Virtual Tourist 08/11/23

Table of Contents

News/Musings Story Origin Swap 1
Virtual Tourist – Ghostwire Tokyo Story Origin Swap 2
I Want To Go There Group Promo Urban Fantasy Mysteries Group Promo
Strong Women – Strange Worlds Reviewer’s Corner

Greetings!

Have you melted yet? We’re trying our best in these 100+ degree days to stay as cool as possible! 🍧 Hopefully, you are too!

News/Musings

We got SUPER LUCKY! Hubby’s foot fixed itself up within a couple of days of icing it up, keeping it elevated, and taking anti-inflammatories. Rather than the few weeks they warned us it might take, he was back to his old self pretty quickly. Phew! 

The Winner of The Secret Humankind Release Celebration has been picked! They responded and off the lamps went.

Thanks to everyone who participated! 

On the “why am I stupid?” department – I realized I could have been offering one or two of my books in different ebook formats for those who live outside the US. I’m tucking that away for the next one of these I have to do. 😁

Are there prizes you prefer above others? (Aside from good old $$?) I’d be more than happy to offer things book lovers would appreciate (within budget) so the prizes go to those who love to read. 📚 (Since I am creating worlds, you’d think I’d do a little better on that front. 😝)

If you’re going on vacation and want to receive one or two fewer emails, let me know and I can add you to the Vacation group! (Just make sure to give me a date range!) I had a request from someone and figured out how to do it! Bwahahahahaha!

 

Writing News

I can now quit bothering everyone about The Secret Humankind! Yay! I’ve been doing some FB ads on it to try out some new advertising tactics. Amazon ads. Even a month-long promo push through Itsy Bitsy Book Bits. There was also the release celebration, and who knows what else. I’m tired! 😫

I’m still working on the science fiction short story I mentioned last time. LOL.

I’ve also hit 50K words on The Death of Music Blues – only 20K more to go!  

One of my publishers, Zumaya Publications, had a new cover done for Willing Sacrifice a few months ago (they also did an interior refresh – woot!). The owner told me a week or two ago that she’s thinking of doing a revamp on the cover and interior for Vassal of El as well. Looking forward to it! YAY! 

 

A New Record!

Amazon Rankings for The Secret Humankind on 08.2023

I didn’t track this as well as I should have, but I think I still caught the top rankings for the release a few days into August. Highest rankings I’ve ever had on any of my novels. Woot!

But I threw in more advertising than usual. I’m breaking about even there…maybe. 🤣 Still, it was awesome to see it. Figured I’d share! Thanks to everyone who helped me get there! It actually hung around that ranking for longer than I expected. Huzzah!

Extra content today:

1) StoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)

2) StoryOrigin Swap 2 (UBL)

3) I Want To Go There Group Promo

4) Urban Fantasy Mysteries Group Promo

5) Strong Women – Strange Worlds Rapid Fire Readings

 

Scroll on down to get all the deets. 😉

Counting Crows

Counting Crows

StoryOrigin Swap 1 (UBL)

On a fog-bound hill, the crows are feasting on the body of a dead man. Lorne Turner has seen more than his fair share of corpses, but never one like this. The markings on the body and the position all lead towards ritual sacrifice.

Just what Lorne doesn’t need, another lost soul keeping him company at night. But he can’t ignore the questions this dead man brings in his wake.

Why here, right on the highest point on Exmoor? What do the occult markings mean? And why do the authorities seem so intent on avoiding the obvious ceremonial element?

One thing he knows for sure is that someone in the police will stop at nothing to prevent him discovering the truth. When those in power are this corrupt, who can he turn to for help?

Old friends step up, and new alliances are forged. Lorne and the vicar, Ella Morgan, begin their search for answers by plunging into the evil engulfing their lives.

Driven by the ghosts of his past, Lorne is forced to abandon his new-found peace and follow the trail into a world of occultism, corruption, and greed. Trained for war, he must now fight the darkness of a madman threatening all he holds dear.

What will break first, his mind, or the bodies of his enemies?

