Gloria Oliver's Blog, page 5
October 8, 2022
Virtual Tourist 10/07/22
Table of ContentsNews/MusingsStoryOrigin Swap 1Virtual Tourist – Ghostwire TokyoStoryOrigin Swap 2All Genre Review CopiesDark YA Reads for FallReviewers Corner!
Greetings!
The EBM (Evil Back Muscle) has been appeased! At least for now. Huzzah! Now I am playing catchup. Whee!
I did get to read several great books though, so it wasn’t a total loss! 😋
Temps have been lower the last couple of weeks, which has been fabulous! It’s amazing that it’s already October.
News/Musings
Being an author, regardless of whether you are published by the biggies, the small pubs, or you go independent, is not just about writing books. There are a ton more hats that you end up having to wear. And one of the hardest things for us to get our heads around is the fact we’re a business.
Weird, isn’t it? 😋
Speaking of treating things like a business—the Daiyu Wu series is now exclusively at Amazon so I can do a Kindle Unlimited experiment for 90 days. The peeps at Ad School recommended the change to better focus the ad spend and visibility. If it adds little to nothing to sales, then the ebooks will go wide again. I’ll let you know how that works out. (All my other works are still wide.)
This month should see the release of Romeo’s Revenge – A Daiyu Wu Mystery Short Story. It’s set around Halloween, though back in the 1930’s it was nothing like what we know today.
I need to get the blurb polished – the quick one I used during the release of the JOY of Murder when using it as a bonus needs tweaking in a bad way. 😋 I should have more info by the next newsletter.
We have two reviews so far for The JOY of Murder Audiobook! Brandon really did such a great job narrating. Both reviewers gave it 5 stars. Yay!
Extra content today:
1) StoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)
2) StoryOrigin Swap 2 (Freebie)
3) All Genres Review Copies Group Promo
4) Dark YA Reads for Fall Group Promo
Scroll on down to get all the deets. 😉
Wedding of the Torn RoseStoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)
A merchant who abandoned his birthright… A princess with a dark secret…
And an encounter destined to change their lives forever…
Down on his luck, Kaine Khalia was gathering mushrooms in the forest to sell in the nearby capital. A young woman’s screams were the last thing he expected to find. Dashing to her rescue, Kaine finds himself face to face with a monster that should not even exist, fighting for his life as well as hers.
His world only gets crazier from there. Kaine returns with Princess Lydia to her father’s castle, where he discovers himself in the king’s good graces. Confused and leery by a reward beyond gold, Kaine reluctantly agrees to remain and help with Lydia’s younger siblings. Life could not have thrown him more.
Plunged into a world of magical intrigue, unrest, and political maneuvering, each new event leaves Kaine feeling out of place and, worse, dangerously exposed to a growing threat. The Darian Kingdom stands at the crossroads. Lydia’s upcoming wedding to the prince of the Throatian Kingdom will soon become the defining moment in Kaine’s life.
With secrets revealed, and the perils of war looming on the horizon, it is going to take every ounce of loyalty, imagination, and willpower for Kaine to survive, and, if he is fortunate, stop the fast approaching storm from burning his world to the ground.
Journey with Kaine as he attempts to prevent a war and save a kingdom in the first volume of the Symphony of Crowns and Gods series.
Wedding of the Torn Rose is a fast-paced fantasy adventure with mystery, action, and magic.
Ghostwire Tokyo
I fell in love with this game when I saw the promo. Snagged it when it went on special. Bwahahahaha!
Ghostwire: Tokyo is an urban supernatural action game. A man has set off an event that has separated 240,000 people in an area of Tokyo from their bodies leaving behind their spirits. He plans to use them as energy for his mad scheme to resurrect his wife.
Akito, a young man on the way to visit his sister at the hospital, had just been in a terminal accident just before the evil fog arrived. The mysterious man KK moved to inhabit Akito’s body so he can fight to stop what’s being done. But though Akito had died, his spirit is still there and prevents KK from taking over. The two must now work together.
Those of you who have been following the newsletter for a while know that I am a sucker for Japanese stuff. And since this one has a lot of folklore woven into it, I was all in!
The game has a main story line and also side quests, which deal mainly with supernatural phenomena. While the main monsters are almost all modern inventions, you also get to interact/see/capture multiple ones that have been part of Japanese mythology for ages.
As you buy food, pick up objects, and enter new areas of the city, the game will share info about it. You also get to be a onmyoji – a Japanese spirit wizard – and get to remove curses, purify areas, use paper spells, etc. You even do the two-fingered hand motions (or you can let KK do it for you!)
You even have to hunt down Tanukis who are hidding in disguise around the city! (You can find them by looking for their tails, which is not as easy as it sounds!)
Unlike a lot of games where you get a sort of radar sense to find hidden things, the one in this game is not only visual but also relies on sound! It took me forever to put that together. DOH!
The game also start easy, but gets progressively more difficult as you gain abilities and more movement options. I’ve been enjoying the heck out of it! 😁
You can see all the currently uploaded pics here.
Everything begins at this famous crossroads in Tokyo.
Akito after he comes to. The black stuff around him is KK.
The fog rolls into Tokyo. When it touches a person, their body disappears, leaving only their clothing and possessions behind. Their spirits are being gathered up for nefarious purposes.
The madman responsible for the crisis.
Power imbued boxes being used to trap the helpless souls.
The Yokai (Monsters/Ghosts/Demons) Parade – mutated from the mythological version to one that includes the modern monsters of the game.
Close up on one of the modern monsters. Eek!
Akito talking to KK. As the game progresses, we get to find out more about the ex-cop and those who he was working with to stop the madman before the fog arrived.
Berikatanyan DawnStoryOrigin Swap 2 (Freebie)
On Earth a stranger is convicted of murder, though he has no memory of the crime. A young architect wins his Masters degree, but — still battling his demons — he makes a momentous decision. A young woman waits for her father to come home, but her troubles are only just beginning. These three people share a connection they have yet to discover.
On the remote world of Berikatanya the people suffer the most cataclysmic failure of Elemental magic in their history. How will they deal with the loss of so many powerful magicians?
Berikatanyan Dawn is a prequel novella that can be enjoyed on its own, and also sets the scene for my SF/Fantasy trilogy: The Berikatanyan Chronicles.
GROUP PROMO – All Genre Review Copies! (No banner – boo!)
Dark YA Reads for Fall – group promo for Oct 2022!
🌟 Shout out to Reviewers Corner! 🌟Thanks this month go to:
Alien Redemption – Panner.
The JOY of Murder – brf1948, Bonnye Reed Fry, Chazzi, and drsyko.
The JOY of Murder Audiobook – Lavender Jade and BigT.
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!)
I hope you have a great weekend! 😁
Gloria
September 10, 2022
Virtual Tourist 09/09/22
Virtual Tourist 09/09/22Table of ContentsNews/MusingsStoryOrigin Swap 1Virtual Tourist – Sherlock Holmes Chapter OneStoryOrigin Swap 2Tormented Characters: Fantasy Review CopiesTrails UnknownBookSirens ARC BundleStrong Women Strange WorldsReviewers Corner!
Greetings!
