Tag: Paranormal Texas

#WWWWednesday No.8: A #SpooktasticReads Update and a note about Sci Fi November (#RRSciFiMonth)

Posted Thursday, 2 November, 2017 by jorielov , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

WWWWednesday a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words.

I ♥ the premise of this meme {WWW Wednesdays} due to the dexterity it gives the reader! Smiles. Clearly subject to change on a weekly rotation, which may or may not lead to your ‘next’ read providing a bit of a paradoxical mystery to your readers!! Smiles. ♥ the brilliance of it’s concept!

This weekly meme was originally hosted by Should Be Reading who became A Daily Rhythm. Lovingly restored and continued by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. Each week you participate, your keen to answer the following questions:

  • What are you currently reading!?
  • What did you recently finish reading!?
  • What do you think you’ll read next!?

After which, your meant to click over to THIS WEEK’s WWWWednesday to share your post’s link so that the rest of the bloggers who are participating can check out your lovely answers! Score! Perhaps even, find other bloggers who dig the same books as you do! I thought it would serve as a great self-check to know where I am and the progress I am hoping to have over the next week!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

To help introduce you to the books I’m reading, the Synopses link to Riffle.

If you’d like an alternative to GoodReads, I highly suggest trying Riffle*.

I’m still boggled by the fact my Riffle Lists have been viewed  at least*21,824* times! I’ve only just started to curate the lists and embed them into my blog where I expand on why I created them, too! I have 18 Lists published out of 32 lists I’ve drafted! I am looking forward to revealling more of them this year! Yes, I know – attempted this last year but I am hoping to get round to showcasing them throughout [2017] instead. Sometimes our best laid plans have to be put on ‘hold’.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Join the Convo via: #WWWWednesday

NOTE: Due to my recent migraine –

all posts have been delayed in arriving on #JLASblog.

Thus this is running on Thursday, this week!

Rainbow Digital Clip Art Washi Tape made by The Paper Pegasus. Purchased on Etsy by Jorie and used with permission.

What did you recently finish reading!?

I hadn’t foreseen a few unexpected wrinkles of lost hours erupting into the latter half of [October] which in effect changed how I was approaching my self-directed reading challenge of #SpooktasticReads! Ending the month with a migraine was quite special, too! Oy. I decided to extend my readings into November because to be honest – I feel like I’ve only just begun to make headway into the reading list I compiled – as I was moving in and out of different narratives, trying to get into the story-lines whilst figuring out each author’s individual style for crafting a Mystery, Suspense or Thriller I was dearly eager to be reading!

There are moments in our lives, where we get jettisoned ‘off-course’ where something *pops!* up unexpectedly and derails our previously joyous plans – in this particular case, despite having a heap of fun getting back into reading after my unexpected hiatus this [September] – accounting to the *23!* posts I happily shared throughout [October!] I still fell a bit shy of my personal goals regarding #SpooktasticReads!

I have also been delighting in watching Thrillers + Psychological Suspense films this past [October] as I wanted to supplement the stories I was reading with a few films I hadn’t seen such as the following: Miss Sloane & Snowden as well as the film I personally LOVE for Halloween: Gaslight – which was Angela Lansbury’s debut! The first two are Contemporary Thrillers in their own regard – as there is an intensity about them, even though their dealing with Current Events. I regards to ‘Gaslight’ – I love how the whole story unfolds – it reminds me a lot of how in Notorious (with Cary Grant) the lead female almost doesn’t ‘get out’ either – in regards to personal danger and the insidious situations they both find themselves inside. I personally love Ingrid Bergman – she has such a dramatic presence on screen but it’s how she approaches her characters which makes such a lasting impression on me.

I managed to duck into the opening chapters of The Visitors, but this was just ahead of my migraine, where I was finding it harder to ‘focus’ on what I was attempting to read. I wanted to dig into the next Willa Cather mystery Death Comes but I wasn’t finding traction in either. I hadn’t known then the migraine would take hold (as sometimes, they don’t) which is why I was happily surprised shortly after it started to release it’s hold on me, I could tuck into the cosy comforting world of an Anna Lee Huber Cosy Historical Mystery: This Side of Murder! On the latter, I had this to share with my readers:

It is within the earliest chapters of this first Verity Kent Mystery where I breathed in the essence of this new ‘character’ and felt as if I had truly known ‘her’ long before I met her; which is exactly how I felt about Lady Darby! Ms Huber is well on her way to perfecting how to pen serial mysteries which delight the historical reader with a cosied approach to crime and sleuthing!

