Rachael Arsenault's Blog - Posts Tagged "reading-recommendations"
December Wrap-Up
Somehow, we managed to make it to the end of 2020. I don’t think I’m alone in saying it felt like this year would never end.
December was a quieter month than usual this year, but it still managed to be hectic nonetheless – getting stuff ready for the arrival of my baby, signing paperwork to officially tie the knot with my husband, navigating Christmas when I can’t travel to visit any of my family, etc. But it all turned out for the best! That being said, I’m more than ready to move on to a new (and hopefully better) year.
What I’ve Enjoyed
Books
Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins II #2 by Matthew Mercer, Jody Houser, Olivia Samson, MSASSYK
One of my current favourite shows is Critical Role, so I am more than happy to consume these narratives in new mediums. The comics thus far do such an awesome job at capturing the characters of Vox Machina and their dynamics with each other, and I loved finally getting to meet Pike and Percy. Makes me wanna rewatch Campaign One!
Critical Role: The Chronicles of Exandria The Mighty Nein by Critical Role and Dark Horse Books
I guess I’ve been on a bit of a Critical Role kick this month. Well, no, let’s be honest: I’m always on a Critical Role kick. In any case, this book is GORGEOUS. Not only is all the art featured incredible, but I loved looking back on the Mighty Nein’s journey through this lens – the idea of framing the narrative through collected notes of Beauregard and other archivists is really fun and interesting. Hoping to see another edition of this capturing later events of the campaign sometime.
Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card, Vol. 7 and Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card, Vol. 8 by CLAMP
While certainly not as nostalgic as going through the omnibus collection of the original manga, I’m enjoying this series nonetheless. It’s a quick read, and I’m intrigued by the new magic and how the plot is unfolding. Plus, even when things are serious, I always find CCS has a delightfully lighthearted, optimistic slant to it.
Articles
Researchers “Translate” Bat Talk. Turns Out, They Argue – A Lot
I don’t care what anyone says, bats are super cute. Also apparently much smarter than we previously thought, since their communication turns out to be super nuanced and individualized rather than broadly group based. Neat!
Why Detroit Residents Pushed Back Against Tree-Planting
A super insightful piece about the importance of community outreach and involvement in decision-making, no matter how beneficial a planned initiative might be. This quote puts it best: “However, environmental justice is not just about the distribution of bad stuff, like pollution, or good stuff, like forestry projects across disadvantaged communities. It’s also about the distribution of power among communities that have historically only been the subjects and experiments of power structures.”
What I’ve Created
Articles
How to Slow Down and Write the Quiet Moments in Your Novel
Just a quick bit of writing advice for anyone struggling to slow down their novel – or for underwriters! I really like putting these pieces together. It helps me think critically about my own writing and the techniques and strategies I use, while also helping other writers improve on their work.
7 Ways to Feel The Christmas Spirit When You Can’t Be With Family
I know I’m not the only person whose Christmas looked a lot different this year. It was the first time I spent the holidays away from my parents, and I definitely missed seeing my family – but I did my best to find ways to bring some Christmas traditions and Christmas joy into these much quieter, smaller celebrations with my husband. With that in mind, I wrote this piece to share some suggestions on how you can do the same.
What to Know Before You Publish Your First Short Story
All publishing can be daunting, and short stories are no exception. So I put together some advice to help guide people trying this out for the first time.
Other
2020 Reflections / 2021 Resolutions
I uploaded this blog post earlier in the month, but I thought it was worth sharing here, too. 2020 was a hard year, and I think it’s easy to get disheartened looking back on all the goals and plans we made that never came to fruition. However, I’m trying not to be down on myself – it was a wild year, and not one we could easily predict or prepare for – so I count any accomplishment as significant at this point. So if you’re looking for that kind of reflective positivity, please give this a read!
And that's that. It was a busy month, a weird year, and I'm ready to see what 2021 brings.
June Wrap-Up: Zombie Girl Gangs, Understanding Polyamory, and Excessive Teleportation
This month was full of a lot of really awesome reads – and, fittingly for Pride, a lot of queer ones! I got to read one of my most anticipated releases, a book I had been sleeping on for far too long, and a ton of articles celebrating queer people and their talents.
What I’ve Enjoyed
Books
The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
I’ve loved every John Green book I’ve read, but this one was uniquely wonderful. I loved how he challenged the idea of where a book starts and ends by rating the structure of the book as well, every review was full of wit and insight and emotional depth, and the whole experience was unlike anything I’ve ever read before.
Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson
I loved this book a lot more than I expected – I thought I would give it three stars, but it turned into a five-star read. It’s fun and light while also being creepy and weird, and those twists? Perfection.
Articles
The Intersection of Black Femininity and Queerness
This has lots of recommendations for queer black female artists to listen to and I’m definitely going to have to make a point to listen to some of them. Popping the link here so I can refer back to it, and also to spread the love.
Stories by LGBTQIA+ Vocal Creators and the Perfect Songs to Go With Them
Another list of awesome creators to support, this time including both writers on Vocal.media and musicians. It’s especially great because reading, liking, and sharing articles by LGBTQIA+ Vocal writers is a super easy way to support them, since they earn a small bit of money every time someone reads one of their stories.
5 Tips for Improving Your Poetry
I’ve been wanting to get back into writing poetry, so reading some tips and advice on how to hone my craft is a nice refresher.