Temperatures have been so much better lately than in July/August. Still hot, mind you, but we’re not hitting 100 degrees, which is awesome. All the fluctuations though have led to numerous pressure headaches. Ugh!
Does the weather affect how you feel?
News/Musings
The audiobook for The JOY of Murder is Live! Narrated by Brandon S. Borko. He did a fabulous job! Universal links I have so far for it can be found here. It should be available at Amazon, Audible, iTunes, and more. Sadly, I’ve not been able to get all the links yet. (Ack! Need to update the website, too!)
If you would like to review the audiobook, you can request that here.
SF Author Leon Steven’s did an interview with me and it’s now live! You can find the interview here.
It’s amazing to me how we get stuck thinking about things a particular way and assume everyone else is the same. Working with Author Ad School has opened my eyes to this bizarre conundrum.
For example, some of the suggestions for writing blurbs for Amazon pages feel weird and even wrong, but they’re proven to work! We’re supposed to tell less about the book and more about the emotional journey.
New covers for the mystery series are in the works. I hope to share one or two of them with you next time. Branding, branding, branding. When the Secret Humankind gets finished and I ask Charles for a cover, I definitely plan to keep more of that in mind. His work is too awesome not to use it! Just need to do it right from the start. Whee!
Extra content today:
1) StoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)
2) StoryOrigin Swap 2 (UBL)
3) Tormented Characters: Fantasy Review Copies
4) Trails Unknown Group Promo
5) BookSirens Book Review Bundle for Sep 2022
6) Strong Women Strange Worlds Virtual Readings
Scroll on down to get all the deets. 😉
All Your Lives Belong to USStoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)
What would you do if you awoke in a video your wife made?
A Scifi Horror novel with a dash of dark comedy.
Nick wakes up in a hotel room and remembers nothing about how he got there.
In the hallway just outside his room he’s murdered.
Nick wakes up in a hotel room and remembers nothing about how he got there.
Lemon’s masterpiece Elysium, a massive multiplayer video game, is released with dismal sales numbers.
But after her failed battle with cancer the game’s sales take off, making it the number one video game in the world.
Now, Nick believes he’s inside of his dead wife’s videogame. Only, it’s just a game… right?
Sherlock Holmes Chapter One
Frogwares has its HQ in Ukraine, yet they’re still working. They just finished a KickStarter campaign to fund the next Sherlock Holmes game! This one involves Kthulu and picks up from where Chapter One left off.
You can see all the currently uploaded pics here.
An old style fire engine! I love all the detailed touches.
One of the many gorgeous fountains around the island. Depending on where you are, the styles and architecture change.
They did an awesome job on the water. Look at the color striations and reflections. (In this game, Sherlock is deathly afraid of water – it was a very cute way to restrict the player’s movements and also ties into the overall mystery of what happened in his youth.)
Breathtaking view from a set of ruins on the island.
Loved the look of this contraption. Looks like a water dispenser?
Our first look at Sherlock’s childhood home after his father passed and they moved to Cordona. (One of the things you can do during the game is purchase items sold from the house to bring it back to what it used to be.)
View as we head towards the older part of the island. You can see the old fortress walls.
In the older part of town is the Golden Eel cafe. And there’s the golden eel! Love the ceramic work on the wall!
Dotty Defends a DetectiveStoryOrigin Swap 2 (UBL)
Locked up for murder, but is the detective a killer?
When Dotty’s friend DS Dave Banks is arrested for murdering his partner, Dotty refuses to believe he is guilty. Being in the police force means he has no shortage of enemies but is Dave being framed?
Can Dotty and her friend unravel the case Dave was secretly working on to find out who is behind the evil shenanigans?
More importantly, will it put their lives at risk?
Murder, mayhem and mystery make this the perfect ingredients for another thrilling cozy mystery featuring Dotty and her friends.
For Sep 2022, grab some free reads for reviews – Tormented Character: Fantasy Books!
Trails Unknown – Fantasy Giveaway for Sep 2022!
BookSirens Murder Mystery ARCs for Reviews up for grabs for Sep 2022.
The next Strong Women Strange Worlds Virtual Readings will be on 9/15/22.
🌟 Shout out to Reviewers Corner! 🌟Thanks this month go to:
Black Jade – Carole
Jacques – Dvorah Yael
The JOY of Murder – Dvorah Yael, Marcia, Loretta Miles Tollefson, Brian, Rachell M, Kathleen Matthews, Deb, and True54Blue.
In the Service of Samurai – PAR
Willing Sacrifice – 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!)
I hope you had a great Memorial Day weekend! Now off to see what other trouble I can get into today. 😁
Gloria
August 13, 2022
Virtual Tourist 08/12/22
Table of ContentsNews/MusingsStoryOrigin Swap 1Virtual Tourist – StrayStoryOrigin Swap 2Marvelous Mythology GiveawayFree August EscapesBookSirens Bundle 1 & 2Strong Women Strange WorldsReviewers Corner!
Greetings!
Things fell from the sky and they were wet! ☔Could it be? Was that the ancient occurrence named rain?! 😁 (It also means that for a day or two, we won’t be over a 100 degrees! Yay!)
Is it still scorching where you are? Hopefully, you got some sky water, too. (Unless you live in Kentucky, Missouri, Korea, or the other places having flooding!) Stay safe!
News/Musings
I gave the winner of the JOY of Murder Release Celebration Giveaway until Friday night to claim their prize. It’s been close to two weeks, four emails, and no response. So a new winner got drawn! Check your inboxes!
Good luck!
All the reader magnets have now been fully edited and loaded with bling! You can download your choice by signing up for the newsletter — take one or two! Heck, take them all! Bwahahahaha. 😇
Appeasement – YA Japanese fantasy
Elixir of Life – Urban Fantasy
Jacques – Historical fiction
Sylvanna – Dark Fantasy
Windows – Science Fiction
Feel free to let me know what you think about the spiffier interiors!
Progress on the current WIP has been slow as there have been way too many things getting in the way. Hopefully, I can get back to it and make some progress next week. 55K words down and 25K to go!
Extra content today:
1) StoryOrigin Swap 1 (UBL)
2) StoryOrigin Swap 2 (UBL)
3) Marvelous Mythology Group Promo
4) August Escapes Group Promo
5) BookSirens Book Review Bundles
6) Strong Women Strange Worlds Virtual Readings
Scroll on down to get all the deets. 😉
A Rare ConnectionStoryOrigin Swap 1 (UBL)
Flirty, French, heiress Nicole Moreau takes her hard-working, American best friend, Andrew Leavitt, for granted, until he puts his education at UCLA on hold to serve as a missionary in South Korea for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
She can’t understand his devotion, can’t seem to be happy without him, and can’t stop herself from interrupting his mission. Intending to propose, she botches the question and leaves heartbroken.
Andrew is deeply in love with her but doesn’t react fast enough to prevent a tragedy.
Caught in the crosshairs of the private war between her French Intelligence agent mother and a deadly North Korean unit of kidnappers, Nicole becomes collateral damage.
Can her well-meaning grandmother give her a second chance to chose truth as well as love so she can heal from a #MeToo secret with the power to destoy her? Or will her mother’s enemies exact the final revenge?
