May Media Roundup & Conference Updates

I had a busy few weeks, with Pikes Peak Writers Conference at the end of April and StokerCon two weeks later. Funnily, I was anxious about attending each, though for different reasons, but both went well, and I had a lot of fun. Those of you who also suffer from fibromyalgia and/or chronic fatigue syndrome know well what I'm going through after attending two conferences back to back, but I'm glad I went.

I already posted a bit of a recap of PPWC in my May IWSG post, but I didn't post pictures, so figured I'd share some of those here. Our long-time photographer, and the person who did my headshots, which I still use, Jared Hagan, did a fun photo studio for the Saturday dinner, which was prom-themed. I chose not to go prommy, but I did dress up. 

Me with a couple friends: MB and Kim

MB and I pimping a friend's book (David R. Slayton, Deadbeat Druid)

Hiding in my room to get some downtime

With friends Charise and Pete

With friends (and now my publisher) Sam and MB

Friday horror clothes for a Friday horror workshop (look closely at the jacket lining--I'm not flashing you just for fun)

Me psyching myself up to do my last workshop of the weekend (number five) before folks showed up

Kameron and I in a goofy pose

StokerCon only lasted two days for me. Since I had a reading Thursday night, a panel Friday morning (EARLY), and then the book signing Friday night, I switched my hotel nights to Thursday and Friday, and headed home Saturday. By that time, I was also incredibly sick with vertigo, because I had to use the elevator, as the hotel had the stairwells locked from the inside to keep homeless folks out of the hotel. The hotel, The Curtis, was in the middle of downtown, or what's referred to as LoDo--Lower Downtown. I try not to take elevators when I can help it, which, yes, has meant using the stairs in some insanely tall buildings. For SC, I was on the 16th floor, in a beautiful corner room with a view of the city. I learned the stairwell doors were locked AFTER descending from the 16th floor to the second floor and having to climb back up, trying doors as I went, until I found an unlocked door on the tenth floor. 

My reading went well, with a nice turnout, including several friends. We walked a few blocks to grab dinner afterward, then went to a social with an open bar. There, I made a point of introducing myself to some folks I've only "met" on Facebook before. Everyone was very friendly. Then I went to a fun panel that was split into two teams. Each team was given a famous horror villain and had to make their case for why their villain would beat the other villain. Then a panel of three judges decided who had won. It was a lot of fun, and there were some major horror authors all together on one panel.

Monster Mash panel, with Brian Keene, Jennifer McMahon, Nancy Holder, Sephera Giron, Jeff Strand, Marc Abbott, John Skipp, (and some folks whose names are not popping up in my head right now...sorry!)

The next day, I got up super early and waited at the elevator. And waited. And waited. When you're on the 16th floor during a busy convention, the elevator comes to you quite sparingly, as it turns out. Of course, I normally would have just TAKEN THE STAIRS. Since I couldn't, I was late to my one and only panel, which I wasn't happy about, but I couldn't do anything about it at that point. The panel was about podcasts, audiobooks, and audio adaptations, and the room was packed. My fellow panelists were Wendy Wagner, Tonia Ransom, James Sabata, Alex Hofelich, and the moderator was Marc Abbott. They were a great group, and no one gave me crap for being late, which was nice.

The signing was insane. There were so many people crammed into the room. I don't think I've ever been in a busier signing before, and I've been in plenty. I sold a few books, and some more folks bought them online. I was lucky to be seated near some folks I knew.

Random funny story: a previous editor and current friend had asked if she could ship a couple contributor copies to me, so I could hand them off to two authors, one coming from New Zealand, one from Australia. (And I got a free copy for my troubles!). We were in touch via Messenger and text, trying to set up a meeting time. Well, you know that morning I was late to my panel? When I was stuck waiting for the elevator, a couple from New Zealand showed up, as well, and we waited together. We even introduced each other while standing there. Then I'm sitting at the Denver Horror Collective table later and it hits me that the Lee I was meeting with was the very same Lee I'd been standing at the elevator with, which I confirmed later. I did successfully get them their books, and both women ended up winning Stokers on Saturday evening! Not only that, but after chatting and trying to arrange meeting up to give them the books, we ended up at signing tables right next to each other. The world's a small place, don't you think?

With Lee and Gene at the signing, books handed off!

Before I jump into this month's media, which is pretty sparse since I was doing a lot of prep for conferences, I'll leave you with some pictures of the 13th floor of the Curtis, which is horror-themed. In fact, each floor was themed, and I believe there were themed rooms, as well. 

Down one hallway, the girl from Poltergeist

The wallpaper!

