Prince on a Red Dragon by James Wilde

[James_Wilde]

I listened to Radius' criticism of the blurb, and re-wrote it. For those who read the last entry first, I'm also posting it again at the end of the thread.

Far from home, unable to speak the language, living in a cold climate, sharing accommodation with strangers: these are some of the obstacles faced by Li Ya, when a distant cousin invites her to travel abroad to work for three months in his family restaurant. And pessimistic neighbours are quick to point out risks.

Li Ya comes from a poor family in rural GuangXi in southern China. She, and not her autistic brother, will be responsible for her parents when they grow old. She has both economic and personal factors, not least her independence of spirit, against her in the search for a husband. But the proposed journey promises a very substantial sum of money - a much-needed dowry. It seems too good to be true.

But why only three months? If it really is as good as it sounds, Li Ya would like to stay longer, a year, maybe two. When she inquires about this, she is presented with several alternatives, none of them palatable.

And who is this nerd, Lennart Persson, comfortable only in his job, his apartment and the family of his brother, Robert? And who is Nancy, born in China, living half her life in New Zeeland? How are their lives interwoven with Li Ya's? And can they do anything about her plight?

Now available at Smashwords for $0.99 until at least the end of January, coming soon (today, maybe?) at the same price from B&N, Sony, Kobo, Amazon, Apple and Diesel. Available in paperback from Amazon real soon now (if the second proof copy ever gets here!)

[basschick]

if you need someone to check it on either a cybook gen3 or an astak pocket pro, hit me up.

[GrandmaVS]

I have an Aluratek Libre Pro (5 inches) and have ordered the new color Aluratek Libre multimedia Reader (7 inches) as a Christmas present from my husband to me. Haven`t told him yet. I usually choose epub as a format, but if you need someone to test out PDF, that would be good too.

[basschick]

i tried opening the epub version of story you sent in our ezreader pocket pro with no luck - it doesn't recognize the file format, nor does my ADE reader on my computer. i'll be happy to proof in any format the pocket pro reads, which is a lot of them, or the cybook or after xmas on the kindle.

btw, both our readers can read pdf if that helps.

[James_Wilde]

Re Basschick's post:

I clicked on the wrong file when I was emailing the file to her. She got some grunge that happened to be in the same folder.

[radius]

Originally Posted by James_Wilde

Li Ya is a young woman from a poor and rural part of China, too ugly, by the standards of her neighbours, and too independent-minded to have serious prospects of a good marriage. So, when a distant cousin invites her to travel far away from home and work in his family's restaurant for a huge sum of money which she can use as a dowry, the offer seems too good to be true. The money will help her look after her family, when her parents grow old, and she is, after all, only a girl, so the risks are easily ignored.

Lennart lives a lonely, introverted life in the big city, his relief found in frequent visits to his brother's family an hour's journey out of town. When he hears of Li Ya's plight, he is only marginally interested, and besides there are hindrances which prevent him from getting involved.

Hi James,

Just some mild criticism of your blurb above

"so the risks are easily ignored" - what risks? She's just going to work at a restaurant. Granted the restaurant is far away, but it belongs to a family member so how dangerous could it be?

"When he hears of Li Ya's plight" - what plight? Her opportunity to make enough money for a dowry and take care of her parents? Doesn't sound that bad...

I think you haven't upped the stakes enough in terms of telling us just what danger Li Ya might be in.

[James_Wilde]

Far from home, unable to speak the language, living in a cold climate, sharing accommodation with strangers: these are some of the obstacles faced by Li Ya, when a distant cousin invites her to travel abroad to work for three months in his family restaurant. And pessimistic neighbours are quick to point out risks.

Li Ya comes from a poor family in rural GuangXi in southern China. She, and not her autistic brother, will be responsible for her parents when they grow old. She has both economic and personal factors, not least her independence of spirit, against her in the search for a husband. But the proposed journey promises a very substantial sum of money - a much-needed dowry. It seems too good to be true.

But why only three months? If it really is as good as it sounds, Li Ya would like to stay longer, a year, maybe two. When she inquires about this, she is presented with several alternatives, none of them palatable.

And who is this nerd, Lennart Persson, comfortable only in his job, his apartment and the family of his brother, Robert? And who is Nancy, born in China, living half her life in New Zeeland? How are their lives interwoven with Li Ya's? And can they do anything about her plight?

Now available at Smashwords for $0.99 until at least the end of January, coming soon (today, maybe?) at the same price from B&N, Sony, Kobo, Amazon, Apple and Diesel. Available in paperback from Amazon real soon now (if the second proof copy ever gets here!)