me, I won’t have to rely on commissions and other odd jobs as much for income. In other words, I’ll have more time to make comics! Anyone who donates will receive fun perks, too. (High-resolution art files, commission discounts, wallpapers, art prints, early Echo Effect updates, and even artwork that’ll never be posted outside of Patreon.) You can read more about these perks here.

New Releases:

A Savage Ghost by Donna K. Weaver
Once part of an anthology, this story has been updated and revised for its solo launch.
Find it on Amazon

Valentine Pets & Kisses
Make your Valentine’s Day tail-wagging and purr-fect with 14 brand-new romances from award-winning and bestselling authors.
Including stories from our very own JL Campbell, Sydney Aaliyah Michelle, and Susan Oloier.
Find it on Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, and Kobo

Anyone else pick up the new Dream Theater? Watching Legends of Tomorrow? Voting in the Golden Schmoes Awards? Want to visit Transylvania for the writing workshop? Interested in the fiction competition? Picking up some new books? And what did you think of the Super Bowl and its commercials?

Since next weekend is Valentine’s Day and a three-day weekend, my wife and I are extending those days and taking a vacation. So, no post next Monday (I don’t like to post when I can’t comment) and you won’t see me around much. Hope you guys have a great Valentine’s Day and I’ll see you here again on February 22!