Author: The Shameful Narcissist

The State of the Gamer: 9/22/22

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<–The State of the Gamer: 9/8/22           The State of the Gamer: 10/6/22–>

A weekly post updated every other Thursday detailing my current gaming projects.  I have an account at Grouvee, which is a site you can use to keep track of your backlog, so please feel free to friend me there!

Games Demoed: 1

  • Harvestella – I haven’t made a decision on whether or not I’m going to buy this one yet because I haven’t seen enough of the demo.  I have 15 in game days to test it out, and so far it’s just been story.  No battle or any other game mechanics.  Once I know how those work I can make a decision, and I hope they’re in my wheelhouse.  I already like so many things about the game.  It’s Squeenix so you know the music slaps.  There’s also some customization with your character.  I’m not sure if there’s more in the full game, but I was able to give mine dark skin and make her taller.  There’s also a non-binary option, and no matter what gender you pick, the default look is the same, so you could pick any gender you want and have your character look how you want.

Games Purchased: 0

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The State of the Reader: 9/21/22

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<–The State of the Reader: 9/7/22         The State of the Reader: 10/5/22–>

A biweekly post updated every other Wednesday detailing my current reading projects and what new titles I’ve added to my to-read list.  Title links go to Goodreads, and if you have an account there feel free to friend me!  I’d love to see what you’re reading and/or planning to read.

Books Purchased: 4

Total: $47.66

Books Finished: 1

Title: Sharp Objects
Author: Gillian Flynn
Date Added: December 26, 2021
Date Started: September 8, 2022
Date Finished: September 19, 2022

Cover of Sharp Objects by Gillian FlynnMedia: eBook/Kindle

I read this so quickly it wasn’t even on an update…well not until now.  You can tell this is Flynn’s debut novel, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t well worth the read.  I wasn’t entirely wrong about what happened, but I wasn’t entirely right either.

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The State of the Writer: 9/18/22

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<–The State of the Writer: 9/4/22         The State of the Writer: 10/2/22–>

A post updated every other Sunday discussing my current writing projects and any completed the prior two weeks.

Finished Projects: 0

Project: Story/Series
Working Title: The High Archon (The Truth Seeker Chronicles)
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Original
Length: Novel
Current Word Count: 11,282
Status: Reorganizing & Worldbuilding
Progress: Updating background information on Scrivener

I finally finished torturing my MC along with completing the history of the world/kingdom I suppose.  The latter is kind of split amongst several Scrivener pages since it has to do with a demographic as well as several characters.  I may wind up compiling all of the notes into one history document.  It might help me figure out some loose ends, too, who can say.

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The State of the Gamer: 9/8/22

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<–The State of the Gamer: 8/25/22           The State of the Gamer: 9/22/22–>

A weekly post updated every other Thursday detailing my current gaming projects.  I have an account at Grouvee, which is a site you can use to keep track of your backlog, so please feel free to friend me there!

Games Demoed: 1

  • The DioField Chronicles – It’s another Squeenix SRPG game with more realistic graphic than Triangle Strategy.  I wasn’t into it but hopefully one of my LPers will play it so I can watch.

Games Purchased: 0*

Games Finished: 0

Games DNF’d: 0

Currently Playing: 1

Title: Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden
Series: Voice of Cards
System: Nintendo Switch

Cover of Voice of Cards: The Forsaken MaidenDate Started: August 23, 2022

I was really into this when I first started it, but my interest has started to wane and I’m not sure why.   There’s more backtracking in this game and I’ve only gone to two towns.  I already have an idea of what a major twist is going to be.  It’s something Squeenix has done before if I’m right.

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The State of the Reader: 9/7/22

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<–The State of the Reader: 8/24/22         The State of the Reader: 9/21/22–>

A biweekly post updated every other Wednesday detailing my current reading projects and what new titles I’ve added to my to-read list.  Title links go to Goodreads, and if you have an account there feel free to friend me!  I’d love to see what you’re reading and/or planning to read.

Books Purchased: 0

Books Finished: 2

Title: The Ippos King
Series: Wraith Kings
Author: Grace Draven
Date Added: May 25, 2017
Date Started: June 29, 2022
Date Finished: August 27, 2022

Cover of The Ippos King by Grace Draven (Wraith Kings #3)Media: eBook/Kindle

I like how Anhuset and Serovek’s relationship was a foil to Brishen and Ildiko from the first book even as the plot set up from there continued.  Draven really shines when it comes to these slow burn romances.

Title: Truly Madly Guilty
Author: Liane Moriarity
Date Added: February 22, 2022
Date Started: August 22, 2022
Date Finished: September 7, 2022

Cover of Truly Madly GuiltyMedia: eBook/Library

Finished it right at the wire.  The loan expires tomorrow, and there wasn’t a choice to renew.  This was okay.  I’m really familiar with the author’s formula now since I’ve read like five or six of her books.  She has some very boomerish views lol, but I guess that’s to be expected for a white Australian woman of her age.  Moriarity does shine in building up the tension and making you want to know what the hell happened.   It’s similar to how she did Big Little Lies, and her bait-and-switches are always excellent as is her foreshadowing.

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The State of the Writer: 9/4/22

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<–The State of the Writer: 8/21/22         The State of the Writer: 9/18/22–>

A post updated every other Sunday discussing my current writing projects and any completed the prior two weeks.

