IWSG Anthology Contest Winners and #IWSGPit! Plus Aquaman and Bumblebee Reviews, January Movie Preview, and Hellboy Trailer

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 Patricia Lynne, Lisa Buie-Collard, Kim Lajevardi, and Fundy Blue!

Today’s question - What are your favorite and least favorite questions people ask you about your writing?

The #IWSGPit Twitter pitch is once a year now – and the next one is on January 15!.
Hundreds of agents and publishers will be checking the hashtag that day.
For rules and list of genre hashtags, visit the #IWSGPit page.
The IWSG Admins will be monitoring the feed. Get those Twitter pitches ready – you have two weeks!

IWSG Anthology Contest Winners

Here are the stories and authors that have been selected for our fourth anthology:

Oddly Suited by LG Keltner
Sea of Sorrows by AV Brown
Behind the Catcher’s Mask by Jennifer Lane
A Diver’s Ball by Angela Brown
Fearless Heart by Deborah Solice
The Dark Charade by CD Gallant-King
The Cog Prince by Elizabeth Mueller
Flower of Ronda by Myles Christensen
Remedy by Chelsea Ballard
Charleston Masquerade by Carrie-Anne Brownian

The top story has the honors of being included in the title. LG Keltner’s story came out on top! The official title of our next anthology – Masquerade: Oddly Suited. Congratulations, LG. (She was also in the top spot for our first anthology, Parallels: Felix Was Here.)

The IWSG Admins spent many hours reading the entries and fourteen were sent to our special judges. We certainly wish to thank them for taking time away from their own work to read the entries:

Elizabeth S. Craig, author
Kelly Van Sant, agent at Red Sofa Literary Agency
Elana Johnson, author
DL Hammons, Write Club founder
S.A. Larsen,author
Kristin Smith, author
Gwen Gardner, author and previous IWSG anthology winner

Look for Masquerade: Oddly Suited late spring!

Aquaman Review

This is the Aquaman movie the ten-year-old me always wanted to see!
Taking place after Justice League, it serves as an origins story.
The director went for it and the result is an incredibly fun film. It delves further into the mythos than I thought it would. It’s a little corny at times, but not in a bad way. Some of it, especially the dialogue, is intended and it works.
The special effects – again, wow! The creatures, the underwater world – just breathtaking.
Jason Momoa is perfect as Aquaman. He brings swagger, humor, and strength to the role.
All of the characters are played well, with standouts from Nicole Kidman as his mother, Willem Dafoe as Vulko, and Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus. I really liked the relationship between Aquaman and Mera, played by Amber Heard.
It also introduced my favorite Aquaman villain, the Black Manta. He will be back!
Just a fun, incredibly entertaining film and a great direction for the DC universe.
Highly recommended!

Bumblebee Review

The past few Transformers movies have been awful, but a new director and a ninety-three percent on Rotten Tomatoes compelled me to go see it. And I’m glad I did!
Directed by Travis Knight (Kubo and the Two Strings), it’s heartfelt and very character driven. It’s a great movie that just happens to have some Transformers in it.
It takes place in the 80’s and is loaded with 80’s songs, but it also feels like it was made in the 80’s. The family elements have a very Steven Spielberg feel. Less is definitely more in this movie and the focus is on the wonder and the mayhem.
If you’ve been burned by the Michael Bay movies, rest assured – this one is nothing like any of those films. It has heart, characters with depth, and a compelling and moving story.
Highly recommended.

January Movie Preview

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

11 -

Replicas
A scientist becomes obsessed with bringing back his family members who died in a traffic accident.
Director: Jeffrey Nachmanoff
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Alice Eve, Thomas Middleditch, Emily Alyn Lind
Reminds me of a hundred other science fiction films I’ve already seen…

18 -

Glass
Security guard David Dunn uses his supernatural abilities to track Kevin Wendell Crumb, a disturbed man who has twenty-four personalities.
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Stars: Bruce Willis, Luke Kirby, Anya Taylor-Joy, James McAvoy, Samuel L. Jackson
Still not sure of Shyamalan is back although I’m not hoping he will fail…again.