On the wall by the elevators

The Grady twins from The Shining down another hallway

Okay, media! These are some of the media I enjoyed in May and late April.

Books 

60 Ways to Die in South America, by Tracy Ashworth

A silly romance with adventure and humorous foibles. A journalist gets sent to South America to cover adventurous travel, something she is definitely not suited for, but money talks. The photographer sent to work with her knows what he's doing, and spends a lot of time saving her from herself on their adventure spree across South America. 

I can sometimes be irritated by the type of main character in these books, because they're a little too stupid for my liking and are frequently constant victims, but I felt like this character held her own a bit better than usual. The romance is sweet and the situation was a unique one.

How Beautiful We Were, by Imbolo Mbue

This book is gorgeous, soulful, and heartbreaking. It traces the line of a family in a small, African village, as they deal with the trouble western civilization (mainly Americans) and their own government and people bring to bear. From people kidnapped as slaves to oil companies destroying the land and the people who must live on it. 

The story is told from different points-of-view, including a collective group called "The Children." It is fascinating how well Mbue weaved their stories together so that there was nothing whatsoever awkward about a group of people speaking as one in those chapters. It's hard for me to explain, but I feel writers should read this for that mechanism alone.

The standout character is Thula, a young woman who starts out as a child at the beginning (her age-mates are "The Children"), watching first her father and then her uncle be destroyed by His Excellency to keep the villagers quiet. But she gets an opportunity to travel to the U.S. and attend a college there. She learns how to fight back for civil rights, and brings her knowledge back to help those villagers still remaining. Her determination makes you want to believe she can overcome her powerful government; the bad decisions of her age-mates, fellow villagers, and patriarchal countrymen; and  and the legal power of an American oil company. Her passion is contagious.

Not a fast read, but definitely worthwhile. Stunning.

Movies

The Lost City

I was all in as soon as I saw Sandra Bullock and a preview that told me this was deeply inspired by Romancing the Stone. It very similar to RtS, but updated, with some important changes. Bullock is always funny, and Radcliffe makes for a great villain. Entertaining, funny, and action packed.

Ritual (Shudder)

This Indonesian horror film was horrifying, but then it threw a bizarre twist that made it all that much more horrifying. The twist is well done, the dread palpable, and the horror...well, horrifying. A man wakes up buried under a pile of dirt. He must find his way to safety and try to find his family, who are also being hunted in the woods. And that's all I can say without giving anything away. Seriously, though, this one will stick with me, both for the abject horror of what came before the twist and the dread that followed it.

Senior Year (Netflix)

This could have failed hard and been stupid, but it was both funny and full of heart. A popular senior gets knocked out during a cheerleading exhibition, going into a coma for twenty years. When she wakes up, she's stuck with the mentality of a senior in high school, even though her body is twenty years older. Determined to get prom queen, which she was destined for before her coma, she goes back to school to finish her senior year and get popular all over again.

Jamie Marks is Dead (Shudder)

A fairly quiet film that follows the death of a boy. A different take on the afterlife and the undead. There's little violence and no real gore.

A fellow student happens across the dead body of Jamie Marks by the river. Jamie was bullied while alive, yet people now come out to grieve his death. But when the girl who found him and a boy who never bullied him start seeing Jamie walking around as if he were living, they each handle it differently.

TV Shows

LOL: Last One Laughing - Canada (Amazon)

A group of well known comedians is locked in a room, armed with humor and plenty of props. The last one to laugh wins. 

Hysterical. I guarantee you're going to recognize some of these comedians. Hosted by Jay Baruchel, you'll have a whole new appreciation for comedians after watching this. Absolutely addictive. I also recommend the Australian version, hosted by Rebel Wilson. There are a ton in other countries, including Germany and Mexico, but I haven't tried watching them yet. Not sure how well humor translates with subtitles. I'm hoping they'll do a U.S. one soon, but if not, I'll be happy with new seasons of Australia and Canada.

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (Hulu) (originally BBC America)

This show is so weird! But incredibly twisty and entertaining. Elijah Wood plays a bit of a sad sack, who works at a hotel and gets sucked into the maelstrom that is Dirk Gently, a detective who is constantly mixed up in bizarre things, such as a the mind of a teenage girl being put into a dog, and vice versa. There's time travel, action, danger, and more. And so. much. weirdness.

The Baby (HBO)

This horror comedy is only four episodes in, but it's made a splash, so far. An unlucky woman who has retreated to a private house on the beach at the base of a sheer cliff happens to be having a smoke outside when, first, a woman plummets to her death right in front of her, and then a baby falls into her arms. 

