Possible Alternate Cover?

 Today is a discussion, a discussion on whether I should change the book cover for my ebook and create an alternate version of my paperback version. Today I need your comments and opinions. I only get a few comments on my blog posts, but today is the day if you want to comment. Let's get into it. 

This image to your left is what I designed today in Canva. I like it better than my original cover creation, but would not eliminate the original cover if I uploaded this version onto KDP. I would, however, replace the ebook cover entirely. Ebooks are less likely to be admired on a shelf, thus I feel okay with just replacing the cover image. 

Why do I want your comments? I want to know whether you would buy this cover over the original cover. For real, I need your opinions. I couldn't do this without my village. My blog readers are part of my village. My family, friends, and coworkers are part of my village. If you are reading this you are a part of that village. I am asking for the help. If you hate this cover you can say it. If you love this cover you can say it. If this cover is almost there but needs something else you can say it. I'm listening, village, I'm listening. 

                                               

     I have included the original cover here for comparison's sake. This is the ebook, for reference. What you see here is the ebook cover. I'm pretty sure I might just make the alternate option my ebook cover. It's a serious consideration. 

As it is hard for me to show you the paperback cover in a neat picture (because it has to wrap around a book) and simply import it into my post, I am taking a picture of it myself, too. The back will not change. My information will not change. The description of the book will not change. Only the front design will change. See left for the whole view and below for the front view. 

Now that you have a comparison image or two let me know what you think. I don't often ask for comments, but I do today. God bless you all, everyone. Cheers!

Since you all know I wrote a book now, let me give you the amazon link to it: Amazon - paperback and ebook

 

Fear of silence

Stop and turn off all the background noise. You hear that silence? That lack of sound hitting your ears? Do you want it to stop? Do you like it? For me, it depends on the time of day. Today we're talking about the fear of silence. Let's get into it. Deep dive time!

Courtesy of medium.com

I can deal with silence for a long time while reading a good book. It is at night when that silence starts to frighten me. This is probably true for most people you know. I also have a substantial theory on one reason I get interrupted while reading: Society teaches us to be uncomfortable with silence. This is why introverts get frustrated and readers get annoyed while being interrupted while reading in public.  

Shut off all your background YouTube, ASMR, TV, and Netflix at night for five minutes and feel the silence. We feel a need for constant sound. But do we really need it? No, not all the time. Camping proves that. To be fair, though, nature is nearly never silent - it just isn't overly loud. 

I'm going to talk about why quiet and silence make people uncomfortable and then talk about the legitimate fear of silence that makes people afraid of it. As defined by Psych Central, silence is the absence of intentional sound. 

Society and Silence

Silence can be taken as disapproval, being dim-witted, being stand-offish, arrogance, disinterest, rudeness, ignoring someone, and offense being taken. Quiet people get judged more than you know. This means that introverts get judged for sitting in comfortable silence with a book. Or interrupted many times over. No words being spoken doesn't mean that you are being judged; it only means no words are being spoken. Maybe you think silence is someone's anger. In some cases, it can be, but not every person likes excess noise. 

Courtesy of wallpapersshare.com

Society tells us to be social, yes? Well, this means that people who are quite happy in their calm homes get labeled hermits sometimes. Not all of us like loud parties and crowds. Loud is the word to notice. Loud can overwhelm a person who has a loud mind already. Loud can cause sensory overload (where everything under the sun is too loud and you can't process anything). I think society is too loud. I think we need to dial down the noise level and get used to periods of quiet. We don't need excess noise in a world where everyone is shouting over everyone else. 

Go camping in a quiet campground in the woods for a week and come back. Do you hear the difference? You should. Nature has birds and frogs sounding off pleasantly. The busy workplace or the city you live in will be so much louder than the night music of the woods. Assuming a bear didn't maul you during that trip, you'll probably want to go back and camp for a few more weeks instead of returning. I prefer the subtle chirp of spring peepers and the bird songs. Society gives us excess noise and fills the silence. But do we really need to fill that silence? No, not in my opinion. 

Fear of Silence

At night alone I will start to turn on comedy movies to break the silence - this is coming from someone who prefers the quiet. Why? I lived in a haunted house once. I also experienced some weird stuff as a kid that almost exclusively happened at night. When I was alone. I think you get the point by now. Silent houses creak and moan. Much of it can be explained away if you bother to investigate, but all the same, we'd rather drown it out with our Netflix shows and audiobooks. 

Fear of ghosts ties right into this and so does fear of the dark. Or, as a friend once put it, what is in the dark. Another person can reassure you with their natural noise (my parent's snoring, my husband's occasional jerk while asleep, and body warmth... etc.). But dead silence? No. Especially if you hear a sound that isn't familiar and you aren't at a familiar place. Or you can't place the sound and you are in your own home. 

