#bookreview: Brunt Boggart: A Tapestry of Tales | David Greygoose

Brunt Boggart: A Tapestry of Tales by David Greygoose
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Brunt Boggart: A Tapestry of Tales is a collection of brand new folk tales. From the (imaginary) village of Brunt Boggart to the (equally imaginary) town of Arleccra, Greygoose brings you down the Peddlar Man’s track, one that twists and turns, slithers and jumps through space and time. It’s an ambitious undertaking.

And it starts off well. I fall into this quaint English village with whispered superstitions, chanted verses, and secret songs. I am enchanted by the Wolfboy who gives up the woods to become Greychild, all the while harbouring in his heart a secret quest to find his lost mother. There’s so much to discover about Brunt Boggart, about Ravenhair and her grandmother’s black ribbon; Crossdogs who is the best fighter, the Wolf Slayer, but also has the kindest heart; the Peddlar Man who trades ribbons and dolls and shiny things. It’s almost real, encased in a kind of shimmery surreality. There’s a lilt to the words, a purposeful rustic garbling that’s almost authentic, but not quite. At times, I can almost hear the rhythm and the beat, can almost be absorbed into the lyricism of the story. But then some wildly outlandish thing happens and I am dragged out again, wondering, what’s going on here?

It’s a tapestry, alright. There’s no one story, but many, thrown together haphazardly with many loose ends that just disappear. There seems to be a larger narrative arc that follows Greychild and smaller arcs following Crossdog and Ravenhair, but it’s all jumbled up and jumps around way too much for me to get a proper grip on. There’s also the impossibility of it all. Whilst folk and fairy tales have their fair measure of magic and bizarre happenings, there’s usually something that pulls them together and gives the story a cohesiveness that makes it believable, magical even. In Brunt Boggart, it just stays bizarre and confusing; I’m often left wondering if the events in the story were meant to be real, or a dream, or a fever dream, or a… what?

All told, this book is meant for reading aloud, to let its repetitions and rhythms bring you to another world… where you don’t have to think about plot and what the heck is actually going on.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Pushkin Children's Books via Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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#musicmonday: Body and Wine | Jars of Clay

Rusty ground and dusty roads
It's been a while since you were king
Undermined and overthrown
You tried to run it on your own

Forget the birds with broken wings
Under piles of things on things
No one stops and no one stares
Seen it all and no one cares

What if this was all that we were made of?
This was all that we could make of love
If there wasn't more, I wouldn't be here
Hero and crime, body and wine

Drove my heart toward the sea
Passed the graves up over hills
Saw the spires hit the ground
Voices raised without a sound

What if this was all that we were made of?
This was all that we could make of love
If there wasn't more, I wouldn't be here
Hero and crime, body and wine
Hero and crime, body and wine

What if this was all that we were made of?
This was all that we could make of love
If there wasn't more, I wouldn't be here
Hero and crime, body and wine

What if this was all that we were made of?
This was all that we could make of love
If there wasn't more, I wouldn't be here
Hero and crime, body and wine
Hero and crime, body and wine
Body and wine

notes.

#bookreview: Adults | Emma Jane Unsworth

Adults by Emma Jane Unsworth
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Hmmmmm. I took a chance on this because OMG I'M THIRTY-FIVE I SHOULD READ THINGS ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE ME.

Or not. Really, really not.

I finished this with the same kind of vague disconnect that I had reading Normal People; the kind of feeling that I should like this, I should relate, but I don't. Who are these awkward creatures posing as humans and doing these outlandish things that no one in their right mind would? There's a huge cultural divide, even after recently spending much time amongst these fancy white people.*

Sure, there were some things that pinged: an over-reliance on social media and its accompanying anxiety, the need to always perform, needing to disconnect but being unable to, the call of the aging female body to procreate**.

But it all hinged overly much on Jenny's neurosis, which flares in very unattractive ways.

Overall, Adults is a book with too much drinking and too little class. I am obviously not the target audience, despite the sad similarity in age and single status. I shall toddle back to my bright-eyed boys and girls trying to save the world with magic. Or dragons. Or both.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harper Collins via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

* Or, rather, not going out to avoid very drunk white people.
** If anything, the thing I related to the most was the confused desire of my bloody uterus to host a little alien in it. Whether or not I really do want to have kids or have any maternal instincts at all.

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#musicmonday: A Message | Coldplay

My song is love
Love to the loveless shown
And it goes on
You don't have to be alone
Your heavy heart
Is made of stone
And it's so hard to see you clearly
You don't have to be on your own
You don't have to be on your own

And I'm not gonna take it back
And I'm not gonna say, "I don't mean that"
You're the target that I'm aiming at
Got to get that message home

My song is love
My song is love, unknown
But I'm on fire for you, clearly
You don't have to be alone
You don't have to be on your own

And I'm not gonna take it back
And I'm not gonna say, "I don't mean that"
You're the target that I'm aiming at
And I'm nothing on my own
Got to get that message home

And I'm not gonna stand and wait
Not gonna leave it until it's much too late
On a platform I'm gonna stand and say
That I'm nothing on my own
And I love you, please come home

My song is love, is love unknown
And I've got to get that message home

#bookreview: Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space | Amanda Leduc

Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space by Amanda Leduc
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Everyone loves fairy tales. We've grown up longing for, and dreaming of, our own fairy tale endings. Some of us can and do end up getting some version of happily-ever-after, but Leduc asks a harder question: must fairy tales and happy endings be solely hinged on the magical healing of physical disability or disfigurement, of things that are ugly or broken being made pretty and whole again?

Why can't those who live with disabilities be happy and whole even if they never find a cure?

Throughout Disfigured, Leduc explores the history of fairy tales and their current manifestations, ranging from the earlier compilations by the Grimm brothers and Hans Christian Anderson's original tales, up to Disney retellings and modern superhero or fantasy stories as their new reiterations. She expounds on this in tandem with scrutinising her own lived experience of growing up with cerebral palsy, and how, whilst she loved fairy tales and their magical endings, it eventually seemed like they were not for her.

Because the magical happily ever after always involved a cure or a fix, one that she, and many like her, has not and will likely never receive.

...the focus of fairy tales...has always been on finding magical instruments, extraordinary technologies, or powerful people and animals that will enable protagonists to transform themselves along with their environment, making it more suitable for living in peace and contentment.