It turns out that everywhere the baby goes, horrible things happen to people. Deadly things. While the first three episodes were darkly comical, the fourth episode had me seething in rage, so maybe a little too relevant to current affairs. I'm looking forward to the return to dark comedy next week. The serious episode was a bit of an origin story.

Hacks

I've only just started then, so I'm two episodes in, but it's a good one. Jean Smart is a famous enough comedian to have a nightly show in Vegas and a ridiculously oversized mansion in the desert. A "cancelled" comedian ends up writing for her, and the show is about their relationship.

I love Jean Smart, and have since "Designing Women," though I much prefer her in her savvier roles. She's in full savvy Jean Smart mode in this one. There are some funny elements and some dramatic elements, and it makes for a good watch.

What have you been watching? Any good shows, movies, or books you'd recommend? Attended any conferences or conventions lately?

May you find your Muse.

April Media Roundup

It's been a big TV watching month for some reason. I tend to float to one streaming service or another and ignore the others, but I've been as ADHD in my TV watching as I am in my daily life. In short, I've been all over the place, so I'll be naming a few favorites. 

Before we jump into those, though, C. Lee McKenzie contacted a few of us about sending our writing wishes for the year, and she collected these on the Insecure Writers Support Group blog: Author Wishes for 2022.

Here are some media I've enjoyed in the last month or so:

Books

Star Mother, by Charlie N. Holmberg

Star Mother, by Charlie N. Holmberg

This one was sent to me by a friend. It wasn't the sort of book I'd usually read, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. This is pure fantasy. A woman from a village volunteers when the Sun calls for a new Star Mother, knowing it means her death, but will bring honor to her family. But something strange happens. She delivers the star...and lives. Though the Sun is willing to keep her in his palace, she opts to go back home, only to find that things are not the way she left them.

This one had the tension of warring celestial gods, romance, the fickleness of humanity, and two people brought together to flee those hunting them. Creative and spellbinding.

The Virgin Suicides, by Jeffrey Eugenides

The Virgin Suicides, by Jeffrey Eugenides

I saw the movie when it came out, and remember it being well done, but the book itself was gorgeously written, though flawed. It's told from the POV of several boys in a neighborhood, who find themselves fascinated by a household with five teenage girls. Ultimately, each girl will commit suicide. This isn't a secret. The entirety of the book is about the lead up to it and the boys (only one is the narrator) examining the why and what led to this choice.

On the one hand, the reader can't help but also be fascinated along with the boys. On the other, there's a taint of misogyny to the whole thing. What the boys are often thinking about, even after the tragedy, is how much they wanted in the girls' pants and what a shame it is to have wasted five beautiful girls. At the same time, the narrator never addresses the shallowness of the boys (or the men, when they grow up). If this were a true look back, a true attempt to analyze what went wrong, they should have also discovered it was their complete lack of viewing the humanity of the sisters instead of what they could possibly offer the boys in terms of bubble gum kisses and soft warmth. 

These girls are victims of everyone. Of the boys who watched through their windows with an erroneous sense of curiosity, but a lack of depth. Of their parents. Of their teachers. Of the people in the community. Of every single person who knew things were weird in that house and never did anything to help those girls. And I do feel the book intends to point this out. Above all else, these girls were failed. And the reader sees just how easily that can happen, how easily children's lives can go wrong when the "village" looks the other way. 

Each girl has a surface personality different from the others and beautifully rendered, which is why it took me a while to realize how shallow the narrative was. Of course these boys can't know the inner workings of the girls, so we see what they see when the girls are at school, or peering out a window, or running into the front yard to surround their ill Dutch elm and save it from the folks who've come to chop it down. We only get a slight taste of each character, because of the way the story is told. It's effective. Intriguing. And the city of Detroit is a character in itself.

Heartbreaking. Gorgeous. Whimsical. Problematic.

Crime & Passion: Three Short Stories, by Francelia Belton

This isn't novel length. It's a collection of three short stories (just as it says on the cover). They're all crime stories, not mysteries. In each, a woman deals with a crime, whether as the victim or the perpetrator. Each plot is interesting and well written, drawing the reader in to see what will happen. 

Movies

The Bubble, Netflix

The Bubble

This movie was exactly what I needed. Absolutely ridiculous. Hysterical. I knew from the cast that I had to watch it. It's rather pandemic-meta. The cast is brought back for a sequel to a cheesy creature feature, but the pandemic is on, which means they must deal with quarantine, then remain at this hotel in a "bubble" of safety so no one will bring the virus in and expose everyone else. But what happens when you trap an eclectic group of narcissists together and make them quarantine two weeks at a time in their rooms? The quarantine montages are hilarious. It gets even better when a lunatic is brought in to do security. Definitely worth a watch if for no other reason than to shut your brain off.

