Insecure Writer’s Support Group and Fifteen Years, The End of Oak Street Review, and September Movie Preview

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 for the September 2 posting of the IWSG are Kate Larkinsdale, SE White, JS Pailly, Olga Godim, and Natalie Aguirre!

Note we need one more co-host for each remaining month - October, November, and December. Co-hosting is fun and if you can do it one of those months, leave a comment.

September marks the fifteenth anniversary of the IWSG! We began as a monthly blog hop before implementing a website for writers that would be the databases of databases of writing information. While some of our activities have ceased (anthology contest, Twitter pitches) we are still going strong on Facebook, X, and Instagram, plus we have a live writer’s group that meets in Virginia.

For this special occasion, we are asking members to do two things. If you have books for sale, include links to them in your post. Second, as you are visiting members, select five (or however many you can) to purchase. No pressure to read and review, just support a fellow member by buying a couple books.

Links to my books: CassaDawn, CassaStar, CassaFire, CassaStorm, CassaDark, and Dragon of the Stars

Thanks to those of you who have stuck with us. We couldn’t have done it without you!

The question for today - Do you have a favorite character archetype you tend to gravitate toward in your writing?

I guess my main characters all fall into the category of hero – one who faces a big challenge and grows. What can I say? I’m a creature of habit.

The End of Oak Street Movie Review

Residents wake up one morning and discover their neighborhood now resides in a prehistoric past.
Sadly this movie did not do well at the box office and I have no idea why. People love dinosaurs! And this is one fun dinosaur movie.
It is set in the 80’s but the movie itself has a very 80’s movie vibe, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
The special effects are really good, despite the very modest budget. Their version of dinosaurs (with feathers and fur) is refreshing as well. And if you thought the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park were scary, these guys are downright terrifying.
It takes a little time to set up the main characters – a family of four with mom about to leave them – but once the dinosaurs appear, the roller coaster begins.
Do note that while it is PG-13, it’s a strong PG-13. There are some gruesome dino deaths. If your seven-year-old loves dinosaurs, this just might scare him out of that.
Overall, it was a ton of fun and one scene three-fourths of the way in really surprised and shocked me. Add to the fact it’s run time is 1:39 and it’s the perfect length for this type of film.
Highly recommended!

September Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for September. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

11 –

Runner
Director – Scott Waugh
Stars – Alan Ritchson, Owen Wilson, Leila George
A former soldier and his unlikely partner become the targets of a ruthless cartel while racing to complete a critical medical delivery and save the life of a little girl.
Jack Reacher and Shanghai Noon’s Roy O’Bannon go on a road trip – looks like fun!

The Uprising
Director – Paul Greengrass
Stars – Andrew Garfield, Jamie Bell, Stephen Dillane
Based on the true story of the uprising that inspired the legend of Robin Hood, Andrew Garfield stars as the leader of a rebellion against the tyranny of King Richard II in a fight for justice.
It looks gritty and violent, but I prefer my Merry Men in Tights.


18 –

Resident Evil
Director – Zach Cregger
Stars – Austin Abrams, Paul Walter Hauser, Zach Cherry
Follows a hapless courier tasked with delivering a package to a remote hospital. He soon finds himself caught in the middle of an outbreak and must fight through hordes of mutated creatures to survive.
Someone should send Reacher and O’Bannon to Raccoon City to take care of that problem.

Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom
Directors – Steve Cox, Matthew Walker
Stars – Nina Sosanya, Paul Whitehouse, Justine Fletcher
On Halloween Eve at Mossy Bottom Farm, excitement turns to dismay when the clumsy Farmer ruins the pumpkin patch. Shaun tries fixing it with science experiments, but things go wrong when a wild beast appears in the woods.
This film and Resident Evil should be a great double-bill for you and the kids!

What do you regret? What does the IWSG mean to you? Seen The End of Oak Street? And what movie catches your attention this month?
Now, go buy some books!

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, IWSG Anniversary, September Movie Preview, and Bloodstone!

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 for the September 4 posting of the IWSG are Beth Camp, Jean Davis, Yvonne Ventresca, and PJ Colando!

September 4 question - Since it's back to school time, let's talk English class. What's a writing rule you learned in school that messed you up as a writer?

Proper sentence structure! I mean, that’s out the window when it comes to writing a story. Both in dialogue and the actual writing. A one-word sentence is perfectly acceptable in a book. It took me a while to realize that and relax with my writing, sound more natural.

And this is the thirteenth anniversary of the IWSG! It began in 2011 as just a blog hop and then morphed into a website, Facebook group, newsletter, Twitter group, and Instagram group.
Thanks to all of you for supporting the IWSG all these years.

Coming Soon!

Bloodstone by H. R. Sinclair
Lost Witch, Book One
Release date – September 22v ISBN: 9798329367645
Katelyn Grey is a gardener in Southern California. She’s content with pruning shrubs and looking after her step-mom, the only family she has left. That is, until a lawyer shows up and tells her that her long-lost aunt died, leaving her the family home on the other side of the country.
Though Katelyn hates to travel, a weird clause in her aunt’s will forces her to visit a quaint New England seaside town. Her world changes when she discovers she’s inherited a haunted brownstone, fickle magic, and a hidden key that someone else wants. And they’re willing to kill for it.
Now, she must learn how to use magic, find the key, and figure out what it’s for before she ends up like her long-lost aunt. Dead.
Find it on Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, and Books2Read

September Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for September. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

6 –

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Director: Tim Burton
Stars: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Jenna Ortega
After a family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia's life is turned upside down when her teenage daughter, Astrid, accidentally opens the portal to the Afterlife.
The director returns to his roots in hopes of creating a film that isn’t awful.

