Gloria Oliver's Blog, page 4
April 3, 2023
Pay It Forward - A Newsletter Subscriber Exclusive Coming Soon
Coming soon to the newsletter will be a new urban fantasy prequel short called Pay It Forward. It ties into the Discoveries of Julia Xero urban fantasy thriller series Book 1 – The Secret Humankind, which will come out mid-2023!
Subscribe to the newsletter and see it first! Pick an extra gift or three when you sign up!
A social worker fighting the good fight. A mousy orphan dodging trouble. Can the public servant find common ground before one of them gets permanently kicked to the curb?
Laurel Caine wants to pay it forward. As a case handler in child protective services, Laurel maintains a professional distance from her charges while using her stash of ‘secret weapons’ to keep them safe. But after she meets a thin, timid girl named Julia, keeping the child at arm’s length is proving harder than resisting the call of chocolate.
So when Julia’s current foster home wants to ditch her without cause, Laurel bayonets the rules and goes all in. But Julia is a tough nut to crack and wheedling what Laurel needs to know out of her is like pulling teeth from a bucking bronco.
Can Laurel hammer the cryptic clues together in time, or will she stay stuck in the muck and lose more than she ever imagined?
Pay It Forward is the prequel short to the Discoveries of Julia Xero urban fantasy thriller series. If you like gutsy women, unlikely orphans, and your fiction laced with the supernatural, you’ll love Gloria Oliver’s moving tale.
Join the newsletter to get your free copy of Pay It Forward as a newsletter exclusive when it gets back from the editor and foresee the future today!
March 25, 2023
Virtual Tourist 03/24/23
Table of ContentsNews/MusingsStoryOrigin Swap 1Virtual Tourist – Ghostwire TokyoStoryOrigin Swap 2Aliens Don’t Always Wear Greeen Group PromoMarch YA Fantasy Reads Group PromoReviewers Corner!
Greetings!
Welcome to Spring! 🌷🌸🌺🌼🥀💐🌻
And high pollen count, allergies, more crazy weather, and water leaks! 😋
The Year of Chaos continues!
Have you ever noticed that when one bad thing happens, there tend to be two more coming as well? Well, the newsletter is a few hours late going out the door because we had more “fun” come and visit.
First, we got a new pipe leak. Which is super exciting all on its own. When they came to find and fix it, they also found we had another one. 😲 On top of that, I ate too many onions and bloated up like a balloon. (I’d been doing pretty good balancing them out and taking precautions, but not this time.) 🤯 So it’s been a busy/chaotic/crazy the last few days at Casa Oliver. Wheee!
Writing NewsI’d hope to get the prequel story back from the editor so I could start sharing it in the newsletter, but it’s still out. (If you want to be one of the first to see it, sign up now and grab a free gift or three!) So instead, here’s the fully revealed prequel cover that I showed you a glimpse of last time. I think I also have the blurb for it nailed down, so I’ll share that as well. 😎
Next time will include the cover teaser for Book 1. 😁
I’ve also started on Book 3 of the Daiyu Wu Mystery series! The working title is “Music of Death Blues!” (Now to remember to share research bits as I go along.) 😁
A social worker fighting the good fight. A mousy orphan dodging trouble. Can the public servant find common ground before one of them gets permanently kicked to the curb?
Laurel Caine wants to pay it forward. As a case handler in child protective services, Laurel maintains a professional distance from her charges while using her stash of ‘secret weapons’ to keep them safe. But after she meets a thin, timid girl named Julia, keeping the child at arms’ length is proving harder than resisting the call of chocolate.
So when Julia’s current foster home wants to ditch her without cause, Laurel bayonets the rules and goes all in. But Julia is a tough nut to crack and wheedling what Laurel needs to know out of her is like pulling teeth from a bucking bronco.
Can Laurel hammer the cryptic clues together in time, or will she stay stuck in the muck and lose more than she ever imagined?
Again, this will appear in the newsletter as a freebie, so be sure to subscribe!
Extra content today:
1) StoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)
2) StoryOrigin Swap 2 (UBL)
3) Aliens Don’t Always Wear Green Group Promo
4) March YA Fantasy Reads Group Promo
Scroll on down to get all the deets. 😉
The West RoadStoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)
He would defend them, unless the demons got there first…
A Ring Keeper Story
Dane had been a soldier for most of his life. And he’d traveled for nearly a year before a muddy country road brought him to Gildan. Sworn to complete a quest even with time quickly running out, he can’t give up his search for a missing girl and an enchanted ring. If he fails, his nation will be destroyed.
In the woods on a rainy night, Dane finds a wandering child and escorts him back to his mother. Lindy is a widow, raising her son alone, but she shares shelter and food. Dane and Lindy find the beginnings of friendship. While he’s trying to help her, he discovers that she holds the final clue that could enable him to complete his quest.
Soon, Dane realizes he isn’t the only one searching the countryside. Shekkar Demons have begun their deadly hunt. Dane will do everything he can to protect Lindy and her son from the demon’s poisoned claws.
Ghostwire Tokyo
More oriental creepiness is incoming!
You can see all the currently uploaded pics here.
Yes, creepy! He is looking at you! (Inside a haunted building.)
One of the haunted rooms in the building is the game maker’s own office! The snail is their logo. So cute!
Yes… nothing creepy or disturbing happening here. 😋
This is adorable! Looks like a giant robot’s head! This is actually a small neighborhood police station. Koban’s will have anywhere from 1 to 10 police officers depending on the area.
This had me rolling. Booboo Burger! What a name! ROFL. Not sure I would eat there if it will give me a Boo Boo. 😂
At first look, this seems like a perfectly normal subway car, until you notice all the TVs staring at you! Eek!
Another one where just a glimpse makes you think things are normal, until you realize the Maneki-neko is two stories tall! Maneki-neko’s are lucky cat figurines that you will see in a lot of stores and restaurants in Japan. The paw is trying to entice customers to come inside. Such a cute idea!
Things are getting serious! Despite attempts to halt the bad guy, he’s moved on to the next step. The giants are made up of the souls he’s stolen in Tokyo.
AlamirStoryOrigin Swap 2 (UBL)
Vengeance runs through her veins. Can one unlikely hero unleash legendary powers without opening the door to destruction?
Etain Rhys burns with singular zeal. After losing her family to a demonic assassin, the superhuman warrior-in-training will stop at nothing to avenge their deaths.When the hunt ends with her impaled on a sword, the fierce woman discovers a mysterious savior who yearns to cut down the same foe.
Convinced her rescuer holds the key to reaching the villain’s realm, Etain struggles to push aside her budding feelings and focus on their quest. But as the steadfast fighter joins her new ally’s inner circle, she fears the twisted force that hungers for her magic could destroy both of their worlds.
Alamir is the imaginative first book in the Blood of Kaos dark fantasy series. If you like determined female characters, visionary world-building, and exhilarating battles of good versus evil, then you’ll love Nesa Miller’s captivating read.
Buy Alamir to battle the forces of corruption today!
Science Fiction enthusiasts, don’t miss out on the offerings from the Aliens Don’t Always Wear Green (In Sci-Fi) group promo!
The March Young Adult Fantasy Reads group promo is on the way out, so don’t miss it!
🌟 Shout out to Reviewers Corner! 🌟Thanks this month go to:
The Joy of Murder – The Arizona Bookstagrtammer
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!)
Have an awesome week! See you next time!