Siege, Shudder

Siege

This is a 1983 film, set during a police protest in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In fact, it contains real footage from the real police protest that occurred there in 1981! It's the kind of gritty, gun-filled movie you'd expect from the early 80s but what caught my attention was how severely it hit home in this day and age. Police are picketing, so a group of people intending to take over the power vacuum (calling themselves the New World Order, if I remember correctly), decide to use their newfound power to harass the folks in a gay bar. But it goes too far (of course it does) (Trigger warning for hate crimes), and the sole survivor of the slaughter escapes to a nearby apartment complex, where the residents hide him and prepare to fight back. 

What originally drew me was the ridiculous image (above). I thought it was going to be a comedic take on a siege in the city that would involve a bunch of yuppies. The photo is misleading, though, and the topics are much deeper than I imagined, even if they're presented in the wrapping of an 80s horror film. What happens if there are no police? Who will fill the power vacuum? Who will suffer the most? Who will stand up against those who abuse their power? In this case, it's on a very small scale, but I feel like it's an interesting commentary on some things that effect both political sides. And that's all I'll say about that.

Oh, and there was no one I would have classified as a yuppie in the cast of characters, so I'm still confused by the image.

Low budget and shot in 14 days in the apartment complex some of the filmmakers actually lived in, it's an interesting film. And I am, after all a child of the 80s and the gritty films of the day (cough, Dirty Harry, cough, Death Wish, cough), so I can appreciate the style.

TV Shows

House, Peacock

House

Yes, that's right. It took me this long to watch a show that originated in 2004. Everybody kept telling me how much I'd love it, so they annoyed me right away from it. Now that no one is pressuring me (hear that, Doctor Who fans??), I've finally given it a chance, and I quite enjoy it. Though as a walking, talking medical mystery myself, the whole of them repeatedly getting the diagnosis wrong and mistreating the patient before they finally arrive at the real issue is pretty stressful. The rest of the characters make up for House being such a jerk. It's like a crime drama, but medical instead. I wonder if I paid enough attention whether it would always be the third diagnosis that's correct, just like the crime show formula that shows us the third person accused is the real villain?

Killing It, Peacock

Killing It

We're not far in yet, as a new episode is released weekly, but this show's great for some dark humor. Unable to get a loan, the MC needs $20,000 to start his dream business. An ill-fated ride in an Uber shows him a way to make a quick buck AND possibly win a contest that will bring him...you guessed it...$20,000. Hunting pythons in the Florida swamps is good money, but it's not without its challenges.

The Glades, Hulu

The Glades

Yep, another old one. I just completely missed this one. Probably because I don't have cable, and haven't since the first season of "Fringe" came out. That's all I know. Another crime show, yes, but the main character is interesting and the crimes are different, so I'm in.

The Thing About Pam, Hulu

The Thing About Pam

Based on a true crime, this is done in such a fun way. A Dateline anchor is doing the voiceover, which makes it a tad different. But the real standout here is Renee Zellweger. She is amazing in the role of Pam, a woman who *may* have murdered her friend and manipulated everyone around her into thinking it was her friend's husband. She manages to manipulate the police and the murdered friend's family so everyone is on her side. Even the DA and the judge, who are besties in the small town. Zellweger is so amazing that I had to go look up the real crime, because I was so angry. I can't put into words how excellent her acting is in this role. The character is absolutely loathsome, a complete psychopath who pulls no punches and has no compunctions about hurting anyone in her path, even if it's just emotionally. I highly, highly recommend this one. Zellweger had better get nominated for an award. Entertaining, well-paced, emotional, and a stellar cast.

What are you watching or reading? Anything in the past month that you'd recommend? 

May you find your Muse.

Huge Thank You, Writer's Fun Zone, Read with Fey, & Free Horror Reading

We've found our way to the end of another month already!

I forgot to link to my interview at Writer's Fun Zone: Author Q&A with Shannon Lawrence.

I also did a live reading of my Lupercalia/Valentine's horror piece, Blind Date from Happy Ghoulidays, which is available on YouTube to watch: Stories Live! Love Kills.

To thank everyone who allowed me to be a guest during my book launch for The Business of Short Stories, my beta readers, and those who helped in other ways, I invited them to send me something they'd like to share. Following are their books or blog posts they wanted to share, and hopefully a great way to pick up a new read!