13 –
 

Speak No Evil
Director: James Watkins
Stars: James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNairyv A family is invited to spend a weekend in an idyllic country house, unaware that their dream vacation will soon become a psychological nightmare.
Speaking of evil…wait, I’m not supposed to speak it! And if this movie sucks, I might wish I’d watched no evil as well.

20 –

Transformers One
Director: Josh Cooley
Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson
The untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever.
Michael Bay is not directing, so let’s see if they can keep it under four hours.

27 –

Megalopolis
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Stars: Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel
An architect wants to rebuild New York City as a utopia following a devastating disaster. 

After the fake quote fiasco, I’m not sure I’m trusting the reviews, either.

What writing rule messed you up? Picking up Holly’s book? Any movie catch your interest this month?
I’ll be offline some of the second half of September but right back here for the October 2 posting for IWSG.

Top Ten Werewolf Movies and IWSG Day Responses

Today I have a special guest, fellow author and my publisher, L. Diane Wolfe!

Top 10 Werewolf Movies

In celebration of the release of the third novella in my series, In Darkness: The Werewolf, Alex asked me about the top ten werewolf movies. There are dozens of lists, so I decided to go with MY top ten werewolf movies.

Silver Bullet – 1985
In a small town, brutal killings start to plague the close knit community. Marty Coslaw, a paraplegic boy, is convinced the murders are the doings of a werewolf.
This one will always be my favorite. I loved the story and the scenes with the werewolf scared the crap out of me. (I should mention that most werewolf movies scare me. A giant, vicious, furry creature outside? Probably why I never camped in a tent.) And I do own that German movie poster to the right, too.

Brotherhood of the Wolf – 2001
In 18th-century France, the Chevalier de Fronsac and his Native American friend Mani are sent to the Gevaudan province at the king's behest to investigate the killings of hundreds by a mysterious beast.
This foreign film is so stylish. There are so many things going on besides the beast killing people and quite a twist near the end.

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans – 2009
An origins story centered on the centuries-old feud between the race of aristocratic vampires and their onetime slaves, the Lycans.
I could’ve filled up most of this list with the Underworld films since they all have lycans in them. This hits all the notes and is bittersweet.

Ginger Snaps – 2000
Two death-obsessed sisters, outcasts in their suburban neighborhood, must deal with the tragic consequences when one of them is bitten by a deadly werewolf.
This was a big surprise for such a small film. You really care about the two leads.

The Cabin in the Woods – 2011
Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin, where they get more than they bargained for, discovering the truth behind the cabin in the woods.
The werewolf is only in a little bit of this crazy-ass film, but he looks the part!

An American Werewolf in London – 1981
Two American college students on a walking tour of Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists.
This one tops most lists as the transformation by Rick Baker was revolutionary at the time. Another bittersweet tale.

What We Do in The Shadows – 2014
Viago, Deacon, and Vladislav are vampires who are struggling with the mundane aspects of modern life, like paying rent, keeping up with the chore wheel, trying to get into nightclubs, and overcoming flatmate conflicts.
Just a lot of laughs and the vampires are sworn enemies of the werewolves.

The Wolf of Snow Hollow – 2020
Terror grips a small mountain town as bodies are discovered after each full moon. Losing sleep, raising a teenage daughter, and caring for his ailing father, officer Marshall struggles to remind himself there's no such thing as werewolves.
Not perfect, but another quirky film that was tense and enjoyable.

The Howling – 1981
After a bizarre and near deadly encounter with a serial killer, a television newswoman is sent to a remote mountain resort whose residents may not be what they seem.
Another one that tops a lot of lists, this classic is good but best when the werewolves are not clearly seen.

Wolfen – 1981
A New York cop investigates a series of brutal deaths that resemble animal attacks.
It’s been years since I’ve seen it, but this was a unique take on the legend and very brooding.

So, there you have it – my favorite werewolf movies!

In Darkness: The Werewolf
By L. Diane Wolfe

Souls shrouded in darkness…
On her own in England, Vicki trains at a prestigious fencing school. Face marred by a birthmark, she’s suspicious of Nicholas’ attention. A dinner date reveals his genuine interest and they begin to connect. Nicholas is attractive and she wonders why he’s so shy and reclusive.
Then one evening she happens upon him changing into a lycan. Every werewolf legend is challenged by the gentle, fearful creature before her. Vickie accepts his secret, but Nicholas knows he’s an unpredictable beast. Can they trust love enough to overcome their physical challenges?

Romance/Paranormal/Shifter, Romance/Paranormal, Fantasy/Paranormal
$3.99 eBook ISBN 9781939844927
Links: Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Scribed, and Goodreads

A professional speaker and author, L. Diane Wolfe conducts seminars, offers book formatting, and author consultation. She’s the senior editor at Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C. and contributes to the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. Find her: website, blog, and at the IWSG site.

IWSG Day Responses

To say the last IWSG day was overwhelming is an understatement. You guys are amazing! So many touching responses to the question about what the IWSG means to you. Too many to name for sure!

I never envisioned this group would still be going twelve years later. The blog hop is smaller, but that’s all right. More intimate. (And I managed to visit everyone last time!) We also have other IWSG groups for writers to join – Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram. Pus don’t forget there is our newsletter and the main website.

So, thanks to everyone who is a part of the IWSG in some way. I’m excited it means a safe haven for writers for those who participate, because that’s exactly what I wanted A place for all of us insecure writers to hang out!

What are your favorite werewolf films? What did you think of the IWSG responses this month? You guys rock!