tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86992629592968467642024-03-28T16:20:52.756-04:00Alex J. CavanaughI'm Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh. Founder of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Author of the Amazon Best Sellers, CassaStar, CassaFire, CassaStorm, and Dragon of the Stars.Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comBlogger1139125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-61640436073154906792024-03-06T04:00:00.065-05:002024-03-06T04:00:00.132-05:00Insecure Writer’s Support Group, #IWSGPit, Childhood Magic, Dune: Part Two Review, and March Movie Preview<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfFmGovgo6zpk2g-ggvB2qsYSHcqZuACkIvBR9mYgjMyLUKmyQrZJwcAsEwhfywdjkuPt4ATKO6PP9rbgSVd7b_Gaw8upAMFNjSREJPQWSRRAL2LbSny8ckeVsWlPMK8FvVmdIAM6roEgYtVPw9o-_eokQcmXnboRpaqF59pr7k-ZEZOn4Y1Qfzy7dbDA/s932/Insecure%20Writers%20Support%20Group%20Badge.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="932" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfFmGovgo6zpk2g-ggvB2qsYSHcqZuACkIvBR9mYgjMyLUKmyQrZJwcAsEwhfywdjkuPt4ATKO6PP9rbgSVd7b_Gaw8upAMFNjSREJPQWSRRAL2LbSny8ckeVsWlPMK8FvVmdIAM6roEgYtVPw9o-_eokQcmXnboRpaqF59pr7k-ZEZOn4Y1Qfzy7dbDA/w200-h197/Insecure%20Writers%20Support%20Group%20Badge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />It’s time for another group posting of the<b> <a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html" target="_blank">Insecure Writer’s Support Group!</a> </b>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.<br />
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The awesome co-hosts for the March 6 posting of the IWSG are <b><a href="http://kristinaseyes.com/" target="_blank">Kristina Kelly,</a> <a href="https://miffieseideman.com/" target="_blank">Miffie Seideman,</a> <a href="http://jeanddavis.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jean Davis,</a> </b>and <a href="http://middlepassages-lcs.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><b>Liza @ Middle Passages</b>!</a><br />
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March 6 question -</span> Have you "played" with AI to write those nasty synopses, or do you refuse to go that route? How do you feel about AI's impact on creative writing? <br />
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I’ve not had a need to try it. While I can see the advantages and benefits, I can also see AI taking over more. To the point natural creativity will be threatened. And that’s sad. <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjan9rSdw0jOSbRion65o_jgxpaMyHcmZoEv0dt6O7nzCdTAmQx2tUkUIiF4qs1wcpHetIVYPXi9SO1uROZhMnOxH06fqEoFNlNT5v8zM8bleEkt2hT7ZnBXcC7d6iWEeBZTvexroJIqfIaYry1QfLS6bBiwjJelF2vWYmWwFlg6NweXOIQsThY4Ows4zQ/s360/IWSG_pitch%202024.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="360" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjan9rSdw0jOSbRion65o_jgxpaMyHcmZoEv0dt6O7nzCdTAmQx2tUkUIiF4qs1wcpHetIVYPXi9SO1uROZhMnOxH06fqEoFNlNT5v8zM8bleEkt2hT7ZnBXcC7d6iWEeBZTvexroJIqfIaYry1QfLS6bBiwjJelF2vWYmWwFlg6NweXOIQsThY4Ows4zQ/s320/IWSG_pitch%202024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />#IWSGPit! </span></b><br />
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The next #IWSGPit will be March 27, 2024. <br />
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10:00 am - 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. <br />
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Get all the details <a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-twitter-pitch.html" target="_blank">here.</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55GvIfSZfdGq2fQg-rfBRI9F2XWGAcp-aBc0f1X3CA0_L9PEEEkJDU4sGj6lXiIbgMStMxU5y6qriVz1zqt_JSy-bKyDhNRyW0fk95p7zDgKkU6UdtrbYrFX3mnDUjOhJt4nJl7aVKhlMZGagkUfCHnsc7wSGJkYfO9XIHi9MsBclxsuMf0vqEq_pi4A/s924/In%20Darkness%20by%20L%20Diane%20Wolfe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="617" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55GvIfSZfdGq2fQg-rfBRI9F2XWGAcp-aBc0f1X3CA0_L9PEEEkJDU4sGj6lXiIbgMStMxU5y6qriVz1zqt_JSy-bKyDhNRyW0fk95p7zDgKkU6UdtrbYrFX3mnDUjOhJt4nJl7aVKhlMZGagkUfCHnsc7wSGJkYfO9XIHi9MsBclxsuMf0vqEq_pi4A/w134-h200/In%20Darkness%20by%20L%20Diane%20Wolfe.jpg" width="134" /></a></div><br />And there is a new release from one of our IWSG admins! <br />
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<b>In Darkness by L. Diane Wolfe</b><br />
Romance-Paranormal / Fantasy-Paranormal / Romance-Science Fiction<br />
Print ISBN 9798988625148 $17.95, 342 pages<br />
eBook ISBN 9798988625155 $8.99<br />
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Find it on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWYM915Q" target="_blank">Amazon,</a> <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id6476887107" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940167675377" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble,</a> <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search?Query=9798988625155\" target="_blank">Kobo,</a> <a href="https://www.gardners.com/Search/KeywordAnonymous/eBook?Keyword=9798988625155" target="_blank">Gardners,</a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/206112336-in-darkness" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #c27ba0; font-size: large;">Childhood Magic by Shannon Lawrence</span></b><br /></div><div>
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Mythological creatures have a long history, one that precedes written lore. Looking back at The Odyssey, which many of us read in high school, this was a tale originally told aloud by at least one of a collection of bards who traveled around and shared stories, which were eventually transcribed by others in the name of Homer. The Greek mythological creatures told in stories of the time included Cyclops, the Minotaur, and Sirens. Namely, creatures that served to speak to the perils people faced when they left the safety of their homes. <br />
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My favorite mythological creatures tend to live in two basic worlds: endearing childhood creatures and those found in darker stories. I love a cautionary tale, but there’s also the endearing magic inherent in a creature existing for good. Today I want to focus on two mythological creatures from my childhood that represented a beautiful kind of magic. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPPwf7Hh60Qb9xMlq3GfBHzVs8VtZpkbMDs-NTerCmCTkLM3XnAXRUTpVI4ccs4tKP4Joiq7X0HzoWyTZvPGNuZ40Zs8deJYsm2WXg_5NXnnKJxBzptA8LAL1UdRt_zY5ewg1KYvUCTBMOdsZZbSUexP681cUAKcGlAY6kH7-8wxSUpEOkqnLrbc0pRYo/s310/download%20(1).jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="162" data-original-width="310" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPPwf7Hh60Qb9xMlq3GfBHzVs8VtZpkbMDs-NTerCmCTkLM3XnAXRUTpVI4ccs4tKP4Joiq7X0HzoWyTZvPGNuZ40Zs8deJYsm2WXg_5NXnnKJxBzptA8LAL1UdRt_zY5ewg1KYvUCTBMOdsZZbSUexP681cUAKcGlAY6kH7-8wxSUpEOkqnLrbc0pRYo/s1600/download%20(1).jpg" width="310" /></a></div><br />The Last Unicorn: </b>I have such fond memories of this movie, and I still watch it occasionally to this day. (Okay, probably annually). The Unicorn, who doesn’t have a name until she becomes the Lady Amalthea, is true to herself, loyal, self-sufficient, and brave. But she’s also blunt and intellectual, something I identified with. The voices, the music, the illustrations, I feel hold up today. It’s a gorgeous movie, but as a neurodivergent kid the character truly spoke to me. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8ttWjVJWVa_HI5ispQ0wpafRXnhMu_oTDNQ3CriLPT4Fyk2TOk2H0g6Bh5juzq7X_uI5BA1qkgNWaWyilcaHy20hnAJKq45uTytsO-Wb0HXvLb-epauNnvkt32Ty8MMzXNXH_QYYfNqdeIAXSxQ6nCgKJyn1_pZztYRB60A2kb1jx7ShaHFXFLYFtMU/s318/download.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="158" data-original-width="318" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8ttWjVJWVa_HI5ispQ0wpafRXnhMu_oTDNQ3CriLPT4Fyk2TOk2H0g6Bh5juzq7X_uI5BA1qkgNWaWyilcaHy20hnAJKq45uTytsO-Wb0HXvLb-epauNnvkt32Ty8MMzXNXH_QYYfNqdeIAXSxQ6nCgKJyn1_pZztYRB60A2kb1jx7ShaHFXFLYFtMU/s1600/download.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><br />The NeverEnding Story: </b>Falcor is a great iteration of the dragon. He has a sense of humor, he’s graceful and lovely in his own way, and he’s powerful, but he also holds the familiarity of a dog in his appearance and, once again, loyalty. Plus, he scares the bullies. What kid wouldn’t want a magical dog-dragon to swoop down and help them exact [an age-appropriate] revenge on their bullies? Even better if you can snuggle up with that furry dog-dragon later and scritch him behind the ear as you continue to be wrapped in safety. <br />
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While as a horror and urban fantasy author I most often address the darker creatures of mythology, I do have a nod in the opening of my book to one of the nicer creatures of North American mythology: Sasquatch, another part of my childhood. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4jZuJ5siWD9Py9GPBJD7hXGnMB3N65MjEUhjsivDTUbc_hm5P4HHW5fijz8FsLRPBrHKn0Nlo4H05CD7vcbuXujtyzdATBCXPPwrbq2qhTNAa2DpCmV0YF7A9GrAzM0hzKFlxgaUx_WKB5VUA2wviKiUM52LtXtIGCyf_YFDkoxzm9sZcWCtAe2HCD0/s650/Wendigo%20Nights%20Cover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="432" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4jZuJ5siWD9Py9GPBJD7hXGnMB3N65MjEUhjsivDTUbc_hm5P4HHW5fijz8FsLRPBrHKn0Nlo4H05CD7vcbuXujtyzdATBCXPPwrbq2qhTNAa2DpCmV0YF7A9GrAzM0hzKFlxgaUx_WKB5VUA2wviKiUM52LtXtIGCyf_YFDkoxzm9sZcWCtAe2HCD0/s320/Wendigo%20Nights%20Cover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />Myth Stalker: Wendigo Nights</b> by Shannon Lawrence<br />
A late night call from her mentor sends Selina Moonstone on a mission to Canada, determined to track down a Wendigo and exterminate it. <br />
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Available in paperback and e-book, from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and more. Find the book at your favorite store using the<b> <a href="https://books2read.com/u/4AaOJd" target="_blank">universal link.</a></b> <br />
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A fan of all things fantastical and frightening, Shannon Lawrence writes primarily horror and fantasy. Her stories can be found in over fifty anthologies and magazines in addition to her collections. Her nonfiction title, The Business of Short Stories, is available now and her debut urban fantasy novel is releasing March 2024. You can also find her as a co-host of the podcast Mysteries, Monsters, & Mayhem. When she's not writing, she's hiking through the wilds of Colorado and photographing her magnificent surroundings, where, coincidentally, there's always a place to hide a body or birth a monster. Find her at <a href="http://thewarriormuse.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Warrior Muse.</a> <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #c27ba0; font-size: large;">Movie Review – Dune: Part Two</span></b><br /></div><div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xLNIn0ax_wEgF5x9_UJB4P3WZNGr3f1ZJ4RJI90TxA9wr6QOvQHRLMhZ5m4zbG-zGHkTVgvC3pRUSdqgti17_wcqA3VO-kB-8LSMKz_WOz_Hqt5kUFANIjTp5221ILnzuRQnV7lX4GvgdBzPZWc7haHMpM_PjJYpMqauVr62F9_PtAaZ7GQdXCr4zYI/s648/Dune.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="432" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xLNIn0ax_wEgF5x9_UJB4P3WZNGr3f1ZJ4RJI90TxA9wr6QOvQHRLMhZ5m4zbG-zGHkTVgvC3pRUSdqgti17_wcqA3VO-kB-8LSMKz_WOz_Hqt5kUFANIjTp5221ILnzuRQnV7lX4GvgdBzPZWc7haHMpM_PjJYpMqauVr62F9_PtAaZ7GQdXCr4zYI/s320/Dune.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />After over two years of waiting, the second half of the movie landed last Friday. We even watched the first part the previous weekend to remind ourselves what was happening. Didn’t like the wait, but it was worth it.<br />
This movie is epic. It is grand on every level, from stunning special effects to sprawling, complex story to amazing battle sequences. The film has it all for both fan and novice to the series.<br />
The action sequences are stunning, most notably the worm riding scenes. Not seen as often in the first film, they are in full force here. The attacks on the spice mining rigs are also impressive.<br />
There were some differences from the book, but not enough to spoil it for fans. (I barely remember reading the book anyway!) I was never a big fan of the book, but the movies are spectacular. A must-see on the big screen. <br />
Highly recommended! <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #c27ba0; font-size: large;">March Movie Preview</span></b><br /></div><div>
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Here are the theatrical releases for March. Descriptions courtesy of the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/" target="_blank">IMDB.</a> Snark provided by me.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZ930BXn8133GUeioLH8eZpaIjCKWpDfx4jnp8p8D3bb8T2f75Bplo-tWOSkqpOK_L2rcq72fjYVbmdwIzM1gzywK30fZWhtYLplkxwQR-QawMakX7yQP-_fz6GNKtI30SV9QsrIHIma8IrLJYFyZpwReInPfk9qrDZtNy4rZN-wluR3wVncA37PK6Ms/s217/Kung%20Fu%20Panda%204.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="217" data-original-width="137" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZ930BXn8133GUeioLH8eZpaIjCKWpDfx4jnp8p8D3bb8T2f75Bplo-tWOSkqpOK_L2rcq72fjYVbmdwIzM1gzywK30fZWhtYLplkxwQR-QawMakX7yQP-_fz6GNKtI30SV9QsrIHIma8IrLJYFyZpwReInPfk9qrDZtNy4rZN-wluR3wVncA37PK6Ms/s1600/Kung%20Fu%20Panda%204.jpg" width="137" /></a></div><br />8 – </span></b><br />
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<b>Kung Fu Panda 4</b><br />
Directors: Mike Mitchell, Stephanie Stine<br />
Stars: Jack Black, Awkwafina, Viola Davis<br />
After Po is tapped to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace, he needs to find and train a new Dragon Warrior, while a wicked sorceress plans to re-summon all the master villains whom Po has vanquished to the spirit realm. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">I wonder if he’ll ever have the noodle dream…</span></i></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILZRsO66nLJfsQqEoqv0gYDLSE96I35uqYBeQYcqocXMLCBrKqYxEMET8KlbwNKgwo12x1kNbnyYCeYsfuqPl9zBqUdOIQm-8uOIe_iaQBllES_3LqCDLSDHmEdCzcE6x2AvKvvNXUQo88VkIcDrzfP2GHazIPIBqxlQDzJl1PCgs8wUQphoE_GSKnVg/s203/Ghostbusters.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="137" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILZRsO66nLJfsQqEoqv0gYDLSE96I35uqYBeQYcqocXMLCBrKqYxEMET8KlbwNKgwo12x1kNbnyYCeYsfuqPl9zBqUdOIQm-8uOIe_iaQBllES_3LqCDLSDHmEdCzcE6x2AvKvvNXUQo88VkIcDrzfP2GHazIPIBqxlQDzJl1PCgs8wUQphoE_GSKnVg/s1600/Ghostbusters.jpg" width="137" /></a></div><br />22 –</b></span><br />
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<b>Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire</b><br />
Director: Gil Kenan<br />
Stars: Pau Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, Carrie Coon<br />
When the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second ice age. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Maybe letting New York freeze isn’t a bad thing…</span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigkNsqx1qhuCWHrvrd3-x399PXkllZAIFXEhyphenhyphenT3dppbJ4LhDQQHWOxYeNvGgaIs0Lya4ytBbq-5npXGCliN9w8IFn7S1cgwXyY6wnKNrme4rlPJjphtaRvhn84LUo6Odgm0bN_bb8JupYyLeJqwn1d6PKcrz7TMyATXMObzXZJU99mnJVIcOtqWWPJU3s/s209/Godzill%20x%20Kong.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="209" data-original-width="141" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigkNsqx1qhuCWHrvrd3-x399PXkllZAIFXEhyphenhyphenT3dppbJ4LhDQQHWOxYeNvGgaIs0Lya4ytBbq-5npXGCliN9w8IFn7S1cgwXyY6wnKNrme4rlPJjphtaRvhn84LUo6Odgm0bN_bb8JupYyLeJqwn1d6PKcrz7TMyATXMObzXZJU99mnJVIcOtqWWPJU3s/s1600/Godzill%20x%20Kong.jpg" width="141" /></a></div><br />29 –</span></b><br />
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<b>Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire</b><br />
Director: Adam Wingard<br />
Stars: Dan Stevens, Rebecca Hall, Rachel House<br />
Two ancient titans, Godzilla and Kong, clash in an epic battle as humans unravel their intertwined origins and connection to Skull Island's mysteries. <br />
<i><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Weirdest buddy-cop movie ever…</span></b></i><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Have you played with AI? Have a pitch ready for #IWSGPit? What movies spark childhood magic for you? Have you seen part two of Dune? What movies are you seeing this month?</span><br /></div><div>
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</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com79tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-37519920967468725592024-02-07T05:00:00.055-05:002024-02-07T05:00:00.134-05:00Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Alien Romance, and February Movie Preview<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2yHrJSw7qxaWzAwZILQMPqhAXuQU2h4s6AHw3Mo3aXRBJYrKV5sNhBm0xL6T8rfBdKsefFwLXKDCkKYbQva4MolQVXIXFORA12-2SBDKsVuFi3ujR8XpW26YcIRtL3OMHpXy6kmg9XR02AR6k8i-JPqlN0WCM3a1O3LU4WUOsAoGYIe5w8BIC_bBNco/s932/Insecure%20Writers%20Support%20Group%20Badge.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="932" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2yHrJSw7qxaWzAwZILQMPqhAXuQU2h4s6AHw3Mo3aXRBJYrKV5sNhBm0xL6T8rfBdKsefFwLXKDCkKYbQva4MolQVXIXFORA12-2SBDKsVuFi3ujR8XpW26YcIRtL3OMHpXy6kmg9XR02AR6k8i-JPqlN0WCM3a1O3LU4WUOsAoGYIe5w8BIC_bBNco/w200-h197/Insecure%20Writers%20Support%20Group%20Badge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />It’s time for another group posting of the <b><a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html" target="_blank">Insecure Writer’s Support Group!</a> </b>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.<br />
<br />
The awesome co-hosts for the February 7 posting of the IWSG are<b> <a href="https://sewhitebooks.com/" target="_blank">SE White,</a> <a href="https://janetalcorn.com/" target="_blank">Janet Alcorn,</a> <a href="https://www.victoriamarielees.com/" target="_blank">Victoria Marie Lees,</a> </b>and <b><a href="http://cathrinaconstantine.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Cathrina Constantine!</a></b><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fcff01; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">First up – we need co-hosts for March, April, and May! Four to five for March, three to four for April (Natalie, got you down), and four to five for May. If you can co-host, leave a comment or send me an email. If you’ve never co-hosted, it’s fun and easy! Just visit fifteen or so blogs in a range and leave a comment. That way everyone on the list has visitors and feel appreciated. </span><br /></div><div>
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<b>February 7 question: </b>What turns you off when visiting an author's website/blog? Lack of information? A drone of negativity? Little mention of author's books? Constant mention of books? <br />
<br />
I think many will say a constant mention of the author’s books, especially on a blog or Twitter, is a turnoff. It’s like a constant commercial. <br />
<br />
But for me, a drone of negativity is even worse. Life is negative enough without adding to it. And it probably wears on the fans, eager to hear what is happening but getting a wave of what’s going wrong, why the writing sucks, etc. instead. <br />
<br />
<b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0iZpKZxTFzZLT7R9ZraH9F8njoWNbZrthLitCER8p_b29oB3IFS31gqYPxstKZCmD8qBxP0LOEPq402Rl3cbIechBd5Ci3Ef37qY1txaipAeznLLHe9wwU_n0rTHhSKOiLo6OeXTWwjOawE5J2Of8Sp7TTKm2X2Bv3KQTRGxwZAQEObnXuoBhpaMOeY/s360/IWSG_pitch%202024.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="360" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0iZpKZxTFzZLT7R9ZraH9F8njoWNbZrthLitCER8p_b29oB3IFS31gqYPxstKZCmD8qBxP0LOEPq402Rl3cbIechBd5Ci3Ef37qY1txaipAeznLLHe9wwU_n0rTHhSKOiLo6OeXTWwjOawE5J2Of8Sp7TTKm2X2Bv3KQTRGxwZAQEObnXuoBhpaMOeY/s320/IWSG_pitch%202024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />#IWSGPit is back on! <br /></b>
<b><br />
The next #IWSGPit will be March 27, 2024. <br /></b>
<b><br />
10:00 am - 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. <br /></b>
<b><br />
Get all the details </b><a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-twitter-pitch.html" target="_blank"><b>here</b>.</a><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Alien Romances by L. Diane Wolfe</span></b><br /></div><div>
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Alex asked me to list the top movies similar to my latest release, In Darkness: The Alien. It’s a sci-fi, paranormal romance, so I have selected movies that have a romance between a Terran (human) and an alien. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRUbPa8ezsKf9bGH-e5yMSxePg-ohPYNyf2fRHOEoH2hPuujI5pICifsMNuK0WUlf07O-q5nh1eFRIhyphenhyphenUQAdbtYE8Kg7KWRhMr_9ModPAyGaiP3wGF9mAZe-aGSzqDU8Q-2wq_xDawbSN_lDHb25iNFsAAYKJXKJosP44CZYmA879mgBZ7G3lxDpKRNOI/s223/Starman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="223" data-original-width="144" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRUbPa8ezsKf9bGH-e5yMSxePg-ohPYNyf2fRHOEoH2hPuujI5pICifsMNuK0WUlf07O-q5nh1eFRIhyphenhyphenUQAdbtYE8Kg7KWRhMr_9ModPAyGaiP3wGF9mAZe-aGSzqDU8Q-2wq_xDawbSN_lDHb25iNFsAAYKJXKJosP44CZYmA879mgBZ7G3lxDpKRNOI/s1600/Starman.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><br />Starman</b> – An alien crashes on earth and takes the form of a woman’s deceased husband, enticing her to help him reach his rendezvous point. The reluctant romance is sweet to watch and the alien so genuine in his innocence. <br />
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<b>The Fifth Element</b> – Pure Evil is destroying the universe and only the fifth element can stop it. As the lead discovers, that element is a beautiful woman. This film has some sweet and very funny exchanges and is one of my favorites. <br />
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<b>Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars</b> - A series that ran for many years, it ended with a full length movie. Throughout that time, the human lead and alien lead had an on again-off again relationship that did end in love and a baby. <br />
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<b>Avatar</b> – A human in an alien avatar on the planet of Pandora falls in love with one of the natives. Since almost everyone has seen it, you know it ends well. <br />
<b><br />
Guardians of the Galaxy</b> – An unlikely team is thrown together and it takes the male human a while to convince the alien woman to accept his advances. A fun series. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqjHmIVpXiIO_fq6rlvvn-nxhr8UGai-MqPAlXcj_6So06wzhB8SdFJ13YQ1NX_ZStL2m6x8B2aGeWmthD6yipXqr9IsOIEi0aFyubYZMIsIzHz6iVY2OWweafinB-K9jE6SOZIiBD4URmmmZV-2ThQs5sqHWSesWrCSCFYfy8TwwDdizNz4yXnu3Zpc/s175/John%20Carter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="175" data-original-width="130" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqjHmIVpXiIO_fq6rlvvn-nxhr8UGai-MqPAlXcj_6So06wzhB8SdFJ13YQ1NX_ZStL2m6x8B2aGeWmthD6yipXqr9IsOIEi0aFyubYZMIsIzHz6iVY2OWweafinB-K9jE6SOZIiBD4URmmmZV-2ThQs5sqHWSesWrCSCFYfy8TwwDdizNz4yXnu3Zpc/s1600/John%20Carter.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />John Carter</b> – Transported to Mars, John lands in the middle of a power struggle and war, forming a reluctant alliance with the Martian princess. If you’ve never seen it, this is a fun and exciting sci-fi movie. <br />
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<b>Cocoon</b> – Residents of a retirement community discover a revitalizing pool that aliens are using to revive those left behind years before. While it’s a romance that could never be, it’s sweet to see the young man and young alien woman interact. <br />
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And there you have it–seven stories involving human-alien romances. Eight if you decide to read In Darkness: The Alien! <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVvhXvg3OpODkchS8fcAPlQYjiGjqxHjLOmBIrRYjRnV3WNYF8YWNlNCoeEL2z4JdZeCsKywt-TOZS43M3zlUUVmVVljyeoqNrEQg7XWUfIJHwYAVfN-p6F1rq0YDKgZYK5SUGeTKwJofJszztZfJp2fvf3He7iD9qfdIW8dq4Lt21VK2vpry7GhAy4E/s1096/InDarknessTheAlien-LDianeWolfe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1096" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVvhXvg3OpODkchS8fcAPlQYjiGjqxHjLOmBIrRYjRnV3WNYF8YWNlNCoeEL2z4JdZeCsKywt-TOZS43M3zlUUVmVVljyeoqNrEQg7XWUfIJHwYAVfN-p6F1rq0YDKgZYK5SUGeTKwJofJszztZfJp2fvf3He7iD9qfdIW8dq4Lt21VK2vpry7GhAy4E/s320/InDarknessTheAlien-LDianeWolfe.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><br />In Darkness: The Alien by <a href="http://www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com" target="_blank">L. Diane Wolfe</a></b><br />
From <a href="http://www.dancinglemurpressllc.com/" target="_blank">Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C.</a> <br />
Romance-Science Fiction / Science Fiction-Alien Contact / Romance-Paranormal <br />
eBook ISBN 9781939844972 $3.99<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Souls shrouded in darkness…</b><br />
Abducted from her research station, Liz’s life is flung into chaos. Sold into servanthood for her knowledge of planetary mining to a race called the Stren, she discovers her problems go far deeper. She is to marry her alien master, Krist, after enduring a procedure designed to eradicate her emotions. <br />
Desperate, Liz persuades the Stren to grant her the duration of a short voyage to change his perception of emotions. But how can she convince someone lacking feelings of their value? Is there a means of accessing the emotional side of Krist before it's too late? </span><br />
<br />
A professional speaker and author, L. Diane Wolfe conducts seminars, offers book formatting, and author consultation. She’s an editor at Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C. and contributes to the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. Find her at <a href="http://www.spunkonastick.net/" target="_blank">website,</a> <a href="http://www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com" target="_blank">blog,</a> and the <a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/" target="_blank">IWSG</a><br />
<br />
Find In Darkness: The Alien at <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C6QVWB2K" target="_blank">Amazon,</a> <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id6449979850Le" target="_blank">iTunes,</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940166065681" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble,</a> <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search?Query=9781939844972" target="_blank">Kobo,</a> <a href="https://www.everand.com/search?query=9781939844972" target="_blank">Everland,</a> <a href="https://www.gardners.com/Search/KeywordAnonymous/eBook?Keyword=9781939844972" target="_blank">Gardners,</a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/171026121-in-darkness" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="background-color: #e06666;">February Movie Preview</span></b></span><br /></div><div>
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Here are the theatrical releases for February. Descriptions courtesy of the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/" target="_blank">IMDB.</a> Snark provided by me.<br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">2 –</span><br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQzZl9k0CT_LNXliT5CIgQX5AFjAg2l-LjrwVHYIYOVr9MgAqYEUXx9MW-lM4pQk1ELEjTzHnHvsY7cqqEQIq772dHnC06PSYyxJRBwgPKnMPIcY5J10E3GnAvcR2epMBGIxMgX-hdQPWNK2xyT1lFkEsBBa33J1SDxyvwZwChN2pbmuUW5-z5YZJJpBM/s199/Argylle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="199" data-original-width="130" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQzZl9k0CT_LNXliT5CIgQX5AFjAg2l-LjrwVHYIYOVr9MgAqYEUXx9MW-lM4pQk1ELEjTzHnHvsY7cqqEQIq772dHnC06PSYyxJRBwgPKnMPIcY5J10E3GnAvcR2epMBGIxMgX-hdQPWNK2xyT1lFkEsBBa33J1SDxyvwZwChN2pbmuUW5-z5YZJJpBM/s1600/Argylle.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />Argylle</b><br />
Director: Matthew Vaughn<br />
Stars: Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Henry Cavill, Catherine O’Hara, Sofia Boutella<br />
An introverted spy novelist is drawn into the activities of a sinister underground syndicate. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">I know they’re running out of ideas, but socks? Really?</span></i></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXHBYuzpwVc9LnO6xBlqiijdZvE7Q9zh_P5H24f-dmorPrn5isnjoS_yte6Fdr0A45RuyuG7oIq5ez1sT5x-XxlmGQzAroFNUq2IpkLaUv-9fUvH1rpx9yavD0q9yKN3yKBj7CjMOjbrfx32fjqTxSNfLEJe4YHQakPxfAG9vzFHK3qWkn97onOEu4whM/s190/Madame%20Web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="190" data-original-width="130" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXHBYuzpwVc9LnO6xBlqiijdZvE7Q9zh_P5H24f-dmorPrn5isnjoS_yte6Fdr0A45RuyuG7oIq5ez1sT5x-XxlmGQzAroFNUq2IpkLaUv-9fUvH1rpx9yavD0q9yKN3yKBj7CjMOjbrfx32fjqTxSNfLEJe4YHQakPxfAG9vzFHK3qWkn97onOEu4whM/s1600/Madame%20Web.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />14 –</span><br />
<b><br />
Madame Web</b><br />
Director: SJ Clarkson<br />
Stars: Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, Emma Roberts<br />
Cassandra Webb is a New York City paramedic who starts to show signs of clairvoyance. Forced to confront revelations about her past, she must protect three young women from a mysterious adversary who wants them dead. <br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Fifty Shades of Spiderman.</b></span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6LGlD6UmC4a9rtKTDuaaZOUtEOZkCreTEE7AkpJxJ6G_CMXOrd9SabsW6l3laltzSYlFSuW8rSzGTcmuyuQaD0X1w8sRwGhlT5nVplysTsHceTsT-XXn90VHCV13jdCESX4gDxODqwplZUeQXEUp9rMBRj5XVoxg0z7Br6nBDUhmQszRaPBxvWgBqZU/s187/Land%20of%20Bad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="187" data-original-width="130" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6LGlD6UmC4a9rtKTDuaaZOUtEOZkCreTEE7AkpJxJ6G_CMXOrd9SabsW6l3laltzSYlFSuW8rSzGTcmuyuQaD0X1w8sRwGhlT5nVplysTsHceTsT-XXn90VHCV13jdCESX4gDxODqwplZUeQXEUp9rMBRj5XVoxg0z7Br6nBDUhmQszRaPBxvWgBqZU/s1600/Land%20of%20Bad.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />16 –</span><br />
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<b>Land of Bad</b><br />
Director: William Eubank<br />
Stars: Russell Crowe, Milo Ventimiglia Liam Hemsworth<br />
A rookie air force combat controller and a seasoned drone pilot support a Delta Force team as they try to shift a mission gone wrong into a rescue operation. <br />
<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Maybe the title shouldn’t be so easy for critics to destroy…</i></span></b><br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What turns you off an author’s site? Can you help co-host? Seen any of the Alien romances or eager to read In Darkness: The Alien? And what movies catch your eye for February?</span><br /></div><div>
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</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com85tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-72403110084643857622024-01-03T01:00:00.065-05:002024-01-03T18:29:46.514-05:00Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Movie Reviews – Aquaman, Rebel Moon, Chicken Run, and January Movie Preview<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy2MJIeQmBxhKHbEFdF-GQPENw3QvFff-s9VXzhmrQnyDR6fYV-JWIirMBHFUUTQW1H7m2-LWqDVP73K7cqw54J8JqBbsDZB_L9Gw6l3ERdEjTgFyXZdIplxxCX6sSxij4_NJo7AaqF7KcnHlXcT8QsykQHklLEelMS-6WsviraSyAK48mVfFV-nwNSMk/s932/Insecure%20Writers%20Support%20Group%20Badge.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="932" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy2MJIeQmBxhKHbEFdF-GQPENw3QvFff-s9VXzhmrQnyDR6fYV-JWIirMBHFUUTQW1H7m2-LWqDVP73K7cqw54J8JqBbsDZB_L9Gw6l3ERdEjTgFyXZdIplxxCX6sSxij4_NJo7AaqF7KcnHlXcT8QsykQHklLEelMS-6WsviraSyAK48mVfFV-nwNSMk/w200-h197/Insecure%20Writers%20Support%20Group%20Badge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />It’s time for another group posting of the <b><a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html" target="_blank">Insecure Writer’s Support Group!</a> </b>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.<br />
<br />
The awesome co-hosts for the January 3 posting of the IWSG are <b><a href="https://joylenebutler.com/blog" target="_blank">Joylene Nowell Butler,</a> <a href="https://olgagodim.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Olga Godim,</a> <a href="https://pensivepenspost.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Diedre Knight,</a></b> and <a href="http://www.literaryrambles.com/" target="_blank"><b>Natalie Aguirre!</b></a><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><b>Welcome to 2024! Hope everyone enjoyed their holidays.</b></span><br />
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<b>January 3 question: </b>Do you follow back your readers on BookBub or do you only follow back other authors? <br />
<br />
I confess, I am not great at keeping up with BookBub. I follow back everyone though. <br />
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And <b>#IWSGPit </b>is on hold while we search for a new platform. We just don’t have enough admins to cover Twitter anymore and are looking at other social media platforms as well as hosting it on the main IWSG site. We will keep you posted. <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #d5a6bd; font-size: large;">Movie Reviews</span></b><br /></div><div>
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBfDkSzkbd4lQtcUEz4ecZK4Sg-JdzJrVOW9BtRp9Uq6H5p2pVh4oTScO6XbTXzyAA9gEblBNZT-DH4ngrPZvm3nfhBobKGFmv-u0ayDaZwSMKQLbwv8NRCvc82pWF9kaBAxXbej5a3U8l5A43DT4KZl9Lj85nOBi711MGdXf53KzgbE69ffjNaqQmqhA/s640/Aquaman.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="432" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBfDkSzkbd4lQtcUEz4ecZK4Sg-JdzJrVOW9BtRp9Uq6H5p2pVh4oTScO6XbTXzyAA9gEblBNZT-DH4ngrPZvm3nfhBobKGFmv-u0ayDaZwSMKQLbwv8NRCvc82pWF9kaBAxXbej5a3U8l5A43DT4KZl9Lj85nOBi711MGdXf53KzgbE69ffjNaqQmqhA/s320/Aquaman.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br />Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom</b><br />
Directed by James Wan, Jason Momoa is back as Aquaman and Patric Wilson as his brother. <br />
Critics have been hating on this film for months and still not sure why. The film as a whole is an enjoyable adventure. The second half is better, reeling us in for an adventurous romp. <br />
It is a bit derivative, taking from a lot of other movies and offering no big plot surprises. And sometimes it’s a bit too much tell rather than show. <br />
But if you enjoyed the first one, you will definitely enjoy this one. <br />
Highly recommended. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjQ9c_JLWNDB4iDd9Lzwv9FZzOxk13WsGrgxXE8rtYkITHjGozMbOJ5hxRg1s_ZfUFbssH3rW-gbm4IgHOG3dLfwGNJVw4LObuyGwDAz97OryqCDhxKg7iAWrNl5D1XeKq_dncxtDJuA52lA2aYx0PpQPRcI4I-p2HfB2K3ckNA8xcIZfBISyWN4-g_0/s427/Chicken_run_dawn_of_the_nugget.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="288" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjQ9c_JLWNDB4iDd9Lzwv9FZzOxk13WsGrgxXE8rtYkITHjGozMbOJ5hxRg1s_ZfUFbssH3rW-gbm4IgHOG3dLfwGNJVw4LObuyGwDAz97OryqCDhxKg7iAWrNl5D1XeKq_dncxtDJuA52lA2aYx0PpQPRcI4I-p2HfB2K3ckNA8xcIZfBISyWN4-g_0/s320/Chicken_run_dawn_of_the_nugget.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br />Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget</b><br />
Having pulled off an escape from Tweedy's farm, Ginger has found a peaceful island sanctuary for the whole flock. But back on the mainland the whole of chicken-kind faces a new threat, and Ginger and her team decide to break in. <br />
Voiced by Thandiwe Newton and Zachary Levi as Ginger and Rocky, now parents to Molly, this grand adventure is as fun as the original and featuring the same great characters. <br />
Hard to capture the innocence of the first one, but this sequel comes really darn close.
