The awesome co-hosts for the May 2 posting of the IWSG are E.M.A. Timar, J. Q. Rose, C.Lee McKenzie, and Raimey Gallant!
Today’s optional question - It’s spring! Does this season inspire you to write more than others, or not?
I don’t believe the season matters much. Either way, I’d rather be inside.
Although... I did work a little bit on my Cassa sequel while on break last month!
The IWSG is proud to announce our third anthology is out now!
Thanks to everyone who entered, judged, and helped promote this book. And thanks to all of the members – bloggers, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads book club. You are the reason for the IWSG and its success.
An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology
The clock is ticking...
Can a dead child’s cross-stitch pendant find a missing nun? Is revenge possible in just 48 minutes? Can a killer be stopped before the rescuers are engulfed by a city ablaze? Who killed what the tide brought in? Can a soliloquizing gumshoe stay out of jail?
Exploring the facets of time, eleven authors delve into mysteries and crimes that linger in both dark corners and plain sight. Featuring the talents of Gwen Gardner, Rebecca M. Douglass, Tara Tyler, S. R. Betler, C.D. Gallant-King, Jemi Fraser, J. R. Ferguson, Yolanda Renée, C. Lee McKenzie, Christine Clemetson, and Mary Aalgaard.
Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these eleven tales will take you on a thrilling ride into jeopardy and secrecy. Trail along, find the clues, and stay out of danger. Time is wasting...
$14.95 USA, 6x9 Trade paperback, 204 pages, Freedom Fox Press
Mystery & Detective (FIC022000) / Crime (FIC050000) / Thrillers (FIC031000)
Print ISBN 9781939844545 eBook ISBN 9781939844552
$4.99 EBook available in all formats
Tick Tock links:
Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, Kobo, Goodreads, Tick Tock Mystery Facebook, and Tick Tock Mystery Blog
Movie Reviews
What can I say? Wow! This is a superhero film on a massive scale. And not just the cast of characters but the scope of the story and its locations.
This was a very ambitious project, juggling so many characters and storylines, but the Russo brothers pulled it off.
All of the superheroes get screen time, especially the leads with their own movies. (Thor, Dr. Strange, etc.) The Guardians of the Galaxy get the most screen time due to their direct ties with Thanos. Notable absences include Hawkeye and Ant-Man, but everyone else is present.
Thanos is a very complex villain. He’s not out to conquer the world. He just wants to bring balance to the universe in his own twisted way and at whatever cost.
Special effects – well, you know they are awesome. And on a grand scale.
This is a much deeper and darker Marvel film. Parts of it will crush you. There are a lot more surprises and twists, and the storyline isn’t what you’d expect. (Spoiler) Yes, some of the Avengers die, but it’s not who you think.
It is a complete story. However, considering how it ends, it’s a major bummer we have to wait a year for the second half.
Highly recommended! Go get your geek on.
The sequel to Skyline, beginning at just about the same time. Fortunately, it’s an improvement over the original and with a far better ending.
I give the creators credit. It’s low budget, but they went for it anyway, and the special effects are mostly good.
There are three vastly different settings/acts and the movie does feel a little odd as it transitions from one to the next.
The scenes on the alien ship are not for the squeamish though.
I can’t say I liked it, but again, an improvement over the first film, which I thought was awful
Worth a free rental for science fiction/horror fans.
She’s an artificially created humanoid and a corporate consultant must decide if the project will continue or if Morgan needs to be terminated.
A small film, it’s well done if not a little cold. A similar theme was explored better and more in depth in Ex Machina.
There are some major names among the co-stars – Michelle Yeoh, Brian Cox, Paul Giamatti, and Jennifer Jason Leigh.
Morgan is played by Anya Taylor-Joy (Split, The Witch), both calculating and dangerous, while Kate Mara as the consultant is even more so. It’s a little difficult to decide who to root for since both leads are distant.
Interesting but not memorable. Worth a free rental.
May Movie Preview
Here are the upcoming theatrical releases for May! As always, descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.
18-
Deadpool 2
After surviving a near fatal bovine attack, a disfigured cafeteria chef (Wade Wilson) struggles to fulfill his dream of becoming Mayberry's hottest bartender while also learning to cope with his lost sense of taste. Searching to regain his spice for life, as well as a flux capacitor, Wade must battle ninjas, the yakuza, and a pack of sexually aggressive canines, as he journeys around the world to discover the importance of family, friendship, and flavor - finding a new taste for adventure and earning the coveted coffee mug title of World's Best Lover.
Director: David Leitch
Stars: Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller, Josh Brolin, Ryan Reynolds
I won’t even attempt snark here – Mr. Deadpool, I bow to your royal snarkness. (And by the way, if you haven’t already guessed, the description is a joke.)
25-
Solo: A Star Wars Story
During an adventure into a dark criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his future copilot Chewbacca and encounters Lando Calrissian years before joining the Rebellion.
Director: Ron Howard
Stars: Emilia Clarke, Alden Ehrenreich, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Donald Glover
I want this to be great, but it could wind up the Jar-Jar Binks of Star Wars films. Dude doesn’t look like Harrison Ford at all!
Are you inspired by spring and did you take time off to write last month? Who is picking up Tick Tock? Who saw Infinity Wars? Or either of the other movies? Are you looking forward to either Deadpool or Solo?
During my break, I was a guest at Thoughts in Progress talking about the IWSG and Tick Tock. Plus be sure to check out the Tick Tock Mystery Blog for other stops on the tour.
