Phil Giunta's Blog, page 71
July 16, 2015
Book Review: Mr. Monk on the Road
After solving two San Francisco murders in typical Adrian Monk fashion, the detective decides to do something special for his agoraphobic brother, Ambrose, who has not left his house in over 30 years. After lacing his slice of birthday cake with sleeping pills, Adrian and his assistant, Natalie Teeger, carry Ambrose into an RV that Adrian had rented with the intention of taking Ambrose on a tour of California then out to the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas–with Natalie as the designated driver, of course.
Understandably, Ambrose is at first furious over being abducted from his home, but begins to relax as the trip progresses. He marvels at the sights and sounds of the outside world. During their travels, the trio encounter two murders that naturally intrigue Adrian, but he is reluctantly dissuaded by Natalie from participating in their investigation. They are on vacation, after all. Along the way, they meet several interesting characters in various trailer parks and are nearly run off the road by an enraged tractor trailer driver.
It isn’t until they reach Vegas that Detective Monk has an epiphany and realizes that all of the events and people they’ve encountered have a deadly connection…
This story takes place after the end of the television series and the events of the final episode are summed up in the first chapter. If you have never seen the final episode, you may wonder what on Earth would inspire Adrian Monk, a man whose phobias are surpassed only by his brother’s, to take a sightseeing tour in an RV. Well, let’s just say that both Detective Monk and his brother has overcome some of their fears, have loosened up a little, and realized there is more to life than solving puzzles and disinfecting everything in sight–except for the RV’s bathroom and dinette table, of course.
Hats off to Lee Goldberg for yet anothe marvelous Monk mystery. I’ve read about six of his Monk novels to date and have never been disappointed.
July 15, 2015
High-Flying Action!
Today marked my first parasailing excursion, and it was a thrill thanks to Dewey Beach Parasail! I was joined by my friend Renee Volker-Wilson during a week-long group vacation in Rehoboth Beach, DE. We were 800 feet in the air just off of Dewey Beach in Rehoboth Bay.
I am definitely doing this again!
July 5, 2015
Free Audio Story – “Making Tracks” by Steven H. Wilson
Making Tracks, an advance story from our next anthology–ELSEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF ETERNITY–written and read by Steven H. Wilson!
Tracks is 13 years old and lives on a train–the only safe place to live in a future where to stand still is to die…
July 4, 2015
Shore Leave 37 Featured on Trek Today
The upcoming Shore Leave 37 convention in Hunt Valley, MD (August 7-9, 2015) has been featured on the Trek Today website. Plenty of celebrity guests, authors, and scientists will be on hand. The convention always delivers a weekend filled with discussion panels, writers workshops, book fair, dance party, masquerade contest, autograph sessions, photo op sessions with the stars, and multiple dealer rooms.
Click here to read the full article!
July 2, 2015
Amazon Revises Their Book Rating System
Amazon is yet again making changes. This time, to their book rating system. I was not aware of this when it was announced over two weeks ago. This new policy makes it even more imperative for burgeoning authors to build their platforms prior to releasing their first book and to foster relationships with readers who will purchase their books and take time to leave reviews.
In summary, Amazon will give more weight to:
1. Newer reviews.
2. Reviews based on Amazon verified purchases of books.
3. Reviews with the most helpful votes.
Click here to read the full article.
For those who have recently left reviews for my books on Amazon and/or Goodreads (owned by Amazon), I thank you so much!
June 22, 2015
Free Audio Story – “Don’t Go In The Barn, Johnny!”
Another story from our anthology, Somewhere in the Middle of Eternity, is available as a free audio story from Prometheus Radio Theatre!
Johnny learns to stop fearing the dark, and finds more than he ever imagined when he enters an abandoned barn where Night spends her days…
“Don’t Go in the Barn, Johnny!”
June 17, 2015
Support Your Favorite Author – Leave a Review
Reaching out to my readers here and I’m not even asking for a dime. 
Just requesting a few minutes of your time. If you’ve read any of my books–regardless whether you thought they were terrific, mediocre, or complete drek–could I ask you to take a few minutes and leave an honest rating and review on your favorite book site (Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, etc)? I would deeply appreciate the help. I am so grateful when people email me or tell me how much they liked my writing, but reviews help elevate a writer’s career and open doors, especially for independent authors.
Thank you so much for your continued support. Cheers!
June 16, 2015
Reading Beneath the Surface
June 7, 2015
Free Audio Story – “Don’t Go Fussin’ Over Me”
One of my stories from Somewhere in the Middle of Eternity is now available for your free listening pleasure on Prometheus Radio Theatre!
In “Don’t Go Fussin’ Over Me”, everyone else might think that Mona Bretton is nearing the end of her life, but Mona will have none of it—even when family members begin showing up to ease her passage to the other side…
“Don’t Go Fussin’ Over Me” Audio Story
June 1, 2015
Ladies and Gentlemen, let’s welcome back Burnout and Overwhelm!
Looking ahead at my summer schedule, it appears that I might be welcoming back two old friends known as Burnout and Overwhelm. Verily, they are not actually welcome as it were. More appropriately, they are once again thrusting their ugly mugs into my life.
In addition to a division-wide software upgrade at work that will begin tomorrow, I have also begun studying to renew my Microsoft certifications. The goals are an MCSA in Office365 (two exams) MCSE in Windows Server 2012 (five exams). Each exam is $150. Damn well better pass them the first time, bub.
As a distraction to what will doubtlessly be a rigid schedule to challenge my health and sanity, I shall need to ensure that I maintain the workout regimen that allowed me to shuck 30 pounds last year and added a few inches to the old biceps.
But, but, but…what about your writing, Phil? Yes, indeed. What about that?
The good news is that I just finished my third and final story for Elsewhere in the Middle of Eternity, the follow up anthology to last year’s Somewhere in the Middle of Eternity. As well as contributing three stories to that volume, I served as editor…and am doing so again. Most of the same writers are returning, and we’ll be joined by two or three new and wonderfully talented scribes. has once again graciously agreed to provide cover and interior art and is already on the job.
Thus, I shall look forward to leading EIME (in it’s abbreviated name, as volume one was often referred to as SIME) to completion with a tentative release of Summer 2016.
Last autumn, I submitted a paranormal mystery novella called Like Mother, Like Daughters (yes, Daughters is intentionally plural) to Firebringer Press and am awaiting a response. If fortune be with me, that might also debut in 2016 as an Ebook.
Last summer, an editor that I’m acquainted with put out an open call for Sherlock Holmes stories. As requested, I submitted a synopsis, then, in January, the story (one week before the deadline). While I cannot say much about it now, the project is being shopped around to publishers and I’ve been informed that there are a few interested parties. More updates to come.
OK, so those are the irons in the fire, but what about writing new material?
All new fiction is on hold until after I pass my Microsoft exams and complete this software upgrade at the job. I’ve been known to take on too much in the past and while I always manage to get it all done, it never fails to exact a toll on my mental and physical health.
Lesson learned. I’m only human, not an automaton. Either way, I’m at maximum bandwidth for the remainder of the summer. At least I have vacation and Shore Leave 37 to look forward to!
Serenity now…