Stray
I saw a preview for this indie game and instantly fell in love! It was too adorable not to get it. For cat lovers everywhere! 🐈
Stray centers around a cute stray cat that gets separated from his pack and ends up in an underground city. Humanity is gone, but there are entities that have survived. One of them needs help, and his only hope is the lost stray cat.
You can see all the currently uploaded pics here.
Our super cute hero/heroine! Isn’t he adorable?!
One of our hero’s siblings. You can have him interact with them and even meow. So CUTE!
Our stray is gallivanting along with his siblings, but fate is about to take a turn.
The cats look to have a routine and passages they normally travel. It’s obvious this area has not been used for some time.
After falling when a pipe gives way and seeing some odd one-eyed things, the cat finds his way into a dead city.
One of several indications all is not well here. (Ack, forgot to check for the dark pics to lighten them before uploading. DOH!)
A victim of time or something more sinister?
One of the several clever ways the stray is being guided to help someone in need.
Murder Takes a Selfie Box SetStoryOrigin Swap 2 (UBL)
Ebook set of all four By-the-Sea-Cozy-Mysteries.
Books included are: Murder Takes a Selfie, Murder Makes a Vlog, Murder has a Ball, and Murder hosts and Event.
Book 1: Murder Takes a Selfie:
If you like Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie, you’ll love Esther and her best friend, Sophie, in book one of the By the Sea Cozy Mystery series!
Book 2: Murder Makes a Vlog
Lights, camera, murder-and two beach town best friends caught in a mystery!
Book 3: Murder Has a Ball
Save the date for a masquerade! Forget Phantom of the Opera. The Oceanside High Masked Ball has Esther and Sophie waltzing around clues to solve a cozy mystery murder by the sea.
Book 4: Murder Hosts an Event
You’re invited to join Esther and Sophie at The End, a mysterious event that’s supposed to be a really killer party. But murder is on the agenda, and these two best friends must figure out who’s behind it all before the killer finds his plus one.
Marvelous Mythology Group Promo for August. Myth, monsters, and more!
Free August Escapes Group Promo – all sorts of stuff in here!
BookSirens books for reviews for the month of Aug 2022 – Murder Mysteries.
BookSirens books for reviews for the month of Aug 2022 – Women’s Fiction.
The next Stong Women Strange Worlds Virtual Readings will be on 8/18/22!
🌟 Shout out to Reviewers Corner! 🌟Thanks this month go to:
Alien Redemption – Amanda Kerr
Black Jade – Marcia and Jtan!
Cross-eyed Dragon Troubles – Torfinn Ingolfsen, Dwan Mielke, and Someone3
Jacques – Kathleen and Violet Kovacevic
The JOY of Murder – CarolK, Mmosburn53, ckurimbokus, Ana Luisa, Myra McCulloch, Margaret, Carol, Kay Cook, Korinne Tande, Kat Taylor, Anne Kavcic, Delphia Von Heeder, Denise, Kelly Atkins, Federica, Michelle Anne, Supersim, Gilbert M. Stack, Teresa Collins, A, Margaret Both, Caroline, Beth A, Abigail, Al Gritten, Julie, Charlotte M, and Y2PK.
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!)
Now to go torture myself some more with marketing/ads to dos! DOH!
Gloria
July 30, 2022
Mind Sieve 07/29/22
Table of ContentsNews/MusingsStoryOrigin Swap 1Mini Movie ReviewsMovie/TV Show PreviewsStoryOrigin Swap 2Just for Fun!Strong Women Strange WorldsForward to the Future Giveaway
Greetings!
It is still hot, Hot, HOT down here in Texas. 🔥 I hope you are keeping cool. We’ve been doing okay for most of it, just a couple of hours when the A/C, fans, etc. can’t keep up.
News/Musings
The JOY of Murder Release Celebration Giveaway is almost over! If you’ve not entered yet for your chance to win the three hardcover prize pack, you need to do so ASAP! (US Only)
Loads of freebies from cozy/mystery/thriller authors are also up for grabs on the same page and those are good for everyone!
I was originally going to a post on 7/22/22 to let everyone know that the JOY of Murder’s ebook editions were live, but I decided to skip it. The last thing I want is to become spammy!
That being said, you still have a few days to send me your purchase receipt to get the BONUS short story Romeo’s Revenge.
I got a shock a couple of weeks back or so. I had believed the header fonts were coming through in the ebook editions. (The two I republished after the publishing company went bankrupt and the two mysteries.) I was terribly wrong! (I could see them because the fonts were on my PC. But no one else could! Despite embedding them.) 😭
Then I had a bit of an epiphany! I could use images not only to preserve the font headers but also to add even more bling to the books themselves! 🤯
So I spent a frantic week trying to spruce them up! The four books and Jacques are done. Amazon has approved them all, though I have two I need to fix for the Smashwords catalog (Cross-eyed and Black Jade) and the third parties they send them to. There’s an issue with the default navigation data. The plan is to have those fixed before the end of the weekend. Booyah!
I also decided to spend the $$ and get my reader magnets professionally edited. It hasn’t felt right to give them away without making them as shiny as can be. I’m updating the bling on these as well! (Jacques was already professionally edited, but it now has more bling!)
So right now, both Jacques and Elixir of Life have been updated. Join the Newsletter and then feel free to download one or both and see the improved versions!
As I get the other reader magnets done, I’ll post about them in the news section of the newsletter/blog post. Enjoy!
Extra stuff I’ve shoved in here:
1) One StoryOrigin Swap (Review Copy)
2) Two StoryOrigin Swaps (Freebie!)
3) Strong Women – Strange Worlds Readings
3) Forward to the Future Giveaway (More Freebies!)
More deets on all of these in their sections. 😊
StoryOrigin Swap 1 (Review Copy)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.
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!
Paws of Fury: The Legend of HankMel Brooks is back! And so are several old jokes. Lol. This film makes fun of so many things. Scenes from West Side Story, Bruce Lee films, Mel Brooks films, Kung Fu films, the 4th wall, anachronisms, and more. They explore several themes, several to amusing effect. Fun popcorn and nostalgic flick. Much fun to be had. 😁
Rating: ★★★.75 out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again!)
Thor: Love and ThunderThough the previews make it look like a comedy, there is a lot of seriousness in here, too. The first few minutes as we are introduced to the “bad guy” Gorr are quite tear-jerking and dramatic. The narrated storytelling by Korg sets a nice tone for the hijinks. The goats, the jealous hammer, and the interactions with the Guardians of the Galaxy brought many snort moments. You almost rubberband back and forth between the drama, comedy, and touching moments. There are a lot of harsh truths covered in candy sprinkles to help viewers through them without getting too depressing. Overall, it was a fun ride!
Rating: ★★★★ out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again!)
Minions: The Rise of GruLike Paws of Fury, the film has a very 70’s vibe. The themes touch on group trust and team building. Prepare yourself to groan or snort through the names of the Vicious 6 – Wild Knuckles and Belle Bottoms but two of them. Lol. Nun-Chuck: a literal nun who wields nunchucks. (Lucy Lawless?! Squee!) A lot of poignant and fun moments. Minions doing what minions do best – causing chaos! These films are so much fun. Nostalgia for the win!
Rating: ★★★★ out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again!)
