Mind Sieve 06/02/23

Table of Contents

News/Musings The Secret Humankind Ch 02
StoryOrigin Swap 1 Mini Movie/Show Reviews
StoryOrigin Swap 2 Movie/TV Show Previews
StoryOrigin Swap 3 Just for Fun!
Sci-Fi & Fantasy Book Fair Group Promo Science Fiction Books That Knock You Out Promo
Strong Women – Strange Worlds

 

 

Greetings!

All right! Let’s see if I can actually stick to the program this time around! 🤞

 

 

News/Musings

My editor is so awesome! 😍 My year has been chaotic but hers has been epically bad—yet she still insisted on getting all the edits back as soon as she could. I’m so grateful to her for her dedication and awesome work. Please join me in sending good vibes her way! Every little bit helps! 

Writing news

I’ve gotten the first couple of reviews for The Secret Humankind! Check them out!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Julia has found a job that is to good to be true. She has a partner named Stan and they work the night shift. Secrets are coming to light about what her job truly consists of. Strang work orders and some suspicious activity starts Julia on a mission to solve a mystery of who is murdering people and why.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review – Margarita Bailey

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Secret Humankind is book 1 in The Discoveries of Julia Xero by Gloria Oliver. WOW! I couldn’t put the book down and I was never sure what was going to happen next. Julia Xero is a wonderful main character and the supporting characters are perfect for the story. The story is set in contemporary Dallas with humans, aliens and a touch of magic. When I read the words: The End… I said NO! I want to read more. I found The Secret Humankind to be the type of book anyone will enjoy, it is amazing. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily – My2doxie

Also, ARC copies of The Secret Humankind are now available! So if you’re interested in reading the book for free in exchange for an unbiased review, you can grab a copy at any of these locations:

Story Origin, Book Sprout, or BookSirens.

Chapter 02 of The Secret Humankind is below! Or you can get all three of the sample chapters at once from my website as a downloadable file. (Have Ch one’s page done on the website, but still need to do the other two.)

For the historical cozy mystery fans—I hit 20K words on Book 3 of the Daiyu Wu Mysteries – The Music of Death Blues this week! Woot! While the mysteries are a little shorter than the urban fantasy novels, all the extra research slows the writing down. I’m still hoping to get my process streamlined enough to get out two books a year. 🤞 Time will tell!

The Secret Humankind

Chapter 02

 

I’ve felt anxious on many occasions in my life. Every time a prospective parent had come by the home—at least until I realized I was too plain and shy, and later, too old, to be seriously considered. Meeting new foster parents and their kids, constantly worrying whether it would be a good or a bad home. Other jobs I’d hoped to get.

Currently, I stood at the bittersweet precipice of fearful hope and protective pessimism.

I stared at the glass doors emblazoned with the Remington Safe and Clean gold-and-purple logo. One miraculous step closer, but still with no guarantees. At least the weird sensations of being watched or followed hadn’t returned. I felt nervous enough already, and didn’t need my spidey sense adding to it. I hoped my black slacks and cream top didn’t make me look too drab.

I reached for the door, just as it yanked open on its own.

“You’re here!”

The receptionist’s squeal of joy and flashing smile made me step back. We’d only met the one time. No one that friendly could be genuine. “Uh, hi.”

“Come in, come in!” Karamel waved me inside. She was dressed in a blinding canary-yellow dress with puffed sleeves. Combined with her short stature, pixie haircut, and boundless energy, it made her seem like an oversized fairy.

I complied, now feeling even more jittery, though I still didn’t sense any insincerity from the receptionist. “There’s an interview and then a test, right?”

Karamel shook her head, her candy-scented perfume mixing with the aromatic scent of oak leaves from the thirty-foot trees growing on a strip of land on the other end of the lobby. Yes, you heard right—towering oak trees inside an enclosed lobby. Is that mindboggling or what? When I first came to apply for the job, I’d almost turned around and left after seeing them. Who in their right mind grew giant-sized trees indoors?

The massive lobby was all tinted glass in the front with white and gold marble flooring throughout. The impressive mahogany reception desk was the size of a small boat. Everything screamed money and success.

The receptionist kept beaming at me. I’d met friendly people before, and they usually had a hidden agenda, but she had seemed genuinely excited to meet me and thrilled I’d come to apply. A rather unnerving experience, since I was used to mostly being ignored. A state I rather preferred, if I’m being honest.