If you liked the first one, you’ll enjoy this one. <br />
Highly recommended! <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUThBCLXqpOlNBYAK9R4sZKup6BE5o1JaufYPD26Z7R9dC4ROEUl0ch3hnc8AzkzaS1NvfPukmxDxFsUgq_zI-At6w9jFgtYIeCIvPaBVmWHNh1gXq1BkI_D8D7CqUfZnO5owNaajLA4dgwWiLtafUuCkh-w6Vbmk-2XWrBGJhGR9QQIiKIsGnyzAw0Mw/s343/Rebel%20Moon.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="343" data-original-width="245" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUThBCLXqpOlNBYAK9R4sZKup6BE5o1JaufYPD26Z7R9dC4ROEUl0ch3hnc8AzkzaS1NvfPukmxDxFsUgq_zI-At6w9jFgtYIeCIvPaBVmWHNh1gXq1BkI_D8D7CqUfZnO5owNaajLA4dgwWiLtafUuCkh-w6Vbmk-2XWrBGJhGR9QQIiKIsGnyzAw0Mw/s320/Rebel%20Moon.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br />Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire</b><br />
When a peaceful settlement on the edge of a distant moon finds itself threatened by the armies of a tyrannical ruling force, a mysterious stranger living among its villagers becomes their best hope for survival. <br />
Directed by Zack Snyder and starring Sofia Boutella – take one heaping tablespoon of Star Wars, add another heaping tablespoon of The Seven Samurai/Magnificent Seven, add a pinch of Firefly and a dash of Inglorious Bastards and you have Rebel Moon. <br />
Having said all that, the film is enjoyable. It’s a fascinating mess to watch. <br />
It certainly did not live up to my high hopes nor is it as dismal as the reviewers say. <br />
If you’re in the mood for a derivative science fiction adventure with great production values, this is it. </div><div></div><div><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #d5a6bd; font-size: large;">January Movie Preview</span></b><br /></div><div>
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Here are the theatrical releases for January. Descriptions courtesy of the <b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/" target="_blank">IMDB.</a></b> Snark provided by me.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vQVna3NKM9VcFN4iDRgcpFsgI208x94gcXJItyKhI_Mr5KsKTRcfH3ryXuDFLhemBfcYoe8uVVGUPct49KsCyfg0DncoWxMgTWL6lUFI3vbwtQEGZUfznrBrd2qytSPz1CDyFWygFJhIF4HtVVMh5xoGFL1rsv_69VwwT-w7HJ4pU8yni10jtTNyvIw/s162/Night%20Swim.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="162" data-original-width="130" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vQVna3NKM9VcFN4iDRgcpFsgI208x94gcXJItyKhI_Mr5KsKTRcfH3ryXuDFLhemBfcYoe8uVVGUPct49KsCyfg0DncoWxMgTWL6lUFI3vbwtQEGZUfznrBrd2qytSPz1CDyFWygFJhIF4HtVVMh5xoGFL1rsv_69VwwT-w7HJ4pU8yni10jtTNyvIw/s1600/Night%20Swim.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />5 –</span></b><br />
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<b>Night Swim</b><br />
Director - Bryce McGuire<br />
Stars - Wyatt Russell, Kerry Condon, Amélie Hoeferle<br />
A woman swimming in her pool at night is terrorized by an evil spirit. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">It turns out it was just a Baby Ruth floating in the water…</span></i></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhysfldpCleZq1oVNS2gMdpMD4S_fMKLHJQfP4jOQoLP8dEpRr41_MjJL7XWe_V4jEpghiot0wtNrtQmri2KELRaOv4CinfH7UfunqAOsJs0wJtwyW9ubmCw_aQoS5yAQXzib0w6IrrJ7CRTJdAZcEysr2q-4AKvDehASMXnuhzDjqw33IE_uoZHH3Gjgo/s191/Beekeeper.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="191" data-original-width="130" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhysfldpCleZq1oVNS2gMdpMD4S_fMKLHJQfP4jOQoLP8dEpRr41_MjJL7XWe_V4jEpghiot0wtNrtQmri2KELRaOv4CinfH7UfunqAOsJs0wJtwyW9ubmCw_aQoS5yAQXzib0w6IrrJ7CRTJdAZcEysr2q-4AKvDehASMXnuhzDjqw33IE_uoZHH3Gjgo/s1600/Beekeeper.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />12 –</b></span><br />
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<b>The Beekeeper</b><br />
Director - David Ayer<br />
Stars - Jason Statham, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Bobby Naderi<br />
In The Beekeeper, one man's brutal campaign for vengeance takes on national stakes after he is revealed to be a former operative of a powerful and clandestine organization known as "Beekeepers".<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sorry folks, not a lot of good BUZZ on this one…</span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcO90HT6P2A4IZtF0knHmaTqbqpYOJr7IwAG0iFREx7QaUcNacdWixVd7ChqOSkuIWapfFmaryQvvPQKKrY2k9DdHx9HCrBOkOUxQHIer4W3ARcT57Fcnryj5wf1eV8smyjlvK25xWixFFHlybQzvfXNggtJcrWnPh4Qg4X52LbZMmOEjA9nTLTy-pTfE/s188/ISS.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="188" data-original-width="130" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcO90HT6P2A4IZtF0knHmaTqbqpYOJr7IwAG0iFREx7QaUcNacdWixVd7ChqOSkuIWapfFmaryQvvPQKKrY2k9DdHx9HCrBOkOUxQHIer4W3ARcT57Fcnryj5wf1eV8smyjlvK25xWixFFHlybQzvfXNggtJcrWnPh4Qg4X52LbZMmOEjA9nTLTy-pTfE/s1600/ISS.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />19 – </span></b><br />
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<b>I.S.S. </b><br />
Director - Gabriela Cowperthwaite<br />
Stars - Ariana DeBose, Chris Messina, John Gallagher Jr. <br />
When a world war event occurs on Earth, America and Russia, both nations secretly contact their astronauts aboard the ISS and give them instructions to take control of the station by any means necessary. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Not sure why controlling the ISS makes any difference – you’re not going back to a nuked Earth!</span></i></b> <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7ISvW0IpmO45jVUo_dDaEHrU7QM4yCfXwiMO6iu9GOgZxNseISJnVQDmJRE1FFFAbFpVPcqH7R0xpNHSUjm5CxGdcEo6eGvf3RWlOZt2joM9w4Hiz6bZmWCjY-mxRGaDCCExR0DYUs5mU55lGzFNnw65qq8kQ8phhvNT1x6YQt_PS6Ok4CTpeAa33YQ/s187/American%20Star.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="187" data-original-width="130" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7ISvW0IpmO45jVUo_dDaEHrU7QM4yCfXwiMO6iu9GOgZxNseISJnVQDmJRE1FFFAbFpVPcqH7R0xpNHSUjm5CxGdcEo6eGvf3RWlOZt2joM9w4Hiz6bZmWCjY-mxRGaDCCExR0DYUs5mU55lGzFNnw65qq8kQ8phhvNT1x6YQt_PS6Ok4CTpeAa33YQ/s1600/American%20Star.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />26 –</span></b><br />
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<b>American Star</b><br />
Director - Gonzalo López-Gallego<br />
Stars - Ian McShane, Thomas Kretschmann, Nora Arnezeder<br />
An assassin on a final assignment in Fuerteventura, to kill a man he has never met. When his target is delayed, he finds himself drawn to the island, people and a ghostly shipwreck. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">It’s not a Tom Cruise biopic…</span></i><br /></b>
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
Who do you follow on BookBub? Seen any of the movies? Looking forward to any movies this month? </span><br /></div></div><div>
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</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com76tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-18215694981492029902023-12-06T02:00:00.077-05:002023-12-06T02:00:00.143-05:00Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Movie Reviews, New Book Releases, and December Movie Preview<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsx51P4wntWsBjbN3yEsRcj6Xzfc7E5mgkOjtbioadGe55Muc2IMduWntQT8kZZr0kXfSszjO9qdHVHmlTAmTFlnYIsdkzYJPeOuGLVzcUWY49za1gHr4lUnkb6rkkEW6DEfHcfE_5QH2MR7Aob1VM_OMQ0tbHW3qRR05ndJG-MW-2rKjUmZRyIwRXHMQ/s932/Insecure%20Writers%20Support%20Group%20Badge.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="932" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsx51P4wntWsBjbN3yEsRcj6Xzfc7E5mgkOjtbioadGe55Muc2IMduWntQT8kZZr0kXfSszjO9qdHVHmlTAmTFlnYIsdkzYJPeOuGLVzcUWY49za1gHr4lUnkb6rkkEW6DEfHcfE_5QH2MR7Aob1VM_OMQ0tbHW3qRR05ndJG-MW-2rKjUmZRyIwRXHMQ/w200-h197/Insecure%20Writers%20Support%20Group%20Badge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />It’s time for another group posting of the <b><a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html" target="_blank">Insecure Writer’s Support Group!</a> </b>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.<br />
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The awesome co-hosts for the December 6 posting of the IWSG are <b><a href="http://www.cleemckenziebooks.com/blog/" target="_blank">C. Lee McKenzie,</a> <a href="http://www.jqrose.com/" target="_blank">JQ Rose,</a> <a href="http://jenniferlanebooks.com" target="_blank">Jennifer Lane,</a></b> and <a href="https://worddreams.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><b>Jacqui Murray!</b></a><br />
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<b>Today’s question:</b> Book reviews are for the readers. When you leave a book review, do you review for the Reader or the Author? Is it about what you liked and enjoyed about your reading experience, or do you critique the author? <br />
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Probably a little of both. I won’t leave a review that is less than three stars because I know how much it hurts to get those super-bad reviews. (That and if I’m not enjoying it, I won’t finish the book, and I won’t review what I haven’t completely read.) I never critique the author though, only the story itself. <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: red; font-size: large;">Rattlesnake and the Old West</span></b><br /></div><div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8PQtzB62NV-z83YgccKQLSTt6vA_oK58dl7Rryx33OxscPZPEjCbBGMR9LATULsNzG6EDmFZQfz1H2OZEX16EWNEP8LpwtftMewOZc7_61p5vkGnGlfSF_YG0RR6LruxpZmi18Got9snYqj-uYcegJbhkSlIN5p01qGtfxP86UQKiPbCnCT8gfWB7k9Y/s540/Rattlesnake-complete.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8PQtzB62NV-z83YgccKQLSTt6vA_oK58dl7Rryx33OxscPZPEjCbBGMR9LATULsNzG6EDmFZQfz1H2OZEX16EWNEP8LpwtftMewOZc7_61p5vkGnGlfSF_YG0RR6LruxpZmi18Got9snYqj-uYcegJbhkSlIN5p01qGtfxP86UQKiPbCnCT8gfWB7k9Y/s320/Rattlesnake-complete.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><br />The old west is chock full of stories about courageous and foolhardy people who followed the lure of gold to California and forever changed the history of our nation. Two documentaries capture the fascination, the intrigue, and the haunting truth about what are now remnants those people left behind—old mines and ghosts of former towns. <br />
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Trailers for these documentaries<b>: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8cwnzFucgE" target="_blank">Ghosts of the West</a> </b>and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDkqvqqjMAA" target="_blank"><b>America the Story of Us: Gold Rush</b></a><br />
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In Rattlesnake I hope I’ve captured the same old west atmosphere as these movies did. My challenge was to do that in two different centuries—the 1850s and the late 1900s<br />
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For a moment, the sun balanced on the tip of the tallest peak, then slipped behind the mountains, turning them black against the sky. They were out of options all except for going back to Old Cemetery Road and dealing with the property. From somewhere far out in the desert came the loneliest sound Jonah had ever heard. That high-pitched yowl caught him at the center of his stomach. Suddenly, he felt eyes on him from every direction, and the shadows grew teeth. <br />
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Rattlesnake releases this month! Find it here: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/201519328-rattlesnake" target="_blank">Goodreads,</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rattlesnake-C-Lee-McKenzie-ebook/dp/B0CNJLNKHV" target="_blank">Amazon,</a> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/search?query=Rattlesnake%20(C.%20Lee%20McKenzie)&ac=1&acp=Rattlesnake&ac.title=Rattlesnake&ac.author=C.%20Lee%20McKenzie" target="_blank">Kobo,</a> <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1481237" target="_blank">Smashwords,</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rattlesnake-c-lee-mckenzie/1144383328?ean=2940167647718" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble,</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6IjfGHsPf0" target="_blank">book trailer on YouTube</a><br />
Connect with C. Lee McKenzie on her <a href="https://cleemckenziebooks.com/blog/" target="_blank">site</a><br />
<b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: red; font-size: large;">
Movie Reviews</span></b><br /></div><div>
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMHdIyJpTuu31OhgljFV3GQ3VOq3fYCkASxbUU4d70XTBXK1SnvMMCK8OtwcL8YaGrS6pOK93Bi4BXsVhaAyLLGP_xXY2TtB1VNGXfLvfD_x9Fq3XO3QLl4wTANGHsjB_nGU3BkOMoe2WIw3uRMJb5BILbsZSacDydlVzyzkoAkLSOTEkFdiBpD0WCNLA/s568/Godzilla.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMHdIyJpTuu31OhgljFV3GQ3VOq3fYCkASxbUU4d70XTBXK1SnvMMCK8OtwcL8YaGrS6pOK93Bi4BXsVhaAyLLGP_xXY2TtB1VNGXfLvfD_x9Fq3XO3QLl4wTANGHsjB_nGU3BkOMoe2WIw3uRMJb5BILbsZSacDydlVzyzkoAkLSOTEkFdiBpD0WCNLA/s320/Godzilla.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br />Godzilla Minus One</b><br />
Japan’s love letter to the original Godzilla film, now almost seventy years old. <br />
Remakes usually fall short because they use the excuse of ‘upgrading the special effects’ and yet do nothing with the plot. With this film, they actually upgraded everything. And in turn, created a film that is similar to the original and yet unique on its own. <br />
It opens in the final days of WWII with a Kamikaze pilot who has chickened out and lands at a base on a remote island. Godzilla appears and the carnage and drama unfolds from there. <br />
Godzilla is in rare form here. He looks as good as the last three American Godzilla films. And he is badass. This Godzilla only wants to kill and destroy. You will be glued to every scene involving him, especially when he unleashes that mighty breath weapon. <br />
This movie is similar to the original, and yet there are so many new elements, so much upgrade…it’s its own creation. And yet, it still gives tribute to its origins, even a nod to the Raymond Burr scenes that weren’t even in the original movie. <br />
Its only downside is a few slow scenes and some melodrama. But I think the latter fits with the times. As usual, more Godzilla, less people, please. But the human story is very moving. <br />
Highly recommended to fans of Godzilla and monster movies! <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_NQA9N3VXst2huY5xppmFBDOzA1NPKj_zejPS8ABJFpqKdJjn77NIh40m6PRF_ExrhT-4Ih9bLkGnyEJ6XfKrq330PPQltL3t7szP2tpnW4ldhw2Ya0ANPF65esMT0pxv1SGn6p_81-gcxpX42xi6ZMl994GUaz1K9j0FoSLlZa-fNWsBJA75YEbCD1I/s426/Journey%20to%20Bethlehem.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="288" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_NQA9N3VXst2huY5xppmFBDOzA1NPKj_zejPS8ABJFpqKdJjn77NIh40m6PRF_ExrhT-4Ih9bLkGnyEJ6XfKrq330PPQltL3t7szP2tpnW4ldhw2Ya0ANPF65esMT0pxv1SGn6p_81-gcxpX42xi6ZMl994GUaz1K9j0FoSLlZa-fNWsBJA75YEbCD1I/s320/Journey%20to%20Bethlehem.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br />Journey to Bethlehem</b><br />
First, a big thanks to <b><a href="http://www.mail4rosey.com/" target="_blank">Rosey</a> </b>- I won tickets to see this film from her site. <br />
Had no idea what to expect (outside of The Greatest Story Ever Told, of course) and the fact it’s a musical caught me off guard. But it was really enjoyable! Unlike some Christian films, this boasted quality production, great effects, great acting, great singing, and a unique, funny, but mostly accurate take on the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of the King of Kings. <br />
Biggest name actor is Antonio Banderas as King Herod. And boy, does he chew up the scenery! <br />
Highly recommended. And it’s only ninety minutes long!! <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: red; font-size: large;">New Releases! </span></b><br /></div><div>
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtP6mFbrX2Cyu5s9dEY-2ynsJJsrupXUUdYbB8WdqRpK2XyRlQEuw52d_3jeySHFMacdOU0wLkr2LQ_LlTs-waBfKnFE89ZLR74sSmGEB31xLO8mwbB0CFA9s6n3KpiEaM4FU5G0B9vIAk0NaB2SAt2iMd3MQje7a5SA2wp0e_QUe5D9boiWRh3SFAWI/s2560/Conduction%20cover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtP6mFbrX2Cyu5s9dEY-2ynsJJsrupXUUdYbB8WdqRpK2XyRlQEuw52d_3jeySHFMacdOU0wLkr2LQ_LlTs-waBfKnFE89ZLR74sSmGEB31xLO8mwbB0CFA9s6n3KpiEaM4FU5G0B9vIAk0NaB2SAt2iMd3MQje7a5SA2wp0e_QUe5D9boiWRh3SFAWI/w125-h200/Conduction%20cover.jpg" width="125" /></a></div><br />Conduction by <a href="http://taratylertalks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Tara Tyler</a></b><br />
Sci Fi Detective Thriller or Techno Thriller<br />
Book 4 in Pop Travel series<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">In 2085, cutting edge technology is the most valuable currency, and the black tech market offers high pay-offs for diamond-level code. </span></i></b><br />
Find it on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Conduction-Travel-novel-Tara-Tyler/dp/B0CNXLVR5C/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1NQA31Y6WCSVS&keywords=conduction+by+tara+tyler&qid=1701559061&s=books&sprefix=conduction+by+tara+tyler%2Cstripbooks%2C83&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a><br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtMQq8R0QrRQZNTpwzgZdNZavCI2AQm99JihoVKWQHBiUzjBgC7mbipqJj8Vwu5TWAGSx759irQ0Z0qjgXZMRk-YaRsLSNd09ezhJ3uuVI8ga0ZFB5kY31wTDpYGguMWbhUPkwvtcowwuvjizQEXurOqza1xTiOka5QSnmIiyEqBDYk3JW4LbWTYWBCk/s219/Your%20Life%20with%20Jesus.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="219" data-original-width="144" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtMQq8R0QrRQZNTpwzgZdNZavCI2AQm99JihoVKWQHBiUzjBgC7mbipqJj8Vwu5TWAGSx759irQ0Z0qjgXZMRk-YaRsLSNd09ezhJ3uuVI8ga0ZFB5kY31wTDpYGguMWbhUPkwvtcowwuvjizQEXurOqza1xTiOka5QSnmIiyEqBDYk3JW4LbWTYWBCk/s1600/Your%20Life%20with%20Jesus.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><br />Your Life with Jesus: How to Spark Memories and Write Your Spiritual Memoir </b>by <a href="https://www.jqrose.com/" target="_blank">JQ Rose</a><br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Your life with Jesus guides you in penning your sacred story and invites you to journey into a deeper faith experience. </span></i></b><br />
Find Your Life with Jesus at <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CLL1ZGDZ" target="_blank">Amazon</a> and <a href="https://books2read.com/u/bx6qJo" target="_blank">other retailers</a><br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijC5PFsO2FiZeFk2bE0xaHabaDHakRWeyxI5RZ8bai9AhVKeXjeu2gZhSbA5u7LC7UzxkAc_dcDrEnPwrWByAOj7qNeU4fIhT9MMyd8x3NcY0J36P30NC313IgkKflGLAuxPlBP58f4jDBb4WjBq78P-fvU1_ig-HRqCsJ_nvQCWxPyz22A6Z60JgYlCM/s216/DoomandBloom_ebook_Final_small-1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="144" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijC5PFsO2FiZeFk2bE0xaHabaDHakRWeyxI5RZ8bai9AhVKeXjeu2gZhSbA5u7LC7UzxkAc_dcDrEnPwrWByAOj7qNeU4fIhT9MMyd8x3NcY0J36P30NC313IgkKflGLAuxPlBP58f4jDBb4WjBq78P-fvU1_ig-HRqCsJ_nvQCWxPyz22A6Z60JgYlCM/s1600/DoomandBloom_ebook_Final_small-1.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><br />Doom and Bloom</b> by <a href="https://elizabethspanncraig.com/doom-and-bloom/" target="_blank">Elizabeth Spann Craig</a><br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">There's some shady business at the garden club event. </span></i></b><br />
A Myrtle Clover Mystery, #23<br />
Find Doom and Bloom’s purchase links <a href="https://elizabethspanncraig.com/doom-and-bloom/" target="_blank">here.</a><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: red; font-size: large;">December Movie Preview</span></b><br /></div><div>
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Here are the theatrical releases for December. Descriptions courtesy of the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/" target="_blank">IMDB.</a> Snark provided by me.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3XTJnrViy3mtV1vBtkUrSYdvCBqQMKHx5N5py_qbUXHVnzYe6_prdOTXqAWGwN5l9-73Raz5TJ-M0u65nKvlRDFVWvXWY_2xEZyH0bPGK7Uudn5RCgLGiOYRsSU-nXWMQpFEa0zY803n-WfcKsWigO7WKSxiKdnjQXhIOrNg2RYBBzaM9B7K_tT6cmo/s182/Wonka.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="182" data-original-width="122" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3XTJnrViy3mtV1vBtkUrSYdvCBqQMKHx5N5py_qbUXHVnzYe6_prdOTXqAWGwN5l9-73Raz5TJ-M0u65nKvlRDFVWvXWY_2xEZyH0bPGK7Uudn5RCgLGiOYRsSU-nXWMQpFEa0zY803n-WfcKsWigO7WKSxiKdnjQXhIOrNg2RYBBzaM9B7K_tT6cmo/w134-h200/Wonka.jpg" width="134" /></a></div><br />15 –
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<b>Wonka</b><br />
Director: Paul King<br />
Stars: Timothée Chalamet, Olivia Colman, Hugh Grant<br />
The story will focus specifically on a young Willy Wonka and how he met the Oompa-Loompas on one of his earliest adventures. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Oompa loompa doompety don’t!</span></i></b><br />
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<b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZMfjK_ov4ULWdhH2Adi5srQbHIrCA6Nyufd0dW5Omc-bywXMBNXO-LNHISqcJSPDiP2aEuO0X474HFDPcwM-JvT81KnU7aMuYrdwbB_-Ub9b2ncDdZy-56DmcyMyijO2tjhsrN4saFnS1l_XXLWczwgRsxsop1hUTg2JGHPe2TaKrsIn5GWpptff_Xw/s325/Aquaman2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="220" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZMfjK_ov4ULWdhH2Adi5srQbHIrCA6Nyufd0dW5Omc-bywXMBNXO-LNHISqcJSPDiP2aEuO0X474HFDPcwM-JvT81KnU7aMuYrdwbB_-Ub9b2ncDdZy-56DmcyMyijO2tjhsrN4saFnS1l_XXLWczwgRsxsop1hUTg2JGHPe2TaKrsIn5GWpptff_Xw/w136-h200/Aquaman2.jpg" width="136" /></a></div><br />22 – </b><br />
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom<br />
Director: James Wan<br />
Stars: Jason Momoa, Ben Affleck, Patrick Wilson<br />
Aquaman balances his duties as king and as a member of the Justice League, all while planning a wedding. Black Manta is on the hunt for Atlantean tech to help rebuild his armor. Orm plots to escape his Atlantean prison.'<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Aquaman’s real quest – recover Amber Heard’s career.</span></i></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">How do you write book reviews? Seen either movie? Ready to read Rattlesnake or the other new releases? Any movies interest you this month?<br />
I have a special interview with <b><a href="https://doreenmcgettigan.com/2023/12/why-is-science-fiction-increasing-in-popularity/
" target="_blank">Doreen McGettigan</a> -</b> please check it out! <br />
I will be taking a break for most of December, so I’m wishing everyone a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!</span><br /></div><div>
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</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com70tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-28165736553851127822023-11-01T03:00:00.050-04:002023-11-02T19:06:50.905-04:00Insecure Writer’s Support Group, November Movie Preview, and Damyanti Biswas with Some Bollywood Horror!<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5PmpKrXAxK2lfxW1qhd_SGYRekYdIhQmg4wloZMl0dvhiI5e5dOPovLjcY7Nt8Z1cfPsFZRcmkYrc_0wCGk65OzY1Pa6eQDqPkeY3r191Fy0Xrl6e4zhl38qfyeJAZ-ZYVr4qqmi_IC1Yu4F7aqqKsAhQXluq-MNXHsRmRi9HxZgoibNdGPNZSHsjSwM/s932/Insecure%20Writers%20Support%20Group%20Badge.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="932" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5PmpKrXAxK2lfxW1qhd_SGYRekYdIhQmg4wloZMl0dvhiI5e5dOPovLjcY7Nt8Z1cfPsFZRcmkYrc_0wCGk65OzY1Pa6eQDqPkeY3r191Fy0Xrl6e4zhl38qfyeJAZ-ZYVr4qqmi_IC1Yu4F7aqqKsAhQXluq-MNXHsRmRi9HxZgoibNdGPNZSHsjSwM/w200-h197/Insecure%20Writers%20Support%20Group%20Badge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />It’s time for another group posting of the <a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html" target="_blank">Insecure Writer’s Support Group!</a> 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.<br />
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The awesome co-hosts for the November 1 posting of the IWSG are <b><a href="http://www.pjcolando.com/" target="_blank">PJ Colando,</a> <a href="http://jeanddavis.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jean Davis,</a> <a href="http://www.lisabuiecollard.com/" target="_blank">Lisa Buie Collard,</a> </b>and <a href="https://pensivepenspost.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><b>Diedre Knight!</b></a><br />
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<b>Today’s question:</b> November is National Novel Writing Month. Have you ever participated? If not, why not? <br />
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I have, twice. Won the first time, came close the second. (Second time was a June event, but it was the same principle.) I'm a slow writer, so an event like NaNo is the kick in the butt I need to get it done. I go in with a detailed plan though. Can't imagine just writing with no plan!<br />
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<span style="background-color: #fcff01; font-family: helvetica;">We need hosts for <strike>December, January, and</strike> <b>February</b>!!! These are tough months so if you can help, we will be most grateful. If you have never co-hosted, please volunteer. It’s a lot more fun on the co-host side. Really! You get a ton more visitors, meet a lot of new people, and get to showcase yourself as a writer/author. </span><br /></div><div>
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: large;">A Little Bollywood Horror</span></span></b><br /></div><div>
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Please welcome my longtime friend and author, <b><a href="https://www.damyantiwrites.com/blog/" target="_blank">Damyanti Biswas!</a></b> <br />
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Halloween is a relatively new celebration in India, more a marketing gimmick for eateries and costume shops than anything else. <br />
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The concept of horror movies though is pretty well established in Bollywood, and it is these traditions that have inspired some of the scenes in my latest book, The Blue Monsoon. <br />
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The Blue Monsoon is a literary thriller, but I wanted to incorporate horror/ cult elements in it, especially from the Bollywood movie tradition, which often features witches with long hair. Hair is a recurring theme in the book. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Tz_xpC8c7AgD2spzUE-RYKNkMlKTc7FIlOS8-s7cveV9lED1fTUbvtqPWK5gDVPtJf1PG3EgQ-uVefAwzGN-tuTVL0KpvwSLA3Y9zCAGaLIU5xQBAlUE-Ri0j6zDSEn-RIpFKwdxhzAB0klbTRwOwE6JCIIxSQhHlzWOCD9MXvBtxDpdGQBxhPwtxYM/s1159/1698033094.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1159" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Tz_xpC8c7AgD2spzUE-RYKNkMlKTc7FIlOS8-s7cveV9lED1fTUbvtqPWK5gDVPtJf1PG3EgQ-uVefAwzGN-tuTVL0KpvwSLA3Y9zCAGaLIU5xQBAlUE-Ri0j6zDSEn-RIpFKwdxhzAB0klbTRwOwE6JCIIxSQhHlzWOCD9MXvBtxDpdGQBxhPwtxYM/s320/1698033094.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Here’s an excerpt: <br />
<i><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Hair. So much hair hanging from long ropes strung across the open roof, like witches slung up in some medieval ritual against a gloomy sky, threatening rain. Even in broad daylight though, the thick clusters of dripping hair made her think of watching eyes, of dark, fetid places. Her skin crawled at the sight of all that shiny black, swaying gently in the wind, sinister, assessing, as if ready to rise in the air and surround her. </span></b></i><br />
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Since this book is set during the dark monsoons, I hope the use of movie-inspired scene props gives it that creepy, gothic air. <br />
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What kind of horror tropes and props have you seen in books and movies? Which are your favorites? <br />
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Find Damyanti Biswas at her<b> <a href="https://www.damyantiwrites.com/blog/" target="_blank">blog.</a></b><br />
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Pick up The Blue Monsoon <a href="https://mybook.to/thebluemonsoon" target="_blank"><b>here.</b></a><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #ffa400; font-size: large;">November Movie Preview</span></b><br /></div><div>
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Here are the theatrical releases for November. Descriptions courtesy of the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/" target="_blank">IMDB.</a> Snark provided by me.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj28dS1ianmqO2ZSswEN4us95uuEMwP763QRscC6Nb1Wwnj8nrqRMR0LPaHoPXgMcLYK5HWZNuFWQ79hWtWbxjxJqlkloRGFyvH466XEB1bqvo96IA-kvPKLkFyOneKTEByet3CfDt2Ywud_uNd0TmRb21-dltCJZsxrhNvj9b-31OIaJmGBUz3rmJgLRE/s810/The%20Marvels.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="540" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj28dS1ianmqO2ZSswEN4us95uuEMwP763QRscC6Nb1Wwnj8nrqRMR0LPaHoPXgMcLYK5HWZNuFWQ79hWtWbxjxJqlkloRGFyvH466XEB1bqvo96IA-kvPKLkFyOneKTEByet3CfDt2Ywud_uNd0TmRb21-dltCJZsxrhNvj9b-31OIaJmGBUz3rmJgLRE/w133-h200/The%20Marvels.jpeg" width="133" /></a></div><br />10 –</span></b><br />
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<b>The Marvels</b><br />
Director: Nia DaCosta<br />
Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson, Iman Vellani<br />
Carol Danvers gets her powers entangled with those of Kamala Khan and Monica Rambeau, forcing them to work together to save the universe. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Superheroes, right? Not the 50’s R&B group?</span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BgAwQdhzEnwR22-yHCpS9FMeXaS44Y3rjRqOiNTsnU2DBn9pRtbxieUlxm80BdcP72l9D0ZidUn1sJxHWQCrHhpqUWFTBpOAsgjx9o_E47DVpAEs-C9Q7vm1cGKrf4V4N0eK46YJhthFkqWqBpckLyj4HEfipWm7d-LdwArRMqsi_L_7iZjbl0sYc2Q/s198/Napoleon.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="198" data-original-width="158" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BgAwQdhzEnwR22-yHCpS9FMeXaS44Y3rjRqOiNTsnU2DBn9pRtbxieUlxm80BdcP72l9D0ZidUn1sJxHWQCrHhpqUWFTBpOAsgjx9o_E47DVpAEs-C9Q7vm1cGKrf4V4N0eK46YJhthFkqWqBpckLyj4HEfipWm7d-LdwArRMqsi_L_7iZjbl0sYc2Q/s1600/Napoleon.jpg" width="158" /></a></div><br />22 –</span></b><br />
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<b>Napoleon</b><br />
Director: Ridley Scott<br />
Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby, Ludivine Sagnier<br />
The film takes a personal look at Napoleon Bonaparte's origins, and his swift, ruthless climb to emperor viewed through the prism of his addictive, and often volatile, relationship with his wife and one true love, Josephine. <br />
<b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #2b00fe;">Phoenix was so method, he never took his hand out of his shirt…</span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQvuog65TBNxc4KNpnRjV3GgHLtanlBxJ7GEgRdusxvhNto37ZOAg4_5oNVfv0VssVsODYKR1n36L-WHJnSWN3cxz3e-tGaNVDlJlxRPpdiuLFFs_mI5o4h5KzOTyvwXYLIZIMmhx4qAZ7ptj_RUff3Wl-8wEPJZ9Loy8Z2ImmRKM5E02S3KAY1rVetx4/s192/Godzilla%20Minus%20One.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="173" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQvuog65TBNxc4KNpnRjV3GgHLtanlBxJ7GEgRdusxvhNto37ZOAg4_5oNVfv0VssVsODYKR1n36L-WHJnSWN3cxz3e-tGaNVDlJlxRPpdiuLFFs_mI5o4h5KzOTyvwXYLIZIMmhx4qAZ7ptj_RUff3Wl-8wEPJZ9Loy8Z2ImmRKM5E02S3KAY1rVetx4/s1600/Godzilla%20Minus%20One.jpg" width="173" /></a></div><br />December 1 –</span></b><br />
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<b>Godzilla Minus One</b><br />
Director: Takashi Yamazaki<br />
Stars: Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yûki Yamada<br />
Godzilla appears in post-World-War-II Japan, which is at its low point at zero, and knocks the country down one to the negatives. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Let’s hope that’s the title and not the average score on Rotten Tomatoes…</span></i></b><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
Have you participated in NaNo? Like the Blue Monsoon excerpt? Any of those movies strike your fancy? And can you co-host in the coming months? Please leave a comment or send me an email!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends. </span><br /></div></div><div>
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</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com80tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-25955134776417719562023-10-04T03:30:00.056-04:002023-10-04T05:38:59.155-04:00Insecure Writer’s Support Group, The Creator Movie Review, Commenting Issues, and October Movie Preview<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv2YNqkqoDINTsQIjIDzGY7kmsVtkqSXZRQ0Zzr224EMOVCX2pi__b9DEypjxnfJCLNjcttLWTuVpdYYGwcbd4RA29egrCKKcvFzZFjTa-pkOT_BHZIRhcH61s79JWbgLt9J8yjQDwHBjDsjaTI7eR4jSbBLoFDfOlMhBWNhmY6icaxSL-ddVsv1ENR4s/s932/Insecure%20Writers%20Support%20Group%20Badge.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="932" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv2YNqkqoDINTsQIjIDzGY7kmsVtkqSXZRQ0Zzr224EMOVCX2pi__b9DEypjxnfJCLNjcttLWTuVpdYYGwcbd4RA29egrCKKcvFzZFjTa-pkOT_BHZIRhcH61s79JWbgLt9J8yjQDwHBjDsjaTI7eR4jSbBLoFDfOlMhBWNhmY6icaxSL-ddVsv1ENR4s/w200-h197/Insecure%20Writers%20Support%20Group%20Badge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />It’s time for another group posting of the <a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html" target="_blank"><b>Insecure Writer’s Support Group!</b></a> 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.<br />
<br />
The awesome co-hosts for the October 4 posting of the IWSG are<b> <a href="http://www.literaryrambles.com/" target="_blank">Natalie Aguirre,</a> <a href="http://kimlajevardi.com/" target="_blank">Kim Lajevardi,</a> <a href="https://fictioncanbefun.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Debs Carey,</a> <a href="http://gwengardner.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Gwen Gardner,</a> <a href="https://twistingmyths.substack.com/" target="_blank">Patricia Josephine,</a></b> and <a href="https://www.rebecca-douglass.com/ " target="_blank"><b>Rebecca Douglass!</b></a><br />
<br />
<b>Today’s question:</b> The topic of AI writing has been heavily debated across the world. According to various sources, generative AI will assist writers, not replace them. What are your thoughts? <br />
<br />
The Writer’s Guild strike recently ended as they were fighting against AI writing. They won, but I predict it won’t be long before they don’t and AI replaces most writers. (I think AI will replace a lot of workers unless one knows a trade.) AI just needs a touch of humanity first.<br />
<br />
And while on this topic, have none of these people seen The Terminator? It doesn’t end well for us…<br />
<br />
Plus it leads into my movie review! <br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Movie Review – The Creator</span></b><br /></div><div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJzLQXme4HAxOwY9VYYn1x_Ijij9ICg6KRR5HYZaOxxq0Stz2vdolqc1E9pFjb_GGdrPMv7kYD3wRLeIQ4aRG1FoyHT9cnA8oYUl5jUjj2ze7OuiNhx_api1nkMTpUUfTDCUXOiSbGep6Bo9An6Doo-cSqfhImIW0a4mO_UhEBwCXCgIz4bYIhbGu1nCs/s936/The%20Creator.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="936" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJzLQXme4HAxOwY9VYYn1x_Ijij9ICg6KRR5HYZaOxxq0Stz2vdolqc1E9pFjb_GGdrPMv7kYD3wRLeIQ4aRG1FoyHT9cnA8oYUl5jUjj2ze7OuiNhx_api1nkMTpUUfTDCUXOiSbGep6Bo9An6Doo-cSqfhImIW0a4mO_UhEBwCXCgIz4bYIhbGu1nCs/w640-h202/The%20Creator.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />From the <b><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11858890/?ref_=hm_inth_tt_i_3" target="_blank">IMDB</a></b>: <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Against the backdrop of a war between humans and robots with artificial intelligence, a former soldier finds the secret weapon, a robot in the form of a young child.</span></b> <br />
Directed by Gareth Edwards (Rogue One, Godzilla, Monsters) and starring John David Washington (Tenant), Madeleine Yuna Voyles, and Ken Watanabe. <br />
Visually, it is just stunning. Beyond words. Edwards excels at that. <br />
He also excels at the human condition. As with all of his movies, the emphasis is on the people. <br />
There were a lot of elements from other movies though. Black man saving Asian child – it’s The Golden Child without the humor! <br />
While I didn’t love it, I did really like it. Excellent science fiction film and that rare one-and-done film that wasn’t a sequel or a prequel or part of a series. One that will mesmerize you in the theater. <br />
Recommended. <br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_NOi1FAz5q0?si=pIoqdj3USavLObbT" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />
<b><span style="background-color: #04ff00;"><span style="font-size: large;">Commenting Issues</span></span></b><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">
I know I’m not the only one who gets this: <br /><br /><br />
It only appears with Blogger blogs with embedded comments as opposed to a popup window. Most of the time, I can sign in with Google, hit ‘Allow”, and all is good. (Although if you get that middle image, the third image never appears and you definitely can't sign in.) But more often now, it won’t let me. I did find a setting in my browser that for individual sites, I can turn off protection, which allows me to comment. However, that is a risky thing. <br /><br />
So, if anyone else has a solution, let me know. (Besides encouraging everyone with a Blogger blog to switch to a popup comment box…)<br /><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuen1kWuW_UdTc0bjjYHdt-EY30XZwlxXylgrOeDUNTjNq_s0yoef4h60-Is8LGRg4TJcCUsXbISy7nLqgQ66kYgTusVuJzPaA9Clb1ZHuaaBZE7Wy16eOW6b-JLDLFm_e-IcNF5e4TSk0Tb_BvW40_QwVNk05CPhZt4bnGecFrVo9ZjC3hJzGaKcoi60/s518/Comment%20issue.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="518" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuen1kWuW_UdTc0bjjYHdt-EY30XZwlxXylgrOeDUNTjNq_s0yoef4h60-Is8LGRg4TJcCUsXbISy7nLqgQ66kYgTusVuJzPaA9Clb1ZHuaaBZE7Wy16eOW6b-JLDLFm_e-IcNF5e4TSk0Tb_BvW40_QwVNk05CPhZt4bnGecFrVo9ZjC3hJzGaKcoi60/w400-h359/Comment%20issue.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">October Movie Preview</span></b><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
Here are the theatrical releases for October. Descriptions courtesy of the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/" target="_blank">IMDB.</a> Snark provided by me.<br /><br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2BBqpZPqlIWhoFUY2F8X3lhCA4z8EoBPPj99n3fm0B-Q8y9xf4SWgifaSg6iIrJhs-BulH6O5qAjvEcpvMe_M34DrlOiQ1MrfQFh8C5ZxmMCVATzk0TEciYuMA6rLcqnTK9w-5EAt7MiRM3K0C5cgd7wMkRlIJqwGm0FZRJaBeMOYSiTvFVrZBQj-OEg/s162/The-Exorcist-New-Poster-2.width-800.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="162" data-original-width="130" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2BBqpZPqlIWhoFUY2F8X3lhCA4z8EoBPPj99n3fm0B-Q8y9xf4SWgifaSg6iIrJhs-BulH6O5qAjvEcpvMe_M34DrlOiQ1MrfQFh8C5ZxmMCVATzk0TEciYuMA6rLcqnTK9w-5EAt7MiRM3K0C5cgd7wMkRlIJqwGm0FZRJaBeMOYSiTvFVrZBQj-OEg/s1600/The-Exorcist-New-Poster-2.width-800.jpg" width="130" /></a></div></span></b></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />6 –</span><br /></b><br />
<b>The Exorcist: Believer</b><br />
Director: David Gordon Green<br />
Stars: Jennifer Nettles, Ellen Burstyn, Ann Dowd<br />
Sequel to the 1973 film about a 12-year-old girl who is possessed by a mysterious demonic entity, forcing her mother to seek the help of two priests to save her. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">I believe Ellen Burnstyn is really old in her role now…</span></i></b><br /><br />