Movie Previews 🎥
SHAZAM 2: Fury of the Gods Comic-Con Trailer (2022) – looks awesome!
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves Movie Trailer – oh! Some of my fave creatures, too! Looks great!
She-Hulk Attorney at Law trailer – this looks fun! And a funny Bruce Banner, who knew? Lol.
Story Origin Swap 2 (Freebie)Where Weaver DaireOn a world where ancient magic and technology exist, the skeletons of the past never stay buried for long. Melinda Scott should know. She just found a big one.
Where Weavers Daire is the first book in a new rip-roaring space opera series in the same vein as Babylon 5, Farscape and Star Wars!
Just for Fun!Love Runs Out by One Republic – funky video! Some cool visuals. The song is good, too! 😎 (Hubby shared this one.)
How Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Should Have Ended video – this is a riot. I did watch the movie again and I still like it. A lot of parallels between Strange and Wanda, like two sides of the same coin.
Smooth Criminal – with Chinese Instrument Guzheng Cover – she’s amazing! (Hubby shared this one, too!)
Strong Women Strange Worlds is having their next virtual reading on 8/5/22. Click the link to register.
Forward to the Future Giveaway – free science fiction reads for July 2022 – only a few more days to grab them.
Stay cool out there! 🧊
Gloria
July 16, 2022
Virtual Tourist 07/15/22
Table of ContentsNews/MusingsStoryOrigin Swap 1Virtual Tourist – Sherlock Holmes Chapter OneStoryOrigin Swap 2Forward to the Future GiveawayBookSirens BundleReviewers Corner!
Greetings!
The heat has been unrelenting. Since late June, we’ve hit over 100 degrees almost every day. Eek! Doing my best to keep cool! 😎 Are you?
News/Musings
If you’ve not signed up yet, make sure to throw your name in the ring for a chance at the three-hardcover prize pack to celebrate the release of The JOY of Murder! The main prize is US only, but the freebie ebooks in cozy/mystery/thriller are for everyone! So don’t miss out. https://www.gloriaoliver.com/giveaway
Both the hardcover and paperback versions of The JOY of Murder are LIVE! The ebook versions are still open for pre-order. If you’re new to the newsletter, you can read sample chapters here.
Don’t forget to send me a copy of your order to get Romeo’s Revenge – A Daiyu Wu Mystery short story as a BONUS! It will be available now through the first week of the ebooks going live. So hurry before it’s too late!
More book reviews keep pouring in for The JOY of Murder—you’ll find a sampling of them at the website. They’ve been great so far!
On a totally different track, I’m taking an ad course this week. It has homework and even extra credit! Not the best month to do it, but what the hey! Lol
Extra content today:
1) StoryOrigin Swap 1 (UBL)
2) StoryOrigin Swap 2 (UBL)
3) Forward to the Future Group Promo
4) BookSirens Book Review Bundle for July 2022
Scroll on down to get all the deets. 😉
Pool of Memories and SerpentsStoryOrigin Swap 1 (UBL)
He devoured a dark dragon spirit, and now it will consume him from the inside out.
Less than a month into Hidekazu’s journey to find where all the dragons disappeared to, he and his travelling companion are attacked by a dark spirit belonging to one of the very creatures they’re hoping to find.
Instead of receiving answers, Hidekazu is forced to tap into the power he can’t control to save his partner’s life. Only by surrendering to the darkness inside of him again, this time Hidekazu might not be able to return… or stop himself from feasting on the innocent spirits who get in his way.
Pool of Memories and Serpents is a fantasy tale filled with magic, dragons, and wonder, and is a supplementary novella in the Yumihari World. This story can be enjoyed after reading the Yokai Calling series or on its own.
Sherlock Holmes Chapter One
Started a new game called Sherlock Holmes Chapter One. I was a little reticent as I was not impressed with the previous game for Sherlock called the Devil’s Daughter. But it looks like Frogwares has things under control again. Yay!
Pics currently uploaded can all be seen here.
This Sherlock game is from the POV of a young Holmes. He’s gone back to the island of Cordona to find closure over his mother’s death many years before.
What’s rather awesome about this version is how they handled not having a Watson. They gave Sherlock an imaginary friend called Jon. (He refers to Sherlock as Sherry!) Why Jon exists is actually an integral part of the main storyline. Plus, he’s a total hoot! (Unless you use the wrong search criteria at the archines. DOH!)
They’ve added combat to this incarnation. It’s tricky, multiple waves of bad guys (which you are supposed to disable and apprehend not kill—sometimes not so easy to do), but gets repetitive after a time. Luckily, there’s not a ton of it.
Our first view of Cordona as Sherlock’s ship docks at his old stomping grounds.
This is Jon. He’s Sherlock’s wilder and more emotional side. He’s a riot!
The hotel Sherlock first stays at in Cordona. Awesome detail!
The first of many in-jokes. The portrait on the right is Sir Author Conan Doyle, the creator of the Sherlock Holmes stories. 😁
The first case revolves around a stolen jewel during a seance!
There are some truly gorgeous vistas. The island is multicultural, so each area has a flavor. Some are more affluent than others.
Gravesite of Violet Holmes, Sherlock’s mom.
Finally, took one where you could see Sherlock’s young face! Lol. (Later on, I take some of him in his costumes! Yes, there are disguises!)
The Poisoned ClergymanStoryOrigin Swap 2 (UBL)
Poppy adores Constable Dyngley, but he is engaged. When his fiancée hires Poppy to clear her name, can Poppy put her jealousy aside?
Welcome to book two in the exciting new series The Perfect Poison Murders from bestselling author E.L. Johnson!
When Poppy’s uncle is called away, in his place arrives Mr. Ingleby, a pretentious clergyman with a passion for pies, a penchant for puddings, and a distaste for poor and sick parishioners. It’s not long before Poppy wishes he was gone, especially when she learns he has been gossiping to the neighborhood about the humble fare served by her and her aunt.
But when the tart-loving clergyman dies at a local baking competition, it is clear that Mr. Ingleby has been poisoned by one of the bakers present. But who?
Poppy and her favorite constable, Henry Dyngley, must work together to find the poisoner among the bakers. But her romantic hopes for their future are dashed when he introduces her to his fiancee, who begs for Poppy’s help to clear her name as a murder suspect.
Can Poppy and Dyngley find the true poisoner, or will the murderous baker pull off a sweet crime? Can Poppy overlook her jealousy to save Dyngley’s fiancée, at the risk of losing the man she adores? It is a bittersweet feeling to know you may do the right thing, only for someone else to reap the benefit.
Forward to the Future Giveaway! Freebie ebooks through the month of July.
BookSirens books for reviews for the month of July 2022.
🌟 Shout out to Reviewers Corner! 🌟Thanks this month go to:
Kathryn, Kat M, Jetagen, JArens16, Kuzlin, Jan, Kritika, Mrs LIR Linda, TooLittleReading, mydoxie, and Kavab12!
(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!)
I can’t wait for the release to be over! Lol. Soon, soon!
Gloria
July 2, 2022
Mind Sieve 07/01/22
Greetings!