Finished Projects: 1

Project: Story/Series
Working Title: The High Archon (The Truth Seeker Chronicles)
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Original
Length: Novel
Current Word Count: 11,282
Status: Reorganizing & Worldbuilding
Progress: Updating background information on Scrivener

By SilviaMarti (Deactivated DA Account)

I decided my male MC wasn’t suffering enough, so I made things worse before they got better?  I can’t really say better.  It’s more just less bad?  Or probably more eventually you get used to the pain.  Anyway, I ran into another slight snag in needing to know what’s going on in the background, so I’m working on that right now.  It’s actually making the series title more relevant so I can’t complain.

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Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke

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Title: Childhood’s End
Author: Arthur C. Clarke
Date Added: April 19, 2017
Date Started: September 13, 2018
Date Finished: October 19, 2018
Reading Duration: 36 days
Genre: Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Classic

Cover of Childhood's End by Arthur C. ClarkePages: 224
Publication Date: August 1953
Publisher: Del Rey Books
Media: Paperback (Library)

The Overlords appeared suddenly over every city–intellectually, technologically, and militarily superior to humankind. Benevolent, they made few demands: unify earth, eliminate poverty, and end war. With little rebellion, humankind agreed, and a golden age began.

But at what cost? With the advent of peace, man ceases to strive for creative greatness, and a malaise settles over the human race. To those who resist, it becomes evident that the Overlords have an agenda of their own. As civilization approaches the crossroads, will the Overlords spell the end for humankind . . . or the beginning?

Childhood’s End is a Arthur C. Clarke’s vastly different take on the “alien invasion” trope.  This is no bombastic War of the Worlds or Independence Day narrative, but inversely, neither is it covert in vein of They Live or The Thing.  Because the fore mentioned narratives have the extraterrestrials show blatant hostility, one might be inclined to think they seem less ominous; however, because both the intentions and even appearance of the Overlords is unknown, their endgame could be far more malicious than any world destroying alien race.

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The State of the Gamer: 8/25/22

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<–The State of the Gamer: 8/11/22           The State of the Gamer: 9/8/22–>

A weekly post updated every other Thursday detailing my current gaming projects.  I have an account at Grouvee, which is a site you can use to keep track of your backlog, so please feel free to friend me there!

Games Demoed: 0

Games Purchased: 8

  • Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force (Fairy Fencer F, Galapagos) – $5.99 @ Nintendo eShop
  • Trivial Pursuit Live! (Trivial Pursuit) – $7.99 @ Nintendo eShop
  • Doors: Paradox – $0.00 @ iTunes Store
  • Doors: Origin – $0.00 @iTunes Store
  • Doors: Awakening – $0.00 @ iTunes Store
  • The Birdcage – $0.00 @ iTunes Store
  • The Birdcage 2 – $0.00 @ iTunes Store
  • 3D Escape Game: Chinese Room – $0.00 @ iTunes Store
Total: $13.98

Games Finished: 1

Title: The House of Da Vinci III
Series: The House of Da Vinci
System: iOS (iPhone)

Cover of The House of Da Vinci IIIDate Started:  July 29, 2022
Date Finished: August 14, 2022

I’m sad it’s the last in the series and I’m finished, but I couldn’t be happier with this game.  I may replay the first two, and I’ve been thinking about replaying The Room series, too.  This game is the reason I “bought” so many from the iTunes store; I really wanted a similar experience.  I think I paid around $5 for this, and it was totally worth it if you love puzzle/mystery games.

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The State of the Reader: 8/24/22

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<–The State of the Reader: 8/10/22         The State of the Reader: 9/7/22–>

A biweekly post updated every other Wednesday detailing my current reading projects and what new titles I’ve added to my to-read list.  Title links go to Goodreads, and if you have an account there feel free to friend me!  I’d love to see what you’re reading and/or planning to read.

Books Purchased: 1

Total: $0.99

Books Finished: 1

Title: Dark Places
Author: Gillian Flynn
Date Added: October 4, 2018
Date Started: August 1, 2022
Date Finished: August 21, 2022

Cover of Dark Places by Gillian FlynnMedia: eBook/Library

Woot!  I finished this before it was returned to the library.  I think this is the fastest I’ve read a book, and I’m so glad I did complete it.  I don’t think I could’ve waited on hold and probably would’ve wound up buying it.

I initially gave this four stars, but then I bumped it up to five.  The reason for the four stars was because I didn’t like the MC that much, but honestly?  You’re not supposed to.  Gillian Flynn has a knack for making unlikable main characters because the points she’s trying to make require it, and this book is no different.  Libby isn’t likable.  She has terrible habits.  She steals.  She lies.  She’s a mooch.   She’s also extremely traumatized from what she lived through.

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The State of the Writer: 8/21/22

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<–The State of the Writer: 8/7/22         The State of the Writer: 9/4/22–>

A post updated every other Sunday discussing my current writing projects and any completed the prior two weeks.

Finished Projects: 0

Project: Story/Series
Working Title: The High Archon (The Truth Seeker Chronicles)
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Original
Length: Novel
Current Word Count: 11,282
Status: Reorganizing & Worldbuilding
Progress: Updating background information on Scrivener

“The Sorrowful Lord”

I’ve spent the last week or so thinking up new ways to torture the above character, my poor main, “dark angel” Uriel. I’m very much a “make them suffer for their happy ending” type of writer even after the happy ending, because happiness doesn’t last; joy is a lie, and all shall end in despair.  I even wrote a poem about it, buuuut I’m not willing to share that yet haha.  After I finished writing about how I was going to torture him, I had to sign off for the evening, because it cut a bit close to the bone (…also literally).  There’s self-mutilation for reasons that would make anyone sad.  This was all in service of bridging the gap between my first novel and the WIP.  I had notes on it, but more details needed to be fleshed out.

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