Saturday, March 23, 2024

Virtual Tourist 03/22/24

 

Table of Contents

News/MusingsStory Origin Swap 1
Virtual Tourist – Jedi SurvivorStory Origin Swap 2
Fascinating Places Group PromoMonstrous March Group Promo
Reviewer’s Corner

Greetings!

I swear I tend to overbook my time. But then still feel like I am not getting enough done. LOL. 

However, in April, I’ll be giving you and me a break! Bwahahaha! 

More details about the hiatus on May 17th! (Assuming you still remember who I am by then. 😝)

News/Musings

March is proving to be a handful. Boo! But I did skip catching a cold, so yay! 😁

I had an early birthday lunch with my Mom and others yesterday. This lands on my grandmother’s birthday, so she was there in spirit. The big joke for the day – we met at Gloria’s, an El Salvadoran/Tex-Mex restaurant, and I got Gloria’s Super Special. So Gloria ate at Gloria’s and had Gloria’s special. Three Glorias. Now say the sentence three times fast. LOL. 🀣 I think everyone had a good time. 🀞

 

Writing News

I’ve hit almost 65,000 words for The Secret Aftermath – Book 2 of the Discoveries of Julia Xero. I have 15,000 to go for my minimum word count threshold, so you get a full novel. (I’ve noticed a weird trend where books are getting shorter and shorter. I’m not going that route. I’d feel cheated as a reader so I won’t do it as a writer if I can at all help it.)

Feeding chapters to the writer’s group as I go, trying to get it as shiny as possible before hitting up my editor. I would love to get it to you by July, so wish me luck! (My hope is to jump straight to book 3 after that.) Eek!

Music of Death Blues has been well received so far, which is awesome! Thank you guys for your awesome support!

 

Extra content today:

1) StoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)

2) StoryOrigin Swap 2 (UBL)

3) Fascinating Places Group Promo

4) Monstrous March Group Promo

 

 

Scroll on down to get all the deets. πŸ˜‰

The Crimson Inkwell

The Crimson Inkwell

StoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)

Magic Exists Where We Cannot See.

Book 1 of the Luella Winthrop Trilogy

If someone gave you a pen that turned fiction into fact, how long would it take you to make a proper mess of things?

I’m Luella Winthrop. I live in Dawnhurst-on-Severn, a small English city that’s teeming with excitement over the print industry. After all, if education has been made available for even the working class, why not enjoy it?

Still, even if a woman can read, write, or reign as sovereign, my editor assures me that we don’t sell stories very well. Personally, I think he’s just protective. After all, he is also my fiancΓ©. Why assign me exciting stories when he can tuck me into safe, non-controversial articles about table napkins?

But, I didn’t become a writer to write about table napkins. I dreamed of covering dashing detectives, murders on the cobbles, and unexplained phenomena.

So, when a strange carnival worker offered me a pen that could turn fiction to fact, I took him up on it. Before I knew it, I was suspended in between reality and magic.

Now I have no idea who to marry, what it takes to impress the critics, or how to put my world back together. But, I’d better hurry, because I think I woke up something dark and dangerous.

Jedi Survivor

Yep, still doing this one. I FINALLY figured out how to get the UI to disappear for the photos. But whether you’ll see those this time around is not yet determined. I try to upload 30 pics at a time, then try to pick the best ones to show, so you could get lucky? 😁

You can see all the currently uploaded pics here.

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Such funky rock formations. The level of detail is awesome!

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Signs of Imperial and other presences on Koboh close to the miner town.

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Skoova, one of the many people you can recruit to the town during your travels. He’s a hoot! You will find him and his boat in the most unusual of places as he hunts for fish to add to the tank behind him, which is in the bar.  Every time you find him, he will catch a fish at that location and continue with the whopper of a tale of his adventures. 1 more fish to go!

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This is a far view of one of the ancient temples scattered throughout the planet Jedah. Cal gets several unexpected surprises here.  (You can find a gardener for the roof of the bar on this planet.)

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Entrance to one of the many temples on Jedah. 

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View from the lab at the broken moon orbiting Koboh. The ship is the Mantis. Yu could change the colors in the first game, but we’re stuck with these this time around. The ship has seen better days. πŸ˜›

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Still at the lab on the broken moon. The maintenance droid is still functional and is hundreds of years old. Bad things happened here.