Have you been melting in the heat? It’s been super hot down here in Texas. We’ve hit 100 degrees several times just in June. 😱 What will July and August bring? 😋
News/Musings
First off, the JOY of Murder Release Celebration Giveaway is LIVE! Enter the giveaway by filling out the KingSumo form and feel free to share for more chances to win. Loads of freebies from cozy/mystery/thriller authors are also up for grabs on the same page. 😁 Good luck!
The paperback edition of The JOY of Murder is LIVE! I hit the button early due to the holiday weekend, but they processed it super quick! So it’s out!
Only nineteen or so days before the ebook also comes to life. Though you can still pre-order it at your usual retailers. Here is the UBL Link. No matter your preference, send me a copy of the receipt and the BONUS story – Romeo’s Revenge is yours!
I’ve started working again on The Secret Humankind, which will be the first book in a new urban fantasy series called the Discoveries of Julia Xero. It’s been fighting me tooth and nail, but I am stubborn. Bwahaha! 😎
Two more 5-star reviews of The JOY of Murder! Squee!
★★★★★ – This was a strong sequel to the Daiyu Wu Mysteries series. I had enjoyed the first book a lot and was looking forward to this book. It was a really well done mystery and the characters that I enjoyed were back.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review by Kat M at Goodreads
★★★★★ – Daiyu Wu was fortunate to have been born to loving parents. In the Chinese culture, girl babies are not looked upon fondly, and blind girl babies are considered evil omens and should be put to death. But her parents hid her from the authorities and ultimately came to Dallas, Texas, where they raised her. At one point, she came upon the orphan, Jacques, and convinced her family to help raise him, keeping him as her confidant, friend and helper. In this second book of the series, her new friend, Truman Pierce (or as Jacques likes to think of him, the popinjay) asks her to help prove his mother’s innocence of murder…a crime for which she was recently arrested and held without bail. But can Dai and Jacques investigate this without Dai’s family finding out what she has been doing. This series takes place in the 1930’s. Dai is a very strong female character, who refuses to allow her blindness become a disability, instead relying on the strengths of her other senses. I really enjoy the relationship between Dai and Jacques, as well as the developing characters of Truman and even Dr. Aiden Campbell. And of course, who could resist the antics of Prince, the Scottish terrier/Pomeranian mix pet. Looking forward to more adventures with this group. Disclosure: I am voluntarily reviewing this book and all opinions are strictly my own.
Extra stuff I’ve shoved in here:
1) One StoryOrigin Swap (UBL)
2) Two StoryOrigin Swaps (Freebies!)
3) Forward to the Future Giveaway (More Freebies!)
More deets on all of these in their sections. 😊
StoryOrigin Swap 1 (UBL)YearsWhat would you sacrifice to save the world?
In the future one thing keeps the entire planet going, the Gaia Machine. The only problem is that it feeds on the life force of people to run. This has led to certain people being born with the Gaia Gene, the ability to go into the machine for a full fifty-year cycle without fear of aging.
Cheyenne Meekai has the Gaia Gene and whether she wants to or not she’s going to have to save the world, but it might cost her everything in the process. The years served in the machine fly by for the person inside but outside life moves on, meaning when she gets out everyone she knows will either be elderly or dead.
Fifty years is a long time especially when you’re only sixteen, can she save the world and still have some sort of life, or will the demands of the Gaia Machine be more than she can handle?
Find out in this exciting Young Adult Science Fiction novel that will be sure to keep you reading every page until the very end.
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!
Jurassic World DominionIt was awesome seeing all the characters together from the franchise. As always, the special effects were great. Some fun chase scenes and combat. Higher stakes on several fronts, but no real surprises. Hubby had hoped for more.
Rating: ★★★.75 out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Better for Matinee)
LightyearThe explanation at the beginning of the film was perfect! This is the movie the toy in Toy Story was based on. ROFL. It was a fun film, loads of action, and some surprises. The sequence where Buzz kept testing the engine, creating a four-year gap between him and his friend was super poignant. A fun ride all around.
Rating: ★★★★ out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission.)
Movie Previews 🎥
Sandman Trailer – this is based on the graphic comics. Never read them, but it does look interesting!
Blackbird Trailer – this one looks intense!
The Deer King Trailer – the animation looks great, and I’ve enjoyed other films by him. Should be fun!
Story Origin Swap 2 (Freebie)Dead Cell: New EarthThe first wave of colonists found alien life. The third wave doesn’t want peace. They want control.
A short prequel to the cyberpunk Dead Cell series on Amazon Vella
Tani’na and the few half-breed descendants of First and Second Waves of colonists are infected with Chromata, a sentient lifeform native to New Earth. But it isn’t the enemy.
First Wave, sent a century prior, made peace with the inhabitants. Some of Second Wave joined them when they arrived decades later. Most remain loyal to the Thyterion empire which is destined to arrive as the third and final wave. Emperor Riscerman wants the planet cleansed for their arrival. Tani’na wants revenge for the death of her mother and sister among thousands of others who perished in the Silacia settlement bombing.
Commander Worton must pay for following such heinous orders. Tani’na and her Father’s First Wave army storm the city and the state-building to retake control. Tani’na knows what must be done, and she’s the only one who can do it.
Just for Fun!THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT – SIRIUS Mammagamma – his fab instrumentals paired with gorgeous images! Nice!
Disney Music – Lava (Official Lyric Video from “Lava”) – This is so adorable!
Footloose Dance-Off! | The Umbrella Academy – I haven’t watched the new season yet, but this dance-off was a riot!
Story Origin Swap 3 (Freebie)Death at the FeteA traditional New Year celebration… What could go wrong?
The story continues – what trouble do Vino and Kiyama find themselves in next?
Kiyama Fernando and Vinodhini Dias are involved in another murder mystery – this time in the sweltering heat of the hottest month of the year. When Vino is invited to judge a beauty pageant as part of the Sinhala New Year celebrations in the small town of Parkaduwa little do the friends know that jealous rivalries and social bias will soon lead to murder.
Set in the tropical island nation of Sri Lanka this is perfect for those who wish to visit an exotic location and meet some memorable characters!
Forward to the Future Giveaway – free science fiction reads for July 2022
Have an awesome 4th of July! 🎆🎇🎆🎇
Gloria
June 18, 2022
We interrupt your regularly scheduled program for Pre-Release Madness! 😱
Oliver Madness! 🏃♀️ Run away while you can!Table of ContentsNews/Musings/MADNESS!First Review for the JOY of Murder!The JOY of Murder Book TrailerReview Copies Up for Grabs!DTN Swap 1Pre-Order BONUS!DTN Swap 2Planets in Alignment Book Fair GiveawayFelony Fiction 99 cents ebooksReviewers Corner!
Greetings, ya’ll!
I apologize for the mess I am about to make. LOL. Hopefully, it won’t be too arduous for you guys! 😄
Thank you for your patience in advance! 🥰
News/Musings/MADNESS!
Apologies upfront if I seem to be all over the place this time around! Things have been a little crazy. 🤪 New releases are a descent into MADNESS!
Usually, this would be a Virtual Tourist post, but there’s so much going on, and I didn’t want this to be a giant edition, so I decided to switch channels/programs. 😆
I’m trying to keep the blog posts to every two weeks, though once we’re super close to the wide release, there will be a couple of extra notices. You’ve been warned! Bwahahahaha!
