I’ve now seen the first three eps, which were all dropped at once. (Future eps will be once a week from here on out.) ( spoilers )

What I Just Finished Reading: Since last Wednesday I have read/finished reading: Mourn Not Your Dead (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) by Deborah Crombie, Gin and Daggers (A Murder, She Wrote Mystery) by Donald Bain, and Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea (Tomes and Tea Series) by Rebecca Thorne.


What I am Currently Reading: Dreaming of the Bones (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) by Deborah Crombie (with The Nightmare Before Kissmas (A Royals and Romance Novel) by Sara Raasch on the back burner).


What I Plan to Read Next: I have another book out from the library.

---

Book 15 of 2025: Mourn Not Your Dead (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) (Deborah Crombie)

I enjoyed this book. The case was interesting. ( spoilers )

I have the next book in the series out from the library already, so I'm going to continue reading it for now; I liked this book enough to give it five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

---

Book 16 of 2025: Gin and Daggers (A Murder, She Wrote Mystery) (Donald Bain)

Wow, was this bad. I recall reading a later book in the series for a book bingo square and I didn't remember it being this bad, so hopefully he improves quickly. There were a lot of inconsistencies with the tv series and he really doesn't have a feel for the characters. Yet. (I talked specifics at this week's Monday [Fandom] Madness post, if you're interested in reading more.)

If I weren't reading this series for the sole purpose of seeing what details he adds to Jessica's life, I'd probably quit now. (I read a blog post that mentioned Jessica and Frank living someplace else before they moved to Cabot Cove, which made me curious if it came from the books and what else might be in them.) I'm only giving this book two hearts.

♥♥

---

Book 17 of 2025: Can't Spell Treason Without Tea (Tomes and Tea Series) (Rebecca Thorne)

I really enjoyed this book!( spoilers )

I'm looking forward to reading the next book (when the two libraries that have it take it off the ‘new and popular' list); I'm giving this book five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

In learning that I'm severely anemic and might need a transfusion (we were talking about hepatitis C and transfusions in micro) he offered me a pint of his blood if we were a match (we are) Hopefully I can avoid the transfusion but that was touching and I appreciate it and I wish all of us could have empathy like that.

I forgot to say yesterday that I was very sad to see Pope Francis passing. I grew up Catholic. He was the first Pope I actually liked. I thought he was a very good man. But since I waited a day I can add how much of a shit stain Marjorie Taylor Greene is as she's been vocally celebrating an 'evil man's' passing. People like her make me hope there IS an afterlife... I just hope that the church doesn't swing back ultraconservative again. Regardless, RIP Pope Francis, we're poorer for your loss.


Rocket is home. He looks good except his face is swollen. I think they were pulling a lot of ticks off him (so much for that 30$ tick medicine) He's already insisting on going out so good wishes for him everyone.


So fannish 50 I had something else in mind, can't remember what it is and now I'm doing this because I had planned to do this last week and forgot. Every so often I like to share the newish stuff I find on YouTube in way of fan creations. look at some of this cool stuff. Fandom is really embracing the music and animation side of things. Prior to this all we had was AMVs (which are lovely too) but I haven't see this level of music since the filk music from the 80s.

I'm in love with this and jealous too but then again I'm not an artist so no one is going to dub my art but I love it.


Axel is a fan voice actor known for doing Arackniss and someone did some more music for him.


Oh geez has a lot of music


And it's a part of this, over an hour of fan music for The Owl House


I might have shared this before but this Gravity Falls/Hazbin Hotel mash up is delightful


And I'm pretty sure this was shared but it popped back up and I love it.

I enjoy this show. I'm glad I started watching it last year (when I caught up on seasons 1 & 2) and that my source is still supplying it. I do wish it was more than 4 eps, though. ( spoilers )

Damn! This looks even better. Another movie I expect to tear my heart out.

So finally Rocket is getting neutered. Why did I wait so long? If I'm honest, I still see him as the apartment complex's cat not mine. I didn't want him really, especially when he first came and I was still learning to walk again. But he is a beautiful cat, not just pretty but so very sweet. His only fault is, is he prefers to be outside and doesn't want to use litter (he wants out)

He did fine and he's staying overnight by my request because he is FIV+. They called me to say he's fine and they didn't pull his teeth because they weren't loose (I knew that but they are broken and THEY were the ones to put it out there in the first place) They wanted me to okay expensive antibiotics because of his FIV and I said yes. I'll get him tomorrow night. I wanted a good 36 hours of him being indoors and not too mobile so the surgical site can heal up