Think Cult Classics, but Female Friendships
This hit the nail on the head about how I felt when I recently watched the first Ghostbusters movie. Now I NEED to watch the all-female remake!
Bullshit-Free Ideas for Building an Adaptable Writing Routine
It should come as no surprise that I enjoy writing advice, considering how often I offer it myself. This is a great example of that. Not every suggestion will work for every writer, of course, but it has some great ideas to try out.
Polyamory is Simply Love Plural
Really insightful article about an often misunderstand relationship dynamic, and something I think everyone needs to learn more about.
What I’ve Created
Articles
How Many Times Can One Player Teleport in D&D?
This is another one of those times where I’m being excessively, nerdily indulgent. If you like D&D and character builds with absurdly specific intent, this will entertain you.
Queer Books Everyone Should Read for Pride
I really enjoyed writing this, especially since I love gushing about my favourite books (obviously – what else have these wrap-ups been about?). And the fact that it got picked for Top Story certainly doesn’t hurt :D
How to Support Indie Authors – For Free
As a self-published author, this subject is close to my heart. It’s hard to build a following and market yourself and get people reading your book, and if I can help encourage people to pick up more indie books, I know I’m helping a lot of creators like myself.
How Writing Helps Me Heal
This one is a bit more personal than I usually write, but I’m proud of how it came out. It’s about how writing has helped me cope through major hardship.
And that’s it for June. Definitely a great month for reading!
For July, however, I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to get done, or if I’ll have time to share my wrap-up at the end of the month, as there’s some pretty major life stuff going on throughout the month. So if the end of the month comes and you don’t see a July wrap-up, don’t fret: I’m just busy. I’ll probably just end up doing a joint wrap-up with August.
What did you read this month? Anything on your radar that you’re excited to check out in July?
What I’ve Enjoyed
Books
The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
I’ve loved every John Green book I’ve read, but this one was uniquely wonderful. I loved how he challenged the idea of where a book starts and ends by rating the structure of the book as well, every review was full of wit and insight and emotional depth, and the whole experience was unlike anything I’ve ever read before.
Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson
I loved this book a lot more than I expected – I thought I would give it three stars, but it turned into a five-star read. It’s fun and light while also being creepy and weird, and those twists? Perfection.
Articles
The Intersection of Black Femininity and Queerness
This has lots of recommendations for queer black female artists to listen to and I’m definitely going to have to make a point to listen to some of them. Popping the link here so I can refer back to it, and also to spread the love.
Stories by LGBTQIA+ Vocal Creators and the Perfect Songs to Go With Them
Another list of awesome creators to support, this time including both writers on Vocal.media and musicians. It’s especially great because reading, liking, and sharing articles by LGBTQIA+ Vocal writers is a super easy way to support them, since they earn a small bit of money every time someone reads one of their stories.
5 Tips for Improving Your Poetry
I’ve been wanting to get back into writing poetry, so reading some tips and advice on how to hone my craft is a nice refresher.
Think Cult Classics, but Female Friendships
This hit the nail on the head about how I felt when I recently watched the first Ghostbusters movie. Now I NEED to watch the all-female remake!
Bullshit-Free Ideas for Building an Adaptable Writing Routine
It should come as no surprise that I enjoy writing advice, considering how often I offer it myself. This is a great example of that. Not every suggestion will work for every writer, of course, but it has some great ideas to try out.
Polyamory is Simply Love Plural
Really insightful article about an often misunderstand relationship dynamic, and something I think everyone needs to learn more about.
What I’ve Created
Articles
How Many Times Can One Player Teleport in D&D?
This is another one of those times where I’m being excessively, nerdily indulgent. If you like D&D and character builds with absurdly specific intent, this will entertain you.
Queer Books Everyone Should Read for Pride
I really enjoyed writing this, especially since I love gushing about my favourite books (obviously – what else have these wrap-ups been about?). And the fact that it got picked for Top Story certainly doesn’t hurt :D
How to Support Indie Authors – For Free
As a self-published author, this subject is close to my heart. It’s hard to build a following and market yourself and get people reading your book, and if I can help encourage people to pick up more indie books, I know I’m helping a lot of creators like myself.
How Writing Helps Me Heal
This one is a bit more personal than I usually write, but I’m proud of how it came out. It’s about how writing has helped me cope through major hardship.
And that’s it for June. Definitely a great month for reading!
For July, however, I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to get done, or if I’ll have time to share my wrap-up at the end of the month, as there’s some pretty major life stuff going on throughout the month. So if the end of the month comes and you don’t see a July wrap-up, don’t fret: I’m just busy. I’ll probably just end up doing a joint wrap-up with August.
What did you read this month? Anything on your radar that you’re excited to check out in July?
August Wrap-Up: Misbehaved Princesses, Sister Series, and an Essay on Racism
I did it! I got the internet sorted out in time for the end of August! It is unreasonably satisfying that I don’t have to skip a month. That says a lot about me, doesn’t it?
Anyway. On with the wrap-up!
What I’ve Enjoyed
Books
Princesses Behaving Badly: Real Stories from History Without the Fairy-Tale Endings by Linda Rodríguez McRobbie
A really fun read filled with lots of strange, inspiring, and sometimes awful women of history. Definitely a few names in here I wanna learn more about.
Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert
Loved this book, just as I loved Chloe Brown. Granted, I did like Chloe Brown more, but part of that is probably because it’s the first book in the series I read, and I just vibed with Chloe and Red a little more than Dani and Zaf. Though, don’t get me wrong: The leads in this are both wonderful. I love that Dani is a proud black, bisexual, chubby woman, and I love that Zaf is this big, tough, Pakistani athlete who is all about dealing with your emotions and recognizing mental health struggles.
Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert
This book was available on Libby, too, so I of course read it right after Dani Brown. Loved seeing autistic characters repped as whole and complex people – and as adults with, you know, relationships and sex lives! As always, the humour was spot on, pacing was immaculate, and it was overall just a delight to read.
Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge
This is one of those books that’s extremely important but really hard to talk about. I’m not sure what to tell you about it, because anything I say is going to sound so small compared to everything this book encompasses. Certainly, if you’re interested in the history and ongoing struggle of black people in the UK, this is an excellent resource.
Articles
The Seven Sisters, East Sussex
I’d never heard of this particular natural wonder, but now I really want a chance to visit it! Especially knowing it’s slowly deteriorating. Even if it won’t be gone completely in my lifetime, I’d still like to see it sooner rather than later, so more of it is intact.
What I’ve Created
Articles
How to Name Your Characters (Without Getting Obsessed)
I’ve been working on naming characters for a new manuscript I’m working on (which I won’t talk about in too much detail just yet), and the process really got me thinking about names. It can be so easy to fall down a rabbit hole and spend hours searching for the “perfect” name, rather than actually buckling down and, you know, writing your book. So I decided to share some tips on how to avoid that.
”My Own Nubian Princess.” Blackness, Exotification, and Dehumanization in the House of Night
The third installment in the series of essays I’m working on, this time tackling how HoN handles representing black characters. I hope I’ve done the topic justice, even though I never feel like I’ve quite managed to cover every issue I want to discuss when I write these essays.
And that’s everything for August! I’m glad things worked out and I got my internet problems resolved before the end of the month, because I actually had quite a bit to share.
But wait, there’s more! Sort of. I at least have a way for you to more consistently keep up to date with my work over on Vocal. They have a subscribe feature now! It’s free, so you don’t have to worry about paying monthly fees or anything, and you can follow whichever creators you like on the site, then check your subscription feed to see whatever stories they’ve recently uploaded. Then you don’t have to wait until the end of every month for me to share links in these wrap-ups.
(Though you should totally still keep reading these wrap-ups. Vocal doesn’t have my monthly reading recommendations, after all.)
Anyway. On with the wrap-up!
What I’ve Enjoyed
Books
Princesses Behaving Badly: Real Stories from History Without the Fairy-Tale Endings by Linda Rodríguez McRobbie
A really fun read filled with lots of strange, inspiring, and sometimes awful women of history. Definitely a few names in here I wanna learn more about.
Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert
Loved this book, just as I loved Chloe Brown. Granted, I did like Chloe Brown more, but part of that is probably because it’s the first book in the series I read, and I just vibed with Chloe and Red a little more than Dani and Zaf. Though, don’t get me wrong: The leads in this are both wonderful. I love that Dani is a proud black, bisexual, chubby woman, and I love that Zaf is this big, tough, Pakistani athlete who is all about dealing with your emotions and recognizing mental health struggles.
Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert
This book was available on Libby, too, so I of course read it right after Dani Brown. Loved seeing autistic characters repped as whole and complex people – and as adults with, you know, relationships and sex lives! As always, the humour was spot on, pacing was immaculate, and it was overall just a delight to read.
Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge
This is one of those books that’s extremely important but really hard to talk about. I’m not sure what to tell you about it, because anything I say is going to sound so small compared to everything this book encompasses. Certainly, if you’re interested in the history and ongoing struggle of black people in the UK, this is an excellent resource.
Articles
The Seven Sisters, East Sussex
I’d never heard of this particular natural wonder, but now I really want a chance to visit it! Especially knowing it’s slowly deteriorating. Even if it won’t be gone completely in my lifetime, I’d still like to see it sooner rather than later, so more of it is intact.
What I’ve Created
Articles
How to Name Your Characters (Without Getting Obsessed)
I’ve been working on naming characters for a new manuscript I’m working on (which I won’t talk about in too much detail just yet), and the process really got me thinking about names. It can be so easy to fall down a rabbit hole and spend hours searching for the “perfect” name, rather than actually buckling down and, you know, writing your book. So I decided to share some tips on how to avoid that.
”My Own Nubian Princess.” Blackness, Exotification, and Dehumanization in the House of Night
The third installment in the series of essays I’m working on, this time tackling how HoN handles representing black characters. I hope I’ve done the topic justice, even though I never feel like I’ve quite managed to cover every issue I want to discuss when I write these essays.
And that’s everything for August! I’m glad things worked out and I got my internet problems resolved before the end of the month, because I actually had quite a bit to share.
But wait, there’s more! Sort of. I at least have a way for you to more consistently keep up to date with my work over on Vocal. They have a subscribe feature now! It’s free, so you don’t have to worry about paying monthly fees or anything, and you can follow whichever creators you like on the site, then check your subscription feed to see whatever stories they’ve recently uploaded. Then you don’t have to wait until the end of every month for me to share links in these wrap-ups.
(Though you should totally still keep reading these wrap-ups. Vocal doesn’t have my monthly reading recommendations, after all.)