Leduc quotes fairy-tale scholar Jack Zipes, putting into focus why fairy tales resonate with so many--there's always that hope that something (God, the universe, karma, fairies) will happen to fix what's wrong and then we can go on to successful, fulfilling lives. In the past, fairy tales were a way to justify mysterious illnesses and wish for miraculous cures, things that science can now explain and medicine can help.

Why then, if technology and medicine, have opened new frontiers and magical possibilities for everyone, do our storytelling and narratives still imply that one needs to be "normal" and "healthy" to live a blessed, happy life?

Why do modern fairy tales still so often rely on the erasure of disability?

This is honestly something that I have never thought about. Who doesn't want limbs to regrow or cancer to disappear, the deaf to hear, the lame to walk, and the blind to see? It's what we are taught to pray for in church; it's this hope of the miraculous cure that fuels faith-healing rallies.

Just as media portrays people of colour as "odd and exotic" or just "wrong", it's not a huge leap to see that the media does this to the disabled as well. The evil witch is a hunched old crone with warts on her face, waving a cane; the villain is ugly or disfigured in some way. The quest is completed, or evil vanquished, when the Beast is transformed back into the handsome prince, or when the mermaid walks down the aisle with her brand new legs.

Disability is something I live with, not something I've vanquished as if it's a villain. The stories I now tell try to show this. The stories we all tell, now, should try to make space for this truth in some way.

Disfigured offers a dissection of the impact of familiar fairy tales on Leduc's own experiences and lays bare the insidious narrative that disability--or anything that makes us different--is a villain to be vanquished. As writers--and readers--we are often blinkered to the experiences of people who are not like us, people who are not able-bodied, and this shows in the stories we tell and the language we use; my first instinct was to say that we are "blind" to those experiences, but are we? Or do we just refuse to listen, refuse to try to understand?

Going back to faith-healing rallies, we want people to be healed, but what happens when they are not? What happens when the dreamed-of fairy tale ending is just another huge disappointment? In what ways do we, does society, change to allow them to live and thrive independently instead of just blaming them for their perceived "lack of faith"?

How should this be reflected in our stories and in our societies?

Society, we have seen, does not change in fairy tales. The transformation is individual, never systemic.

Just as stories shape society and society shapes stories, how disability is portrayed in fiction (whether fairy tale or not) is important. If fairy tale endings are about transformation and triumph, it can surely also show the transformation of society and the triumph of the disabled protagonist even if the disability never goes away.

I've shelved this under "Writing and Publishing" because it speaks a lot to my interest in writing new fairy tales (as well as retelling old ones), but really, it's a thought-provoking read for any fairy tale who is interested in understanding and unlearning the narratives around disability/difference that's coded in these beloved tales.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Coach House Books via Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Buy link: Amazon

#musicmonday: King of Majesty | Hillsong

Okay, so this song came up, and I was like, "I didn't know people still sang it."
And someone said, "Yea, all the kids think it's a new song. They don't know how to do the hey! hey! hey!"

... and then later, I'm thinking waitaminute... that version is the remake. THE ORIGINAL DOESN'T HAVE THAT.
This falls in the high school era, where I remember learning/introducing the song in the basement of Chong Nam Theatre.

#bookreview: Indigo Inquest | Azriel Johnson

Indigo Inquest by Azriel Johnson


Indigo Inquest, book 4 in the Dragon's Bane Series, follows the life of Plato Kingsley, a Drackne and key leader of the Humankin in Bellato. Whilst the book can be read as a standalone, it does get a little confusing at times, especially if you start with the last chapter of Book 3 that's included as a sort of prequel/prologue. I'd recommend skipping this chapter snippet until later if you're reading this as a standalone; it doesn't really add much to the narrative until you actually figure out what's happening in the rest of the book.

The timeline of the book covers about 50 years, jumping back and forth between the "current" events of 2001 and Kingsley's history from his youth in 1953. It's a simple narrative device: the past is told as a series of flashbacks as Kingsley tells his story to a reporter while on his final quest to confront his greatest enemy. I'm not entirely sure it works for me--because of the way it's structured, it feels as if there is entirely too much backstory, though the entirety of the book is ostensibly meant to be backstory. There are also sections of news-like reports, which serve as a sort of historical touchstone for this alternate earth timeline where Dragons have destroyed most of human civilisation. At least, I think that's why they're there.

Overall, whilst the book is entertaining enough, it suffers a little bit from poor execution. On the plus side, Johnson plays with mind reading, time travel, and mysterious god-like powers, which always makes for exciting plot twists! On the minus side, there's a slight clunkiness to the prose that makes it feel like a lot is being crammed into this one book, including unnecessary backstory as mentioned earlier, and the time jumps sometimes makes it hard to keep track of things. The motivations and actions of the characters are also obscure and underdeveloped, with some relationships that either don't make sense or don't seem to develop naturally.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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---

More about The Dragon's Bane series:

On August 8, 1956 there was a coal mine fire in Marcinelle, Belgium. At least, that's what Humanity was told.

The Dragon's Bane Series (Sunset Red | The Black God) follows an alternate timeline in the events of the war between Dragons and Humanity spanning much longer than anyone ever fathomed.

The main character in the series is John Ross Gerstung, grandson of the first Hell Bringer with whom he shares a name. The novels between his tales focus on prominent people in John Ross' life.

Indigo Inquest is the second of these novels.

---

Azriel Johnson is an inkspatter analyst by day and a serial writer by night.

Currently he can be found teaching English in China if you’re looking hard enough. 

Most side projects have taken a back seat to this new adventure, the card game is on hold, the other stories have been sidelined, but he will resume them once he gets into the flow

of life in Asia.

He still does yoga (sort of), and exercises almost daily (nightly), while exploring as much as he can and getting lost (but not too lost) in a “small” city of five million. He also is attempting to learn Chinese, but it is still poor. He admires his students for trying to learn English as he thinks speaking English is much more difficult than speaking Chinese, although the written characters trip him up. His goal is to be bi-lingual by the time he leaves, even if he is still functionally illiterate in Chinese.

#musicmonday: Wrap My Words Around You | Daniel Bedingfield

Blast from the past as I'm sorting through all the old CDs in my car.