“Actually, it’s a test first,” Karamel corrected me. “And depending on how that goes, then the interview. No real point in the second if you don’t pass the first, you see.”

“Makes sense, I guess.” A way to get rid of the riffraff before wasting a higher-up’s time. Unlike Laurel, I was a glass-half-empty kind of girl.

“Doesn’t it?” Karamel flashed another smile. “I’ll take you to the changing room, and then you can meet Stan. He’ll tell you a little about the work and bring you to the test cleaning room.”

Our steps rang against the white and gold marble as Karamel led me her toward the line of thirty-foot Texas oak trees. Even though I’d seen them before, they were still an impressive sight. Spaced around ten feet apart, the trees partially hid several flush doors in the wall behind them. I still couldn’t wrap my head around the amount of money it must have taken to create such a lavish space.

Karamel led me to a different hidden door than on my original visit, and opened it to reveal a long hallway rather than a meeting room. A wave pattern made the soft beige walls more attractive. Recessed wooden doors and lush potted plants at irregular intervals also broke the monotony. If this area was for employees and training, I was surprised they bothered with such niceties. Most places I’d worked at cared little about esthetics in the areas set aside for workers.

The changing room looked more like what I was used to, except the lockers were made of wood instead of metal and were twice as roomy as any I’d ever seen. They even had fancy locks built into the wooden doors.

“Locker one-oh-three is yours for the day. Here’s your key.” Karamel pointed to a locker and handed me an antique-looking golden key with the number embossed at the end. “The dresser on your right has uniforms of multiple sizes. If you get the job, you’ll get fitted ones with your name stitched on them.” The receptionist’s smile blazed as if she had no doubt she’d be putting in an order for them this very day. “The hazmat suits are in the room next door. Stan will show you how to put them on after you get changed.”

I had to wear a hazmat suit? What kind of test was this? “Thanks.” I took the offered key but couldn’t bring myself to ask what would be involved in this test of theirs.

“You’ll do great. Good luck!” With a friendly wave, Karamel left me to change.

As promised, the dresser at the far end held purple, one-piece jumpsuits of different sizes. A small stitched version of the company’s logo graced the upper left chest and both upper arms, and a larger one decorated the back. It seemed a bit like overkill. I changed, my sense of disconnection with reality growing stronger by the moment—as if I were Alice diving into Wonderland.

Tucking the golden key into a Velcro-sealed pocket of the uniform, I wandered back into the hallway and noticed an open door to the right of the changing room. “Hello?”

“Great timing. Come on in.”

I spotted a lanky-looking man straightening up from a long table where he’d set several items on it. As he turned in my direction, I couldn’t help but notice the giant set of mutton chops on an otherwise dull face. Light brown hair streaked with gray and washed-out brown eyes made the chops stand out even more.

“Stan Lockhart, at your service.” He bent at the waist, giving me a bow with an added flourish as if removing a plumed hat from his head. Acting like a royal courtier and treating me as a highborn lady rather than a prospective employee—Alice in Wonderland, indeed.

“Hi. I’m Julia Xero. The last name is with an X but pronounced like a Z.” I’d had to explain this more times than I cared to count. After all this time, I still didn’t know how I’d ended up with the name. Probably someone’s idea of a joke, or a typo.

“Good to know.” Stan straightened, giving me a sideways grin. “The jumpsuit is the uniform we wear for clients. It makes sure people know who we represent.” He fingered the fancy gold stitching of his name beneath the Remington Safe and Clean logo. None of it looked or felt cheap. Stan pointed at the table beside him, indicating a folded garment made with white plastic material with the company’s logo stamped on it. “But these are the clothes that matter most. These are the ones that will keep you safe.

“One-use, non-porous wear, aka hazmat suit.” He pointed to the other items on the table in turn as he said, “Especially when combined with gloves, different types of respirators, and specialty boots. Thicknesses and materials will vary for different types of jobs. The key thing is not to be exposed to any viruses, diseases, or toxic chemicals, depending on what we’re dealing with in a particular project. Safety comes first and last. Always.”

I nodded. Crime scenes might have all manner of materials lying around. HIV and other contagious diseases would have to be a consideration as well. Good to know they kept all the angles covered.

“Let’s get these on you; then we can move over to the test area.”

Stan explained the best order to don the equipment and what to watch out for to ensure the suit and gear weren’t compromised. Then, after helping me with mine, he suited up as well. The last step was a buddy check to make doubly sure nothing got missed.