One thing which struck me – is how clever it is to be inserted into two heroines whose husbands are absent from their lives – giving them unheard of opportunities to ‘carry on’ with their lives when society dictated otherwise – this was true of Lady Darby and it is true for Mrs Kent! The curious bit is how wholly unique both characters are constructed – they each have their own strengths, weaknesses and faults – they don’t feel too identical (as such) to each other, even if they have a few attributes in common. The joy for me was identifying how each woman separated herself from her peers, truly believed it possible to live an independent life from their peerage and seeing how they leveraged themselves for a future they would determine was best for them. In this, Ms Huber has my heart and attention on her heroines – seeking their next adventures with curious anticipation!

In short, Ms Huber is curating her own niche out of a sub-genre of Historical Fiction I happily applaud seeing developed because of her purposeful dedication to writing the stories which not only give us an emotional repose from our lives (because of how deft they’re written) but they give us a chance to re-step through history through a portal of folly similar to why the Dame of the Cosy was as well loved as she has become all these years lateron. They give us something to chew on and something to consider – whilst the mystery lover in all of us gets to play ‘sleuth’ and stay on the tip of our toes awaiting the outcomes!

Whilst happily tweeting this s/o as I was composing this update post!

I am dearly excited to see what becomes next for Mrs Kent – as next October shall be a wicked lovely month as it’s publication time for the second installment! Until then, I shall have the first Gothic Myths to dig inside as well as the sixth Lady Darby – expected to arrive in the Spring! Read More

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Posted Thursday, 2 November, 2017 by jorielov in Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Bookish Discussions, Books for Review Arrived by Post, WWW Wednesdays

#SpooktasticReads Book Review | “#Paranormal Texas: Your travel guide to Haunted Places near Dallas & Forth Worth” by Tui Snider

Posted Thursday, 19 October, 2017 by jorielov , , 3 Comments

Book Review badge created by Jorie in Canva using Unsplash.com photography (Creative Commons Zero).

Acquired Book By: I used to attend two weekly chats quite regularly when I first joined Twitter in late Autumn 2013, extending into 2014 and 2015; by 2016 I started to withdraw from the chat community on Twitter due to the increases in my chronic migraines. Whilst I was attending #K8Chat (hosted by Kate Tilton) in 2014, I won one of the weekly bookaways whilst being asked by the author if I would like a second book by her to consider for review purposes. Therefore, I received two books in the Post: “Paranormal Texas” and “Unexpected Texas”; this marks the first of two reviews I am showcasing this year during my fortnight of Spooktastic Reads! Thereby, I received a complimentary copy of “Paranormal Texas” direct from the author Tui Snider without obligation to post a review; I decided to post one for my own edification and to share with my readers what I found within this lovely Guide! I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Being a former chatter during #StoryDam & why these books interested me:

I cannot remember exactly if I first crossed paths with Tui Snider during #StoryDam and/or #K8Chat; the latter was disbanded a few weeks ‘before’ I was going to return to the chat after taking a sabbatical (due to my migraines). I was crestfallen by the news but fully understood why Ms Tilton decided to ‘move on’. There are seasons in everything in life, including the chats which are happily taking their entrances and exits on Twitter!

I believe I lamented on my #SpooktasticReads post we first met during #StoryDam – either way you slice it, the reason I was most keen on her Non-Fiction works is because we share an interest in the following things:

*paranormal shows (fiction & non-fiction)

*paranormal fiction

*haunted houses

*the unexplained

Finding Ms Snider was a blessing in my life – as I previously mentioned, she has the kind of spirit your hoping to find online – one which is accepting and encouraging whilst having a bubbly personality who makes you feel welcome as soon as you start to chat with her! The best part of course of crossing her path was becoming attuned to the Non-Fiction works she was developing which speak to the heart of another love we share: stories of the Historical Past which are still being discovered today!

Despite the time delay in reading her books and posting my ruminative thoughts, one thing which staid with me is the manner in which she wrote them! She makes them a lively romp through unexpected historical notations on both the living persons who lived interesting lives and the ‘afterlife’ adventures of those spirits who have not yet crossed into the Light! These are the spirits who I am sure “The Ghost Whisperer” would love to chat with and find out their ‘true story’ of why they feel they need to stay ‘inbetween’. If you loved the series as much as I did, you are surely going to love Ms Snider’s companionable way of entertaining your curiosity with newfound lore, legend and the mysteriously interesting incidents which make North Texas a keen place to visit!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

#SpooktasticReads Book Review | “#Paranormal Texas: Your travel guide to Haunted Places near Dallas & Forth Worth” by Tui SniderParanormal Texas
Subtitle: Your travel guide to Haunted Places near Dallas & Forth Worth
by Tui Snider
Source: Direct from Author, Won a Bookaway

Why creep around at night when so many haunted places in north Texas are open to the public & active during the day?