And since there are so few releases in January, let me end with the trailer for the Hellboy reboot:

Are you ready for #IWSGPit? What genre should we tackle next for the IWSG Anthology Contest? (We’ve had science fiction, fantasy, mystery/crime/thriller, and young adult.) Excited about Masquerade: Oddly Suited? Did you catch Aquaman or Bumblebee? What’s the next film on your radar?

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and you're ready for 2019!

Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Anthology Contest Open, September Movie Preview, Where in the World, and Ninja News

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 5 posting of the IWSG are Toi Thomas, T. Powell Coltrin, M.J. Fifield, and Tara Tyler!

September 5 question - What publishing path are you considering/did you take, and why?

I never even considered pursuing an agent. I knew I wasn’t that good.
So I queried publishers instead.
Best decision ever!
Four books and a short story later, I’ve experienced more success than I could’ve ever imagined.
Thank you to my publisher and all of my fans!

The 2018 Annual IWSG Anthology Contest is now open for submissions!

Guidelines and rules:

Word count: 3500-6000

Genre: Young Adult Romance

Theme:
Masquerade
A Masquerade can be a false show or pretense, someone pretending to be someone they aren't. It can be a ball, a fancy dress party, it can be a mask. Open to interpretation.

Submissions accepted: September 5 - November 4, 2018

How to enter: Send your polished, formatted (Double spaced, no page numbers), previously unpublished story to admin @ insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please include your 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. This year, we are honored to have seven incredible judges:
Elizabeth S. Craig, author
Elana Johnson, author
S.A. Larsen,author
DL Hammons, Write Club founder
Gwen Gardner, author and previous IWSG anthology winner
Kelly Van Sant, agent at Red Sofa Literary Agency
Kristin Smith, author

Prizes: The winning stories will be edited and published by Freedom Fox Press next year in the IWSG anthology. Authors will receive royalties on books sold, both print and eBook. The top story will have the honor of giving the anthology its title.


Our previous IWSG anthologies:
Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime
Hero Lost: The Mysteries of Death and Life
Parallels: Felix Was Here

Where in the World Bloghop

In celebration of her upcoming release, Bubba and Squirt’s Big Dig to China, Sherry Ellis is hosting a blogfest September 4 -7, 2018.
Prompt: If you could go through the Earth and end up in another country, where would you go?

Easy! I’d dig a hole to New Zealand. (Certainly beats flying.) Then I could explore such a stunningly beautiful country.
I’d also explore the Lord of the Rings sites of course!
And visit blogger buddy Rhonda Albom. She’d know the best places to visit.

Where would you go?

Find Sherry’s book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Itunes, and Books a Million

Ninja News

Are you following the IWSG on Instagram?
Here are the prompts for September:

New release!
Fearless (The Deception Game Book 3) by Kristin Smith
When you can't escape, you hide.
Find it on Amazon

September Movie Preview

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

14 –

The Predator
When a young boy accidentally triggers the universe's most lethal hunters' return to Earth, only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and a disgruntled science teacher can prevent the end of the human race.
Director: Shane Black
Stars: Yvonne Strahovski, Olivia Munn, Jacob Tremblay, Boyd Holbrook
Science teacher versus Predator? Break out the papier-mâché volcano.

21 –

The House with a Clock in Its Walls
A young orphan named Lewis Barnavelt aids his magical uncle in locating a clock with the power to bring about the end of the world.
Director: Eli Roth
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Jack Black, Lorenza Izzo, Kyle MacLachlan
Is this the sequel to Eli Roth’s The Hostel with a Corpse in the Wall?