<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDMx9QnFW3arW4Pq4LJGUlOxpchSCkWjKlNEmzkYd5W5l_M1GOKWs2p-XNjlc2Ee9SrcgtJBKpZONtBj8TXrly5P3blA1XqlerIO7-VnobId3uq3AzUl5QZQtXMfHRWprk30sXDZ9oakAyBW20k8pHqkk26PnE5bd-uc0OlgMtwOf6N3ogpqfC3jZ6xE/s163/Killers%20of%20the%20Flower%20Moon.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="163" data-original-width="130" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDMx9QnFW3arW4Pq4LJGUlOxpchSCkWjKlNEmzkYd5W5l_M1GOKWs2p-XNjlc2Ee9SrcgtJBKpZONtBj8TXrly5P3blA1XqlerIO7-VnobId3uq3AzUl5QZQtXMfHRWprk30sXDZ9oakAyBW20k8pHqkk26PnE5bd-uc0OlgMtwOf6N3ogpqfC3jZ6xE/s1600/Killers%20of%20the%20Flower%20Moon.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />20 –</span></b><br /><br />
<b>Killers of the Flower Moon</b><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">
Director: Martin Scorsese<br />
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone<br /></div><div>
Members of the Osage tribe in the United States are murdered under mysterious circumstances in the 1920s, sparking a major F.B.I. investigation involving J. Edgar Hoover. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Flower Moon is my favorite Marvel superhero! (Those of you who know Scorsese’s take on Marvel movies will get that.) </span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eY0mAYr69OKU2AZqukZXtJudImQmD4x-gmIF9yiuDZm36UpobspgBzr7X3kM1JKl2l2X8OKJyh9gEIsTAnD3vAWL5l6NK7xLuhLjN4YwPJiuPLN1QB5uveqsLcEbdMagIsYc2S3tpWb-7VdTdMHv3GV7BDMz_XZ4TpitBi0617IZElZz-xJcLUWWaP8/s204/Miracle%20in%20East%20Texas.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="204" data-original-width="144" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eY0mAYr69OKU2AZqukZXtJudImQmD4x-gmIF9yiuDZm36UpobspgBzr7X3kM1JKl2l2X8OKJyh9gEIsTAnD3vAWL5l6NK7xLuhLjN4YwPJiuPLN1QB5uveqsLcEbdMagIsYc2S3tpWb-7VdTdMHv3GV7BDMz_XZ4TpitBi0617IZElZz-xJcLUWWaP8/s1600/Miracle%20in%20East%20Texas.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><br />29 –</span></b><br />
<br />
<b>Miracle in East Texas</b><br />
Two con men try to convince a group of widows to invest in worthless oil wells during the Great Depression. <br />
Director: Kevin Sorbo<br />
Stars: John Ratzenberger, Kevin Sorbo, Louis Gossett Jr. <br />
<b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #2b00fe;">Hercules fights bandits during the Great Depression.</span></i></b><br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What’s your take on AI? Have you seen The Creator? Any commenting suggestions? And what movies catch your attention for October?</span><br /></div><div>
<br />
</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com89tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-13929756570234670842023-09-18T05:00:00.046-04:002023-09-18T05:00:00.142-04:00Top Ten Werewolf Movies and IWSG Day Responses<div style="text-align: center;">Today I have a special guest, fellow author and my publisher, <a href="http://www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><b>L. Diane Wolfe!</b></a><br /><br />
<b><span style="background-color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Top 10 Werewolf Movies</span></b><br /></div>
<div>
<br />
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. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4DvLgx2B2qsoMOEueK9t01IYptVQ4MpkVySI4dSkKkzORyu9U_ALjb6Yjq1SieWilwMFQQe3_c4PkX8zZPlp3QeSVZ2sbgYuqIyW_slTVKJiMsr-y9MeyI9nG3v1r22BRjg2UOHopAGJrmbeKv155-eqVMm9zV-BCEnImUSk93MLH0yqMEJztJqw0rAU/s326/Silver%20Bullet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="230" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4DvLgx2B2qsoMOEueK9t01IYptVQ4MpkVySI4dSkKkzORyu9U_ALjb6Yjq1SieWilwMFQQe3_c4PkX8zZPlp3QeSVZ2sbgYuqIyW_slTVKJiMsr-y9MeyI9nG3v1r22BRjg2UOHopAGJrmbeKv155-eqVMm9zV-BCEnImUSk93MLH0yqMEJztJqw0rAU/s320/Silver%20Bullet.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><br />Silver Bullet – 1985</b><br />
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. <br />
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.<br />
<br />
<b>Brotherhood of the Wolf – 2001</b><br />
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. <br />
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. <br />
<br />
<b>Underworld: Rise of the Lycans – 2009</b><br />
An origins story centered on the centuries-old feud between the race of aristocratic vampires and their onetime slaves, the Lycans. <br />
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. <br />
<br />
<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNdRxXnVdjbTckPT3uNx0p0J7y-inRwI1bJgerSAp_283pl10lGSpO3eCRIdq9uwpAhmaO6L6-629XZsJ3uI3flTIA1XZOF3oaVMTBeaAXNNK34-QYiXxjTv6xfVFPPmH-C91womWeFxrqbMchqjgv5duso_pPMEStxgZeTPe_UflgUNtF9m2GMkMVrM/s212/Ginger%20snaps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="212" data-original-width="158" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNdRxXnVdjbTckPT3uNx0p0J7y-inRwI1bJgerSAp_283pl10lGSpO3eCRIdq9uwpAhmaO6L6-629XZsJ3uI3flTIA1XZOF3oaVMTBeaAXNNK34-QYiXxjTv6xfVFPPmH-C91womWeFxrqbMchqjgv5duso_pPMEStxgZeTPe_UflgUNtF9m2GMkMVrM/s1600/Ginger%20snaps.jpg" width="158" /></a></div><br />Ginger Snaps – 2000</b><br />
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. <br />
This was a big surprise for such a small film. You really care about the two leads. <br />
<br />
<b>The Cabin in the Woods – 2011</b><br />
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. <br />
The werewolf is only in a little bit of this crazy-ass film, but he looks the part! <br />
<br />
<b>An American Werewolf in London – 1981</b><br />
Two American college students on a walking tour of Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists. <br />
This one tops most lists as the transformation by Rick Baker was revolutionary at the time. Another bittersweet tale. <br />
<br />
<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHdZydUuCKQZyExhHQZ0mAThwlgS5b-TpzEfVu0gwlBhDd3XMO_-7LBRpZpcPB4UOO-R7QxxdalHvjZ0Lor3dpEoSiYTn4zlJ7AQemVAbEXVo4C5n0UKOaipJ7AJNqqy7m9UpNXX7d4Wy-_U82lvJjfm1nVpueu4FgAeFBh28kCrTdzOYfRMe4bW8Vv0s/s220/What%20We%20Do%20in%20the%20Shadows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="151" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHdZydUuCKQZyExhHQZ0mAThwlgS5b-TpzEfVu0gwlBhDd3XMO_-7LBRpZpcPB4UOO-R7QxxdalHvjZ0Lor3dpEoSiYTn4zlJ7AQemVAbEXVo4C5n0UKOaipJ7AJNqqy7m9UpNXX7d4Wy-_U82lvJjfm1nVpueu4FgAeFBh28kCrTdzOYfRMe4bW8Vv0s/s1600/What%20We%20Do%20in%20the%20Shadows.jpg" width="151" /></a></div><br />What We Do in The Shadows – 2014</b><br />
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. <br />
Just a lot of laughs and the vampires are sworn enemies of the werewolves. <br />
<br />
<b>The Wolf of Snow Hollow – 2020</b><br />
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. <br />
Not perfect, but another quirky film that was tense and enjoyable. <br />
<br />
<b>The Howling – 1981</b><br />
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. <br />
Another one that tops a lot of lists, this classic is good but best when the werewolves are not clearly seen. <br />
<br />
<b>Wolfen – 1981</b><br />
A New York cop investigates a series of brutal deaths that resemble animal attacks. <br />
It’s been years since I’ve seen it, but this was a unique take on the legend and very brooding. <br />
<br />
So, there you have it – my favorite werewolf movies! <br />
<br />
<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWN0FaPRXCKduBYkuKRdHtC8uRUjX3mhD7NTnCD1vtDzF9iDn6pSpZV5kWREXcqHp2LBP2OSS_vXscexyATSDm_M3en38guVUfdXTYCdlzWpkNI445Z0ObCpwrtgjbDdYrVy4I-wUj36tT28SYEPcqelKxRyOTCo0nELAQGUbNmVvCkZY2CAA8oD8j24Q/s702/InDarkness%20The%20Werewolf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWN0FaPRXCKduBYkuKRdHtC8uRUjX3mhD7NTnCD1vtDzF9iDn6pSpZV5kWREXcqHp2LBP2OSS_vXscexyATSDm_M3en38guVUfdXTYCdlzWpkNI445Z0ObCpwrtgjbDdYrVy4I-wUj36tT28SYEPcqelKxRyOTCo0nELAQGUbNmVvCkZY2CAA8oD8j24Q/s320/InDarkness%20The%20Werewolf.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />In Darkness: The Werewolf<br />
By L. Diane Wolfe</b><br />
<br />
<i>Souls shrouded in darkness…<br />
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. <br />
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? </i><br />
<br />
Romance/Paranormal/Shifter, Romance/Paranormal, Fantasy/Paranormal<br />
$3.99 eBook ISBN 9781939844927<br />
Links: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BRR4VLN7/" target="_blank">Amazon,</a> <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id6445310855" target="_blank">iTunes,</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940165994548" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble,</a> <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search?Query=9781939844927" target="_blank">Kobo,</a> <a href="https://www.scribd.com/search?query=9781939844927&language=0" target="_blank">Scribed,</a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/75711711-in-darkness" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/75711711-in-darkness" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvWjxwTGu3Wt71DuGqz-oOIhhL8KRVl-sBV4znWNDXF6lGau8aPSfESpoT-cCznC05sTlF8s_gkU8fdgIkgxt2BYI2RniZ8AWuruPBnCLTXOj5ONwia0Oa1PnE3wLyri6LB1nSL6u6UIqZHhPRQlPD9vhHhTfOgl3iy2WOZAn1UAeOjmtaqzsAbVcE0Y/s288/L%20Diane%20Wolfe%20Promo%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="288" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvWjxwTGu3Wt71DuGqz-oOIhhL8KRVl-sBV4znWNDXF6lGau8aPSfESpoT-cCznC05sTlF8s_gkU8fdgIkgxt2BYI2RniZ8AWuruPBnCLTXOj5ONwia0Oa1PnE3wLyri6LB1nSL6u6UIqZHhPRQlPD9vhHhTfOgl3iy2WOZAn1UAeOjmtaqzsAbVcE0Y/w200-h186/L%20Diane%20Wolfe%20Promo%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><br />
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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: <a href="http://www.spunkonastick.net/" target="_blank">website,</a> <a href="http://www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com" target="_blank">blog,</a> and at the <a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/" target="_blank">IWSG site.</a><br />
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</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">IWSG Day Responses</span></b><br /></div><div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheIMr4e8zoow62i99dIHVGjVf4CPYunvnbwRxjgb5rkWhMv1dIXazfA2eQT0Ug0vei-GVFPr7fdC35VLma4r8JrclV3iA2BiIvfGQhsqi6EKQpY_u4EVf53LDsgGj_cooGqQHreEtJKV6l4MczkgNRSfj6pIcTe_bf21sbwoyg4heY5AfM5T-gNVA4WIU/s932/IWSG%2012%20Years.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="932" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheIMr4e8zoow62i99dIHVGjVf4CPYunvnbwRxjgb5rkWhMv1dIXazfA2eQT0Ug0vei-GVFPr7fdC35VLma4r8JrclV3iA2BiIvfGQhsqi6EKQpY_u4EVf53LDsgGj_cooGqQHreEtJKV6l4MczkgNRSfj6pIcTe_bf21sbwoyg4heY5AfM5T-gNVA4WIU/s320/IWSG%2012%20Years.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />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! <br />
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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 – <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/IWSG13/" target="_blank">Facebook,</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TheIWSG" target="_blank">Twitter/X, </a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theiwsg/" target="_blank">Instagram.</a> Pus don’t forget there is our <a href="http://eepurl.com/bM8oHL" target="_blank">newsletter</a> and the main <a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/" target="_blank">website.</a><br />
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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! <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What are your favorite werewolf films? What did you think of the IWSG responses this month? You guys rock!</span><br /></div><div>
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</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-26948035245717634792023-09-06T01:00:00.041-04:002023-09-06T01:00:00.148-04:00Insecure Writer’s Support Group’s Twelve Year Anniversary and September Movie Preview<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5sIvIxF9o3utl0yrc9P0f4kmEZybNUodPXfEpTUjHVKIx2I2PLpXWLyN21PeUPmav4EuNbyeQBQQxVcRfiQS2SoeVHRoGOzayG4SeHEvoGJz_pxlSoBED4ql_nKkBOROqYXtAnyOY3tiO0hgk7oHHpX8KjDqh8-AQexRUFAe1QpLvht9EAD-jVeFxLo/s932/Insecure%20Writers%20Support%20Group%20Badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="932" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5sIvIxF9o3utl0yrc9P0f4kmEZybNUodPXfEpTUjHVKIx2I2PLpXWLyN21PeUPmav4EuNbyeQBQQxVcRfiQS2SoeVHRoGOzayG4SeHEvoGJz_pxlSoBED4ql_nKkBOROqYXtAnyOY3tiO0hgk7oHHpX8KjDqh8-AQexRUFAe1QpLvht9EAD-jVeFxLo/w200-h197/Insecure%20Writers%20Support%20Group%20Badge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />It’s time for another group posting of the<b> <a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html" target="_blank">Insecure Writer’s Support Group!</a></b> 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.<br />
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The awesome co-hosts for the September 6 posting of the IWSG are <b><a href="https://soniadogra.com/" target="_blank">Sonia Dogra,</a> <a href="https://jlennidorner.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">J Lenni Dorner,</a> <a href="http://www.patgarciaandeverythingmustchange.com/" target="_blank">Pat Garcia,</a> </b><a href="http://thefauxfountainpen.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><b>Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen</b>,</a> and <b><a href="https://authormekajames.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Meka James!</a></b><br />
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<b><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Today’s question: The IWSG celebrates 12 years today! When did you discover the IWSG, how do you connect, and how has it helped you? </span></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb3lWtoZtm-goZ3BaPwSI_WFG9gDVKhWe0A49mObhlIpjELc3g8B0bw7q5OCFOvXlRP8AUq8UfOG7fBZkoA4qhoBrE-CImEdeliStW0LfFrfP8Wq2-FTn_w2yrdFS-J9z9VaaTd8gYGUMHvhTBbEXYMYG0n3FWgLG4FbYld7B5Qsd3PLbI0rGzxi9ByAk/s932/IWSG%2012%20Years.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="932" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb3lWtoZtm-goZ3BaPwSI_WFG9gDVKhWe0A49mObhlIpjELc3g8B0bw7q5OCFOvXlRP8AUq8UfOG7fBZkoA4qhoBrE-CImEdeliStW0LfFrfP8Wq2-FTn_w2yrdFS-J9z9VaaTd8gYGUMHvhTBbEXYMYG0n3FWgLG4FbYld7B5Qsd3PLbI0rGzxi9ByAk/s320/IWSG%2012%20Years.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Over twelve years ago, a casual comment to a writer friend led me to the name and idea of an Insecure Writer’s Support Group. <br />
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We began as this blog hop before launching the website a year later. Then followed Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and a newsletter. And book contests! Our Twitter pitch, #IWSGPit. Plus we even sell IWSG swag. (Profits help pay for the domain name and email.) <br />
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First, big shout-out to my fellow IWSG Admins - <b><a href="http://www.writer-in-transit.co.za/" target="_blank">Michelle,</a> <a href="http://circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Diane,</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Pat-Hatt/author/B00AGFMYVC?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" target="_blank">Pat,</a> <a href="https://cleemckenziebooks.com/" target="_blank">C. Lee, </a> <a href="https://www.junetakey.com/short-fiction-flash-fiction/" target="_blank">Juneta,</a> <a href="https://sandracox.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Sandra,</a> </b>and the dozen previous admins who kept everything going. <br />
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Second, a big shout-out to all of you! Those of you participating in the blog hop, members of the Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram groups, subscribe to the newsletter, participated in the contests and #IWSGPit, support writers by reading…you are all awesome! <br />
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<h1 style="text-align: center;"><b>September Movie Preview</b></h1>
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Here are the theatrical releases for September. Descriptions courtesy of the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/" target="_blank">IMDB.</a> Snark provided by me.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgefle0z-C0TWiaIPlpF2b55gMyU1Oyu3SOt_nrTNF2EIBZu-I-cSRNcJ5kxuOAahrh04qdti-iH6OlFTUj4JO-gF2heevSHT7VaDvaYbzt_-wzhjRFWBOVNxQBCipZJ7sKVn0Ea1-Ktv0C20B1mxMaWtkp6iV6_RiNkwc5L31gWALN8ss9u83mLOoRY54/s203/Equalizer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="137" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgefle0z-C0TWiaIPlpF2b55gMyU1Oyu3SOt_nrTNF2EIBZu-I-cSRNcJ5kxuOAahrh04qdti-iH6OlFTUj4JO-gF2heevSHT7VaDvaYbzt_-wzhjRFWBOVNxQBCipZJ7sKVn0Ea1-Ktv0C20B1mxMaWtkp6iV6_RiNkwc5L31gWALN8ss9u83mLOoRY54/s1600/Equalizer.jpg" width="137" /></a></div><br />1 –</span><br /></b>
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<b>The Equalizer 3 </b><br />
Director: Antoine Fuqua<br />
Stars: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, David Denman, Sonia Ammar
Robert McCall finds himself at home in Southern Italy but he discovers his friends are under the control of local crime bosses. As events turn deadly, McCall knows what he has to do: become his friends' protector by taking on the mafia. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">How many sequels do we need before Denzel can balance his checkbook?</span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLW6L4pDlTrajveODEkfmmOf0xEIdfef0M56XDsdZByV4eSp39DtN3NdQoqkACsThuFybVxA0Lt6gkrEg6laDXqsqXfRYkqBMW4BXdDAVlKI2WSiWsn6I9pTmvaX3NvlYqeEmrFcafLVJS1jbtcmB3Z2OcQ9bEVhBhBDysNVEMHQhtwn4n8jffibgDcoQ/s189/Haunting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="189" data-original-width="151" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLW6L4pDlTrajveODEkfmmOf0xEIdfef0M56XDsdZByV4eSp39DtN3NdQoqkACsThuFybVxA0Lt6gkrEg6laDXqsqXfRYkqBMW4BXdDAVlKI2WSiWsn6I9pTmvaX3NvlYqeEmrFcafLVJS1jbtcmB3Z2OcQ9bEVhBhBDysNVEMHQhtwn4n8jffibgDcoQ/s1600/Haunting.jpg" width="151" /></a></div><br />15 –</span></b><br />
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<b>A Haunting in Venice</b><br />
Director: Kenneth Branagh<br />
Stars: Kelly Reilly, Kenneth Branagh, Michelle Yeoh<br />
In post-World War II Venice, Poirot, now retired and living in his own exile, reluctantly attends a seance. But when one of the guests is murdered, it is up to the former detective to once again uncover the killer. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Spoiler alert – the gondola did it!</span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDrI9jO498JUS9nBdbQMEjeAJYNIIdJRCUHc41mLKv6yntlOurBGlSNoXnBux1ZHkkOCKi3mN_0Z2aQ8A9P_CwGtT_-iTVCLduaP7hwty1vkYNJqJkFCO4EjexI9v9y9QWYwQmyNpcFDsDm3fBYyoNwXSSNujo8PFYXyZQtRueF081Tuh_Zs1uEWTPpQ/s211/Expedables.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="211" data-original-width="137" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDrI9jO498JUS9nBdbQMEjeAJYNIIdJRCUHc41mLKv6yntlOurBGlSNoXnBux1ZHkkOCKi3mN_0Z2aQ8A9P_CwGtT_-iTVCLduaP7hwty1vkYNJqJkFCO4EjexI9v9y9QWYwQmyNpcFDsDm3fBYyoNwXSSNujo8PFYXyZQtRueF081Tuh_Zs1uEWTPpQ/s1600/Expedables.jpg" width="137" /></a></div><br />22 –</span></b><br />
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<b>Expend4bles</b><br />
Director: Scott Waugh<br />
Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, 50 Cent. Megan Fox, Dolph Lundgren<br />
The Expendables will square up against an arms dealer who commands the might of a massive private army. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Surprisingly, this movie is about tea parties and long, intricate conversations…not!</span></i></b><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">When did you discover the IWSG and what has it meant to you? Any movies catch your interest this month?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Be back in a couple weeks with a special guest!</b></span><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b><br /></div><div>
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</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com88tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-83744735165066636202023-08-02T03:00:00.058-04:002023-08-02T17:54:47.380-04:00Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Oppenheimer and They Cloned Tyrone Reviews, and August Movie Preview<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhy1Hb4tgWgyBsMJThQEinGTAEWl1jYph25CMQNDlxWkO-D39F1DPZQJQ23IuTBifP3s7aMBCHqk-IMbhjtijY3Toq5mh-iBozfRdc0bAo_IrRPmwPVjhccPUnv56ontRwHiW7KGbyh1fBV8pd1hqWvJk2mldvHhYw4deWOYpqPsuh7UBsnoC5qrvtK6w/s932/Insecure%20Writers%20Support%20Group%20Badge.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="932" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhy1Hb4tgWgyBsMJThQEinGTAEWl1jYph25CMQNDlxWkO-D39F1DPZQJQ23IuTBifP3s7aMBCHqk-IMbhjtijY3Toq5mh-iBozfRdc0bAo_IrRPmwPVjhccPUnv56ontRwHiW7KGbyh1fBV8pd1hqWvJk2mldvHhYw4deWOYpqPsuh7UBsnoC5qrvtK6w/w200-h197/Insecure%20Writers%20Support%20Group%20Badge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />It’s time for another group posting of the <b><a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html" target="_blank">Insecure Writer’s Support Group!</a></b> 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.<br />
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The awesome co-hosts for the August 2 posting of the IWSG are <b><a href="http://katelarkindale.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Kate Larkindale,</a> <a href="http://dianeburton.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Diane Burton,</a> <a href="https://janetalcorn.com/" target="_blank">Janet Alcorn,</a></b> and <a href="http://thewarriormuse.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><b>Shannon Lawrence!</b></a><br />
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<b>Today’s question:</b> Have you ever written something that afterwards you felt conflicted about? If so, did you let it stay how it was, take it out, or rewrite it? <br />
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I don’t think I ever have. I write from my moral gut, so nothing there to alter. My only conflict was killing a main character, but I left it in anyway. Although some people protested the fact there are no women in my first book. (Read the second and you'll understand why.) I never changed it though. How about you? <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Just a heads up – next month is the twelve-year anniversary of the IWSG! </span></b><br /></div><div>
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="background-color: #6aa84f;">Reviews</span></b></span><br /></div><div>
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTSszlu5F4gVXrvsrzggGJUva6lay8WFDd1DYIC6nFlu69fCTZJVjzALxomDJZBlpIjAXcSUvtUNG1CqXdYTQrTuBmIO0ndGZrELY1uZ3DLbaRxd73D9yB0UulUiyC26tBrRNG-xjhq-_bugVAuvRdPfU4QQS76Ufygsoc4robHsFQIDs2na2fEZVmfjE/s453/Oppenheimer.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="288" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTSszlu5F4gVXrvsrzggGJUva6lay8WFDd1DYIC6nFlu69fCTZJVjzALxomDJZBlpIjAXcSUvtUNG1CqXdYTQrTuBmIO0ndGZrELY1uZ3DLbaRxd73D9yB0UulUiyC26tBrRNG-xjhq-_bugVAuvRdPfU4QQS76Ufygsoc4robHsFQIDs2na2fEZVmfjE/s320/Oppenheimer.jpg" width="203" /></a></div><br />Oppenheimer</b><br />
Christopher Nolan’s latest ambitious project covers a portion of the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the man key to the development of the atomic bomb. <br />
Like all Nolan films, this one boasts a high level of brilliance on every level. The visuals are precise, purposeful, and striking. The music fits every scene, often haunting and unsettling. And the acting – everyone brings their A game. <br />
Most notably is of course Cillian Murphy in the title role. He wastes no words, gestures, or expressions. Robert Downey Jr. also blends into his role as Lewis Strauss. <br />
My one negative – can no one make a movie under two hours anymore? At three hours, it’s just too long. <br />
That said, every scene is riveting. Good luck getting up to go to the bathroom! For a talking film, it moves at a fast clip and clues are dropped every time the scene changes. <br />
The moment they test the bomb is of course spectacular. Although I liked the last third of the film (what happens after that test) the best. <br />
I didn’t love it yet I have to highly recommend it! <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkMMMQETJPCZUYdyUfi2ZjIKgmObPBde_MnxlrowMhyekDMhen5CEivFVHA6MwT7YOrpfyFCEjEr5evTrxc7KWyiKZVft6JTHNLMEPIPWYKh_2zSQA-zevsGXyu6vYMF-vxzJpQTncnfIIMPNZp8M_ODPqYluwYirx2phOl3miil2h0JplDTGNngpDvY/s448/They%20Cloned%20Tyrone.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="302" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkMMMQETJPCZUYdyUfi2ZjIKgmObPBde_MnxlrowMhyekDMhen5CEivFVHA6MwT7YOrpfyFCEjEr5evTrxc7KWyiKZVft6JTHNLMEPIPWYKh_2zSQA-zevsGXyu6vYMF-vxzJpQTncnfIIMPNZp8M_ODPqYluwYirx2phOl3miil2h0JplDTGNngpDvY/s320/They%20Cloned%20Tyrone.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br />They Cloned Tyrone</b><br />
Set in the ghetto, strange events leads to three people trying to track down the truth. <br />
Highly recommended, I had no idea what to expect. And the first ten-fifteen minutes just follows Tyrone as he traverses The Glen and its slew of shady characters. (Who do not hold back with their colorful language.) I was beginning to wonder. <br />
Then things get weird! <br />
Yes, they discover Tyrone has been cloned. And a bunch of other suspicious events start piling on top of that. <br />
Where this movie excels is in the banter between the three leads. John Boyega (Finn from Star Wars) is Tyrone Fontaine the drug-dealer, Jamie Foxx is Slick Charles the pimp, and Teyonah Parris is Yo-Yo the ho. As they stumble through the bizarre, X-Files like things happening, they keep it light with exchanges that will have you laughing out loud. <br />
This film isn’t for everyone, but if you can handle the language, I really recommend it. <br />
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<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">August Movie Preview</span></b><br /></div><div>
<br />
Here are the theatrical releases for August. Descriptions courtesy of the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/" target="_blank">IMDB.</a> Snark provided by me.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwIeQI-lTHIslWBnyP3UvuujfDhQt_ydH-YFU1tYrdk7iYNgul6yKnZThR7FPQvKkMgnt9XVqIodIPAjzdiQV7Li2ZKatNK9lgCq5CKEU7N8XBeRcioY5ePZmhSLJ6xCG_XKtpLP24NM98aPo4OEWhwkzA51S70I8F5bTo5lKC0HQPZ5plSKCnyqZtNEU/s192/The%20Meg%202.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="130" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwIeQI-lTHIslWBnyP3UvuujfDhQt_ydH-YFU1tYrdk7iYNgul6yKnZThR7FPQvKkMgnt9XVqIodIPAjzdiQV7Li2ZKatNK9lgCq5CKEU7N8XBeRcioY5ePZmhSLJ6xCG_XKtpLP24NM98aPo4OEWhwkzA51S70I8F5bTo5lKC0HQPZ5plSKCnyqZtNEU/s1600/The%20Meg%202.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />4 –</span></b><br />
<br />
<b>The Meg 2: The Trench</b><br />
Director: Ben Wheatley<br />
Stars: Jason Statham, Jing Wu, Sienna Guillory<br />
Sequel to the 2018 film 'The Meg.'<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Not so much a sequel as a cheap ploy by Discovery Channel to pad out Shark Week. </span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Q1Y4YUVEitDwt8ISDS_zYioP2K4ZjZOVFAO0p1_DCinHzKB_MyGbTkVs4OOgOp3paGJU3fhn160o7KJy0GpOpQdjAYpF9Yewr-9wRfHNV04TrEXaeqKlyJH70dWnRG9gHIjzvejsKi-5qZ0G-sIcCn9dsnhHvOu4PXxzA0tBwR9w44xZRDjiY9oQzDQ/s183/Dragonkeeper.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="130" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Q1Y4YUVEitDwt8ISDS_zYioP2K4ZjZOVFAO0p1_DCinHzKB_MyGbTkVs4OOgOp3paGJU3fhn160o7KJy0GpOpQdjAYpF9Yewr-9wRfHNV04TrEXaeqKlyJH70dWnRG9gHIjzvejsKi-5qZ0G-sIcCn9dsnhHvOu4PXxzA0tBwR9w44xZRDjiY9oQzDQ/s1600/Dragonkeeper.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />10 – </span></b><br />
<br />
<b>Dragonkeeper</b><br />
Director: Salvador Simo<br />
Stars: Bill Nighy, Anthony Howell, Brendan Coyle<br />
In ancient China, dragons were once friends of humans, but our greed ended their alliance, and these magical creatures were hunted down. Years later, in a remote fortress, a young slave girl, Ping, strikes up an unlikely friendship. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">When I was in high school, I had a trapper keeper…</span></i></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdAnS-KLtGIcc5CTrGV-uHHk2dpp7PtqgTwvyf4-Im8u7qExAlGYOiIEeP9qVhm_v2pMJvs0Rw6tbLKEpKqPabTajG1ArJky4z7sCMuKy9U7iqQdr7GL_6Hg-v2Sv4P3aeEk1SIuq3oGiJ4EFYziCkM0ioFvRpotxNk20mTTUVL7pPm6eBSfl9gTQ1vQ0/s192/Dementer.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="130" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdAnS-KLtGIcc5CTrGV-uHHk2dpp7PtqgTwvyf4-Im8u7qExAlGYOiIEeP9qVhm_v2pMJvs0Rw6tbLKEpKqPabTajG1ArJky4z7sCMuKy9U7iqQdr7GL_6Hg-v2Sv4P3aeEk1SIuq3oGiJ4EFYziCkM0ioFvRpotxNk20mTTUVL7pPm6eBSfl9gTQ1vQ0/s1600/Dementer.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />11 –</span></b><br />
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<b>Last Voyage of the Demeter</b><br />
Director: André Øvredal<br />
Stars: Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi, Liam Cunningham<br />
Based on a single chapter, the Captain's Log, from Bram Stoker's classic 1897 novel Dracula, the story is set aboard the Russian schooner Demeter, which was chartered to carry private cargo - twenty-four unmarked wooden crates - from Carpathia to London. The film will detail the strange events that befell the doomed crew as they attempt to survive the ocean voyage, stalked each night by a terrifying presence on board the ship. When it finally arrived near Whitby Harbour, it was a derelict. There was no trace of the crew. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Please don’t suck. Or please do! I’m so confused…</span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGLPJjSQVCXVnRHA0nEvV6QhggF9mBk05LWgwyrfAmES1rHZlWK_FlujrXY8Tgp-2xgJt8mQdgjBrZwEANGchRxdr9mv_LTKZHkM1pr_aOlpvnA7cN9mqLUVM8qMHRu3pNSmXWoHRVg1gxrof9HfLQ_-CagccY-SfUji4O9SpMHwTNPj27i-LXHdN5ZA/s194/RiffTrax%20RAD.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="130" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGLPJjSQVCXVnRHA0nEvV6QhggF9mBk05LWgwyrfAmES1rHZlWK_FlujrXY8Tgp-2xgJt8mQdgjBrZwEANGchRxdr9mv_LTKZHkM1pr_aOlpvnA7cN9mqLUVM8qMHRu3pNSmXWoHRVg1gxrof9HfLQ_-CagccY-SfUji4O9SpMHwTNPj27i-LXHdN5ZA/s1600/RiffTrax%20RAD.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />17 –</span></b><br />
<br />
<b>RiffTrax Live: RAD</b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Going to be awesome! </span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvlb_nXr-_7mxMIzJkAbBwFt-bg_p_YDJhZ50H7F1ECpCinqtoAzOi2JPxFSsdE62eZg5ykfzfKj5-6Ccg1v0gNPaxNNUsH18KuLiW868NNbAwv6_oAq8ShmY-ktdpiqrnBNJ8-ua8L0H2_PFzgNvIWu0ZGItZbNdXzDuMWej0M4tTKYJ1EqGTsljhVjs/s256/Blue%20Beetle.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="173" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvlb_nXr-_7mxMIzJkAbBwFt-bg_p_YDJhZ50H7F1ECpCinqtoAzOi2JPxFSsdE62eZg5ykfzfKj5-6Ccg1v0gNPaxNNUsH18KuLiW868NNbAwv6_oAq8ShmY-ktdpiqrnBNJ8-ua8L0H2_PFzgNvIWu0ZGItZbNdXzDuMWej0M4tTKYJ1EqGTsljhVjs/w135-h200/Blue%20Beetle.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><br />18 –</span></b><br />
<br />
<b>Blue Beetle</b><br />
Director: Angel Manuel Soto<br />
Stars: Becky G, Bruna Marquezine, Xolo Maridueña<br />
An alien relic chooses Jaime Reyes to be its symbiotic host, bestowing the teenager with a suit of armor that's capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the superhero Blue Beetle. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Special guest appearance by Herbie the Love Bug!</span></i></b> <br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Have you written something that made you feel conflicted? Have you seen Oppenheimer or They Cloned Tyrone? Any movies catch your eye for August? </span><br /></div><div>
<br />
</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com76tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-79991242014113328062023-07-17T05:00:00.005-04:002023-07-17T05:00:00.140-04:00IWSG and Inspiring Advice<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I and the other admins are at the <b><a href=" https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/" target="_blank">IWSG site</a></b> with something unique for you today - <span style="color: #073763;"><b>Inspiring Advice From IWSG Experts</b></span>. Come join us!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMzZfTlGNEDOW9oYfjuWENaIs4A_sCDIBfcAXgnCxW9nArp0WXVU5KHCX3pVosjMZ3l1NvCnL-OKTyJYR1Il9hQ5jT8qjmalvw1AyCspRLwhCeRzBxuX7i58Gmf_4SOJUmzznAmtzcgk4v8qVT3vFyA2524N7zD0uLuLXtw4ZbG4j1rVF3e1d81OjONCg/s932/Insecure%20Writers%20Support%20Group%20Badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="932" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMzZfTlGNEDOW9oYfjuWENaIs4A_sCDIBfcAXgnCxW9nArp0WXVU5KHCX3pVosjMZ3l1NvCnL-OKTyJYR1Il9hQ5jT8qjmalvw1AyCspRLwhCeRzBxuX7i58Gmf_4SOJUmzznAmtzcgk4v8qVT3vFyA2524N7zD0uLuLXtw4ZbG4j1rVF3e1d81OjONCg/s320/Insecure%20Writers%20Support%20Group%20Badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-55888998584552772512023-07-05T00:30:00.048-04:002023-07-05T00:30:00.147-04:00Insecure Writer’s Support Group; July Movie Preview; and Reviews – The Flash and From<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBEFvOdcWPkUSyv4eNBJApkO8HMIscf7jOGzZxkP-7wMCdurGVkoDFZecRDPvBDU1sksfx_PKIJ41ffjJEye1ccVHU_mcPZ5tG8fAf9EJNIUmHkn9FCwxzKWUWVxfOXXQ-eU5By1BmWP8DqOc2tzWq4UVOtfH8AGqGF2iHIblGnLvzaBVFM3ELvXCin6M/s932/Insecure%20Writers%20Support%20Group%20Badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="932" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBEFvOdcWPkUSyv4eNBJApkO8HMIscf7jOGzZxkP-7wMCdurGVkoDFZecRDPvBDU1sksfx_PKIJ41ffjJEye1ccVHU_mcPZ5tG8fAf9EJNIUmHkn9FCwxzKWUWVxfOXXQ-eU5By1BmWP8DqOc2tzWq4UVOtfH8AGqGF2iHIblGnLvzaBVFM3ELvXCin6M/w200-h197/Insecure%20Writers%20Support%20Group%20Badge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />It’s time for another group posting of the <b><a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html" target="_blank">Insecure Writer’s Support Group!</a> </b>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.<br />
<br />
The awesome co-hosts for the July 5 posting of the IWSG are <b><a href="http://www.pjcolando.com/" target="_blank">PJ Colando,</a> <a href="http://kimlajevardi.com/" target="_blank">Kim Lajevardi,</a> <a href="http://gwengardner.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Gwen Gardner,</a> <a href="http://www.patgarciaandeverythingmustchange.com/" target="_blank">Pat Garcia,</a> </b>and <a href="http://www.literaryrambles.com/" target="_blank"><b>Natalie Aguirre!</b></a><br />
<br />
<b>July 5 question</b> - 99% of my story ideas come from dreams. Where do yours predominantly come from? <br />
<br />
I would have to say from a mix of media. Movies, music, and art. All three influenced the ideas behind my books. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_QvesH981taR6B-p3261GsauVZ5_No5AorotlkDsS1vxPeYdAdLJBVj4PTmcwN7xtCfBvydfw2G-gUTcPcUqlomRm2hts928YVFKdgchwlq0GKYSmyvovnxgSeeqGiYhcAX8iUwOyXCA4-APLXxq_fxB0OZf3sUXD6WqycISnJh2KMon3QGpgYOy-rU/s345/GoodreadsBadge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="345" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_QvesH981taR6B-p3261GsauVZ5_No5AorotlkDsS1vxPeYdAdLJBVj4PTmcwN7xtCfBvydfw2G-gUTcPcUqlomRm2hts928YVFKdgchwlq0GKYSmyvovnxgSeeqGiYhcAX8iUwOyXCA4-APLXxq_fxB0OZf3sUXD6WqycISnJh2KMon3QGpgYOy-rU/w200-h197/GoodreadsBadge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />The<b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/214387-the-insecure-writer-s-support-group-book-club" target="_blank">IWSG Goodreads Book Club</a></b> had a great run. But Toi Thomas is stepping down and we have decided not to continue the group. It will continue until the end of July. We appreciate Toi’s hard work these past few years and we’re grateful she was a part of the IWSG team. Thanks to all who participated in the book club and we hope you found some great new reads. <br />
<span style="background-color: #fcff01;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fcff01;"><b>Co-Hosts needed!</b><br />
We need two-three more for August 2, three to four for September 6, and three to four more for October 4. Leave a comment or email me if you can do any of those months.</span> <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #f1c232; font-size: large;">Reviews</span></b><br /></div><div>
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1rXSqMvyfJpJvjFolpIBVJqOB-UvR6sf7mUHnSpZkG3YoW_xxCXOLdX3Ae37GQNf2mHw00x0pVZ4no-vXy5i3eAcAEWimDDtSgwIUVM4uJG_WTUmrW1Bta9IjgwzfTDrsWiSNA-68fKA5biy8hqER-8UyVY1EKt_6bmrNNNL7eSEXG5D9il_VknmOkVk/s533/TheFlash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1rXSqMvyfJpJvjFolpIBVJqOB-UvR6sf7mUHnSpZkG3YoW_xxCXOLdX3Ae37GQNf2mHw00x0pVZ4no-vXy5i3eAcAEWimDDtSgwIUVM4uJG_WTUmrW1Bta9IjgwzfTDrsWiSNA-68fKA5biy8hqER-8UyVY1EKt_6bmrNNNL7eSEXG5D9il_VknmOkVk/s320/TheFlash.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br />The Flash</b><br />
Unlike most of the movie-goers out there, I went to see this film and enjoyed it.<br />
It did a serviceable job telling the story of Flashpoint. There were complaints about the Speed Force, but it worked for me.<br />
The opening scene with the Flash and Batman was thrilling. And there are many more exciting action scenes. <br />
Plus there are a ton of Easter eggs and surprises. <br />
It certainly leaves room for a sequel that sadly will never happen. If you didn’t see it in the theater, you’d be able to soon on several streaming services. <br />
Overall, I had a blast watching it. Lots of fun, great action, several hilarious scenes, and all laced with elements of grief and loss, which is the heart of this story. <br />
If you aren’t sick of superhero movies, then I’d highly recommend it. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjOLiq7DOV9NZ29TUZwmPyHwKC_mGhfDcHu1FRnng9s09fHrDv902BRwzEEb0hq0QuJuoFg7Kc66UzKECVKuMeYqRVb1-abtE7hQFjyRUHSzzOO7OgaL4iCH2XsJz2Apgx98_FKfQ6vfTVsGZGqGawrFG18htlzJpU6HRigz_7zcX4ty2KcPbS3_vYxDU/s648/From.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="432" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjOLiq7DOV9NZ29TUZwmPyHwKC_mGhfDcHu1FRnng9s09fHrDv902BRwzEEb0hq0QuJuoFg7Kc66UzKECVKuMeYqRVb1-abtE7hQFjyRUHSzzOO7OgaL4iCH2XsJz2Apgx98_FKfQ6vfTVsGZGqGawrFG18htlzJpU6HRigz_7zcX4ty2KcPbS3_vYxDU/s320/From.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />From</b><br />
Streaming on MGM, first season free on Prime Video. <br />
People come to this town, but no matter what they do, they can’t leave. They can’t communicate with the world beyond their town. Oh, and there are creatures that will torture and kill you if you are not safely in your home, guarded by a talisman. <br />
That in of itself sounds creepy and crazy, but wait – you’ve not seen anything yet! <br />
Every episode piles on more twists, more problems, more dangers, and very few answers. It’s frustrating sometimes, but the really compelling element to this series is the people. <br />
There’s Boyd, the sheriff trying his best to hold the town together. Donna, who runs Colony House, who is one tough, no-nonsense mama. Jade, who is annoyed by everything and everyone but despite his attitude, you like him. And that’s just it – most of the people, despite the things they do wrong, are decent folks who are just being beaten down by an almost hopeless situation. <br />
There are moments of intense gore, but it’s not the focus.