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Remains of ancient life on Koboh. There are a couple of giant species still alive there. (And some evil bugs that love to jump on you out of nowhere.)

Grace in the Wings

Grace in the Wings

StoryOrigin Swap 2 (UBL)

A ghost from her past. Her sister murdered. Is a Broadway star facing her final curtain call?

New York City, 1920. Grace Michelle has everything she wants: a home, a family, and a future career as a costume designer for the famed Ziegfeld Follies. Pretty good for a girl who once lived on the streets of New York City. But when her sister, the star of the show, is murdered, Grace’s sheltered life is shattered.

To catch the culprit, the junior designer is forced to give up her dreams and replace her dead sister as the Follies’ star. It’s not long before she realizes she’s a pawn in a series of publicity stunts that put her life at risk—and into the path of a dangerous man from her troubled past—a man she thought she’d left for dead.

If Grace doesn’t find the killer fast, it’s certain she’ll be taking her final bow.

Grace in the Wings is the gripping first book in the Grace Michelle Mystery series. If you like historical mysteries dripping with 1920s swagger, unfettered ambition, and plenty of murderous twists, you’ll love Kari Bovee’s riveting tale.

Buy Grace in the Wings to lose yourself in the glamorous, and sometimes dangerous, world of Broadway’s golden age!

FascinatIng Places Group Promo Banner

Fascinating Places Group Promo – Immerse yourself in real-world places!

Monstrous March Group Promo Banner

Monstrous March Group Promo – monsters of all kinds at your fingertips

🌟 Shout out to Reviewers Corner! πŸŒŸ

Thanks this month go to:

Black Jade – Kerry

Jacques – Carol

The JOY of Murder – Est

Music of Death Blues – 
kerriem3, janelit43, Kuzlin, oldshortfatbroudonwh, geraldinelopez11, Teresa,, Kuzlin, TRL, Ana Luisa Santiago, Patty, Teresa Collins, Kerrie McLean, Eventplanr, WhiteQueen45, Shane Wreight, DVH, Geraldine Lopez, Est, Kat Taylor, Mrs LIR Linda, Patricia Wong, Teresa Collins, Sue Loncaric, Sandy, Tania, Jane Litherland, LizzyLa, Bekki’s Books, and Kerrie

The Prince and Dai
 – LizzyLa and P.D.R. Lindsay

The Secret Humankind – Dana Ferbrache-Darr and AVG9

 

A great big THANK YOU to all the reviewers!

(Do you want your name in here, too? All you need is to post a one or two-sentence review at Bookbub, Goodreads, Amazon, or send me a link if it’s posted elsewhere and I will add you here next round!)

They are calling for cold fronts and rain. Stay indoors! Stay warm! 

​Until next time!

 

Gloria

Saturday, March 09, 2024

Mind Sieve 03/08/24

 

Table of Contents

News/MusingsStoryOrigin Swap 1
Mini Movie/Show ReviewsStoryOrigin Swap 2
Movie/TV Show PreviewsJust for Fun!
Fascinating Places Group PromoMonstrous March Group Promo
BookSiren’s Cozy Mystery ARCsStrong Women Strange Worlds

 

 

Happy Day, y’all

I’ve got all sorts of stuff to share today

 

News/Musings

Okay, weird weather, unhappy dogs, and I’ve been trying to get a sore throat. Nooo! If I stay on top of it, I can cut that off at the pass. Bwahahahaha! 

I didn’t participate at Fencon this year, but several of my author buds did. Two of them got the convention crud from other attendees. I know people paid to go, but it might be time to stay home if you’re coughing out a lung. Melanie said it knocked her out for four days after she caught it there. Poor thing!

Writing news

Music of Death Blues is LIVE!  The ebook, paperback, and hardback all went on sale 3/1/24. For those of you with a subscription, you’ll also find it in Kindle Unlimited.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Excellent in so many ways: characters, plot, atmosphere, historical detail.” – Book Bub Review

Reactions have been great so far! 

I just found out that one of my publishers is participating in Smashwords eBook Week from 3/4 to 3/9/24. All my Zumaya titles will be 25% off!  You can see the list of my books on special here.

Also, Amazon and Audible have started a new program for audiobooks with virtual voices – so just for fun, I experimented with doing Jacques for it since I got a beta invite. You can check out the sample at either Amazon or Audible.