28 –

Smallfoot
A Yeti is convinced that the elusive creatures known as "humans" really do exist.
Directors: Karey Kirkpatrick | Jason Reisig
Stars: Zendaya, Channing Tatum, James Corden, Gina Rodriguez
What is the Yeti trying to say about people with small feet?

What publishing path is your choice? Are you submitting to the IWSG Anthology Contest? Where would you dig a hole to? And what movies catch your eye for September?

Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology Contest! Plus September Movie Preview, Ninja Around the Web, 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 co-hosts today are Tyrean Martinson, Tara Tyler, Raimey Gallant, and Beverly Stowe McClure!

September 6 Question: Have you ever surprised yourself with your writing? For example, by trying a new genre you didn't think you'd be comfortable in??

I’ve always written science fiction. Blogging taught me how to write articles and guest posts and such. But a submission to Geekdom House and their magazine sent me in the direction of contemporary fiction.
And you know what? It was kinda fun.

Don’t forget the Show Your Writer Insecurity Contest is October 4! See the site for details. Cool prizes.



September marks six years for the IWSG group and four years for the website. You know what that means…

The annual IWSG Anthology Contest!

Eligibility: Any member of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group is encouraged to enter – blogging or Facebook member. The story must be previously unpublished. Entry is free.

Word count: 3500-6000

Genre: Mystery/Crime/Thriller

Theme: Tick Tock. The story revolves around a clock, is time sensitive, or has something about a specific time. This theme has plenty of scope and we’re open to pretty much anything along these lines. No erotica, R-rated language, or graphic violence.

Story deadline: November 1st 2017

How to enter: Send your polished, previously unpublished story to admin @ insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please format double-spaced, size 12 font, and no headers or footers. Include your contact details, your social links, and if you are part of the Blogging or Facebook IWSG group.

Judging: The IWSG admins will create a shortlist of the best stories. The shortlist will then be sent to our official judges:

Elizabeth S. Craig writes cozy mystery series for Penguin Random House, Midnight Ink, and independently. She curates links on Twitter as @elizabethscraig that are later shared in the free search engine Writers Knowledge Base.

Anne Hawkins is a partner in John Hawkins & Associates, Inc., New York. Founded in 1893 by Paul R. Reynolds, it is the oldest literary agency in the country. She works with mainstream literary and commercial fiction, including mystery, suspense, and thrillers and a wide variety of serious non-fiction, particularly history, politics, biography, science, and natural history. A number of her books have gained distinction through award nominations, book-to-film contracts, significant foreign rights sales, major book club selections, or placement on the New York Times bestseller list. Anne Hawkins is a member of the Association of Authors’ Representatives.

Candace Havens is the Editorial Director of Covet has written multiple novels for Berkley, Entangled and Harlequin. Her books have received nominations for the RITA’s, Holt Medallion and Write Touch Reader Awards. She is one of the nation’s leading entertainment journalists, runs a free online writing workshop, and teaches comprehensive writing class.

Author, Public Speaker, and Executive Producer, Lynn Tincher was born just outside of Louisville, Kentucky in the beautiful city of La Grange. She has written four books, with the fifth one currently in the making. Her first book, Afterthoughts was optioned for movie production by Kilted Pictures and Dancing Forward Productions in Los Angeles. It is currently in pre-production with plans to shoot in Louisville, Kentucky very soon.

Ion Newcombe is the editor and publisher of AntipodeanSF, Australia's longest running online speculative fiction magazine, regularly issued since January 1998. His qualifications and employment range from horticulture through electronics into literature and communications.