We had two students give presentations today that were good. One was using oyster mushrooms to substitute brewer's yeast to make alcohol based on a paper where it was done with wine. It worked better with wine but he did mix yeast and shroom and it was a nice sour beer (yes there was a taste testing)

It's music monday and we're working through the alphabet. I'm sticking with songs from the last 5 years but you can rec whatever you'd like. We're up to C

( I'm realizing I listen to Taylor Swift more than I think )

I have rewatched the next couple of MSW episodes and I wanted to share some thoughts with you. The eps in question are: 1.13 Murder to a Jazz Beat, 1.14 My Johnny Lies Over the Ocean, and 1.15 Paint Me a Murder. With bonus comments on the first book in the series.


( all comments back here )


What are your thoughts on these eps? And the bonus book?

To my friends who celebrate Happy Easter

I had a thing planned but I had a critical low sugar event (on a day where I ate chocolate eggs, peeps and had couscous for dinner, why?) and then trying to get my sugar up I aspirated some food into my lungs. I feel like crap so here have this question instead.

How do you handle blurbs? Especially my indie author folk? I'm reading Under This Red Rock by Mindy McGinnis and the point of view character is either mentally ill and hearing voices, like real people, (like her brother and father) or something else is going on. Regardless, the blurb spoils the fact her would-be girlfriend is murdered and the character can't be sure that she is innocent of the crime and I'm like way to totally take away ALL the tension of multiple scenes while we're working up to where did Mila go, did she ghost Neely after their one night together? etc. If you want to have a tense, teasing blurb, murder is a way to do it but wouldn't something like 'after the night of the bonfire that leaves one of them dead' be better? It leaves the tension in the story instead of the reader ticking off time until this character dies (and there are multiple people working at this cavern so it could have been any of them)


I'm not sure I have wisdom as to writing blurbs but I know that wasn't the way to do it (btw this is a NY bestselling author and a biggish publishing house and no I wasn't brave enough to ask her about the blurb when I was talking to her last weekend)


OPEN CALLS

Spook Hollow: Tales of Ozark Horror Horror stories set in the Ozark mountains

NonBinary Review #41 Solarpunk

Cosmic Roots And Eldritch Shores May 2025 Window Well written original work in science fiction, fantasy, myth, legend, fairy tales, and eldritch, in written, podcast, video, and/or graphic story form, and from around the world.

Anomaly May 2025 Window Science fiction stories under 300 words

Gen-X Flash Fiction Anthology Scifi, speculative fiction, fantasy, not horror that showcases Gen-X

Starship Blunder 2 Shared Universe set on the Starship Blunder, most genres welcome, you DO need to read the guidelines for details and characters

56 Traditional Children’s Book Publishers Seeking Submissions (No Agent Required)

5 Paying Literary Magazines to Submit to in April 2025

Folklore Review—Now Seeking Submissions



From Around the Web

What Is Romantasy?

The Key to Creating Suspense Is...

How to Sell Your Book (Online and In-Store)

A Peek Inside the Mind of a Developmental Editor

Lessons From a Writer and Her Rejections.


How to Play The Subtext Game with Your Dialogue

I have been wanting to get back into writing for a while as it has been a few years and I have missed it. I have also greatly missed H/C bingo and so when I saw spikedluv post on her blog about genprompt_bingo I thought I would give it a try as it looked similar while at the same time being more lowkey so I could take my time.  So, I signed up and I got a card:

Scars	The Tower	Contentment	Hurt / Comfort	Dystopias
Africa	Alexithymia (Obscured Emotions)	Drunkeness and Inebriation	Antarctica	Aliens
Frankencritters	Thrills (Speed / Danger / Daring)	Wild Card	Empathy	Elves, Fairies, Pixies and Brownies
Isolation / Loneliness	Spiders (Giant, Radioactive, or otherwise unusual)	Anhedonia (Lack of Pleasure)	Dark Alley	The Will to Live
Slum	Identity Crisis	Dark Tone	Loss of Faith	Freckles

I like it.  I think I could work with this one. I especially like the elves, fairies, brownies, pixies square, and the h/c one is always a favorite. 




Hopefully it gives me the impetus I need to start again. 


What are your current writing aspirations? 

Still the best name for a con, still tacked onto a tiny con in Athens that fights in a basketball court. Mostly my friends are running it (trying to rope me in but right now I'm quoting my health issues as why not but I will look for vendors for them).