This is a real mindbender of a series. If you like a puzzle (think the series 1899) then you will really be captivated by this show. <br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #f1c232; font-size: large;">July Movie Preview</span></b><br /></div><div>
<br />
Here are the theatrical releases for July. Descriptions courtesy of the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/" target="_blank">IMDB.</a> Snark provided by me.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbVTFHapqhWLwUB0afOWD2O5qp0aauyULTR-U7h9rc-GeDR6K6E9f7LNYCU8Z6Bq0F4Yg8lmGxsXKnhyfH_FqQptHcElDYZR0doiVtTvRxdNT1hyfnWT92OEefo87faQ_12sviC7ByH58MMS9jas4NukPoJV-uZ6kSLuxzMOCjfAQFgBza9h8t3u8dTM/s186/MI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="186" data-original-width="126" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbVTFHapqhWLwUB0afOWD2O5qp0aauyULTR-U7h9rc-GeDR6K6E9f7LNYCU8Z6Bq0F4Yg8lmGxsXKnhyfH_FqQptHcElDYZR0doiVtTvRxdNT1hyfnWT92OEefo87faQ_12sviC7ByH58MMS9jas4NukPoJV-uZ6kSLuxzMOCjfAQFgBza9h8t3u8dTM/s1600/MI.jpg" width="126" /></a></div><br />12 –</span></b><br />
<br />
<b>Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning</b><br />
Director: Christopher McQuarrie<br />
Stars: Rebecca Ferguson, Tom Cruise, Pom Klementieff, Simon Pegg<br />
Ethan Hunt and his IMF team must track down a dangerous weapon before it falls into the wrong hands. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">And I’m dead sure I won’t remember any of this film by the time part two comes out…</span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgI_lwOlkY_lFRrvIa9qooSM-msEji1Cz-Spf-Np4qp5kW1226Lekah5pLQq5d8VAJ7rt5FNR1Wf_2Dmv3rushHMbrhVdm2VstNSvd6hXYQ_jRbi1nPtP9U_RmS2zp2FOBVd-x4MDdKM3r150lac-oYeaxzF9jQsHQZyhlR60P2g5h2Od33A2VHrDyuSw/s216/Oppenheimer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="122" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgI_lwOlkY_lFRrvIa9qooSM-msEji1Cz-Spf-Np4qp5kW1226Lekah5pLQq5d8VAJ7rt5FNR1Wf_2Dmv3rushHMbrhVdm2VstNSvd6hXYQ_jRbi1nPtP9U_RmS2zp2FOBVd-x4MDdKM3r150lac-oYeaxzF9jQsHQZyhlR60P2g5h2Od33A2VHrDyuSw/s1600/Oppenheimer.jpg" width="122" /></a></div><br />21 –</span></b><br />
<br />
<b>Oppenheimer</b><br />
Director: Christopher Nolan<br />
Stars: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr. <br />
The story of American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">They are calling it the feel-irradiated film of the year!</span></i></b><br />
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<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Where do your story ideas come from? Can you help co-host any of those months? Seen The Flash or From? And any movies catch your eye for July?</span><br /></div><div>
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</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com76tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-76220220009352919552023-06-07T01:30:00.097-04:002023-06-07T01:30:00.141-04:00Insecure Writer’s Support Group; June Movie Preview; and Reviews – Fast X, Spider-Man, and Three Thousand Years of Longing<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhl0fG9KZk7Ldr12Ta136dECL39p0s_D9x1fxALiqADPhw1tvhCOkQbAXbcAoPm7w67-ZyoCcc572x6t_2grWPcfU5C8pLBv2IYk1hEu06jyhIFKgNUYIikdqQUkDLmXlAEKxRhLUzrReNCJBus21l7XlxOakFr_BFdufOs7g8stcA335CGHFkCPsK/s932/IWSG.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="932" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhl0fG9KZk7Ldr12Ta136dECL39p0s_D9x1fxALiqADPhw1tvhCOkQbAXbcAoPm7w67-ZyoCcc572x6t_2grWPcfU5C8pLBv2IYk1hEu06jyhIFKgNUYIikdqQUkDLmXlAEKxRhLUzrReNCJBus21l7XlxOakFr_BFdufOs7g8stcA335CGHFkCPsK/s320/IWSG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />It’s time for another group posting of the<b> <a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html" target="_blank">Insecure Writer’s Support Group!</a> </b>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.<br />
<br />
The awesome co-hosts for the June 7 posting of the IWSG are<b> <a href="https://www.patriciajosephine.com/blog" target="_blank">Patrcia Josephine,</a> <a href="https://pensivepenspost.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Diedre Knight,</a> <a href="http://olgagodim.wordpress.com" target="_blank">Olga Godim,</a> <a href="https://jlennidorner.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">J. Lenni Dorner,</a></b> and<b> <a href="http://cathrinaconstantine.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Cathrina Constantine!</a></b><br />
<br />
I'm also at the<b> <a href="https://iwsganthologies.blogspot.com/2023/06/how-did-iwsg-begin.html" target="_blank">IWSG Anthologies Blog</a> </b>today! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoAztsoRpQJvLOzAhgdW9xhqkyxIafyxHam1HaebdZNiyFG8H9Uy53r0Xsh5Bpy_L3lY0_eBf3D4mr0lBDozIjm8EAhQigo4PeuEZxdjWLrxyHXFcmAG789KZ7MYOTmjbYC2YhauXoy3TOUin-L-mZAYxhrcjLRWqVDSdDqVN_xEcfNugfAjjtAaca/s213/3d-Book-Render-1%20copy.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="144" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoAztsoRpQJvLOzAhgdW9xhqkyxIafyxHam1HaebdZNiyFG8H9Uy53r0Xsh5Bpy_L3lY0_eBf3D4mr0lBDozIjm8EAhQigo4PeuEZxdjWLrxyHXFcmAG789KZ7MYOTmjbYC2YhauXoy3TOUin-L-mZAYxhrcjLRWqVDSdDqVN_xEcfNugfAjjtAaca/w135-h200/3d-Book-Render-1%20copy.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Before I jump into today’s post, I have sad news. <br /></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="http://hogwartssabbatical.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Ken Rahmoeller (Chemist Ken)</a> </b>was about to publish his first book, Accidental Alchemist. Unfortunately, he also had a brain tumor and lost the battle last month. (You can read his obituary <a href="https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/kenneth-rahmoeller-obituary?id=52060180" target="_blank">here.</a>)<br />
Ken was such a great part of the IWSG and loved to co-host. He will be greatly missed. We hope that his book will still become a reality and he finally gets to be a published author. <br />
God bless you, Ken. We will miss you. </span><br />
<br />
<b>June 7 question</b> - If you ever did stop writing, what would you replace it with? <br />
<br />
I’d just continue with my guitar playing, which is what I am mostly doing right now. Plus I’m enjoying taking care of our property and doing outside work. So, I’d be okay not writing. (But I am thinking of another short story sequel to Dragon of the Stars.) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyTZEols6MUMXIErIt1EQHpByW6gkzfcw0VOKL93ueoLJJh5nn5i6fOatEmeOm1Bo83Wjxv4g7i13dNtsTO4MoJjfM2PXBgYpPVSDMwwhGOTxlczX8LRuLrYH5OQq-UilR1_NiCFZct1HM6leOWGMpFZIPqfHVcOoZD7rxwt3sgeZ8MD2VfDDcMMNW/s183/unnamed.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="115" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyTZEols6MUMXIErIt1EQHpByW6gkzfcw0VOKL93ueoLJJh5nn5i6fOatEmeOm1Bo83Wjxv4g7i13dNtsTO4MoJjfM2PXBgYpPVSDMwwhGOTxlczX8LRuLrYH5OQq-UilR1_NiCFZct1HM6leOWGMpFZIPqfHVcOoZD7rxwt3sgeZ8MD2VfDDcMMNW/s1600/unnamed.jpg" width="115" /></a></div><br /><br />
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<br />
It’s time for <b><a href="https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">WEP</a></b> again! <br />
June is Close Encounters of the Third Kind. <br />
There is a critique prize and possibility for inclusion in the WEP Anthology.<br />
Check out the <b><a href="https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">WEP</a></b> site for details. <br />
<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Reviews</span></b><br /></div><div>
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMCA6pqkJjfa6bZ3HK_Z6hmV9aRdFYOk67_v6vRe4fLjg1bZHQSPq0nlSqFvSlAFfbTJ-KLS-alV_ekFj8xwj_SO7oU9Tk3oiTnOoyE9wHSxPRrSUO_tqMMh-kNeDEFnhr6FtT4B-dDHQs8EyLMjYRot-OsQGvlKKj0kO_27jheuQpKotWYXuqRwr/s720/Fast%20X.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="720" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMCA6pqkJjfa6bZ3HK_Z6hmV9aRdFYOk67_v6vRe4fLjg1bZHQSPq0nlSqFvSlAFfbTJ-KLS-alV_ekFj8xwj_SO7oU9Tk3oiTnOoyE9wHSxPRrSUO_tqMMh-kNeDEFnhr6FtT4B-dDHQs8EyLMjYRot-OsQGvlKKj0kO_27jheuQpKotWYXuqRwr/s320/Fast%20X.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Fast X</b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Dom Toretto and his family are targeted by the vengeful son of drug kingpin Hernan Reyes.</span></i></b> <br />
Did you enjoy the first nine movies? Then you will enjoy this one. <br />
The action scenes are huge and over the top, but so much fun to watch. <br />
It’s a bit long with some scenes not necessary. But I guess it was all about character building and bonding. <br />
Jason Mamoa is over the top as the crazy, eccentric millionaire son with a vengeance. <br />
The cast is huge and there are some surprises. <br />
Recommended<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9aSBS28pdnpo0fMvaZkfNYOtHti6zaIB_LYxdiK4OP0SzQYQlqd6z69Gd55E1GcAmOqaE-lde8hDCCOVlHbClr-fNPwzahSSExLS6UCW2CMbKc_zoPMqkX2870my-Bz1sWHMTQtJgCaZdRDd0eH41fywJ4dS6SHWp0-4MDszw2G-7JjRp4upzwOmo/s450/spider-man-across-spider-verse-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="288" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9aSBS28pdnpo0fMvaZkfNYOtHti6zaIB_LYxdiK4OP0SzQYQlqd6z69Gd55E1GcAmOqaE-lde8hDCCOVlHbClr-fNPwzahSSExLS6UCW2CMbKc_zoPMqkX2870my-Bz1sWHMTQtJgCaZdRDd0eH41fywJ4dS6SHWp0-4MDszw2G-7JjRp4upzwOmo/s320/spider-man-across-spider-verse-6.jpg" width="205" /></a></div><br />Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse</b><br />
Just as fun and unique as the first film. <br />
The animation style is so unique, as if dozens of different artists all worked on the project and their styles were blended together. <br />
It’s also very, very funny. We do like a snarky-funny Spider-Man. And there are many, many versions of Spider-Man!<br />
Be warned it’s a long movie (145 minutes) although the pace really picks up towards the end and you don’t even notice the passage of time. And also know this is part one of two, so it ends on a cliffhanger. <br />
And after you read my comment in the movies releases below, yes – we got Peter Porker as Spider-Pig! <br />
Highly Recommended! <br />
<br />
<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_L7O4ROz_d96nwkYwesLSwG2bhdZGufC_yazdXzvfmfB036SoY8hj3HeiVPpsreoQ9wVBSqAs411Sy3YRR9rCxgVr_SJEPQ7xrZpQ41JTum1cv9pmQx7cSd4bgAJCxDn85mPTruo1vTq46uixhhIF6uCRkXGxHowxN4CZrQmO5wxBHApHYoIr75Bi/s747/3000%20years%20of%20longing.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="747" data-original-width="504" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_L7O4ROz_d96nwkYwesLSwG2bhdZGufC_yazdXzvfmfB036SoY8hj3HeiVPpsreoQ9wVBSqAs411Sy3YRR9rCxgVr_SJEPQ7xrZpQ41JTum1cv9pmQx7cSd4bgAJCxDn85mPTruo1vTq46uixhhIF6uCRkXGxHowxN4CZrQmO5wxBHApHYoIr75Bi/w135-h200/3000%20years%20of%20longing.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><br />Three Thousand Years of Longing</b><br />
Interesting movie, sometimes hard to watch. <br />
Idris the best part of the movie. <br />
Tilda toned down her weirdness for this one. (As I think she’s a bit of an odd person.) <br />
It’s quirky and odd, told mostly in flashbacks<br />
If there were deeper meanings I was to take away from the film, I guess I missed them. (Beyond genie in a bottle, three wishes, and your heart’s desire.) <br />
If you want something quirky and a bit puzzling, check it out. <br />
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<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">June Movie Preview</span></b><br /></div><div>
<br />
Here are the theatrical releases for June. Descriptions courtesy of the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/" target="_blank">IMDB.</a> Snark provided by me.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1fY9WOmK1bWXI92lISBXlHzin9QvoCPxxHydQfTj2jUhxmvvwUjpBi_Fl3cLBb8Nyr5DG75pizP14cj0ssTGKr0zMMuywzBbvIOBv8ne3sZPBEZdDsktq1MncLuFMqUVqadD4c1KgxEatEbYi-zgNQDPfcQ1QCknolrvOsd20FfM_7zqCYjn_iQ-W/s203/Spider-Man.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="137" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1fY9WOmK1bWXI92lISBXlHzin9QvoCPxxHydQfTj2jUhxmvvwUjpBi_Fl3cLBb8Nyr5DG75pizP14cj0ssTGKr0zMMuywzBbvIOBv8ne3sZPBEZdDsktq1MncLuFMqUVqadD4c1KgxEatEbYi-zgNQDPfcQ1QCknolrvOsd20FfM_7zqCYjn_iQ-W/s1600/Spider-Man.jpg" width="137" /></a></div><br />2 -</span></b> <br />
<br />
<b>Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse</b><br />
Miles Morales catapults across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. When the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles must redefine what it means to be a hero. <br />
Directors - Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson<br />
Stars - Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Isaac<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Got my fingers crossed for more Spider-Pig!</span></i></b> <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtMWivuJkaF0yI6Mlilh2dRg1nyOUHECV2yIhhwYQ8M99YXUZrfBPwhHSK1r8WtOUjeQz-Zx9lhAEcrVW-wdlsCOQJtMuNzTXxWZ-xr040V9OKnefQXaL_Ihv13OUoFjQYPinGV7jiqv0rlRgH_2-jNach5OyeO5ZfVyDoR9XVsmm97hfWRw_z9SmC/s192/Transformers.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="130" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtMWivuJkaF0yI6Mlilh2dRg1nyOUHECV2yIhhwYQ8M99YXUZrfBPwhHSK1r8WtOUjeQz-Zx9lhAEcrVW-wdlsCOQJtMuNzTXxWZ-xr040V9OKnefQXaL_Ihv13OUoFjQYPinGV7jiqv0rlRgH_2-jNach5OyeO5ZfVyDoR9XVsmm97hfWRw_z9SmC/s1600/Transformers.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />9 –</span></b><br />
<b><br />
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts</b><br />
Based on the 'Transformers' spinoff 'Beast Wars' which feature robots that transform into robotic animals. <br />
Director - Steven Caple Jr. <br />
Stars - Pete Davidson, Michelle Yeoh, Ron Perlman<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Well, they transformed Michael Bay right out of the series, so this one might not be as bad…</span></i></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizRaWJZ7nXvwCTo6VBoLWWwFlJDUi7N_IaESxVFJ8L4HvmtYgnztTiudKLuw3o9NYO9tg_ZUNl9Pa4btETWg04S_GaBee2uYe4Czxlu2JxifZ08nbdL4O6DMCy_5xI6vkZvACMDQETMsJpime7aNqp5odpfjfNQgiwdFeaAKs_C9b5ir2j7tnHGjV6/s360/the-flash-film.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="241" data-original-width="360" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizRaWJZ7nXvwCTo6VBoLWWwFlJDUi7N_IaESxVFJ8L4HvmtYgnztTiudKLuw3o9NYO9tg_ZUNl9Pa4btETWg04S_GaBee2uYe4Czxlu2JxifZ08nbdL4O6DMCy_5xI6vkZvACMDQETMsJpime7aNqp5odpfjfNQgiwdFeaAKs_C9b5ir2j7tnHGjV6/s320/the-flash-film.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />16 –</span></b><br />
<br />
<b>The Flash</b><br />
Barry Allen uses his super speed to change the past, but his attempt to save his family creates a world without super heroes, forcing him to race for his life in order to save the future. <br />
Director - Andy Muschietti<br />
Stars – Ezra Miller, Ben Affleck, Sasha Calle, Michael Keaton, Michael Shannon<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Like a unicorn sighting, this could be the rare three Batman movie! </span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCTysyq7zfFg6Pfm0zuiNkbT3S6o31S5C0nUrpXiFmZmBaG6xw5CZhvbj9rrLN3NzbuBefFojY6zQg79YDqJuUYZDno8gb8_vyKhS9sSusdFG63gfMX7MSOQ-7Zg4JU7szHZmIZPVw1jDn9Uks4l6NmgEabeVj-MzxJz1xQRuLzX7VUJBoZhe6iTok/s194/Indiana%20Jones.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="130" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCTysyq7zfFg6Pfm0zuiNkbT3S6o31S5C0nUrpXiFmZmBaG6xw5CZhvbj9rrLN3NzbuBefFojY6zQg79YDqJuUYZDno8gb8_vyKhS9sSusdFG63gfMX7MSOQ-7Zg4JU7szHZmIZPVw1jDn9Uks4l6NmgEabeVj-MzxJz1xQRuLzX7VUJBoZhe6iTok/s1600/Indiana%20Jones.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />30 –</span></b><br />
<br />
<b>Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny</b><br />
Archaeologist Indiana Jones races against time to retrieve a legendary artifact that can change the course of history. <br />
Director - James Mangold<br />
Stars - Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Antonio Banderas<br />
<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Let’s hope the real subtitle isn’t Indiana Jones and the Suckage of All Movies. (Like the last one.</span></b>) <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
What would you replace writing with? Have you seen Fast X, Spider-Man, or A Thousand Years of Longing? What movies catch your eye for June? Be sure to visit the <a href="https://iwsganthologies.blogspot.com/2023/06/how-did-iwsg-begin.html" target="_blank"><b>IWSG Anthologies Blog!</b></a> </span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">
I will be offline for most of June, so see you July 5 for the next IWSG posting.</span><br /></div>
</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com77tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-29891708193818935002023-05-08T05:00:00.045-04:002023-05-08T05:00:00.149-04:00Shark Tales, Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Review, and Insomnium/Enslaved Concert Review<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #6fa8dc; font-size: large;">Shark Tales by L. Diane Wolfe</span></b><br /></div><div>
<br />
Alex asked me about shark movies that were similar to my newest release, In Darkness: The Shark. Unfortunately, there aren’t any! My story is a paranormal romance involving a human (Jewels) and a great white shark (Clarence). (And no, there is no beastiality.) <br />
<br />
Several shark movies came to mind: The Meg, The Shallows, Jaws, Deep Blue Sea, 47 Meters Down, Open Water. But I decided to go with something closer to my actual story. <br />
<br />
<b>Finding Nemo</b> – Nemo happens upon three sharks who recite the phrase “Fish are our friends!” They don’t want to hurt fish, anymore than Clarence wants to hurt Jewels. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ACfHVfmJJJJhiiymfZtWyZG0G78dQH4MiIxHJj5ZekTzEjunnmeM39kzZa7c-IRor8HmYfMEtIMhp_0TNOAvmLv9PXqL2y4w_bwmgUdkAXL4C1WWxbTviian-yk_3_XEMorbaRKSq-jMFDxPgxdVm5LuRwKHM0hYN2ZRoLosoivE4KMPZlF3LmEQ/s291/Jabberjaw.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="291" data-original-width="202" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ACfHVfmJJJJhiiymfZtWyZG0G78dQH4MiIxHJj5ZekTzEjunnmeM39kzZa7c-IRor8HmYfMEtIMhp_0TNOAvmLv9PXqL2y4w_bwmgUdkAXL4C1WWxbTviian-yk_3_XEMorbaRKSq-jMFDxPgxdVm5LuRwKHM0hYN2ZRoLosoivE4KMPZlF3LmEQ/w139-h200/Jabberjaw.jpg" width="139" /></a></div><br />Jabberjaw</b> – This was actually a 70’s Saturday morning cartoon, and yes, I watched and loved it. Jabberjaw is an amphibious great white shark and the drummer for a rock group consisting of four teenagers. It’s silly, but it showed a shark as friends with humans. <br />
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The other three are documentaries. <br />
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<b>Playing With Sharks </b>– Photographer Valerie Taylor becomes a trailblazing advocate for the ocean's most maligned and misunderstood creatures. He shows that sharks are not just evil eating machines. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmzOH3n7VOuckMMuNhPe8YT_l7vd5_NMrA6JrJieCIfzacqoRkS3FvHMCqdPF3C74C1TjwyGqx2ggvn40Z1okJ2ZN_QAgR_GsCYP1qq2RR1dr0DeILCJ2ZMJ_vhBGbnVODLSt6jUDS9BfYzJobrJvXYf2uyCfYWo7gLgEjdMK570_xX5SnFip1dxNm/s445/Sharkwater.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmzOH3n7VOuckMMuNhPe8YT_l7vd5_NMrA6JrJieCIfzacqoRkS3FvHMCqdPF3C74C1TjwyGqx2ggvn40Z1okJ2ZN_QAgR_GsCYP1qq2RR1dr0DeILCJ2ZMJ_vhBGbnVODLSt6jUDS9BfYzJobrJvXYf2uyCfYWo7gLgEjdMK570_xX5SnFip1dxNm/w135-h200/Sharkwater.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><br />Sharkwater </b>– Arguing that sharks are misunderstood as dangerous creatures, biologist Rob Stewart travels to the Galapagos Islands, Costa Rica and other places where the animals can be found. Another one showing they are more than just eating machines. <br />
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<b>Sharks</b> –Oceanographer Jean-Michel Cousteau documents face-to-face encounters with a wide variety of the ocean's ultimate predators, including white, hammerhead and whale sharks. The son of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, he also had a passion for sharks.<br />
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Ultimately, the one film that is similar to my story was a 70’s Saturday afternoon TV movie about a boy who befriends a baby nurse shark. (There is also an obscure 1962 movie called <i>Ti-Koyo e il suo pescecane</i> about a boy who makes friends with a shark.) So, I would have to say that 70’s movie influenced my story and set me on a path to show a deep friendship between a shark and a human. <br />
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Of course, one difference—Clarence the shark can talk! <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbmmLcFqdWwYVrAaMOFv37YShTF1J8hc413jzg9GIOhfwnAXArhpv5GzmT5vvvkiFM9n6Fap6LLKBlYPPB1NcyL29Ugj-OQ5KqGauMCoNMY08Xp6lP0m_TnIuf2mj8FhvR6Oqjv9gRt3t9erOL-78eifnuyHK3kwXNowbOQMRYKckJWB4-8sSZAADh/s768/In%20Darkness%20The%20Shark.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="504" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbmmLcFqdWwYVrAaMOFv37YShTF1J8hc413jzg9GIOhfwnAXArhpv5GzmT5vvvkiFM9n6Fap6LLKBlYPPB1NcyL29Ugj-OQ5KqGauMCoNMY08Xp6lP0m_TnIuf2mj8FhvR6Oqjv9gRt3t9erOL-78eifnuyHK3kwXNowbOQMRYKckJWB4-8sSZAADh/s320/In%20Darkness%20The%20Shark.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><br />In Darkness: The Shark by L. Diane Wolfe</b><br />
Release date - May 9, 2023<br />
Romance/Paranormal - Fantasy/Paranormal - Fantasy/Romance<br />
eBook ISBN 9781939844910 $3.99 <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Souls shrouded in darkness…<br />
Focused on her studies and duties at the aquarium, Jewels prefers her solitary life. Burned many times and short on trust, she has more in common with her aquatic friends than the people around her. But she never imagined coming face to face with a shark named Clarence…a shark who talks! <br />
As their friendship grows, Jewels must overcome her deep set mistrust. There are dangers, both in the Australian ocean and on dry land. Can Jewels depend on the great white or will his animal nature betray her? </span></i></b><br />
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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 Diane at her <a href="http://www.spunkonastick.net/" target="_blank">website,</a> <a href="http://www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com" target="_blank">blog,</a> and <a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/" target="_blank">IWSG</a><br />
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Find In Darkness: The Shark at <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BKTLKMG4" target="_blank">Amazon,</a> <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id6444053123" target="_blank">iTunes,</a>
<a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940165956393" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble,</a> <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search?Query=9781939844910" target="_blank">Kobo,</a> <a href="https://www.scribd.com/search?query=9781939844910&language=0" target="_blank">Scribed,</a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63208820-in-darkness" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #6fa8dc; font-size: large;">Reviews</span></b><br /></div><div>
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Ai4B7MZKEY0UxRDfUbK-NOOAE9X1tMwn-6PYgO2g9qBcn9Y4f6qmoDfXu7ISkkGWMy2Ojn1dJKCiYuznQ52ISGk8pgHD0f7smk0eAKuUcJJTD662fUouiUttItzX4kX9LPuNutuSb8f0hZSUsm0Eg2qIhhOYsuxz-DvWjPG9tgOzgwuTy4RdV6kH/s1066/GotG3.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Ai4B7MZKEY0UxRDfUbK-NOOAE9X1tMwn-6PYgO2g9qBcn9Y4f6qmoDfXu7ISkkGWMy2Ojn1dJKCiYuznQ52ISGk8pgHD0f7smk0eAKuUcJJTD662fUouiUttItzX4kX9LPuNutuSb8f0hZSUsm0Eg2qIhhOYsuxz-DvWjPG9tgOzgwuTy4RdV6kH/s320/GotG3.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br />Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3</b><br />
Wasn’t sure what to expect after the last few disappointing Marvel films, and it did have a slow start, but then it gained steam and found its footing. <br />
It was enjoyable and presented many funny moments. Nice also to see some older characters return. <br />
It could’ve used some editing though. There are scenes that would’ve benefited from a cut, bringing the movie down from its two hours and thirty minutes run time. <br />
It also tackles a dark subject – Rocket’s origins. If you are an animal lover or animal experiments upset you, be warned. The villain is one twisted maniac. <br />
And as always, two end credit scenes. <br />
Recommended<br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQv-7nE7aBSIMTSBiGwszYMbUWCmeFL34Cn0iXlh8kCCpAnfLBOyGsslAXLKv8zXClImvHKG9Lo2u0p9jpqHCF9-MGe1zOiHrjwGtAkNG2rD_nkOOV0rRjcoLKO-fx9_k7Gionpwq8HqhPwmW_Zhbas93ruDqPIkj8Jqb1HQpT7SraEkhnagUqzuAP/s455/citadel-prime-video-169035.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="307" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQv-7nE7aBSIMTSBiGwszYMbUWCmeFL34Cn0iXlh8kCCpAnfLBOyGsslAXLKv8zXClImvHKG9Lo2u0p9jpqHCF9-MGe1zOiHrjwGtAkNG2rD_nkOOV0rRjcoLKO-fx9_k7Gionpwq8HqhPwmW_Zhbas93ruDqPIkj8Jqb1HQpT7SraEkhnagUqzuAP/w135-h200/citadel-prime-video-169035.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><br />Citadel</b><br />
Streaming on Amazon and starring Mason Kane, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Stanley Tucci. <br />
From the Russo brothers (Marvel movies) comes a spy show that reminds me of Agents of Shield meets James Bond. Only the first two episodes are available as of this review, but so far it’s enjoyable, well-produced, and fun. All the standard spy tropes are front and center, but there are enough fresh ideas to keep it interesting. <br />
We’ll see where it goes!<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #6fa8dc; font-size: large;">Concert Review - Insomnium/Enslaved! </span></b><br /></div><div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWzXV1VR2qJu5ohJDxlCWkUuoJaAD9zP8qZ9yOWXf571Qqc3uQAMq_wC1TxqUrb3VT-OWZeA6NO7yeytj2GlCLjU0HMVRKwMKgnst9zq-y3fwzaPZbXLT_U5oMlLYshmhLWsdy7KtEED9MYdeud7y21wi40u8mk8LPjsMcTR-2f3NW3ux5oYmd3wgD/s648/Insomnium.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="648" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWzXV1VR2qJu5ohJDxlCWkUuoJaAD9zP8qZ9yOWXf571Qqc3uQAMq_wC1TxqUrb3VT-OWZeA6NO7yeytj2GlCLjU0HMVRKwMKgnst9zq-y3fwzaPZbXLT_U5oMlLYshmhLWsdy7KtEED9MYdeud7y21wi40u8mk8LPjsMcTR-2f3NW3ux5oYmd3wgD/w400-h239/Insomnium.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAHFSY5lZxQJMGlZlk8WnoKxfuqytHj9EOfrv9eW9bjOGoKCeDRVdrHsWiiSfYaLQu2SI9DUAo5xuLwoirYu_bs3ywZFlYngbOFN3DzGCW4xAE0-t5eQqkKGwMPeImKf0fNiwOMhPF_2rW_y_p-byAN8dk3RmUhMNQ_ax7xkTtqs9fTU875em9Cwx/s433/Insomnium-Anno-1696-Cover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="433" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAHFSY5lZxQJMGlZlk8WnoKxfuqytHj9EOfrv9eW9bjOGoKCeDRVdrHsWiiSfYaLQu2SI9DUAo5xuLwoirYu_bs3ywZFlYngbOFN3DzGCW4xAE0-t5eQqkKGwMPeImKf0fNiwOMhPF_2rW_y_p-byAN8dk3RmUhMNQ_ax7xkTtqs9fTU875em9Cwx/w200-h200/Insomnium-Anno-1696-Cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />It’s so great that live music is back. I didn’t realize how much I missed it. As a fan of Scandinavian metal, I’ve been a huge fan of Insomnium for a long time. They are one of the godfathers of melodic death metal. <br />
And they brought the goods. Playing selections from their new album as well as some of the classics, they had the crowd rocking and moshing through the entire set. The standout tracks for me were While We Sleep, Lilian, and Valediction. <br />
It was great to finally get a chance to see them and I hope it’s not the last time. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygSa9L2IPLJ4lmD49LRrXWJWuDKkuRbDDFzuMaqp0BcmQXX-EtDSYD2eAitnnVC43Q0ot2Cjbulh_kRVnznj7Ywa62VYlOnkHqpSqOIUtaP6WrQ5Wt8vOBwsrb3IbfUaXOgHOntv_uqmPLGGNc4uc7uyO3wl5tyqcnMzwf_D8r7CgBX2Uq8WUNj70/s400/Heimdal.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygSa9L2IPLJ4lmD49LRrXWJWuDKkuRbDDFzuMaqp0BcmQXX-EtDSYD2eAitnnVC43Q0ot2Cjbulh_kRVnznj7Ywa62VYlOnkHqpSqOIUtaP6WrQ5Wt8vOBwsrb3IbfUaXOgHOntv_uqmPLGGNc4uc7uyO3wl5tyqcnMzwf_D8r7CgBX2Uq8WUNj70/w200-h200/Heimdal.png" width="200" /></a></div><br />Enslaved is a band that I wasn’t too familiar with, so I checked out some of their stuff a couple weeks before the show. They started as a Norwegian black metal band (not really my cup of tea) but have morphed over time into a band that is very progressive. <br />
