⫸ (AKA If you like one or more of them you'll probably find something you like in my work):⫷ ⌯ Robin Hobb: Thoughtful examinations of character and a wide range of relationships. Major events happen in the world but her books feel somehow intimate. Her "Fitz" books were a major…
Now that the submission-ready draft of my new fantasy novel Seeker of the Lost Song is out of my hands, I wanted to share updated reference photos I used for the main cast, and an updated moodboard that shows the tone and feel of the book. Moodboard for Seeker of…
You may have heard that Substack recently came under scrutiny (to say the least) for its position on platforming/making money off Nazis - namely, they don’t see a problem with it. So I want to get out of the Nazi bar. I’ve spent the past few days trying out alternatives…
The world of my new fantasy novel Seeker of the Lost Song is inspired by pre-colonial Filipino culture, as well as the medieval Swedish rule of Finland. Its sequel is additionally inspired by the later Russian control of Finland. Finnish history is a major inspiration for both novels, even though…
Why do we need older protagonists in fantasy, sci-fi, and other forms of speculative fiction? I recently wrote an essay for All Lit Up about the value of north-of-25 protagonists in speculative fiction (and beyond). An excerpt: I do enjoy books where the protagonist saves the day at the age…
Say hello to the German-language edition of The Quiet is Loud, published by Piper Verlag and translated by Diana Bürgel! As I've mentioned before, I have family in Germany and so this is very special to me. I'm excited for the opportunity for Freya's story to reach German speakers. You…
The other day I went on an aimless walk while listening to an interview with the writer Nnedi Okorafor. She’s a very interesting interview subject overall, but one thing she said in particular really struck me: I’ve always existed on a lot of fault lines, and that does fuel what…
Since 2008, I’ve taken myself on three DIY writing retreats. I'm sharing the things I’ve learned about DIY writing retreats, and what I’d do differently next time. Or, will there be a next time? Writing retreat #1: 2008 The idea for my first DIY writing retreat came to me out…
"She should have been more mature for a 40-year-old." That's a paraphrasing of a book review I read recently. It made me wonder if this person actually knew any 40-year-olds. Sure, there are people who should know better no matter how old they are, but why would a protagonist that…
Filipino Heritage Month follows Asian Heritage Month/AAPI Heritage Month. May and June kinda knock my mixed-race brain around. I sometimes feel like I don't belong in these conversations - especially as a writer - but at the same time I feel like I deserve to celebrate my heritage as much…
