"The universe is made of stories, not of atoms."
—Muriel Rukeyser
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‘Meg 2’ Swims to Top of Disc Sales Charts!

 Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment’s Meg 2: The Trench debuted at No. 1 on the Circana VideoScan First Alert chart, which tracks combined DVD and Blu-ray Disc unit sales, and the dedicated Blu-ray Disc sales chart the week ended Oct. 28.

The sequel to 2018’s The Meg again features Jason Statham facing off against a giant prehistoric shark. It earned $82.6 million at the domestic box office.

HD formats accounted for just 48% of Meg 2 total unit disc sales, with 14% from 4K disc and 35% from regular Blu-ray. It was also the No. 1 dedicated 4K disc seller.

A collection of the two “Meg” movies was No. 11 on the overall disc sales chart, with 13% of its sales coming from Blu-ray. The two-movie set sold 11% as many copies as the standalone Meg 2, effectively adding to the total of people purchasing the sequel.



The previous week’s top seller, Warner’s Barbie, slipped to No. 2 on all the charts in its second week, selling 88% as many copies as the top title, though the result seems closer due to sales of Meg 2 being split between the standalone and two-movie collection.

via Media Play News

NEW From Story Merchant Books: A New Game by A.D. Adair

The Elle Anderson Series Book 4 



A killer is on the loose, one with nothing to lose.

An assassin is killing cartel members with lethal precision. Each crime scene leaves more questions than answers, and no one in law enforcement or the intelligence communities has any leads. Except for one man: Navy SEAL turned CIA operative Julian Saunders. He knows they’re hunting for a ghost. Someone the U.S. government declared dead.

Joined by an elite covert operations team, Julian heads to New Orleans, searching for the only person capable of taking the cartel head-on: Elle Anderson. But as the body count rises and the brutality of the kills becomes more intense, he questions whether the woman they knew still exists or if, by pursuing her, they’re signing their own death warrants.

***
She wasn’t healed from her wounds, but the restlessness won. The craving for action had become an obsession. Elle looked in the mirror and wondered if she should stop…. The assassin in her said no.

GAME ON.

“With echoes of John Wick and Atomic Blonde, Anderson harnesses the pain and dark chaos in her past to bring the hurt to the bad guys in a ballet of brutal badassery.”
Andrews & Wilson, #1 Bestselling Authors of TIER ONE & Sons of Valor.

“Elle Anderson stands shoulder to shoulder with Rapp, Harvath, and Ryan.”
Eric P Bishop, Author of The Body Man
 

Brilliant Short film L'ALTRA PAR by Steve Cutts

I used to think we can’t have too much communication, but I have to admit that’s no longer the case. Between the cell phone we carry like physical appendages, and the televisions that hover in the background of our lives spouting the most dramatic bad news that comes across the net, we are drowning in communication. How does a writer find a way to communicate the unique thoughts, feeling, and vision that may be inside? How do we writers maintain the motivating belief that what’s inside us individually is important or even relevant? That is the most important challenge we writers face. And now that AI has asserted its ever-presence, how we face that challenge has never been more crucial to how we as humans continue to evolve. I’d love to hear your thoughts about this. Hurrah to the filmmakers!


 

The Egyptian film "L'ALTRA PAR", which lasted only 2 minutes, won the award for best short film at the Venice Film Festival. The director is 20 years old. The film describes how people get caught up in technology and forget about the best things in life, human coexistence with love and brotherhood. @steve_cutts

This 2023 Movie Starring Jason Statham Is Currently #1 on Max (and Is Truly Terrifying)


Looking for a new film to watch during your next movie night? Allow us to introduce an action/sci-fi movie that deserves to be at the top of your watch list: Meg 2: The Trench. Let’s just say it makes the events in Jaws look like a cakewalk.

Serving as a sequel to 2018’s The MegMeg 2: The Trench currently sits at the number one spot on Max’s top ten movies list.


In this action-packed flick, actor Jason Statham plays the role of Jonas Taylor, who leads a research team on an ocean expedition five years after the events of the first film. But their voyage soon turns into a living nightmare when they encounter a group of great white sharks and other dangerous sea creatures. Can the crew make it out alive? Or will they lose their battle for survival?


via pure wow

Jason Statham triumphs on HBO Max with the most-watched action movie starring him!


