Insecure Writer’s Support Group / Retro A to Z Challenge: B - Blazing Saddles – 1974

Double dose today - Insecure Writer’s Support Group AND A to Z Challenge!

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 Hart Johnson, Chemist Ken, Candilynn Fite, Terri Rochenski, Clare Dugmore, and Lilica Blake!

I’d hoped to complete my current manuscript by the time the Challenge began. Between an overload at work and a health scare with my parents, I did not have time to finish. Since the Challenge will consume all of my energy this month, I probably won’t reach the end until May. Which makes it highly unlikely I will get the manuscript edited and to my publisher this summer.

I’m really bummed. I should’ve taken a month off and written NaNo style. Or just give up as the slowest writer ever. Yes, it’s all right that I don’t crank out books every month, but I’m in danger of falling so far behind that no one will remember.

Someone remind me why I picked this gig in the first place? Being a guitarist in a band isn’t half as stressful…

Be sure to visit other IWSG members.

Over at the Facebook page, a thread will be started for the "letter of the day" and we invite members to share A to Z post links in the thread.
We’ve also put together guidelines for the Facebook Group, and those are posted at the site. Please remember the focus is support and promotional news is to be posted on Saturdays.

Blazing Saddles – 1974

Released on February 7, 1974, Blazing Saddles spoofed Westerns in a unique manner. Cleavon Little as the first black sheriff of a small town, Gene Wilder as his deputy, and every funny, crude, and over-the-line joke you can imagine. Directed by Mel Brooks, this movie is hilarious to this day.

1974 fun facts –
*Cost of average of house - $34,900 / UK - 10,990 pounds sterling
*The Sears Tower became the tallest building in the world
*The world’s population was four billion
*The MRI scanner was developed
*The Miami Dolphins won their second consecutive Super Bowl

Movies released –
Young Frankenstein
The Godfather Part II
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot
The Towering Inferno
Dark Star

Music released –
Rush’s debut album
Kiss’ debut album
ELO - Eldorado

Games released -
The earliest first-person shooter games are released – Maze War and Spasim

Why is 1974 special?

Because that was the year Karen Lang accepted the Lord while at a Methodist church youth group meeting. (She also prayed for her parents and a few weeks later, they got saved.)

Karen is a wonderful person and author. She is steady in her faith and devoted to what she believes in and those she believes in. You can find this caring spirit at Karen’s blog, Write Now.
 

What is your writing insecurity today? (And does it involve Challenge posts or slow writing?) Fan of Blazing Saddles? Have any of those movies or albums? Following Karen? What do you remember about 1974…?

House of Cards Review, Game of Thrones in Legos, Mini-Alex, IWSG, Movie Trivia, and Ninja News!

The IWSG is all over today!

The wonderful Karen Lang asked several questions about the IWSG, and I am a guest on her blog today.

For those of you who want to know more about the IWSG and what it can offer to writers, I am also a guest of Lori’s at How to Write Shop. This site is one of the many great resources listed at the IWSG, so come for my guest post and stay for the valuable information Lori offers!

House of Cards – Season Two

The next season of the NetFlix original series is available now and it did not take me long to devour it.
Season two follow’s Kevin Spacey’s character, Francis Underwood, as he maneuvers his way through DC, crushing everything in his path.
Just when you don’t think the show can get any darker or more twisted, House of Cards finds new ways to unsettle you. It’s like a train wreck – fascinating to watch.
By the end of the second season, I had just one thought – the only way this will all ultimately make sense is if Underwood’s revealed to be the antichrist.
And I really hope and pray DC really doesn’t operate like this!

Mini-Alex

On the copier!

I wouldn’t let him use the clone machine, so he tried to improvise.

Didn’t really work though.



And now I have all these copies of his butt…

Real Alex News

I’m still making progress on my current manuscript, although not at the speed I would like. I really am a slow and lazy writer. Will take part of this week off to work on the story. I might actually finish the first draft by the first week of March!

I’ve also prepared almost all of my A to Z Challenge posts! I’ll continue to add to them, but the Challenge portion is ready. (When you see the first one, you’ll understand.) I always prepare them before the Challenge begins, but I’ve never been this far ahead of the game! (And if you haven’t signed up yet, please join us!)

Haven’t been to a movie in a while, but excited that Thor: The Dark World and Gravity come out on Tuesday. Both will be available in 3D Blu-ray, which is just awesome!

The Epic 2000 Followers Giveaway is just a few followers away from ending! If you’ve never clicked the Google Friends Connect, now is a great time to do so.

And sad to see the Olympics come to an end. Always a lot of fun to watch.

Ninja News

Available now - Confessions of a Sex Fiend: A View to Ecstasy by Rayven Godchild, a.k.a. Angela Brown.

Available now – Pale Moonlight by Tony Laplume, an epic vision of vampire literature.

Cover reveal – Bloodlust by Nicole Zoltack

Bloodlust is a NA epic fantasy with a hint of forbidden love when Barbarian-Princess Ivy makes an alliance with the despicable Lukor the goliath in a desperate attempt to save her race from extinction.

Cover reveal – Vampire Lies by RaShelle Workman

Eyes like violet sapphires. Wings of smoldering fire.
Consume your true love's blood.
Become the Eternal Vampire.

Cover reveal – Blood Crown by Ali Cross.

WormFest is in a couple weeks!



And for those of you who are fans of Game of Thrones – The Red Wedding in Legos, courtesy of MsMariah at A Space Blogyssey.
Don’t look if you haven’t seen this insane scene from season three yet!

(From the Huffington Post. )

Movie Trivia

Name the actor/actress who provides the voice!

1 – Title character from The Iron Giant, 1999

2 – Z from Antz, 1998

3 – Title character from Puss in Boots, 2011

4 – Moses from Prince of Egypt, 1998

5 – Sulley from Monsters, Inc., 2001

6 – Rocky from Chicken Run, 2000

7 – Fozzie Bear from Muppets From Space, 1999

8 – Emperor Kuzco from The Emperor’s New Groove, 2000

Answers next Monday!

Anyone else watching House of Cards? Working on a manuscript? (Hopefully writing faster than me!) Working on your A to Z Challenge posts? Ready for some new books? Know any of the trivia? And where should Mini-Alex go next…?

Be sure to visit Karen Lang today!