#bookreview: The Last Mystic | Susan Kaye Quinn

The Last Mystic by Susan Kaye Quinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Okay, so I went back and read everything in the series ALL OVER AGAIN. I mean, The Illusory Prophet released in 2017, which is really long ago... and I really hate when authors take forever to finish a series, but this was... this was worth the wait, I think. Yes, definitely worth the wait. Though, technically you don't really need to do that. There's enough back info in this one to help you remember what happened in the previous three books (assuming you haven't completely wiped them from your mind).

---

The Last Mystic is not just about tech. It's not just about the mental arms race. It's really about cults and beliefs, ambition and humanity.

All the little hidden secrets come out in this one, all the pieces Quinn has been shuffling around, even in the various Stories of Singularity, and the payoff is like *BOOM* when you realise wait, this new character was that one from that short story, and wait, *THAT* happened because... oh! (Which probably sounds pretty cryptic, but well. No spoilers. Though really the blurb for this one is pretty spoilery for what happens in book 3 anyway.)

Elijah Brighton continues to struggle with the question that's been bugging them since The Legacy Human: do ascenders have souls?

Is there life after death? What does the afterlife look like? Elijah has never believed--and even after resurrecting from the dead, he's not quite sure he believes in God and the afterlife. It's all just the fugue. But the more he discovers about himself and the fugue--the more he grows into what he's created to be--the more complicated it gets. And with Hypatia-Diocles cult gaining power and trying to force the Second Singularity, he's out of time. The world is out of time

So he's left with the biggest question of all: how does he act as a bridge for all of humanity, whether legacy or ascender?

It's a brilliant, brilliant read. You should read it too.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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The Last Mystic just released this week!

#musicmonday: Movements | Rend Collective

#bookreview: On Far Malayan Shores | Tara Haigh

On Far Malayan Shores by Tara Haigh
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It's perhaps fitting that I read most of this on my flight home from London to Penang--it certainly increased my longing for home!

When Ella Kaltenbach's father dies, he reveals a long-kept secret--her adoption is not as straightforward as it appears, neither is the annual stipend he receives an inheritance from his late brother. Driven to discover the secret of her birth and her real family, Ella sets off on a long voyage to Malaya with her suitor, Rudolf, armed with only three facts: that the payments are being made from Penang; she was picked up from the port of Singapore in 1877; and the name Richard F.

I started reading this with a huge dose of skepticism. I mean, a German lady writing about the Malaya? HMMMM. Anyway, it had a bit of a slow start for me, probably because I don't often read in this genre; On Far Malayan Shores seemed to plod along at a slower pace compared to majority of the fantasy books I've been reading, especially in the beginning. The build-up is beautifully crafted though, and even though I hit the 75% mark going COME ON I CAN GUESS WHO HER PARENTS ARE, REVEAL IT ALREADY (and I was right), there's enough tension and intrigue for it to still be exciting.

On authenticity, I'm not from the early 1900s so I cannot comment on how historically accurate it is, but there's definitely a feel of old Malaysia, from eating with your hands, to having roti canai (though it was translated flatbread) and curry for breakfast, also the obligatory Chinese temple, Indian temple, and Malay mosque near each other.

The only puzzling part was the odd references that made it sound like Johor was part of Malacca? Since we're talking about British Straits Settlements, Johor should already be a separate state as there was a Johor Sultanate after the end of the Malaccan empire. Ok wait. When I search up instances of Malacca and Johore (as it's spelt) in the book, Haigh references Johore as a town/city in Malacca... which ultimately makes no sense.

"Most of the plantations are located in Malacca, on the Malay Peninsula. Mainly in the south, in a region called Johore, which is also under British control..."

("region" may be an accurate term, but...)

"...in the south of Malacca, most likely between Singapore and Johore..."

(err, which would mean the sea? lol)

"Ella was told that the journey to Johore was perfectly safe, since they only had to travel northwards across Singapore...before making a short ferry crossing to the south coast of Malacca."

I get the feeling that she means "Johore Bahru", as in the capital of Johor, but either way, the Johor-as-part-of-Malacca bit is wrong.

I feel like docking another star now for bad research lol. (See: Johor Sultanate)

Culturally though, nothing feels terribly off. Verdict, I guess, is to read it for the feels and oo Malaysia vibes but not for the geographical content.

Addendum: Tara notes on Goodreads that "I read a few British travel accounts from the 19th century. They referred to Malaysia (the entire peninsula including the sultanate of Johor) as Malacca. This is what I found on old maps of Farther India as well." Which is weird, and shows the flippancy the British have for their own colonial holdings.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Amazon Publishing UK via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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#musicmonday: The Pieces Don't Fit Anymore | James Morrison

It's time to surrender
It's been too long pretending
There's no use in trying
When the pieces don't fit anymore
The pieces don't fit here anymore

---

On returning to say goodbye.

#bookreview: Dear Author: Letters from a Bookish Fangirl | Laura A. Grace

Dear Author: Letters from a Bookish Fangirl by Laura A. Grace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you've ever had a down day, wondering whether anything you've ever written is worth the paper it's printed on (or the screen it's... pixeled on...?), Laura's "Dear Author" is sure to put a smile on your face--or some tears on your cheeks.

Accompanied by extremely cute illustrations, this book is a welcome pick-me-up for beleaguered authors everywhere.


Note: I received an e-ARC of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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JOIN THE SQUEE PARTY HERE! (Also known as the release day post)

BUY A COPY for the authors in your life! (Or for yourself.)

#guestpost: 5 Exercises to Help You Craft Compelling Fictional Characters

It can be difficult to create a believable and relatable character, but I have a few tips and tricks that you can use to help you create a unique and memorable character.

1. Make a mini-biography

The easiest way to create a compelling fictional character is to match their life details. Whether it's fantasy adventure or teen fiction books for girls, if you've noticed in literary works, the main characters are well established with small nuances that make them more credible. To do this, you will have to write for each character a kind of biography. You don't have to say their life; it's enough to have a clear cheat sheet of the character's major points. You can add more detail to the character sheet as you progress in writing the story or use it as a guide.

2. Do an interview

This is a fun exercise that you can do to help you create a concrete and engaging character. You can reconstruct your character's interview, ask them big and small questions, and answer them in a way that the character might. What would help if you were to list your questions, about 10 or 15 so that you would be better prepared to answer them?

You can ask questions such as: 

• What's your happiest memory?
• What's the place you'd most like to visit?
• What are your life's greatest regrets?
• What's a hobby that you really like to try?