November Wrap-Up: Patriachy-Smashing Mechs, Handcraft Resistance, and Liberating Publications
This month, I actually read two physical copies of books! After months of reading nothing but ebooks, it feels nice to hold a book and turn pages – though, admittedly, it is a lot harder to read books this way when I’m taking care of my little fella. Reading on a phone while he naps on my lap is just easier 😅
But physical copies are going to be my focus for the next little while, since I ordered half a dozen books and I want to prioritize them. So… we’ll see if I manage to finish a full book by the end of December lol
What I’ve Enjoyed
Books
Disintegrate/Dissociate by Arielle Twist
This was an intense, raw, and vivid collection of poetry. Not an easy read by any means, but definitely something I’ll be revisiting.
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
I want to scream about this book from the rooftops. It’s incredible – if I were to talk about all the things I love, we’d be here all day. Get angry, fly mechs, smash the patriarchy.
Articles
Historical Lies Most People Believe are True
I was somewhat familiar with a couple of the facts covered in this, but it was still interesting to read them being debunked in detail. It makes me wonder what other misinformation I’ve been believing all my life!
Why I Broke My Feet to Save My Pride
This is an insightful piece about the consequences of living with internalized ableism. Definitely worth the read.
Unweaving the Whitewashed Legacy of the Cross-Stitch
An insightful new (to me) perspective on handcrafts like needlepoint and cross-stitch, their colonial legacy, and how they’re being used to both resist oppressive structures and celebrate black culture and history.
What I’ve Created
Articles
How to Include Gay Characters in Your Book – Without Resorting to Tokenism
I cross-posted a bunch of articles to Medium again this month, but I wanted to draw special attention to the one linked above because it’s also being hosted by An Injustice! Give it a look if it interests you, and be sure to check out other An Injustice! publications.
And, as before, I would hugely appreciate it if you followed me over on Medium. It’s a great way to support me as a creator <3
And that about does it for November. I always feel like my lists for what I’ve created look way too barren, but I’m trying to remind myself that this doesn’t mean I’m not still creating and working – I just don’t have anything ready to share yet. But essays are being written, books are being drafted, and the next installment in A New Age of Magic is sloooowly coming together. Everything is on the horizon!
But physical copies are going to be my focus for the next little while, since I ordered half a dozen books and I want to prioritize them. So… we’ll see if I manage to finish a full book by the end of December lol
What I’ve Enjoyed
Books
Disintegrate/Dissociate by Arielle Twist
This was an intense, raw, and vivid collection of poetry. Not an easy read by any means, but definitely something I’ll be revisiting.
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
I want to scream about this book from the rooftops. It’s incredible – if I were to talk about all the things I love, we’d be here all day. Get angry, fly mechs, smash the patriarchy.
Articles
Historical Lies Most People Believe are True
I was somewhat familiar with a couple of the facts covered in this, but it was still interesting to read them being debunked in detail. It makes me wonder what other misinformation I’ve been believing all my life!
Why I Broke My Feet to Save My Pride
This is an insightful piece about the consequences of living with internalized ableism. Definitely worth the read.
Unweaving the Whitewashed Legacy of the Cross-Stitch
An insightful new (to me) perspective on handcrafts like needlepoint and cross-stitch, their colonial legacy, and how they’re being used to both resist oppressive structures and celebrate black culture and history.
What I’ve Created
Articles
How to Include Gay Characters in Your Book – Without Resorting to Tokenism
I cross-posted a bunch of articles to Medium again this month, but I wanted to draw special attention to the one linked above because it’s also being hosted by An Injustice! Give it a look if it interests you, and be sure to check out other An Injustice! publications.
And, as before, I would hugely appreciate it if you followed me over on Medium. It’s a great way to support me as a creator <3
And that about does it for November. I always feel like my lists for what I’ve created look way too barren, but I’m trying to remind myself that this doesn’t mean I’m not still creating and working – I just don’t have anything ready to share yet. But essays are being written, books are being drafted, and the next installment in A New Age of Magic is sloooowly coming together. Everything is on the horizon!
December 2021 Wrap-Up: Defending Fanfic, Repping for Curly Hair, and a Satisfying Conclusion
The last wrap-up of 2021. That’s so wild! I’ve been writing these for almost two years now, and it still feels new every time I do it.
I didn’t write as much as I would have liked this year – no major book or short story publications – but I was also adjusting to major life changes, most notably having a sweet little baby. Plus, what I lacked in writing to share, I more than made up for in reading. I read almost twice as many books as I did last year! And almost all of them were really, really good.
Including the one I read this month. So, without further ado, let’s round out my reading for 2021.
What I’ve Enjoyed
Books
A Psalm of Storms and Silence by Roseanne A. Brown
I’ve been hyped for this book ever since I read ASoWaR early this year. And it was well worth the wait! I absolutely love Malik and Karina, how they grew as character, and how their relationship developed together. Plus the lore and world-building is beautiful. Definitely a duology that’s on my list to reread whenever I have the time.
Articles
The “Princess Diaries” Makeover Scene Made Me Terribly Insecure for Years
As a curly-haired, awkward, geeky girl, this spoke to me on every level. Though I didn’t watch The Princess Diaries as a child (and watching it as an adult distressed me because it’s not at all like the books and WHY ARE YOU DRY BRUSHING CURLS???), I still saw plenty of makeover scenes in movies where the frumpy, curly-haired nerd gets a dramatic makeover and is suddenly conventionally attractive. It’s super damaging and reinforces this narrative that curls are ugly, you should be ashamed of your geekiness, and women’s worth is measured by their beauty in the eyes of others. Total bullshit, and Niveda debunks it all perfectly.
