Dahlia DeWinters – Author – Page 2 – Quirky Heroines, Happy Endings

Horror Movie Review – Grave Encounters (2011)

Title: Grave Encounters
Genre: Horror, Found Footage
Director: The Vicious Brothers
Writers: The Vicious Brothers

NO SPOILERS

Plot Summary: (from imdb) For their ghost hunting reality show, a production crew locks themselves inside an abandoned mental hospital that’s supposedly haunted – and it might prove to be all too true.

How do much do I love watching “found footage” horror movies? I don’t know why…it’s a strange addiction indeed. Something about the first person perspective, the shaky cam and the odd angles appeal to me.

As a huge fan of those ghost hunter shows – I’m looking at you Ghost Adventures and Ghost Brothers – I was especially eager to see this film. Cynical “ghost hunters” who will pay people to say they’ve seen a ghost? Check. “Haunted” insane asylum? Check. Found footage? Whooo, baby! We got ourselves a movie!

Do not come to this movie expecting high art, a never-before seen twist or some other movie technique that will blow you out of the water. This movie is a horror movie, designed to scare you. It’s like those live haunted house experiences. You know something is going to jump out at you, it’s just a matter of when and how gross it’s going to look.

The plot is basic. Ghost hunters lock themselves in overnight to experience all that a haunted asylum has to offer. And boy, do they so get what they think they’re looking for. The movie begins with a producer explaining the found footage and how it mysteriously appeared, blah blah. You know the whole set up….now let’s get to the haunting!!

Don’t expect much from film angles and the like. This is found footage and surveillance camera footage. Most of it is in glowy black and white and shaky cam. However, when I compare it to other found footage movies, it’s pretty good! The jump scares aren’t over-done and there’s some serious creepy stuff going on.

For a good fright, watch this with the lights off and with no distractions. Being a scaredy-cat, I had to watch it in the morning, but I was still scared.

Don’t think too much about the how and why of the movie. Just let go and enjoy the ride!

I am not posting the trailer as I usually do, because it gives far too much of the movie away. Just watch it!

Blogtoberfest – Zombies!

October is the month of being scary, right? But I’m a romance author, so I found a way to combine the two. Loving Among the Dead is the answer that I found. A mix of erotic romance and scary zombie adventure, it’s sure to get your blood racing in one way or the other. Here’s a blurb.

A survivor of a zombie apocalypse that’s ripped her world apart….

Nothing in her graduate history courses prepared Judith Graham for the monotony of her existence in the weeks following a zombie apocalypse. Hiding from the rotted world in her makeshift fortress, she subsists on dehydrated food and lonely thought.

When she gives up and decides to satisfy her need for a break in routine, she crosses paths with Sky Beckett, a high school physics teacher making his way to his Southern childhood home. Several passionate encounters coupled with Sky’s assertion that things are only going to get worse not better, spark Judith’s doubts about the isolated life she’s chosen.

But can an ever-cautious Judith find the strength to leave the false security of her past behind to create a new future with Sky in an uncertain world?

Click the book cover below to purchase:
Please note, this is an erotic romance with a heat level of 4.

Here’s an excerpt:

Judith Graham buried her parents on a Sunday. After a brief prayer, she placed her mother’s favorite plant at the head of her grave, and her father’s pipe—still full of tobacco ashes—at the head of his.

She brushed the dirt from her jeans, tucked the work gloves in her back pocket, and sat on the back deck sipping from a can of warm soda, watching the sun set. There were no tears. Her mother’s pistol was at her side, the gunmetal gleaming in the fading orange light.

Would it have made a difference if she had gotten home sooner?

The letter, written on her mother’s heavy monogrammed stationery, had been propped on the mantel, addressed to “Judith” in even, no-nonsense script. A marked contrast to the pale lavender paper, the black words indicated her father brought home the infection. She shot him in the back of his head when he started making gurgling, groaning sounds at the static on the television. Then she dug their graves, dragged him into his, and shot herself.

Stay hidden. Don’t trust anyone. Her mother’s final words to her. Jude was alone.

Her brother was south, somewhere, Alabama, the last she’d heard. Marcus did what he wanted, when he wanted. She was the good daughter who minded what her parents told her.

It wasn’t so bad at first. Between the initial shock of her parents’ deaths, and making defensive alterations to the house, there was no time or energy to think or feel much of anything.

Once the house was safe, the dehydrated food, water bottles, and toiletries arranged in the first floor den, the camp shower with its battery pump working and the lanterns loaded, there was lots of time to be lonely. Rereading favorite novels, patrolling the inside of the house, and searching for elusive ham broadcasts on the shortwave radio only filled up so much time.

