Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Irascible Immortals Jams, and March Movie Preview

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts for the March 5 posting of the IWSG are Ronel Janse Van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, and Liza @ Middle Passages!

March 5 question - If for one day you could be anyone or *thing* in the world, what would it be? Describe, tell why, and any themes, goals, or values they/it inspire in you.

Honestly, I just want to be me. That’s enough. Sure, I could be John Petrucci for a day – I’m the greatest guitarist in the world. And then it would be – Hey, I’m back to sucking again. Too disappointing!

We are saying goodbye to Michelle Wallace who has been an IWSG admin since the beginning. We will really miss her and appreciate all the years of dedication she has given us.
Diane has stepped up to take over the IWSG Facebook group and introduced several new weekly prompts, so be sure to check them out this month.
We do need another admin who is also on Facebook to help with the group. If you are interested in becoming a part of the awesome IWSG team, working behind the scenes, send me an email or leave a comment!

And finally, special mention to the awesome Truedessa who wrote a poem that ties in with my book, Dragon of the Stars - Somewhere Beyond the Stars

Irascible Immortals Jams!

I enjoy listening to music while writing. Because the Irascible Immortals series needed a bit of crazy, I added some songs that aren’t my usual style (think Vengaboys and Wham!), but I had a lot of rock songs to keep me company, too. I listen to my playlist on repeat – something which I’ve heard can drive others crazy – to keep me in the right headspace while writing. This playlist helps to keep the tone, themes and characters consistent throughout the series.

My favourite rock songs for this series:

• Breaking the Habit by Linkin Park
• Supremacy by Muse
• How You Remind Me by Nickelback
• Blaze of Glory by Bon Jovi
• Symphony of Destruction by Nightwish
• Zombie by The Cranberries
• Tom Sawyer by Rush
• In the End by Linkin Park

Rock is the music of the universe… It certainly created the rich world my characters inhabit.



Award-winning Dark Fantasy author Ronel Janse van Vuuren writes about kick-ass heroines, the duality of being human and loves to use folklore to underscore her point. She’s a Rottweiler pack leader, chicken wrangler and horse servant.
All of her books are available for purchase from major online retailers.

Find Smoke on the Water:
Links: Universal, series page, and website
The playlist for this series is here.
And the first book is free until March 8 here.

March Movie Preview

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

7 –

Mickey 17
Director - Bong Joon Ho
Stars - Robert Pattinson, Steven Yeun, Michael Monroe
Mickey 17, known as an "expendable," goes on a dangerous journey to colonize an ice planet.
Watching the sparkly vampire die over and over might be entertaining.

21 –

Snow White
Director - Marc Webb
Stars - Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot, Tituss Burgess
Live-action adaptation of the 1937 Disney animated film 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'.
With so many production issues, this movie has disaster written all over it. Besides, Gal Gadot (playing the evil queen) is the fairest of them all!

28 –
 

Death of a Unicorn
Director - Alex Scharfman
Stars - Jenna Ortega, Paul Rudd, Téa Leoni
Father-Daughter duo Elliott and Ridley hit a unicorn with their car and bring it to the wilderness retreat of a mega-wealthy pharmaceutical CEO.
Be prepared because this is not a sweet unicorn. Think Cabin in the Woods. Those who love unicorns – this is going to give you nightmares!

Who would you be for a day? Interested in joining the IWSG Admin team? What’s on your book’s playlist? And what movies are you watching this month?

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, February Movie Preview, and New Shows

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts for the February 5 posting of the IWSG are Joylene Nowell Butler, Louise Barbour, and Tyrean Martinson!

February 5 question - Is there a story or book you've written you want to/wish you could go back and change?

I might go back and do some fine-tuning edits on my first three Cassa books, but there is nothing major I would change about any of them. I’m very proud of that four-book (and one short story) series. It’s received great reviews and a ton of sales. Paid my mortgage on several occasions.

I don’t think there are many edits I would do, but I'd like to change the amount of readers of my solo book, Dragon of the Stars. I recently went back through it (something I rarely do) and I think I created a fun and adventurous story based on an almost mythical war ship. Truedessa, you are the biggest fan of Dragon and I thank you for that. For anyone who reads it, there is a short story sequel, Dragon’s Destiny, available for free – and written for Truedessa as she didn’t want the adventure to end.

We need co-hosts for April, May, and June! And one more for March wouldn't hurt. It's a lot of fun and you get new visitors that day. Let me know when you can co-host.

We are going to be trying some new things over in the IWSG Facebook group, so be watching for that.