Speaking of health issues, I could hardly move today, I'm so exhausted. I got there an hour later than planned but it worked out. I wanted to enter the raffles and this year...not a lot there that I was interested in anyhow. I didn't win anything this year (last year I won three things so it balances) and one of my friends said, 'watch me win the thing I didn't want but accidentally dropped my ticket into' And she did. She was going to give it to me (a merman illustration) but someone else wanted it more than me so I gave it to him. Karma owes me (and I don't mean the storm it served up, more on that later)

I didn't get to any of the talks because I knew I would never be able to get to them and manage to stay long enough to get to the raffle (in the future I will have to plan my one-day con trips well if I can't get my energy back). I did however get some fun stuff at the vendors.

I picked up A Shade of Winter from Henlo Press a paranormal mystery (some fool forgot her cheaters today. Not mentioning any names....) I've got the first book in several of their series already... which led me to a conclusion (more on that later)

I picked up a couple's earring set of Ozzie and Fizzarolli from Helluva Boss from Unicorn Massacres Designs. It's a cute set. I've bought from them before (artist is trans with a lot of trans rights stuff if you want to take a look).

From Dany Cat Designs I got some soap for me and for gifts. I still have one bar left over from last year. She didn't have any of the dice soap with her this year. I picked up Hades for myself along with Make It So

I said NO more wall art so naturally I bought two postcard sized bits of art from Cocomomo Art because her Hazbin stuff is probably the best I've seen for sale in the past several cons. She also recced a hopepunk queer anime, Promare. I need to find it.

Speaking of wall art, I should have walked past Amanda Scharf Illustration but her water colors were too damn pretty. Did I need a water color of Angel Dust? No. Do I now own one? What do you think? She had so many colors too. If the purple had only been a little richer....I went with dark blue.

There is an artist I get earrings from every con (and other vendors probably hate her) because she sells them for 3$ a pop vs what everyone else does (but I'm also betting she just buys the charms in bulk somewhere) I need to find out if some of my friends wear bigger earrings. Wish evil_little_dog wore earrings because she'd love half of these and sadly the artist doesn't do pins.

I did get some birthday/holiday gifts too. I'll see several of these vendors again in a few weeks at Final Boss con on my university. There was one person selling ITA bags which I need desperately for all my pins but honestly these looked like grocery bags for the same price as much more intricately done backpack styles so I skipped it (and I can make the banners for the pins myself if I take a minute to do it) I was glad I went. Got a few hugs from friends. Yeah I'm not a hugger but on the other hand it's nice to have people who are genuinely happy to see me.

I left the con and went to Kroger for cheese (this one has the fancy cheeses) All was well. I got my cheeses and some absolutely yummy olives that I'm sorry I didn't buy more of. Came out 15 minutes later and it looked cloudy. Five minutes later as I'm getting my Tim Horton's coffee rocket fuel to drive home on, it's even darker. By the time I go 2 miles to Avalanche pizza to pick up my death in a box (otherwise known as the skeletonwitch) it's BLACK. The manager is telling the staff to tell patrons the deliveries will be delayed because of the incoming storm.

I grab my pizza and beat feet. I don't get 5 miles out of town before it let loose. The wind was first, so strong I was literally knocked off the road three times. Then the rain came so hard I thought 'got to stop at the rest stop just up the road and ride this out.' It was raining SO hard I couldn't see the rest stop and missed it. I inched another mile down the highway to the red light where I know there is a gas station. Waited it out there for about 15 minutes. Thankfully my ebook held out because some one forgot to charge it (not mentioning any names) and it was down to 7%.

Luckily after that it was light rain or none all the way home. I'm glad I went. I wish I had energy that 2 hours didn't all but kill me. So that decision I came to at the con...for some damn reason there are a half dozen things I want to do on the 3rd (all in vastly different directions) Ohioana Book festival in Columbus (very late this year), the Gallipolis street steampunk festival, free comic book day, heartwoods mental health festival (in a Chillicothe park), a psychic fair in Logan, the mother's day glass sale in the Hocking Hills.

I decided not to go to the Book festival. My friend isn't going to be there. I haven't read 90% of the books I bought there last year (I'm working on 2 now).I need a new book like I need slapped. Worse, they'll be signed so I won't want to part with them. That doesn't help my space issue. I think I'm better off either doing the steampunk/comic book thing (they're in the same direction) or the glass/mental health fair (also in the same (but different) direction). Decisions Decisions.

Came home and started to watch the newly dropped Gaslight District pilot. Been looking forward to this. I haven't watched more than a few minutes (too tired) and I'm not sure I like the animation style but I'll need to see more.