Jean Davis

Jean Davis: Not Another Bard's Tale

Website:https://jeanddavis.blogspot.com/

Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/Jean-Davis/e/B00UY4XNEC

Alex J. Cavanaugh

Alex J. Cavanaugh: CassaDark
Coming April 5, 2022

Coming April 5, 2022

Website - http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com

iTunes – https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id1574189874

Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0982FL3SH

Barnes & Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940164947033

Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/cassadark

Scribed – https://www.scribd.com/search?query=9781939844859&language=0

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58461762-cassadark

Jemima Pett

Jemima Pett: Greed and Retribution

Jemima Pett Author at https://jemimapett.com

Blog Post: Greed and Retribution https://jemimapett.com/blog/2021/04/08/greed-and-retribution-atozchallenge2021/

Jemi Fraser

Jemi Fraser: Reaching for Normal

Free at all retailers books2read.com/u/b55eJO 

Jemi Fraser website: https://jemifraser.com/

Annalisa Crawford

Annalisa Crawford: Grace & Serenity

Website: https://www.annalisacrawford.com/

Buy Grace & Serenity: https://bit.ly/graceandserenity

J.Q. Rose

J.Q. Rose: Terror on Sunshine Boulevard

Website/blog link: https://www.jqrose.com/

Buy link: https://books2read.com/Terror-on-Sunshine-Boulevard-Rose

DeAnna Knippling

DeAnna Knippling: Writing Craft, Volume 1

Website link: http://writing-craft.com/

Universal link :https://books2read.com/writing-craft-vol-1 

Toi Thomas

Toi Thomas: Why Are You Afraid?

Toi Thomas writes clean adult fiction and nonfiction, as well as writes and illustrates picture books. Click here to see a book trailer for her picture books. Her latest release is Why Are You Afraid?, a book that helps parents start the race conversation with their kids.

Find Toi online here: https://linktr.ee/toithomas

Rebecca M. Douglass

Rebecca M. Douglass: Death by Donut

Book 5 of the Pismawallops PTA Mystery Series!

When a prominent Pismawallops Island businessman drops dead at JJ’s feet in the Have-A-Bite Bakery, there’s more on the line than catching a murderer. Can JJ save the bakery—and maintain her supply of espresso brownies?

Website: https://www.Rebecca-Douglass.com

Buy on Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1067247 

Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08VKSZV2D

Ninja Librarian FB page: https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaDouglassNinjaLibrarian

Thank you to these folks and everyone else who helped! 

Chrys Fey is doing a reading challenge this year that I intend to take part in. The Read with Fey Challenge asks that you read 10 books for writers in 2022. It started January 1 and will go through December 31. 

Read with Fey: Reading Challenge for Writers

You don't have to read 10 books for writers. Set your own goal! I likely won't make it to 10, as nonfiction books take me longer to read and I have other nonfiction books to read this year, so I'm going to set my goal for 5 books for writers.

Hashtags for the challenge: #ReadWithFey #ReadWithFey2022

There's no sign up, but she does have an option for you to add yourself to the storygraph she's created. Read more at Write with Fey.

And, hey, my book counts as a book for writers, so if you've picked it up or plan to, that's one down!

Speaking of which, I have more formats available for The Business of Short Stories now, most of which are at this Books2Read universal link. For some reason I've had a lot of problem getting the Books2Read link to auto-populate, so I've had to manually add a bunch of the links. It doesn't show on this link, but the book is also available from Walmart. Check out my Publications tab for more direct links.

Are you participating in Chrys's challenge? Do you already have some books you're interested in reading for it? Have you read any of the books in this post? 

May you find your Muse.

*Blue Swoosh by clker.com, OCAL

Guest on IWSG, Mystery Recommendations, & Links

I guest posted on the Insecure Writer's Support Group blog Monday about submission fears and tips.

And today I'm visiting C. Lee McKenzie.