Gloria
March 11, 2023
Mind Sieve 3/10/23
Greetings!
I hope all the weird storms have not affected you much. It’s been a crazy couple of weeks. 🌩🌨🌧⛈🌪
News/Musings
If you’ve been on the fence about checking out my historical cozy mystery series, Black Jade (Book 1) is currently on sale for $0.99 until the end of day 3/12/23.
(Unfortunately, the way Amazon sets up KU-enrolled ebooks, only the US store carries the sale. 😭) I do hope to eventually have the ebook versions back in wide distribution and you will be one of the first to know when I do!)
Minerva and Xena are just too darn cute! While I’ve had dogs off and on throughout my life, this is the first time I think I’ve had two at once. It’s been an experience. LOL.
Some online software I purchased last year got an extra perk. They allowed owners to try the new feature for free – AI-generated art. I decided to have fun with it and see what it would make of Daiyu Wu’s 1930 Scooby Gang. The cute video below shows the results! I thought the characters came out looking adorable! (I did have to tweak Dai’s for her blind eyes, but otherwise, they came out great!) Enjoy!
Writing news
The Secret Humankind – The Discoveries of Julia Xero – Book 1 (An urban fantasy thriller) has been converted from 3rd person to 1st person (with a little more of this and that) and is off to the editor! Woot!
The prequel short “Pay It Forward” will be shared in the newsletter. So if you want to be one of the first to see it, sign up now and grab a free gift or three! I’m hoping the editor gets that one back in the next couple of weeks so I can start sharing!
I already have the cover for the prequel short, so here’s a sneak peek! 😋 (I’m saving the sneak peek for the novel cover for next time. Heh heh heh.)
(Pre-editor teaser of the week!) (Mild language warning!)
Cold sweat broke out over my body, my gut wrenching as primal terror singed my nerves. I inched away from the door unable to look away, my breath rasping in and out. Every inch of me rebelled. This thing, whatever it was, was a hellish nightmare. Yet it was there, watching me, studying me.
That’s when it hit me. Where the hell was Stan?
As if it could read my thoughts, the glowing sneer grew wider, impossibly so. My breath caught in my throat. I cringed, sure it would come at me. Instead, it turned around in a blur and took off. An afterimage of the evil grin seemed to hang in the air on its own then dissipated.
Extra stuff I’ve shoved in here:
1) StoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)
2) StoryOrigin Swap 2 (UBL)
3) Discover Sci-Fi Group Promo
4) Alien’s Don’t Always Wear Green Group Promo
5) March YA Fantasy Reads Group Promo
6) Strong Women Strange Worlds Rapid Fire Reading and Birthday Party
More deets on all of these in their sections. 😊
StoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)Storm and Flames (Book 1)Two teenage outcasts on a quest to save magic from total annihilation.
A YA Fantasy with a strong female lead and snarky talking animals.
Elena has always been a disappointment. Her magic is practically non-existent and now, on her sixteenth birthday, she is expelled from magic school by the strict headmistress–also known as her mother. Cast out into the world of the magically inept with only her familiar for company, Elena feels lost and alone until she meets a strange boy in the woods.
Quinn is a thief, a hunter, and a hothead. His unexpected friendship with Elena awakens a fiery side of him that he didn’t know he had, quite literally, and uncovers new and surprising magical abilities. Except men aren’t supposed to be capable of magic.
With Quinn’s help, Elena carves a safe new life as a barmaid, but when she is attacked, her powers awaken with shocking ferocity. Elena’s explosion of magic creates a power surge that attracts the attention of magical investigators, sent to uncover and contain the source of the power surge.
But the awakening of their powers kickstarts an ancient prophecy. Will they be able to escape those that hunt them? Can they fulfill the prophecy, destroy the turmio and save magic from being destroyed once and for all?
Content warning: the story mentions incidents of child abuse, sexual assault, and birth trauma. May not be suitable for some readers.
Mini Movie/TV Reviews 🎥★ – 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!
Lupin the 3rd vs. Cat's EyeI stumbled over this by accident at Amazon Prime. The “SQUEE” could be heard for blocks. (OK, probably not!) Both the manga and anime series for each were super popular in the 80s. Monkey Punch’s Lupin (loosely based on the Maurice LeBlanc fictional thief) gets new specials and limited series even now. Cat’s Eye was my first introduction to Hojo Tsukasa’s awesome work. (His most popular character Ryo Saeba (AKA City Hunter) even gets a cameo as the thieves escape at the beginning of the film! (He’s the guy leaning against a column – robbery happened in Shinjuku which is Saeba’s home turf.)
Loved, loved, loved this mashup! 😍
The plot was good, and connected the main driving forces between the two sets of characters rather well. The robberies themselves were a lot o fun. All my favorite characters from both series were in attendance. Goemon even broke his sword! Eek!
They included some of the original music BGMs for both series, which was awesome! Even more Squees! (This would make for a nice introduction if you’ve not seen either of them.)
Rating: ★★★★.5 out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
Ant-Man and Wasp QuantumaniaIt will help a lot to watch the first two Ant-man films as several things that get brought up are from there. Awesome graphics and special effects. As in the previous films, there’s a nice doze of comedy/fun-making amidst the deeper more serious topics. Though Scott did seem to get more than his share as if making up for not including Luis and the gang. (I kept hoping we’d get even one tiny bit from them, maybe in the extra bits, but no go. Maybe they’ll be back next time *fingers-crossed*)
Secrets, trust, and family are the main themes. Most of the story takes place in the Quantum world and they came up with some great imaginative stuff. Doctor Pym gets poked at a lot about his love of ants, but he will be the one laughing the most in the end. 😋
A fun romp, for sure! Props to Jonathan Majors as Kang, especially when we get to the final section at the end of the film. He rules!
Rating: ★★★★.25 out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission!)
MummiesThe best thing about animated films is that suspension of disbelief is pretty much a given. This film was obviously counting on as the premise is a little out there. Yet if you ignore the improbability, you should have a ton of fun watching it. Gags abound!
Loads of themes get played with—overcoming your fears, familial duty, independence, fish-out-of-water, doing things outside your comfort zone, and more. The animation is outstanding. The city the mummies live in was breathtaking with a lot of attention to detail.
The pet crocodile (who makes noises like a squeaky toy) stole the show, in my opinion. So cute! Also, get ready for 80s music nostalgia! A fun little film!
Rating: ★★★★ out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission!)
Mr. Queen (Netflix)Mr. Queen is a Korean Dramedy. A master chef in the current day gets set up for a crime and ends up falling into a pool when trying to get away. In the water, he sees a young woman in ancient dress swim to him and kiss him. When he wakes, he is no longer in his body or his time. His soul is trapped within the body of the queen of Joseon.
What makes the series hilarious is that the master chef, who is a womanizer, self-centered man, having to deal with being inside a small demure woman. Actress Hye-Sun Shin is a hoot! You can easily picture the master chef inhabiting her as she tromps around, uses slang, and basically does everything a woman of that time would have avoided like the plague. Watching the contortions of the head maid as she tries to nag her into behaving properly (and not getting very far) is a hoot.
Secrets being kept before the body swap (which we find out later a swap at all), people making assumptions, a king trying not to be used as a puppet, and more just escalate the hijinks and the stakes. The players vying for power are more than happy to eliminate those in their way.
I haven’t seen John laugh so hard since he originally watched Ren and Stimpy. LOL.