To help determine the personality of the character, you can mix general questions with very specific ones. Also, you can include questions that will help you imagine the plot of the story you write.

3. Dating profile

There may seem to be a little bit of this tip, but hear me out. If you've ever tried to create a dating profile for yourself or a friend, you'll know that creating one that's respectable and appealing requires a lot of introspection and self-analysis. So why not apply the technique to your story to create a character? There are many dating sites that you can use as a reference. Make sure you include any information that is included in your profile by a real person. Start with basics such as age, place, occupation, and definition of physics. Then you can also create a short bio about the character you are looking for and the type of partner.

4. Character speech

Writing a talk is a great way to find the voice of your character. Knowing their tone, their inflection, or even their specific use of words. It will bring a more thorough and vibrant personality to your character. When you're writing fiction, say girls' teen fiction books, each character needs a compelling backstory and a unique voice tone that translates into words. Remember the character and what they'd be talking about. The educated character may speak differently from a little educated character. The adult will also have a voice distinct from a child's sound. Sometimes, remember where the characters come from and the accent they could use. For example, London accents are different from a New York accent.

5. Do the unexpected

Human beings are very resistant to change—something Big and unique must happen to them for a character to experience a personal journey that fundamentally changes them. This incident does not have to be in your story, but once you can recognize the shortcomings of your character you can decide what changes are required in the structure of your character.

At the end of A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is a miser. Even for his poor policeman, Bob Cratchit, who can hardly feed his own children, he is isolated from those around him and lacks empathy. Scrooge, however, has been resurrected as an animated character at the end of the novel. What was the incident in his life that inspired the whole eighty? The experience of past, present and future dreams and the first-hand knowledge of how not only his actions influenced him negatively, but also his own personality.

Wrapping It Up

Even the quickest, action-driven novels need to attract readers with compelling characters. Of course, if the writers do not understand fully who they are and what drives them first, readers will never get to know a character.

The character creation exercises are a good way to better understand the person you build with stylus and paper (or more likely "fingers and keyboards"). You can also build tools you can draw from during the process of writing.

Only after you have gained a thorough knowledge of your protagonist will there shine a robust, realistic character. In the field of reading, however, there is confusion about what knowledge a writer knows about a character is important or does not apply. While we agree that a writer probably does not need it, we feel you can never know enough about your character, too. We know the number of hairs on his head. What is important is to decide the knowledge that is important to your current story.

“Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations," Ray Bradbury wrote at Zen in the art of writing.

Author Bio:

Eliza Brooks is a passionate blogger who loves to write about travel, books, personality development, lifestyle, productivity, and more. She spends her spare time hiking, camping and reading adventure, fantasy, mystery stories, and young adult fiction books. Everything she talks about ends in books.

#bookreview: Tess of the Road | Rachel Hartman

Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This took me a very, very long time to get into and I nearly stopped reading at about the 30% mark. Actually, I did stop reading and then go on to read other more exciting things, and then I ran out of books in my luggage except for one I didn't really want to read, so I went back to this one and then I finished it off and it wasn't so bad.

...I think it was just a matter of the wrong book at the wrong time. It deals with weighty, important matters, like how your past shouldn't define your future, and rape and coercion, and the fact that we are always forgiving of dashing young pirates, if they are male, but not confused young maidens who are no longer virgins.

This makes it a very hard, but impactful, book to read--and maybe even a little troublesome, especially if you're one to always defend the Church and its preachers. Well, it's obvious it isn't the Church, but it is, isn't it?

I received a copy of the book via NetGalley as part of the Hugo voting packet.

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#bookreview: Harvest & Resistance - Stories of Singularity | Susan Kaye Quinn

Quinn is back with more Stories of Singularity! While I'm waiting for that final novel to drop, here are the last two short stories she's sent out.

Harvest by Susan Kaye Quinn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This one didn't capture me as much as the rest of Quinn's Singularity stories normally do.
It's probably because I struggle with reading from the perspective of a machine. It's still a nice, short story with a robot that has learnt to care about legacy humans... I mean, malfunctioned.

Résistance by Susan Kaye Quinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you've always wondered about Kamali's past, here's the short story (novelette?) that will answer your questions. In Resistance, Quinn delves into Kamali's bitterness and the reason why she keeps defying the ascender, and explores the dynamics at play around her recruitment into the Resistance.

It's a perfect short read that eases you back into the world of the Singularity.

I received complimentary copies from the author. Opinions expressed in these reviews are completely my own.

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#coverreveal: Dear Author: Letters from a Bookish Fangirl | Laura A. Grace

Dear Author: Letters from a Bookish Fangirl 

Laura A. Grace 

Genres: Self-Help, Motivational 

Publication date: December 3, 2019

About the Book

Think your words might not matter? Think again.

Words have the power to change lives, especially when they are used to create meaningful stories. In this collection of letters, bookish fangirl Laura A. Grace addresses topics related to every writer’s journey. From “character conversations,” to embracing one’s unique writing style, to celebrating a release day—there is a letter for every author no matter where they may be in sharing their story with others.

“Dear Author” includes six illustrations by Hannah S.J. Williams.

Signed Paperback — Amazon — Barnes & Noble — Book Depository (Coming soon!) Pre-Order Goodies Form

About the Author

Laura A. Grace had a lifelong dream of getting to know authors behind the covers of her favorite reads. Little did she know that one day she would become an author too! Now an avid book blogger at Unicorn Quester and writer of clean, Christian manga, Laura creatively balances her passions of supporting indie authors and feeding her readers new stories. In between, she wields plastic lightsabers with her children and binge-watches anime with her husband. Join her quest to find wandering unicorns for your favorite authors at unicornquester.com!

Website — Newsletter — Facebook — Twitter — Instagram — YouTube

#bookreview: Deeplight | Frances Hardinge

Deeplight by Frances Hardinge
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I WOULD HAVE READ IT FASTER IF I WAS NOT TRAVELLING.

...which is a strange way to start a review, but it's truth. Deeplight is one of those books that demands you devour it in one, or at the most two, sitting and I feel that I have done it a disservice by reading it so slowly. lol.

In premise, at least, Deeplight pings a little bit of Pratchett's Nation--the gods are dead, what do humans do now? Well, the humans in Hardinge's island chain of Myriad are making profits out of it by diving into the seas and collecting godware for sale. What Hark does best is tell stories, a skill that often helps get him out of trouble--and scam continental tourists for easy money. When a job goes wrong, Hark's life changes in many ways, and not always for the better.

