I know. There are much more important things happening today.
But is refreshing your favorite news sites really the only (or even best) way to spend the day? I prefer to think about books and art and what it means to be human. Especially on a day like this.
So, my updates:
The Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction
It was a great honor for me to be part of the 2024 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize panel (along with Margaret Atwood, Omar El Akkad, Megan Giddings, and Carmen Maria Machado). Le Guin is probably the single author/critic I quote the most often, and a great deal of what I think about SFF can be traced back to her influence.
We had a phenomenal shortlist of ten books (see the page linked above and the screenshot below), and I think this summer ranks among my best summers in terms of what I got to read.
We ended up giving the prize to Anne de Marcken for It Lasts Forever and Then It’s Over. It’s a devastatingly beautiful, moving, funny, chewy book. I am changed for having read it. Please go read it.
But don’t neglect the other books on the shortlist either. I could go on and on and sing the praises of each and every one of them. This shortlist is incredible. The books restored my faith in the power of fiction to tell the truth, to say with words what cannot be said in words.
A New Life for Pantheon
Pantheon is a show by Craig Silverstein for AMC+ based on a series of linked stories in The Hidden Girl and Other Stories. It was extremely well reviewed and the few fans who got to see it absolutely loved it. I was really proud to be involved in its making. Unfortunately, it was a victim of cost-cutting and soon became impossible to find, especially if you’re in the US.
Until now.
On November 22, 2024, Pantheon will be available on Netflix in the US (for now, just the first season). If you didn’t get to see it before, this is finally your chance. Please check it out. If you enjoy my fiction, I think you’ll love it.
Signed Books and Appearances
I have more books available in my Etsy shop, including copies of the Dandelion Dynasty books and the Korean edition of The Hidden Girl and Other Stories. I can personalize these to your specification. They make great gifts.
On November 12, 2024, from 6:00-7:00 PM ET, I’ll be doing a virtual event with The Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) to discuss my translation of Laozi’s Dao De Jing. The event is open to the public, so please register via the link above and I’ll see you on Zoom!
On November 13, 2024, from 5:00-6:30 PM ET, I’ll be doing an in-person reading and talk at MassArt in Boston. The event is free and open to the public. If you’re around, I’d love to see you! I’ll be reading a bit from my fiction and talking about my conception of the kind of SFF I enjoy writing.
I hope to be able to announce some major projects soon … it’s killing me to have to remain quiet about them but I promise the wait will be worth it.
Thank you again for your support!