9-1-1: Good ep! ( spoilers )


Matlock: The two-hour season finale did not disappoint! ( spoilers )


SWAT: Good ep. ( spoilers )

Since no one wants to hear about the depression and crap and my day was boring. that said I DO hope taking iron will fix some of this for me. I am getting tired out by going shopping. I don't want to go on like this if I can do something about it. I feel 90 not 50something

And let me say, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to lordgloria Hope it was a good one.

But I did write today and I'm happy with this story. It's silly and hopefully fun and I hope you enjoy it if you read it.

Title: My Own Pink World

Fandom: Hazbin Hotel

Summary: Arackniss didn’t think his brother would set himself up as an overlord once he killed Valentino but he had. Now he needed to see his brother’s new castle but he wasn’t prepared for this much sensory overload.

Rating: teen

Author Note - Written for spikesgirl58’s six word challenge. The words were Asset, Crude, Undermine, Lean, Respectable, & Common.

( read the story at AO3 at the above link or under here )



Welcome To The World The Owl House

A Night For Velvette Hazbin Hotel

Green And Gold Torchwood

A Tasteful Easter Egg Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Welcome to Pacific Tech Stargate Atlantis/Stargate SG-1/Real Genius

It’s A Breeze Torchwood

Far Too Long Torchwood

Standards Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Promises Batman

When the Scream Subsides Oxventure

Decisions have Consequences Teen Wolf

As Labor Day approaches, four inhabitants of a New Jersey shore town are preoccupied with upcoming changes in their lives, as well as with questions regarding the death of their mutual friend, Julie Etler, in a fire in a horror house on an amusement pier. The questions multiply when one friend, Devin Graham, receives a message on his answering machine from Julie and when another sees her on the beach. Other inexplicable accidents and deaths compel Devin to explore the burned horror house.

The book starts out pretty slow, to the point that I almost gave up on it. I’m glad I didn’t. There’s a creeping horror connected to the old horror house that now sits, burned and abandoned, on the pier. Dread slowly builds, as the four friends confront the evil that has entered their lives.

There are many questioned to be answered, though unfortunately not all are, which is probably the greatest flaw in the book. I want to know why things are happening and why Julie is appearing to her friends. I want to know why the house burned down, and why it has suddenly turned evil.

I did like how the characters’ backgrounds and hopes for the future are intertwined with what is going on. Somehow, who they are is very much a part of that future, just in a way they have no way of knowing.




Mount TBR 2025 Book Links


Links are to more information regarding each book or author, not to the review.

1. The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson
2. The Silence of the Girls (Women of Troy #1) by Pat Barker
3. Withered + Sere (Immemorial Year #1) by T.J. Klune
4. The Traitor's Son by Wendy Johnson
5. All That Heaven Allows: A Biography of Rock Hudson by Mark Griffin
6. You Like It Darker by Stephen King, Thomas Hayman (Illustrations)
7. The Fireman by Joe Hill
8. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
9. Lark Ascending by Silas House
10. Memorials by Richard Chizmar
11. The Russo-Ukrainian War: The Return of History by Serhii Plokhy
12. Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
13. The Border by Robert McCammon
14. The 2084 Report: An Oral History of the Great Warming by James Lawrence Powell
15. Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes
16. All Over the Town by R. F. Delderfield
17. The Last Days of Richard III and the Fate of His DNA: The Book That Inspired the Dig by John Ashdown-Hill
18. Somewhere Beyond the Sea (Cerulean #2) by T.J. Klune
19. Blood of the Children by Alan Rodgers
20. For Fear of the Night by Charles L. Grant







A Ghost Story
1. For Fear of the Night by Charles L. Grant

20 minute video from The Lincoln Project. Please watch and take the message to heart. Let it spur you to action.

I updated the previous post with messages from the doctor, but I thought this deserved it's own post. If you think you know where this is going, you're probably correct. ( more back here )


ETA: I received a call from the doctor less than 20 min after I made this post; I will be seeing the nurse at 1pm today!

ETA2: The appointment

There was no signs of infection or oozing. I got rewrapped and x-rayed to make sure there was no piece of wire left inside (I didn't think there was; it looked like the whole thing came out) and to make sure the bone was still healing straight. The results were good on both counts.

I was told to keep my foot up as much as possible since there was no wire to hold the bone straight. (I keep shaking my head because no one seemed to care when *I* was freaking out about this very thing, but now that they can't do anything about it, it's a major concern.)

I'd already left, but was called back to get a full-on boot instead of wearing just the shoe. (That sucker is very uncomfortable.) I have an appointment next Friday to see my surgeon (moved up a week).