Many Old Books, Martin Vorel, Wikimedia Commons

Also this week, I posted on my Facebook page asking for recommendations of books in the mystery genre, and I'm passing those along:

The Woman in Cabin 10, Ruth Ware

The Turn of the Key, Ruth Ware

The Death of Mrs. Westaway, Ruth Ware

Sweet Water, Cara Reinard

In Her Wake, Amanda Jennings

The Shadows, Alex North

Ancient Enemy (series), Mark Lukens

Verity, Colleen Hoover

The Sea of Lost Girls, Carol Goodman

The Next Wife, Kaira Rouda

Medicus (series), Ruth Downie

Finlay Donovan is Killing It, Elle Cosimano

The Drowning Kind, Jennifer McMahon

Three Pines (series), Louise Penny

Kate Shugak series, Dana Stabenow

Not a Happy Family, Shari Lapena

The Guest List, Lucy Foley

No Exit, Taylor Adams

Our Last Night, Taylor Adams

Anything by: Dorothy L. Sayers, Elizabeth George, PD James, and Fiona Davis

I didn't do my submission stats last week because it didn't feel appropriate with the tribute. So I'm doing it this week instead. These are my short story submission stats for January:

10 submissions

6 rejections

1 acceptance

17 stories currently on submission

Currently open for submissions. Bear in mind that I'm not endorsing these, merely passing them along. Always do your own due diligence before submitting.

Pyre Magazine is seeking "dark, genre-bending works." Up to 3500 words. Also takes flash fiction, nonfiction, photography, poetry, and art. Pays $10. Deadline February 28.

Knight Riding Press is seeking flash fiction and short stories about mermaids for Mermaidens. Up to 7000 words. Pays in royalties. Deadline March 1.

Sans Press is seeking any genre of story that matches the theme/title: The Last Five Minutes of a Storm. Up to 5000 words. Pays 150 Euros. Deadline March 7.

Mascara Literary Review is looking for short fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction with the theme of Resilience. Up to 3000 words. Pays $200. Deadline March 20.

Chicken Soup for the Soul is seeking short pieces with the theme Preteens or Teenagers. Up to 1200 words. Pays $200. Deadline March 30.

Black Hart Entertainment is seeking offbeat horror stories for That is SO Wrong! Up to 7000 words. Pays $10. Deadline March 30.

Dragon Soul Press is seeking stories for the following anthology calls: Chance on Love, Valor (must feature East Asian warriors). 5000 to 15,000 words. Pays in royalties. Deadline March 31. 

Moonflowers & Nightshade is seeking sapphic horror. 2000 to 5000 words. Pays $04/word. Deadline April 1.

Cloaked Press is seeking speculative fiction from the POV of the villain for Summer of Speculation. 4000 to 10,000 words. Pays $15. Deadline April 15.

Any mysteries you've read recently that you'd recommend? Did you check out my post on IWSG? Have you been submitting? Any of these submission calls interest you?

May you find your Muse.

Recent Media Enjoyed, Tribute Info, & Countdown

I haven't done one of these posts in a while, so there's quite a bit I've enjoyed since then. I'm going to be more selective than usual for this one, though it's still a long list.

Really quick before I jump in, the paperback of The Business of Short Stories is now available for pre-order from Barnes & Noble!

TV Shows

The Real O'Neals

This show is hysterical on its own, but it's also great to experience with a child on the rainbow. I introduced my daughter to it, and she absolutely loved it. She is always actively seeking positive representation, and this hit the right spot. 

It's about a young man in an Irish Catholic family who comes out, not only to them, but to everybody, including the other students at his Catholic school. While it's a light, humorous look at many aspects of an individual who has come out, particularly in a family where that could be extra problematic, there are many incredibly touching moments and some heavier topics are touched upon. 

The mom is played by Martha Plimpton, who I've been a fan of since Goonies. She's still fantastic in this. (Hulu, I think)

Reservation Dogs

I may have recommended this one before (?). Not sure. But I love it, so I'm recommending it again. If the name Taika Waititi means anything to you, you'll know that his being attached to this show means comedy gold. This is a TV show by indigenous people for everyone. Reservation life isn't easy, but with an eclectic group of folks moving around the rez, it's also never boring. With a fabulous cast of older familiar faces in addition to the young actors the show primarily follows, there are phenomenal moments of humor. All the while, people get a backstage glance at rez life and the challenges therein.

There are mild fantastical elements, basically in the form of a spirit guide who haunts one of the main kids. He never got to fight Custer, because his horse stepped in a gopher hole and rolled over on top of him as he rode down to the battle. Every time he's on the screen, I'm laughing. But maybe there's some wisdom under his comedy, after all. (Hulu)

Samantha, Who?

I know, this is an old one. I've only just discovered it, surprised that there was a Christina Applegate show I'd never watched. It was also fun to discover a younger Melissa McCarthy in this one.

A woman wakes up in the hospital with complete amnesia. As she tries to get back to her life, she discovers she was a horrible person before her accident. The situations she finds herself in, often because of who she used to be, are hilarious, and her parents are ridiculous. Light and entertaining. (Hulu)

Peacemaker

I had no idea until last night that this show existed. Suicide Squad 2 wasn't the best (though I actually liked it), but John Cena's character Peacemaker was one of the better elements. Well, he's got his own spinoff, and it's hilarious. It popped up after we'd finished a movie, and we clicked on it out of curiosity. The opening sequence will make you laugh, which is always a good sign. 