She stopped looking at family photos because they made her cry, leaving her exhausted and listless, lying on the bed or the sofa or the floor for hours until the urge to pee roused her enough to move.

Her neighborhood was deserted. No walking dead bodies roamed the streets. Either her neighbors had gotten out or had been zombified in the confines of their homes, unable to juice up the physical memory necessary to open a door and escape. For that she was grateful. She’d had to smash too many zombie heads on her way back home from Philadelphia for her to revisit it with people she once knew.

3 Vacation Horror Movies

Vacation! Hurray, right? Who doesn’t love going on vacation? it’s a time to relax, have a good time, and drink fruity drinks on the beach or beside the pool. Traveling to a different country, a different atmosphere, it’s enough to give anyone peace of mind, right?

But….things can go horribly wrong, even on a wonderful vacation. You only have to check out these films to see what could possibly happen.

Aftershock:

A film starring Eli Roth, the mastermind behind the wonderfully gross Cabin Fever. Here, he and his friends take a vacation to Chile, where of course they want to party and drink. All the fun goes to hell, however, when there’s an earthquake and the physical infrastructure of the city falls apart around them.

Not a great movie, but it’s a different enough disaster film to keep you interested. I was brought up on disaster movies like Earthquake, The Towering Inferno, and the (original) Poseidon Adventure that I was able to enjoy this effort with “the young folks”. Get some popcorn and have some fun.

Turistas:

I’ve seen this film titled also as Turistas: Go Home, so don’t be put off if you see either title. Again, a group of young people go on vacation to Brazil on what was supposed be a fun vacation. Instead a bus accident maroons them somewhere and well, bad things happen. Again, the premise is interesting, the setting of the jungles of Brazil is lush and beautiful, and of course some of those friends on vacation don’t make it out alive.

Fun fact: The director of this movie, John Stockwell, played the “best friend” in the movie “Christine” based on a Stephen King novel.

The Ruins:

Ah, The Ruins. One of the creepiest, crawliest movies I’ve ever seen. I might be extra squeamish, but I really can’t watch every scene of the film: some of the sequences are too much for me. Take from that what you will. However, this film, which is based on a book by Scott Smith (who also wrote the book A Simple Plan), centers around, you guessed it, a group of friends on vacation. They leave a perfectly good resort to go into some jungle to see some Mayan ruins. And, well, they got ruined.

Gifts for Writers under $20.00

‘Tis the season, isn’t it? When the last day of the year rolls around, many of us around the globe think about gift-giving, gift-receiving, and the joy of the holidays. It can be such a warm and fuzzy time of year, and I hope you enjoy every moment of it you can.

I’m the kind of person who likes to give gifts because I enjoy seeing the surprise (and hopefully delight) on the other person’s face when they open the gift I selected especially for them. But that’s just me. It might also be that I enjoy shopping…..but we won’t talk about that right now!

Writers can be difficult to buy for. Besides the requisite pens and journals, maybe you want to be a little more creative for your writer-in-residence. Well, as a writer myself, I picked out a few choice gifts which will make your writer friend smile…..a change from our usual dour expression. (It’s not personal folks, it’s just the writing life.)

Please note, this post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission when you purchase through these links.

Happy shopping!

First, we writers need something to wear. Yes, we might be satisfied to lounge around in an old hoodie and our favorite jeans, but this shirt will not only give us something new to wear, but a brand new outlook on life. Yes, we write and we also know things. Too many things:

The next gift on the list is a classic. A writer looks for inspiration in daily things, whether it be nature, television, or even the progress of the microwave as it reheats a cup of coffee for the millionth time. Stephen King is a prolific writer, world-famous, etc, but it’s nice to read about his thoughts on writing years ago. If your writer doesn’t already have this book , then they should.

Writer’s Block. If you’ve been within fifty feet of a writer, you’ll know the term writer’s block. Fact is, it’s been a virus around the writing community for years, and no one has been able to cure it. However, this awesome little card set just might do the trick. At least, your writer can add it to their arsenal of weapons.

This is one of my favorite gifts, and if no one buys it for me, I’m going to pick it up for myself. While I am a coffee drinker by rule, I have nothing against a steaming hot cup of tea. It make me feel super classy and if you get these teas with literary quotes, you’ll feel like a high-class author too!

