Mind Sieve 02/11/22

News/Musings	StoryOrigin Swaps 1
Mini Movie Reviews	Movie/Show Previews
StoryOrigin Swaps 2	Just for Fun!
StoryOrigin Swaps 3	February Giveaway Extravaganza

Greetings!

The weather has been like riding a mad rollercoaster. Hopefully, it will level out soon!

News/Musings

I’ve finished the first draft for White Gold – Book 2 of the Daiyu Wu Mysteries! Huzzah! This is my first book 2 EVER! I’ve done a bunch of stand-alone books, but never a book 2 before.

Now I need to do a pass for logic/info check, another edit pass, then it will go off to the editor in April and the cover artist (he reads the book before doing concepts so I try to give him the edited copy!) in May. So we are looking for a release date about the same time frame as Black Jade was in 2021 – mid to late June 2022!

I probably mentioned this before, but since I can’t remember, I’ll put it out there again. I have joined TikTok! I’m still a n00b there but I’ve been trying to put something out there every week or so. If you want to follow me there, you can find me here. Yes, another marketing time sink! Woooo!

Amazon Ad experiment 2 was a bust. I do think the blurb is better, but because the ebook is Wide (meaning it’s available in other ebook formats and places and not just at Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited) the clicks don’t get followed through. I need to consider whether I will put up the urban fantasy series only in KU or not as an experiment (paperback would be everywhere, only ebook would be restricted). But that’s down the road a ways.

When Black Jade first came out, the trade paperback was at B&N as well as other paperback retailers, then it disappeared. Despite now putting in two separate tickets with Amazon (they bought Booksurge a while back so they handle the paperback wide distribution) and they tell me they’ve fixed it and yet still no Black Jade paperback at B&N. The last time they said if B&N did not want to fix it, there was nothing they could do. B&N is now publishing books, so I may need to through their system to get it in there. UGH. I’m sure their formatting and cover specs will be different because otherwise, it would be too easy! I just need time to go down another rabbit hole. 😭 I’ll let you know if there are further developments.

Extra stuff I’ve shoved in here:

1) Three info swaps from StoryOrigin. (How did I manage that?)

2) February Giveaway Extravaganza

More deets on all of these in their sections. 😊

Story Origin Swap 1

Princess of Iberia

Agata, Princess of Iberia

A tumultuous kingdom set deep in the Caucasus is invaded by an army of fierce steppe warriors. The royal family is slaughtered by a ruthless warlord and only 16 year-old princess Agata and her young half-brother escape.

When Agata stumbles outside the citadel walls, she is faced with a forested wilderness. Without any shelter or protection, gentle Agata faces deep hunger, cold and fear.

As other female survivors join her, she is reluctant to become their leader but fate demands more of her than she ever imagined. Will Agata give into her dream to enter the convent and hide there from those who seek to kill her or will she answer the call of destiny and become a fierce warrior princess?

In a tale of courage, adventure and betrayal, Agata must learn quickly or slip into oblivion as the last of her dynasty.

Mini Movie Reviews 🎥

★ – Why did I go see this? Why?!

★★ – Showed promise but on execution, crashed

★★★ – Enjoyable, just don’t look under the hood too closely

★★★★ – A great film, totally worth seeing!

★★★★★ – 🤯 Too fabulous for words!

The King's Man

Right off, unlike the previous Kingsman films, the tongue-in-cheek component is almost non-existent, which worked well in their favor.

The story begins years before when tragedy struck Orlando Oxford and his son Conrad. Since then, Orlando has attempted to do everything in his power to protect his son. There are multiple layers both story-wise and emotional throughout the film. Once WWI begins, there is this masterful time-lapse done over a field, taking it from a beautiful idyllic sight to a trench and body-filled wasteland.

