Virtual Tourist 04/21/23
Table of Contents
- News/Musings 2. StoryOrigin Swap 1 3. Virtual Tourist — Coral Island 4. StoryOrigin Swap 2 5. Soul of the Paranormal Group Promo 6. Young Adult Freebies Group Promo 7. Reviewers Corner!
Greetings!
I hope your allergies haven’t been getting the best of you! Colds seem to abound everywhere at the moment. We’ve felt unusually nasally but have managed not to get any colds so far. *knockonwood*
News/Musings
Our dog Minerva does one of the sneakiest and cutest things EVER! She’s a ninja dog in multiple ways — the quietest dog ever when she wants to be! But there’s a trick she does to tease the younger Xena that is too cute! She can take a small stick or stick treat and flip them sideways with her tongue and hide the whole thing in her mouth! Then she will flip it the other way to show you she has it and then hides it again. Isn’t that adorable? What a tease!
Writing News
Daiyu Wu Mysteries Book 3 — The Music of Death Blues is slowly forming — I’m up to 10K words so far. Doing research on Deep Ellum, Freedman’s Town, and Blues! Research can be fun, eye-opening, and frustrating! I do love learning new stuff though. 😍
You would not believe the agony authors sometimes have to go through with regard to covers. There’s a fine line between what you want and what the market expects… So both Pay It Forward’s cover and The Secret Humankind have changed. Purple is currently the rage for Book 1’s, leather jackets are a must, and so are fighting poses. The placement of typography also needs to be consistent across a series, so since one changed, the other had to, too.
So below is the new cover for Pay It Forward and a sneak peek at new and improved The Secret Humankind cover. 😁
Edits for the novel should be in this weekend. *fingerscrossed*
Part 2 of the freebie prequel short Pay It Forward was in the newsletter this round. If you want to catch part 3 (and links of parts 1 and 2) make sure to sign up for the newsletter! 😎
Extra content today:
1) StoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)
2) StoryOrigin Swap 2 (UBL)
3) Soul of the Paranormal Group Promo
4) Young Adult Freebies Group Promo
Scroll on down to get all the deets. 😉
The OtherSide Chronicles
StoryOrigin Swap 1 (Freebie)
When the Magi find a pair of children on the battlefield wearing ancient relics they realize that there is more to them than meets the eye. They are from Otherside, a world of mythical creatures and magic, and are the only ones able to wield the Relics of Skolt.
Separated and each thinking the other dead, Stella and Darc are raised by the Magi in secret to be ruthless assassins for a cause they aren’t able to name.
Why are they kept in the dark about their pasts and away from each other? Too many questions and not enough answers will lead them to a shocking discovery.
**This is part 1 of a serial fantasy set of short stories**
Coral Island
This super cute game comes from Stairway Games. For those of you who have played Stardew Valley, the game will seem very similar. I would say Coral Island is Stardew Valley 2.0!
The game is still in beta, but a chunk of it is complete and for sale. It has/does everything from Stardew Valley and more. The graphics are great and the look and feel (and decor options) are vastly greater. There is even a riff of the theme song from Stardew Valley that pops up here and there. Super cute!
You can see all the currently uploaded pics here.
Start screen — you can see the quality just from that! You do things on land and underwater! There are even merpeople!
Tell me that boat does not look like Heyhey from Moana! ROFL. That’s the ship that brings you to the island to get your inherited farm from your grandfather. Heh heh heh.
The town meeting in front of Pufferfish — an oil company wanting to use the island to house its workers. Islanders are NOT happy about this. Especially as their tourism and businesses have been greatly hurt due to an oil spill from a nearby island. Dum Dum DUM!
There are several sacred trees scattered around the island. There are also spirit gods and a ghost!
Dock area by the two beaches at Coral Island. Professor Lin will get you started with scuba gear to help clean the waters. Lovely graphics, no?
As you progress, new storylines/paths will open up! This tree opens the first path toward the spirit village.
A temple/shrine north on the lake on the island. She will grant power and rewards for offerings which are grouped by type — gathering, fishing, growing, cooking, etc.
The entrance to the mines! There are four entryways off the main cabin. Each corresponds to an element and a spirit. Seemingly, fire trapped three of the others. The statues by the back are the trapped spirits. You can open more doors and free a spirit when you work your way down to level 40.
Every Trick in the Spellbook
StoryOrigin Swap 2 (UBL)
The fate of Segmimn’s School of Sorcery hangs in the balance and Astrid is determined to tip the scales.
In the mystical mountain town of Quincy, California, Astrid Saunders is the most beloved professor at Segmimn’s School of Sorcery. She manages to champion students and teachers alike while deftly keeping herself out of the spotlight.
But when her childhood friend-turned-rival, Claudia, is charged with murder, Astrid can’t shake the feeling she didn’t do it, and no matter how badly she’d like to see Claudia eat a slice of humble pie, she just can’t walk away.
Speaking up for a spoiled princess will put all eyes on Astrid, and right in the middle of the drama she despises.
All the clues point to Claudia, but something isn’t right. There are too many secrets surrounding the people involved, and those people go too high up for Astrid to be content with simple answers.
She’s going to prove Claudia was framed because if she can’t, Segmimn’s will be embroiled in scandal, be forced to close its doors, and Astrid will lose the closest family she’s ever known.
With so much at stake, it’s going to take everyone working together to solve the puzzle. Rag-tag students, a cranky old sorceress, and even Astrid’s intuitive dog find a way to help. The detective assigned to the case is trying to keep it professional despite the chemistry he feels with Astrid,
And Astrid, well, she’s in the middle⏤the reluctant champion of a fight she didn’t choose but one she can’t afford to lose.
Paranormal and Urban Fantasy titles are up for grabs in the Soul of the Paranormal Group Promo!
There’s still time to grab some Young Adult Freebies in this April Group Promo!
🌟 Shout out to Reviewers Corner! 🌟
Thanks this month go to:
The Joy of Murder — Beckyb58, Rebecca Brown, Louise, Louisesk, and PhireAngel
The Joy of Murder Audiobook — Ysobella Black
Romeo’s Revenge — Linda Kimura and Louise
A great big THANK YOU to all the reviewers!
(Do you want your name in here, too? All you need is to post a one or two-sentence review at Bookbub, Goodreads, Amazon, or send me a link if it’s posted elsewhere and I will add you here next round!)
Have an awesome week! See you next time!
Gloria