It’s these aspects that I really enjoyed. They also brought the tight musicianship and even a sense of humor. <br />
Overall, a great night of live music and the heaviest music I will subject my wife to. (She was such a trouper!) <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
What shark movies do you enjoy and would you like a shark romance book? Did you see the new Guardians or watch Citadel? Fan of Scandinavian metal? What’s the heaviest band you’ve ever seen?</span><br /></div></div><div>
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</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-69282776890641489792023-05-03T01:00:00.069-04:002023-05-03T01:00:00.138-04:00Insecure Writer’s Support Group; May Movie Preview; and Reviews – Mandalorian, Battlebots, Picard, and Nope<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnFL00_MfOPLLhGDKqzXXGEGt-S43jvhRetGNPvfSqOCZJB0jgHoGMC-GFNoXYcpx4pMBSTua29RVxHrspkM3rrWaXvKnRhnbtuOU6IIcw0BJOxj6n7ad8F8trzOoBMu3MJg38PgH6T1OaBjiM-kTRNZIWf9OLAuIfGBMxjCHQ2f241LWyNMyjil2/s932/IWSG.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="932" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnFL00_MfOPLLhGDKqzXXGEGt-S43jvhRetGNPvfSqOCZJB0jgHoGMC-GFNoXYcpx4pMBSTua29RVxHrspkM3rrWaXvKnRhnbtuOU6IIcw0BJOxj6n7ad8F8trzOoBMu3MJg38PgH6T1OaBjiM-kTRNZIWf9OLAuIfGBMxjCHQ2f241LWyNMyjil2/w200-h197/IWSG.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />It’s time for another group posting of the <b><a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html" target="_blank">Insecure Writer’s Support Group!</a></b> 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.<br />
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The awesome co-hosts for the May 3 posting of the IWSG are <b><a href="https://joylenebutler.com/blog" target="_blank">Joylene Nowell Butler,</a> <a href="http://www.ronelthemythmaker.com/blog/" target="_blank">Ronel Janse van Vuuren,</a> <a href="https://authormekajames.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Meka James,</a> <a href="https://www.victoriamarielees.com/" target="_blank">Victoria Marie Lees,</a> </b>and <a href="http://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><b>M Louise Barbour!</b></a><br />
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<b>May 3 question</b> - When you are working on a story, what inspires you? <br />
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This should come as no surprise – music! Whatever prog-metal band has me captivated at that moment. Jam some tunes and the words flow. <br />
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We are sad to say<b> Elizabeth Seckman</b> will be stepping away from the IWSG Admin team. Juneta Key has assumed her duty of producing our newsletter. <br />
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Elizabeth, we’ll miss you! <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">Quick Reviews</span></b><br /></div><div>
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywMsmjvFbVB2X-TIkHlJ3rCXhb4uExBOpro05r64xwFNCNQZjQxjdLLAs3nt5sbHHAkYWOIuQ9fozX2NZjDmhbaTV2VYWaabVT-iz6jcwYsRZe5rfwGWOPloXudfRoYjZ1pF6jCeki0zB7op4A6OhPRUk9EzpZZirJNuMU1yN-9Sdw_w1qS_4D3QJ/s1080/mandothumb-1681593707360.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="1080" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywMsmjvFbVB2X-TIkHlJ3rCXhb4uExBOpro05r64xwFNCNQZjQxjdLLAs3nt5sbHHAkYWOIuQ9fozX2NZjDmhbaTV2VYWaabVT-iz6jcwYsRZe5rfwGWOPloXudfRoYjZ1pF6jCeki0zB7op4A6OhPRUk9EzpZZirJNuMU1yN-9Sdw_w1qS_4D3QJ/s320/mandothumb-1681593707360.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The Mandalorian</b><br />
It just wrapped up its third season and is still as great as ever. A little more focus on Mando as opposed to Grogu, but you still get plenty of ‘Baby Yoda’ cuteness. Also a bit more side-quest and not as focused on the overall story. And the final ten minutes are just perfect. So far Disney is still telling a great story without any agenda and it’s refreshing. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivPIDMlc8z_HYl4fweGVG5F2Zw9wqlB1hZ6QN7CcrXVOdIqnoxbzDG2q8JnqBORGJY2U_PyxAHC0Yey3dqea1T3sHUMvGR8_uk71Gpr90WcX6Wu9jNjMSuTvqdDphjBQnXWmxCTqNPvsVxgN4ybGfVO93QMHL7NMWF9AdBZBpnFL_R-1jC8pt96D0p/s533/Picard.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="360" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivPIDMlc8z_HYl4fweGVG5F2Zw9wqlB1hZ6QN7CcrXVOdIqnoxbzDG2q8JnqBORGJY2U_PyxAHC0Yey3dqea1T3sHUMvGR8_uk71Gpr90WcX6Wu9jNjMSuTvqdDphjBQnXWmxCTqNPvsVxgN4ybGfVO93QMHL7NMWF9AdBZBpnFL_R-1jC8pt96D0p/w135-h200/Picard.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><br />Picard</b><br />
Also on its third season, it’s an improvement over season two which I never could finish. (Season two was an insult, three more of a love letter, although it still falls a bit short.) Lots of previous Trek characters are back – lots! Still slogs in part when the villain goes into a long dialogue about why she’s so evil. But the action is good and some episodes harken back to Next Generation in feel. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKFh_wUUOdarc7zvPxAkO-OZsAqlB6gRUvD_EheatWjyzs94dFu14WJrEh7nI6Uh2vyvcO5Z0AdE5NBNLkac6ERu__U27socNqdraAdEfeYS3N212JItyaQ6sigNR4M_g7TJCWrDaYLw2RfgBBg6JpJS5hDFOJ4No4yMG0r1d9zeoHDxb6PnVY3kL/s889/Huge.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="889" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKFh_wUUOdarc7zvPxAkO-OZsAqlB6gRUvD_EheatWjyzs94dFu14WJrEh7nI6Uh2vyvcO5Z0AdE5NBNLkac6ERu__U27socNqdraAdEfeYS3N212JItyaQ6sigNR4M_g7TJCWrDaYLw2RfgBBg6JpJS5hDFOJ4No4yMG0r1d9zeoHDxb6PnVY3kL/s320/Huge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Battlebots</b><br />
Yes, it’s another round of ‘Robot Fighting Time!’ A few surprises and a few lame fights, but as always it’s great to see giant metal monsters beat the crap out of each other. Finals approaching soon, so don’t miss it. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbAXiJKt5hrgi-H5DrRWGihYh46Zbq4BQmyrJl-2CfoBjWtGWh6YPXrHWgWjpVmAvwsEq65oqhdyvNfU07lwta8TLeg8GQvCxxZ5PhVxg2bKaTcfDXqfogEWuGL5y3VHBtUPm21suCMx71R08L9a4lnj_q-_6FF_3jCING2rbfjLaUEyf3GnABvfCK/s896/Nope.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="504" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbAXiJKt5hrgi-H5DrRWGihYh46Zbq4BQmyrJl-2CfoBjWtGWh6YPXrHWgWjpVmAvwsEq65oqhdyvNfU07lwta8TLeg8GQvCxxZ5PhVxg2bKaTcfDXqfogEWuGL5y3VHBtUPm21suCMx71R08L9a4lnj_q-_6FF_3jCING2rbfjLaUEyf3GnABvfCK/w113-h200/Nope.jpg" width="113" /></a></div><br />Nope</b><br />
This is one weird film. It’s a mesh of many genres, from Western to science fiction to horror. Mostly horror. But it was too long and some of the subplots were unnecessary. It was well done, actors were great, and it was very unique. Just…weird.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #04ff00; font-size: large;">May Movie Preview</span></b><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">
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Here are the theatrical releases for May. Descriptions courtesy of the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/" target="_blank">IMDB.</a> Snark provided by me.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;">5 - </span></b><br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieySg82fTrV42X3yFO_DQhfrUy1fFwg0UINjawk7TBB6h35EbOxvYDKSgalpkn-x2lcD8R8kULNLZ5liOx6cfki-pKTcnTvb9g2Ju-0bUW356oMv5A64fkjFaKS9eYQepKfB8Wo97V3TOwxNdv_TVjPEx77vfr_UJ-TZ9jE49Ba2_-gocqZ6lOYv_W/s208/Guardians%203%20copy.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="208" data-original-width="137" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieySg82fTrV42X3yFO_DQhfrUy1fFwg0UINjawk7TBB6h35EbOxvYDKSgalpkn-x2lcD8R8kULNLZ5liOx6cfki-pKTcnTvb9g2Ju-0bUW356oMv5A64fkjFaKS9eYQepKfB8Wo97V3TOwxNdv_TVjPEx77vfr_UJ-TZ9jE49Ba2_-gocqZ6lOYv_W/s1600/Guardians%203%20copy.jpg" width="137" /></a></div><br />Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3</b><br />
Still reeling from the loss of Gamora, Peter Quill rallies his team to defend the universe and one of their own - a mission that could mean the end of the Guardians if not successful. <br />
Director: James Gunn<br />
Stars: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista<br />
<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>From what I understand, James Gunn has replaced all of the Guardians with DC characters. (Just kidding! Looking forward to it)</i></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;">12 –</span></b><br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM9EBrDlDM6Et_GlwXZB3IY_0sQUkNTW0TslOHIVHtR6pGHr9meZ6JWjXsSCauRdVLtRqHV2XHrlo3oRbclKb8cJw9givyYTXHLNBhlYAV-nAHivRS2VigF1aCxrmZqBggwRzRsWbq0unxm7KOmbDEHBBeSmR3vBoX2lCbBK_QkA13m8cct2a2Ln_k/s192/Hypnotic.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="130" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM9EBrDlDM6Et_GlwXZB3IY_0sQUkNTW0TslOHIVHtR6pGHr9meZ6JWjXsSCauRdVLtRqHV2XHrlo3oRbclKb8cJw9givyYTXHLNBhlYAV-nAHivRS2VigF1aCxrmZqBggwRzRsWbq0unxm7KOmbDEHBBeSmR3vBoX2lCbBK_QkA13m8cct2a2Ln_k/s1600/Hypnotic.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />Hypnotic</b><br />
A detective investigates a mystery involving his missing daughter and a secret government program. <br />
Director: Robert Rodriguez<br />
Star: Ben Affleck, William Fichtner, Alice Braga<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Perhaps they can hire a hypnotic to get people into the theater?</span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;">19 –</span></b><br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5QZFOuSX65TVaVUwGJlG2EyNWjPpvzVooRv9vydWSadL2JNMal_nW_h5iGs9xOG5gTFSL_6cB-25WQHme0Wzl4nMV56B9GCtnadM4CF2XJwWXdicT-XHltaFoKr7kMANCdw5O1Deqli5IypYdHn5cyCHQs8YyJljnfCKMPA5IpjsHh9lFImyiyx9/s230/Fast%20x.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="159" data-original-width="230" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5QZFOuSX65TVaVUwGJlG2EyNWjPpvzVooRv9vydWSadL2JNMal_nW_h5iGs9xOG5gTFSL_6cB-25WQHme0Wzl4nMV56B9GCtnadM4CF2XJwWXdicT-XHltaFoKr7kMANCdw5O1Deqli5IypYdHn5cyCHQs8YyJljnfCKMPA5IpjsHh9lFImyiyx9/s1600/Fast%20x.jpg" width="230" /></a></div><br />Fast X</b><br />
Dom Toretto and his family are targeted by the vengeful son of drug kingpin Hernan Reyes. <br />
Director: Louis Leterrier<br />
Stars: Vin Diesel, Jordana Brewster, Tyrease Gibson, Michelle Rodriguez, Jason Momoa, Ludacris, John Cena, Jason Statham<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Finally! A Fast and Furious-Aquaman mashup.</span></i></b><br />
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26 –</span></b><br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD9XRdMr3HGsgKxhozoSfAY_kdmHlbJrs7wErxetJn0PVQvdeZeL-E8hEppVUStijRNZqe1a7xS2j4Vh1-jXlgKurD7cTy9RMNikTJOI3H6E3Mb0BEWwXIDdIjnD7uwQKMGQ9iDbSnWGRGnqFmrN7rNzW63581N46-dYIZz222DCWq0s1YZvRcPZE_/s191/Little%20Mermaid.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="191" data-original-width="130" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD9XRdMr3HGsgKxhozoSfAY_kdmHlbJrs7wErxetJn0PVQvdeZeL-E8hEppVUStijRNZqe1a7xS2j4Vh1-jXlgKurD7cTy9RMNikTJOI3H6E3Mb0BEWwXIDdIjnD7uwQKMGQ9iDbSnWGRGnqFmrN7rNzW63581N46-dYIZz222DCWq0s1YZvRcPZE_/s1600/Little%20Mermaid.jpeg" width="130" /></a></div><br />The Little Mermaid</b><br />
A young mermaid makes a deal with a sea witch to trade her beautiful voice for human legs so she can discover the world above water and impress a prince. <br />
Director: Rob Marshall<br />
Stars: Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Melissa McCarthy<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">I understand they changed the lyrics from something I don’t care about to…something I don’t care about.</span></i></b><br />
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What inspires you? Have you seen any of those shows or the movie? What May movies catch your interest?<br />
I will be back next Monday with a special guest!</span><br /></div></div><div>
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<br />
</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com67tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-30462696008449860962023-04-05T00:30:00.076-04:002023-04-05T00:30:00.384-04:00Insecure Writer’s Support Group Post Day and News, D&D and Shazam Movie Review, and April Movie Preview<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz-jqGCXE-HqMdEhgPB_1EJkB8N4bgWCUugJX8m7FErRDFG7Gw56nFirb4iA8YMI5MuEU9vwmF2RiwIv53Jf6lYwwhij_HRa_nlstxhWcOJYVVb7UzxSLKhCQa7Yz5hk24WVofIbdDZOxLTlZXD9lf7QLce75m59P2j3qr6ZctjwiBfaNg5E3Bd8tE/s932/IWSG.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="932" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz-jqGCXE-HqMdEhgPB_1EJkB8N4bgWCUugJX8m7FErRDFG7Gw56nFirb4iA8YMI5MuEU9vwmF2RiwIv53Jf6lYwwhij_HRa_nlstxhWcOJYVVb7UzxSLKhCQa7Yz5hk24WVofIbdDZOxLTlZXD9lf7QLce75m59P2j3qr6ZctjwiBfaNg5E3Bd8tE/w200-h197/IWSG.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />It’s time for another group posting of the <b><a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html" target="_blank">Insecure Writer’s Support Group!</a></b> 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.<br />
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The awesome co-hosts for the April 5 posting of the IWSG are <b><a href="http://jemimapett.com/blog/" target="_blank">Jemima Pett,</a></b> <b><a href="https://nancygideon.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Nancy Gideon,</a> and <a href="http://www.literaryrambles.com/" target="_blank">Natalie Aguirre!</a></b><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fcff01; font-size: medium;">And before we begin, we need co-hosts for May 3, June 7, and July 5! We only have one scheduled for July (Natalie) so we really need some volunteers</span>. <br /></div><div>
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<b>April 5 question -</b> Do you remember writing your first book? What were your thoughts about a career path on writing? Where are you now and how is it working out for you? If you're at the start of the journey, what are your goals? <br />
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I wrote my first book when I was thirteen. It was awful and I stuffed it in a drawer. Wrote some other things but nothing caught fire like that first story. I pulled it out of the drawer about thirty years later. Promising storyline, great characters, just needed a total rewrite. I wrote a new story and it became my first published book. <br />
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I never planned on an author career. I just fell into it. I kept writing and fans kept wanting more. Five novels, a short story, many anthologies and articles later and it’s far and above what I ever envisioned. Add the success of the IWSG and it just blows my mind. <br />
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As an author, I have no more goals. I think CassaDark summed up the ending well. Maybe continue more stories for Dragon of the Stars? I know Trudessa would love that! <br />
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Over at the <b><a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/" target="_blank">IWSG site,</a> </b>Pat Hatt posted about a scammer alert from Tonja Drecker – writers, you need to be aware! Check it out. <br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/214387-the-insecure-writer-s-support-group-book-club " target="_blank"><b></b></a><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/214387-the-insecure-writer-s-support-group-book-club " target="_blank"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCANp6H9c0v3BJAshtdSVKYEHduGhBg5W2righeGWIn3djuNsvVc3i1Fpx_nAecyDJWzUQ0ojGhnhUzIU-qVXpF_odNALQf93essf-1-ay9YXtf7F-Lj62-7h8mp7uMZcaEJm2nW3jLh7LmFNiHmSDaRrFGha7s-y9EdevmRVmJ0It-Fr3OhlczKL9/s384/02-04%20quarter.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="384" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCANp6H9c0v3BJAshtdSVKYEHduGhBg5W2righeGWIn3djuNsvVc3i1Fpx_nAecyDJWzUQ0ojGhnhUzIU-qVXpF_odNALQf93essf-1-ay9YXtf7F-Lj62-7h8mp7uMZcaEJm2nW3jLh7LmFNiHmSDaRrFGha7s-y9EdevmRVmJ0It-Fr3OhlczKL9/w200-h200/02-04%20quarter.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><br />IWSG Goodreads Book Club:</b><br />
For the month of April, we will continue to read the two selections from the previous month and will host the discussions on 4/27/23. The challenge theme, for anyone interested, will be Libraries. The general "What are you reading" discussion is going really well. <br />
<b>IWSG Member Book: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35838755-spiral-of-hooves?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=gj5lWOtgZ8&rank=1" target="_blank">Spiral of Hooves</a><br />
Craft Book: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51763496-fight-like-a-girl?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=k5uSF2UokM&rank=1" target="_blank">Fight Like A Girl</a></b><br />
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<a href="https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><b></b></a><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYHgYqoLykVT5vB-B6GRZHR_Gys8aZLUS3D31q9bYeradoIW8wF_SXrCzKNLMuIK7h4cXx2ZyPFi8_pett3V5j5XmBz8vN9jwtJFcki_GST1A32EEicdqk2061UazvZ1JCfdSLFLiTBcbe4xu8Irhjvslm2quHiuxx8PU5Jx7iCbVMclNidj4jDm9/s319/WEP.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="216" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYHgYqoLykVT5vB-B6GRZHR_Gys8aZLUS3D31q9bYeradoIW8wF_SXrCzKNLMuIK7h4cXx2ZyPFi8_pett3V5j5XmBz8vN9jwtJFcki_GST1A32EEicdqk2061UazvZ1JCfdSLFLiTBcbe4xu8Irhjvslm2quHiuxx8PU5Jx7iCbVMclNidj4jDm9/w135-h200/WEP.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><br />WEP!</b><br />
To enter the April Challenge, <a href="https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/p/challenges-2023.html" target="_blank">go here.</a><br />
Life is Beautiful Post April 19 to 21at 2023. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSN9wpVtHsqNkL0cY5jxSxg-snWLOqrFzvxaEy6mVsb9LZcGedEKcjxiQNwl-Saqc4uJstoeq9tavOxnDeWdnTp367I-h76MVcA6-q9vMEtwqZIItcYF1vffJjLyvGK-sMMq1_CGQRcL_RhS4hYfKKnG-pAXy7w4Nb4R0OrIR9A5t6ajz-o9vIKuYo/s222/PJL.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="222" data-original-width="144" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSN9wpVtHsqNkL0cY5jxSxg-snWLOqrFzvxaEy6mVsb9LZcGedEKcjxiQNwl-Saqc4uJstoeq9tavOxnDeWdnTp367I-h76MVcA6-q9vMEtwqZIItcYF1vffJjLyvGK-sMMq1_CGQRcL_RhS4hYfKKnG-pAXy7w4Nb4R0OrIR9A5t6ajz-o9vIKuYo/w130-h200/PJL.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />A new release from IWSG member <a href="https://twistingmyths.blogspot.com/p/welcome.html" target="_blank">Patricia Josephine Lynn</a>–<br />
<b>Revelation of Love : A Sweet Fantasy Romance (Influenced Book 3) </b><br />
Universal buy links <a href="https://books2read.com/u/b5qQQl" target="_blank">here.</a><br />
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<br />
Many of you remember author M. Pax. She has been diagnosed with breast cancer. See how you can help her on her website:
<a href="https://www.mpaxauthor.com/to-get-more-books-buy-or-donate-today-donate-support-writingcommunity-sciencefiction-scifi/" target="_blank"><b>Books for a Cause: Purchase My Work and Help me Battle Cancer!</b></a><br />
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And I helped kick off the A to Z Challenge at the<b> <a href="https://operationawesome6.blogspot.com/2023/04/atozchallenge-is-for-alex-j-cavanaugh.html" target="_blank">Operation Awesome</a></b> site! Check it out.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #ea9999; font-size: large;">Movie Reviews</span></b><br /></div><div>
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXh0bf2f1w7uxO2OtGG-uryiQVLvzBIpWN2HKjhwd4CslEmAA6NJixhL7tM2wx5pYjL7obXPP1rlwqQ6pr3qz5lI92uyyOJS3OMzmsMD1yzibTSJcJ5p-GoM7chqtTbHTsF6s1yYDqBKJRAcn7_NQBes804IDh2THi7BfojSWIv7_yO55SGJtSgqSn/s756/Shazam.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="504" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXh0bf2f1w7uxO2OtGG-uryiQVLvzBIpWN2HKjhwd4CslEmAA6NJixhL7tM2wx5pYjL7obXPP1rlwqQ6pr3qz5lI92uyyOJS3OMzmsMD1yzibTSJcJ5p-GoM7chqtTbHTsF6s1yYDqBKJRAcn7_NQBes804IDh2THi7BfojSWIv7_yO55SGJtSgqSn/s320/Shazam.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />Shazam! Fury of the Gods</b><br />
Did you like the first one? Then you will love the second one. <br />
Sadly trailing at the box office, this second instalment is just as good as the first film – great action, great humor, and great characters. <br />
This one focuses more on Shazam than Billy, although the rest of the kids are featured more as themselves than their superhero alter egos. <br />
There are some really funny moments, like the scene with the unicorn. (Not going to spoil it for you!) <br />
Shazam has the hots for Wonder Woman, dreaming about her…and yes, Gal Gadot is in the film! <br />
And Helen Mirren – why didn’t she start doing these actions flicks years ago? <br />
Highly recommended! <br />
<b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpszd43YQXnTbxNJnWpqJ75icMWQP0fdgd7EsTUlN3eW_YJAGMlaBoFa_82BTmkPrD1M_Z4ShIKijAPk-rikunpFKMKSpHYPxIqN3fqGzYhgPh5RzmpI_bdVGg5fB_bPC5NFB4DVz24eXkRdDBqKHaw6DmylIjzI13guDDlXrTWClahsg-trbU0SPZ/s748/DandD.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="504" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpszd43YQXnTbxNJnWpqJ75icMWQP0fdgd7EsTUlN3eW_YJAGMlaBoFa_82BTmkPrD1M_Z4ShIKijAPk-rikunpFKMKSpHYPxIqN3fqGzYhgPh5RzmpI_bdVGg5fB_bPC5NFB4DVz24eXkRdDBqKHaw6DmylIjzI13guDDlXrTWClahsg-trbU0SPZ/s320/DandD.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br />Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves</b><br />
So much fun!<br />
If you know nothing about D&D, you will thoroughly enjoy this funny fantasy-adventure.<br />
If you are familiar with D&D, you will enjoy this film even more and on a whole other level!<br />
The leads are perfectly cast and fit their characters so well. (And play their characters well.)<br />
There are so many Easter eggs and nods to traditional D&D. (Remember the D&D cartoon? You will be pleased!) Plus there are so many jokes. I need to go see it again to catch all those items. <br />
The writers are definitely fans. This is a love letter to D&D fans. The writers and director did the story full justice. <br />
Very highly recommended! And my favorite film of the year so far.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #ea9999;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #ea9999;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">April Movie Preview</span></b></span></div><br /></div><div>
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Here are the theatrical releases for April. Descriptions courtesy of the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/" target="_blank">IMDB.</a> Snark provided by me.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;">7 –</span></b><br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLtPG-LZuJtTHhDGcoRByyekObNqIVcHGgzoGd8oq9J4BQLuJw9VsM30I_VGYuYtSLOCPnWvscLeSVlmhOKt4PdH5aD4VlIno93rCsD65zszplWsLPFpQPh6tcun424R0QRUcU5KEO5O6uE8H0J8mL6FExneQfVBWfEy1gAI6D35-Ppj9wig8Txfs/s192/Paint.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="130" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLtPG-LZuJtTHhDGcoRByyekObNqIVcHGgzoGd8oq9J4BQLuJw9VsM30I_VGYuYtSLOCPnWvscLeSVlmhOKt4PdH5aD4VlIno93rCsD65zszplWsLPFpQPh6tcun424R0QRUcU5KEO5O6uE8H0J8mL6FExneQfVBWfEy1gAI6D35-Ppj9wig8Txfs/s1600/Paint.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />Paint</b><br />
In PAINT, Owen Wilson portrays Carl Nargle, Vermont's #1 public television painter who is convinced he has it all: a signature perm, custom van, and fans hanging on his every stroke... until a younger, better artist steals everything (and everyone) Carl loves. <br />
Director: Brit McAdams<br />
Stars: Owen Wilson, Ciara Renée, Stephen Root<br /><b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">I guess the happy little trees turned on him…</span></i></b><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXfKEAO639uhjjYSKy2HS2Sd8OlqqlyPkU_MVoYOadmNq4CXrAADTtSrokUv8oxuFCqGd75UvPZ1RPY2R7IBt0utZioRHFyeNMrwG9VLpPhEcDOOVcLefdu0VXF0xWo7sMnDhpnSiPFO22nLwiF2xW18xVotomuOmXYIxlmLXx4vnAQi6cmMb5TW4/s192/The%20Popes%20Exorcist.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="130" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXfKEAO639uhjjYSKy2HS2Sd8OlqqlyPkU_MVoYOadmNq4CXrAADTtSrokUv8oxuFCqGd75UvPZ1RPY2R7IBt0utZioRHFyeNMrwG9VLpPhEcDOOVcLefdu0VXF0xWo7sMnDhpnSiPFO22nLwiF2xW18xVotomuOmXYIxlmLXx4vnAQi6cmMb5TW4/s1600/The%20Popes%20Exorcist.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />The Pope’s Exorcist</b><br />
Inspired by the actual files of Father Gabriele Amorth, Chief Exorcist of the Vatican, The Pope's Exorcist follows Amorth as he investigates a young boy's terrifying possession and ends up uncovering a centuries-old conspiracy the Vatican has desperately tried to keep hidden. <br />
Director - Julius Avery<br />
Stars - Russell Crowe, Franco Nero, Ralph Ineson<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">We all want to know – will split pea soup be involved?</span></i></b><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: medium;">14 –</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdd_sPlYANQeyY8mFjFFPjvYuyRhP6a94NoI6qXr0t8Qzkb-lY0Uwx6JUFwEV0dp40RUUu0jUWxPJg02PM-RYeBdmNZB640YlAOK9hWoDERmF6SrxFnwLHYW8VwkzMeJd1zK0BfxjrLMEhDQXmSaJreN3v1JI73yAOTsKvL2Zt-Su-gc8o9kmCQkhE/s251/Renfield.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="158" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdd_sPlYANQeyY8mFjFFPjvYuyRhP6a94NoI6qXr0t8Qzkb-lY0Uwx6JUFwEV0dp40RUUu0jUWxPJg02PM-RYeBdmNZB640YlAOK9hWoDERmF6SrxFnwLHYW8VwkzMeJd1zK0BfxjrLMEhDQXmSaJreN3v1JI73yAOTsKvL2Zt-Su-gc8o9kmCQkhE/s1600/Renfield.jpg" width="158" /></a></div><br />Renfield
Dracula's henchman and inmate at the lunatic asylum. <br />
Director: Chris McKay<br />
Stars: Nicolas Cage, Nicholas Hoult, Ben Schwartz<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Finally, a role that requires Cage to suck!</span></i><br /></b>
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsDkBQwvv3mo2qOxFgAbQaW5nnSe8Rj5NdhHXqQNMiJKwfdnWvAiVLQPs_rcaBOdSX8fcPYCE7s_ji-9j_HSJKxA3CrOGMoHPRm_Z1rWZZc0XTIoOqZoKyP-YvTgDzY7p00attb2oA5Cg8ciGHaAmXD620EwfF9NOxJ5Sc6cvHEP-UGPlFQCVEr8y/s192/Big%20George%20Foreman.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="130" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsDkBQwvv3mo2qOxFgAbQaW5nnSe8Rj5NdhHXqQNMiJKwfdnWvAiVLQPs_rcaBOdSX8fcPYCE7s_ji-9j_HSJKxA3CrOGMoHPRm_Z1rWZZc0XTIoOqZoKyP-YvTgDzY7p00attb2oA5Cg8ciGHaAmXD620EwfF9NOxJ5Sc6cvHEP-UGPlFQCVEr8y/s1600/Big%20George%20Foreman.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />28 –</span></b><br />
<br />
Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World<br />
The life and boxing career of George Foreman. <br />
Director: George Tillman Jr. <br />
Stars: Forest Whitaker, Sonja Sohn, Matthew Glave<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">I know how it ends – he invents his grill.</span></i></b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What were your thoughts on your author career path? Reading the IWSG book selections? Did you see Shazam? (If not, go give the movie some money!) Any of those April movies interest you?<br />
<b>Big question – who can help co-host the IWSG the next three months?</b><br />
Now, go read the scammer alert at the <b><a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/" target="_blank">IWSG site</a></b> and my piece at <a href="https://operationawesome6.blogspot.com/2023/04/atozchallenge-is-for-alex-j-cavanaugh.html" target="_blank"><b>Operation Awesome!</b></a></span> <br /></div><div>
<br />
</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com85tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-28494178308188615792023-04-01T09:07:00.000-04:002023-04-01T09:07:00.828-04:00A to Z Kickoff at Operation Awesome!<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Today I am helping kick off the A to Z Challenge at the <b><a href="https://operationawesome6.blogspot.com/2023/04/atozchallenge-is-for-alex-j-cavanaugh.html" target="_blank">Operation Awesome</a> </b>site! Check it out.