Reality Check: What You Care About Can Drive You to Exhaustion
A short but important piece acknowledging the toll it takes on a person when advocacy, academia, and personal hardships/traumas collide.
Other
The Witcher Season 2
I didn’t get to watch this until over a week after it came out, so dodging spoilers was a fun adventure. But it was worth the wait! Watching everyone clash together and split apart and join back up in new (or familiar!) groups was so fun, plus we got some major lore drops and reveals. Stoked for season 3, and dreading the long wait.
What I’ve Created
Articles
Is Fanfiction a Valid Form of Writing?
Still steadily working away at cross-posting Vocal articles over to Medium, but I wanted to highlight this one – because, like last month, I was invited to have my work included in a Medium publication! This time I have a couple pieces featured at The Ugly Monster, which is all about gaming, media, and geekiness. Please give it a look!
And, as I’ve said in past months, follow me on Medium if you’re enjoying what I post there. It genuinely helps a lot.
I didn’t write as much as I would have liked this year – no major book or short story publications – but I was also adjusting to major life changes, most notably having a sweet little baby. Plus, what I lacked in writing to share, I more than made up for in reading. I read almost twice as many books as I did last year! And almost all of them were really, really good.
Including the one I read this month. So, without further ado, let’s round out my reading for 2021.
What I’ve Enjoyed
Books
A Psalm of Storms and Silence by Roseanne A. Brown
I’ve been hyped for this book ever since I read ASoWaR early this year. And it was well worth the wait! I absolutely love Malik and Karina, how they grew as character, and how their relationship developed together. Plus the lore and world-building is beautiful. Definitely a duology that’s on my list to reread whenever I have the time.
Articles
The “Princess Diaries” Makeover Scene Made Me Terribly Insecure for Years
As a curly-haired, awkward, geeky girl, this spoke to me on every level. Though I didn’t watch The Princess Diaries as a child (and watching it as an adult distressed me because it’s not at all like the books and WHY ARE YOU DRY BRUSHING CURLS???), I still saw plenty of makeover scenes in movies where the frumpy, curly-haired nerd gets a dramatic makeover and is suddenly conventionally attractive. It’s super damaging and reinforces this narrative that curls are ugly, you should be ashamed of your geekiness, and women’s worth is measured by their beauty in the eyes of others. Total bullshit, and Niveda debunks it all perfectly.
Reality Check: What You Care About Can Drive You to Exhaustion
A short but important piece acknowledging the toll it takes on a person when advocacy, academia, and personal hardships/traumas collide.
Other
The Witcher Season 2
I didn’t get to watch this until over a week after it came out, so dodging spoilers was a fun adventure. But it was worth the wait! Watching everyone clash together and split apart and join back up in new (or familiar!) groups was so fun, plus we got some major lore drops and reveals. Stoked for season 3, and dreading the long wait.
What I’ve Created
Articles
Is Fanfiction a Valid Form of Writing?
Still steadily working away at cross-posting Vocal articles over to Medium, but I wanted to highlight this one – because, like last month, I was invited to have my work included in a Medium publication! This time I have a couple pieces featured at The Ugly Monster, which is all about gaming, media, and geekiness. Please give it a look!
And, as I’ve said in past months, follow me on Medium if you’re enjoying what I post there. It genuinely helps a lot.
June Wrap-Up: Queer Short Stories, Collaborative Tragedy, and Tips for Narrating Your Novel
Who thought it was June 28th three days in a row and has lost all concept of time? This girl!
Yeah, sorry for posting this so late. I genuinely did not process the fact that a new month had arrived, even though I’m Canadian and we have Canada Day on July 1st. 🙃WE’RE DOING GREAT.
What I’ve Enjoyed
Books
Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction by Joshua Whitehead et al
I’ve been meaning to read this collection for a while, so I had to snatch it up when I saw the ebook available through my library. It’s fairly short – there are nine stories featured – but it still manages to pack a punch while exploring a variety of perspectives on queerness, indigeneity, and the future of our planet.
Out Now: Queer We Go Again!by Saundra Mitchell et al
Another queer short story collection seemed fitting for pride month, and this one included an impressive variety of stories, both in terms of the characters featured and the genres explored. There were a whole boatload of 4- and 5-star reads in here for me.
Other
EXU: Calamity
This mini campaign ripped my heart out and poured salt into my gaping, bleeding chest wound, and I said, “Thank you, that was lovely.” Seriously, even if you’ve never watched a Critical Role campaign before or explored much in the world of actual-play TTRPG shows, I highly recommend this one. It’s a masterclass of storytelling, roleplaying, improv, and good ol’ D&D. Just be sure to bring tissues.
What I’ve Created
Articles
Queer Books Everyone Should Read
Pride month means it’s time to celebrate queer books (though, if we’re honest, it’s always time to celebrate queer books). So here’s a list of some of my top recommendations! Hopefully next pride I’ll have even more.
How to Choose the Right Narrator For Your Novel
I feel like it’s been a while since I published any writing advice, so this month I’m offering some tips on picking a narrator and POV style. It might sound like a simple choice, but there’s actually a lot to consider!
And that does it for June! Hopefully July will find me more coherent with regards to the passage of time, but who knows? Everything is on fire all the time.