Sedatephobia is the very real, very legitimate fear of silence. These people need constant noise. This has nothing to do with the dark. Complete silence will make these people panic attack. This could be a trauma response (locked up somewhere for a long time with no sound at all, news of a loved one's death along with silence), but it isn't necessarily that. Technology is believed to cause this, too, as some people need constant tech with them. Silence can also be frightening and can connect to ghostly fears. Do you have this fear? Let's go through the symptoms together. We have trembling/shivering/shaking, dry mouth and sweaty palms, inability to speak and detachment, feeling numb, wanting to cry or flee, or rapid heartbeat or nausea - all while in quiet places. I don't have this at all. Maybe you do. Silence can be associated with death. 

Silence in culture

It can mean many things, including a polite way to say you disagree (no screaming involved) or agree (who says you have to speak everything verbally?). This is generally a listening culture (Japan or China, for example) that likes to keep peace. However, the West (and also Canada) is a speaking culture. This means a lack of engagement or disagreement in this context. Some think you offended them and you are angry. Many rush to fill the silence (and sometimes even us introverts fall into doing that if we aren't used to someone). Hierarchical culture means the person speaking is the elder and towards the top of the food chain. The lower people speak little and only when spoken to. This has a lot of context with us, even if we don't realize it. Think about the South in the time of slavery or Victorian servanthood; we have had a hierarchical culture in our society at times, and probably still do if you bother to look deeper into history. 

When you look at negotiations, silence can be a tool to get more. When a speaking and listening culture misunderstands each other the listening culture may get better offers, mainly because one person is seeing silence as disapproval. Know your cultures, dear readers, if you are in a multi-cultural zone. Know how the other places operate before negotiating. Silence in some places means yes and "Go on, I'm on board". The Chinese are trained to make us uncomfortable because they know we hate the pause. 

Sometimes those who speak first lose in negotiations, such as job offers (salary discussions) and making deals in business. When you should speak up is when you are in court. Silence is suspicious sometimes to juries. You should also speak up if something is going on in your workplace that sounds fishy. Say something about a decision that is odd because chances are the manager assumes silence as approval. 

Most English speakers find four seconds to be awkward. The Japanese, however, can be quite okay with 8.2 seconds of silence. Haragei (belly talk) is the idea that silence is the best communication. Here we say (as my great grandma told me) "The squeaky wheel gets the grease", but in Japan silence is golden. 

The Fins also like silence. 

Silence is good for public speaking. Pause by your main points, then keep going. Training someone is also a good time to pause and let your trainee ask questions and absorb what you just said. 

Technology's role in all this

Before the radio one couldn't simply break the silence, other than talking. The radio was a revolutionary tech everyone loved and huddled around. That began a trend I see everywhere; when there is silence we turn on our technology. Depending on where you live, you could get used to a quiet existence or be used to a lot of city noise. But all the same, we don't like a vast sea of silence and decide we need to turn something on. I include myself in this, too. I do this at night.

Courtesy of girlinthejitterbugdress.com

Sometimes, though, we find the technology too loud and seek to turn it off and leave it in a corner so we can think. Many have sought to avoid loud tech. I see my phone in this light. We seek both sound and silence. I alternate between the two like an indecisive cat. I think many of us do that if we're honest. There is a balancing act to it. Unfortunately, the world doesn't seem to maintain a healthy balance from my perspective; I have to go into my own home to achieve that balance. 

Technology is not entirely to blame here. One issue is being accustomed to background noise. As I sit here listening to Legend of Zelda Lofi I'm guilty of this, too. We're used to something playing in the background. When that isn't there we get a bit jumpy and uncomfortable. Try turning some of the unnecessary noise off every once in a while, starting once a day. You can unlearn this. 

Why we don't like it

There are many reasons we don't like silence and one of them is what we have been raised in. We've been raised in a loud world. I have learned to adjust to a loud world that I know won't adjust to me. Even so, as I read about silence I find introverted people like me also turn on devices daily to fill silence. Maybe I do fear silence, after all. We've gotten used to background noise all day long. I work to lofi and ambience music in my office job. I put on Pandora while folding laundry. Introvert or not, I don't like total silence, either. 

Another major reason is we like being distracted from our own thoughts. Yep, we're going here. Did you ever sit and process your day in silence? I have, but usually, I am verbally processing it when I'm alone. I fill the silence with verbal prayers. I only journal and write (and read) in true silence because my brain is not silent on the inside. Are you processing your thoughts? Or are you just turning on a movie to avoid it? 

To clarify why thoughts are scary, let's talk about my experience. I have a lot of projects I do (all hobbies plus my writing) and some of why I do this has to do with my brain going back to the one time I embarrassed myself in elementary school and junior high, said the wrong thing to someone one random day, did something stupid in general, or a traumatic moment from when I was five. Yep, my brain likes to time travel to bad moments on occasion and I have to process and redirect my thoughts in those times of silence. This is why some people constantly plug into media (aside from addiction to media). I have learned and constantly remind myself to stay in the present by grounding (saying one to four things I see, hear, smell, sometimes taste, touch). It works, so you should try it, too. It redirects your mind to what is happening now. Stay present. Catch yourself time-traveling and redirect those thoughts. Silence can bring up a lot of stuff you tried to avoid, too, so process that when it comes up. Journal in any way (verbal or written) or talk it out with someone. Prayer really helps me deal with my mental health, too.