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Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-9213474587205686212023-03-13T04:00:00.053-04:002023-03-13T04:00:00.387-04:00Western Movies, Haken – Fauna Album Review, RiffTrax Live 2023: RAD, and Horror Holiday Movie Trivia Answers<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #bf9000; font-size: large;">Western Movies and a Puzzle!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4SSphzXwteEt4QURcuNhCEesRyMpCVJRz4J6Z-XQoPJvB8r3FgB0ZIHgMlxmfwfKFf3NJcXHs_1XfbWAUstXEWr-Bzl80klMtqFdjEy2C8iNItmto6F4EQ7mu829uFEohxAhD-XG1ng2vJL2Gt_lbQUlJW2fkLmUzBVt4GEcPjyCVrAiFYs1Fygn/s1152/ReturnToSilverhills.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4SSphzXwteEt4QURcuNhCEesRyMpCVJRz4J6Z-XQoPJvB8r3FgB0ZIHgMlxmfwfKFf3NJcXHs_1XfbWAUstXEWr-Bzl80klMtqFdjEy2C8iNItmto6F4EQ7mu829uFEohxAhD-XG1ng2vJL2Gt_lbQUlJW2fkLmUzBVt4GEcPjyCVrAiFYs1Fygn/w125-h200/ReturnToSilverhills.jpg" width="125" /></a></div><br /></span></b><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
Greetings everyone. Thanks for hosting me, Alex, and helping me get the word out about Return to Silverhills. <br />
<br />
Western movies have had a major impact on my writing. The two that influenced me the most were BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID and THE COMANCHEROS. See if you can find these titles in the puzzle below: <br />
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
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</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
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/* Style Definitions */
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{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
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mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
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mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
table.MsoTableGrid
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mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-priority:39;
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mso-border-insideh:.5pt solid windowtext;
mso-border-insidev:.5pt solid windowtext;
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mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
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mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]--></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: medium none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; text-align: left;">
<tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">A</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">F</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">J</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">N</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">T</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">W</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Y</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">A</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">N</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">D</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">G</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">K</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">O</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">K</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">D</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Z</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">S</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">A</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">G</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">N</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Y</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Q</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">P</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">R</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">M</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">V</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">B</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">G</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">U</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">J</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">L</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Q</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">D</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">W</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">H</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">C</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">C</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">O</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">M</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">A</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">N</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">C</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">H</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">E</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">R</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">O</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">S</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">D</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">E</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">K</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">O</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">D</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">A</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">B</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">F</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">R</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Z</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">L</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">O</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">S</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">H</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">N</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">E</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">A</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">S</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">P</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">C</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">W</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">R</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">T</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">X</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">B</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">C</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">T</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">N</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">S</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">U</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">H</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">D</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">X</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">T</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">H</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">A</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">U</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">S</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Z</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">C</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">G</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">K</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">E</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">V</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">E</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">C</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">T</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Y</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">F</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">E</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">D</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">B</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">V</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">L</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">F</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">S</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 9;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">U</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">J</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">C</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">P</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">J</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">A</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Y</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">K</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">T</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">H</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">E</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">D</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 10; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">E</span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">H</span></p>
</td>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">H</span></p>
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<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">L</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Q</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">X</span></p>
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<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-color: currentcolor windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-top: none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">B</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 12.75pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">U</span></p>
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<br />
<b>Return to Silverhills by Sandra Cox</b><br />
<i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>A trail boss with a fast gun. A damaged woman. A cattle drive fraught with danger. And a combustible attraction.</b></span></i> <br />
Find it on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Return-Silverhills-Sandra-Cox-ebook/dp/B0BS77JXFV" target="_blank">Amazon</a><br />
<br />
Sandra, who also writes as S. Cox, is a vegetarian, animal lover and avid gardener. She lives with her husband, their dog and cats in sunny North Carolina. An award-winning author, her stories consist of all things Western and more. <br />
<br />
<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPfnv7jv7dcZxtE8bCbY_M3gn6igUh-uKInQK_KCuoORx2-x2jysK1awob5WzXYz9CLkdfhd2OXoqEgdaszN1qrooOezauK2Lgm5Tw0slLv8oHS507WWImJw-qypdgs2XWY8u4nEkMmE5i946Bn6NKtbh_AzErrL2LUHe39brfJUybn78-xqIRXZj/s864/BookBrushImage-2023-2-7-16-4242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="864" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPfnv7jv7dcZxtE8bCbY_M3gn6igUh-uKInQK_KCuoORx2-x2jysK1awob5WzXYz9CLkdfhd2OXoqEgdaszN1qrooOezauK2Lgm5Tw0slLv8oHS507WWImJw-qypdgs2XWY8u4nEkMmE5i946Bn6NKtbh_AzErrL2LUHe39brfJUybn78-xqIRXZj/s320/BookBrushImage-2023-2-7-16-4242.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Foodie Facts: </b><br />
She spent a number of years in the Midwest chasing down good Southern BBQ. By the time she moved to North Carolina where Southern BBQ is practically a staple, she’d become a vegetarian. <br />
Pineapple is a must-have on pizza, along with black olives and onions. <br />
She loves pumpkin waffles. Pumpkin cream cheese, not so much. <br />
<br />
You can find her at: <a href="http://www.sandracoxwriter.com" target="_blank">Website,</a> <a href="http://www.cowboytrivia.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Cowboy Trivia,</a> <a href="https://sandracoxblogspot.com" target="_blank">Blog,</a> and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Sandra_Cox" target="_blank">Twitter</a> <br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #bf9000; font-size: large;">Haken – Fauna Album Review</span></b><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxLGYVWAVtXb9hEW2Xpsszzhswdt2FCICyVfgij-LU-gXlQspq6oWOc2h_LCU022529qXijcKGXCS5FEkq8FMxKO2BxoKSkTX5iiZMtmW4L8shQAun7NCVNvdhrNPqlLOVJnidEHCA6HcNNgFbfPgLE0dmku97eu2vW6uHJzkdJUuBcoIv4_vGi8Yr/s800/Haken-Fauna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxLGYVWAVtXb9hEW2Xpsszzhswdt2FCICyVfgij-LU-gXlQspq6oWOc2h_LCU022529qXijcKGXCS5FEkq8FMxKO2BxoKSkTX5iiZMtmW4L8shQAun7NCVNvdhrNPqlLOVJnidEHCA6HcNNgFbfPgLE0dmku97eu2vW6uHJzkdJUuBcoIv4_vGi8Yr/s320/Haken-Fauna.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />One of my favorite bands and the flag bearer of modern progressive metal. <br />
The last two albums were extremely heavy but this album takes a decidedly different turn and goes back to their more traditional progressive roots. <br />
It’s one of my favorite Haken albums of all time. Every song is great and contains so many amazing standout moments that I love so much about progressive music. <br />
There are hints of their prog root throughout the album, including hints of Yes and other prog bands. <br />
It’s a true joy to listen to music that gets better and better every time you listen to it. Like opening up a present and there are a thousand more presents inside. The musicianship is stellar, the vocals by Ross Jennings are amazing. <br />
My highest recommendation! <br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #bf9000; font-size: large;"><b>RiffTrax Live! </b></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__rcXNQI571ClActDL0rp6rlGILG-LaJljqhFBrQuvMi2Vsn79HBlux_SuqfyxhM8vzgtM4ygaKKza4PeltXqMVZP-DPcXWoIDE_PpuS12PgK75IyY0g5jCD60zTbb5RsfoX5B4AJ7tIO9VyC5l_tkCXtEubtUkC5YlfpmyhNyDuuvQO0EGCNUdn1/s680/RiffTrax%20RAD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="680" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__rcXNQI571ClActDL0rp6rlGILG-LaJljqhFBrQuvMi2Vsn79HBlux_SuqfyxhM8vzgtM4ygaKKza4PeltXqMVZP-DPcXWoIDE_PpuS12PgK75IyY0g5jCD60zTbb5RsfoX5B4AJ7tIO9VyC5l_tkCXtEubtUkC5YlfpmyhNyDuuvQO0EGCNUdn1/s320/RiffTrax%20RAD.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />From their Kickstarter page: <br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">RiffTrax Live 2023: RAD -- the Classic 1986 BMX Movie! <br />
We're riffing RAD starring Lori Loughlin & Bart Conner - LIVE from Nashville and simulcast to 700+ cinemas nationwide August 17, 2023! </span></b><br />
<br />
They have already soared over their goal and are now offering stretch goals, including an eBook – Nick Nolte: PI – and tons of shorts. <br />
<br />
You can still back them on <b><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rifftrax/rifftrax-live-2023-rad-the-classic-1986-bmx-movie" target="_blank">Kickstarter</a></b> at various levels and get some cool stuff. <br />
<br />
Like this:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_oRkejOdk35ziBayGUMys1jPD9pqOJ_v_7SYKeM-4uihUHKTzmIfzVvvp219Z0mk5nXetaBYWqEwVl18UT0Bor7r_hqk5afziqYUSGrvyXvcGDHVI6-bkqPiYge0D4qVMScHhkgAaJSAcWQA_d_6X3lS-Mirhp4eVLxk_wZLjqdw5FDlLNzMBA6w/s846/RiffTrax%20Return%20of%20the%20Swamp%20Thing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="846" data-original-width="648" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_oRkejOdk35ziBayGUMys1jPD9pqOJ_v_7SYKeM-4uihUHKTzmIfzVvvp219Z0mk5nXetaBYWqEwVl18UT0Bor7r_hqk5afziqYUSGrvyXvcGDHVI6-bkqPiYge0D4qVMScHhkgAaJSAcWQA_d_6X3lS-Mirhp4eVLxk_wZLjqdw5FDlLNzMBA6w/w306-h400/RiffTrax%20Return%20of%20the%20Swamp%20Thing.jpg" width="306" /></a></div>
<br />
Either way, mark your calendar – August 17! <br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #bf9000; font-size: large;">Horror Holiday Movie Trivia Answers</span></b><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
Last week I asked: from the blurb, name the movie and the holiday. <br />
<br />
The Answers: <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #20124d;">1 – A young man inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town. 1984 – <b>Gremlins, Christmas</b><br />
2 – Jack Skellington, king of Halloween Town, discovers Christmas Town, but his attempts to bring Christmas to his home causes confusion. 1993 – <b>The Nightmare Before Christmas, Halloween</b><br />
3 – 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. 1985 – <b>Silver Bullet, Fourth of July</b><br />
4 – 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. 2000 – <b>Ginger Snaps, Halloween</b><br />
5 – A private investigator is hired by a man who calls himself Louis Cyphre to track down a singer named Johnny Favorite. But the investigation takes an unexpected and somber turn. 1987 –<b> Angel Heart, New Year’s Eve</b><br />
6 - Chaos breaks out in a small Maryland town after an ecological disaster occurs. 2012 – <b>The Bay, Fourth of July</b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">How did you do on the puzzle? Fan of Westerns? Hear the new Haken? Excited about a new RiffTrax? Ever backed a show or seen one in the theater?
How did you do on the horror movie trivia?<br />
See you April 5 for the next IWSG day!</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-58023669388407294192023-03-06T05:00:00.051-05:002023-03-06T05:00:00.344-05:00Holiday Horror Movies, In Flames and Insomnium Album Reviews, Movie and TV News, and Holiday Horror Movie Trivia!<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #f6b26b; font-size: large;">Holiday Horror Movies with Shannon Lawrence</span></b><br /></div><div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9_Z6BgW7AZQthHo9MndQSEBzgXXkKtfH-dqF4bbBBdkEQQzBQQRQ3mVVT0cquE064XMK3s19Vez8WgYMuCuvjcr_P1DJQFJsHj95Y5NYKS_h8fbITk3I_iUGqZg4DKhFJYqvXd7r8cnY5CHNtRJ6y_xlwmoDBcxjAhH4df9bbTQ3LW3zyJBIzWoU/s1626/draft_2023_ebook_v7%20(1).jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1626" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9_Z6BgW7AZQthHo9MndQSEBzgXXkKtfH-dqF4bbBBdkEQQzBQQRQ3mVVT0cquE064XMK3s19Vez8WgYMuCuvjcr_P1DJQFJsHj95Y5NYKS_h8fbITk3I_iUGqZg4DKhFJYqvXd7r8cnY5CHNtRJ6y_xlwmoDBcxjAhH4df9bbTQ3LW3zyJBIzWoU/s320/draft_2023_ebook_v7%20(1).jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />When someone says “the holidays” we often leap to that time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, but we have a TON of holidays throughout the year. There are plenty of ways those other holidays can be scary. Here are a few horror films involving holidays found in Happy Ghoulidays II: <br />
<br />
<b>Easter</b> – A mainstream film is Bless the Child, starring Kim Basinger. Easter plays an ominous part in this film. A young girl is kidnapped by a Satanic cult seeking her powers. <br />
<b><br />
St. Patrick’s Day</b> – The obvious film here is Leprechaun, starring Jennifer Aniston and Warwick Davis. An escaped leprechaun wants his gold, and he’ll do anything to find it. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxX7PaIOBFczhx28kVfe9Rpx3APz6nbW2ZscPIOsmHGnpeZ_U_-HIverQHyRzd-8BOd8CJ-pmCeWQ27pkRm22br0VwRqABXRaxDWyiSpf2mSpt_uk3leZ3L2dUV6C40I6cWEmijqV9HIncQoSCV803leSfInFt3NBrrfYjv3eFd7qIyFqY23FCbuOK/s254/Jaws.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="254" data-original-width="166" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxX7PaIOBFczhx28kVfe9Rpx3APz6nbW2ZscPIOsmHGnpeZ_U_-HIverQHyRzd-8BOd8CJ-pmCeWQ27pkRm22br0VwRqABXRaxDWyiSpf2mSpt_uk3leZ3L2dUV6C40I6cWEmijqV9HIncQoSCV803leSfInFt3NBrrfYjv3eFd7qIyFqY23FCbuOK/w131-h200/Jaws.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><br />Fourth of July</b> – This may be the most popular holiday for horror films except for Christmas. There are a ton of mainstream gems among them, including Jaws, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Cape Fear, and Independence Day, giving us creature features, a slasher, a thriller, and even sci-fi action. <br />
<br />
<b>Halloween</b> – Funnily enough, most Halloween movies aren’t horror, or they’re horror for kids. Halloween is an exception, as is Trick r’ Treat, an anthology of short horror films set at Halloween. Not what you’d expect, right? It’s likely because October is the month people seek out horror, even if it’s not something they watch normally, which makes all horror films Halloween films. <br />
<br />
While some holidays have fewer horror films, there’s likely a horror film involving any holiday of your choice somewhere out there. If you want several at once, check out the horror anthology film Holidays, which will scratch your itch for a bunch. <br />
<br />
<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQaJowlJ7mrTun3hSYZFTVoCi3dnPUG6v4HchKeae8Q28SPPolHJFAW5sJVW6oBevNwMNi8xlv_1yO_xtltWeO2JKk67mfJmzJoIWPFN4cPdpSBPHYQ6b-ZG81L3ox1SA0rCjh4tKNoJXNZFZ-rBWhyKTFpWuYUEjnpHeHSyfdxrjXlhSt8Y64Uwnw/s1296/dual-cover-v2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="970" data-original-width="1296" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQaJowlJ7mrTun3hSYZFTVoCi3dnPUG6v4HchKeae8Q28SPPolHJFAW5sJVW6oBevNwMNi8xlv_1yO_xtltWeO2JKk67mfJmzJoIWPFN4cPdpSBPHYQ6b-ZG81L3ox1SA0rCjh4tKNoJXNZFZ-rBWhyKTFpWuYUEjnpHeHSyfdxrjXlhSt8Y64Uwnw/s320/dual-cover-v2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Happy Ghoulidays II</b><br />
Release Date: March 17, 2023<br />
<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The holidays elicit a mixture of emotions, from joy and revelry to despair and rage. In these stories, we examine the dark side of the holidays with a twisted Easter egg hunt, a desperate St. Patrick's Day curse, a monster that's only visible in the light of fireworks, a mother's guilt on Halloween, and more in this follow up to Happy Ghoulidays that embraces the underlying shadows of our favorite holidays. </span></b><br />
Available for pre-order on Kindle, Nook, Apple, Scribd, and Smashwords <b><a href="https://books2read.com/u/bzKnrq" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">here</span></a></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZJe2uiTFe1VVchtM9RJ7EwPzqNoDfsB2JsWck5zuXmaqtnNQrthCFnut5e4fiZxvYbvNLqEdscD2KxuVPvdJkwlc0qhBQq6F7C7h7SgdIfLEHJwaByRFkwZMHCQ2xYCDNVkCkXoMz2qNq0jnV85cwNH1-Ia35MnYL_j3LBrbsuR2h0l8RWNkW69q/s720/Shannon.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZJe2uiTFe1VVchtM9RJ7EwPzqNoDfsB2JsWck5zuXmaqtnNQrthCFnut5e4fiZxvYbvNLqEdscD2KxuVPvdJkwlc0qhBQq6F7C7h7SgdIfLEHJwaByRFkwZMHCQ2xYCDNVkCkXoMz2qNq0jnV85cwNH1-Ia35MnYL_j3LBrbsuR2h0l8RWNkW69q/w200-h200/Shannon.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />A fan of all things fantastical and frightening, Shannon Lawrence writes primarily horror and fantasy. Her stories can be found in over forty anthologies and magazines, and her three solo horror short story collections and her nonfiction title are available now, with her fourth collection releasing March 2023. You can also find her as a co-host of the podcast Mysteries, Monsters, & Mayhem. When she's not writing, she's hiking through the wilds of Colorado and photographing her magnificent surroundings, where, coincidentally, there's always a place to hide a body or birth a monster. Find her at
<a href="http://thewarriormuse.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Warrior Muse</a> and
<a href="https://mysteriesmonstersmayhem.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Mysteries Monsters Mayhem podcast</a><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #f6b26b; font-size: large;">Album Reviews</span></b><br /></div><div>
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGYA39HKwZBCyoBdb896gP6xMC3Fr_EMatePupaScpaqgES3bdirq8ACEx1uoxR4XzvXfwyUNBVCcmsKwDY-3H-lEoOL_UctiOYqoH-CdDf5VVUChRZPl7XGYzbMWvhHQIierndLrJyfF6JuK1DgQb1OgGXaaaUq-u8CSPnPaOMy8mMLxeanQA5O9/s504/In%20Flames.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="504" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGYA39HKwZBCyoBdb896gP6xMC3Fr_EMatePupaScpaqgES3bdirq8ACEx1uoxR4XzvXfwyUNBVCcmsKwDY-3H-lEoOL_UctiOYqoH-CdDf5VVUChRZPl7XGYzbMWvhHQIierndLrJyfF6JuK1DgQb1OgGXaaaUq-u8CSPnPaOMy8mMLxeanQA5O9/s320/In%20Flames.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />In Flames – Foregone</b><br />
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Think of this as everything that In Flames has ever done put into a blender to create the most delicious Gothenburg metal smoothie ever. <br />
Everybody wrote these guys off but apart from a misstep here and there, I’ve enjoyed all their albums. This one is old style In Flames meets new style In Flames and the results is amazing. Fans of early In Flames will find a lot to love. <br />
Two tracks that will melt your face off are Foregone Part I and Foregone Part II. <br />
Highly Recommended<br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78LVFmsIh3Y6hG1COdYwN8bqsufkP1dbFAscw9p0p3ST5IME6ekmVB4f1UA-2QBibgFHjPiCIZ6LQQD8HUqMSLVmjGeqS-HhGi8oyn_IIMuxZ0XJMGgGg7wOYtB6UbWPlX8MtKO_Mda-0Rjl0z9jDZ88wxN93kAuYbdamzGiIHM7RQw-HyHuHXNRU/s500/Insomnium_Anno-1696-01.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78LVFmsIh3Y6hG1COdYwN8bqsufkP1dbFAscw9p0p3ST5IME6ekmVB4f1UA-2QBibgFHjPiCIZ6LQQD8HUqMSLVmjGeqS-HhGi8oyn_IIMuxZ0XJMGgGg7wOYtB6UbWPlX8MtKO_Mda-0Rjl0z9jDZ88wxN93kAuYbdamzGiIHM7RQw-HyHuHXNRU/s320/Insomnium_Anno-1696-01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Insomnium – Anno 1696</b><br />
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For my money, nobody does melodic death metal like Insomnium. <br />
Skirting the line between mellow death and prog, this concept album is Insomnium doing what they do best. <br />
Lyrically the album deals with the year 1696 and covers religious persecution, witch hunts, and a creature that lurks in the dark Finnish forest. <br />
If you are looking for happy, upbeat music, this album is not for you. It’s a dark ride that deals with the unfortunate history of Finland during that time period. <br />
Highly recommended if you are a true metal fan. <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #f6b26b; font-size: large;">Movie and Television News</span></b><br /></div><div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2HrIn7rvs9ChFfIBLzDG7sETSs70i728cSUXGCf8w3wZOzxaLCHo8YL2fbo03VdoVO7Z4EN0BfiUIG9bVW7KKIcKk0zq2hiQwvFxlu46np5uDiU1jFwByYbAS9IFDyXYu6BCUDfuduc09jqZeoqeja516pNBr0e83dKfg8NxwgSK_FZ8vJVpGfZW/s533/Mandalorian.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="360" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2HrIn7rvs9ChFfIBLzDG7sETSs70i728cSUXGCf8w3wZOzxaLCHo8YL2fbo03VdoVO7Z4EN0BfiUIG9bVW7KKIcKk0zq2hiQwvFxlu46np5uDiU1jFwByYbAS9IFDyXYu6BCUDfuduc09jqZeoqeja516pNBr0e83dKfg8NxwgSK_FZ8vJVpGfZW/w135-h200/Mandalorian.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><br />Season three of The Mandalorian is back!! <br />
The first episode was good. As the t-shirt says, I’m not procrastinating, I’m doing side quests. And that is what the Mandalorian begins doing to achieve his ultimate goal. The pirate chase seemed odd though. <br />
It will be interesting to see where this goes. <br />
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From the JoBlo site: <a href="https://www.joblo.com/a-disturbance-in-the-force-documentary-star-wars-holiday-special/" target="_blank"> <b>A Disturbance in the Force: Documentary about the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special will premiere at SXSW</b></a><br />
The worst misstep in the Star Wars franchise (even worse than Episodes I-III) gets a documentary <br />
A Disturbance in the Force is a new film from Jeremy Coon and Steve Kozak that is determined to find out just what led to such an abomination to make it to air.
I bet the documentary is a thousand times better than the film itself! (Which is only watchable thanks to RiffTraks.) <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #f6b26b; font-size: large;">Movie Trivia</span></b><br /></div><div>
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Since Shannon is talking about horror and holidays, here are some films for you. <br />
From the blurb, name the movie and the holiday. (Yes, double points!) <br />
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<b><span style="color: #351c75;">1 – A young man inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town. 1984<br />
2 – Jack Skellington, king of Halloween Town, discovers Christmas Town, but his attempts to bring Christmas to his home causes confusion. 1993<br />
3 – 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. 1985<br />
4 – 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. 2000<br />
5 – A private investigator is hired by a man who calls himself Louis Cyphre to track down a singer named Johnny Favorite. But the investigation takes an unexpected and somber turn. 1987<br />
6 - Chaos breaks out in a small Maryland town after an ecological disaster occurs. 2012</span></b><br />
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Answers next week! <br />
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<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What holiday horror films do you like? Heard either new album? Watching The Mandalorian? Excited to see A Disturbance in the Force? And do you know any of the trivia movies?<br />
We also need one or two more co-hosts for the IWSG posting April 5 – let me know if you can help.<br />
Be back next week with another special guest!</span><br />
</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-33736077554091250752023-03-01T03:00:00.060-05:002023-03-01T06:28:23.215-05:00Insecure Writer’s Support Group, What to Watch, and March Movie Preview<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBK9R8tZNYv6l6pd0MBEaBEmGDrjqbZpkasndV9xnx3BMmKWi-EFdMcoZDFG28ZIpVWvy2XCFgAFVrvNr1BjDdkYTCMxUhKG3KjfoinoRVd-ok_Ye0bpihcyZrq2XZsd5_u_2Xrjn3GRZa7TDNVqgjDGMRBEc4iCmnULUYo4kHScCoDZnT9IklMRPk/s932/IWSG.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="932" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBK9R8tZNYv6l6pd0MBEaBEmGDrjqbZpkasndV9xnx3BMmKWi-EFdMcoZDFG28ZIpVWvy2XCFgAFVrvNr1BjDdkYTCMxUhKG3KjfoinoRVd-ok_Ye0bpihcyZrq2XZsd5_u_2Xrjn3GRZa7TDNVqgjDGMRBEc4iCmnULUYo4kHScCoDZnT9IklMRPk/w200-h197/IWSG.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />It’s time for another group posting of the <b><a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html" target="_blank">Insecure Writer’s Support Group!</a> </b>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.<br />
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The awesome co-hosts for the March 1 posting of the IWSG are<b> <a href="https://pensivepenspost.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Diedre Knight,</a> <a href="http://www.bookwormforkids.com/" target="_blank">Tonya Drecker,</a> <a href="http://bish-randomthoughts.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Bish Denham,</a> </b><a href="http://olgagodim.wordpress.com" target="_blank"><b>Olga Godim</b>,</a> and <b><a href="http://www.jqrose.com/" target="_blank">JQ Rose!</a></b><br />
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<b>March 1 question</b> - Have you ever read a line in a novel or a clever plot twist that caused you to have author envy? <br />
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Not so much envy as admiration. Several Agent Pendergast (authors Preston and Child) have clever twists. Such as in Relic. (Spoiler alert.) The creature was originally human. Did not see that coming! And such brilliant writing. Yeah, I admire those guys. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8nZwOcgRXNVYpcioyiKKTakMQ3z6c5so95S2gO_V93MwO0Q5_cIfqqjUl7kWbmjMwC9XP7f2J01MoZ2TauW7LbAJ0gEEyfIanx4r2MRTpMe9AaSuu8EV_dapB76iQzw2ftlgBikaJE2glu2GDwvlbzzhvEDFop_kHmmeAqeEK4VtZPpO12mu71Gx/s432/IWSG%20Anthology%20header%20-%20all.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="164" data-original-width="432" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8nZwOcgRXNVYpcioyiKKTakMQ3z6c5so95S2gO_V93MwO0Q5_cIfqqjUl7kWbmjMwC9XP7f2J01MoZ2TauW7LbAJ0gEEyfIanx4r2MRTpMe9AaSuu8EV_dapB76iQzw2ftlgBikaJE2glu2GDwvlbzzhvEDFop_kHmmeAqeEK4VtZPpO12mu71Gx/s320/IWSG%20Anthology%20header%20-%20all.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />We may not be doing anymore IWSG anthologies, but the <b><a href="http://iwsganthologies.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">IWSG Anthologies</a> </b>blog shall continue to rock on! The anthology authors and IWSG admins will continue to contribute to the site with some awesome articles. So don’t miss any! <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #b4a7d6; font-size: large;">What to Watch</span></b><br /></div><div>
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Right now – not much! However…<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9DvXr8VbsqKUGBnfMuU6jfNAtqlQ3uKscqvO1UE0479al3JoNH7oMUmWkxzn2KAfl_hx4e8bTbl3TILLfJUsiG7MHE41mVluQgKIALCG_12yQf_PCnWG4pHR7fg3p96hXo_AITf030_qMIUqaR8cjaSTL7n1Q9pVHmaPZmtgYQkTPvyyPtVJV1nYU/s305/Clarksons%20Farm.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="305" data-original-width="206" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9DvXr8VbsqKUGBnfMuU6jfNAtqlQ3uKscqvO1UE0479al3JoNH7oMUmWkxzn2KAfl_hx4e8bTbl3TILLfJUsiG7MHE41mVluQgKIALCG_12yQf_PCnWG4pHR7fg3p96hXo_AITf030_qMIUqaR8cjaSTL7n1Q9pVHmaPZmtgYQkTPvyyPtVJV1nYU/s1600/Clarksons%20Farm.jpg" width="206" /></a></div><br />Clarkson’s Farm, Season Two</span></b><br />
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Yes, Jeremy Clarkson is back and farming badly for a second season! <br />
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Right off the bat – he decides to give up the sheep and instead buys cows for a restaurant project that he’s not even gotten approval for from the city council. (Who by the way, hate all the traffic his farm shop and celebrity status have brought to the area.) <br />
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There’s the pole he runs into, the tractor on two wheels, badgers with TB, and impregnating cows. (Not that I saw that last one!) Plus Gerald, whom no one understands due to his thick accent. And of course his helper Kaleb who is a smart ass, but he does know his farming. Much, much more than Jeremy. Thus, the hilarity ensues. <br />
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Highly recommended! <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #b4a7d6; font-size: large;">March Movie Preview</span></b><br /></div><div>
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Here are the theatrical releases for March. Descriptions courtesy of the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/" target="_blank">IMDB.</a> Snark provided by me.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQBQxLGdA6SWAVO1JItvMulzja_RmEPk9t9h91aUna6BUeXXMvjnlKGONdfL5dRnQdKhiFwdJnawX8SNtl8sUODhcLP-fD5eIcX6S93wUGN5J4Ixk2O4lWESEW4feylBu-z2iLUPcmL3cY4ws8dG9MeIKx6588L7gzjEuU0EBV1lU-9eG-Ehkl5lp/s192/Creed%20III.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="130" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQBQxLGdA6SWAVO1JItvMulzja_RmEPk9t9h91aUna6BUeXXMvjnlKGONdfL5dRnQdKhiFwdJnawX8SNtl8sUODhcLP-fD5eIcX6S93wUGN5J4Ixk2O4lWESEW4feylBu-z2iLUPcmL3cY4ws8dG9MeIKx6588L7gzjEuU0EBV1lU-9eG-Ehkl5lp/s1600/Creed%20III.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />3 – </span></b><br />
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<b>Creed III</b><br />
Director – Michael B. Jordan<br />
Stars – Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Jonathan Majors<br />
Adonis has been thriving in both his career and family life, but when a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy resurfaces, the face-off is more than just a fight. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Creed III making the bold assumption I even knew there was a Creed II. </span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdyZfweL6vjUTXYiH3ta_Dmlp-h4_NttU0vKlwJti4hQm3Ughd4WZPTzVyGOfBAyxRl6YdolUfj2Rm3v3X0WP2Tj8cRkVMKCGCO6JbxtiXtTE-aOn8ciCK5OnHjEHzO3-jWtAx0jfMSDbCqMwlJdxcR7q4-IKEOvntw1MysPwHuXnqkxYxoJCPn1n/s189/65.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="189" data-original-width="151" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdyZfweL6vjUTXYiH3ta_Dmlp-h4_NttU0vKlwJti4hQm3Ughd4WZPTzVyGOfBAyxRl6YdolUfj2Rm3v3X0WP2Tj8cRkVMKCGCO6JbxtiXtTE-aOn8ciCK5OnHjEHzO3-jWtAx0jfMSDbCqMwlJdxcR7q4-IKEOvntw1MysPwHuXnqkxYxoJCPn1n/s1600/65.jpg" width="151" /></a></div><br />10 – </span></b><br />
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<b>65</b><br />
Director – Scott Beck, Bryan Woods <br />
Stars – Adam Driver, Ariana Greenblatt, Chloe Coleman<br />
An astronaut crash lands on a mysterious planet only to discover he's not alone. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Does the Force work on dinosaurs? </span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPiUqeN3SwwpByqJI4hkxU4PYkt2n4ynkzmX6YDXPu0jR0uUvJlxdVsxD4XSbzIAVtWN14AFwKgGdfnEEg7F7q23Tu-opoa-wiOeKK38HpeC176yk4dVPS4NeoTUAOStAW0wuG4cbpOadLCo6xvM2MYJMsQy5vPALRXATn9JPEr1170TTFnBTjN5H-/s198/Shazam.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="198" data-original-width="158" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPiUqeN3SwwpByqJI4hkxU4PYkt2n4ynkzmX6YDXPu0jR0uUvJlxdVsxD4XSbzIAVtWN14AFwKgGdfnEEg7F7q23Tu-opoa-wiOeKK38HpeC176yk4dVPS4NeoTUAOStAW0wuG4cbpOadLCo6xvM2MYJMsQy5vPALRXATn9JPEr1170TTFnBTjN5H-/s1600/Shazam.jpg" width="158" /></a></div><br />17 –</span></b><br />
<b><br />
Shazam! Fury of the Gods</b><br />
Director – David F. Sandberg<br />
Stars – Zachary Levi, Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu<br />
The film continues the story of teenage Billy Batson who, upon reciting the magic word "SHAZAM!" is transformed into his adult Super Hero alter ego, Shazam. <br />
<b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #2b00fe;">Shazam family goes on road trip to fight evil gods – now, where’s the Winnebago? </span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGyXqjT8RouvtZmAgd_y1hQDB8GlonGYl4r5rHxrkKUS86HfG7QTHw9-Lt-T017068VmdgbU__omCl37kk4VDL45mFXXxWyOUmfGBHz2ViSMRSCb4rxQq_32vD0CREKbmpzUjryg1n2ADwYEPLu0gsWN6MhpYNwzpe3K_Xa8A0InuojlEkHRf4WdDo/s192/John%20Wick.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="130" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGyXqjT8RouvtZmAgd_y1hQDB8GlonGYl4r5rHxrkKUS86HfG7QTHw9-Lt-T017068VmdgbU__omCl37kk4VDL45mFXXxWyOUmfGBHz2ViSMRSCb4rxQq_32vD0CREKbmpzUjryg1n2ADwYEPLu0gsWN6MhpYNwzpe3K_Xa8A0InuojlEkHRf4WdDo/s1600/John%20Wick.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />24 –</span></b><br />
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<b>John Wick: Chapter 4</b><br />
Director – Chad Stahelski<br />
Stars – Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgard<br />
John Wick uncovers a path to defeating The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Perhaps two hours and forty-nine minutes of Reeves shooting people in the head is a bit excessive? </span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHu0yf32Tzq_ctcwvapyy5M6DyZ0eLWJtNK8rM1aSBICBahWNLViI_x-D-8F3oswfdYFI9yU3auuGjtbvm_rEmIxxFgA3QzzJF7_lrtWK78qzq8z72MnrGExeJ9jR284o-LH7aeW1zJiNXoem2I8GDQYmJWCQEjEkQ8SYuvuB1wxaKNraaKclWUfZY/s213/DandD.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="144" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHu0yf32Tzq_ctcwvapyy5M6DyZ0eLWJtNK8rM1aSBICBahWNLViI_x-D-8F3oswfdYFI9yU3auuGjtbvm_rEmIxxFgA3QzzJF7_lrtWK78qzq8z72MnrGExeJ9jR284o-LH7aeW1zJiNXoem2I8GDQYmJWCQEjEkQ8SYuvuB1wxaKNraaKclWUfZY/s1600/DandD.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><br />31 –</span></b><br />