Yeah, sorry for posting this so late. I genuinely did not process the fact that a new month had arrived, even though I’m Canadian and we have Canada Day on July 1st. 🙃WE’RE DOING GREAT.
What I’ve Enjoyed
Books
Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction by Joshua Whitehead et al
I’ve been meaning to read this collection for a while, so I had to snatch it up when I saw the ebook available through my library. It’s fairly short – there are nine stories featured – but it still manages to pack a punch while exploring a variety of perspectives on queerness, indigeneity, and the future of our planet.
Out Now: Queer We Go Again!by Saundra Mitchell et al
Another queer short story collection seemed fitting for pride month, and this one included an impressive variety of stories, both in terms of the characters featured and the genres explored. There were a whole boatload of 4- and 5-star reads in here for me.
Other
EXU: Calamity
This mini campaign ripped my heart out and poured salt into my gaping, bleeding chest wound, and I said, “Thank you, that was lovely.” Seriously, even if you’ve never watched a Critical Role campaign before or explored much in the world of actual-play TTRPG shows, I highly recommend this one. It’s a masterclass of storytelling, roleplaying, improv, and good ol’ D&D. Just be sure to bring tissues.
What I’ve Created
Articles
Queer Books Everyone Should Read
Pride month means it’s time to celebrate queer books (though, if we’re honest, it’s always time to celebrate queer books). So here’s a list of some of my top recommendations! Hopefully next pride I’ll have even more.
How to Choose the Right Narrator For Your Novel
I feel like it’s been a while since I published any writing advice, so this month I’m offering some tips on picking a narrator and POV style. It might sound like a simple choice, but there’s actually a lot to consider!
And that does it for June! Hopefully July will find me more coherent with regards to the passage of time, but who knows? Everything is on fire all the time.
July Wrap-Up: Disability Rights, Queer Chefs, and Sapphic Vampires
It should come as no surprise that my July media was pretty queer, since that is my ideal kind of reading month. But we’ve also got some much needed education on disability and disability rights during Disability Pride month, and a healthy dose of good ol’ fashion nerdiness. Enjoy!
What I’ve Enjoyed
Books
Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space by Amanda Leduc
I haven’t read much work centering disability and ableism, and I really need to change that. This book was an eye-opening step in that direction, and even helped me rethink my own condition and whether or not that technically marks me as disabled (I have a depth perception impairment that prevents me from driving). Definitely worth the read.
Chef's Kiss by TJ Alexander
This was so cute! And, well, infuriating on behalf of the characters at times, but mostly cute! I loved how vividly food and cooking were described, Simone is an oblivious and precious bean, and Ray was an absolute delight. Lots of great queer rep. Highly recommend.
Articles
Quidditch Becomes Quadball to Distance Itself from J.K. Rowling
We hate TERFs here, but we love taking elements of a fandom or world that have grown bigger than their creator and turning them into something even better. The fact that Quadball has a long history of trans and non-binary inclusivity and is taking such a firm stance against J.K.’s bigotry fills me with spite-fueled delight.
Other
First Kill
It took me FOREVER to find time to sit down and watch this, largely because it’s not the sort so how I can put on while my toddler is playing in the living room. But I’m so glad I got around to it, because this was a delight. It’s not a perfect show to be sure, but I really enjoyed it. The world-building is interesting, the characters are dynamic and well-realized, and seeing a sapphic romance play out on screen like this is just very refreshing.
What I’ve Created
Books/Short Stories
When We Lie
Okay, so it’s not technically anything new I’ve put out in July, BUT When We Lie comes out on the 17th (*cue screaming*) and I’m very, very, very excited! I’ve also been sharing some promotional photos and graphics over on my Twitter and Instagram (check my WWL Edits highlight), so go check that out! I’m @rachaellawrites on both.
Articles
How to Make Any D&D 5e Class into a Healer
Back to my weird D&D pieces, though this one isn’t focused on stacking extremely specific abilities. Instead, I wanted to see how different classes could function as healers, outside of the typical cleric, paladin, druid, etc. Turns out there are a lot of options to play with!
What were you enjoying in July? Are there any books, movies, TV shows, etc. that you think I should check out?
What I’ve Enjoyed
Books
Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space by Amanda Leduc
I haven’t read much work centering disability and ableism, and I really need to change that. This book was an eye-opening step in that direction, and even helped me rethink my own condition and whether or not that technically marks me as disabled (I have a depth perception impairment that prevents me from driving). Definitely worth the read.
Chef's Kiss by TJ Alexander
This was so cute! And, well, infuriating on behalf of the characters at times, but mostly cute! I loved how vividly food and cooking were described, Simone is an oblivious and precious bean, and Ray was an absolute delight. Lots of great queer rep. Highly recommend.
Articles
Quidditch Becomes Quadball to Distance Itself from J.K. Rowling
We hate TERFs here, but we love taking elements of a fandom or world that have grown bigger than their creator and turning them into something even better. The fact that Quadball has a long history of trans and non-binary inclusivity and is taking such a firm stance against J.K.’s bigotry fills me with spite-fueled delight.
Other
First Kill
It took me FOREVER to find time to sit down and watch this, largely because it’s not the sort so how I can put on while my toddler is playing in the living room. But I’m so glad I got around to it, because this was a delight. It’s not a perfect show to be sure, but I really enjoyed it. The world-building is interesting, the characters are dynamic and well-realized, and seeing a sapphic romance play out on screen like this is just very refreshing.