Not only does Tui Snider explain the intriguing stories behind the paranormal activity in the Dallas - Ft. Worth area, but she gives directions to places you can visit in person, such as the:

* Serial Killer’s Grave where EVP’s & Anomalous Photos are common
* Amusement Park where a Little Girl Haunts the Candy Store
* Country Graveyard with a Mysteriously Glowing Tombstone
* Hotel so Haunted that a University teaches Parapsychology there
* Historic Cemetery where people get EVP’s and Orbs in Broad Daylight
* Ghost Town with an Operatic Apparition & a Haunted Restaurant
* B&B with a Gentlemanly Ghost who seems Protective of Women
* Theatre that kept it’s Resident Ghost in mind when remodeling
* Historic Town Squares where nearly Every Shop has a Ghost!

… & much more!

Genres: Current Events, Ghost Story, Gothic Literature, Non-Fiction, Spirituality & Metaphysics



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 978-1500766085

Published by Self Published

on 19th August, 2014

Format: Paperback Edition

Pages: 183

Self-Published Non-Fiction

The two books I am reading by Ms Snider this October:

Paranormal Texas by Tui SniderUnexpected Texas by Tui Snider

1. Tui’s first book, Unexpected Texas,  is a travel guide to quirky, offbeat and overlooked places within easy reach of the Dallas – Fort Worth Metroplex. It was released on March 2, 2014 and remains a bestseller in Dallas – Fort Worth Travel on Amazon. In 2015, this book won first place in the North Texas Book Festival.

2. Tui’s second book, Paranormal Texas is a travel guide to haunted places in north Texas. It was released in October 2014 and also remains an Amazon bestseller.

3. Tui’s third book, The Lynching of the Santa Bank Robber, is a strange-but-true tale of West Texas history. This book was released in March of 2016, and came in 2nd place in the North Texas Book Festival that year.

4. Tui’s fourth book, Come to My Senses, is a companion book of lyrics and photos for the dream pop CD she released in conjunction with her first photography exhibit and writing residency for Tarleton State University’s Langdon Review in 2016.

5. Tui’s fifth book, Understanding Cemetery Symbols: A Workbook for Exploring Historic Graveyards, is being cross-released as both a paperback and an ebook.The book officially released on August 19, 2017.

Converse via: #TexasHistory, #Paranormal, #Ghosts & #NonFiction

About Tui Snider

Tui Snider

Tui Snider is an award-winning author, speaker, photographer, and musician who specializes in quirky, offbeat and overlooked places, historic graveyards, and haunted lore. As she puts it, “I used to write fiction – but then, I moved to Texas!”

After living in Belgium, Italy, and a tiny island with a population of 7, Tui now calls the state of Texas her home. Even so, she has experienced as much culture shock in the Lone Star State as she ever did overseas!

For Tui, travel is a mindset. Her motto is “Even home is a travel destination,” and she believes “The world is only boring if you take everyone else’s word for it.”

Snider’s best-selling books include Paranormal Texas, The Lynching of the Santa Claus Bank Robber, and Unexpected Texas.

In August 2017, Tui Snider released her 5th book called Understanding Cemetery Symbols, this book is a guide to the forgotten meaning of symbols and acronyms our ancestors left on their headstones. Preorder sales went so well Understanding Cemetery Symbols became an Amazon best seller!

Tui lectures frequently at universities, libraries, conferences and bookstores. In 2016, she was the writer-in-residence for Tarleton State University’s Langdon Review. In 2017, she taught a series of courses at Texas Christian University based on her books.

Snider’s writing and photography have been featured in a variety of publications, including Coast to Coast AM, FOX Travel News, LifeHack, Langdon Review, the City of Plano, Wild Woman Waking, Shades of Angels and many more.

In addition, Tui is a singer/songwriter who plays several instruments. Listeners frequently describe her dream pop album, Come to My Senses, as “mystical” and “magical.”

Tui has worn a lot of hats in her life – literally – and is especially fond of berets. In addition to writing and music, she is an avid photographer.

Snider has several more books in progress, and is working on her next album. She enjoys connecting with writers and readers all over the globe through social media, her newsletter and her website.

Read More

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Posted Thursday, 19 October, 2017 by jorielov in 21st Century, Based on an Actual Event &/or Court Case, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Cemeteries & Graveyards, Ghost Story, Ghosts & the Supernatural, Gothic Literature, History, Modern Day, Non-Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Small Towne USA, Travel, Travel Writing, Travelogue