Deeplight feels in many ways like an exploration of the various friendships that a troubled young person may have in their life and how it impacts them. There's Quest, the ex-priest, who trades stories for stories in a bid to understand Hark and offer advice. There's Kly, the Sanctuary supervisor, who has a soft spot for Hark and offers him leeway and understanding even when he messes up. There's also Dr Vyne, the one who bought his indenture, who offers him a second chance and a brand of tough love that keeps Hark on the safe and narrow--for now.

And then there's Jelt. The childhood friend and protector who has saved him many times--from the exact same trouble he caused. Hark's friendship with Jelt is a clear case of abuse and gaslighting. It sat uncomfortably with me in the beginning, seeing the way Hark question his own decisions and push aside his worries just because he feels like he owes Jelt something, that Jelt--being bigger, stronger, better--may be right about his cowardice and disloyalty. I wanted him to break away from Jelt, to stay clear of that obviously toxic relationship, but in a novel, things have to happen so again and again, Hark gets sucked into Jelt's downward spiral, drowning in deeper and deeper waters even as he tries to stay clear of the heavy hand of the law.

But Hark has resilience and Hark also has good, wise friends in Quest and Kly and Selphin who together try to save the world from ending.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Pan Macmillan via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

View all my reviews

A Kind of Death: Tales of Love, Loss, and Transformation releases today!

People, people!

A Kind of Death: Tales of Love, Loss and Transformation releases today! 

Which means you can finally read my new short story, Takpe. If you've already preordered a kindle copy, it should be dropping into your kindle soon. If not... what are you waiting for? Go get your copy now!

Amazon | Other Major Online Retailers | Paperback | Hardback

A princess who makes dangerous bargains with the afterlife. A man desperate to save his wife, no matter the cost. An uber driver for the undead.
Death, whether real or metaphorical, comes for us all. Yet it is not always the end. And in the depths of grieving can be the promise of hope and redemption.

The tales and poems in this anthology explore the depths of love, loss, and transformation. Whether in a reimagined folktale or a modern urban fantasy, A Kind of Death features a fine balance of tragedy and comedy, but always with a hint of wonder and hope.

As this anthology concerns matters of loss (all handled tastefully and without graphic depiction), certain stories might prove challenging for sensitive readers. Recommend reading with a hot beverage and/or a packet of tissues.

Amazon | Other Major Online Retailers | Paperback | Hardback

Uncommon Universes Press is a traditional publishing company featuring fresh science fiction and fantasy stories with wonder, adventure, and sacrifice. Check out the links below to learn more!

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

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#fridayflash: A preview of Takpe from A Kind of Death

There is a nail in the back of Nur’s neck. She doesn’t know why.

She doesn’t think about it often, though sometimes when she bathes, her fingers touch it and she shudders. She doesn’t pull it out; she can’t, she’s not allowed to. Her husband Bakri doesn’t talk about it, changing the topic whenever she brings it up. She doesn’t anymore.

She wants to please him.

No one else she knows has a nail there. She’d seen a girl before, on that one trip to Kuala Lumpur for her daughter, Alia’s, medical check-up, a mat salleh with short purple hair and two little metal balls at the nape of her neck. The mat salleh had a lot of other metal pieces all over her body, so Nur doesn’t think it’s the same. Nur has looked carefully at all the other women in her kampung, her village. Most of them keep their hair in buns, under scarves, out of their faces. She leaves hers down, black and silky, reaching to the curve of her back. Bakri doesn’t like her to cut it, so she doesn’t.

Bakri comes in the front door, kicking off his shoes, and stooping to scoop Alia up. “And how has my little Alia been all day?”

Alia wiggles and squeals as he tosses her up in the air. For a brief moment, her fine, wavy hair circles her round face like a halo, then flops down, tussled bangs across her forehead, fluffed up around the back of her head like a little button mushroom.

Bakri winces as Alia tugs at his goatee, catches the small hand to still its grasping. His smile is wide and generous, filling out the sharp contours of his sun-darkened face.

Nur smiles, getting up from the couch. “Her birthday is coming up next week, abang. What do you want to do?”

“Ooo, my little Alia is going to be one, huh?” Bakri perches the little girl on his hip as he steps closer to Nur into the living room. Three steps to the right, and he would bump into their dining table. She’s not sure why she keeps this distinction in her mind when it’s all one cosy room. She lifts his leathery hand to her forehead, brings it to her lips.

He is all that fills her soul.

When he pulls away, she notices the sadness in his dark brown eyes he always gets when looking at her. Why, she wants to ask, but doesn’t. He never tells her, only shakes his head, saying takpe. It’s nothing.

“Should we have a party, abang? Invite the everyone from the kampung?” she asks. Birthdays are meant to be village-wide celebrations, a matter of pride—she knows this much. He keeps apart for her sake, but for this, for Alia, maybe he would want to do it right.

“Let’s keep it small, eh, Nur? No need to call everyone.”

She nods, making a mental list of their close friends. The neighbors on their left, Pak Ali and his wife Timah, but not the ones on the right; they don’t like Nur. The Penghulu, definitely—the village chief would feel slighted if he and his family weren’t invited. The two little girls Alia plays with and their families…

“Nur, is dinner ready?” Bakri asks, pulling her out of her thoughts.

“Ya, abang. Sorry!” She puts her thoughts aside and heads into the kitchen. Everything is prepared. She left them in the pots to keep warm and all she needs to do now is serve them.

Tonight, there is kari ikan, with more ladyfingers than fish, and nasi putih, the rice steamed and fluffy. Nur wishes there were more dishes, but it’s all they can afford. If they slaughter a chicken, tomorrow they might have meat, but then what would they do for eggs in the future? The banana trees in the back make up for it. She finds them comforting. Alia loves them as a snack, whether fresh or fried in batter. Bakri—he turns away from the fruit, looking sick. Although she remembers, somehow, that he used to love pisang goreng, loved it fresh and dripping with oil, the batter they’d been dipped in a recipe handed down from her grandmother. She remembers that, although she cannot remember anything else, not since the incident.

“What’s wrong, sayang?” Bakri stops eating, fingers smeared with curry.

She shakes her head. “Takpe.”