What I’ve Created
Books/Short Stories
When We Lie
Okay, so it’s not technically anything new I’ve put out in July, BUT When We Lie comes out on the 17th (*cue screaming*) and I’m very, very, very excited! I’ve also been sharing some promotional photos and graphics over on my Twitter and Instagram (check my WWL Edits highlight), so go check that out! I’m @rachaellawrites on both.
Articles
How to Make Any D&D 5e Class into a Healer
Back to my weird D&D pieces, though this one isn’t focused on stacking extremely specific abilities. Instead, I wanted to see how different classes could function as healers, outside of the typical cleric, paladin, druid, etc. Turns out there are a lot of options to play with!
What were you enjoying in July? Are there any books, movies, TV shows, etc. that you think I should check out?
September & October 2022: The Good, The Bad, The Apocalyptic
Okay, so I didn’t update with my reading and writing from September. It’s not that I wasn’t reading – I just wasn’t enjoying what I was reading enough to be worth sharing. October was also a minimal reading month, in part because I had family visiting for a week and a half.
But I do have quite a bit of writing to share! And something a little new. 😉
What I’ve Enjoyed
Books
Counting Down with You by Tashie Bhuiyan
This book was equal parts sweet and heart-rending. Watching Karina struggle to balance her dreams for the future and the expectations of her parents was so difficult, and I can only imagine how hard that representation must hit for readers who come from a similar family background. On a lighter note, Karina’s best friends were a delight – I loved reading their group chats, which felt true to life. And Ace was a total sweetheart. The anxiety rep was also much appreciated; I could deeply relate to some of the scenes were Karina was on the brink of an anxiety attack and struggling to hold it together until she was in private. Overall, a super excellent book. Well worth the read.
Beyond the Gender Binary by Alok Vaid-Menon
Great little book. It was a quick read and super easy to follow – highly recommend to anyone who’s looking to learn more about trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming folks, and especially to those wanting to be a better ally.
What I’ve Created
Articles
How to Create a Style Guide for Your Novel
A style guide is one of those tools I didn’t realize I needed until I was basically halfway through my series, A New Age of Magic. But I swear by it now. It makes so many nitty-gritty details and elements of editing WAY easier.
Fall Book Recs for Readers Who Don’t Love Horror
I love fall, I love books, but I don’t often love fall book recommendations. The ones I’ve seen tend to lean pretty hard into horror – which I get; it’s Halloween season. But as a reader who isn’t a fan of horror, I can feel a bit left out of the excitement. So I decided to make my own book rec list!
Academia, Tradition, and Love: A Review of Braiding Sweetgrass
I knew from the moment I read this book that I wanted to write a long-form review and encourage others to pick it up. It was just hard to find the words to describe a reading experience that was honestly… kind of perfect? Robin Kimmerer Wall not only has an incredible wealth of knowledge when it comes to botany and traditional teachers, but she very clearly loves nature. I think everyone could benefit from reading this book.
Not Good Feminist Fiction, Not Good Apocalypse Fiction: An In-Depth Review of ‘Into the Mist’
This book, on the other hand, I immediately knew I would be writing a very lengthy, very negative review about. As has been the trend with this particular author’s works, Into the Mist is rife with harmful representation and misrepresentation, despite being praised and promoted as feminist fiction. I always think it’s important to encourage discussion about when and why certain media is harmful, and that’s what I aimed to do with this review.
Other
Not Good Feminism, Not Good Apocalypse Fiction | INTO THE MIST by P.C. Cast [Vlog Review]
But wait! There’s more! While reading this book, I had so many thoughts that I couldn’t wait until I was done reading to share them, so I vlogged my thoughts as I read. The result is this very long, ramble-y review, which hopefully gives a more off-the-cuff display of my first impressions.
And that does it for September and October. Keep an eye out for my next wrap-up, as I have high hopes for my two current reads. 👀
But I do have quite a bit of writing to share! And something a little new. 😉
What I’ve Enjoyed
Books
Counting Down with You by Tashie Bhuiyan
This book was equal parts sweet and heart-rending. Watching Karina struggle to balance her dreams for the future and the expectations of her parents was so difficult, and I can only imagine how hard that representation must hit for readers who come from a similar family background. On a lighter note, Karina’s best friends were a delight – I loved reading their group chats, which felt true to life. And Ace was a total sweetheart. The anxiety rep was also much appreciated; I could deeply relate to some of the scenes were Karina was on the brink of an anxiety attack and struggling to hold it together until she was in private. Overall, a super excellent book. Well worth the read.
Beyond the Gender Binary by Alok Vaid-Menon
Great little book. It was a quick read and super easy to follow – highly recommend to anyone who’s looking to learn more about trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming folks, and especially to those wanting to be a better ally.
What I’ve Created
Articles
How to Create a Style Guide for Your Novel
A style guide is one of those tools I didn’t realize I needed until I was basically halfway through my series, A New Age of Magic. But I swear by it now. It makes so many nitty-gritty details and elements of editing WAY easier.
Fall Book Recs for Readers Who Don’t Love Horror
I love fall, I love books, but I don’t often love fall book recommendations. The ones I’ve seen tend to lean pretty hard into horror – which I get; it’s Halloween season. But as a reader who isn’t a fan of horror, I can feel a bit left out of the excitement. So I decided to make my own book rec list!