We’d also like to formally extend an invitation to our members to write an article for the IWSG site – something beneficial to the group about writing, publishing, marketing, etc. You’d get a chance to feature your latest book! Contact me or email the IWSG email if interested.

For Your Viewing Pleasure

Season two of The Rig recently dropped. Looking forward to more weirdness.

Season two of Squid Game is also available. Taking a little different direction this time.

Part one of the six hour movie Horizon is out. Western set in the Wild West after the Civil War and starring Kevin Costner. It's okay - would've been better as a series, especially with the huge cast of characters.

Alice in Borderland recently became available. A Japanese series, it follows a gamer guy who finds himself in an alternate dimension Tokyo playing games for his life. Twisted but fun.

Watched The Cursed, a 2021 movie set in the 1800's. A land owner massacres a Gypsy village on his land and they place a curse on his family. Really good and a really unique take on the werewolf legend.

Also watched Howl, a 2015 film set in Britain. A train breaks down in the woods and the passengers are hunted by a pack of creatures. Also good and another unique take on werewolves.

February Movie Preview

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

7 –

Love Hurts
Director: Jonathan Eusebio
Stars: Ke Huy Quan, Ariana DeBose, Mustafa Shakir
A realtor is pulled back into the life he left behind after his former partner-in-crime resurfaces with an ominous message. With his crime-lord brother also on his trail, he must confront his past and the history he never fully buried.
I watched the trailer and now I think I’ve seen the movie…

14 –

Captain America: Brave New World
Director: Julius Onah
Stars: Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, Rosa Salazar, Liv Tyler
Sam Wilson, the new Captain America, finds himself in the middle of an international incident and must discover the motive behind a nefarious global plan.
Love Anthony as Falcon, but Captain America is supposed to have super powers. It should’ve been Bucky.

21 –

The Monkey
Director: Osgood Perkins
Writers: Osgood Perkins and Stephen King
Stars: Adam Scott, Theo James Osgood Perkins
When twin brothers Bill and Hal find their father's old monkey toy in the attic, a series of gruesome deaths start. The siblings decide to throw the toy away and move on with their lives, growing apart over the years.
I prefer my monkeys playing symbols but one playing drums is okay…

28 –

Last Breath
Director: Alex Parkinson
Stars: Woody Harrelson, MyAnna Buring, Simu Lui, Finn Cole
A true story that follows seasoned deep-sea divers as they battle the raging elements to rescue their crew mate trapped hundreds of feet below the ocean's surface.
It’s like Deep Water Horizon, The Poseidon Adventure, The Abyss, and Cheers all had a baby…

What story or stories would you like to go back and change? What are you watching this month on television? Any movies catch your eye?

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Reedsy Creative Writing Prompts, Landman Review, and January Movie Preview

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts for the January 8 posting of the IWSG are Rebecca Douglass, Beth Camp, Liza @ Middle Passages, and Natalie @ Literary Rambles!

January 8 question - Describe someone you admired when you were a child. Did your opinion of that person change when you grew up?

I’m going to go with a music answer and say the band Rush. When I was younger, they were infallible. Perfect. Almost god-like. But now that I am older, I realize the members are just people. Still great musicians, but I know they aren’t perfect and I don’t agree with them personally on some things.  (Like soup. Geddy and Alex often have soup, and sometimes two soups. I don't like soup!)

Special opportunity from Reedsy and their Creative Writing Prompts contest – which we are hosting!

The theme is "Great Expectations," and the winner of this contest will not only be awarded $250 — they’ll also receive a special bonus prize from IWSG!

So, head on over as only a few days remain to enter this contest.

Review - Landman

Starring Billy Bob Thornton and set in the proverbial boomtowns of West Texas, Landman is a modern-day tale of fortune seeking in the world of oil rigs.
First off, Thornton is hilarious. He delivers his lines perfectly, with snark, anger, and annoyance. He is the light, however dark, in this heavy drama.
Many of the characters have hangups but they are just quirky and fun enough that you don’t dislike them.
There are some real shocks and working an oil field is not for the faint of heart.
Streaming on Paramount, I highly recommend it!

January Movie Preview

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

10 –

Den of Thieves 2: Pantera
Director - Christian Gudegast
Stars - Gerard Butler, Jordan Bridges, O'Shea Jackson Jr.
Big Nick is back on the hunt in Europe and closing in on Donnie, who is embroiled in the treacherous world of diamond thieves and the infamous Panther mafia, as they plot a massive heist of the world's largest diamond exchange.
Den of Thieves 2: Electric Boogaloo!