Peacemaker is loyal to the U.S. to a fault. He follows orders and takes things very literally. This shows follows his miraculous recovery after a building fell on him in Suicide Squad 2. He's been hired to kill very bad people. However, he's a bit of an idiot. Fun and mayhem ensues.

Also, he has a pet/sidekick American bald eagle named...Eagly. Seriously. (HBO)

Pivoting

I hadn't heard anything about this, but saw it streaming. Seeing who the actresses were, I figured I'd give it a gander. So glad I did! While the storyline isn't necessarily terribly original, the actresses and writing make it worth it.

Three women face life after one of their friends dies suddenly, just in time for their midlife crises. Maggie Q plays a doctor who decides she needs a change, so applies to work at a grocery store. Eliza Coupe is a mom with questionable momming abilities and an addiction to artificial sweeteners. Ginnifer Goodwin starts considering an affair with her younger personal trainer. Their foibles are unforgettable, and the actresses smash their roles. (Hulu)

Below Deck

It's a reality show, but I had to add it, because my husband and I got hooked on this mindless entertainment for a while. The cameras follow the crew of luxury yachts as they scramble to work the interior and exterior for eccentric, rich clients. Drama, humor, sex, romance, tensions, and fights riddle the ship's crew, but they have to be professional when interacting with the clientele. The staff are global, so if you like accents, you'll be in Heaven. Never worked with a chef? Well, you'll learn they're all crazy. The chief stew is basically mom to the rest of the crew, and they aptly resent her for it. The bosun or First Officer runs the deck crew with varying degrees of success. And, hey, if you've ever doubted sexism is alive and well, you'll see it on a few seasons, especially if you get to the one with the Smashton Bru Crew. (That's not a typo--bru is bro in South Africa). Happily, it's not a constant issue in other seasons, and the captain of one of the fellow shows, set in the Mediterranean, has a female captain.

There are several variations, including Below Deck Sailing Yacht and Below Deck Mediterranean, plus a new show starting in February, Below Deck Down Under. My favorite captain is the one on Sailing Yacht, a laid back, but firm, guy from Canada. (Peacock, Bravo)

Books

We Sold Our Souls, Grady Hendrix

If you like dark, but humorous, Grady Hendrix is your guy. Especially if you also like a clever new view on tropes. While this one isn't my favorite by him, I enjoyed it. The MC gets a blast from the past when the guy who used to be in her band, but tricked his bandmates into selling everything to him shows up on a comeback tour. Her need for revenge quickly becomes a desperate rush to save not only herself and her ex-bandmates, but the world. It turns out those contracts he had them sign involved more than their playlist.

The Winter People, Jennifer McMahon

I'll admit that I wasn't sure I'd like this one at first. It felt too meandering and it was hard to who anyone was or why they had anything to do with the others. However, the writing was beautiful, and I was certain it would tie together eventually, so I persevered until it wasn't about persevering but about not being able to put the book down.

An isolated farmhouse holds more than its share of secrets. From that farmhouse, a single mother goes missing, leaving her teenager daughter suddenly responsible for her little sister while trying to find out what happened to her mom. Hidden caches in the floorboards and a sealed closet door in the master bedroom lead her on a mission that introduces her to crazy and dangerous people and a secret she never saw coming.

Yours Cruelly, Elvira, Cassandra Peterson

It will surprise absolutely no one that I'm an Elvira fan, so when I happened across a signed copy of this at Barnes & Nobles (does that mean I missed the signing?? Sob), I had to get it. Here's the thing, though, her time as Elvira is a relatively small portion of a fascinating life. I found myself enthralled with her adventurous personality and pure bravery in throwing herself into new situations and opportunities. From her days as a groupie and go-go dancer, to being a showgirl in Vegas, to traveling Italy with a band then getting stranded there, penniless, she finds a way out and eventually makes it to Hollywood, making it big, but not in the classic way.

I had a lot of fun reading about the band and club scene in Colorado Springs (yes, she was a local) while it was still coming into its own. In addition, she dishes on some celebrities, some of which you'll appreciate and some of which you'll see for the snakes they are.

Die Trying, Lee Reacher

It's been some time since I read a Reacher novel, though I used to enjoy them. It took me a bit to get past the rampant use of sentence fragments, but once I did, I was sucked in. 