Comfort Listening and Other Concepts

I've said predictability is comforting before. Today is no exception. This topic has a lot to do with that. Comfort is hearing a familiar voice or an old classic from your movie collection. The noise we choose has to do with predictability. It's called "comfort listening". This is why a favorite comedy movie or an episode of a TV show I love is going to be a common choice for me when I'm on edge. 

Boredom is the other enemy. We want stimulation and something to do. Our world has taught us to be busy and always moving, but do we really need to be? No,  it actually causes exhaustion. We aren't used to a lack of activity, social or otherwise, thus boredom becomes the enemy. I see this in myself. I have ten million hobbies to keep me busy. 

I have nothing against white noise. In fact, some studies say it helps neurodivergent people focus. What I am saying is what I said before; We need a balance of both. Constant noise is not good, but not enough noise will actually drive someone to insanity. Stimulation is the same scenario. Long story short, times of silence and times of activity are both good for you in good balance.

Courtesy of blogspot.com

***********************************************************

I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have four five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page. 

Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him? 

Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.

Sources:

Silence, I kill you: why some people get scared by stillness - knops

Why Some People Dislike Quiet People (5 Reasons) – A Great Mood

Fear of Silence Phobia - Sedatephobia | FEAROF

The Cultural Implications of Silence Around The World (rw-3.com)

A Social—and Personal—History of Silence | The New Yorker

Our Fear of Silence (psychcentral.com)

Why Are We Frightened By Silence? - Exploring your mind

Fear of silence: why do we need constant noise? (stylist.co.uk)

The subtle power of uncomfortable silences - BBC Worklife

Why do most people hate silence? : r/RandomThoughts (reddit.com)

Does Silence Scare You? | Kripalu

Good books that aren't light reading

I love a good story that you can sink your teeth into and discuss at length. I need depth in my media. At times that means a story isn't sunshine, rainbows, and unicorns. Here are some of my suggestions for good books that are not light reading.

Courtesy of booksnap.blogspot.com

By "not light reading" I mean that they involve sex, the old west that has its own rules, revenge, murder, the poor on the streets, prostitution, war, a handful of suicides, and probably a lot of death. We are talking about Les Miserable, the whole Lonesome Dove series, The Count of Monte Cristo, and Tolkien in general. Light? No, we aren't speaking of what you read your kids at night. Some of it also includes older English words (archaic words, sometimes). Strap in. I will put the trigger warning for each book individually, as well. 

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

It translates to "the miserable ones", so I think you know what to expect. Jean Valjean gets out of prison and steals from a priest, who gives him a second chance. This leads to his redemption and a change of identity. All the while, he tries to help those who are in bad situations. This is all happening in France during the barricades and revolution against the king. He does die at the end. It will make you cry. 

Trigger warnings include prostitution, the destitute on the streets, death, a nasty description of the sewer systems that Jean Valjean has to go through, battles, and a lot of thieves. Basically, the miserable ones. Yep, this one is pretty straightforward. It is also very long and about 1500 pages. Strap in for this one. It'll take you months, even as an avid reader. It has a lot of tangents on convents and war, too. Don't pick it up if you can't finish a small novel. Just watch the movie if you can't read long books. Also, Hugo likes having multiple plotlines. If you can't follow more than one plotline you'll get really confused real quick. 

Courtesy of milkenroar.com

If you like this one, The Hunchback of Notre Dame by the same author is excellent. And long. And has long descriptions of a cathedral, as well as proof the British accused people of witchcraft, and the cartoon movie was not accurate at all. Oh, and it talks about lust in priests and how Esmerelda was only 16, and the soldier was a real drunken jerk. The Catholic church hated Les Miserables and the Hunchback of Notre Dame. The government of France did, too. It's on the banned books list. 

        The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Take Les Miserables and imagine he didn't redeem himself. The book describes how Edmund Dantes gets wrongly imprisoned, figures out who put him there, and then destroys their homes from the inside out by sheer influence under another identity. He escaped prison and slowly destroys the lives of those who wrongly claimed he was a political traitor. Revenge is never pretty. 

Trigger warnings include murders by poison (including a child being poisoned), a distressing death via seizure, at least two almost suicides and two successful suicides, revenge that goes way too far, and French politics in general. It also includes archaic words and a lot of older English. It is not something a ten-year-old (I tried) could understand well. I reread it as an adult and now fully understand why I was so upset by a character's death (seizure death, not pretty). 