Jason Statham has accustomed us to his roles as a tough character as in titles such as The Expendables, Crank or The Transporter. Now he gives up some of the limelight in this movie available on HBO Max which is a long awaited sequel where the real stars are sharks that were thought to be extinct since the time of the dinosaurs.

via 

EXCERPT: Panic Attack by Dennis Palumbo

Read Excerpt Here



A shooter takes deadly aim, and throws a city into panic Psychologist Daniel Rinaldi is no stranger to trauma. A survivor of not one, but two attempts on his life by a deranged killer, the therapist also counsels trauma patients in his private practice, and contracts with the Pittsburgh Police to help victims of violent crime cope with their experience. When a sports mascot is gunned down mid-field by a sniper at a college football game he attends, Rinaldi becomes an accidental yet integral part of the investigation. To begin with, the victim in the costume is not the person who was supposed to be wearing it. 

Thiller fans, don't miss the newest Daniel Rinaldi mystery:  http://bit.ly/3q9WVh5

Kenneth Atchity's Suspense Thriller The Messiah Matrix FREE October 16 - October 20!

To what lengths would the Vatican go to suppress the secret origins of its power? ⁠
A renowned priest is killed in Rome. A Roman coin is recovered from a wreck off the coast of ancient Judea. ⁠
It’s up to a young American Jesuit priest and a vivacious, brilliant, female archaeologist to connect these seemingly disparate events and unravel the greatest mystery of all. ⁠


Literary Titan Gives Kevin Spark's id: A Novel Five Star Review!

 

id: A Novel, by Kevin Spark, is an immersive entry in the genre of psychological thrillers and creates an intricate narrative largely centered around a unique setting – a zoo. The story has a cast of diverse characters; one standout character is that of Detective Hopper.

Spark masterfully delves into the murky underworld of drug trafficking and animal fighting, providing a penetrating examination of the criminal psyche. In an intriguing twist of biblical interpretation, the novel employs the story of Adam and Eve to illuminate themes of sin and innocence, with Eve emerging untainted from the materialistic world while Adam bears the burden of a dark past. Adding an extra layer of complexity, Dr. Shelley, a psychiatrist, navigates the labyrinthine corridors of memory, thereby propelling the narrative forward.

The subtle writing style of Spark piques the reader’s curiosity by giving just enough information to imply a rich backdrop, resulting in a narrative layered with intrigue and depth. Numerous subplots dovetail seamlessly with the main narrative, enhancing the texture of the story. The characters’ pasts emerge as crucial aspects of their present lives, though their full stories remain tantalizingly veiled.

As is typical of the psychological thriller genre, the narrative occasionally veers into violent and macabre territory. The reader is invited on a disquieting journey through a landscape punctuated with dark thoughts and unsettling experiences. Scenes of action and violence are vividly portrayed in unflinching detail, laying bare the stark realities of life.

Despite the shadowy ambiance, the story is meticulously plotted. The characters are flawed, complex, and realistic, making for intriguing studies in character development, albeit sometimes evoking figures difficult to discern in everyday life.

I would heartily recommend id: A Novel to those with a keen interest in criminal psychology or the enduring impact of past traumas on one’s life. However, those of a more sensitive disposition should be forewarned: the explicit descriptions of violence, detailed exploration of psychological depths, and the characters’ darker musings may be unsettling.

id: A Novel leaves an unforgettable impact. The characters and their dilemmas infiltrate the reader’s subconscious, resurfacing in thoughts long after the final page is turned. The novel itself seems to emulate the intricacies of the subconscious mind, revealing fragments of events while preserving an air of mystery until the very end.

Pages: 332 | ASIN : B0BKH85WVM

via Literary Titan

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Here's What To Expect

  • Master the Essential Building Blocks to a Successful Story.

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  • How to Write a Treatment that Guides you Through your First Draft and Identifies Soft Spots in your Story.

  • Understand the Rules of Revision

  • Learn the Secrets of the 3-Act Structure.


Pay upfront or utilize our payment plan to pay as you learn!⁠⁠

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