The phrase passes between them so often it too means nothing: Takpe. Takde ape-pe. Doesn’t matter. It’s nothing. Never mind. It’s fine.
They talk about birthday parties instead.

---

Amazon | Other Major Online Retailers | Paperback Preorder | Hardback Preorder

Note: paperback and hardback preorders will receive exclusive A Kind of Death swag!

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Request an ARC for A Kind of Death

Earlier this month, I mentioned that I have a new story releasing that you can preorder. Well, if you can't wait, you can sign up for an ARC from Uncommon Universes Press right now. Just fill in this form!

Amazon | Other Major Online Retailers | Paperback Preorder | Hardback Preorder

Note: paperback and hardback preorders will receive exclusive A Kind of Death swag!

#BookReview: You Beneath Your Skin | Damyanti Biswas

You Beneath Your Skin by Damyanti Biswas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

You Beneath Your Skin is a chilling debut by Damyanti Biswas--a psychological thriller that delves deep into dysfunctional families, broken relationships, drug abuse, and violence, all wrapped up in an unpresuming police procedural set in Delhi. There's also the relentless Delhi politics that keeps Jatin Bhatt in a loveless marriage, receiving dirty money and participating in cover-ups for minister's, whilst staying friendly with the Union Home Secretary and his powerful family, so that he can keep Commissioner Mehra, his father-in-law and boss, happy in hopes that he will be able to succeed him as Delhi's Chief of Police. If that's not enough, Damyanti throws into the mix complications from Anjali's son's autism, ramping up the tension, especially with the hide and seek that she plays with the truth.

The heart of this story, though, isn't the politics or the crime or the misadventures in love, though all these provide an entertaining though heart wrenching background. It's the poor women trapped in poverty who are subjected to one of the most cruel and debilitating attacks of all--acid attacks. Damyanti brings sympathy to the women caught in this plight through no fault of their own. The fault lies squarely with the men who hold women's lives to no value. In that aspect, this novel is a little sordid--there's no escaping the dirt and squalor, or the horrible crimes of rape and mutilation in this novel.

I love Damyanti's code switching, the way she brings out the different accents of her characters in their Indian English alongside their use of Hindi phrases. I tend to skim over the longer phrases (some of which may or may not be Urdu poetry?), but I'm sure those who speak Hindi and Urdu would appreciate it. She deftly includes translations, and the repetition of certain key phrases is also very helpful.

All in all, You Beneath Your Skin is a thrilling read, full of surprising twists and turns.

You Beneath Your Skin released last week. Get your copy from Amazon today!

#bookreview: Heroes of the Realm

Heroes of the Realm by Danielle Ackley-McPhail
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I backed this one on kickstarter!

Heroes of the Realm is a collection of short stories based on the theme of... heroes! As usual, with anthologies, there's a mixed bag of stuff in here.

Ashling and the Little People (Kathy Tyers) -- This is an interesting twist on Irish legends and how Christianity pushed out the local beliefs and superstitions of the area. 4/5 stars

The Tea Dragon (L. Jagi Lamplighter) -- Obviously my favourite! It has tea. And dragons. The scoundrel (more like dandy) has a change of heart which seems somewhat a little too sudden, but tea and dragons make up for everything. Almost. 5/5 stars!

The Fire Proof Man is Dead (James Chambers) -- Magic or science? There's some detective work going on here when super heroes end up stealing stuff before turning up dead. It's okay. 3/5 stars

The Garrison Holds (Steve Rzasa) -- Somewhat superman like, Tobias is tempted to use his powers the same way the enemy does, even if that goes against the principles he's supposed to be upholding. 3/5 stars

Where Monsters Wait (Gabrielle Pollack) -- The monsters aren't real, are they? Lyric has to decide if she believe the mad man or if she's willing to let her village be destroyed. 4/5 stars

Will o The Wisps (Wayne Thomas Batson) -- Another one of my favourites! Stoker Graves is crazy about ghosts--he's excited to go to a camp where Will o the Wisps have been said to kill people, but when it starts to come true, will he have the bravery to face them? 5/5 stars

The Devil in the Details (Danielle Ackley-McPhail) -- I can't quite decide about this one. I liked it but it didn't quite stick in my memory. I also didn't quite get what the mom was supposed to be. 3.5 stars maybe

Glint Starcrost and the Ice Prison (Paul Regnier) -- Dashing rogue in mortal peril? Attempting to save the woman in the midst of the jailbreak? I probably shouldn't like this as much as I did. 4/5 stars

Hard s Watcher (Kerry Nietz) -- I liked the twist in this one. I was expecting it to be something super creepy at first. 4/5 stars

The Librarian Who Would be King (Teisha Priest) - Nothing super new with this one, but I liked it all the same. My soft heart always goes out to the wronged/framed person being saved at the last minute. And then selflessly saving other people on the way. 5/5 stars

The Brick (Jeffrey Lyman) -- mmmm This was a bit too space sci-fi for me. 3/5 stars

All in all, a nice read.

View all my reviews

Introducing... #YouBeneathYourSkin by @damyantig @SimonandSchusterIN

Today I have the honour and privilege of introducing Damyanti Biswas' new book, You Beneath Your Skin!

Damyanti has been a great writer friend ever since I started talking about this writing thing online, so I'm really excited that her book is hitting the shelves today!

---

You Beneath Your Skin is a crime novel about the investigation of an acid attack on a woman from Delhi’s upper class, set against the backdrop of crimes against underprivileged women. They are assaulted, disfigured with acid, and murdered.

While the framework is that of a thriller, the novel threads together different narrative strands. The author tackles various social issues: crimes against women and why they occur, the nexus between political corruption, police and big money; the abuse of the underprivileged, be it adults or children.

Of these the issue of crimes against women is the strongest—why do men attack women? Why do they gang together? What happens when a woman tries to break the glass ceiling? Can toxic masculinity masquerade as benevolent patriarchy?

Parents would also find this novel fascinating: how do you bring up a good human being in today’s troubled times? How much do you know of your teenager’s life? If you’re the parent of a special child, what challenges do you face and what sort of support can you expect?

It is a whodunnit, but also a whydunnit, because violent crime unravels those affected: the people, the relationships, the very fabric of society, and we get a glimpse of what lies beneath. That’s why the title, You Beneath Your Skin.