Rating: ★★★★.25 out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission!)
Movie/TV Previews 🎥
Lupin the 3rd vs. Cat’s Eye Trailer – Yes, I did a review of the movie, but here’s the trailer to entice you even more! Bwahahahahaha!
Knights of the Zodiac Movie Trailer – a live-action Saint Seiya in English! Woot! The special effects look rad. Greek mythology action!
Citadel Trailer (Amazon) – a spy thriller! Looks mind twisty!
StoryOrigin Swap 2 (UBL)LegendsBattle for the Rimworlds is just beginning…with one man.
Daniel DeWynter is unlike any of the arrogant, brash DeWynter star-lords carving the galaxy with their glory. Perhaps because sixteen years ago, he witnessed first-hand, treachery and betrayal that saw thousands of innocent lives perish in the explosion of the Lynwarren Trading Station, he tends to look at any situation with humanitarian eyes. He is a soldier, just as his family traditions dictate, but he can also fill the role of a diplomat. As such he has the skill to assess a situation well before he walks into it. When his formidable star-warrior mother, Admiral DeWynter, sends him on a mission to the Rimworlds, he’s asked to be neither. What he is asked, makes him uncomfortable—and fills him with a strange sense of foreboding.
A frontier world like Synoor sees all kinds of traffic; a confederate spy would hardly stand out. That’s the way Admiral DeWynter reasoned when she sent her only son to Synoor, to evaluate the world’s economic potential—and to spy on Regent Banoran. The moment Daniel DeWynter’s foot touches the dusty landing strip on the edge of the jungle, he feels he’s walked into a trap.
Days later, the rumors of invasion take on an ominous cast. As a soldier he could deal with the treacherous regent and his buddies, the pirates of New Hebrides. But he can’t deal with the possibility of losing the one person who is the star of his life—his wife who walks beside him, unaware that they may well be heading for execution.
Just for Fun!A Love Letter to Good Eats – awesome show, whether you cook or not! Watch this to get a hint of what you’ve been missing. Go Alton Brown!
Taylor Tomlinson on Dating Apps pt 3 – from hubby. This is pretty funny! 😋
This Cow is the Best Snuggle Buddy video – no idea how my husband ran across this one. But, I have to admit, this is so cute!
The Discover Sci-Fi Group Promo is about to cross the boundary! Grab your freebies while there’s still time. 😁
More science fiction this month with the Aliens Don’t Wear Green (In Sci-Fi) Group Promo! 🚀
Mar 2023 is filled with YA Fantasy Reads! Check out the titles in this group promo!
Strong Women – Strange Worlds QuickReads and Special Birthday QuickReads for 03.16.23!
Also, join them on Saturday, March 18th for a Big Birthday Bash on Facebook from 11-4Pm EST! They have a Digital Swag Bag for the celebration, too!
Stay dry, stay warm, and have a fabulous weekend! 
Till next time!
Gloria
February 25, 2023
Virtual Tourist 02/24/23
Table of ContentsNews/MusingsStoryOrigin Swap 1Virtual Tourist – Red Dead Redemption 2StoryOrigin Swap 2February Fantasies Group PromoWorlds of Magic and Mystery Group PromoDiscover Free Sci-Fi Group PromoStrong Women Strange Worlds QuickReadsReviewers Corner!
Greetings!
I hope you and yours had a fun Valentine’s Day! 💖💝💕
Hubby actually remembered this year and got me some flowers. 🤯
Now we’ll see if he can remember my birthday. 😋 Bwahahaha!
I did not get to put the newsletter for 2/10/23 on the blog, so if you’re interested, you can find a web copy here.
News/Musings
2023 still wants to be the Year of Chaos! Boo!
Just when I thought I was getting my schedule for the year under wraps and patting myself on the back for finishing The Secret Humankind and eager to get started on Book 3 of the Daiyu Wu Mysteries, I hit a speed bump.
It seems that expectations for new urban fantasy titles have changed. My manuscript doesn’t check off all the now-expected buckets. People want fresh content even as they also want the same-old-same-old. Currently, kick-bun sassy heroines with novels in first person for urban fantasy are the thing. My poor main character has no combat training, is a loner fighting against her loner nature, and has no sass. So now I need to decide if I want to rework the whole thing to fit market trends or keep it as is. 😣
Do you have a preference in the type of urban fantasy you read, if you read the genre at all? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
One lucky thing is that whichever way I go, it won’t affect the prequel short! Yay! It’s already on the queue for the crit group, and then it will be off to the editor. So one thing is on track. Woohoo!
Extra content today:
1) StoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)
2) StoryOrigin Swap 2 (Review Copy)
3) February Fantasies Group Promo
4) Worlds of Magic and Mystery Group Promo
5) Discover Free Sci-Fi Group Promo
6) Strong Women Strange Worlds QuickReads
Scroll on down to get all the deets. 😉
Once Upon a Dark KnightStoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)
Journey with me into the realm of the Alamir.
It wasn’t Etain’s best day. Told to leave the only home she’d known since coming to the Alamir with no reason other than ‘you will understand one day’, she had nowhere to go and no one to turn to.
In her attempt to find the answers she deserved, she ended up on the wrong end of a sword, unconscious and her back broken, pinned to the outer wall of the home she’d just been forced out of.
Was the fairy tale over or just beginning?
Red Dead Redemption 2
Haven’t played this one in a while, but I want to get back to it! So darn gorgeous! Though I will say some of the impromptu side missions (hearing noises nearby or being ambushed) I seem to always do the wrong thing. DOH!
You can see all the currently uploaded pics here.
Speaking of unexpected side missions – this was one of them. Luckily, I chose wisely. Phew. Look at that backdrop. Breathtaking.
Having escaped past the mountains and survived the harsh winter, the grifters are heading to the town of Valentine for their first look at their possible new targets.
Walking the streets of Valentine. There’s a church, a general store, a hotel, and more.
You can get bounty work at the sheriff’s office. This little lady has a bad tendency to kill her husbands for their cash—a black widow.
I am so in love with these breathtaking views!
Tons of zany characters to encounter. This lady is an archeologist looking for bones. She engages you to keep your eyes peeled as you traverse the country side. 😛
The nights are dark, but the skies are alight! Makes you want to put down a blanket and just stare up at the cosmos. 🙂
A darn fool drank too much and now he’d gotten himself stuck out on the railroad bridge. And yes, a train is a coming! (Had to do this one several times. I kept getting run over. LOL.)
Sanguineum HarenaeStoryOrigin Swap 2 (Review Copy)
Love comes from the most unexpected places and so does trouble…
After losing her job, Molly Padia struggles to find a new path forward. She seeks a fresh start in Albany, New York and finds herself living in a drab apartment, sidled with regrets. Luckily, the neighbors seem nice and offer some respite from her woes.
What none of them know, however, is that Molly isn’t her real name. Her birth name is Molpadia, and she’s an Amazon who’s walked the earth for over a thousand years.
For lifetimes, she’d policed the supernatural and kept the mundane world in the dark. Now her days are filled with TV, beer, and pizza — sad obscurity — because she made the crucial mistake of backing an enigmatic wizard.
Meanwhile, an innocent fling becomes a full-blown “thing.” Problem is, this breath of fresh air comes with a legal edge Molpadia would rather avoid. When a body turns up — along with a familiar face from Molpadia’s past — she’ll need to make some hard decisions and do so fast…before the body count rises.