Jack Reacher finds himself held hostage with a female FBI agent, no explanation, and no concrete knowledge on whether they were after him or her. They're dragged across the country to deal with a dangerous group with a fraught ideology and a violent plan.

I felt like Reacher was allowed to be more flawed and human in this one than what I remember from earlier books. He even faces a seriously phobic moment that had me tense, too.

Movies

Matrix: Resurrections

Okay, so this one was more for fans to get a meta revisit than anything else, but it was floofy entertainment for a while. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. The actors who took over as Morpheus and Agent Smith didn't have the charisma of the original actors (close, but just not there), but it was good to see Reeves and Moss back again, as well as Jada Pinkett Smith. I liked Neil Patrick Harris's role, and it felt fitting. I'm glad I didn't actually pay to go see it, though, so I'd recommend waiting until it's back on HBO or renting it when the time comes.

Clearcut

It's not often I get to see angry, militant Graham Greene vs. calm, philosophical, friend-of-the-white-man Graham Greene. You'll also probably recognize Floyd Red Crow, even if you don't know the name. In this film, a white man is fighting to cease deforestation, working with local tribes. But when his efforts in court are a loss, Greene's character overhears him saying he wants to make the men who did this pay, to suffer. Greene takes the MC hostage, along with the head of the logging company, whisks them away to the middle of nowhere, and proceeds to makes things very rough for the logging exec.

There are some problematic areas, including, of course, the Great White Savior trope, but I felt like that was subverted a bit. When I looked up the director, it was, of course, not an indigenous director. However, the director had fled dangerous politics in Poland, and this was his first English-language film. I found it fascinating watching the take of someone who was very much an outsider in all ways. The fact that he'd cottoned to this issue upon fleeing his own country meant it touched him in some way, but also that it was a visible issue at the time.

I'm a Greene fan, so I'll watch anything he's in. I liked seeing him angry for once. I liked seeing him fight back. I'm not going to lie, there was some satisfaction in that. (Shudder)

February 2 will not just be the usual IWSG day, though that will be happening, too, but it will also be an opportunity to pay tribute to a friend the blogging community has lost. Jeremy Hawkins died earlier this month, and Alex J. Cavanaugh is organizing a tribute to him. Click on Alex's name for more information.

T-6 days and counting! I've closed signups for help with the launch, because I've been absolutely overwhelmed by the positive response from you guys. Thank you so much to everyone who has helped and will be helping by spreading the word in the next month, and to those of you who have visited and commented at other blogs. Here's the ongoing schedule:

January 12 - Beth Camp - Beth and Writing - Part I of Q&A

January 12 - Jean Davis - Discarded Darlings 

January 13 - diedre Knight - Stream Pebbles - Part I

January 14 - Michael Di Gesu - In Time 

January 17 - Jemi Frasier - Jemi Frasier - Q&A

January 18 - diedre Knight - Pensive Pens - Part II

January 18 - Toi Thomas - The ToiBox of Words

January 18 - Victoria Marie Lees - Victoria Marie Lees

January 19 - J.Q. Rose - Focused on Story by J.Q. Rose - Her Favorite Short Story (I already know which one it is, and it's one of my favorites, too!)

January 19 - Rebecca M. Douglass - Rebecca M. Douglass, Author

January 24 - Alex J. Cavanaugh - Alex J. Cavanaugh - Top Five Movies About Writing

January 26 - DeAnna Knippling - Wonderland Press & Writing Craft - Q&A

January 27 - Diane Burton - Diane Burton - Her Favorite Short Story

January 27 - Elizabeth Seckman - Elizabeth Seckman - Her Favorite Short Story

January 31 - Annalisa Crawford - Blogging with My Fountain Pen - Her Favorite Short Story

January 31 - Jemima Pett - Jemima Pett 

February 1 - Beth Camp - Beth and Writing - Part II of Q&A

February 2 - Michelle Wallace - Writer-in-Transit - Q&A

February 9 - C. Lee McKenzie - C. Lee McKenzie, Author - Her Favorite Short Story

February 11 - Sandra Cox - Sandra's Place - 3 Quirky Food Facts

And a thank you to Natalie Aguirre, The Faerie Review, and my brother Alex Kenoyer for individual shoutouts! And to anyone who has shared or helped in any way!

There will also be reviews coming out soon, so I'll share those when I see them. Pre-order available at Amazon in e-book and paperback. Coming to Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and other e-formats after release day.

What have you watched or read lately? Any good podcasts? Did you know Jeremy? Will you be taking part in his tribute? 

May you find your Muse.