The narrative of the book was researched and shaped during the author’s work with Project WHY, and some of the experiences generously shared by acid attack survivors from the non-profit Stop Acid Attacks. To return this debt of gratitude, all author proceeds from the book will go to these two non-profits.

---

Damyanti Biswas lives in Singapore, and works with Delhi's underprivileged children as part of Project Why, a charity that promotes education and social enhancement in underprivileged communities. Her short stories have been published in magazines in the US, UK, and Asia, and she helps edit the Forge Literary Magazine. You can find her on her blog and twitter.

All the author proceeds will go to Project WHY and Stop Acid Attacks.

Get a copy now: India | Outside India

Here's a preview of Chapter One!

Preorder A Kind of Death!

Okay, so this has been kind of under wraps for a while, but preorders are now up so...

A princess who makes dangerous bargains with the afterlife. A man desperate to save his wife, no matter the cost. An uber driver for the undead.

Death, whether real or metaphorical, comes for us all. Yet it is not always the end. And in the depths of grieving can be the promise of hope and redemption.

The tales and poems in this anthology explore the depths of love, loss, and transformation. Whether in a reimagined folktale or a modern urban fantasy, A Kind of Death features a fine balance of tragedy and comedy, but always with a hint of wonder and hope.

As this anthology concerns matters of loss (all handled tastefully and without graphic depiction), certain stories might prove challenging for sensitive readers. Recommend reading with a hot beverage and/or a packet of tissues.

---

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2lCrWyO
Other Major Online Retailers: https://books2read.com/u/meB9Yg

Paperback Preorder: https://uncommonuniverses.com/product/a-kind-of-death-a-short-story-and-poetry-anthology-paperback/
Hardback Preorder: https://uncommonuniverses.com/product/a-kind-of-death-a-short-story-and-poetry-anthology-hardcover/

Note: paperback and hardback preorders will receive exclusive A Kind of Death swag!

---

Uncommon Universes Press is a traditional publishing company featuring fresh science fiction and fantasy stories with wonder, adventure, and sacrifice. Check out the links below to learn more!

Website:https://uncommonuniverses.com/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/uncommonuniverses/

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/uncommonuniversespress/

Twitter:https://twitter.com/uncommonunivers

#bookreview: The Resurrectionist of Caligo | Wendy Trimboli & Alicia Zaloga

The Resurrectionist of Caligo by Wendy Trimboli
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Roger Weathersby is a Man of Science in a land ruled by magic--it's magic that lends legitimacy to the throne, passed down through the royal blood. He's skeptical about it, the way the royals are worshipped and deified, but when Roger is framed for murder, magic might be the only thing that can save him.

The Resurrectionist of Caligo delves into the slightly macabre, with Roger digging up dead bodies for a living, throwing us back into that bygone era were doctors were still learning about the human body. And of course, there's the murders--not just one, but the serial murders that Roger is framed for.

I picked up an advanced proof copy of this from the Angry Robot Books booth during Worldcon, so had no clue what I was getting into. This book surprised me from the very start!

The story is straight forward, barring a few surprising twists, and told in the third person from Roger and Sibylla's POVs. I appreciated this very much because Roger comes very close to being Too Stupid To Live at times. The distance afforded by the third person POV, less angst and more humour, plus the (mostly) altruistic motives, saved me from getting too annoyed. (I did think will you just shut up now, you're being an idiot a few times.)

But as I mentioned, the humour! This is the type of writing that I enjoy: snark and dry wit. I found myself laughing to myself quite a lot. I also do like the star-crossed lover scenario, made even better by the fact that it's not a new love, but a failed entanglement that is still getting in the way of them moving on.

There are some niggling "but why..." questions, but nothing that really detracts from the enjoyment of the story. Overall, a fun read!

View all my reviews

#bookreview: Kingdom of Souls | Rena Barron

Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

All Arrah wants is to have just a little magic. The way her parents have it, the way her Grandmother, the great Aatiri chieftain, wields it and sees visions of the future. But she doesn't, and when children start disappearing in Tarah, Arrah does the forbidden: exchanges years of her life for the taste of magic.

Kingdom of Souls is involved and complex. Gods walk the earth, the Demon King is manipulating humans for his freedom, and Arrah is caught in between, powerless. It's beautifully crafted, bringing you into a world of witch doctors and magic, an eternal battle of good vs evil--except who is good and who is evil? Barron turns your expectations upside down, creating a pantheon of gods who are both good and evil, powerful yet fallible. After all, they created this mess. Now they need to fix it.

Arrah is a compelling character--as she needs to be as the voice of this novel. It's fascinating to sink into her view of the world, the outsider always wanting to fit in, the outcast desiring the one thing that would finally make her accepted by her society. It's made even stronger as her most precious relationships are tested and tried, exploring the question, what is love? Does her mother love her even in the midst of her frigid nature and her pursuit of revenge? Can Rudjek really love her in the face of the opposition of both their families?

The gods come into it here and there, with brief interlude chapters that sound like monologues. It's a little jarring, but does give some context to everything that is taking place.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harper Voyager via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Kingdom of Souls releases on 19 Sept 19.

Of Endings and Goodbyes

There’s always a sense of leaving.

Today I sit on the 607 to White City, to what may be my last Ealing write-in. I usually read on the bus, but today I watch the scenery and feel a sense of... nostalgia? A sense of saying goodbye? It doesn't make sense. It’s only been a year.

Not long enough to set down roots. Not long enough to belong. Not really.

But there is a sadness in saying goodbye. I’m maudlin. I don’t leave the UK until mid-December but I am moving away from this neighbourhood in West London down to the south.

Spotify croons You’re not finished yet. You’re not finished yet.

I’m not. I have an essay to hand in that I’m procrastinating on because of this finality.

These are neighbourhoods I’ve never explored, but have always thought one day, one day I’ll get off this bus at a random spot in between and I’ll see what you have to offer. 

I never have. Now I never will. They’re just shops. A suburb. I don’t do this back home. Maybe I should.

I take photos. It’s a beautiful day. I want to remember this place. It has been good to me.

You have been good to me.

~

I don’t write at the write-in today. I read and reread my essay, tweaking it to sound a little bit more academic, a little less like an irreverent Terry Pratchett-esque commentary. Deleting my snarky footnotes does the trick.

The discussion revolves around reasons to punch a priest and the differences between the Catholic Church and the Church of England. We should read more Austen to figure out what a parish is, one says.