—
Devilishly fun, this Realm Killer spinoff packs the perfect punch.
Have an adventure this February and check out the February Fantasies Group Promo before it’s gone!
All manner of Worlds of Magic and Mystery can be yours in this Feb 2023 Promo. Unimagined wonders await!
Valentine’s day addition! Discover the Free Sci-Fi Group Promo!
The next Strong Women Strange Worlds QuickReads will be on 3/3/23. Preregister for the free event!
🌟 Shout out to Reviewers Corner! 🌟Thanks this month go to:
Alien Redemption – Melissa and Ash Holmquist
Black Jade – The Arizona Bookstaggramer, Linda Kimura, Shelly Pagkalinawan, and Shelly Joyce.
Cross-eyed Dragon Troubles – Kuzlin and Linda
Jacques – The Arizona Bookstaggramer, Shelly Pagkalinawan, and Shelly Joyce.
Romeo’s Revenge – Shelly Pagkalinawan and Shelly Joyce.
The Joy of Murder – Shelly Pagkalinawan, Shelly Joyce, and JArens16.
Willing Sacrifice – Kuzlin and Linda.
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!)
The weather is doing weird stuff again, so stay safe out there! See you next time!
Gloria
January 30, 2023
Cross-eyed Dragon Troubles is on Sale!
From 1/29 to 2/4/23, the ya magic school with dragons fantasy novel, Cross-eyed Dragon Troubles is on sale for $0.99! (Amazon and KU only.)
A new girl in a magic school. A squire and his cross-eyed dragon. A secret that could save or doom them all…
Talia has no clue about her future. Unable to pick an apprenticeship in her beloved village, the uncertain fifteen-year-old is dismayed when her parents spend precious money sending her to a far-off magic school. Not knowing what to expect, she watches in horrified amazement as a young man and his dragon fall from the sky and claim they’re her transport.
As Talia arrives at the institution only to be left to figure things out on her own, she learns the squire and his scaly companion are infamous for failing to complete their bond. And as she grows closer to the strange duo, the inexperienced teen plunges into the middle of chaos, explosive misunderstandings, and a life-altering secret.
Will finally discovering her place lead to danger, or a home she never imagined?
Cross-eyed Dragon Troublesis a lively YA fantasy novel. If you like curious heroines, unlikely pairings, and magical mayhem, then you’ll love Gloria Oliver’s heartwarming adventure.
Buy Cross-eyed Dragon Troubles to soar into fate today!
Happy Reading!
January 14, 2023
Mind Sieve 01/13/23
Table of ContentsNews/MusingsStoryOrigin Swap 1Mini Movie/Show ReviewsMovie/TV Show PreviewsStoryOrigin Swap 2Just for Fun!Putting the Science in Science Fiction Group PromoNew Year’s Fiction Group PromoStrong Women – Strange Worlds
Greetings!
A shiny new year is here! Though so far, all I’ve seen is chaos, chaos, chaos! (And spending, spending, spending!) Eek! 😝
News/Musings
Meet the newest member of the Oliver family. Her name is Minerva. She’s a German Shepherd mix and is just a little over one-year-old. She’s been the major source of the chaos that has ensued in these early days of 2023.
She is tall, smart, and has way too much energy. (My daughter was supposed to be looking at small dogs, yet her hubby fell in love with this giant!) She can reach the counters and has run off with all manner of things, including serving tongs and a butcher knife!
For some crazy reason, we thought our cats, who had been pals/tolerant of Serenity, our large American Bulldog, wouldn’t have super issues with Minerva. Sure, we expected an adjustment period, but not what we actually got! Boy, our big bully cat, went into sheer terror mode. He’s run away from home several times. The kids keep trying to introduce them to get him used to her, but it’s going to be a long battle. Whee!
Mellow, our drama queen, who I expected the most trouble from, has been the one taking things more in stride. She’s more than happy to take a swat at Minerva when she invades her space. She’s climbing from place to place though, getting on the floor as little as possible.
New pets mean new expenditures. But we also realized our fence needed to be replaced as Minerva found ways to get past loose slats! (Did I mention she’s a force of chaos?) After we shelled out for that, we found we have a pipe leak! (That’s not on her, but the timing was atrocious!)
This type of thing comes in threes. Not looking forward to what the third $$ eater will be. Eek! 😫
Sleep and energy have been in short supply around here. 🤣 (Remind me to tell you about the Writers’ Group Zoom Meeting debacle if you didn’t see it on FB.) 😱
How have your first weeks into 2023 been? Do tell!
Writing newsMy red-headed stepchild of a novel is finally DONE! I reached the bittersweet point of getting to write ‘The End!’ Woot! The Secret Humankind, an urban fantasy thriller, is complete! I wasn’t sure I’d ever get there. (I had shunted it to the side for at least two other books.)
You can see that final bit in the image below. Now I just need to get the final chapters to the crit group, make the fixes, and send it off to the editor!
I’m trying to be more organized for 2023 and I am shifting/compiling the order to get books written, polished, get the blurb, the cover, the editor edits, setup pre-orders, etc. Should be eye-opening to see what works and what doesn’t. 😎
After procrastinating about this for so long, I finally knuckled down and finished a new Book Trailer for Black Jade! I’d used someone from Fiverr to make the original, but with the new covers in 2022 and the new blurb for 2023, it was time to do a new one. 😊
Funky Trivia Time!Trivia/Research Time! I’ve started poking around to work out what I will be doing for Book 3 of the Daiyu Wu Mysteries.
I ran across some weird factoids about the 1930 US census! It was the first time in the 20th Century that they changed racial classifications from what had been used previously. Most prevalent was the removal of the ‘mulatto’ classification (a person with one White and one Black parent). Regardless of how much White or Black ancestry the particular person had or how light or dark their skin was, they were to be marked down as Black. The same went for any other mixed White bloodlines, (for example White and American Indian), they were to automatically default to the non-White race. Also, for the first and only time, ‘Mexican’ was listed as a separate race. Scary/weird stuff, ya’ll!
Extra stuff I’ve shoved in here:
1) StoryOrigin Swap (Review Copy)
2) StoryOrigin Swap (Freebie!)
3) Putting the Science in Science Fiction Group Promo
4) New Year’s Fiction Group Promo
5) Strong Women Strange Worlds Rapid Fire Reading
More deets on all of these in their sections. 😊
StoryOrigin Swap 1 (Review Copy)Woman of the StoneWhat cost will she pay to keep her secret?
Serious and haunted, Em protects orphans in her castle. Will the marauding, enemy clan who stole her virtue defeat her again? Or will the damage they’ve already done to her life cause her death at the gallows for an atrocity she didn’t commit? When she can no longer run in the dark, she must face her fear in the light of day.
S.V. Farnsworth’s novels gently address healing after a sexual assault.
Book 2 in the series is Monarch in the Flames.
Book 3 is coming soon in 2023.
Civilized Big Town.
Mini Movie/TV Reviews 🎥★ – 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!
Willow TV SeriesWhen we first heard they were doing a TV series based on the world of the movie Willow, hubby and I were quite pumped about it. However, though the special effects and the nostalgia factor are high, we could not watch more than four episodes or so. Several of the characters were not likable, and a lot of the stories and situations were heavily contrived, making most of the characters seem to be total morons. 😭 Watch at your own risk!