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<b>Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves</b><br />
Directors – John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein<br />
Stars – Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Hugh Grant<br />
A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers embark on an epic quest to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people. <br />
<b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">I hope this movie doesn’t roll a 1…</span></i></b><br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Something in a novel give you author envy? Watched Clarkson’s Farm? And which movies catch your eye for March? <br />
Tune in next Monday when I have a special guest! </span><br /></div><div>
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</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com59tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-88258787592200059812023-02-13T03:30:00.057-05:002023-02-13T06:35:40.495-05:00Vampire Movies, Reviews (Katatonia and Willy’s Wonderland) and News, and Box Offices Totals<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Vampire Movies by L. Diane Wolfe</b></span></span><br /></div><div>
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Alex asked me about vampire movies. <br />
<br />
While none really mirror the setting of my story, I picked a couple fun vampire stories. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgceO_Sm0kWW16V0WCVWjYNhGznNrfoD_paNW433-ixGP-c59Ua5dZMjWZTs097R6B6Y9WkV09PC3U7Rluls4vxYV2DP08ur5zHYe6P2mylwB9LeEFrrOw9DiJq4Uvstl2TNjq8uW-p_UC4J_7zpbFwqdC7RGGEfzU_QBbhhRVarRJazjjuwhPM_TSZ/s206/Fright%20Night.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="137" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgceO_Sm0kWW16V0WCVWjYNhGznNrfoD_paNW433-ixGP-c59Ua5dZMjWZTs097R6B6Y9WkV09PC3U7Rluls4vxYV2DP08ur5zHYe6P2mylwB9LeEFrrOw9DiJq4Uvstl2TNjq8uW-p_UC4J_7zpbFwqdC7RGGEfzU_QBbhhRVarRJazjjuwhPM_TSZ/w133-h200/Fright%20Night.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br />Fright Night</b><br />
The original with Chris Sarandon and Roddy McDowall is so much fun. “You’re so cool, Brewster!” I fell in love with this film when I saw it in the theater in 1985 and it’s still a fun film. <br />
<br />
<b>Hotel Transylvania</b><br />
There are now four movies and they are so much fun. Sadly, we watched the first one when our cat Spunky had just gone through his cancer surgery. It was snowy that day and with poor Spunky on my husband’s lap, we watched the first movie. It’s not the greatest in the world, but I just love it. <br />
<br />
<b>Let the Right One In</b><br />
The foreign version of this is SO much better than the American version. It hit the right notes and was creepy, moving, and sad. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7uB9a3IaO0KJi36rm44sZiOTuamk_mc0jasjzSq-pIvpE59ROrIoTXvAwV9p9HokLUYg8G2Ky2x5-20AYWYLav67N6VpeexfxuWSpCJVfLzLrLF0WyDC2osHs_oTqCA7ZdixhUYNnBKoZt1ednHJZ2aauf9PbS_N0O0_MF1CdPAmu76q1z0yhM72b/s205/Dracula.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="205" data-original-width="137" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7uB9a3IaO0KJi36rm44sZiOTuamk_mc0jasjzSq-pIvpE59ROrIoTXvAwV9p9HokLUYg8G2Ky2x5-20AYWYLav67N6VpeexfxuWSpCJVfLzLrLF0WyDC2osHs_oTqCA7ZdixhUYNnBKoZt1ednHJZ2aauf9PbS_N0O0_MF1CdPAmu76q1z0yhM72b/s1600/Dracula.jpg" width="137" /></a></div><br />Dracula (1979) </b><br />
I’d seen other Dracula films, but this one with Frank Langella really stuck with me. It’s scary and sexy and so atmospheric. It’s a slow and steady pace but such a great film. <br />
<br />
<b>The Lost Boys</b><br />
Cheesy, commercial, and yet it works. The soundtrack is super. I might even enjoy it more than the movie. Some great stars: Corey Haim, Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Patric, Corey Feldman, Jami Gertz, Dianne Wiest, Alex Winter, and Jamison Newlander. <br />
<br />
<b>Bram Stoker’s Dracula</b><br />
Gary Oldman really took on the role. He was sexy and the story was so consuming. I remember a woman coming into the place I worked and seeing my Dracula t-shirt – she said it was so disturbing. I told her that it was a beautiful love story. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFF91CQidRs2WB-ep9RVtUrMVauc52EFJk7TvBOpL-wp1qbG9vRKsNBFIN887TVuq4rrlassbPDAb8KdylocueRcD_elMaMtGmC3AbZTAzE9tGxHStiNfxQbvnLZ2aHv3d92JMjtwx9pmzujaIoM-OqzYImg21CdAYSO_S2OfaQbTdVhMJfpq-yvmH/s164/Shadow%20of%20the%20Vampire.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="164" data-original-width="122" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFF91CQidRs2WB-ep9RVtUrMVauc52EFJk7TvBOpL-wp1qbG9vRKsNBFIN887TVuq4rrlassbPDAb8KdylocueRcD_elMaMtGmC3AbZTAzE9tGxHStiNfxQbvnLZ2aHv3d92JMjtwx9pmzujaIoM-OqzYImg21CdAYSO_S2OfaQbTdVhMJfpq-yvmH/s1600/Shadow%20of%20the%20Vampire.jpg" width="122" /></a></div><br />Shadow of the Vampire</b><br />
This is a fictionalized account of what happened during the filming of Nosferatu. Willem Dafoe is Nosferatu and he is spot on! It’s just an odd, quirky film but so fascinating. <br />
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<b>Nosferatu</b><br />
The first and unauthorized version of Dracula and the vampire legend. The vampire is renamed Count Orlok and he is incredibly creepy. This is a must-see for every vampire fan. <br />
<br />
Again, none resemble my story at all. Think more of a medieval fantasy quest that just happens to feature vampires. And a bit of a love story! <br />
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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. <br />
Find Diane at <a href="http://www.spunkonastick.net/" target="_blank">website,</a> <a href="http://www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com" target="_blank">blog,</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/l.diane.wolfe" target="_blank">Facebook,</a> <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/ldianewolfe/" target="_blank">Pinterest,</a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/117664.L_Diane_Wolfe" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQxatgAgWpFEs-zx25_I2oJxlURH58DC0299MrkzcfWjjbZFCQY44sdcnYkdBYGSobQEqPCiVEbiRlKd2sv4Va-jbfre7KlxG5sl9ATZT4tSO9sfvCvw4ZvltGrykuEyMpfUG_UPTBaA2oUf_ZtiWura8P8Nx6VsbtqSBLNsxs8cVh4sWyNv_dm2bS/s1089/InDarkness_TheVampireCover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1089" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQxatgAgWpFEs-zx25_I2oJxlURH58DC0299MrkzcfWjjbZFCQY44sdcnYkdBYGSobQEqPCiVEbiRlKd2sv4Va-jbfre7KlxG5sl9ATZT4tSO9sfvCvw4ZvltGrykuEyMpfUG_UPTBaA2oUf_ZtiWura8P8Nx6VsbtqSBLNsxs8cVh4sWyNv_dm2bS/s320/InDarkness_TheVampireCover.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br />In Darkness: The Vampire</b><br />
By L. Diane Wolfe<br />
Romance/Paranormal/Vampires - Fantasy/Paranormal - Fantasy/Romance<br />
eBook ISBN 9781939844903 $3.99<br />
<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><b><br />
Souls shrouded in darkness…<br />
Stuck working as a barmaid for her demanding father, Anna dreams of adventure. When mysterious strangers enter the bar, she overhears they seek Zancrela, an ancient fortress filled with treasure and a magical library. Taking her chance, she offers to guide them. The conditions: deliver Zancrela or die. <br />
As they journey through the wilderness, she discovers their secret: they are vampires. And most view her as food. One takes interest in her and her heart dares to hope, but it might not be enough to change her fate. Will Anna find Zancrela or become a vampire morsel? </b></i></span><br />
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Links: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BC4SRKH2" target="_blank">Amazon</a> / <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id6443336227" target="_blank">iTunes</a> / <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940165920110" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> / <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search?Query=9781939844903" target="_blank">Kobo</a> / <a href="https://www.scribd.com/search?query=9781939844903&language=0" target="_blank">Scribed</a> / <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62203140-in-darkness" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> <br />
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<span style="background-color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>News and Reviews</b></span></span><br /></div><div>
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFRvJ5O0NvYnr3aTQFR4IlmQYtvOGnf6_ua_D2vWoblfrwO9agkgbWgWvcISTwgpUWV7sXhqlR2p9IBXtD7wQKtZ-6-LDQtIsXW1dN7lWl-cc-9e50kp5dMboxxp4LyR5MCu9-_OKkBvEW7Hb_aKP65LWVQowVulbxLHcGuz36zypcR0PsaYyN-5Y/s576/Sky-Void-Of-Stars.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="576" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFRvJ5O0NvYnr3aTQFR4IlmQYtvOGnf6_ua_D2vWoblfrwO9agkgbWgWvcISTwgpUWV7sXhqlR2p9IBXtD7wQKtZ-6-LDQtIsXW1dN7lWl-cc-9e50kp5dMboxxp4LyR5MCu9-_OKkBvEW7Hb_aKP65LWVQowVulbxLHcGuz36zypcR0PsaYyN-5Y/s320/Sky-Void-Of-Stars.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Katatonia - Sky Void of Stars</b><br />
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Katatonia is one of those rare bands that have endured, and they are celebrating thirty-plus years of awesomeness with what is (for me) their best album. Their roots may be doom/gothic metal, but this album is progressive and full of energy. Every song is on point with great hooks, catchy choruses, and intense grooves. It clocks in at 51 minutes and it’s all meat, no filler. There are eleven tracks and if you ask me to list some favorites, I would say song one through eleven. They’re all great! It’s February and I already have a contender for album of the year. If you like your Scandinavian metal with clean vocals and a singularly unique sound, you must check out this album. <br />
Highly recommended! <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjklQlsCJGDHJ2wUpgSV9WKdS3gcPaOxftv6OF5HD_J8L1Nb64NaBgC1GbXsl0_es9rkdOlsh6qK6L2sDwea6TojcaBtQB9hDTdR3Gw1CCPLzmDeOuQMMOoKcUn75mQhWsi7aql2Ad_ThWF-xQjMf9HhCi11dcHSsy1VSDRxzXme7qRJAaoWNllbW4J/s636/Willy's%20Wonderland.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="432" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjklQlsCJGDHJ2wUpgSV9WKdS3gcPaOxftv6OF5HD_J8L1Nb64NaBgC1GbXsl0_es9rkdOlsh6qK6L2sDwea6TojcaBtQB9hDTdR3Gw1CCPLzmDeOuQMMOoKcUn75mQhWsi7aql2Ad_ThWF-xQjMf9HhCi11dcHSsy1VSDRxzXme7qRJAaoWNllbW4J/s320/Willy's%20Wonderland.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><br />Willy’s Wonderland</b><br />
From the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/" target="_blank">IMDB:</a> <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><b>A quiet drifter is tricked into a janitorial job at the now condemned Willy's Wonderland. The mundane tasks suddenly become an all-out fight for survival against wave after wave of demonic animatronics. </b></i></span><br />
Yes, you read that right – the animatronics come alive and kill! <br />
This is another case of Cage playing a bat-crap crazy person. (He doesn’t say one word during the entire film.) It’s watchable though and funny in some places. <br />
You’ll think twice about going into a Showbiz Pizza or Chuck E. Cheese’s after this film! <br />
If you are looking for something really unique, give it a try. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEA3ztMdYhpmmaeWxcbBatexYOuASmm0vV4UfHGMmmXhH3UFE4MGWNhAafY59hb9jIiPfYRyRLkI4gENck-HaSeyJ25G7Cfu9VI19YD_olAWWuaMhnGTjNjLMgJVniVcRNoCeSMwtxkBSMYaB65utTh3nqz6cdyPRtQIA5tKo859LW8sCd4DSqtEN-/s790/Balance%20of%20Love.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="510" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEA3ztMdYhpmmaeWxcbBatexYOuASmm0vV4UfHGMmmXhH3UFE4MGWNhAafY59hb9jIiPfYRyRLkI4gENck-HaSeyJ25G7Cfu9VI19YD_olAWWuaMhnGTjNjLMgJVniVcRNoCeSMwtxkBSMYaB65utTh3nqz6cdyPRtQIA5tKo859LW8sCd4DSqtEN-/w129-h200/Balance%20of%20Love.jpg" width="129" /></a></div><br />Available February 14: </b><br />
<b>Balance of Love: A Sweet Fantasy Romance (Influenced Book 2) by <a href="https://twistingmyths.blogspot.com/p/welcome.html" target="_blank">Patricia Josephine Lynne</a></b><br />
Enemies to lovers sweet romance fantasy<br />
Order from all retailers <a href="https://books2read.com/u/bxrvvq" target="_blank">HERE</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Box Office</b></span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
It’s been a while since I did a recap of the current worldwide box office. <br />
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<b>Here are the top movies from 2022: </b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4HJUWm5H8C7FMblIvdCUVgZwj7aIsOIioyUEhY7hl8H3aFOAHOjl0qGd2oJAkz1bT2SMyF0DPEB9VUYD_8a_NQrnl8f3dBvul_fjPlb7pvY2SSttIzupexU9_z9O0xPUw-A1OZX0HUHo7RrasIHnd6xxpUI9hyioL5WriKhTnuTosjpyKzfDuCbVE/s171/avatar-the-way-of-water-poster-960x1200.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="171" data-original-width="137" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4HJUWm5H8C7FMblIvdCUVgZwj7aIsOIioyUEhY7hl8H3aFOAHOjl0qGd2oJAkz1bT2SMyF0DPEB9VUYD_8a_NQrnl8f3dBvul_fjPlb7pvY2SSttIzupexU9_z9O0xPUw-A1OZX0HUHo7RrasIHnd6xxpUI9hyioL5WriKhTnuTosjpyKzfDuCbVE/s1600/avatar-the-way-of-water-poster-960x1200.jpg" width="137" /></a></div><br />Avatar: The Way of Water - $2,213,093,090<br />
Top Gun: Maverick - $1,488,732,821<br />
Jurassic World: Dominion - $1,001,978,080<br />
Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness - $955,775,804<br />
Minions: The Rise of Gru - $939,628,210<br />
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - $842,121,221<br />
The Batman - $770,945,583<br />
Thor: Love and Thunder - $760,928,081<br />
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<b>And here are the top grossing films of all time: </b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJR0oX_DalREECG3DWYT3tzrp5FkUHSwKbrhcrZSJ0QCcLK8cxb9RK1oqTCEqmLyNDisPKe0NPACe8T1gwZijb-PgY_wm03CHTkxG5cAOSCejpOfc3Txx81sVRFoEF67ROTSknSJly0txw3BdSiIsGyOxZsG7A294MM8R5Yvt37-t5JY4EMPV7a6pJ/s202/Avatar.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="202" data-original-width="137" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJR0oX_DalREECG3DWYT3tzrp5FkUHSwKbrhcrZSJ0QCcLK8cxb9RK1oqTCEqmLyNDisPKe0NPACe8T1gwZijb-PgY_wm03CHTkxG5cAOSCejpOfc3Txx81sVRFoEF67ROTSknSJly0txw3BdSiIsGyOxZsG7A294MM8R5Yvt37-t5JY4EMPV7a6pJ/s1600/Avatar.jpg" width="137" /></a></div><br />1 Avatar - $2,923,706,026, 2009<br />
2 Avengers: Endgame - $2,799,439,100, 2019<br />
3 Titanic - $2,216,990,964, 1997<br />
4 Avatar: The Way of Water - $2,213,093,090, 2022<br />
5 Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens - $2,071,310,218, 2015<br />
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There are now fifty-one movies that have made over a billion dollars! The oldest one in the bunch is Jurassic Park, 1993. Next oldest is Titanic, 1997. Both of their totals are impressive. <br />
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Three of the top five are from James Cameron for a take of over seven billion dollars. He’s not hurting! <br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
What vampire films do you like? Picking up Diane’s book? Heard Katatonia or seen Willy’s Wonderland? Seen all of the big box office winners last year or all time? </span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">
Enjoy your February and I’ll see you March 1 for the next <b><a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/" target="_blank">Insecure Writer’s Support Group</a></b> post. </span><br /></div></div><div>
<br />
</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-8065695080418613912023-02-01T03:00:00.070-05:002023-02-01T07:10:18.487-05:00Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Special Friends, Series to Watch, and February Movie Preview<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKmqGp9OK_wsq1M4rxfFSxJwToVIHD5oOvSiaHZxT4iWMkwSiPk5HL0SHUIaBsOORwFZXXqWN3NycCuXxxxomRUP2O9V7Fm-p7SJ4ggMLiaIHLTaDfwSroaMyNpsxDEsuzy5lLqWWLwQl8Aqzsfbfk_6iaTxRMoYruHtXRz1FZTZon8YiNtmjnQne5/s932/IWSG.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="932" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKmqGp9OK_wsq1M4rxfFSxJwToVIHD5oOvSiaHZxT4iWMkwSiPk5HL0SHUIaBsOORwFZXXqWN3NycCuXxxxomRUP2O9V7Fm-p7SJ4ggMLiaIHLTaDfwSroaMyNpsxDEsuzy5lLqWWLwQl8Aqzsfbfk_6iaTxRMoYruHtXRz1FZTZon8YiNtmjnQne5/w200-h197/IWSG.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />It’s time for another group posting of the <b><a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html" target="_blank">Insecure Writer’s Support Group!</a></b> 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.<br />
<br />
The awesome co-hosts for the February 1 posting of the IWSG are <b><a href="https://worddreams.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Jacqui Murray,</a> <a href="http://www.ronelthemythmaker.com/blog/" target="_blank">Ronel Janse van Vuuren,</a> <a href="http://www.patgarciaandeverythingmustchange.com/" target="_blank">Pat Garcia,</a></b> and <b><a href="http://gwengardner.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Gwen Gardner!</a></b><br />
<br />
<b>February 1 question </b>- If you are an Indie author, do you make your own covers or purchase them? If you publish trad, how much input do you have about what goes on your cover? <br />
<br />
My publisher will touch base with me to get a better description of a scene they are considering for the cover. Then I just wait and see what they design. And I’ve yet to be disappointed! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqs5TWMc61TT1g-x7JzY7Wui1KPuNQDGAmp2hOKQEttSHTBaMRWBIZEABFTUGnHWeQbcy-NM-uRCeKMJzymZ-YC1ITlZ5NXfae1e6cdzaAcwCdo3mKK2zoayA2DnzxGPvTocsZ4XrMcQ9Gth6fsopS_eBUlcPzIPczz6zdUheyfkj3XMNvtHHmso0C/s360/IWSG%20Pitch%202023.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="360" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqs5TWMc61TT1g-x7JzY7Wui1KPuNQDGAmp2hOKQEttSHTBaMRWBIZEABFTUGnHWeQbcy-NM-uRCeKMJzymZ-YC1ITlZ5NXfae1e6cdzaAcwCdo3mKK2zoayA2DnzxGPvTocsZ4XrMcQ9Gth6fsopS_eBUlcPzIPczz6zdUheyfkj3XMNvtHHmso0C/w200-h120/IWSG%20Pitch%202023.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />And thanks to everyone who participated or spread the word about <b>#IWSGPit</b> on January 25 – we were trending! (And trending so well, we were getting spammed with a ton of ads.) <br />
If you participated and end up with requests or even a contract, let us know. <br /><div style="border: 4.5pt solid windowtext; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 1pt 4pt;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 4.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">On February 1, WEP is back, better, bigger, bolder. We’re in
our eleventh year, so Team WEP has learned what writers want. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’re a writer who practises your skills
on a regular basis –- likes to try out your WIP - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>get feedback on your writing - win an editing
prize from professionals - be included in a book of the best of WEP writing, be
part of a supportive online writing community -- WEP is for you. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 4.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">This year our bi-monthly prompts are based on
movies – so we give you the Year of Movies. We have a <a href="https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/p/challenges-2023.html">Challenges
2023 page</a> packed with creative ideas.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 4.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;"><b>Posting for this challenge is February 15 - 17.</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 4.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">Check out our new-look website <a href="https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/">here</a>! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1fqExI-MxrEGjkDYEzSHD9FZyi5_1mg7wdat3OJcEqzR7J8i26T4M3aZiNmrwjk5YmJnrsZQU77wZipONDNZK7raOCVzW3K3rJ-_o2nzGFJIayX6rsiatwIrQtRFqjraqTYc5ZHhlSCVce_WEUmJS_nyItJ347rGAK5cXGUCaGvASfaO6HYXm2s4eiA/s500/GWTW.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1fqExI-MxrEGjkDYEzSHD9FZyi5_1mg7wdat3OJcEqzR7J8i26T4M3aZiNmrwjk5YmJnrsZQU77wZipONDNZK7raOCVzW3K3rJ-_o2nzGFJIayX6rsiatwIrQtRFqjraqTYc5ZHhlSCVce_WEUmJS_nyItJ347rGAK5cXGUCaGvASfaO6HYXm2s4eiA/s320/GWTW.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 4.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></p>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f6b26b;"><span style="font-size: large;">Special Friends!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZ7xl32v6O-olfXtNEurc89FRVz33hq9JfK37m-AuskyQz1sGrg1AYE-QP1vqf9XaUSOr-VP0pMM0m0eV9-oPKpJh3sE-8WWxlbrni2WHBLqYuAsiqoxSuAj2Msg1KtIzDviDH5sQ-vtthkN321A75wP74j7NgIx8_l5BLlO4b_O2bD6gtOBs02Sc/s889/Mini%20Alex%20and%20Hot%20Tamales%20from%20Robyn.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="889" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZ7xl32v6O-olfXtNEurc89FRVz33hq9JfK37m-AuskyQz1sGrg1AYE-QP1vqf9XaUSOr-VP0pMM0m0eV9-oPKpJh3sE-8WWxlbrni2WHBLqYuAsiqoxSuAj2Msg1KtIzDviDH5sQ-vtthkN321A75wP74j7NgIx8_l5BLlO4b_O2bD6gtOBs02Sc/w162-h200/Mini%20Alex%20and%20Hot%20Tamales%20from%20Robyn.jpg" width="162" /></a></div><br /> </span></span><br /></div><div>
<br />
My special friend, <b><a href="http://rawknrobyn.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Robyn Alana Engel</a></b> sent me a case of Hot Tamales and a wonderful note. She says her word of the year is gratitude, and I am certainly grateful for a friend like her. (Be sure to pick up one of her books.) She definitely rocks! <br />
<br />
And no, these Hot Tamales will not last the year. <br />
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<span style="background-color: #f6b26b;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>What to Watch</b></span></span><br /></div><div>
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAG7OeKoERaAabXsZ7GudqXkSfkEvoEY-gC2lSo1tekEZgJdMzwP_-dqe9K_aNbUZQavKsDN2x__etVRdlZ_2tqqGHdEjW4IXpGhWxEFmXVBCSzIurvfjqx-CCkffzmpCbhukpVk6_jzic4hiYjICJWr5DWntY6zWb6kJtlEkoRx_VbZfZADX8e_7P/s533/The%20Rig.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="360" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAG7OeKoERaAabXsZ7GudqXkSfkEvoEY-gC2lSo1tekEZgJdMzwP_-dqe9K_aNbUZQavKsDN2x__etVRdlZ_2tqqGHdEjW4IXpGhWxEFmXVBCSzIurvfjqx-CCkffzmpCbhukpVk6_jzic4hiYjICJWr5DWntY6zWb6kJtlEkoRx_VbZfZADX8e_7P/w135-h200/The%20Rig.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><br />The Rig<br />
</b><br />
A strange fog rolls in on a remote Scottish oil rig and crazy stuff ensues. <br />
This one has great characters. A couple of them you really hope will make it to the end. <br />
It does have a couple issues and missteps, but the storyline is still good and enjoyable. <br />
If you like science fiction weird with a Scottish accent, this is the series for you. Streaming on Amazon Prime.<br />
<br />
<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimfgC0mROTayi7z5nFl07Bfjfui-vUo8dab8NWPPgsnVIsVUjJHZZxo7cL32ie7lWqjmh7Ix2ddLHW-CZyreKW9UlAzCeIE0wxTlkYtz7ZJLa-kq2q9o-9ST634F53WL_LmpcXyQpYH0UcN9tRAFpitpk23Tcz--JLruiwutsD-rxYMfivVjIhJwy4/s540/Battlebots.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="360" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimfgC0mROTayi7z5nFl07Bfjfui-vUo8dab8NWPPgsnVIsVUjJHZZxo7cL32ie7lWqjmh7Ix2ddLHW-CZyreKW9UlAzCeIE0wxTlkYtz7ZJLa-kq2q9o-9ST634F53WL_LmpcXyQpYH0UcN9tRAFpitpk23Tcz--JLruiwutsD-rxYMfivVjIhJwy4/w133-h200/Battlebots.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br />Battlebots: Champions Tournament</b><br />
<br />
Yes! More Battlebots. Battles with some of the best bots on the circuit. <br />
The funny thing about Battlebots is when it ends, you just want more Battlebots. <br />
Season ends soon so jump on this one quick! <br />
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<br />
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<span style="background-color: #f6b26b;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>February Movie Preview</b></span></span><br /></div><div>
<br />
Here are the theatrical releases for February. Descriptions courtesy of the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/" target="_blank">IMDB.</a> Snark provided by me.<br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUAw-V_oTgi6NnKipPs5aE1wxidoSlUM4CMXlzGsopwzNArFzOVpPgFNRyph9daX9blqh49RdS2Qk38UGnds2UdAKx4B4wk5F2hRF4DtRVLwcnHZ-fFPpVlWWYzEVDtYXA8RwuwzDjf8WtHvTmyvZ1TyrEOZLXMT9qvfQgQXCDCP9F9Fv1Mf6RmHec/s203/Ant%20Man%20and%20Wasp.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="137" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUAw-V_oTgi6NnKipPs5aE1wxidoSlUM4CMXlzGsopwzNArFzOVpPgFNRyph9daX9blqh49RdS2Qk38UGnds2UdAKx4B4wk5F2hRF4DtRVLwcnHZ-fFPpVlWWYzEVDtYXA8RwuwzDjf8WtHvTmyvZ1TyrEOZLXMT9qvfQgQXCDCP9F9Fv1Mf6RmHec/s1600/Ant%20Man%20and%20Wasp.jpg" width="137" /></a></div><br />17 –</span><br />
<br />
<b>Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania</b><br />
Director: Peyton Reed<br />
Stars: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Jonathan Majors, Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Douglas<br />
Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne, along with Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne, explore the Quantum Realm, where they interact with strange creatures and embark on an adventure that goes beyond the limits of what they thought was possible. <br />
<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><b>They’re doing a movie based on an album by The Who? Oh wait, that’s Quadrophenia. (That one’s for the Boomers.) </b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7b-evSGCWLgT8uxZPtizWMo0hRJtPNCSTT891BY7OpsEnUqNdbhpO5zUZOA2EAMgHkYhrTVAH-OnCdGZ5mpsrOlCD0oMNkohhuBF1ymk2FESYGPQ2HzRXaUWjdZmvtkWkONe2A_ryOvBG7vb4jheejPFAUoy2v2nB_halMR-zs3Zyg8DkWUBriMJ5/s190/Cocaine%20Bear.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="190" data-original-width="108" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7b-evSGCWLgT8uxZPtizWMo0hRJtPNCSTT891BY7OpsEnUqNdbhpO5zUZOA2EAMgHkYhrTVAH-OnCdGZ5mpsrOlCD0oMNkohhuBF1ymk2FESYGPQ2HzRXaUWjdZmvtkWkONe2A_ryOvBG7vb4jheejPFAUoy2v2nB_halMR-zs3Zyg8DkWUBriMJ5/s1600/Cocaine%20Bear.jpg" width="108" /></a></div><br />24 –</span><br />
<br />
<b>Cocaine Bear</b><br />
Director: Elizabeth Banks<br />
Stars: Ray Liotta, Keri Russell, Margo Martindale<br />
An oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists, and teens converge in a Georgia forest where a 500-pound black bear goes on a murderous rampage after unintentionally ingesting cocaine. <br />
<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><b>This will be a trilogy, followed by Crack Squirrel and Meth Badger. </b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Do you work on your own covers or have input? Did you participate in #IWSGPit? Watching either show? Either movie rock your boat? </span><br /></div><div>
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</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com86tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-8751162058567243662023-01-23T05:00:00.066-05:002023-01-23T13:19:40.900-05:00#IWSGPit, Bollywood with Damyanti, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio Review, and the Best Shows of 2022<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #ff00fe;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>#IWSGPit is this Wednesday, January 25 from 9:00 am - 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time!</b></span></span><br /></div><div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8snnsiXxu87flvVIOtGYWGQ8GY6mLaGYTt6zRZKewVBjBx0vqkgg0S2t0pyrdIpJBQKCydQtjGv8tcg5v1eyCijn-yrGkBhHxoz-fvDi_tSTbOtLaispvG46ffjZAwctnZRbsOF8vbP6h3nx6BlzSo7eRp09ck50xo-oh2YZv0teaTpdZs8o21qcx/s360/IWSG%20Pitch%202023.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="360" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8snnsiXxu87flvVIOtGYWGQ8GY6mLaGYTt6zRZKewVBjBx0vqkgg0S2t0pyrdIpJBQKCydQtjGv8tcg5v1eyCijn-yrGkBhHxoz-fvDi_tSTbOtLaispvG46ffjZAwctnZRbsOF8vbP6h3nx6BlzSo7eRp09ck50xo-oh2YZv0teaTpdZs8o21qcx/s320/IWSG%20Pitch%202023.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Create a Twitter-length pitch for your completed and polished manuscript and leave room for genre, age, and the hashtag. On January 25, 2023, Tweet your pitch. If your pitch receives a favorite/heart from a publisher/agent check their submission guidelines and send your requested query. </div><div><br />
Many writers have seen their books published from a Twitter pitch - it’s a quick and easy way to put your manuscript in front of publishers and agents. <br />
<br />
Get the full details <b><a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-twitter-pitch.html" target="_blank">here.</a></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: #ff00fe;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Bollywood! By Damyanti Biswas</span></b></span><br /></div><div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtG17dVC8rpiGO7ZjUqDqbWnZ0OUGogTx5hXRZ5eeOBwKEtiIcuDiEymQ6rX8VEDZRxCWWgMWxPEBPgEUb7KiQbpcpucgIST7pBQouSTgMYGWB19RXBxtUGta9-hUdFku5qNswv0ZrLv6qFtsuhY34-sKjXiMnqIDHG_VzUjCarnXHqNFWyiJLhiY/s269/The%20Blue%20Bar.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="180" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtG17dVC8rpiGO7ZjUqDqbWnZ0OUGogTx5hXRZ5eeOBwKEtiIcuDiEymQ6rX8VEDZRxCWWgMWxPEBPgEUb7KiQbpcpucgIST7pBQouSTgMYGWB19RXBxtUGta9-hUdFku5qNswv0ZrLv6qFtsuhY34-sKjXiMnqIDHG_VzUjCarnXHqNFWyiJLhiY/s1600/The%20Blue%20Bar.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br />In my literary noir set in Mumbai, <a href="https://mybook.to/TheBlueBar" target="_blank"><b>THE BLUE BAR</b>,</a> Bollywood plays a significant role. <br />
<br />
Bollywood originates from two words, Bombay and Hollywood. As the name of the city has changed from Bombay to Mumbai, so have the movies in a burgeoning Indian economy. <br />
<br />
Bollywood influences more than 1.4 billion Indians, and Bollywood songs form a major part of that. Unlike in Hollywood movies, songs play a huge role in the success of a movie in India—in terms of downloads, YouTube hits, as well as selling movie and dance show tickets to the sprawling Indian diaspora. <br />
<br />
Songs are not just about glitz, glamor, and humming quotient, they also move the plot along. They can swallow up to half the movie budget. Characters can fall in and out of love, become rich or poor, or travel to several countries all in the space of a five-minute song, in montages that resemble Tiktok sensations. <br />
<br />
In THE BLUE BAR, Bollywood songs bring atmosphere and commentary to the story, just as in any Bollywood movie, and in some ways, it is a small homage to a storytelling culture that has been the background to so many of my childhood memories. <br />
<br />
Find Damyanti and her books <b><a href="https://linktr.ee/damyantibiswas" target="_blank">HERE.</a></b><br />
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #ff00fe;"><span style="font-size: large;">Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio Review</span></span><br /></div><div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimvCBggmdFEGC_qTlOGC5yv8CtlWtEEb7Kt8lFl43iuXPRq8X7_ebottW2gnQDszvDMBOuoyL0RmDzaVtg3DEAMvfExLc9XrJMSYhVz1de_nFdYAxGvogqJRScdVQ7XUU_EcZbYKgcdJCLcYqbYI20orqWZ7HNcQyPqMp002LdkHhYQjKnQf8qdcvi/s1200/pinocchio-poster.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="857" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimvCBggmdFEGC_qTlOGC5yv8CtlWtEEb7Kt8lFl43iuXPRq8X7_ebottW2gnQDszvDMBOuoyL0RmDzaVtg3DEAMvfExLc9XrJMSYhVz1de_nFdYAxGvogqJRScdVQ7XUU_EcZbYKgcdJCLcYqbYI20orqWZ7HNcQyPqMp002LdkHhYQjKnQf8qdcvi/s320/pinocchio-poster.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br />This won the Golden Globe for best animation, so I had to check it out. <br />
I will preface this by stating I have never cared for the story of Pinocchio. I find it dark and disturbing. This version is also a bit dark and disturbing just in different ways. <br />
The stop-motion animation is just stunning. And at two hours long, a lot of work went into that animation. <br />
The outstanding voice cast includes Ewan McGregor (as Sebastian J. Cricket, the narrator), David Bradley, Gregory Mann, Ron Perlman, Finn Wolfhard, Cate Blanchette (as the spazzy monkey!), Christoph Waltz, and Tilda Swinton. <br />
This is certainly the best version of Pinocchio I have ever seen and there are several big differences between this and the Disney version. For one, the boys don’t turn into donkeys – they are sent to Nazi Youth Camp! (The story is set in Italy during WWII.) It’s also the only animated film I can think of that features Mussolini. There are also these skeletal death rabbits. Definitely unique to this version.<br />
If you like Pinocchio or just want to see an amazing animated film, definitely check it out. However, I would say it’s not for kids – probably twelve and older. <br />
Recommended<br />
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<span style="background-color: #ff00fe;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Best 2022 Shows</b></span></span><br /></div><div>
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Two weeks ago, I rounded out the top movies and albums of 2022. Now for the shows. And there were some good ones last year! <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1Y_-PwuHUv1OSTA-nBZ37UW0-5BTWt7U1I-n7ZL6Jg8B_DEXDIGce505f1W-ZM6jUOjlPcep8oShUV3HM9N3GVpTYjnEATZycV4nZWSzUJuyT5DtZ01bm01aI3HOGluVS9iX-uYu5DSeE38h8Hc2r67diA8mtHz2i9wYeRE7eJlEZvLLaW4hQfsP/s980/wednesday-netflix-review.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="980" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1Y_-PwuHUv1OSTA-nBZ37UW0-5BTWt7U1I-n7ZL6Jg8B_DEXDIGce505f1W-ZM6jUOjlPcep8oShUV3HM9N3GVpTYjnEATZycV4nZWSzUJuyT5DtZ01bm01aI3HOGluVS9iX-uYu5DSeE38h8Hc2r67diA8mtHz2i9wYeRE7eJlEZvLLaW4hQfsP/w200-h113/wednesday-netflix-review.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />Wednesday</b><br />
My favorite of the year! Most shows have issues with pacing, but this series had perfect pacing. Add to that the perfect young lady playing Wednesday – she had the best lines and I wish I’d said most of them! <br />
<b><br />
1899</b><br />
Season two was cancelled (hiss!) but that should not stop you from watching this inventive, bizarre, creative show. <br />
<br />
<b>House of the Dragon</b><br />
Second best fantasy soap opera with dragons. I hated almost every character, but it was the most fascinating train wreck to watch. <br />
<b><br />
The Rings of Power</b><br />
Started out strong, dragged a bit in the middle, but had a solid finish. <br />
<br />
<b>The Sandman</b><br />
I’m partial to the graphic novel, however it seemed to capture the spirit of the book better than most. <br />
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<b>What We Do in the Shadows</b><br />
Season three a bit better than season two and still one of the silliest things on television. <br />
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<b>Love Death and Robots</b><br />
Season three was the strongest season yet, and the Jibaro episode was the most stunning animation I’ve ever seen. <br />
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<b>Outer Range</b><br />
If you like your shows trippy, this is the second trippiest (behind 1899) from last year. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjml3dqB8x_KXhcj7hDGbVJPRJcIB0qeIYiRW0QF3ZXG2u2_1z9C636pgY8Na5H92b9apLem0ty63q95f85ghytGizKNZK-R1qDzi1RSvhcvEGU1uz6KV_HDPrxQ6vRR3bZ3qNexGhJ7WOo_K4xOu-bCnbM8yRyN7MPREsTWh4WMLik8ZvduqcvYYkl/s726/resident-alien.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="726" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjml3dqB8x_KXhcj7hDGbVJPRJcIB0qeIYiRW0QF3ZXG2u2_1z9C636pgY8Na5H92b9apLem0ty63q95f85ghytGizKNZK-R1qDzi1RSvhcvEGU1uz6KV_HDPrxQ6vRR3bZ3qNexGhJ7WOo_K4xOu-bCnbM8yRyN7MPREsTWh4WMLik8ZvduqcvYYkl/w200-h113/resident-alien.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />Resident Alien</b><br />
Continues to be the most consistently hilarious show with characters you wouldn’t mind spending time with. Alan Tudyk and Corey Reynolds (the sheriff) steal the show – they are hilarious! <br />
<br />
<b>Raised by Wolves</b><br />
Sadly there will be no season three. Watch it for the bat-crap craziness but be warned, season two ended on a cliffhanger. (Such a crappy thing to do fans!) <br />
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<b>Tokyo Vice</b><br />
Fascinating show that really delves into the culture of Japan and the influence of the Yakuza. <br />
<br />
<b>Mystery Science Theater 3000</b><br />
With three hosts (and I’m partial to Jonah Ray), it was a little inconsistent but still funny and put a huge smile on my face. <br />
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<b>Reacher</b><br />
They finally did Jack Reacher right and gave him the show and the actor the character deserved. <br />
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<b>Book of Boba Fett</b><br />
Die-hard fans weren't impressed but I enjoyed it. We got to learn about Tusken Raiders! <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib05cqbftxNnGCiUPGyCL1V765EIH9TKBWe3ENJVYEFP98aHJ50Z8kjwC7h8zVhVFjB_A8RN9EpZLdvPa1e09kej51aELhEOxaqY3T2sjQwJp5ySKqXoIV1W5yp2U6ktpUy9XvqUlR1iHo4uNvgd3LJRaQCBCnCoB4XJshccjNflvNn9rsapy-fyWz/s1200/Peacemaker.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="810" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib05cqbftxNnGCiUPGyCL1V765EIH9TKBWe3ENJVYEFP98aHJ50Z8kjwC7h8zVhVFjB_A8RN9EpZLdvPa1e09kej51aELhEOxaqY3T2sjQwJp5ySKqXoIV1W5yp2U6ktpUy9XvqUlR1iHo4uNvgd3LJRaQCBCnCoB4XJshccjNflvNn9rsapy-fyWz/w135-h200/Peacemaker.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><br />Peacemaker</b><br />
Crude, rude, but completely hilarious! <br />
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<b>Clarkson’s Farm</b><br />
I learned so much about farming by watching Clarkson do it oh-so wrong and laughed my ass off. <br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Are you participating in #IWSGPit? Have you read The Blue Bar? Have you seen Pinocchio? And did you watch any of those shows last year?<br />
I’ll be back on February 1 for <a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html" target="_blank">Insecure Writer’s Support Group</a> day! But be sure to check out the site today as we are honored to have Janice Hardy visiting.</span></b></span><br /></div><div>
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</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-72084540735470941612023-01-09T01:00:00.079-05:002023-01-09T05:45:35.291-05:00Short Stories Make Awesome Movies, 1899 Review, Best Movies and Albums of 2022, and New Releases<div style="text-align: center;">Today I am kicking it off with a special guest and longtime friend, author <b><a href="https://www.annalisacrawford.com/" target="_blank">Annalisa Crawford!</a></b><br /><br />
<span style="background-color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Short Stories Make Awesome Movies</b></span></span><br /></div>
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<br />
If you’re hanging around Alex’s blog, there’s a good chance you love movies. And, as you probably already know, the best literary adaptations come from short stories rather than novels!