Academia, Tradition, and Love: A Review of Braiding Sweetgrass
I knew from the moment I read this book that I wanted to write a long-form review and encourage others to pick it up. It was just hard to find the words to describe a reading experience that was honestly… kind of perfect? Robin Kimmerer Wall not only has an incredible wealth of knowledge when it comes to botany and traditional teachers, but she very clearly loves nature. I think everyone could benefit from reading this book.
Not Good Feminist Fiction, Not Good Apocalypse Fiction: An In-Depth Review of ‘Into the Mist’
This book, on the other hand, I immediately knew I would be writing a very lengthy, very negative review about. As has been the trend with this particular author’s works, Into the Mist is rife with harmful representation and misrepresentation, despite being praised and promoted as feminist fiction. I always think it’s important to encourage discussion about when and why certain media is harmful, and that’s what I aimed to do with this review.
Other
Not Good Feminism, Not Good Apocalypse Fiction | INTO THE MIST by P.C. Cast [Vlog Review]
But wait! There’s more! While reading this book, I had so many thoughts that I couldn’t wait until I was done reading to share them, so I vlogged my thoughts as I read. The result is this very long, ramble-y review, which hopefully gives a more off-the-cuff display of my first impressions.
And that does it for September and October. Keep an eye out for my next wrap-up, as I have high hopes for my two current reads. 👀
November 2022: Queer Fantasy, Everywhere You Look!
I considered waiting a month and combining November and December into one wrap-up, because I felt like I didn’t do much… But I read three books! Four, if you count a reread via audio. The issue, I guess, is that I didn’t write – or rather, publish – very much, so this particular wrap-up is very top heavy. But hey! Sometimes that’s just how the month works out.
What I’ve Enjoyed
Books
In Deeper Waters by F. T. Lukens
This was such a wonderful read. Tal and Athlen were delightful, both as characters and a couple, and I loved how complicated the conflict got as the story progressed. There was a sense of history to the world, even though we only see a small part of it over a relatively short period of time. Lots of good foreshadowing and payoff, as well.
The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas
Everything about this was delightful. I loved the high stakes of the trials, all the clever little details in the world-building and character work, the diversity and how queer-normative the world was, and that TWIST. So cruel, but so perfect. Absolutely elated that this is a duology and there’s more of this story to read, and can’t wait until I can get my hands on the conclusion.
Fevered Star by Rebecca Roanhorse
I’ve been dying to read this book since it came out, but I needed to reread Black Sun before I could dive in, which itself was a significant undertaking. But I finally did it! And it was great! While Fevered Sun definitely feels like a middle book, it’s still a strong and enjoyable read. I loved all the unexpected directions it took, the internal/emotional journeys the characters went on, and the new conflicts and players introduced in the build-up to book three. So, so pumped to see how this trilogy concludes.
What I’ve Created
Articles
How Many Ways Can You Fly in 5e Dungeons and Dragons?
I love doing these weird little thought experiments with D&D character building, and this one… has an unexpected result. Like, I might actually play the character build that came out of this!
Like I said, a bit top-heavy this time around. But definitely a very enjoyable month of reading!
If you want to see more of what I’m up to, follow me on social media! My handle is @rachaellawrites on Instagram, TikTok, Medium, YouTube, and… Tumblr. Yeah. Yeah, I jumped back on to Tumblr because of the rapid collapse of Twitter. So you should follow me over there! It’s fun!
And keep an eye out on my YouTube. I vlogged as I read this month and I'm hoping to have that video up on the weekend.
What I’ve Enjoyed
Books
In Deeper Waters by F. T. Lukens
This was such a wonderful read. Tal and Athlen were delightful, both as characters and a couple, and I loved how complicated the conflict got as the story progressed. There was a sense of history to the world, even though we only see a small part of it over a relatively short period of time. Lots of good foreshadowing and payoff, as well.
The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas
Everything about this was delightful. I loved the high stakes of the trials, all the clever little details in the world-building and character work, the diversity and how queer-normative the world was, and that TWIST. So cruel, but so perfect. Absolutely elated that this is a duology and there’s more of this story to read, and can’t wait until I can get my hands on the conclusion.
Fevered Star by Rebecca Roanhorse
I’ve been dying to read this book since it came out, but I needed to reread Black Sun before I could dive in, which itself was a significant undertaking. But I finally did it! And it was great! While Fevered Sun definitely feels like a middle book, it’s still a strong and enjoyable read. I loved all the unexpected directions it took, the internal/emotional journeys the characters went on, and the new conflicts and players introduced in the build-up to book three. So, so pumped to see how this trilogy concludes.
What I’ve Created
Articles
How Many Ways Can You Fly in 5e Dungeons and Dragons?
I love doing these weird little thought experiments with D&D character building, and this one… has an unexpected result. Like, I might actually play the character build that came out of this!
Like I said, a bit top-heavy this time around. But definitely a very enjoyable month of reading!
If you want to see more of what I’m up to, follow me on social media! My handle is @rachaellawrites on Instagram, TikTok, Medium, YouTube, and… Tumblr. Yeah. Yeah, I jumped back on to Tumblr because of the rapid collapse of Twitter. So you should follow me over there! It’s fun!
And keep an eye out on my YouTube. I vlogged as I read this month and I'm hoping to have that video up on the weekend.