It was mentioned in passing that she might want/have to put in another wire. TBH, I almost wish she would because if the bone doesn't heal straight this surgery was for nothing.

I need to find a gastroenterologist back home. It's hard to find transport here and I really need to have a scope to find out if this pressure and cough is from GERD or do I need to be finding a pulmonologist too. I'd like to be healthy but if I can't be that I need to keep up on this.

Because it seriously hit home (in spite of how well I know this) learning Michelle Trachtenberg died of complications of diabetes.

Mom sent me a bunch of stuff off QVC for Easter. Wish she would have sent one or the other because I know a) it was expensive b) it's all pure sugar. I appreciate the thought but....


I'm off tomorrow. We get off good friday but never easter monday which makes no sense.

Rocket is mad at me. He fell in the creek. I have no idea how/why. He came home covered in mud and wet and is mad I won't let him sleep wherever he wants nor will he let me clean him up. Rocket is a hard cat. He loves people and wants to sit on you but if you even THINK about fussing at him, you shall be made to regret it.

Last Friday: I had my follow-up appointment with the surgeon this morning; she was out sick so I actually met with the nurse, which was fine with me so long as they didn’t cancel. (I made a brief post (with photos) about it here.) I did two loads of laundry, changed kitty liter, prepared and filed income taxes, stirred up cabbage salad for tomorrow’s gathering, and made pulled pork in the crock pot for supper.

Temps started out at 34.5(F) and reached 48.7. Thankfully there was just a dusting of snow this morning so I didn’t have any issues getting out to my appointment. Expecting a mix of snow and rain overnight, so we’ll see what tomorrow morning brings.


( more back here )

I got my blood results back today. Thyroid is fine (bordering on low) but my iron is a bit scary (not new but it's gotten very bad)

IRON

Normal range: 40 - 150 ug/dL
Mine is 20

% SATURATION

Normal range: 15 - 55 %
Mine is 5

That would explain the tiredness. Yippee

What I Just Finished Reading:

Another Fine Mess - it was an interesting book.

And all the graphic novels I picked up (I ended up DNFed that serial killer book)
City of Clowns by Daniel Alarcón
The Mushroom Knight Vol. 1 by Oliver Bly
Earthdivers, Vol. 1: Kill Columbus by Stephen Graham Jones



What I am Currently Reading:

Under This Red Rock - a bizarre YA story set here in OH. Is she schizophrenic or is something esle

Of Manners and Murder - a historical mystery

Bodies and Banners - cozy mystery


What I Plan to Read Next:

Something for popsugar


And I forgot to do my fannish 50. I was thinking about how many mystery dramas have made up my viewing pleasure. to name a few, Sherlock Holmes (many variations), Tommy and Tuppeance, Miss Marple, Inspector Morse (and all the spin off) NCIS (and the spin offs) NYPD Blue, Adam-12, Prodigal Son (the only one to get me writing like mad) Murder, She Wrote, Castle, Midsomer Murder, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, Hinterland, Shetland, Murdoch Mysteries, Criminal Minds and this is by no means an exhaustive list.

I don't know why I'm rarely bunnied in these fandoms. I can toss off ficlets but nothing major with the exception of Pson.

I saw this on redbubble and though of spikedluv

What I Just Finished Reading: Since last Wednesday I have read/finished reading: Now or Never: Thirty-One on the Run (A Stephanie Plum Novel) by Janet Evanovich and Leave the Grave Green (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) by Deborah Crombie.


What I am Currently Reading: I have a book out from the library that I haven’t started and occasionally plug away at The Nightmare Before Kissmas (A Royals and Romance Novel) by Sara Raasch.


What I Plan to Read Next: I’ve requested more books from the library, so one of those most likely.

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Book 13 of 2025: Now or Never: Thirty-One on the Run (A Stephanie Plum Novel) (Janet Evanovich)

This book ended way better than it started out. If you’ve been following along at home, you know how frustrated I get with Stephanie. ( spoilers )

The very beginning of this book made me grit my teeth, but the ending (well, the last 3/4 maybe) saved it for me. I’m actually giving it five hearts because I felt so good when I finished reading it!

♥♥♥♥♥

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Book 14 of 2025: Leave the Grave Green (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) (Deborah Crombie)

Interesting case and one screwed-up family.( spoilers )

I enjoyed this book well enough to give it four hearts. I’ve already requested another from the library, but I’m not sure how much further in the series I’m going to read.

♥♥♥♥