“The test today is only one of the many scenarios we might run into. But it’ll give you a decent idea of what the job entails and whether you can handle it. If you also pass the interview with Miss Anghelescu and get the position, there’ll be more in-depth training on a wide variety of aspects of the job—jargon, state and federal regulations, certifications, tools, safety, and more.”

The bulky filtered mask over my face felt awkward. The white suit was baggy, but not overly so. Together, they made me feel uneasy, though I couldn’t have said why. Stan’s voice sounded muffled, as if he were in another room rather than beside me.

“The filters prevent airborne contaminants from getting into your lungs, and also hold back most, if not all, the smells. It depends on what we’re dealing with.”

Stan led me to the rear of the room. Half of it was an open shower with a deep sink, the tiled area several inches lower than the rest of the floor. A hatch just past that looked like something you’d find on a submarine or aircraft carrier. Curiouser and curiouser.

“One last thing,” Stan said. “This isn’t human blood or remains. Pigs get you a close enough effect for testing. If you get the urge to hurl cookies, just run back out here and use the sink. You do not want to lose your lunch while wearing the suit and mask. Not a pretty sight when you have to get out of it, and until you do, you’re trapped in there with the stench and mess.”

That explained the shower. Ugh.

“We know the materials we use for testing are clean, so the masks only have a light filter to give you a fuller experience of what you can run into out there.

“Under no circumstances are you to remove any of your gear while in the scene location. Barf or no barf, it’s an automatic dismissal if you do.” His shrug was almost lost in the loose confinement of the hazmat suit. “Safety first.”

“Understood.”

I waited with some trepidation as he opened the locking wheel on the hatch and pushed it open.

The smell hit me first—a thick coppery stench mixed with rotten eggs that triggered my gag reflex. It wasn’t strong, but it was extremely pungent. I shifted from breathing through my nose to breathing through my mouth. It toned down the smell, but now I could taste it. I was suddenly overjoyed to be wearing the bulky face mask and filter if they were keeping any of this out. Then I caught my first look inside. It was like a scene from a horror movie, yet more real than anything Hollywood could ever produce.

Red to dark brown stains covered the right wall, couch, and coffee table. Bits of meat and chopped entrails dotted the floor, the walls, and the furniture—a butcher shop gone mad. It looked as if someone had taken a bucket of the stuff and just pitched it across the room like throwing dirty water into the street.

“Two of the most critical skills in this job are elbow grease and attention to detail.” Stan opened a case on a table sitting against the back wall. It held several sizes of scrubbing brushes and scrapers. Beside it, a roll of biohazard bags and an industrial size sprayer sat side by side. A bucket, broom, and dustpan sat tucked beneath the table. Items I had plenty of experience with.

“We usually work our way from large to small. Depending on the scene, CID may have taken some of it with them. The rest is left for us to deal with.” Stan grabbed a set of tongs. “The job has more facets than you might think. But cleaning is the largest part of it. So let’s get cracking.”

It was surreal. But once we picked up all the larger pieces and began spraying the liquid to break down the blood, the strangeness and the morbid, stomach-churning vibe receded. The smells became muted as I acclimated, though I was soon covered in sweat; both the suit and the labor increased my body temperature.

Once we sprayed everything down, we moved on to the scrubbing. Soon, all that existed for me was the cleaning—a strange Zen-like state I had experienced before when intensely concentrating on a simple task. My own personal Nirvana—an escape mechanism honed over time to take me away from the screaming, the crying, the bullying, the questions, and the sadness—all the turbulent feelings and surroundings of my tumultuous youth.

I dived into the simplicity of the act of cleaning and making something better than how I’d found it. My minor mark on an otherwise uncaring and chaotic universe. A way to help me survive another day in the modern world without losing my mind.

“Julia… Julia?”

“Huh? Oh, sorry. Yes?” I stood and stretched, my knees trying to lock on me. I put on my well-honed poker face, a flash of hot embarrassment shooting through me as I realized I hadn’t been paying enough attention to my surroundings.

Stan bent down to inspect my work and popped the baseboard to check behind it. “Time to call it, I think,” he said. “That’s some pretty thorough work. I’m kind of impressed. First-timers don’t typically have much of a clue on what it truly means to get things clean.”

I rolled my shoulders, only now feeling the strain from the effort. “Nothing like a nitpicky foster mom with a heavy hand to teach you to look in all the creases.” I snapped my mouth shut, surprised I’d said anything. Sharing wasn’t in my nature. It rarely ended well. To my surprise, though, he didn’t prod, just let the comment drop. Points for him, then.