Black Jade – A Daiyu Wu Mystery has been reviewed by Publishers Weekly!
“Set in 1930 Dallas, this impressive series launch from Oliver (Alien Redemption) introduces a one-of-a-kind lead. Despite being blind and living in a community infected with anti-Asian prejudice, Chinese immigrant Daiyu Wu has built a life for herself by operating her family’s business, White Laundry, aided by her friend and caretaker, Jacques Haskin…The playful banter between Wu and Haskin moves the plot along. Historical mystery fans will look forward to the sequel.”
You can read the full review here.
The BookLife Prize did a Critic’s Report on Black Jade!
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: Black Jade is a meticulously plotted mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie, with a plot that unfolds intriguingly in this quickly paced novel.
Prose: Told in first-person perspective, Jacques’s narration proves an almost Watson-like counterpart to Daiyu Wu’s Holmes. The snappy and fast-paced dialogue brings the story to life.
Originality: Readers will find this to be a classic mystery set in 1930s Texas. Though frequent readers of the genre may target the culprit early on, protagonist Dai’s keen eye, curiosity, and wit are delightful fun.
Character Development/Execution: The blind Chinese protagonist Daiyu Wu is inherently clever and memorable, and narrator Jacques is a loyal yet complex companion.
Blurb: A gripping Agatha-Christie-esque whodunit whose atmosphere and characters are sure to delight readers.
Score:
• Plot/Idea: 8
• Originality: 8
• Prose: 9
• Character/Execution: 8
• Overall: 8.25
As luck would have it, these came in at a great time, especially as the 99-cent sale of Black Jade is still going on! With Book 2 The JOY of Murder coming soon, it’s the perfect time to grab book 1. 😎
Want a taste first? Downloadable sample chapters can be found here.
Give me the Sample Chapters for Black Jade!The JOY of Murder Release Schedule!The current plan is:
6/21/22 – release of the hardcover edition
7/5/22 – release of the paperback edition
7/21/22 – release of the ebooks in all formats (Now on Pre-Order)
Barring any unexpected chaos or disasters. 😁
The first review for The JOY of Murder is in!★★★★★ – Dai is another modern-day Agatha Christie as she embarks on solving a murder with the help of her loyal assistant, Jacques and several other characters. I enjoyed reading about the Chinese and Mexican cultures, and how they came together in this murder mystery.
And… the JOY of Murder Book Trailer is LIVE!
I want Sample Chapters for The JOY of Murder, too!Review copies for The JOY of Murder
I’ve added a 3rd place you can go to grab a review copy of The JOY of Murder.
You can now choose from StoryOrigin, BookSprout, and BookSirens!
BookSirens also has a new feature allowing readers to follow authors there and get notified when new ARCs are up for grabs.
StoryOrigin Review Copy
BookSprout Review Copy
BookSirens Review Copy
Call of the Wind: A Space Opera AdventureWill a young pilot shot down in occupied territory be executed or overcome impossible odds and survive?
Living under the shadow of an interplanetary war, Baymond Kimes’ life is shattered when his father is shot at a spiritual gathering. He turns to his childhood friend, Princess Fawniteen, for comfort. Their innocent love blossoms, but when Fawn’s parents reveal she was betrothed at birth to another, the young couple is devastated. Fawn dutifully accepts her fate, and Baymond escapes at sixteen by joining the Interplanetary air fleet.
Trained as a fighter pilot against the forces of a powerful sorcerer-deity, Baymond grows up fast. Eventually, his aircraft is shot down and he’s captured.
Can Baymond escape to see Fawniteen again and use his special gifts to save the galaxy?
If you like brave heroes, true love, exciting adventures and space battles you’ll loveCall of the Wind, about the next generation in Skarie’s exciting sci-fi series.
Read Call of the Wind to join the fight for freedom today!
The JOY of Murder Pre-Order BONUS!
Romeo’s Revenge
Yes, I have a 🎁 for anyone buying the hardcover, paperback, or ebook now through 7/21/22. (This will help the book get a strong start!)
You can get the ebooks as a pre-order now, hardcover on 6/21, and paperbacks from 7/5. (No pre-order capabilities by the printer for hardcover and paperback. Boo!)
It’s super easy!
1) Take a picture/screen capture of your receipt. (Or forward the email receipt.)
2) Sign up for the newsletter at www.gloriaoliver.com/subscribe (And get yet another gift!) (You need to subscribe so you can get the bonus in part 4)
3) Send it to gloria (@) gloriaoliver.com.
4) I’ll send you a link to where you can download your BONUS!
It’s a never before seen Daiyu Wu short story called Romeo’s Revenge! (You’ll get it 3+ months before it goes on sale as a gift!)
I want to pre-order The JOY of Murder to get my bonus!Two tragedies occur in the same family a year apart on All Hallow’s Eve. Were they truly just tragic pranks or something more sinister?
The Death of KnowledgeEveryone knows there’s no crime in the City of Scolaris. Try telling that to the dead man!
Born into servitude, Quill relies on the Master for everything. But when they uncover a body, she’s sent away from the only home she’s ever known. Forced to serve the corpse’s widow, she discovers a world of power and prejudice, secrets and lies, a world she doesn’t recognise.
Meanwhile, in the City Guard, Deputy Red set out to be a trailblazer, a rebel. At least that’s the story he told himself. Imagining a career of action and intrigue, what he didn’t bank on was zero crooks and the boss from hell. Excited by the prospect of a case, Red must choose between following orders or trusting his instincts.
When the finger of suspicion points perilously close to home, Quill and Red’s paths cross with disastrous consequences. And as the quest for justice reaches its climax, both have to make choices that change their lives forever.
Perfect for armchair sleuths, The Death of Knowledge offers an exciting twist on a traditional murder mystery, keeping you guessing until the very last word.
Buy The Death of Knowledge, journey to the City of Scolaris, and unmask a murderer today!
Planets in Alignment Book Fair – a chance to grab free science fiction books and stories.
Felony Fiction June 2022 – 99 cent specials on Cozy/Mystery/Thriller ebooks!
🌟 Shout out to Reviewers Corner! 🌟Thanks this month go to:
S.V. Farnsworth and Violet Kovacevic!
(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!)
Let me know if this blog post was too much of an info dump! Finding the proper balance for this stuff is HARD! 🤪
Gloria
June 4, 2022
Mind Sieve 06/03/22
Mind Sieve 06/03/22Table of ContentsNews/MusingsStoryOrigin Swap 1Mini Movie ReviewsMovie/Show PreviewsStoryOrigin Swaps 2Just for Fun!SciFi and Fantasy GiveawayPlanets in Alignment Book FairJune 2022 Felony Fiction
Greetings!
June has been super busy so far! Eek!
News/Musings
I have a ton of news this time around, so I hope you’ll bear with me! 😁 Strap in for the ride! Lol.
First, here’s a pic of the final cover for The JOY of Murder!
It looks pretty snazzy, right? Charles fixed Daiyu’s hair and tea-shade glasses. He also added an arm with the handcuffs and removed most of the blood. I love the juxtaposition of the border. He’ll have the cover templates completed soon. Yay!