They also did a nice job incorporating the story into the actual facts and events of the time. Rasputin’s battle dance was a lark! he incorporated at least four or five dance types. There were also a lot of subtexts, the mannerisms of the times, and lots of great details. Good hand-to-hand combat scenes, special effects, and more! (you might bring a hanky!)

Rating: ★★★★ out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again!)

The 355

Four spies and one psychologist get thrown into the middle of a mess full of betrayal, corruption, and more. The crisscrossing of agencies and agents fighting against each other and the women slowly coming together was well done. Lots of great action scenes, explosions, and even sensible shoes! (Though not all. Lol) Some nice twists, hidden agendas, and keeping you in the dark with the agents give it some nice added spice.

Rating: ★★★.75 out of 5 (Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)

Movie Previews 🎥

The Adam Project – this looks like a blast!🤯

Jurassic World: Dominion – they are bringing some of the original cast back, too! Dinosaurs running in the streets, booyah!

Firestarter Trailer – based on Stephen King’s book. Looks intense.

Story Origin Swap 2

Daughter of the Yellow Dragon

“A Mongolian Game of Thrones!” – Katherine Roberts, author of Prince of the Wolves: The Legend of Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan united a nation and created a vast empire for his heirs. But after 200 years of civil war, his empire has fallen into the dark ages.

Mandukhai dreams of being a fierce warrior woman, but her dreams are shattered when she is forced to become the second wife to the Great Khan.

Unebolod spent his life in the Great Khan’s shadow, preparing for a day when he can seize control of the empire. But when he forms a dangerous alliance with Mandukhai, it swiftly transforms into a passion that could destroy them both.

Just as the two are certain their fate will one day bring them together and make Unebolod the next Great Khan, a young prince surfaces to steal the Great Khan’s attention and the hearts of the nation.

Daughter of the Yellow Dragon is the first book in a gripping, gritty historical fiction series based on the epic life of one of the most underrated women in history. The series draws you into a world of brutal Mongol steppe life, deadly political games, and supernatural beliefs.

Please be advised: This book contains adult situations, graphic violence, assault, and personal loss.

PINNACLE BOOK ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER!
Daughter of the Yellow Dragon is the Winter 2021 NABE Pinnacle Book Achievement Award Winner for Outstanding Historical Fiction.

Just for Fun!

Star Wars Eclipse Game Trailer – The graphics look fantastic! Looks like Pre Order 66 time period – Jedi still fighting the Federation. Oooo!

Dogdance Freestyle – Sandra and Lizzy – It’s super cute watching the dancer and her dog doing dance routines!

Mini-Calendars with tiny art pics. This one is hard to explain. The artist makes common-looking scenes but tiny objects. For Feb 2, 2022 – the pic is made with a figure of a strong man lifting a weight that is actually a chicken bone. All sorts of funky stuff like that! So cool! (The castle on Feb 3 is made of newspaper!)

Story Origin Swap 3

The Fair Queen (Audiobook)

For fans of Cassandra Clare and Holly Black comes a new story that will lure you into a world of magic and monsters, and never let you go.

The trees in Hartwood Forest are hiding an ancient secret, a door into a magical realm where fairy princes and monsters are one and the same. Seventeen-year-old Aria is bored of her small town and dreams of a life filled with excitement and adventure. She’s about to learn the meaning of “be careful what you wish for”. After a chilling encounter at the local summer fair, Aria is ripped from her normal life and dragged through the Veil into the Fair Realm by a strange, silver-eyed boy and his band of fairy soldiers. They believe she is the legendary Fair Queen, the subject of a prophecy that promises to unite the war-ravaged realm and bring an end to the centuries-long conflict between the Five Kingdoms.

But it can’t be true. Can it?

Beset by terrifying creatures at every turn and hunted by a tyrannical king who will stop at nothing to prevent the prophecy from coming true, Aria will have to rely on her wits if she’s to escape the Fair Realm with her life.

Book One in The Fair Chronicles, a new young adult fantasy series for fans of The Mortal Instruments and The Folk of the Air.