Sentinel’s Circle #2: July 27, 2025

Our collaboratively generated notes will go here after the group meets!

We are excited about diving deeper or looking more broadly at themes and elements of Oleg’s writing. Several folks have expressed interest in exploring some of the layers of meaning, origin stories, historical and cultural threads… and if you think this book is rich, just wait until Book 2 comes out! I’ve only had some peeks behind the cover, but wow. Just wow.

And as more people read and take to heart some of the lessons from the book, whether more global-humanitarian or personal nudges to be a better person or a nostalgic reminder of something in our lives, we look forward to hearing how the book is touching your life. Let’s share how the story or a character speaks to us, how we might use something from the book in our interactions with others – glimpses of “the book IRL” (In Real Life)

Community and Connection

The sense of community is at the heart of this book group – as Oleg’s fans and supporters as well as simply sharing literary interests. We’ve got some great readers, writers, editors, translators, publicists, reviewers, and promoters amongst us, and it’s great to hear about what else we are reading, pitching, or have seen featured lately (e.g, Yevhen Lyr’s The Flood or Steppe God, Shaun Pinner’s Live, Fight, Survive)

This is fuel for Oleg – to be engaged with his readers and supporters and connect with fellow writers is motivating, heartwarming balm for the soul and food for the mind. He emphasizes this after every session.

For the book team, this is also energizing – and helps lighten some heavy loads too. It means so much knowing others care and deeply share our commitment to Oleg’s writing and book projects. For it is in fact simply through the support and connections of this community itself that this publication of Tales of the Wandering Mists was even made possible. And you just can’t put value on the huge contribution made by “volunteers”  – you know who you are –  who work to make this project successful and to keep increasing the community and connection surrounding Oleg and this book. You are the sustenance that keeps this train chugging along!

Authentic Promotion

This group has an interest in raising awareness of our beloved author and promoting more sales of Oleg’s books – nudging folks for reviews, sending gift copies, asking bookstores/libraries to feature.

We hope that our monthly group gathering can be a platform for developing a variety of participant-initiated fundraising and awareness campaigns too (e.g., cover designer Dasha’s artwork auction). And we want to identify actionable things we can each do in our own circles to broaden Oleg’s circle of reach.

 Support for Oleg and Ukraine

Spreading the word about the book, sharing time with our beloved author, broadening (and deepening) our connections are all ways to support Oleg and his brothers-in-arms and beloved Ukraine. With the ever-challenging fronts on social media, we noted the need to find more ways to share and promote Oleg’s writing on various social media platforms – but in ways that won’t compete with his current, and critical, war-related fundraisers. This group can help with that – and sharing about our continued support, and new opportunities, helps to encourage and reinvigorate our intentions to help Ukraine in the best ways we can.

“Here’s What I’m Wondering…”

Your turn! Send us your questions or comments for Oleg, for our gifted graphic artists, our talented and totally-in-the-thick-of-it translator, our fairy-book-mother Kelly, our peppy publisher who presses onward with launching more while we still put wind in Book 1 sails – and sales! Please do drop your questions and ideas here in advance if you can – it helps Oleg a LOT!

“Here’s What I’m Working On”

Share your ideas for promotion, fundraising, awareness. Maybe we can help you think through a creative nudge you’ve had, or brainstorm ways to capitalize on a close encounter with a celebrity, or a pitch to get a book into someone’s hands who might take time to give a review. And some of these may lend to actionable tasks we can all help out with.

Here’s What’s Going On Behind the Scenes

We’ll share various tidbits from behind the curtain…what’s hot off the publisher’s hands, a kickstarter update, a graphic peek from Luis, translation tidbits and teasers, and maybe the interns’ most interesting tasks-of-late — there’s no telling what they’ve been up to!

Here’s What We Can Do

We’ll end with a brief recap of what we’ve identified as actionable tasks, things to tackle – or at least explore, maybe a challenge for the month ahead, and how we might take on a piece or pitch it where it needs to go.