<br />
Why? Well, there’s just too much stuff in a novel – just compare Keira Knightley’s Pride & Prejudice with the 1995 BBC adaptation of ultimate perfection, and you get my drift. <br />
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(Note: when researching for this I realised ‘short story’ can be a very loose term, occasionally used for stories up to 50,000 words long—I have no idea what people are thinking, because my most recent novel was only a little longer than that!!) <br />
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Personally, I think there are at least two stories in my new short story collection, The Clocks in My Mother’s House that would make great films, in the very best of gritty British film tradition (Ken Loach, call me!), so to celebrate the launch, I thought I’d share some short stories which have already been there and done that. <br />
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<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald<br />
The Birds by Daphne du Maurier<br />
The Sentinel by Arthur C. Clark (2001: A Space Odessey) <br />
Memento Mori by Jonathan Nolan (inspired his brother’s Memento) <br />
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (so many films, but obviously A Muppets Christmas Carol is the best) </b></span><br />
What are your favourite short story inspired movies? <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKdexcdBwPi9qxfhoZ_onOUpQvc15lDUJZUCMZxK79zRe3sUyqZhlivgrL_OBUtRARsCBZqMY2JpSR6ME_pwsAOavad4opE1cFFv8YwRQfBXMr-ZLSRr6Aq89Yfr4VBPM8eKHOyrfgxbJHo34MH4dZy5fQj6J-03zlv8_rtWb9goOfKLgtTHix_9Z/s1229/Clocks%20ebook%20FINAL%20-%201600%20x%202560.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1229" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKdexcdBwPi9qxfhoZ_onOUpQvc15lDUJZUCMZxK79zRe3sUyqZhlivgrL_OBUtRARsCBZqMY2JpSR6ME_pwsAOavad4opE1cFFv8YwRQfBXMr-ZLSRr6Aq89Yfr4VBPM8eKHOyrfgxbJHo34MH4dZy5fQj6J-03zlv8_rtWb9goOfKLgtTHix_9Z/s320/Clocks%20ebook%20FINAL%20-%201600%20x%202560.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />The Clock in My Mother’s House</b><br />
(Pub date: 10 January 2023 – tomorrow, eek!) <br />
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<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><b>Life can change in an instant, but that’s not always a bad thing. <br />
<br />
A hotel explodes leaving staff and guests in peril; a woman retrieves an old clock from the attic with disturbing consequences; one man leaves heart break behind him, and another arrives to bring adventure. <br />
<br />
In this haunting collection, Annalisa Crawford creates characters who will charm, captivate and intrigue you. </b></i></span><br />
<br />
Buy <b>The Clock in My Mother’s House <a href="https://books2read.com/clock-in-mothers-house" target="_blank">here.</a></b><br />
Annalisa Crawford lives in Cornwall, UK, with a good supply of moorland and beaches to keep her inspired. She lives with her husband, and canine writing partner, Artoo. She is the author of four short story collections, and two novels. <br />
Find Annalisa at her <a href="https://www.annalisacrawford.com/" target="_blank">website,</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/annalisacrawford.author" target="_blank">Facebook,</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/AnnalisaCrawf" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>New Releases</b></span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjd_zt-pXWLODRpkORM7ssSU1WJAH_w07eVV5u_tvsxsFY3btRDQxR0bZGlrxrtwrgbsJ5JEY2YzOmKfEUjF2yVriR_DUKxhaeeal57sGqXXuDzPXffRnL9leFByfGT_Ob7-_4BAerfPIaJnhGAjEG9zkwDfxQQZTA19f2j4nuWwDrg1i7NZPlnBJL/s400/25%20Impossible%20Tales%20Cover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="251" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjd_zt-pXWLODRpkORM7ssSU1WJAH_w07eVV5u_tvsxsFY3btRDQxR0bZGlrxrtwrgbsJ5JEY2YzOmKfEUjF2yVriR_DUKxhaeeal57sGqXXuDzPXffRnL9leFByfGT_Ob7-_4BAerfPIaJnhGAjEG9zkwDfxQQZTA19f2j4nuWwDrg1i7NZPlnBJL/w126-h200/25%20Impossible%20Tales%20Cover.jpg" width="126" /></a></div><br />25 Impossible Tales of Survivors, Flawed Heroes, and Annoyed Villains: A Science Fiction and Fantasy Collection by <a href="http://tyreanswritingspot.blogspot.com/2023/01/new-book-release-25-impossible-tales.html" target="_blank">Tyrean Martinson</a></b><br />
<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>No matter how hard circumstances are, there is hope for survival, even if it means making one simple choice in the right direction or standing up in the face of impossible odds. <br />
But the question remains: What is the right direction and which way is up? </b></span><br />
Find it at <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BGT65CMF" target="_blank">Amazon</a> and <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1168403" target="_blank">Smashwords</a><br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTlr2U3cTkQ05yoFmh0FQObBw1kHRuSryj3KST3ng0Qp1m7Cg_n-Aia87-j35XGh47PfXxC4uo4lpA5b51J-4CgUhR0rEavweM231Fi2EL2QLxW86f1tLTFW7tIvWxR3-fGZN2v_6IHOLcmlPhrWBdUFRFbJ0RC2XOWzkHb1er4TDjibcZwtBfLrM/s269/The%20Blue%20Bar.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="180" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTlr2U3cTkQ05yoFmh0FQObBw1kHRuSryj3KST3ng0Qp1m7Cg_n-Aia87-j35XGh47PfXxC4uo4lpA5b51J-4CgUhR0rEavweM231Fi2EL2QLxW86f1tLTFW7tIvWxR3-fGZN2v_6IHOLcmlPhrWBdUFRFbJ0RC2XOWzkHb1er4TDjibcZwtBfLrM/w134-h200/The%20Blue%20Bar.jpg" width="134" /></a></div><br />The Blue Bar by <a href="https://www.damyantiwrites.com/
" target="_blank">Damyanti Biswas</a></b><br />
<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>A serial killer. A missing dancer. A Mumbai inspector on their trail. <br />
Cold-case murders in Mumbai are unearthing decades of dark secrets. <br />
Dead or alive, he must find her. He can’t put the past to rest until he solve</b><b>s it. </b></span><br />
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And she will be a guest here in just two weeks to tell you more about her second release! <br />
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<span style="background-color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>
1899 Review</b></span></span><br /></div></div><div>
<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFE5uE4_gjz2IhIagPpDC9-mJAvBmMXFmHB5JS1Sq0joj4Mmri8LA0AO2K4RZJW7BdI7haYlRfxutP7z1AwZVid3ilDDtlIdIgJDGCcJg7nw-9pzHNVC4oz_aLo1A_-oOti9D_Ab8TcII4ANoaO3GxQG1POgqXrh2HhdmTRB-0NzD9fxwUdfmGg2Y_/s1250/1899.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFE5uE4_gjz2IhIagPpDC9-mJAvBmMXFmHB5JS1Sq0joj4Mmri8LA0AO2K4RZJW7BdI7haYlRfxutP7z1AwZVid3ilDDtlIdIgJDGCcJg7nw-9pzHNVC4oz_aLo1A_-oOti9D_Ab8TcII4ANoaO3GxQG1POgqXrh2HhdmTRB-0NzD9fxwUdfmGg2Y_/s320/1899.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><br />A ship encounters a ship that's been missing for four months and strange things begin to happen.<br />
Ramps the weirdness to <b>eleven</b>. <br />
They do a great job slowly unveiling the mystery. <br />
It’s a very complex cast of characters and the actors portray them with believability. <br />
It’s a quality production – the ship, scenery, everything looks amazing. <br />
Unfortunately, I can’t say much because then it would get into spoiler territory and ruin the experience for everyone. <br />
And sadly, this was to be three seasons, but Netflix has cancelled this popular show. However, do not let that deter you from watching it – there is some resolution. <br />
Highly recommended! <br />
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<span style="background-color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Top 2022 Movies and Albums</b></span></span><br /></div><div>
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In two weeks I’ll cover the best shows, but for now, here are the best movies and albums this past year.<br />
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<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Top 2022 Albums (Taking into account my taste in music, which leans toward prog rock and Scandinavian metal.)</b></span></span><br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzKq011b_JgTnXfUWJFH8Ew3lMUTvABUm4mS52EGjqZcBlUN9MnKyjNiqPITmQdEsM3FO5R5G45vPDV_lv78iliIYnz7Qy6sKJZwLxmyARotXX7wcrmA8g_Ob0ikZSI1fEIEQ-s9648QD1fHe2jnxrWsrJnN7xB-58NzEtMFbsLvbE5vVOUuHRKYj/s360/Wilderun-Epigone.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="360" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzKq011b_JgTnXfUWJFH8Ew3lMUTvABUm4mS52EGjqZcBlUN9MnKyjNiqPITmQdEsM3FO5R5G45vPDV_lv78iliIYnz7Qy6sKJZwLxmyARotXX7wcrmA8g_Ob0ikZSI1fEIEQ-s9648QD1fHe2jnxrWsrJnN7xB-58NzEtMFbsLvbE5vVOUuHRKYj/w200-h200/Wilderun-Epigone.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />Wilderun – Epigone</b> -Best album of the year. It encompasses everything I love about music. <br />
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<b>Megadeth – The Sick, the Dying, and the Dead </b>– Another solid effort from Dave and a bit heavier than recent albums. <br />
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<b>Muse – Will of the People</b> – One of the most varied and entertaining albums of the year. There is something for everyone. <br />
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<b>Dynazty – Final Advent</b> – Almost every song is an earworm. It’s a metal album with pop sensibilities. <br />
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<b>Star One – Revel in Time</b> – Super fun album. Really corny and cool at the same time.<br />
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<b>Devin Townsend – Lightwork</b> – Coming after Empath, this is a more restrained effort. It’s mellow and relaxing. <br />
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<b>Threshold – Dividing Lines</b> – After many, many albums these guys are still putting out great music. A solid album. <br />
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<b>Visions of Atlantis – Pirates </b>– My vote for most surprising album of the year. Very catchy and entertaining all the way through. <br />
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<b>Amorphis – Halo</b> – Great at times although it falls just short of their previous, brilliant effort.<br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Top 2022 movies</b></span></span><br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9wiO0wqssz5jLRLFcNUgdd9lliVSP5JqON04IIl1EzLqelir4PGtjaZ2Itv5VqATMqJ9qRA4VtQAJjZQGSQd90lI2hA_KYEZzlM-0kG-8s6ufDu_-ju6QZ2fo_LFGHnYIq8ZhAIQCvyTocqKjhbB1ByBxPI97RHzOFaPN7QtaugqSsjiFn_Ck9sBY/s292/the-batman.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="292" data-original-width="216" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9wiO0wqssz5jLRLFcNUgdd9lliVSP5JqON04IIl1EzLqelir4PGtjaZ2Itv5VqATMqJ9qRA4VtQAJjZQGSQd90lI2hA_KYEZzlM-0kG-8s6ufDu_-ju6QZ2fo_LFGHnYIq8ZhAIQCvyTocqKjhbB1ByBxPI97RHzOFaPN7QtaugqSsjiFn_Ck9sBY/w148-h200/the-batman.jpg" width="148" /></a></div><br />The Batman</b> – My favorite film of the year. It’s not a Bruce Wayne film – it’s a Batman movie wrapped around a mystery and totally brilliant. <br />
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Avatar: The Way of Water</b> – My second favorite. (I must have a thing for three hour movies.) Fans of the first will adore this one, and it's breathtaking in 3D. <br />
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<b>Black Adam</b> – Really solid DC film. It was great to see the Justice Society on the big screen. <br />
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<b>Prey</b> – Another favorite and the surprise of the year. The concept and setting are stellar. <br />
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<b>Minions: The Rise of Gru </b>– Super entertaining and fun film. It’s what you’d expect although they keep it fresh. <br />
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<b>The Northman </b>– When art house film meets violent action movie, it’s very entertaining. Plus the cinematography is amazing.<br />
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<b>The Adam Project </b>– One of the better direct to NetFlix films. Reynolds plays Reynolds but it’s a fun science fiction romp.<br />
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<b>Spiderhead</b> – Another direct to streaming. The story was intriguing and the leads did a great job. <br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">What are your favorite short stories to movies? Did you watch 1899? What were your favorite movies and albums of 2022?
Don’t forget <a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-twitter-pitch.html" target="_blank">#IWSGPit</a> is January 25.<br />
I will be back in two weeks with Damyanti Biswas, some more reviews, and the bets shows of 2022! </span><br />
</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-86465735635524081672023-01-04T01:00:00.062-05:002023-01-04T01:00:00.310-05:00Insecure Writer’s Support Group; #IWSGPit; Reviews – Avatar, Wednesday, and Puss in Boots; and January Movie Preview!<div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7T4AG5gN500IMIIzRIMUozlnVkS4313heglF6Gx7MzGdv7kMKOWwo7D_0muhQUGTY3femqh_kKNNRTB-7RHa1h1hqlFlOo-q3VomjnIAfWvYiNSgqjPhASeGhUpeAjDcncg8akgcxEWo8FnzPCmaw1cbHWOzewpWLafB7AmpaVixvfmFkdse6lc7/s932/IWSG.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="932" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7T4AG5gN500IMIIzRIMUozlnVkS4313heglF6Gx7MzGdv7kMKOWwo7D_0muhQUGTY3femqh_kKNNRTB-7RHa1h1hqlFlOo-q3VomjnIAfWvYiNSgqjPhASeGhUpeAjDcncg8akgcxEWo8FnzPCmaw1cbHWOzewpWLafB7AmpaVixvfmFkdse6lc7/w200-h197/IWSG.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />It’s time for another group posting of the <b><a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html" target="_blank">Insecure Writer’s Support Group!</a> </b>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.<br />
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The awesome co-hosts for the January 4 posting of the IWSG are <b><a href="http://jemimapett.com/blog/" target="_blank">Jemima Pett,</a> <a href="https://fictioncanbefun.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Debs Carey,</a> <a href="http://kimlajevardi.com/" target="_blank">Kim Lajevardi,</a> <a href="http://thefauxfountainpen.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Sarah Foster,</a> <a href="http://www.literaryrambles.com/" target="_blank">Natalie Aguirre,</a> </b>and <b><a href="http://journalingwoman.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">T. Powell Coltrin!</a></b><br />
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<b>January 4 question </b>- Do you have a word of the year? Is there one word that sums up what you need to work on or change in the coming year? For instance, in 2021 my word of the year was Finish. I was determined to finish my first draft by the end of the year. In 2022, my word of the year is Ease. I want to get my process, systems, finances, and routines where life flows with ease and less chaos. What is your word for 2023? Why? <br />
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After this past year – heck the past three years – my word is faith. Faith in my God, in Truth, and in myself.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fcff01;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMEA-YjDYeyB-zVsIGyL_ogwWk1Z6vJfdBKUNaSx-pjG9P0-5DzSrcemyEG-KWlmlkM2jWyaahaS_4O8voAA3xmU07l7j7Gb7S-_aVonc_QBwbvOTe08agRfg9Reo1vreMAkKLISbLXPtcTAHsO7-FAjzW3rvvoUivnC3M7mcfLuGozHxxSgoaCVDo/s360/IWSG%20Pitch%202023.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="360" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMEA-YjDYeyB-zVsIGyL_ogwWk1Z6vJfdBKUNaSx-pjG9P0-5DzSrcemyEG-KWlmlkM2jWyaahaS_4O8voAA3xmU07l7j7Gb7S-_aVonc_QBwbvOTe08agRfg9Reo1vreMAkKLISbLXPtcTAHsO7-FAjzW3rvvoUivnC3M7mcfLuGozHxxSgoaCVDo/s320/IWSG%20Pitch%202023.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />#IWSGPit is coming! </b></span></div>
The next #IWSGPit will be January 25<br />
9:00 am - 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time<br />
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Create a Twitter-length pitch for your completed and polished manuscript and leave room for genre, age, and the hashtag. On January 25, 2023, Tweet your pitch. If your pitch receives a favorite/heart from a publisher/agent check their submission guidelines and send your requested query. <br />
Many writers have seen their books published from a Twitter pitch - it’s a quick and easy way to put your manuscript in front of publishers and agents. <br />
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Get the full details <b><a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-twitter-pitch.html" target="_blank">here.</a></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKt9GKEt1qPGblVXJ7hqa4VYJbsiuOZiGDYlqjYevjZ2F94znbXgz-OjiSu8HPWqUI8RxoPrSltAsa3_cCrniT9GAi1iVXwBGnoei5qhdiCWVid64r3H4Xszrk5Yck4xeAW9bvPcoJHCPVetlJeFcV3F9xxvD1Eh-0tVVoxQibNWxNeGQGAZxAZbm4/s288/IWSG%20Goodreads.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="288" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKt9GKEt1qPGblVXJ7hqa4VYJbsiuOZiGDYlqjYevjZ2F94znbXgz-OjiSu8HPWqUI8RxoPrSltAsa3_cCrniT9GAi1iVXwBGnoei5qhdiCWVid64r3H4Xszrk5Yck4xeAW9bvPcoJHCPVetlJeFcV3F9xxvD1Eh-0tVVoxQibNWxNeGQGAZxAZbm4/w200-h200/IWSG%20Goodreads.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />Here are the January selections for the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/214387-the-insecure-writer-s-support-group-book-club" target="_blank">IWSG Goodreads Book Club</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36273731-fractions-of-existence" target="_blank">Fractions of Existence (Existence #1) by J Lenni Dorner</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28915986-the-emotional-craft-of-fiction" target="_blank">The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fcff01;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">We need IWSG co-hosts for the next three months! Leave a comment or shoot me an email if you can help in February, March, or April.</span></b></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Reviews</b></span></span><br /></div><div>
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilYSOc2Kzdyh258xwZRJ0LDDFx3K1JyaIW7fkGQ362EZvE69p5nybc5V0RiA_TiTHN2B8bBG3to2KsJPEkx2vAHgFFDwFLFfyB_lf99gMUxMOqB3IaXhocGcFKiBCO1fD5D-RjAsXGear8duiWQmYFJ26y3UqBChY1fMbcdzNRsDU8MamFvgSZgHcF/s711/Avatar.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="711" data-original-width="569" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilYSOc2Kzdyh258xwZRJ0LDDFx3K1JyaIW7fkGQ362EZvE69p5nybc5V0RiA_TiTHN2B8bBG3to2KsJPEkx2vAHgFFDwFLFfyB_lf99gMUxMOqB3IaXhocGcFKiBCO1fD5D-RjAsXGear8duiWQmYFJ26y3UqBChY1fMbcdzNRsDU8MamFvgSZgHcF/s320/Avatar.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><br />Avatar: The Way of Water</b><br />
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We return to Pandora many years later. Jake and Neytiri’s family is threatened when the Sky People return and they must hide with a water clan of Na’vi. <br />
Yes, it’s over three hours long. No, you won’t even notice. You’ll be so enthralled by what you are watching. <br />
The first Avatar was groundbreaking with its special effects and ten-plus years later, this one does the same. The underwater scenes are beyond stunning. As are most scenes in the film. <br />
It’s a simple story, told in detail. It’s full and rich, with incredible creatures and characters you care about. You’ll be surprised by who plays some of them as well. <br />
Cameron pays tribute to his own Titanic at the end. And that final battle is almost a third of the movie! <br />
Do not skimp – see it in 3D. <br />
Highly recommended! <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMwgwLkfet2moIjhdnI57K2LxQv7jwaJazrWJb33p0shs0rY_nuWmGtnys9YT3ps_N6ZlYnKM6_L-65JF6pA5W0Da0YApUbwa_ubfICFQv40Q_qCqpUs66y1xTsz3AlI-Nfc1BAaNmtTP6QCtt34wGjH1uf3rjbYRsT2-1DFLu0Wvscg9-zQMzOSG/s640/Wednesday.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="432" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMwgwLkfet2moIjhdnI57K2LxQv7jwaJazrWJb33p0shs0rY_nuWmGtnys9YT3ps_N6ZlYnKM6_L-65JF6pA5W0Da0YApUbwa_ubfICFQv40Q_qCqpUs66y1xTsz3AlI-Nfc1BAaNmtTP6QCtt34wGjH1uf3rjbYRsT2-1DFLu0Wvscg9-zQMzOSG/s320/Wednesday.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br />Wednesday</b><br />
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Wednesday Adams is sent to Nevermore Academy where she deals with monsters, mysteries, and an annoying perky roommate. <br />
This is the best series this year! <br />
The girl who plays Wednesday nails it – perfectly. Her delivery, her expression, how she speaks, it’s all just prefect. Plus her dialogue and attitude are hilarious. <br />
The entire cast is well fleshed-out, with no agenda, just real people with real issues. (Well, as real as werewolves and the like can get.) <br />
The story spans eight episodes and it’s just the right length. <br />
Highly recommended! <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJxeRVfe0wz43xg4rmKKrAopURuWKn089axtTIOFOCOu6v4FJCXqmY4dZf8LXB5jubLrTbTox_3M9g_xDBUzKUxB9sU4ZknQUbSqeodNWuy9QvTtDclxAGDrAFBo2MVCDzrWrIGuxR50_Y0HLmzRubSnSKdqlfxaaUtJ_RVg8FlMbYLkCpmvMDEq0/s656/Puss%20in%20Boots.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="432" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJxeRVfe0wz43xg4rmKKrAopURuWKn089axtTIOFOCOu6v4FJCXqmY4dZf8LXB5jubLrTbTox_3M9g_xDBUzKUxB9sU4ZknQUbSqeodNWuy9QvTtDclxAGDrAFBo2MVCDzrWrIGuxR50_Y0HLmzRubSnSKdqlfxaaUtJ_RVg8FlMbYLkCpmvMDEq0/s320/Puss%20in%20Boots.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><br />Puss in Boots</b><br />
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Puss has used eight of his nine lives and sets out to find the mythical Last Wish. <br />
Voice actors include Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Harvey Guillen, Florence Pugh, and Ray Winstone. <br />
Did you like the first Puss in Boots? Then you will enjoy this one. <br />
A solid cast and humorous adventure story pack in some fun entertainment. The film is often just silly but that’s its charm. The characters have heart though and ultimately they are all looking for the same thing – a family. <br />
The animation is really good and what you’d expect for this offshoot of the Shrek franchise. <br />
Recommended<br />
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<span style="background-color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>January Movie Preview</b></span></span><br /></div><div>
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Here are the theatrical releases for January. Descriptions courtesy of the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/" target="_blank">IMDB.</a> Snark provided by me.<br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7LVii3HtZmXppgc5VgCKRaN3wiJj-nCNWJ4BP-mJIkrn0RoS7B6vvUHqrElA1rSV8eUePn0ofZ5ha6Po-boQGNkhZsuJXpQyKykdQ96TDZKV-o2C0AsV1MIppqrhQAdZpBP5_Q4vtqCWV9LyaiiEsrEmNtsr-NgpDOO8nQnPxxugE4cXEInjRJy--/s192/Otto.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="154" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7LVii3HtZmXppgc5VgCKRaN3wiJj-nCNWJ4BP-mJIkrn0RoS7B6vvUHqrElA1rSV8eUePn0ofZ5ha6Po-boQGNkhZsuJXpQyKykdQ96TDZKV-o2C0AsV1MIppqrhQAdZpBP5_Q4vtqCWV9LyaiiEsrEmNtsr-NgpDOO8nQnPxxugE4cXEInjRJy--/s1600/Otto.jpg" width="154" /></a></div><br />4 - </b></span><br />
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<b>A Man Called Otto</b><br />
Director: Marc Forster<br />
Stars: Tom Hanks, John Higgins, Tony Bingham<br />
Otto is a grump who's given up on life following the loss of his wife and wants to end it all. When a young family moves in nearby, he meets his match in quick-witted Marisol, leading to a friendship that will turn his world around. <br />
<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><b>I wonder if tacocat is also a grump...</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvZixEDrSpS-c5eyWR0kI_Dr6ZyYLbibSei-qf2vCPXfMx2iAZqehLDPF7t3dinErKMEN35nI9eW9p-fXxc60DqcVjMs0SFcZPXXVlH4Uyd7eaFzNlMy0O4TWgJ-NJidz8-kH3XmbCRELZaK0xhok4-TMPVs_0-aLSfFt_H2yquiU9UNUF_cO31vD/s192/Operation%20Fortunre.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="130" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvZixEDrSpS-c5eyWR0kI_Dr6ZyYLbibSei-qf2vCPXfMx2iAZqehLDPF7t3dinErKMEN35nI9eW9p-fXxc60DqcVjMs0SFcZPXXVlH4Uyd7eaFzNlMy0O4TWgJ-NJidz8-kH3XmbCRELZaK0xhok4-TMPVs_0-aLSfFt_H2yquiU9UNUF_cO31vD/s1600/Operation%20Fortunre.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br />12 - </b></span><br />
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<b>Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre</b><br />
Director: Guy Ritchie<br />
Stars: Jason Statham, Hugh Grant, Aubrey Plaza, Cary Elwes<br />
Special agent Orson Fortune and his team of operatives recruit one of Hollywood's biggest movie stars to help them on an undercover mission when the sale of a deadly new weapons technology threatens to disrupt the world order.<br />
<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><b>Statham stars in a new action thriller that will eventually come down to him just punching people</b></i></span>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">What is your word for 2023? Participating in #IWSGPit? (If you’re a published author, please let your publisher or agent know about it!) Seen either movie or Wednesday? Seeing any movies this month? And can you co-host the IWSG?<br />
Hope everyone enjoyed the holiday! I will be back Monday with a guest and some other fun stuff.</span> <br /></div><div>
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</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com86tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8699262959296846764.post-65178951758197614052022-12-07T03:00:00.062-05:002022-12-08T19:22:47.793-05:00Insecure Writer’s Support Group, December Movie Preview, Movie-Show Reviews, and IWSG Stuff!<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD0nx2x_JrhQMnP78cuwtckAqwx2Ana-hVANy5NsoBJzcHS39VK8Xpqz-qhVb7HJba-ZSCDyadtDdCl2BfDwKHvTdYtRVfNYovsdhnmyIWxehzQ8p9rwWPkglld6cWa_1A6A4UKdUujikAh5clB6Gg66dM4XeBlL2ZrUoo5S39dhlZTvfYC89VmJid/s932/IWSG.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="932" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD0nx2x_JrhQMnP78cuwtckAqwx2Ana-hVANy5NsoBJzcHS39VK8Xpqz-qhVb7HJba-ZSCDyadtDdCl2BfDwKHvTdYtRVfNYovsdhnmyIWxehzQ8p9rwWPkglld6cWa_1A6A4UKdUujikAh5clB6Gg66dM4XeBlL2ZrUoo5S39dhlZTvfYC89VmJid/w200-h197/IWSG.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />It’s time for another group posting of the <b><a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html" target="_blank">Insecure Writer’s Support Group!</a></b> 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.<br />
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The awesome co-hosts for the December 7 posting of the IWSG are <b><a href="https://joylenebutler.com/blog" target="_blank">Joylene Nowell Butler,</a> <a href="http://hogwartssabbatical.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Chemist Ken,</a> <a href="http://www.literaryrambles.com/" target="_blank">Natalie Aguirre,</a> </b><a href="https://nancygideon.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><b>Nancy Gideon</b>,</a> and <b><a href="http://cathrinaconstantine.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Cathrina Constantine!</a></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fcff01;"><b>December 7 question</b></span> - It's holiday time! Are the holidays a time to catch up or fall behind on writer goals? <br />
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I usually keep my goals a bit lower since there is so much going on this month. But I usually accomplish what I set out to do. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOW6W4RQAFvK33PsgSpeKNX4iShqQOlbI5pDhfalL41TX5wBuAXa-vpn5_SrOkUS7laXYnRi6jmtXrRUgkwR1_Xwh5IRc3urHJ4qKt_-DrzoKc8emvqMJDxBGdwBU-WLmql06I_z0aUBSXYXf2mLrj64rFEblt4doVflEnessptFoU1ulGsJZmIELi/s360/IWSG%20Pitch%202023.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="360" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOW6W4RQAFvK33PsgSpeKNX4iShqQOlbI5pDhfalL41TX5wBuAXa-vpn5_SrOkUS7laXYnRi6jmtXrRUgkwR1_Xwh5IRc3urHJ4qKt_-DrzoKc8emvqMJDxBGdwBU-WLmql06I_z0aUBSXYXf2mLrj64rFEblt4doVflEnessptFoU1ulGsJZmIELi/s320/IWSG%20Pitch%202023.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />#IWSGPit is coming! </b><br />
The next #IWSGPit will be in January 25, 2023<br />
9:00 am - 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time<br />
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Create a Twitter-length pitch for your completed and polished manuscript and leave room for genre, age, and the hashtag. On January 25, 2023, Tweet your pitch. If your pitch receives a favorite/heart from a publisher/agent check their submission guidelines and send your requested query. <br />
Many writers have seen their books published from a Twitter pitch - it’s a quick and easy way to put your manuscript in front of publishers and agents. <br />
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Get the full details <a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-twitter-pitch.html" target="_blank">here.</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ESqp7XQqi8n-EchaXHaGKSjQeXQVjewTZvhGEeHTTM81YQoQmfUrekPTMZeBTkt8D30Ihhdhd_v02a6VhADWU7u8iS1CRZzkbX-B1VCbsGgRMr4DPxLaq2Naukt4bGA_B_eF645YAIfOa4nFRtVqEL6nggHMAk4Gl9SaHxs3bz5xs_j2crjoHy72/s1080/2022-12.gif" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ESqp7XQqi8n-EchaXHaGKSjQeXQVjewTZvhGEeHTTM81YQoQmfUrekPTMZeBTkt8D30Ihhdhd_v02a6VhADWU7u8iS1CRZzkbX-B1VCbsGgRMr4DPxLaq2Naukt4bGA_B_eF645YAIfOa4nFRtVqEL6nggHMAk4Gl9SaHxs3bz5xs_j2crjoHy72/w200-h200/2022-12.gif" width="200" /></a></div><br />Here are the December selections for the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/214387-the-insecure-writer-s-support-group-book-club" target="_blank">IWSG Goodread Book Club</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41556326-little-ragdoll" target="_blank">Little Ragdoll by Carrie-Anne Brownian</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/180467.Self_Editing_for_Fiction_Writers" target="_blank">Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King</a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;"><span><b>Reviews</b></span></span><br /></div><div>
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-1dkaIrZUTVZoRJAGpaI1JfkmjVNM1V5wmnpA3YAMTJVLMucboCnM-aKIP68t_uYqIb1HJwIV_S0Gp9A2Gbco1rWpZRg2btDXmcNScAzNrbLTGI3J8-xtUwdTcCt23CavaMhK1cZjsJ0cD2WE_TieaL4H566cHbvFrB6ZZFumDaP6cLCu_jHxVgu/s424/Wakanda%20Forever.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="288" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-1dkaIrZUTVZoRJAGpaI1JfkmjVNM1V5wmnpA3YAMTJVLMucboCnM-aKIP68t_uYqIb1HJwIV_S0Gp9A2Gbco1rWpZRg2btDXmcNScAzNrbLTGI3J8-xtUwdTcCt23CavaMhK1cZjsJ0cD2WE_TieaL4H566cHbvFrB6ZZFumDaP6cLCu_jHxVgu/w136-h200/Wakanda%20Forever.jpg" width="136" /></a></div><br />Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</b><br />
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Nice tribute to Chadwick Boseman and the Black Panther character. <br />
It was also a very emotional film as it dealt with death, grief, and moving on. <br />
However, it just didn’t quite rise to the same level as the first one and something felt missing. (And beyond Boseman.) I just didn’t connect with it or Namor – just can’t quite place my finger on it. <br />
And of course, it was way too long. Cut thirty minutes and it might’ve been a tighter, better film. <br />
Certainly worth seeing once. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5dUU_lPiq6fUxQp-3OMkUlPWXJ3O64EzKMPFvqfOiO5irVkwsyYFuWBKxAMtdNK-C2p4lrrvQ1pONh9s_ozQ0FhD8ZahmhocnGSKrthHnoRGeXdD2rqHSgmPCn-UP98GigpL7OGQqGacBOCD5MTqmxQHS9pParRLFEKk2-SPIq64bKIAJTON2VEbG/s630/Cabinet%20of%20Curiosities.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="450" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5dUU_lPiq6fUxQp-3OMkUlPWXJ3O64EzKMPFvqfOiO5irVkwsyYFuWBKxAMtdNK-C2p4lrrvQ1pONh9s_ozQ0FhD8ZahmhocnGSKrthHnoRGeXdD2rqHSgmPCn-UP98GigpL7OGQqGacBOCD5MTqmxQHS9pParRLFEKk2-SPIq64bKIAJTON2VEbG/w143-h200/Cabinet%20of%20Curiosities.jpg" width="143" /></a></div><br />Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities</b><br />
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This horror series dropped on NetFlix late October. Eight episodes, eight different directors. <br />
Interesting mix of horror, some worked much better than others. Quality and acting are all top notch, it’s just the story itself that lets me down a few times. <br />
A couple of the stories are based on Lovecraft. <br />
The best are polar opposites – The Autopsy will have you covering your eyes while The Murmuring will haunt and touch you. <br />
I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would enjoy it. But if you like horror, it’s a decent mix of stories. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEird2d8HK336cB0x-9R_0XXYy2tny7dcg5z11yY-TuVeT4YBXLrgg42vo-bwi3cJmc9N_C_kWccqE9RuL_WvNy0qJynzRjZc0Jv6ej6iZ2K2r7pgwBrDMex1q-1ledMwXtwI0kZog6pyd9X6DcuRLlOXkmUGy5wqTTSqfSqXodvwSPlZhwTKUxxKRI1/s351/contractor.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="351" data-original-width="238" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEird2d8HK336cB0x-9R_0XXYy2tny7dcg5z11yY-TuVeT4YBXLrgg42vo-bwi3cJmc9N_C_kWccqE9RuL_WvNy0qJynzRjZc0Jv6ej6iZ2K2r7pgwBrDMex1q-1ledMwXtwI0kZog6pyd9X6DcuRLlOXkmUGy5wqTTSqfSqXodvwSPlZhwTKUxxKRI1/w136-h200/contractor.jpg" width="136" /></a></div><br />The Contractor</b><br />
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Chris Pine is a discharged Special Forces guy who is contracted out to a private organization. Then things go wrong. <br />
The main problem is it takes almost a third of the way in before the film gets interesting. Once it does, it’s picks up the pace and your interest as it throws you full into the action.
Pine holds his own in a movie that really isn’t anything you haven’t seen before. <br />
Worth a watch if you’re a Chris Pine fan or bored. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: #ff00fe;"><b>December Movie Preview</b></span></span><br /></div><div>
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Here are the theatrical releases for December. Descriptions courtesy of the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/" target="_blank">IMDB.</a> Snark provided by me.<br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJJNA2LeopuzVbZm_ubNkBpqOtpHqhhM2iyz-HNa0k2cAFfhqgB-InU3piM8xhfjkxQZnJla2TN3o7d86bfMugJJSFJVHowpIRGXUqGWWJrXuVIos4kzJf1_9CfrngXTVnXPk2fXqbpeW6b6UVeqXzhyzlCLvOSnR6IhzC7kFhe0zdc4xV5CB4U3S/s1200/avatar-the-way-of-water-poster-960x1200.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="960" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJJNA2LeopuzVbZm_ubNkBpqOtpHqhhM2iyz-HNa0k2cAFfhqgB-InU3piM8xhfjkxQZnJla2TN3o7d86bfMugJJSFJVHowpIRGXUqGWWJrXuVIos4kzJf1_9CfrngXTVnXPk2fXqbpeW6b6UVeqXzhyzlCLvOSnR6IhzC7kFhe0zdc4xV5CB4U3S/w160-h200/avatar-the-way-of-water-poster-960x1200.jpg" width="160" /></a></div><br />16 –</b></span><br />
<b><br />Avatar: The Way of Water</b><br />
Director: James Cameron<br />
Stars: Zoe Saldana, Kate Winslet, Sam Worthington<br />
Jake Sully lives with his newfound family formed on the planet of Pandora. Once a familiar threat returns to finish what was previously started, Jake must work with Neytiri and the army of the Na'vi race to protect their planet. <br />
<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><b>The Na’vi are blue because the water is really damn cold. </b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAnERtM1IsiEH8RscWwCBs4Wv8VQQ29NjGNC1TaJeKmtUrKkpLT7j-dmS36H4jj1d5egyn973irLcQ46KPi_KmxkNNEhf8M2My1ZagaY0Dc1rtxm9eYkFnLHFq0ZiM0VijJiMqKBNs2prTaZExZk0CWMx24FUWbDaw27xwo6kaYDLFF0QLlNBHq-q/s219/Puss%20in%20Boots.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="219" data-original-width="144" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAnERtM1IsiEH8RscWwCBs4Wv8VQQ29NjGNC1TaJeKmtUrKkpLT7j-dmS36H4jj1d5egyn973irLcQ46KPi_KmxkNNEhf8M2My1ZagaY0Dc1rtxm9eYkFnLHFq0ZiM0VijJiMqKBNs2prTaZExZk0CWMx24FUWbDaw27xwo6kaYDLFF0QLlNBHq-q/s1600/Puss%20in%20Boots.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><br />21 –</b></span><br />
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<b>Puss in Boots: The Last Wish</b><br />
Directors: Joel Crawford, Januel Mercado<br />
Stars: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Harvey Guillén<br />
Puss in Boots discovers that his passion for adventure has taken its toll: he has burned through eight of his nine lives. Puss sets out on an epic journey to find the mythical Last Wish and restore his nine lives. <br />
<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><b>Actually, his last wish is to reverse his neutering. </b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Don't forget that today, December 7, marks the anniversary of Pearl Harbor.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I will be mostly offline after this week. <br />
I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. <br />
As a Christian, I do celebrate the birth of our Lord, as it was His sacrifice that set me free – set everyone free who believes in Him. He is my Father, my salvation, and my peace, and I will never forget that. May He bless all of you! </span><br /></div><div>
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</div>Alex J. Cavanaughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com77