13 –

Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare
Director – Scott Chambers
Stars - Jenny Miller, Chrissie Wunna, Kierston Wareing
Wendy Darling strikes out in an attempt to rescue her brother Michael from 'the clutches of the evil Peter Pan.' Along the way she meets Tinkerbell, who will be seen taking heroin, believing that it's pixie dust.
Disney’s licenses have expired – release the flood gates of crap.

17 –

Wolf Man
Director – Leigh Whannell
Stars - Julia Garner, Christopher Abbott, Matilda Firth
A family at a remote farmhouse is attacked by an unseen animal, but as the night stretches on, the father begins to transform into something unrecognizable.
The bar has been set way low – maybe they can trip over it.

24 –

Flight Risk
Director – Mel Gibson
Stars - Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Dockery, Topher Grace
A pilot transports an Air Marshal accompanying a fugitive to trial. As they cross the Alaskan wilderness, tensions soar and trust is tested, as not everyone on board is who they seem.
The flight risk is that Wahlberg tried to give himself a haircut in turbulence.

Who did you admire as a youth? Entering Reedsy’s contest? Watching Landman? Any movies catch your attention this month? 

Welcome to 2025!!

Insecure Writer’s Support Group and January Movie Preview

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts for the December 4 posting of the IWSG are Ronel, Deniz, Pat Garcia, Olga Godim, and Cathrina Constantine!

December 4 question - Do you write cliffhangers at the end of your stories? Are they a turn-off to you as a writer and/or a reader?

I do not write cliffhangers. All of my books are one complete story line and arc. As a reader, cliffhangers are annoying. Enough so that I just might not pick up the next book to find the answers. I also like my movies to end without cliffhangers. (Although it’s okay if there is a part two to the film, just not more than one year away. I’m talking to you, Dune and Fast and Furious!)

Television series are different. I can handle a cliffhanger from one season to the next. Just be sure there is a next season! (Curses to those who cancelled Outer Range on a cliffhanger.)


I want to mention special prayers for IWSG admin Juneta Key. She's been going through a terrible ordeal and is right now in a terrifying place. If you know her, please contact her and give her some encouragement. She needs a miracle in her life.

We need co-hosts for January, February, and March! Leave a comment or send me an email.

And note that the next IWSG post date is January 8!!! We are not posting on January 1, New Year’s Day.

December Movie Preview

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

6 –

Werewolves
Director: Steven C. Miller
Stars: Frank Grillo, Lou Diamond Phillips, Katrina Law
Two scientists try to stop a mutation that turns people into werewolves after being touched by a super-moon the year before.
Like the movie poster says, illegal to turn – meaning impossible to turn this into something good.

12 –

Kraven the Hunter
Director: JC Chandor
Stars: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Russell Crowe, Christoper Abbott
Kraven 's complex relationship with his ruthless father, Nikolai Kravinoff, starts him down a path of vengeance with brutal consequences, motivating him to become not only the greatest hunter in the world, but also one of its most feared.
I think they are releasing this close to the end of the year because it’s an Oscar contender…?

13 –

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
Director: Kenji Kamiyama
Stars: Brian Cox, Miranda Otto, Lorraine Ashbourne
A sudden attack by Wulf, a clever and ruthless Dunlending lord seeking vengeance for the death of his father, forces Helm Hammerhand, the King of Rohan, and his people to make a daring last stand in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg.
Somehow they took Middle Earth and moved it to Tokyo…

20 –

Mufasa: The Lion King
Director: Barry Jenkins
Stars: Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner
Simba, having become king of the Pride Lands, is determined for his cub to follow in his paw prints while the origins of his late father Mufasa are explored.
It’s no longer the circle of life but the circle of cash.

25 –

Nosferatu
Director: Robert Eggers
Stars: Bill Skarsgård, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin
A gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman, and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her causing untold horror in its wake.
Kraven the Hunter versus Pennywise!

29 –

Alien Wars: Judgement Day
Director: Jeffery Schneider
Stars: Donna Hamblin, Nick Dent, Luc Bernier
After an alien catastrophe, a few remaining human souls try to hold on to their sanity and their reality as humanity slowly slips into darkness.
There’s only in theaters, only on NetFilx, and only with RiffTrax. Guess which one this is?

How do you feel about cliffhangers? Can you co-host next year? Any of those movies look interesting?
Remember, the next IWSG day is January 8!!!

I will be offline for most of the second half of December. Everyone have a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!