Like some sort of prehistoric beast, we hunch over our keyboard or journals, typing/scribbling words as fast as our feverish minds can churn the stuff out. No interruptions, please! Or our creative flow may come to a screeching halt. Try this on for size:

I have a lot of pencils. Pens. Markers. Highlighters. And I’m sure a lot of writers out there have the same overflow of writing implements. It’s just that we’re all in search of the magic pen which will make the words flow. Shhhh! Don’t tell us it’s a myth. While we search, in the meantime, we can store our pens in this:

This one is a wee bit over the twenty dollar limit, but it was so cool, I had to include it. I’m a bit of a sucker for inspirational art….I don’t like it too cheesy, but this is a print that is great to stare at while my brain raced to fill in the next paragraph, or sentence, or word.

Happy shopping and if you’re a writer reading this, don’t be afraid to treat yourself!

xo Dahlia

Working in Times of Stress and Anxiety

If you are struggling to focus on work with everything going on around us, you are certainly not alone. Even those of us who are used to working from home are experiencing a new normal with the current conditions.

Trying to keep up a regular routine through stressful times isn’t an easy task by any means. In reality,it can be nearly impossible. Between the news, social media, and casual conversations, the information you receive, can fill your mind with fear and anxiety.

If you’re struggling right now, I hope to offer you some tips which may help with the process. Let’s take a look at some effective ways to work through stress and uncertainty.

Establish a Routine

If you’re used to going out to an office or worksite every day, communicating with co-workers in person, and having coversations during coffee breaks and office parites, working solo from home can feel quite strange. Your only connection is virtual, either through a video conference, through email, or over the phone.

It might be difficult to establish your own routine when you are the only one in the “office”. Perhaps you are used to taking cues from others or working in with a team on projects. Now that you’re flying solo, creating a schedule is the first step to working in this new normal.

Set a time where you wake up and work. Prepare a breakfast (if you eat breakfast) the night before, or start your day with a beverage and reflection. Having a hot cup of tea or coffee while going over the tasks you want to accomplish for the day will go a long way toward moving yourself into the right mindset for getting things done.

Schedule in breaks during the day and establish a set time for stopping work. This last is important because it can be easy just to do “one more task”. Instead, close out your “work day” and ease yourself into “home life”, even if that means simply walking into the next room. Perhaps play a favorite song to signify the transition.

Be Grateful and Mindful

Practicing simple gratitude can make a difference in your mindset for the day. Write a list of the things you are grateful for. Even the small things can certainly boost your mood. Pin the list up somewhere easily visibly and try to refer to it when you feel your mood lagging.

While it may sound new-agey, focusing on the things you’re grateful for, you can train your brain to think in a more positive matter. In turn, that will switch your focus from the negative things going on right now, to the good things going on in your life.

Find and Use Available Support

One of the brighter spots in this situation is that you’re not the only one who’s being impacted. Most, if not all of the people around you are in the same boat. This means, there’s a lot of support available.

You might spend more time connecting with friends and family without the pressure of running here and there to distract you. Or you can connect with others over social media or other online support channels.

Financial support is available too. If you’re struggling with finances, don’t hesitate to reach out to your bank or utility companies. Many of them have programs in place to assist their customers.

Emotional support is important. Seek out support from a trained therapist via telephone or online. If you do not have insurance, payment plans will surely be available.

Put Self-Care First

We’ve all heard the proverb “You cannot pour from an empty vessel”. It’s so true. You can’t give support o if you don’t support yourself. Focus on self-care in these trying time. Learn to say no. Prioritize or delegate tasks. You can’t do everything.

Practicing self-care doesn’t always mean chocolate and streaming movies. In fact, becoming less active can be detrimental to both your physical and emotional well-being. What you should do, however, is balance the “veg-out” with the “work-out”.

Exercising on a regular basis is an effective way to deal with stress. Yoga, lifting weights, or even walking around your house will get your blood moving and your brain into high gear. I remember reading an article about a grandmother who lived in an apartment and wanted to lose weight. She didn’t feel comfortable going outside and walking, so instead she walked circuits around her apartment and got her steps in that way. These things can be done. You just have to use your imagination. There are online videos and programs you can access for free.

Focus on things which relax you, such as breathing exercises, meditation, or simply sitting and being in the moment. Make practicing self-care a habit, and your stress level will certainly reduce.

Granted, it’s difficult not to stress out when we’re in the middle of a global pandemic. The uncertainty about supplies, personal health, and finances can lead to sleepless nights and worrying. However, the tips I gave you can help you manage your emotions and keep them from getting out of control. The first thing to remember is to be kind to yourself and keep your expectations at a reasonable level as you transition into this new phase of your working life.