I order the cream tea, telling myself it’s not the last cream tea I’ll have in England. I have another three months, more than enough time for tea and scones. I finish editing the essay, leaving only the references to be formatted. I have been putting off formatting the references for half a week now. What's another few hours?

I am restless. I'm always restless.



I leave early, at half-past four, to make it in time for church.

The Piccadilly is shakier than usual. I hate the Piccadilly line but the Metropolitan doesn’t serve Ealing. There doesn’t seem to be a direct train to Uxbridge coming anytime soon, so I take the Piccadilly to Rayners Lane and change to the Metropolitan there.

~

Church is a series of telling people that I'm done, I'm almost done, I'm leaving soon. I have plans, I don't know what my plans are, I'm working on plans. I hope to tour Europe before I go, I don't know if I will see you again.

It's a rash of goodbyes, some I take care to tell that it may be my last service, it will be my last evening service. Next week, my halls will kick me out at ten in the morning, so I'll have to wake up for the morning service. We have a life group BBQ after that, and then I'll be gone.

We have dinner.

I walk home in the gathering dark. It's getting dark earlier, there's a chill in the air. I've gone from complaining about the stifling heat to thinking I should close one of my windows. It's not that cold yet, 3/4 of my windows stay open. I don't use my scarf, though I brought it out.

I fix my references.

Submit my essay.

I'm done.

~ 

There's always a sense of leaving; all things come to an end.

You make all things new.

#Dublin2019 #AnIrishWorldCon in tweet threads

I was looking up my own notes for the panels I attended at Worldcon 2019, so here's a listing of the threads I made. Also so I can find it later on. lol. I dunno how this embedding thing works, I'm assuming you can click it to open the full thread.

We'll see.

Insanely popular Dragons, wyrms, and serpents panel. #Dublin2019 #AnIrishWorldcon

Marie Brennan, Karen Simpson Nikakis, Aliette de Bodard, Naomi Novik, Joey Yu pic.twitter.com/pvesGD15z4

— Anna Tan (@natzers) August 19, 2019

No lines this morning. Everyone must be hungover after the Hugo’s. 😂

Bigotry is not allegorical: strategies for reading and writing—Jacq Applebee, Cadwell Turnbull, Dr Liz Bourke, Dr J.S. Field#Dublin2019 #AnIrishWorldcon pic.twitter.com/44AgyTUrX6

— Anna Tan (@natzers) August 19, 2019

Now at Alienised Identities!

Cadwell Turnbull, Kat Tanaka Okopnik, Stewart Hotston, Jacq Applebee, Alexander Hong#dublin2019 #AnIrishWorldcon pic.twitter.com/Uz6RlUwI2P

— Anna Tan (@natzers) August 18, 2019

Still trying to get into the room for national identity. pic.twitter.com/jkGkCCklMz

— Anna Tan (@natzers) August 18, 2019

Magical world building! With Christopher Husberg, Zen Cho, Diane Duane and Justin Call#Dublin2019 #AnIrishWorldcon pic.twitter.com/k8D94gtEsC

— Anna Tan (@natzers) August 18, 2019

Lack of tech progress in fantasy.
Renee Sieber, Juliet E McKenna, J.S. Meresmaa, Ian R. MacLeod #Dublin2019 #AnIrishWorldcon pic.twitter.com/Ciw0pP4i4R

— Anna Tan (@natzers) August 18, 2019

Urban fantasy from the margins. Found it because of Claire Light, but it sounds fascinating #dublin2019 #AnIrishWorldcon pic.twitter.com/E7Cnb6IqBA

— Anna Tan (@natzers) August 17, 2019

More editor stuff wheeee

Michael Rowley, Eleanor Teasdale, Ginjer Buchanan, David Thomas Moore, John R. Douglas #Dublin2019 #AnIrishWorldcon pic.twitter.com/omjthFEF2o

— Anna Tan (@natzers) August 17, 2019

Hokay! Mythological science fiction.

Tony Keen, Diedre M Murphy, Dyrk Ashton, Vida Cruz#dublin2019 #AnIrishWorldcon pic.twitter.com/Kq0j0IQ1Al

— Anna Tan (@natzers) August 17, 2019

Re-imagining national epics! Obviously a new trend for today.

Meg MacDonald, Shweta Adhyam, Jo Walton, Stephan Grundy #Dublin2019 #AnIrishWorldcon pic.twitter.com/DfFFC88QWC

— Anna Tan (@natzers) August 17, 2019

Queuing for the first thing, cos relevant: crafting a fantasy novel from mythology #Dublin2019 #anirishworldcon pic.twitter.com/0wKuHINe0X

— Anna Tan (@natzers) August 17, 2019

In line with today’s apparent trend, Writing outside western expectations. #Dublin2019 #dublinworldcon2019 #AnIrishWorldcon pic.twitter.com/9mg2g2Haph

— Anna Tan (@natzers) August 16, 2019

Post-colonial stuff again! #Dublin2019 #AnIrishWorldcon pic.twitter.com/d9OZOZe3lK

— Anna Tan (@natzers) August 16, 2019

How to create anthologies. Cos our last one was..... eh could’ve been better. #dublin2019 #AnIrishWorldcon pic.twitter.com/gEfxPVwGoF

— Anna Tan (@natzers) August 16, 2019

Cultural appropriation. #Dublin2019 #AnIrishWorldcon pic.twitter.com/LdDRT7gwUJ

— Anna Tan (@natzers) August 16, 2019

Running a magazine. Because maybe NutMag can be something bigger. #dublin2019 #AnIrishWorldcon pic.twitter.com/4W1g9fo9X4

— Anna Tan (@natzers) August 16, 2019

First panel for the day! Writing beyond king and colony. #dublin2019 #anirishworldcon pic.twitter.com/LluEjSGZ8A

— Anna Tan (@natzers) August 16, 2019

Is literary escapism good for kids? I dunno I’m sort of fine? Lol. Let’s see what they say. #dublin2019 #anirishworldcon pic.twitter.com/2C01mrc7Eo

— Anna Tan (@natzers) August 15, 2019

Alrighty. First panel for today, featuring Tasha Suri, Vida Cruz and Yasser Bahjatt. #dublin2019 #anirishworldcon pic.twitter.com/4EFA0a9SNC

— Anna Tan (@natzers) August 15, 2019

Why did I attend so many panels. hahaha.