Stan led the way out. “Tai chi is pretty useful for keeping limber. It also centers your inner chi. Staying centered is a must for this work. There’s a lot of emotional fallout to deal with. People just don’t realize the multiple layers of this job. It takes a special kind of person.”

I wasn’t sure how to take that. “So what happens now?”

He barked a laugh. “We get cleaned up. Then you meet the boss. After that, we’ll see what we shall see.”

I didn’t blame him for keeping it vague—the final decision wasn’t his—but some kind of encouragement would have been nice. Or maybe not. The churning I had forgotten about for a while came back. “Well, regardless of how it turns out, I appreciate the time. Thanks.”

“Yeah. Right back atcha.”

***

Since I’m a glass-half-empty type of girl, I checked to make sure the shower area in the back of the dressing room was empty and that there weren’t any signs of hidden video cameras to be found. I didn’t know a ton about crime-scene decontamination, but I’d seen plenty of skeevy things happening at what appeared to be legit places—like disguised spy cams propped in women’s fitting rooms, bogus job listings requiring prospective employees to change into a uniform, and the like. Yeah, my spidey sense was quiet at the moment, but since I still wasn’t sure what to make of this place, and was about to bare my all, I figured better safe than sorry. I did appreciate that the showers were actual stalls, though I still brought Switch in there with me just in case. I quickly showered off the sticky film of sweat from my skin and took even less time getting dressed.

A beaming Karamel stood poised like a neon sign outside the dressing room. She looked even peppier than before—something I wouldn’t have thought possible. It made me tired just watching her try to keep still. Where did she find the energy?

“I’m so excited!” Karamel twirled on her tippy-toes. “You get to meet the boss! That’s like super good news!” She let out a tiny squeal. “I’m so thrilled for you!”

I didn’t know how to deal with this much positivity on my behalf. It felt strange having someone be so delighted for me. “Thanks?”

“You have no idea how picky she is about who gets to work with us,” Karamel said. “She’s always so very, very careful. So the fact that you’ve gotten this far…!”

I watched the diminutive receptionist struggle to hold back another squeal. Karamel’s liveliness only made me more anxious. Her choice of words seemed a little odd as well. Thinking about it, a few things Stan had said were also a bit weird.

Or maybe I was just reading too much into everything.

“Come this way,” the receptionist said. “I’ll take you to her office.”

Karamel almost skipped along as she led me back to the main lobby, then we followed the trees to a golden arch that flowed into an even fancier area of the building. More shiny marble, super thick carpeting, and lots of crystal and chrome.

“This is where we woo the big clients. We keep high-class meeting rooms and posh offices to make them feel important and prove that we’re so worth it.” She sent me a mischievous wink. “I much prefer the trees in the lobby.”

They must serve some serious clientele if they felt the need to impress them this much. Even though I had just showered, I didn’t dare touch anything.

“Here we are.” Karamel knocked on an ornately carved wooden door. “Miss Anghelescu, I’ve brought Miss Xero to see you.” The receptionist waved me in.

My breath hitched in my throat as I stepped into the room. Lavish burgundy chairs, an old-fashioned French desk done in bone white with a scrolled trim, and granite statues in the corners screamed of sophistication and wealth.

Dawn Anghelescu, the owner of Remington Safe and Clean, came around her desk, exuding grace and poise as she offered a delicate, long-fingered hand. “Miss Xero, it’s so nice to finally meet you in person.”

Tall and lithe, Anghelescu wore a smart suit of black and white curves, her luxuriant hair tied into a thick braid of gold and brown. My roommate Penny, a popular fashion model, would have hated her instantly. Her oval face and lovely snub nose were pleasing, yet what drew you in and trapped you were her eyes. Dark brown with flecks of gold, her eyes seemed to look right into you, exposing your every thought or deed.

I had to consciously force my arm forward to take the other woman’s hand and shake it. Hers was the voice with the subtle accent—she was the one who’d called me on the phone. Anghelescu’s palm was smooth and warm, like a golden sunset. How she could stand to bring it into contact with my calloused, chapped hand was a mystery. Anghelescu’s captivating gaze searched my face as if memorizing it. Then she smiled.

“Won’t you take a seat?” She deftly guided me to a burgundy settee, then sat beside me as if we were old friends about to catch up.