This is not an easy book to read. Just know that. It is worth it, but please don't read it to younger children. It is a level of intensity that is only for adults who can understand the storyline. You will cry and gasp all book long. All the plotlines weave into each other, so if you get confused it will all make sense eventually. 

The Lonesome Dove Series

This is a series about two Texas rangers, Woodrow Call and Gus McCrae. Each book can be a standalone or part of the series. It can be read in any order, but it goes in this timeline: Dead Man's Walk, Comanche Moon, Lonesome Dove, Streets of Laredo. They are excellent, but quite clearly show the lawlessness of the untamed West. 

Trigger warnings include death, torture, sex, rape, murder, bad treatment of women and generally captives, mistreatment of animals, mentally distressed captives, suicide, sexually deviant people, cussing and language, hangings, native American raids, death by disease, prostitution, and man-burners killing settlers. Also, Mexican bandits, death by poison, and death by gangrene. 

I will say that he doesn't describe sex in a way that sensualizes it or makes it romantic. No, he is so vague that when he describes several rapes in a row he describes the lighting so your mind does the work. Also, the sex is mostly one short paragraph and it is not graphic in physical descriptions. I could read it, so keep that in mind. The west was not a tame zone and the Native American tribes were not all nice, especially Kiowa bands and Comanches. These are also long books, but if you sit down for a good few hours you'll get a lot read in one go. 

JRR Tolkien

Courtesy of storypick.com

And here we have a lot of fantasy and lots of pages. Tolkien has a loyal fanbase. Fortunately for those who don't want sex in their fantasy, Tolkien didn't put it in. At least I think he didn't. Correct me if I am wrong. In this collection we have The Hobbit, The LOTR (Lord of the Rings) trilogy, and The Silmarillion (which it is joked that you get credit for trying to read). The movies are long and so are the books. It is one fantasy series that is deemed hard to read by some individuals. 

Trigger warnings include battles, death, child abuse, slavery, suicide, and orcs being their disgusting selves. This book is tame compared to other fantasy series. What may dissuade you from reading it is the way the author writes. Large vocabulary and writing style means you need to take your time reading it. This isn't going to take one afternoon; it'll take getting used to Tolkien's style. This one has archaic words you may not understand. Pull up your Google dictionary if you need to. It won't be the movie, fellow readers, just know that. 

It is recommended that you start with The Hobbit, then go into the trilogy. Don't start with the Silmarillion. The Silmarillion is a history of middle earth and won't be a light read. If you tackle this one try reading along with an audiobook or The Prancing Pony podcast (season 1, specifically). 

The Fantasy Series I Tried To Read

A Song of Fire and Ice was attempted this year. I got 1/6th through the first novel and noped out fast. It was like the book got heavier and my will to read it dwindled into nothing. I'd look at it and say "not today" every day. I decided that after sobbing over a direwolf and seeing how cruel the royal family was I was not going to make it through even book one. I tried. I had even acquired four of the books. I got rid of all of them (and got less than a dollar back from a used bookstore). 

Why am I telling you this? Because George RR Martin is a master of writing characters. And he was too good at writing for me to keep reading (weird, I know). I can't read that much cruelty and brutality in a book. I can't watch the Starks be destroyed like that.  Let me regale you with the trigger warnings for this book: abuse, rape, graphic violence, animal killing and death, incest, and gay characters. I added the gay characters here for those who don't desire to read books with homosexuality in them. I didn't reach that character 1/6th of the way in. Be warned. If you cannot handle brutality and cruelty in a book I'd leave this one be. 

***********************************************************

I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have four five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page. 

Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him? 

Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.

Sources:

Is it just me, or is the Silmarillion really hard to read? : r/lotr (reddit.com)

Reading reviews - the pros and cons

 I have heard mixed reviews on the Barbie movie, only to come to the conclusion that I would like to actually watch it myself rather than blindly believe reviewers. I have loved books others have hated. I have loved TV shows that others don't like. We all have different opinions on different media and books. Let's talk about the pros and cons of legitimately reading reviews on anything. 

Courtesy of Business 2 Community

While it is beneficial to know whether a product is a scam (Amazon reviews) and know how much nudity is in that TV show that looks kind of interesting (IMDB Parents Guide), not everyone sees the same genre as great or the same tropes as awful. Yes, you want to know whether you could be running into sex scenes you didn't ask for, but some plotlines that aren't x-rated may be loved or hated, garnering mixed reviews. Do you believe every review you read?

Why You Should Be Checking Reviews

Let's use Guardians of the Galaxy 3 as an example. I love the first and second movie but heard about Rocket's flashbacks. I looked up trigger warnings and decided to pass on it. This is a good reason to look at reviews. If you think there is something you can't handle it is best to look up the trigger warnings before you enter the theatre. It is of no use to buy a ticket to a movie you can't handle. IMDB parent guides are helpful here. 

