I'm also not convinced this is helping drive traffic to the Vella stories. So while I hope the platform grows and gains readership for everyone, I'm going to concentrate on my own stories for the time being.
Thanks for reading!
Thursday, February 24, 2022
On Hiatus
It was a good exercise for me to read a thousand story openings, but at this point there are diminishing returns on the time investment required for this blog. And speaking of time... I'm concentrating on getting through the edits for my latest book, so time is something I don't have much of.
Monday, February 21, 2022
"Green Witch Mean Time" by Cherry Northcutt
Current Tags
witch cozy, cozy mystery, young adult, paranormal mystery, female sleuth, amateur sleuth, magic
Categories
Mystery / Paranormal
Affiliate Link
Author's Description
It was a nice day for a magic show, until the magician was found stabbed in the heart! What's a teenage witch to do? Jade Green is taking a gap year, selling potions at the farmers market, and saving for a trip to Europe. Things take a turn for the worse when she finds the traveling magician lying on the floor in a pool of blood. Can Jade find the killer before she becomes the next victim? If you like mixing magic, mystery, and fun with a pinch of romance, then this is the story for you.
Why I Chose it
I enjoy cozy mysteries! There aren't too many on Vella.
[11 episodes so far, with 11 in the last 30 days.]
Who Might Like This
If you're a fan of paranormal cozy mysteries, check this one out!
Unrelated Griping
Yes, the "Completed" carousel is unchanged, and the bots have taken over the new releases. But what annoys me the most is all the posts in the FB groups asking when bonuses are going to be posted. Seriously. It goes on for a week.
Sunday, February 20, 2022
"The Seduction" by Eloisa James
Current Tags
regency romance, romance, plus size heroine, steamy, love triangle, grumpy hero, wallflower
Categories
Romance / Historical Fiction
Affiliate Link
Author's Description
Miss Beatrice Valentine is having a horrible first Season, shamed for her curves by a group of young ladies led by Lady Regina Haywood, daughter of a duke. Despite Regina's bullying, Bea finds herself torn between the rakish Lord Peregrine (engaged to Lady Regina) and the gentleman war-hero, the Duke of Lennox (Lady Regina's brother). Bea is determined to marry a kindly man, and certainly no one attached to Regina. But both gentlemen are determined to seduce her...and one will succeed.
Why I Chose it
The humor and conflict in this story drew me in before I was halfway through the first episode.
[3 episodes so far, with 3 in the last 30 days.]
Who Might Like This
If you're a fan of regency romances with a generous dollop of humor, check this one out!
Unrelated Griping
Someone just created a new story and uploaded 166 episodes. I salute that person's ability to accomplish repetitive tasks — Vella doesn't have a bulk upload option.
Friday, February 18, 2022
"Crescent City: Underworld Crime Unit" by S. J. West
Current Tags
fantasy, romance, mystery, magic, adventure, urban fantasy, paranormal romance
Categories
Paranormal / Fantasy
Affiliate Link
Author's Description
When a series of gruesome murders begin to take place in the streets of New Orleans, Detective Rex Stone partners with the city's only supernatural private investigator, Eva Chambers, to solve the crimes. Eva, the only child of the goddess Hela and granddaughter of Loki, joins Rex in the UCU to not only help the people in her community but also protect a city she loves from someone hell-bent on tearing it apart from the inside out.
Why I Chose it
How can you not like a paranormal private investigator? And a murder mystery to boot!
[29 episodes so far, with 5 in the last 30 days.]
Who Might Like This
If a paranormal private detective solving murders with a human police detective sounds like a fun time, check this out!
Unrelated Griping
I think you may only be able to end up in the "Competed" carousel if you mark your story complete when you first create it. The nicest thing I can say is... that's an interesting choice.
Wednesday, February 16, 2022
"The Makers" by Tim Niederriter
Current Tags
portal fantasy, sword and sorcery, urban fantasy, contemporary fantasy, mythology, multiverse, dimensions
Categories
Action & Adventure / Fantasy
Affiliate Link
Author's Description
Saul is a maker, destined to create new worlds until he was exiled to Earth. The society he once believed in is now his enemy. The people he once looked down upon are his only help. Monsters lurk between the worlds, but the true horror of the multiverse is human.
Why I Chose it
This starts with a great scene that shows the magic system of this story and exposes the tensions between some of the characters. It's a nice example of how to set things up quickly.
[12 episodes so far, with 5 in the last 30 days.]
Who Might Like This
If tales of creation magic and betrayal are your cup of tea, check this one out!
Unrelated Griping
The "Completed stories" carousel still hasn't changed. I can only console myself with the knowledge that probably nobody would have looked at it anyhow.
Monday, February 14, 2022
"Soul Flame" by Heather Meloche, Devin A Harris
Current Tags
anthropomorphic, furry, animal fantasy, horror, lgbt, fantasy adventure, swords and magic
Categories
Fantasy / LGBT Fiction
Affiliate Link
Author's Description
Sen, a junior spirit Speaker of the ursine Rusidei Empire, has witnessed the unthinkable: the fall of one of the great Shrines, lost to the umbral shadow that lurks beyond death. With the umbra feeding on the bones and souls of the dead, and threatening the living, Sen and his friend Tama must find a way to stop its spread before the Empire is plunged into darkness. Updates twice weekly on Monday and Friday!
Why I Chose it
Lots of great world building in the first few episodes, and there's some nice character building as well.
[14 episodes so far, with 8 in the last 30 days.]
Who Might Like This
If you're in the mood for fantasy adventure, check this one out!
Unrelated Griping
I marked Dragon Freehold complete on Saturday. The "Completed" carousel hasn't changed in a week. I wish they would either do a better job of curating the carousels on the main page or just let all the stories appear there when their status changes.
Saturday, February 12, 2022
"Restless" by RM Alexander
Current Tags
ghost romance, romantic suspense, haunting, thriller
Categories
Paranormal / Romance
Affiliate Link
Author's Description
Skylar Hale had one job: ready the family estate for sale and return to life. But family mysteries lurk behind every wall and around every corner. And something even darker hides in the shadows.
Why I Chose it
This is one of those atmospheric reads. The house is so lovingly described as Skylar views it, and only as things move forward do you realize there's something else happening under the surface. Clearly there's something haunting the house (literally or figuratively) and the mystery behind it all will be fascinating.
(RM Alexander is also the author of Immortal Guardians.)
[6 episodes so far, with 3 in the last 30 days.]
Who Might Like This
If romantic suspense involving a haunted house makes you shiver, check this one out!
Unrelated Griping
Not a gripe today, but I'm considering creating a publicly-readable spreadsheet of the stories reviewed. And if I really get ambitious, I could create a script to generate the html of the blog post from a new entry in the spreadsheet...
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