I glanced around in a panic, only then realizing Karamel had left me there alone. “Um…”

“Do you mind if I call you Julia? Formalities are necessary on certain occasions, but I doubt we need them here.”

I had no idea what to make of this. I wasn’t certain what I had expected, but this wasn’t it. The woman didn’t radiate any malice or mischief—but this felt wrong all the same. “I… Sure.”

Those dark eyes bored into me while a soft smile graced Anghelescu’s lips. “Stan had nice things to say about you. So did Karamel. But what do you think of us? Or is that too forward a question?”

I felt like someone had yanked the rug out from under me. This woman was confident and gorgeous; she owned and ran her own business—and did it her way, from what I could tell. She was all the things I wished to be, but wasn’t—and those eyes seemed to see everything. “Unusual. You all seem incredibly unique.”

“How polite of you to say.” The soft smile grew. “It takes exceptional individuals to do what we do.”

I couldn’t picture this woman cleaning spilled wine with a sponge, let alone picking up guts with a pair of tongs while wearing a hazmat suit. “You’ve done the work?”

Anghelescu raised a well-manicured brow. “Of course. How else would I know what it entailed?”

I didn’t think she was a liar, but I still couldn’t quite connect this refined woman with that messy reality. “That’s rare.”

The brow rose higher.

“I mean, you rarely hear about company executives who’ve done the grunt work.” Yeah, way to put your foot in your mouth, Xero. “No offense.”

“Sadly, there have always been those who believe honest work is beneath them.” Anghelescu shook her head. “You will find no one like that here. To lose touch is to die.”

My brows drew together. What a strange thing to say.

“Do you have questions for me about the company? What we do?”

“Uh, no, ma’am.” I tried not to fidget. This whole surreal episode was making me twitchy. “I did some research before coming here and filling out the application. Though the website didn’t even hint at the amazing offices you have here. But it said you’ve been in business for over twenty-five years?”

“Yes, at least that long.” The woman appeared pleased. “Although CTS decon—that’s ‘crime and trauma scene decontamination’—is considered a rather recent industry model, cleaning itself has been around for millennia. It’s just become a bit more specialized in modern times.”

I nodded. “Until I saw it in the paper, I didn’t even know there were such unusual jobs out there.” The nature of it, though, explained the perks. Or at least I’d thought it did before I’d set foot in the place.

“There are more of them than you realize,” Anghelescu said.

Under that all-knowing gaze, I didn’t dare doubt it.

***

Stay tuned for Chapter 3 in the next newsletter!  Don’t want to wait? Grab the ebook file with the first three chapters here. Enjoy!

Want a free copy in exchange for an unbiased review? Grab it at StoryOrigin, Book Sprout, or BookSirens!

 

Extra stuff I’ve shoved in here:

1) StoryOrigin Swap 1 (UAL)

2) StoryOrigin Swap 2 (Freebie)

3) StoryOrigin Swap 3 (UBL)

4) Sci-Fi & Fantasy Book Fair Group Promo

5) Science Fiction Books That Knock You Out Group Promo

6) Strong Women Strange Worlds Rapid Fire Reading

 

More deets on all of these in their sections. 😊

 

StoryOrigin Swap 1 (UAL)

StoryOrigin Swap 1 (UAL)

Return to Hoodoo (Audiobook)

Dying sucks. She’s done it twice. Three times is not a charm!

Gwen Carter is pissed.

After gaining a second magical disability, the last thing she needs is a summons to her hometown of freaking Hoodoo, Texas. After accepting an inheritance too complicated to refuse, it goes from bad to “oh crap” when she witnesses a horrifying murder by black magic.

As Gwen climbs higher on the suspect list, she’s terrified that she has yet to break the family curse.

Will Gwen be able to prove that the current murders are connected to the one that drove her from her beloved home in shame, or will she lose not only her life but the family legacy?

Return to Hoodoo is the hilarious first book of the Boudin, Bourbon, and Barbecue, a paranormal women’s fiction series. If you like a dash of romance with your bawdy broads and nutty friends and family, then you’ll love Reggi Dupree’s captivating supernatural thriller.

It’s never too late to embrace your magic. Download Return to Hoodoo today.

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!

 

Fast and Furious X

Fast and Furious X

They said #9 was the last one, then here comes 10. But wait! There is going to be an 11! Yep, they left us on a cliffhanger. DOH! That said, in all other respects they do not disappoint. All fans of the series should be happy. I loved that for tying this one back to events that happened way back, they brought out scenes with Paul Walker. The insertion of Dante was smooth. It was obvious Jason Momoa totally enjoyed the role of Dante. He was a blast! They even pulled an unexpected twist or two. One explains what might seem like plot holes, but aren’t.