Courtesy of fool.com

If you have had any addiction to pornographic content you should absolutely be doing your due diligence. I don't advocate watching safe TV often (as the quality of those films varies and may be kind of awful), but this is one case that maybe you should consider it. If you feel you might fall back into old habits that die hard don't pull up Game of Thrones and think you'll be fine. Hollywood caters to what sells, which is unfortunately sex. That's never changed, as awful as that reality is. Hollywood doesn't care as long as they make money. 

Kids are a joy to watch movies with. However, taking a kid to a theatre only to find that movie wasn't so tame isn't a fun experience. Parents, check out what your kids are watching (preferably without pulling the reins too tight). If a warning pops up that says 'for select audiences' you should probably veto that viewing choice until they are old enough. Specific age ranges can handle different things. If it is suggested that kids should watch with a parent, join them in the living room. PG movies are also good choices. Kids are one audience that doesn't generally read reviews, so parents need to. 

Who Do You Listen To?

Reviews are great, as long as the reviewer has the same taste in movies or books. That's the problem; not everyone loves the same tropes and genres. Not everyone is okay with a few sex scenes in a book or movie. Not everyone is okay with cursing in their media. I know people who also blindly believe reviewers that lie. This also goes for video games, for reference. Not all of us like playing Call of Duty and not all of us are entertained by Petz DS games. 

I will also note that the parent guide on IMDB is not a review, because it simply just tells you trigger warnings. It shows how many instances of violence and sex, etc... It may include spoilers, but it puts them in a whole section. It isn't a review, per se, but it does help you get perspective on what is in the film. I also found a website on book trigger warnings, and for that click here.

The question remains, who do we listen to? Well, let's start by looking into the reviewer and their personal tastes. Some reviewers go nuts when there are five curse words in a film. Others might be okay with one sex scene that is thirty seconds. Others may not care about nudity and some care about it so much that one shoulder or butt is a big deal. Look into the preferences of the reviewers before you go on their word. Seriously, it may make the difference between going to a good movie or missing one. Or it could mean you think a movie is fine and it isn't. Think about who is reviewing it. 

Courtesy of studyclix.web.fc2.com

How well is the review written? Is it written so someone could get a constructive view of how intense it is, or is it vague and unhelpful? That matters, too. For example, if some lady who hates fantasy reviewed a fantasy book it isn't going to be a good review and we all know it. A constructive review says what they liked and didn't like clearly. It also reflects on who might like it and who might hate it. 

Look out for spoilers, though. 

I am a Christian. I also watch secular content. Not every Christian is only watching safe TV. Keep in mind different Christians will vary on reviews. Some get upset when one person says one cuss word or one shoulder is exposed. Others may say as long as it doesn't glorify evil they can look past some stuff. Honestly, I believe that our world sometimes needs a mirror to its face. Know thy reviewer before going on their word. 

The problem with looking at reviews

You see, I have a beef with reviews. That beef is that you don't know if they watched it or not. You don't know sometimes. Bad reviews can kill good media quickly. Sometimes an author who is hated wrote a good book and it gets sandbagged. Sometimes people attack the media someone made instead of the person. People are also sheep who can blindly believe false reviews. I don't think we all value thinking for ourselves and that is a real shame. 

What I'm saying we should do is this; we need to use the common sense God gave us and the intelligence we were given to read reviews and engage with media while our brains are switched on. Don't trust just one source. Shop around and see what others said over there and over here. Look at trigger warnings, then decide. If you see mixed reviews I highly suggest you check it out for yourself before judging it to be trash or the best film of the year. I believe in you. Use that beautiful intelligence and turn that brain on. 

***********************************************************

I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have four five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page. 

Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him? 

Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.

Read it or Unhaul it - pt 1

 I was watching booktubers (Youtubers who talk about books) on Youtube and came upon a reading challenge entitled "Read it or unhaul it" on several booktuber channels. I have a long list of unread books on my shelves that need to stay and be loved or leave because they take up too much space. Let's just jump into it with both feet. 

 I picked three books at random to read. The rules go as follows:

1. I pick the book based on how they are numbered in my Excel sheet using a random number generator.

2. I read the three books and review them in this blog.

3. I decide to keep or unhaul them based on those reviews. 

Ready? Let's go! 

Book 1 - The Murder House by James Patterson / David Ellis 

   

 I started this book and loved the first two chapters, then they abruptly changed over to a character that lacked personality. I didn't care about the character, so after nine chapters I was not enjoying myself. I DNFed (did not finish) it. It hit my unhaul pile quickly. I looked at reviews and found that maybe other people like this book, but I don't. Jenna Murphy seemed to lack the personality that would have made the difference between me finishing it and me DNFing it. 

Book 2 - The Gangster By Clive Cussler/Justin Scott   

I loved this one, and it is staying in the collection. In fact, I may seek out more Isaac Bell adventures in the future as a direct result. Because I read this book, I want more of Isaac Bell. I love that character and no character in the entire book disappointed me in any way. They had depth. The plot had me going from start to finish. I didn't take all that long to read it. 

