I’ve been thinking a lot lately about characterization and plotting on soaps—as kind of an expansion on a Twitter thread I wrote back in 2017. When it comes to most kinds of fiction writing, there are “plotters” and there are “pantsers.” A plotter outlines and diagrams every beat, every decision, that goes into creating a… Read More Soap Writing 101: Plotting, Pantsing, and Pretty Little Liars
A few months before my birthday last year, I composed a lofty post with 40 Things To Do When I Turn 40. Now, here I am facing down 41 and realizing that I never completed that list. There were 14 things undone! So, this year, I’m giving myself another challenge: Knock out those 14 items AND complete… Read More New Year, New-ish Goals
I finished 121 books in 2018. A few rereads, but mostly new-to-me titles—and not counting stuff I may have forgotten to log. That is 15 down from 2017. Boo! It’s no wonder I lost my steam in December, going several days without reading anything at all (I know, I know…a terrible place to be!). Luckily,… Read More Mala’s December 2018 Hot Reads
2018 has felt approximately 224 years long, so I honestly don’t remember a lot of the pop culture I consumed and/or enjoyed. It’s like a blur. And that’s funny, because I feel like I immersed myself in film, TV, and books even more deeply than I did in 2017. It’s probably the most productive thing… Read More Mala’s Best of 2018 Pop Culture Round-Up
I am ending the year on a fairly strong note, folks! I’m kind of proud of myself! From a slew of strong contemporary romances to mainlining three of Rosie Claverton’s Amy Lane mysteries in one weekend, I really made some good choices—and I’m even excited about what I’ll be reading in December! The Reading Rundown:… Read More Mala’s November 2018 Hot Reads
Angelus: No weapons… no friends… no hope. Take all that away and what’s left? Buffy: Me. -Buffy the Vampire Slayer Figuring out who we’re meant to be can be a lifelong process. I’ve spent years propelling myself around like a pinball, batted between this gig and that gig. A few months ago, I considered getting… Read More Becoming, Part Two
Last month was a little light on romance reading for me, but a goldmine for my other go-to genres! I read some great YA, really compelling litfic-y fantasy rooted in Indian mythology, and some awesome urban fantasy. Rebecca Roanhorse’s UF debut, Trail of Lightning, rooted in Navajo culture and lore, is just brilliant–reinvigorating a subgenre… Read More Mala’s October 2018 Hot Reads