Rating: ★★ out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Better on Cable)
Puss in Boots: Last WishLast Wish was a ton of fun! They make fun of everything! Lots of shameless in-jokes on any and all fairy tale stories and icons. It also has some serious and deep themes—love, death, friendship, family, and trust. What they did with Goldilocks and the three bears was a riot. Jack Horner and the Ethical Bug (AKA Jiminy Cricket) were hilarious!
Rating: ★★★★ out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission!)
So Help Me Todd (TV Series)We’ve been having a lot of fun watching “So Help Me Todd” – a mom and son duo, dysfunctional family drama, mystery, and more. Margaret is a well-established lawyer who has fought for every inch of her career but is also a bit of a control freak at home. Suddenly, her husband disappears without a word—he’s run off to Greenland to get away from her and find himself. She hires her son, Todd, to help the firm with investigations, as his PI license was revoked when he became the fall guy for his corrupt girlfriend. Both are dealing with emotional damage, and while they seem as opposite as oil and water, they are more alike than either will ever admit. Throw in an ex-girlfriend, family secrets, and other oddities, and you end up with a quirky show that’s a lot of fun. They also dole out bits of info in each episode that build into later revelations of hidden/past/current family drama. The cases and side characters are a lot of fun as well.
Rating: ★★★★ out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission!)
Will TrentWe’ve only seen a couple of episodes of this one, but so far we’re hooked. How Will ends up with Becky (the dog) is rather hilarious. Currently, persona non grata with the Atlanta Police Department and the Atlanta Bureau of Investigations for getting a bunch of corrupt people ousted, he’s still trying to do his job while ignoring the animosity. He always wears a 3 piece suit and takes notes on a recording device—both things which he uses to hide things about himself. He is incredibly observant, which serves him well in his job. Lots of dark undercurrents. I definitely recommend checking it out.
Rating: ★★★★ out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission!)
Movie/TV Previews 🎥
Renfield Official Trailer – Modern day and looks to be a comedy. Looks like a lot of craziness shall ensue!
Jung_E Trailer (Netflix) – an SF action flick. Looks pretty cool!
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Trailer – looking forward to it! Woot!
StoryOrigin Swap 2 (Freebie)A Meeting of TerrorsThe dead of Exmoor don’t always whisper, sometimes they scream!
After ten months of being alone on his moor, Lorne Turner receives a panicked call.
He needs to rescue some teenagers from an act of stupidity. Nice and simple. Fast rope down to a cave entrance, see if they are still alive, and get them out. Piece of carrot cake for an ex-operator.
When Ella Morgan is also ‘roped’ into helping, Lorne begins to understand the importance of friendship outside the military. The pair descend into the cave complex and that’s when Lorne realises the dead don’t always whisper.
Sometimes the dead scream!
Just for Fun!This Cat Will Never Give Up Video – this was too weird not to share! Lol.
Simon’s Cat – Visiting the Owner. A Simon’s Cat extra feature!
Otters React to Roaring Dinosaur video – Otters as pets?! They’re so cute!
Looking for SF reads that are all about Putting the Science in Science Fiction? Look no further than this group promo for January 2023!
This mixed genre group promo of free reads is right up your alley! New Year’s Fiction Group Promo.
Strong Women – Strange Worlds QuickReads for 01.19.23!
I hope 2023 brings you great health and much happiness. 🥰
Till next time!
Gloria
December 31, 2022
Virtual Tourist 12/30/22
Table of ContentsNews/MusingsStoryOrigin Swap 1Virtual Tourist – Ghostwire TokyoDTN 2It’s Cold Outside Group PromoMagical Winter Fantasy Group PromoNew Year’s Fiction Group PromoPutting the Science in Science Fiction GPReviewers Corner!
Greetings!
I hope you had some fabulous holidays! ❄
We’ll soon be ringing in 2023! Eek!
News/Musings
I spoke too soon about being past the EBM (Evil Back Muscle). A sneaky unknown player had been lurking this whole time. The Ninja Overlord! He makes camp at the hip castle. When he’s ire is awakened, he throws darts at the EBM to get him riled up! What’s truly weird is that the Ninja Overlord never hurts! (Unless one presses down on the hip area.) So this whole time, he’s been playing politics and making sneak attacks!
You’re in my sights now, Ninja Overlord! I’m doing some quick massaging with a tennis ball twice a day to try to keep him from causing trouble. The rascal!
So for a week, I got to do nothing again. Just when I was putting out a decent amount of words on the current manuscript. But I’m ramping up again. Hopefully, not jinxing myself once more. 😋
Trivia/Research bit – Zashiki-warashi – These are yokai (spirits) that live in rooms or storage places. They are sometimes pranksters but are usually thought of as benevolent as they can bring good fortune. They typically show themselves as children, with their hair covering more of their faces.
The word chiropractor was first used in print by D. D. Palmer, the founder of chiropractic, in the 1895 book The Chiropractor’s Adjuster.”
I tried my hand at writing new blurbs for the last few months but with sales tanking the last couple of months, I bit the bullet and got a package on discount. Some of the books are with Zumaya Publications, but I can use the new blurbs through Author Central and if they seem to work, I’m sharing it with them in case they want to revise them from that end.
First up is In the Service of Samurai.
New Book Blurb for In the Service of Samurai!Thrust into political intrigue from beyond the grave, can a boy rise from the depths of despair to become an unlikely hero?
Feudal Japan. Toshiro “Toshi” Chizuson respects his station. Though his master is frugal to a fault, the young cartography apprentice has plenty to eat and dedicates himself to growing his skills in trade. But the burgeoning mapmaker is horrified when a skeletal samurai enters the shop at dusk and carries him off to serve on a ship of the dead.
Discovering the lifeless crew needs his help to finish the mission they failed to complete in life, Toshi toils to decode foreign charts and instruments. But after a ghostly saboteur attempts to destroy his work, the terrified teen fears he’ll join his ghoulish shipmates in perpetual unrest.
Can Toshi break a sinister maritime curse and finally bring justice to the lost souls?
In the Service of Samurai is a page-turning YA novel. If you like resourceful heroes, meticulous historical detail, and stories of the supernatural, then you’ll love Gloria Oliver’s epic coming-of-age tale.
Buy In the Service of Samurai to sail into adventure today!
What did you think of the NEW blurb? Does it strike a chord? Let me know! I’d love to hear from you!
Extra content today:
1) StoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)
2) DTN Swap 2 (Freebie)
3) It’s Cold Outside – Get Cozy! Group Promo (Ending)
4) Magical Winter Fantasy Group Promo (Ending)
5) Putting the Science in Science Fiction Group Promo (Beginning)
6) New Year’s Fiction Group Promo (Beginning)
Scroll on down to get all the deets. 😉
Wrath of PersephoneStoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)
How does a maiden become a monster?
Kore, a daughter of Demeter and Zeus, has never been so happy. She lives on Mount Olympus and has grown into a powerful young spring goddess. She spends her days frolicking through nature with the other immortals her age, and she’s even fallen in love with a handsome god of sunlight. Her life is perfect—that is, until the night she catches the eye of Hades, King of the Underworld.
When Kore refuses Hades’s advances, he kidnaps her and forces her to marry him. He even changes her name to Persephone—stealing the last bit of agency she still has. In the end, Kore is forced to let go of the world above.
To survive her new role as Persephone, Queen of the Underworld, Kore will have to embrace the darkness and grow into the vengeful goddess she was always destined to be.