The plot is basically this; Isaac Bell gets two cases and solves them both. It is set in the early 1900s. The cases connect back to one person who is talked about in the prologue, which details young Isaac Bell being a troublesome college prankster. It connects him back to the VanDorn detective agency where all this takes place. He thwarts the assassination of President Roosevelt (Teddy Roosevelt) and takes out black hand extortionists taking advantage of Italian people. That's about it, with some added fight scenes and compelling character relationships. I especially liked that Bell's fiance was a woman of high intelligence. You can read it without the rest of the series or with it - either way, it rocks! 

Book 3 - Mirage By Clive Cussler and Jack Du Brul     

Well, this one wasn't awful. It was basically a group of highly talented veterans pulling off stunts similar to NUMA files. It was more military than NUMA files and I didn't entirely connect with Juan Cabrillo "the chairman" as much as I did Kurt Austin and Isaac Bell. I'm unhauling it. I didn't hate it, but I'm unhauling it. If you are more into military operations you might like it more than I did. I know it had good reviews online. The writing was good; I just didn't fully connect with the main character. It was also a little heavy on pop culture references. I skimmed two chapters in order to finish it off. I don't agree with the five-star ratings I saw, but I'll give it a 3.5 stars for good writing. I liked some of it. 

Conclusions - 

With this batch of Read-or-unhaul books done, let's discuss. I chose not to finish Murder House because the co-author's chapters bored me for seven of the nine chapters I read. That was a clear unhaul. The other unhaul was Mirage, which wasn't awful and wasn't my favorite. I liked some of it, but not all of it. It is still getting donated to another home. The one book I loved and would give five stars to is the Isaac Bell adventure The Gangster. It had my attention hook, line, and sinker. I have unhauled two books this round and kept one. 

I will keep doing this, by the way, so be on the lookout for other blogs on this particular theme. I am trying to clean out my bookshelves via read-or-unhaul challenge. I have too many books I haven't read. I'm a book dragon. 

************************************

I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have four five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page. 

Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him? 

Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.

Nancy Drew Replay Dossier and MID

 This last blog is where I conclude this Nancy Drew Replay Series. Without further adieu, I continue into the two dossiers and Midnight in Salem. 

Courtesy of adria.ign.com

These three games are in this blog because they are a different play style than any other Nancy Drew Herinteractive games out there. Dossiers are the quick-play version of Nancy Drew and MID (Midnight in Salem) is a category all by itself due to being a different system and play style. There is a lot to say, but we'll put the dossiers first because they were released before MID. 

Dossiers - Resorting to Danger and Lights Camera Curses

The first dossier released is Lights Camera Curses and the second was Resorting to Danger. I had to play the first on the spare Lenovo because my HP wouldn't let it launch, but would let it install (much like games 16-20 because it was most likely released around that time). Resorting to Danger was fine for my HP, though, so it must have been released after the 20th game. 

The main difference between the dossiers and the main games is an arcade play style. You can even unlock all the mini games in the main menu and only play those, should you want to. You can sit down and play this in half a day or less. You could complete this in an hour, if you wanted to. The arcade and mini game style of it is for busy people who only need a study break and have two papers to write. Have kids? Try these two games and you might have some chance of finishing it in one shot. That was the whole concept for this gameplay style. 

Courtesy of old-games.com

The second game has some improved features, but is otherwise the same. Resorting to Danger has hints and different ways to interact with objects that Lights Camera Curses doesn't. It also has multiple endings. A third one almost came out at some point, except that the project was canceled due to some inner-company issues. Herinteractive has had those at various times and MID was one of the worst times (but we'll get into that next section). 

The plus side of these styles of games are the mini games that have high scores listed and are quite fun. I adore the facial game in the second dossier and the drink game in the first dossier. If you don't want to play a full game, yet want some Nancy for the day, you have the right games in mind. It doesn't take forever to finish these or play the mini games for the fun of it. Students, parents, and busy adults can pull this out with no fear of overloading their brains. I highly suggest them. I also suggest plugging a mouse into your laptop for the sections of dossier that require speedy movement. 

Midnight In Scandal

 I have to bring this up. MID was created during a change in CEOs in Herinteractive's company staff, which then created scandal when PR was so bad that fans were getting upset. You'll notice that, even with a new game coming, they waited for a long time to release sneak peaks. The reason for this is MID's PR oopsies. They have learned not to give us any clues to a game until it is a sure thing, which is wise. This new game also looks miles better than the rushed character designs of MID.

The downside to this game is that some of the issues with it include that it was somewhat rushed by fans and was outsourced. Another issue is that anger at Herinteractive has caused it to have a shadow over it. This has lifted over time, mind you, but I wanted to make it clear that this game is not as bad as some people say. If you are considering buying this game, go find a playthrough on Youtube or borrow it from a friend. Try it yourself before looking at reviews that are influenced by a PR scandal. We all like Nancy Drew for different reasons. I have chosen to play it despite this and I enjoyed it (though I skipped most cut scenes and it was more fun). 