Second, sample chapters for The JOY of Murder are up! Grab them in your favorite format or read them on your browser.
Third, for anyone needing to catch up, the ebook for Black Jade is now on sale for $.99! Should stay that way for the whole month of June, so get it while you can before it goes back to the $3.99 price. 😋
Fourth, The JOY of Murder ebooks are now available for Pre-Order at your favorite online retailer.
Sadly, KDP has not figured out how to do pre-orders for hardcovers and softcovers. 😥 Though both will be available in the first to middle weeks of July. The official release date for the ebook is 7/21/22.
Fifth, the ARC Team got first dibs, but I still have some open slots for anyone wanting to get a free copy of The JOY of Murder in exchange for a review. (If you want to be added to the ARC Team, sign up for the newsletter and then let me know! Include the genres you’d prefer to help with!)
There are two places you can sign up which will also send you reminders to get the review up—Booksprout and StoryOrigin.
Sixth, in July, I will be doing a Giveaway for the release of The JOY of Murder! The prize will be three hardcover books—Poirot Investigates (Royal Collection Editions), Black Jade, and The JOY of Murder. But there will also be Cozy and Mystery freebies! I’ll share the link once it goes live on July 1st!
I did have a total SQUEE moment this month! The new Obi-Wan Kenobi limited series started and the first world Obi-wan went to was called Daiyu! YES! I had to do a double-take! They named the planet the same name as my amateur detective, Daiyu Wu! (My fan girl is showing. Lol!) 😎
Extra stuff I’ve shoved in here:
1) Two StoryOrigin Swaps (Freebies!)
2) Two June Giveaways (more Freebies!)
3) Felony Fiction June 2022 $0.99 ebooks!
More deets on all of these in their sections. 😊
StoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie!)The Healing GlassA dead mother, a dying father. Magic could help – if it still existed.
The first novel in a dark, epic fantasy series.
A plague is destroying Kingston City.
Audra Academician discovers the only cure—a long-forgotten artifact from the Age of Mages: The Healing Glass. Except Mages and magic have been extinct for centuries.
But when Audra sets off across the ancient land of Taurë to find it, she discovers more than she wanted: the truth.
The truth about The Healing Glass.
The truth about Mages.
The truth about herself.
“… a lot of action and tension. Hats off for introducing a plot point that left me with my mouth actually hanging open.” — Liz Williams, best-selling SFF author.
The Healing Glass is the first book in an exciting new epic fantasy series by Maria Herring.
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 Unbearable Weight of Massive TalentThis film was funky but also fun! A Bromance! This is an alternate universe where Nicolas Cage is Nick Cage and his life has hit a major low point. I loved the interplay between Cage and Pedro Pascal—their characters two clueless guys chasing a dream. There were several subplots about family, and the aging actor trying to reconnect with his daughter. Some great chase scenes and gunplay. A definite popcorn flick. 😋
Rating: ★★★.5 out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Better for Matinee)
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of MadnessHubby insists it should be called The Scarlet Witch in the Multiverse of Darkness. He was not a happy camper. I don’t agree with him that Strange was just used to get the girl from point A to point B, but there could have been more exploration done on his side, despite having the one big elephant in the room (his ex) and that correlating with Wanda’s own madness tapped grief. There were too many unanswered questions about America as well. Her parents had star pins, America’s portals are star-shaped, and she wore a jacket with a star. (I went digging and it seems she is “Miss America”, brought into the Marvel comic universe in 2011.) I did love seeing all the different Doctor Strange incarnations and the multiverse worlds. Several surprise guests show up in the film as well. The special effects were great and there’s a bit at the end, which might be Cleo?! Woot!
Rating: ★★★.75 out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Better for Matinee.)
Top Gun MaverickSuper Nostalgia Time! They rev up the audience by starting off with Highway to the Danger Zone! Awesome aerial shots from the planes. A ton of parallels and similarities to the plot of the first film and egos as big as Texas. LOL. Several poignant moments as Maverick has to deal with several issues. The only odd bit was the mission—it was pretty much a dead copy of Luke Skywalker and the rebels run at the Deathstar. 🤣 If you loved the original, you’ll love this one, too!
Rating: ★★★★ out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again!)
MemoryAn aging assassin wants to get out of the game due to increasing Alzheimer’s issues but gets talked into doing one last job. His ‘friend’ however, neglected to mention one of the two targets was a child. He doesn’t take her out, but others decide not to leave it alone. Chaos ensues. I enjoyed how the story is told from two different angles—the assassin’s and the FBI agent’s. Both seeking justice from the girl in their own ways. Lots of gunplay, red herrings, and suspenseful moments. A fun ride!
Rating: ★★★.75 out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission!)
Movie Previews 🎥
Bad Batch Season 2 Trailer – follows the exploits of a group of Clones that did not get subverted by Code 66. Enjoyed the first season so looking forward to more!
The Man From Toronto Trailer – it is from the same people that did the Hitman’s Bodyguard, so it should be crazy! Lol.
Three Thousand Years of Longing Trailer – a genie! Looks super crazy! Lol.
Story Origin Swap 2 (Freebie)Tales from the RoundaboutA Collection of Funny Short Stories set in Carmel, IN -a City Obsessed with Art, Status, and Traffic Circles!
Episode 1
Just when you needed a good laugh, Jeff Stanger is back with a collection of hilarious stories set in Indiana’s wealthiest suburb and home to America’s most roundabouts.
City Council banned a gentlemen’s club from opening within the city’s borders. Now, the club owner is out for revenge and he plans an outrageous spectacle in the center of one of the city’s most visible roundabouts.
The public display of dancers brings the wrath of the Lakewood Estates Association Moms. And the obsession of the Lakewood Estates middle school boys!
Now the club owner and mayor are in a battle with ever-increasing stakes and outrageousness. And the boys will risk being grounded for life, just to impress a dancer twice their ages. And hiding in the shadows is a city council member with a score to settle before his time in office ends.
Fans of Tim Dorsey and Carl Hiassen will enjoy this hilarious collection.
Just for Fun!Big Bad John Music Video – hubby shared this with me. The singer has an awesome voice!
Gregorian “Viva La Vida” Official Music Video – another one hubby sent my way. Gorgeous locations!
Simon’s Cat – Royal Gift – so cute!
Win a free Kindle Paperwhite (2021) and a bundle of YA/NA sci-fi/fantasy books!
This one only runs from Jun 1st to 15th, so don’t wait!
Planets in Alignment Book Fair! Active for all of June 2022. More freebies!
For the month of June, Felony Fiction has a slew of cozy/mystery/thriller ebooks priced at $0.99!
Have a great week!
Gloria
May 28, 2022
Greetings!Just a quick note today.The votes are in from ...
Greetings!
Just a quick note today.
The votes are in from the newsletter subscribers! I asked them to vote on seven cover concept sketches from the awesome Charles Bernard.
The winning cover concept for The JOY of Murder – A Daiyu Wu Mystery was Concept #1!
Thanks to the newsletter subscribers who voted! It will be fun to see where Charles takes it from here. 😁
Life got crazy so I didn’t post the last Virtual Tourist where I have everyone a heads up about the cozy mystery freebie that was coming. So here it is!