Ghostwire TokyoBethesda’s urban fantasy game is full of Japanese history, detail, and new creepy crawleys. (Oh, I’m on a theme! Didn’t even plan it! Bwahahahaha!)
You can see all the currently uploaded pics here.
This is a zashiki-warashi (see the trivia/research box for a little more info) that was stolen from a lady. The thief brought bad luck to himself by taking her. The quest is to find her and set her free.
A public bath house. It’s segregated for men on the left and women on the right.
Inside the public bath house. You pick a station and wash your body and hair, then rinse off. Only then can you enter the hot water pools to soak and wash your worries away in the back of the room.
It was rather funny that when all the people disappeared from the city, mystical cats took over all the convenience stores. He’s wearing a ‘happi’ jacket—a traditional coat usually worn during festivals.
Throughout the city, you also find mystical vendor cats who also want collectibles you run across in your travels. This one wants antiquities. What cracked me up was that they start wearing some of the items you bring back. This one put on an ‘oni’ (demon) mask.
In the game, you go to a bunch of different temple and shrine complexes as you purify gates.
One of the gates needing purification. You can see the fox spirit statues (kitsune) and other temple items.
This was a weird side quest. A trash vortex has opened up sucking in garbage and random spirits. Like ewwww. LOL.
The Vengeance TrailDTN Swap 2 (UBL)
Is someone from her past trying to kill Lady Fan…?
1796, England – When Lady Ottilia Fanshawe finds herself launched into a river and fighting for her life, she becomes convinced someone pulled her under the water.
And when a dead body washes up on the riverbank, her theory becomes a certainty.
Lady Fan recognises the dead woman as someone connected to one of her past cases.
Had the woman been spying on her? Was she Lady Fan’s attacker? If so, why was she killed?
Lady Fan is desperate to unravel the mystery but her dedicated husband, Francis, is determined to keep her out of harm’s way.
She is devastated when cracks appear in her marriage, but she knows she cannot give up her sleuthing if she is to protect herself and her family.
Who is targeting her? And why?
Can Lady Fan solve the mystery before everything she holds dear comes crumbling down around her…?
Get cozy this December with the It’s Cold Outside—Get Cozy group promotion! Snuggle up with a good book, a cup of hot cocoa, and a cozy blanket. You’ll be glad you did! Last Chance!
Looking for a way to escape the cold this winter? Look no further! Fantasy reads are the perfect way to transport yourself to a warmer, more magical world. See what’s up for grabs during the Magical Winter Fantasy Group Promo! Last Chance!
Looking for SF reads that are all about Putting the Science in Science Fiction? Look no further than our group promo for January 2023! It’s active now!
A New Year is coming, and what better way to greet it than reading! This mixed genre group promo of free reads is right up your alley! New Year’s Fiction Group Promo.
🌟 Shout out to Reviewers Corner! 🌟Thanks this month go to:
Black JAde – D.K. Graham
Jewel of the Gods – S.V. Farnsworth
A great big thanks to all the reviewers this month!
(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!)
May 2023 be awesome for everyone!
Gloria
December 3, 2022
Virtual Tourist 12/02/22
Virtual Tourist 12/02/22Table of ContentsNews/MusingsStoryOrigin Swap 1Virtual Tourist – Sherlock Holmes Chapter 1StoryOrigin Swap 2It’s Cold Outside Group PromoMagical Winter Fantasy Group PromoReviewers Corner!
Greetings!
It’s cold 🧊, it’s hot ♨, it’s rainy🌧, it’s dry 🌵! We’ve pretty much run the gambit here in Texas the last couple of weeks. It’s been unusually weird—nothing like hitting mid 70’s one day and plunging down to the 40’s the next. Whee!
News/Musings
There’s been good and bad this time around. The EBM (Evil Back Muscle) kept getting upset, so I brought it up to the doc that it looked to be turning chronic. She mentioned I might want to check with a chiropractor. This surprised me a little as I thought they only dealt with spine issues, but they do muscle stuff, too!
A bit of trivia! “The word chiropractor is derived from the Greek words cheir and praxis, which together mean “hand practice.” It is a person who practices chiropractic, a form of alternative medicine that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, particularly the spine.
The word chiropractor was first used in print by D. D. Palmer, the founder of chiropractic, in the 1895 book The Chiropractor’s Adjuster.”
It was funny as the Chiropractic office had you watch an intro video (almost like an infomercial) on my second visit before we went over the x-rays. Since your nerves run inside the spine and then branch out all over the place, if you’re out of alignment, it can cause all manner of issues as it interferes with the information being sent from and to the brain. 🧠
The x-rays show that one of my hips is higher than the other and my L4 and L5 rather than have a parallel gap between them, the gap is skewed to one side like this >. So, just like a car, they’re going to work on my alignment! 😁 It’s going to take multiple weeks, but if it works, it’ll be fabulous!
Have you ever been to a chiropractor? Did you have a good experience?
On the bad side of things, I’ve found out I have gained an allergy to onions 🧅! If I eat chunks of it (like at hibachi) it makes my insides swell like a balloon! (And guess who got mad about that! Yes, the EBM! 😲) I’ve had this happen with watermelons 🍉 before, but this is a new one. Ugh. (If it’s just small pieces for flavor in a recipe, I think I’m good, but no more eating cooked onions for me!) (What’s wild is that as a kid, I disliked the heck out of them and never ate them. As I got older, I tolerated the taste better, but I guess a part of me knew they were bad for me all along? 😎)
Do you have any weird food allergies?
Still no time frame for the re-release of Willing Sacrifice, but below is the banner graphic. A darker version of the garden is part of the cover, but it’s on the backside of the book, so it was lightened for the banner.
Needless to say, not a lot of writing has happened in the last two weeks. 😭
Extra content today:
1) StoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)
2) StoryOrigin Swap 2 (Freebie)
3) It’s Cold Outside – Get Cozy! Group Promo
4) Magical Winter Fantasy Group Promo
Scroll on down to get all the deets. 😉
Flash FloodStoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)
A walk home turns into something wild…
Tammy hates rain with a passion, even more so since her powers started to manifest in unexpected ways. But on a walk home from school everything changes when she encounters a teenage werewolf. It’s not what you might think…
This is a novella-length version of the story.
Sherlock Holmes Chapter OneTrying to rotate the games so you get something different in each round of the Virtual Tourist. We’re back to Sherlock Holmes Chapter One. (The next game by the company will pick up where this one leaves off and include Cthulu! That should be a weird trip.)
You can see all the currently uploaded pics here.
This is an aerial view of the older section of the island of Cordona. On the bridge, you can see a female elephant balloon. Sherlock is using it to try to entice a boy elephant to come out of hiding. It was hilarious.
Once the particular quest is complete, you get the girl elephant balloon as a garden ornament. Yes, she’s wearing rouge. Isn’t she adorable? Lol.
Some of the buildings on the older side of the island. I love the little touches!
Speaking of little touches… Drawn images of a dog and cat near an overlook. So cute! I LOVE running across these extra bits. They give life to the game.
This covered overlook is in the richer part of the island. A lovely place to stare out at the sea.
A lovely fountain and more of the European-influenced buildings in the richer area of the island.
A lovely wall mural in one of the foot traffic areas.
More lovely architecture and garden sculpture.