Midnight In Salem - the actual game experience

First of all, consider it an interactive novel with puzzles tacked in. It is not the puzzle games where you are free to explore and have a long list of puzzles to solve. Deirdre is a plot device to keep you on track. This is why there are more cut scenes than puzzles and more conversation than puzzles. It is not the games you knew before. Adjust your expectations now. It may be more like an actual investigation because of the interviews you do all the time. This is closer to real detective work. The storyline has a depth to it, rich depth. You even get a party epilogue to conclude the case.

Like I said in a previous section, it was rushed. We were lucky to even get the game at all. Herinteractive was on the struggle bus for a hot second. They outsourced it. Fans got upset at the delays and how Herinteractive was pushing the release date back. The game is not as pretty as it could be. If you don't care, like me, you may still like it and have fun playing it. It has mixed reviews. Make your own decision on the game. The more I replay it the more I like it, but it isn't what your nostalgia brain is going to be used to. 

Hint system? What hint system. Seriously, there is no hint system. On top of that, you do have to adjust to the way you navigate the world (which they considered when they made the game, thus the first part is more of a tutorial on navigation). It was smart to do the first part the way they did, especially for people like me who don't usually play games that require looking up and down the room. It took me forever the first time to figure out how to make the desk key work, but it clicked once I learned to rotate and interact with the objects. Pro-tip, rotate everything at every angle to find all your clues. 

Sea of Darkness and MID share one quality; when characters are done talking to you they say so or you can't talk to them. You are sure you've exhausted dialogue because the conversation automatically ends. While you can still engage them in conversation, after you exhaust all of it they say goodbye first sometimes. It saves some time. 

Courtesy of vastcoach.weebly.com

Cutscenes are everywhere in this game. I play the game faster by skipping them (because you can in this game, most of the time). Be aware you are experiencing a storyline rather than playing a typical Nancy Drew puzzle game.  It is an interactive novel if it is anything at all, so please note that if you don't want to watch Deirdre have a hissy fit (because Nancy solved the case her way - Heaven forbid!) you should hit "skip cutscene" in the corner of the screen (top left). I do, it helps me enjoy the game without watching her have a hissy fit. I hate that cutscene in particular and even when I first played it I knew she'd get herself stuck somewhere and I'd inevitably have to save her. You can skip those cutscenes that make the game run long. It's more fun that way. Try it both ways and see what you think. 

Save files are easy on this one. They automatically save your game for you. It is nifty and tells you kind of where you are. Your phone is also your to-do list, which is short for most of the game. There are about two days or so in Nancy's world, mostly because the game ends at midnight of the day the Hathorne house almost becomes public property. This game will also let you change difficulties mid-game or at any time, as well as let you adjust the graphics for your computer (I had to on my old Dell laptop). 

The only bad thing about this game is the loading time on older computers (it was a miracle my Dell even played it) and the graphics settings you might have to adjust. If the game slows as you play it, the cutscenes become unbearable because the mouths don't line up with the audio dialogue; it lasts twice the time it should. Keep in mind your older computers might have some struggles with this game. My newer laptop runs it fine and doesn't take fifteen minutes to load ( my Dell laptop was ancient). 

Ned is another thing you have to deal with. Ned has a weird conversation that could have multiple interpretations to it, one of which being his sister took his phone and another being he's cheating or his friends are truly being awful to him. You don't get an explanation. You never talk to him about it. Instead, the two of you play phone tag and Ned calls back at the worst possible moments that he can (when the Parry's house is vandalized and when you are trying to find ergot). I don't like this aspect of the game because I like helpful Ned, who is not the Ned of this game. It doesn't impact all you do, obviously, I can still have fun playing it, but it is clear they have some issues. Nancy does hint that they are working it out after the game ends, though, so at least we can look forward to the next game being a bit less dramatic. Also, they hint at Francy again, which I kind of like. The more I play it, the more I realize that Ned is consumed with worry over her safety. 

The voice of Nancy is not the voice you knew from your childhood. It still sounds good, and some say better, but it isn't what you are used to. "Not what you're used to" is the theme of this entire post, it seems. Even her tones and the way she speaks her words are not the old Nancy (sounds more accurate to a lawyer's daughter/ serious investigator). She is actively trying to be more sensitive. I see her as more of a real detective in this one. The ending includes her chewing out a judge for prejudice (and if you know the whole game, the shoe fits that). I agree with her; you can make your own decisions on that dialogue propriety for yourself when you hear it. 