From Trisha Grace—Book 1 of her Emily Bennet Mysteries!
Deadly Home by Trisha GraceCozy Mystery Freebie! (Reg $2.99)
Having your motion sensor alarm triggered at two in the morning is never a good thing—especially if you have a target on your back.
Emily Bennett is tired of traveling around the world and chasing story after story as an investigative journalist. She is tired of living—as her parents have always said—recklessly.
Now that she is a successful murder-mystery writer, she thinks it is time to try and lead a normal life.
Time to settle down and live life quietly.
And she is doing just that—in the picturesque beach town of Anchorville, Oregon.
But two weeks after moving into her beautiful new home, a man triggers her motion sensor alarm at two in the morning.
Minutes later, she is in the living room—a gun in hand—facing down the intruder.
An intruder who is supposed to be dead.
Emily wants answers. Unfortunately, Alexander Lewis doesn’t have any. He has lost his memory and is more confused about the situation than she is.
Emily doesn’t know what to do. She is supposed to be done with being reckless. She can’t possibly let Alexander stay, especially not when she suspects his aunt may be a murderer … right?
I want my Freebie!Happy Memorial Day weekend!
Gloria
May 7, 2022
Mind Sieve 05/06/22
Mind Sieve 05/06/22Table of ContentsNews/MusingsStoryOrigin Swap 1Mini Movie ReviewsMovie/Show PreviewsStoryOrigin Swaps 2Just for Fun!Out of the Past GiveawaySci-Fi Adventures Giveaway
Pets of Cozy Mysteries Giveaway
Greetings!
May is here! Can you believe it? Raining cats and dogs! 🌧
News/Musings
Speaking of dogs… The family suffered a loss on 5/4/22. Our beloved dog, Serenity, had to be put down. She was a runt when my daughter and her husband got her, but she quickly grew into a massive dog! But she was super friendly, spoiled rotten (John, I’m looking at you), and was a big part of the family.
Serenity always had minor health issues as she’d been the runt of the litter, but she got checked frequently. (Allergies, skin rashes, ear problems, etc.)
By the time we realized something was up with her health, and though the vet mentioned we did catch it early, the cancer was so virulent, that it was already too late to do anything about it. 😭 So they had to put her down. We’re all taking it rather hard, especially as it was so unexpected. 😭
Extra stuff I’ve shoved in here:
1) Two StoryOrigin Swaps (Freebies!)
2) Three May Giveaways (more Freebies!)
More deets on all of these in their sections. 😊
StoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie!)The Forgotten MysteryHow it all began…
The Forgotten Mystery takes us back in time two years to Wren’s very first murder mystery, the day she first got her cat Gracie, a day that was wiped from her mind. But why was it taken from her? And was her first mystery a success or a failure? Find out in this funny, intriguing little cozy mystery.
Time is running out and there’s no turning back.
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!
Everything Everywhere All at OncePrime yourself for a crazy trip! The beginning is slow, trying to show the audience the humdrum life of Evelyn Wang. Then the whole thing goes sideways. Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan (Short Round!!!!), Stephanie Hsu, Gong Gong, and especially Jamie Lee Curtis, were fabulous! The turning-on-a-dime character portrayals were fantastic as alternates took over. Some super bizarre humor is thrown in as well, making fun of a ton of things. It shows how hubby and I do differ in some of our tastes as while I thought the film was great, he was not as excited about it when it was over. 😋 Worth watching for the acting and craziness alone! Lol.
Rating: ★★★★ out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Better for Matinee)
The BatmanYes, we finally saw it. There were things about it I did love, while there were other things that were odd or just meh. The chemistry between Batman and Catwoman was great! It totally sizzled. Though it was super weird they kept calling him vengeance rather than Batman. This new tendency of making the main characters dress like crap and be unkempt is beyond me. Bruce Wayne is a millionaire, he has no reason not to have t-shirts without holes! Long hair will get you killed during combat (imagine the long bangs getting into his eyes as Batman – no way to move it! LOL). The Batmobile was underwhelming. Loved the rocket engine, but just stuffing it into a muscle car seemed unimaginative. I did like the broodiness as that was very much like the comics back in the day. Nothing new was really explored, but if you’ve nothing better to do, it might be worth a watch. 😝
Rating: ★★★.5 out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission.)
The Bad GuysThis film was as fun as it looked in the previews! Think Ocean Eleven as an animated film, with more heartstring-pulling. 😁 For Lupin the 3rd fans, there’s one scene where Wolf leaps with a bag of cash in the exact pose Lupin does. It was awesome!
There are some surprises, emotional discoveries, and lots of one-upmanships. They explore the concepts of what you look like vs. who you are, amongst second chances, and other things. It was a lot of fun.
Rating: ★★★★ out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission!)
The Secrets of DumbledoreOverall, we enjoyed the film. I love Mads Mikkelsen, and while he did a fabulous job, the muted eye color differences, and Johnny Depp’s previous work on the character weren’t all there to better merge with the last film.
The lack of Tina’s presence, despite the flimsy excuse given for her absence, for one of the biggest problems ever to confront the Wizarding World, really took away a lot. Though the character of Lally Hicks was a riot, she was still not the character we expected to be hand in hand with Newt to solve this mess (especially as her sister had been dragged into it!) They also never explained how Jacob’s wand activated magic he did not throw. Far as we know, you have to be touching your wand to use it, and since he has no magic, Jacob could not initiate a spell. (Maybe they can pre-program one?)
While enjoyable, it didn’t seem as well thought out as the previous films. With all the weirdness between the film company, Rowling, and Depp, I suppose it shouldn’t have been a surprise.
Rating: ★★★.75 out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission to See Again!)
Movie Previews 🎥
Obi-Wan Kenobi Official Trailer – this one has more info than the last one. I can’t wait! 6 episode series.
Last Seen Alive Movie Trailer – could be interesting.
Memory Trailer – first time I’ve seen a trailer on this one, though I think it’s out?
Story Origin Swap 2 (Freebie)Talisman of ElWHAT IF YOUR WHOLE LIFE WAS A LIE?
One Planet.
Two Worlds.
Population: Human … 7 billion.
Others … unknown.
When 14-year-old Charlie Blake wakes up sweating and gasping for air in the middle of the night, he knows it is happening again. This time he witnesses a brutal murder. He’s afraid to tell anyone. No one would believe him… because it was a dream. Just like the one he had four years ago — the day before his dad died.
Charlie doesn’t know why this is happening. He would give anything to have an ordinary life. The problem: he doesn’t belong in the world he knows as home.
He belongs with the others.
Just for Fun!Simon’s Cat has a 13-minute full-color special called Crazy Kitten! It will definitely fill up your cat meter. 😋
MARVEL Uptown Funk by Alchemy – this was too cute! MCU cast bloopers and dancing.
The Origins Story – Simon’s Cat – It’s so cute!!!!!
Out of the Past…and Onto the Page Giveaway – May 2022. Grab your historical fiction!
Sci-Fi Adventures – Other Worlds and Dimensions Giveaway! May 2022.
The Pets of Cozy Mysteries Giveaway! Another May 2022 Group Promo!
Time to hug family and pets!
Gloria