Twisted WeddingStoryOrigin Swap 2 (Freebie)
A lavish wedding, a guest list full of secrets and a bride plunged to her death.
Ivy Stone is excited to spend a weekend helping her friend manage a gorgeous wedding on a private Scottish isle. Before the couple can say ‘I do’ the bride falls to her death and speculations abound. Is it an accident? Suicide? Or murder?
Trapped together while the investigation is underway, Ivy finds herself in a thickening plot of intrigue among the
bridesmaids, guests, and a mysterious stranger lurking on the isle.
While dodging flirtation, sampling delicious dishes and falling in love with Monty the pup, our amateur sleuth discovers everyone on the island has secrets. Some they are willing to kill for.
One twist leads to another as Ivy races to unmask the true culprit. A murderer in their midst no one ever suspected.
Get cozy this December with the It’s Cold Outside—Get Cozy group promotion! Snuggle up with a good book, a cup of hot cocoa, and a cozy blanket. You’ll be glad you did!
Looking for a way to escape the cold this winter? Look no further! Fantasy reads are the perfect way to transport yourself to a warmer, more magical world. See what’s up for grabs during the Magical Winter Fantasy Group Promo!
🌟 Shout out to Reviewers Corner! 🌟Thanks this month go to:
The JOY of Murder – Kerrie McLean, Sabrina Nelson, and Jennifer
The JOY of Murder Audiobook – Caroline Wright
A great big thanks to all the reviewers this month!
(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!)
Stay frosty and healthy! Until next time!
Gloria
November 19, 2022
Mind Sieve 11/18/22
Mind Sieve 11/18/22Table of ContentsNews/MusingsDTN Swap 1Mini Movie/Show ReviewsStoryOrigin Swap 1Movie/TV Show PreviewsStoryOrigin Swap 2Just for Fun!Historical Fiction Group PromoFantasy Group PromoFelony Fiction Promo
Greetings!
Winter seems to have finally put in an appearance. But this is Texas, so you never know. 😁
Thanksgiving is coming! 🦃 And we celebrate it a couple of times each year. All the way back to when hubby and I first got married. We always celebrate with my side of the family the weekend before. We used to meet with hubby’s side on the day of. (Sadly, most of his peeps have moved away, making meet-ups problematic.)
Do you follow any specific Thanksgiving traditions? Do tell!
News/Musings
Romeo’s Revenge went live on 10/26/22 so that is done. Yay! It’s a nice intro into the series as you can see the group’s sleuthing chops and relationships without the time investment of a novel. Bwahahaha!
If you were kind enough to get a copy, let me know how you liked it! If you have time, leave a review! 😁🥰🤩
***
Some awesome news from one of my publishers! Willing Sacrifice (YA Fantasy) is getting a new cover!
This poor book had a ton of bad luck when they tried to get the cover done back when it was first published. Artists kept bailing out. It was so bizarre. While I didn’t hate the one it ended up with, the partials that were never completed were better. But now, finally, a great cover has arrived!
Check out the old vs. new cover below! (I don’t know yet when the books with the new cover will be available yet. So stay tuned!)
Old CoverNew Cover
A world of difference. Am I right? Totally pumped about it! 🥰
If you’re curious, you can download sample chapters of the old version here.
★★★★★ – “Willing Sacrifice will snare you from page one with its unusual plot and the promise of peril to come, and it just keeps getting better and better.” – Margaret Marr – Nights and Weekends.com
Extra stuff I’ve shoved in here:
1) Dream Team Network Swap (UBL)
2) Two StoryOrigin Swaps (Freebies!)
3) Great Historical Fiction Reads Group Promo
4) Revenge: Fantasy Review Copies for Readers! Group Promo
5) Felony Fiction KU Reads and Paperbacks
More deets on all of these in their sections. 😊
Dream Team Network Swap 1 (UBL)Killing SecretsSome secrets are better left dead.
Rachel James’ ex-husband is released from prison determined to reclaim her and her little girl — the child is his key to controlling the James fortune. Frightened, Rachel flees to Denver with the child who hasn’t uttered a word since her daddy went to prison.
Contractor Patrick Thorne wants nothing to do with another of his parents’ charity cases. He failed his own wife so abysmally she took her own life as well as his unborn son’s. After two years, it’s time to concentrate on the bid he’s won and the saboteur trying to destroy his construction firm.
There is no room for trust in either of their hearts. But trust is all that will untangle the secrets that dominate their lives, free a little girl of her silent prison, and save them all from a serial killer who stands too close.
(A Thorne’s Thorns Novel)
Mini Movie Reviews 🎥★ – 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!
Black AdamThe film had a ton of actors I truly enjoy. So kudos right there. Loads of action and great special effects. It did suffer from the heroes making assumptions just so you can create conflict-itis, but otherwise, it had several nice surprises and atypical points of view.
Definitely worth seeing! I wish they’d had tome to give more background on some of the fringe characters, but oh well.
Rating: ★★★★ out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again!)
Interview with the VampireAMC decided to do a TV series for Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire. Some things have been tweaked, for example, the time frame when Lestat and Louie met, but the overall feel and story elements are spot on. Some have been deepened. Claudia is older, but the actress is great.
Having the interviewer having met Louie before when he was young and now when he is at death’s door was a nice change. We’ve been loving it so far! (Still ongoing.)
Rating: ★★★★.5 out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again!)
The PeripheralAnother series with an awesome cast! It starts out as one thing, then expands into something super complex that has the main character scrambling for answers. Great effects and action scenes. The longer we go the more tangled the web. Super interesting so far! (Still ongoing)
Rating: ★★★★.25 out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price!)
WEIRD The Al Yankovic StoryJust seeing Daniel Radcliffe (Happy Potter) play Weird Al makes this a worthwhile watch. This “life story” is as wonky and whacky as all his other works. 😁 Evan Rachel Wood (from West World) plays Madonna and she had the outfits and mannerisms down to a ‘T.’ His music and tons of misinformation are sprayed throughout. The whole subplot of his having written ‘Eat It” before Michael Jackson did “Beat It” was insane! If you end up with any doubts as to the fictional aspect of this “biopic” the ending will make it clear. ROFL. There’s an extra scene in the credits. 😋 A must for Weird Al fans.
Rating: ★★★.75 out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price!)
StoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)Leaving MarsThe Mars base didn’t work out. We all have to pack up and return to Earth, even my reluctant dad…
Mars didn’t work out. We’re all packing up and going home. My estranged dad is refusing to leave, so I’m out traveling the Martian landscape to his solitary outpost to bring him back.
If it were up to me, I’d say he’d made his choice. But my sister, back on Earth pleaded, “The kids want to see their Grandpa. I want to see him again.”
I’ve always had a soft spot for my baby sister…
Movie Previews 🎥The Mandalorian Season 3 Trailer – booyah! Can’t wait!
Elemental Teaser Trailer – this looks adorable!
Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Teaser Trailer – can’t wait! Hee!
StoryOrigin Swap 3 (Freebie)Monarch in the FlamesOnce you’ve been burned, everything is fire.
Stephan’s peaceful reign as the king of Frenland is in jeopardy. Only one person stands a chance at preventing his assassination. Unfortunately, Valerie is in exile.
What could entice the crown princess of the former tyrannical regime to risk burning at the stake to help him? Nothing, unless he succeeded in capturing her heart last summer.
Monarch in the Flames is book 2 in the Modutan Empire Series.