As always, the car stunts, etc. are great. The rolling bomb section was mindboggling. Little Brian is super adorable, especially in his scenes with his uncle Jakob. Leave your sense of disbelief at the door and prepare yourself for a wild ride!

Rating: ★★★★ out of 5 Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price To See Again

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3

I so love these guys! After the film, we went home and watched the first two AGAIN. Lol.

Bring a hanky! We get the full disclosure of Rocket’s origin and there are several poignant moments. The previous films have always centered on character growth and this incarnation is no different. Be prepared for unexpected connections and other surprises. 

Gorgeous backgrounds and cool special effects abound. Even a surprise part with Nathan Fillion that is a hoot. Drax, Kraglin, and Mantis continue their comic relief antics with their usual aplomb, but even that turns into something more. 

They’d been touting this one as the final Guardians film, then reversing themselves at the end saying we’ll see them again. I am noticing a pattern. 😋 The only fly in the ointment came from hubby—he didn’t like most of the music choices—but he’s rather biased—I didn’t find that it detracted much from the film. The background music was rather lacking as well, which seemed odd. It is my humble belief that BGM can escalate a film to greater heights. Overall though, it was a fun romp as always. Thank you, James Gunn!

Rating: ★★★★.25 out of 5 Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price To See Again!

StoryOrigin Swap 2 (UBL)

StoryOrigin Swap 2 (UBL)

Eye of the Jaguar

David and Abby are coworkers at a video game company.

Their lives are turned upside down as David is chosen to protect the world against monsters, and she discovers her magic.

Their partnership blooms into a powerful romance which neither are prepared for. Together they must face an evil that claimed the lives of David’s parents over an artifact of great power, the Eye of the Jaguar.

Read for free on Kindle Unlimited!

Five star reviews: – “Story moves like a bullet! Fun read!” – “An unusual shifter tale!” – “Great First Book!” 

In a faraway land to the north lies the Eye of the Jaguar, a powerful relic that allows the worthy to travel along the path of the Dark Sun to the Land of the Dead. It will be found by a shapeshifter touched by the gods of both earth and spirit. His mate will be a Shaman.

Together they are the Protectors of their people. – Mayan Prophecy

Movie/TV Previews 🎥

Dune 2 Official Trailer – let the spice flow!

Ahsoka Series Trailer – Yes! I noticed other animated characters are being brought to the live-action series. Awesome! 

StoryOrigin Swap 3 (Freebie)

StoryOrigin Swap 3 (Freebie)

Time’s Trodai

Trapped in the past, Tanis must fight for his future… and his life.

Time travel is dangerous. Especially if you’re attacked by the group known as the Selgaire, as you’re about to skip. Tanis’ life changes forever when he enlists with a group of time traveling soldiers – the Trodai.

Tanis Bertram, the sixteen-year-old son of a poor fisherman, who longs for a life instead of just an existence. He is one of these Trodai, and they hurl him back to an unknown time. Tanis is all alone in this unfamiliar land of beauty, magic, intrigue, and violence. Still, he has a mission: to recover the artifacts his superiors need and kill any Selgaire that crosses his path.

Tanis meets Princess T’Lea. Together, they uncover murderous plots and face a multitude of unknown enemies bent on their own plans for power. Betrayals abound – and one in particular could be the biggest betrayal of them all.

Tanis must locate the sacred artifacts and find a way back home without divulging the secret of who he is and why he is there.

Time’s Trodai is an action-packed story of a boy on the cusp of manhood, transforming from the boy he was to the man he wants to be. This first book in the Just in Time series will leave you missing the characters when they are gone.

Just for Fun!

If Genies Were Southern – a gravy boat – SNORT!

Han Solo Meets Imperial HR – too cute! Lol.

 

Weapon Regret In Games – for all the gamers out there. ROFL.

Sci-fi and Fantasy Book Fair Group Promo Banner

Sci-Fi & Fantasy Book Fair Jun 2023 Group Promo—Feed your need for summer reads!

SF Books That Knock Your Socks Off Banner

Science Fiction Books That Knock You Out Group Promo—More SF than you’ll know what to do with. 😋

Summer is almost here. Eek! Have an awesome weekend!
Till next time!

Till next time!

Gloria