Patricia (Pat) Stoltey is the author of four crime fiction novels published by Five Star/Cengage including a historical mystery called Wishing Caswell Dead (https://www.amazon.com/Wishing-Caswell-Dead-Patricia-Stoltey/dp/1432834401/) (December 2017). She lives in Northern Colorado with her husband Bill, Sassy Dog, and Katie Cat. To learn more about Patricia and her books, visit her website/blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

Mason Canyon had a love of books since childhood encouraged by a mother who loved to read. A 30+year career in journalism fueled her desire to know what a story is all about. Blogging at Thoughts in Progress since 2009 and operating MC Book Tours for over a year. Loves to read and share great stories with others. MC Book Tours

Prizes: The winning stories will be edited and published by Freedom Fox Press next year in the IWSG anthology. Authors will receive royalties on books sold, both print and eBook. The top story will have the honor of giving the anthology its title.

We’re excited to see the creativity and enthusiasm that’s such a part of this group put into action. So don your creative caps and start writing. And spread the word!

Ninja Around the Web

I have a special feature involving the song that inspired Dragon of the Stars at West of Mars.
Feature Opportunity West of Mars - Susan Helene Gottfried is looking for new books to feature! See her guidelines for a Feature Opportunity West of Mars.

The Kindle Book Review’s September Author Meet & Greet Giveaway is open until the end of the month.
Dragon of the Stars is one of the books involved in the Meet and Greet.
You could win the “Ultimate Reader Gift Basket” ~ A 7″ Kindle Fire HD, a $25 Amazon gift card, and a bottle of wine.
Multiple ways to enter! And you can enter every single day. Visit September Author Meet & Greet Giveaway to enter.

New releases!

SIX STRINGS - SEASON 2: ISSUE 5 is now available!
Put together for Howling Wolf Records by Jeremy Hawkins, is packed with cool stuff.
10 Years working with "LORD OF THE RINGS: ONLINE"
INTERVIEW WITH COMPOSER "CHANCE THOMAS"
And more! Download your free copy of SIX STRINGS - SEASON 2: ISSUE 5.

Two Princesses by Tara Tyler 
Toss together two troubled princesses from feuding families, and see how well they work together to make their own happy endings. 
Find it on Amazon and Lulu
 

Dread by Shah Wharton

September Movie Preview

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

8 –

It
In Derry, Maine, seven friends come face-to-face with a shape shifter, who takes the form of an evil clown who targets children.
Director: Andy Muschietti
Stars: Bill Skarsgård, Jaeden Lieberher, Finn Wolfhard, Sophia Lillis
It has potential. It looks good. I might see It. I hope It doesn’t suck…


15 –

American Assassin
A story centered on counterterrorism agent Mitch Rapp.
Director: Michael Cuesta
Stars: Dylan O'Brien, Michael Keaton, Taylor Kitsch, Scott Adkins
He’s an American, she’s an assassin. Together, they just might learn a thing or two about each other…and love! Wait, that might not be the storyline…

Kingsman: The Golden Circle
When their headquarters are destroyed and the world is held hostage, the Kingsman's journey leads them to the discovery of an allied spy organization in the US. These two elite secret organizations must band together to defeat a common enemy.
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Stars: Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Channing Tatum
Not sure if it’s appealing or not. (Also Golden Corral’s new slogan.)


29 –

American Made
A pilot lands work for the CIA and as a drug runner in the south during the 1980s.
Director: Doug Liman
Stars: Tom Cruise, Domhnall Gleeson, Caleb Landry Jones, Sarah Wright
Combine it with his last lame film and you have American Made Mummy…

Flatliners
Five medical students, obsessed by what lies beyond the confines of life, embark on a daring experiment: by stopping their hearts for short periods, each triggers a near-death experience - giving them a firsthand account of the afterlife.
Director: Niels Arden Oplev
Stars: Nina Dobrev, Ellen Page, James Norton, Diego Luna
Here’s a twist – instead of remaking films you loved as a kid, Hollywood is now remaking films you didn’t care about in the first place.

Submitting to this year’s anthology? Ready for the Writer Insecurity contest? What surprised you as a writer? Want to win a Kindle Fire? (Or a bottle of wine?) And what movies have your attention this month?

Be sure to visit my feature at West of Mars and enter the September Author Meet & Greet Giveaway!