 

Extra stuff I’ve shoved in here:

1) StoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)

2) StoryOrigin Swap 2 (Freebie)

3) Fascinating Places Group Promo

4) Monstrous March Group Promo

5) BookSiren’s Cozy Mystery ARCs

6) Strong Women Strange Worlds Rapid Fire Readings

 

 

More deets on all of these in their sections. 😊

 

StoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)

StoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)

Love and Hate

Lost Girl has nothing on this Demon

Tessa Damon is a modern demon with no plans to ever settle down. She loves her life. She has great friends, an amazing career and dating rules that keep her safe and her sexual appetite sated. Until she meets Devon that is. He’s sweet, funny and sexy. Just her type except he’s her friend brother which makes him off limits. Or does it?

Mini Movie/TV Reviews πŸŽ₯

★ – Why did I go see this? Why?!

★★ – Showed promise but on execution, crashed

★★★ – Enjoyable, just don’t look under the hood too closely

★★★★ – A great film, totally worth seeing!

★★★★★ – 🀯 Too fabulous for words!

 

Madam Web

Madam Web

There were some really great things about this film, but also some not-so-great things. One of the biggest mistakes was the fact the film was set in 2003. A lot of technology has changed since then, mainly mandatory GPS’s on Taxi cabs. But it was very easy to forget we were in 2003 and not in 2023. And keeping the Taxi’s license plate without dirtying it up or removing was stupid. Other bits like that really drew away from the enjoyment. (She’s lived in New York and been a paramedic for years—she should known things. Lol.)

One thing I really did like was how the protagonist’s power grew over time as she struggled to understand it and make it her own. 

For those expecting a lot of action from the three girls once they grow up, you only get glimpses of that future. I wasn’t expecting any, but seemingly other people were. πŸ˜›

Rating: ★★★.5 out of 5 Hubby’s Rating: Better on Cable

Dune Part 2

Dune Part 2

Cool effects, great acting, and nice combat scenes, yet when it was over, we were oddly dissatisfied. What took three years in the book got squished into one, so a lot of things got changed to better fit the compressed timeline. 

One thing hubby had been unhappy about in part 1 was how they gave one line about how important spice was, and that was it—no explanations, no follow through. He’d hoped they’d make up for it in part 2, but they didn’t. Without sharing all the different ways spice affects the empire and most of the major guilds, a super important level of complexity in the situation is completely lost. (Worse was adding the scene showing a Bene Jesserit giving Fey the fear test! He would NOT have survived it, he has no training. Instead, it’s ‘oh, he likes pain’) 

Chani’s role was also modified. And making the Fremen religion split by north and south was not well thought out.) It’s like they drained the magic/wonder from the story. Oh well.

Rating: ★★★★ out of 5 Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price to Admission!

StoryOrigin Swap 2 (Freebie)

StoryOrigin Swap 2 (Freebie)

Knights of the Crescent, Knights of the Cross

Something lurks beneath Jerusalem
A horror story alternate history of the Knights Templar

What evil hides amongst us?

A small band of Crusader knights finds themselves alone on the streets of Jerusalem during the bloody siege of 1099. They discover a mosque, tucked away at the corner of a deserted market. What they find inside changes history forever.

This reader magnet introduces readers to the world of The Other, a Lovecraftian cosmic horror series.

Movie/TV Previews πŸŽ₯

Inside Out 2 Movie Trailer – looks like utter teenage chaos! tongue-out

Fallout Movie Trailer​ – based on the PC game. Looks fun. Lots of actors I like in this one! Hubby’s played the game, so he’s pumped.

 

Wild Robot Movie Trailer – looks super cute!

Just for Fun!

If Harry Potter Was Southern – too funny! ROFL

 

 

AC/DC Thunderstruck but with Tesla coils – Too darn cool! LOL.

The Avengers (All series openings) – no, not those Avengers, but the Patrick McNee ones! tongue-out  I only remember seeing the ones with Diana Rigg. She’s awesome!

FascinatIng Places Group Promo Banner

Fascinating Places​ Group Promo – books from all genres that concentrate on real-world locations.

Monstrous March Group Promo Banner

Monstrous March Group Promo​ – vampires, creatures, and monsters, oh my!

 

Strong Women Strange Worlds 03/21/24 Banner
Mar 2024 Cozy Mystery Arcs Banner

Mar 2024 Cozy Mystery ARCs at BookSirens – free books for reviews.

Have an awesome week!

 

Till next time!

Gloria

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