If you enjoyed Stephen King’s The Outsider, you’ll find the same gripping atmosphere and suspenseful thrills in Lorne Turner’s investigation. Buy now before the price changes!

This occult, supernatural thriller is the first book in a Best Selling series.

Ghostwire Tokyo

I got an invite to the closed beta for Palia – an MMO that has so far been super cute. But couldn’t figure out how to take pics in time. (Most of the games I play are through Steam so it’s easy to take screenshots. But Palia is not and the mechanic for it I had to find online!)

So you get Ghostwire Tokyo instead. 😎😋

You can see all the currently uploaded pics here.

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A ghost playing the piano.

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An overgrown path in forgotten temple grounds.

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Chasing a ghostly dragon through the cemetery to close a gate.

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Fighting off incoming ghosts while trying to stop the dragon.

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Open gateway to another realm filled with evil spirits.

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A secondary gate to the deeper temple.

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Hah! The game company’s logo as a magnet on the fridge. Hee!

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A supernaturally guarded motorcycle to get through the evil barrier of death! (And a sweet ride!) 😋

The Death of Noah Black

The Death of Noah Black

StoryOrigin Swap 2 (Freebie)

Blade Runner meets Sherlock

A Mind-Bending Mystery

Tim Reynolds, Detective: The Death of Noah Black is a gripping murder mystery with action, puzzles, and heart.

Detective Tim Reynolds is no stranger to death. As chief of investigations, he’s seen his share of crime scenes, but when Noah Black is found dead in a locked room, and he is called in to investigate, the injuries sustained by Black leave him boggled.

To make matters worse, the weapon used in the murder is nowhere to be found. Reynolds must push himself to the limit to uncover the truth behind Black’s death, following leads that take him into uncharted territory.

As the evidence piles up, Reynolds realizes that the killer is closer than he ever imagined, and the truth may be more shocking than he ever expected. With mounting pressure, Reynolds must fight to solve the case before it’s too late.

Will he be able to crack the case and bring the killer to justice, or is this one mystery that will elude him forever?

Find out in Tim Reynolds, Detective: The Death of Noah Black.

A Christian Sci-fi Mystery
(Written in an Interactive CYOA Book Club)

I Want To Go There Group Promo Banner

I Want To Go There! An all-genre group promo for stories with a strong sense of place. Where do you want to go today?

Urban Fantasy Mysteries Group Promo Banner

Urban Fantasy Mysteries Group Promo! Mysteries, magic, and more!​

Strong Women Strange Worlds 08.17.23

JO🌟 Shout out to Reviewers Corner! 🌟

Thanks this month go to:

The JOY of Murder – Laura Emerson

The Secret Humankind – – Barbara, Lisa, Amanda Haller-Doris, Naomi Valkyrie, Susan M Rheaume, Colleen Dondero, Amanda Haller-Doris, Valerie, Susan Ratchford, Alyssa, Brandy Jo Rymer, Sharon, Roxanne Lesieur, Shannen, Julie, Jo Wright, Rayne, Angela, Jenni Bishop, Toni, Kerry Baker, Tara Johnson, Rebeca, Kerry Carr, Shelly Kittell, Lisa Hunt, Naomi McDonald, Regular Ed, Kindle Customer, Amanda Haller-Doris, Valerie Anderson, Suze13, SMF PT, Faithfulgirl, WhiteQueen45, Johanna, Angela Hayes, Jennadb, Antoinette Sellers, Tim in Alaska, Quakerwidow, pdx_runner, AVG9, kavab12, Panner, Lisa Helmick, Mandy_panda_bear17, AVG7, Suze Ratchford, Alyssa, Washburn, Julie J, Johanna Fleek, Jennifer Bishop, xtonicx1, Rfigueiras, PartyGirl1985, and Skittell51

 

A great big THANK YOU to all the reviewers!

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

Can I get more organized and share cool historical tidbits I’ve run across? Maybe… Guess we’ll see in two weeks! 😂

​Until next time!

 

Gloria