Much like other games, it does switch you to Frank Hardy's perspective and it does give you a mini-game to play. This is another super mystery-ish crossover. That is where the Francy dynamic comes in. It does keep the drama era going, even pushing it a little farther than the previous games. This is also not the first time Ned and Nancy have had an argument. This game does take on some aspects of the older games. Mini-games also show up, this time in the form of making herbal remedies (which I quite enjoy). When Deirdre is out researching you can make a truth serum if you do enough of these remedies. It's kind of fun and kind of funny to see the reactions. Only Deirdre and Joe take it, though. Nancy is upfront about it being truth serum. 

Courtesy of tomai.jodymaroni.com

Conclusions

This concludes me playing through the entire Nancy Drew series, so cheers to that! It was worth every minute. MID is more fun once you play it more than once, at least in my opinion. It has some drama to it amongst the rich dialogue and storyline. The Dossiers are fun for study breaks and when you don't want a whole game. I play the mini-games in the menu lots of times. I recommend playing all the games. Everyone likes different aspects of a game. You'll learn what you like along the way. 

*

I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have two five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page. 

Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him? 

Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.

Nancy Drew Replay Pt 3

 This is part three of me replaying the whole Nancy Drew Herinteractive series of games. 

Courtesy of Pinterest

Spoiler alert! I have to talk about the games to prove what era they are. You have been warned. 

Hello again! I promise this series won't be ten million segments. This last era (minus the dossiers and Midnight in Salem- MID) is the only one left. There will be one more post about the dossiers and MID because they are categories by themselves. Otherwise, I'm almost done. 

Drama Era - Captive Curse to Sea of Darkness

Let the relationship issues begin! Ned can be super helpful (Alibi) or cause all sorts of drama (Captive). This also begins the Francy (Frank and Nancy) hints, which actually come straight from the super mysteries books. Nothing new here, just a less helpful Ned at times and a bit less separation from Nancy's relationship reality. The drama is now built into the plot, thus it is unavoidable. That has been happening slowly since the last era. That started with the games requiring help from phone friends.

The good thing is you learn more about River Heights, Nancy's mom, Ned and Nancy's issues, the love triangle that has existed in the fanbase and books since forever, and how much tunnel vision Nancy truly has toward mysteries. The bad thing is that if you only wanted the mystery itself you have to wade through some of that. I eat up Francy with a spoon, but maybe you don't. To each their own. It isn't laid on too thick, however, so there is enough mystery to make it work well. In other words, it doesn't stand in the way of the mystery.

The puzzle heavy era never ended - surprise! Now it is aimed even more at the maturing fanbase it has cultivated. This is likely why more plot and deeper emotion were added. In short, they kept the puzzle content and added more personal relationship depth. I like a lot of this era for the puzzles, as well as the dialogue. Two games tend to take the puzzle heavy aspect of this to an extreme - Labyrinth of Lies and Silent Spy. These two were absolutely overwhelming to play the first time. It was almost too much, but once you played it once it wasn't as bad. Plus, they upped the puzzle level a bit more. I have to cheat through these games to finish them. They are longer or feel longer than the other games. 

Not shockingly, you have to call more people. They make you kiss and make up with Ned. Although you get the choice of kicking Ned's heart onto the floor or telling him you love him in Sea of Darkness, Captive Curse makes you call him and the Hardy's about the situation. You also have to pass the baton during Alibi in Ashes to others in order to play as them, as well as calling Carson for help. You used to be able to ignore your friends unless you needed hints, but that has phased itself out by now. Carson even calls Nancy when she runs off to Scotland. In Alibi you get the wonderful choice of character use and you get to see how every suspect treats every single playable character.

Another thing about this era is how detailed the settings have become. The graphics have noticeably improved from here until Sea of Darkness. The storylines get richer and sometimes darker (especially since an older audience is the target now). Character design is also more detailed. Character depth has always been great in these games, but has gotten even better. Speaking of mature themes, you solve a murder again, which only happens about three times in the entire series (so far, at least). I count solving Charlotte's murder in Thornton Hall as a murder investigation (loosely and indirectly) and that makes three, technically. 

Mini-games start showing up in nearly every game here. I can name at least one for every game except Thornton Hall. I love mini-games and I put in my mini-game save files to play them without restarting. Newer games like Shattered Medallion have mini-games on your phone and the puzzle palace setting. It is fantastic to see we get these little games. I know some of you could care less about mini-games and I know some of you share my enthusiasm. I think it makes them more replayable. 

Medallion, we have to talk about that one. It is not typical of the series. Sonny Joon has taken over a reality tv show that George and Nancy are taking part in. The plot is odd compared to everything else you play in this category. Is it fun? I think so, but if you play for the plot you might not like it. Puzzle lovers will be totally into it. Mini-game lovers will also love it. This is the only one where the plot is a bit strange and kind of unhinged, well, if you don't count Labyrinth of Lies and the theatre set with real lava.

Courtesy of Pinterest

Stay tuned for the last segment and stay sleuthy! 

*

I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have two five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page. 

Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him? 

Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.