Just for Fun!While it’s still too early for Christmas music, here’s a taste of different Puerto Rican Christmas music! They don’t sound anything like normal Christmas music, so I can get away with sharing it. Bwahahahaha!
“Weird Al” Yankovic – Now You Know (Official Lyric Video) – his “bio pic” was bizarre but so Al! Lol.
SKADI – the goddess of hunting and the personification of winter – costume makeup. The transformation is pretty cool!
Great Historical Fiction Reads – Nov 2022 Group Promo. Check them out before they disappear!
Revenge: Fantasy Review Copies for Readers! – Nov 2022 Group Promo. Grab them while you can!
Felony Fiction Nov 2022 PromoKindle Unlimited Mystery/Thriller/Suspense Reads!
Mystery/Thriller/Suspense Paperbacks!
Time for some hot apple cider. ☕ Yum.
Till next time!
Gloria
October 22, 2022
Mind Sieve 10/21/22
Mind Sieve 10/21/22Table of ContentsNews/MusingsStoryOrigin Swap 1Mini Movie/Show ReviewsMovie/TV Show PreviewsDTN Swap 2Just for Fun!All Genre Review CopiesDark YA Reads for Fall
Greetings!
The weather has cooled off for the last week and it has been marvelous!
Though I will say, the seesaw effect has not been good for my sinuses. 😋 We only got some light rain one day, but for some reason, flies have been springing up all over the place. Weird.
News/Musings
Romeo’s Revenge is now on pre-order! Woot!
Romeo’s Revenge – A Historical Cozy Mystery Short
Two tragedies one year apart. An unlucky family or something more sinister? She intends to sniff it out.
When Daiyu Wu learns of a pair of seemingly unrelated deaths within the same family, her inquisitive nature demands she find out more. So, with the help of her companion, Jacques, and her canine protector, Prince Razor, can this blind sleuth find the clues in time?
A Daiyu Wu Mystery – Novelette
There is also a new series banner! Everything matches now. YAY!
Back in the days before ebooks, the lengths of books and shorts usually fell into a smaller set of buckets than they do now. Sadly, not all the retailers take this into account, so it can be hard to figure out what you’re getting.
Here’s a quick list that also uses some info from an article at Jericho Writers.
Flash Fiction – 100 to 1,000 words
Short Story – 1,000 to 9,999 words
Novelette – 7,500 to 19,000 words
Novella – 10,000 to 40,000 words
Novel – these will vary by genre. Cozy Mysteries tend to fit in the 50,000 to 70,000-word range. Fantasy/SF – 80,000 to 100,000+
I like meat in my fiction, so I prefer works close to or above 70K for cozies and 80K+ for everything else.
Do you have a preferred length for your fiction reads?
Extra stuff I’ve shoved in here:
1) One StoryOrigin Swap (UBL)
2) Dream Team Network Swap (UBL)
3) All Genres Review Copies Group Promo
3) Dark YA Reads for Fall Group Promo
More deets on all of these in their sections. 😊
StoryOrigin Swap 1 (UBL)In the Beginning, There Was a MurderA secret liaison. A baffling murder. Can one woman solve the crime without joining the body count?
Northern England, 1953. Pauline Riddell has grand ambitions for her future at the armament factory. So, when her closest workmate reveals a salacious affair with a married man, Pauline refuses to risk her career by listening to the scandal. But she’s shaken to her core when the police arrive with news of her best friend’s homicide.
Desperate for justice, Pauline’s insistent poking into the investigation only makes her the prime suspect. And now to clear her name, she must unravel a web of deadly clues entangling her in a sinister plot. Can Pauline catch the killer before they strike again?
In The Beginning, There Was a Murder is a riveting mystery novel. If you like whip-smart heroines, intriguing twists and turns, and nail-biting danger, then you’ll love P.C. James’s sensational story.Also Available in Large Print.
Buy In The Beginning, There Was a Murder to crack the case today!
Mini Movie Reviews 🎥★ – 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!
The Rings of PowerVisually stunning, with some wonderful interactions, but lacking in logic checks and some of the scope. My favorite parts were the bits with Elrond (1/2 elf), Prince Durin, and Princess Disa. A ton of awesome bits whenever they were on. Numenor and the Elven cities were visually awesome. I loved Numenor’s sailing ships (I want one!).
*SPOILERS*
Where they failed miserably was some of the logic and even science. Middle Earth is huge! Yet 500 Numenorians and their horses just happen to go directly to the one tiny village in the middle of nowhere where they were needed most pretty much right after making landfall. Yeah…
Things got worse after the volcano explosion. The giant fire/gas/ash waves were super cool looking, but they also pretty much assured a 100% fatality rate. The heat and poisonous gases would have killed every living thing. (Hubby was already unhappy before this point, and I had a feeling and made sure to warn him before we started that episode that since it seemed Galadriel survived per the previews, she’d not be the only one.)
So if your disbelief threshold is high, give it a go. Otherwise, go in forewarned and love the best bits while ignoring the rest. 😛
Rating: ★★★ out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Better on Cable)
The House of the DragonDragons, chaos, politics! The show covers three generations, so there are a few actors you should not get attached to as they will change! 😋 Fabulous acting by all. Matt Smith, the young Princess Rhaenyra, and young Queen Alicent were fabulous!
Great special effects and all the things you came to expect from the Game of Thrones series. My only quibble was that they took the super-strong young Princess Rhaenyra and turned her into a wimpy adult that only served to pump out babies. In a world where post-dalliance contraceptives existed, it seemed stupid not to use them after the first kid who glaringly did not match either expected parent.
I would steer away from the post-episode commentary by the showrunners. We watched them because to us it was hilarious that almost all the feelings and things they thought they were presenting the audience with were not what you saw in the episode! LOL.
Overall, it’s pretty solid and darn entertaining.
Rating: ★★★★ out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission!)
Movie Previews 🎥
All Quiet on the Western Front – based on the novel – World War I epic.
Slumberland Movie Trailer – this looks super cute!
The School For Good and Evil Official Trailer – this looks super interesting! (Saw it last night! Loads of fun!)
Dream Team Network Swap 1 (UBL)Bad Girls: Five Tales of Twisted Teens“The best kind of revenge is the kind that no one would expect.”
Five girls have been tormented by people who thought it was okay to hurt them.
They never expected them to fight back.
The victim would never fight back.
The loser would never fight back.
The plain Jane would never fight back.
The freak would never fight back.
And the abandoned would never fight back.
But they do.
Not only do they fight back, but they delight in freeing their inner monsters on anyone who hurts them —
The abusers
The bullies
The fake friends
Five girls find the power within themselves to fight back and get their revenge on all of them.
And make sure their tormentors pay.
Just for Fun!Simon’s Cat – Creepy Capers – their stuff is always so cute! 13 minutes, so be prepared. 😛
GHOST RIDERS IN THE SKY – Low Bass Singer Cover – Geoff Castellucci – I had not heard this in forever. Nicely done!
Monster Mash – Low Bass Singer Cover – Geoff Castellucci – I saw it and could not resist! Funky but fun rendition.
ALL GENRE REVIEW COPIES Group Promo – choose free books in exchange for reviews for a large selection of genres for Oct 2022.
There’s still time to grab some Dark YA Reads for Fall to make this Halloween season spooktastic! 👻
Take care, enjoy the cooler weather (if you got some), and steer clear of creepy crawlers! 🕷
Till next time!
Gloria
