Wanted, Book 1 of The Chase Ryder Series is a BEST SELLER, plus how I wrote my most personal story a
Hi guys and girls,
Let's start with some amazing news: my debut book WANTED, Book 1 of The Chase Ryder Series is now an Amazon best seller!
As I've only recently started to self-published, I am thrilled beyond words. I'm still learning every day and putting myself through a crash course in indie publishing, but I'm amassing a ton of knowledge and experience finding out what has worked, and what has been a waste of time (and money). When I have time, I will write it all down for you :).
In other news: I've just published MONKEY NUT TALES, a fantastical drama screenplay!
Do you like the book cover? I did it myself :D
Monkey has a special, special place in my heart. When I was a brand new wannabe screenwriter, I toyed with several ideas I had bubbling away, but ultimately, I decided, what was most raw, most personal in my life, would make the best reading experience for others as it would come from an authentic place. It would showcase my voice, and hopefully, lift me up from the crowd.
The story has fantastical elements and deals with a hard-hitting subject - mental illness and the cultural issues this has for three Asian women, one who is only ten years old. It is loosely based on my own life as my mother is bi-polar, and as is the experience of many first generation immigrant children, I took on the role of child-carer and had more independence and responsibility than the average child in Britain simply as I knew the English language better than she did.
After I wrote this screenplay, I won the attention of the BBC where a top exec read this script and set up meetings for me within their different drama departments, which lead to their Children's channel asking me to create a TV series for them, and is how my show, Spirit Warriors was made.
I am still hoping to raise finance to shoot this feature film, which would be similar in style and tone to the recent A MONSTER CALLS movie, an adaptation of the book by Patrick Ness. I have actually written and directed a short version of this MONKEY NUT TALES a few years back which you can watch if for free HERE - it has cgi, hand-drawn animation and special effects. It was only the second time I've helmed a short film and I had no previous experience prior to my two short films, but I'm still super proud of it.
In the meantime I would love for Monkey to be read and enjoyed by all. I know screenplays might not be your usual choice of a read, but give it a shot... if nothing else, they fly by!
And for those who have signed up to my list because they are interested in screenwriting - this should prove an educational read, not least because this is how I went from an unknown newbie screenwriter to creating a show that was granted the biggest ever budget of that channel, and made history as the first show on British television to star a mostly Asian cast (I was also the first Chinese screenwriter to have a show made, whoop whoop!).
As always, please leave a review on the bookseller's site if you enjoy it. It's the best way for my work to be seen and to reach a larger audience. Big hugs, Jo
MONKEY NUT TALES
A deeply moving story of one young girl's fight to stay with her mother that will delight fans of A Monster Calls, Big Fish and Pan's Labyrinth.
A young girl's carefully crafted magical world shatters when her mother is hospitalized and her estranged grandmother from Hong Kong comes to stay. Mai has never met her grandma, or even spoken to her before. All she knows is that her mother fell sick, and Grandma never spoke to them again. Now it's the summer break but tenacious Mai refuses to be stuck in the house with Grandma, finding increasingly elaborate ways to visit her mother in hospital. It never occurs to her to ask why Grandma doesn't visit her mother... it never occurs to Mai to speak to Grandma at all. The only time they seem to communicate is when Grandma shells monkey nuts in the garden, while telling fantastical stories of her fabled life in China, tales that include outsmarting ghosts, and rescuing baby pandas. As they battle each other over their new roles in the house, can they come together before tragedy occurs?
For all other territories, please check your Amazon store!
WANTED
Book 1 of The Chase Ryder Series
Fourteen-year old Chase Ryder has been living rough on the streets of New York for months – a harrowing experience yet still better than what she endured at home. When she and recently widowed vet, Sully, rescue a super intelligent Collie, Chase finally finds herself part of the loving family unit she has always craved, but every display of Bandit’s special skills brings them one step closer to the mercenary billionaire who created him… and he wants his expensive experiment back. With the enemy's personal SWAT team out for blood, a devastating turn of events finds them running for their lives as they fight to save one of their own. Wanted is on sale LAST FEW DAYS ONLY for 99c, so if you don't already have your copy, you can pick it up here.
USA Buy Here
UK Buy Here
For all other territories, please check your Amazon store!