#asian authors

[black-is-beautiful18]

And here we go again with the “I just can’t connect to Black characters 🥺” bs. Y’all don’t like Black ppl so that’s why you don’t like reading about us. No one cares if LegendBorn or Children of Blood and Bone are some of your favs, cuz what exactly is stopping you from finding books similar to them???? And then to say that Black authors should be more like Asian authors while also insinuating that we don’t have our own historical or cultural myths, especially when we exist on multiple continents and islands, is absolutely ludicrous. Not to mention that a statement like that feeds into racism and the fetishization of Asian ppl. Children of color are forced to see nothing but white ppl in every form of media all our lives and not once does not being able to connect to the characters stop us from enjoying that piece of media. You can empathize with dragons, elves, orcs, and witches easily. Anyone darker than dry glue however, needs to prove why you should read our stories and have sympathy for our characters. This is exactly why I don’t trust white readers regardless of if they read diversely or not cuz some of y’all don’t even read the books. You just get them for brownie points or judge them harshly cuz you still don’t see the characters as deserving of empathy.

#white people #white readers #why would you say that #black authors #asian authors #latino authors #indigenous authors #diverse books #legendborn #children of blood and bone #racism #fetishization #i said what i said #unique writes

[keystonepublishing]

The House of Aunts by Zen Cho

Well, it's been a while since I updated, and not for nothing. The fasting month has arrived and much of my weekend energy is preoccupied elsewhere. Also, there are several longfics that are currently WIP, full completion uncertain.

So imagine my feelings as they got slammed against the wall by this: The House of Aunts by the Malaysian-born Zen Cho. An original vampire fiction that is set in Malaysia, uses traditional Malaysian monsters die Dracula, and deals with issues that hit close to home for anyone living in this part of the world, such as overbearing parental figures, unspoken religious and ethnic boundaries, and familial shame.

Since the story is Malaysian at heart, I decided to use Malaysian pictures and themes.

The book cover is actually made from drawing paper, printed with the image of a rubber plantation to evoke the story's setting. The front side has a glued-on image of a frangipani flower - the flower of the undead in Malaysian stories — surrounded by Baba Nyonya tilework — the Baba being Chinese Malaysians who settled and intermarried with locals.

The printed endapapers threw me off. I wanted to have a tilework or frangipani motif, but none of the free internet sources came up with anything distinctive. I did eventually find a peculiar color gradient that reminds me of twilight, considered the time when Malaysian monsters strike the most.

The Malaysian motifs continue at the title page, where I used Baba Nyonya tilework and Malay woodcraft motifs to frame the title. Same thing too with the copyright page — believe it or not, I actually intended that part to be minimalist! But one curious placement of images led to another and soon, I was looking up different websites to find the right Malaysian decorative features to bedight the logos!

The story is divided into three parts, and I also wanted the headers to be minimalist. Something of that won out here more, as I decided to use plumerias to highlight the 'undead' parts of the story and the greyscale tilework/woodwork to highlight the human connections of the main character, whether they were broken or not.

This bind took me less than a week and it was actually refreshing to get my hands busy again. Full rights to the story goes to Zen Cho, who really deserves all the awards for writing a monster tale that hits at so many themes, it's quintessentially Malaysian!

#bookbinding #fanbinding #my bookbinds #Zen Cho #The House of Aunts #Vampires #Vampirism #ghost story #horror story #Asian authors #Malaysian stories #original fiction #vampire

[meowsdesk]

current read: before the coffee gets cold ☕️

#books #aesthetic #academia #reading #studyspo #studyblr #study space #dark academia #bookblr #books and reading #current read #books & libraries #book blog #booklr #book aesthetic #books and coffee #before the coffee gets cold #asian authors

[edlboetie]

But someone's face against his--the insistence of another's lips and mouth upon his own--was an assertion of self he'd never been able to deny. Baoxiang kissed the Third Prince, and knew why his impulse had taken this particular form. It was the antithesis of rejection. It was the reciprocal creation of themselves as two people alive to each other, present to each other, each made real by the brush of another's personhood against his own.

- Shelley Parker-Chan, He Who Drowned the World

#- Shelley Parker-Chan #He Who Drowned the World #quotes #adult fantasy #asian authors #alternate history #queer fiction #BEATING MY FISTS AGAINST THE WALL TEARING MY HAIR WAILING GNASHING OF TEETH

[inkcurlsandknives]

I recently reached out to Gani Cabezas a Filipino artist to commission my first book inspired art (I have some fan art from good friends and art I've made but this is different) and I'm so excited and so nervous working with another creative to bring something new into existence 😄 I've been dying to have art of the love interest Catalina from Saints of Storm and Sorrow and very soon it will exist!!!

I'm extra thrilled because I've been in love with this artist's work and waiting for them to open to commission for ages and they opened up right as my deal announcement dropped like it was made to be. 💖🇵🇭💖

If you're a Filipino or Southeast Asian artist on Tumblr I'd love to connect I'm always looking to support fellow SEA creators

Here's some book/story inspired art I've been working on it shows the Laho/Bakunawa the Philippine Sea Dragon trying to swallow the moon. This was a precolonial explanation for the lunar eclipse. The Laho features in many of my published stories Saints of Storm and Sorrow as well as my short story Dying Rivers and Broken Hearts a historical fantasy about lesbian Catholic witches trying to save the Laho of manila bay

#saints of storm and sorrow #cat #catalina #bookart #artists #my art #my artwork #bakunawa #laho #dying rivers and broken hearts #artblr #artists on tumblr #digital art #filipino author #author #readblr #bookblr #asian fantasy #asian authors #asian art #asian artist #southeastasia

[elliepassmore]

The God and the Gumiho review

5/5 stars Recommended if you like: fantasy, mythology, Korean mythology, multiple POVs, enemies to lovers, mystery

Big thanks to Netgalley, Del Rey, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was definitely one of my favorite reads of February! It's got the perfect blend of magic, shenanigans, scheming, enemies-to-lovers, and humor. I was definitely on the edge of my seat as Hani and Seokga searched for the eoduksini, and while they got closer to one another with Hani still hiding her identity.

I definitely thought the worldbuilding was interesting. Most of the time is spent on a world where humans and immortals exist side-by-side, with the former completely unaware. So the characters have normal, everyday things like coffee, cars, and cellphones, but also have more magical items like swords and charms, and come across humans and magical creatures alike. I also liked the details about items the magical community could by from the store, particularly the non-human-liver alternatives the gumiho eat since Hani's Scarlet Fox spree resulted in the banning of eating human livers and souls. It's a small part of the book, but I thought it was a nice touch.

I absolutely love Hani. Her hidden past as the Scarlet Fox means she's notorious in immortal circles and not only is responsible for the ban on gumiho eating human livers and souls, but is also the gumiho with the highest kill count. Despite this, she's actually pretty normal and down to earth. She's also pretty funny, both intentionally and unintentionally, and I liked her blasé attitude about eating livers (and thus killing people). Hani clearly cares deeply and while she's dedicated to misguiding Seokga in regards to his Scarlet Fox investigation, she earnestly wants to help find and defeat the eoduksini. She also strives to help her friend Somi throughout the book and feels responsible over the younger gumiho.

Seokga, on the other hand, is a complete and utter asshole. But he grows on you. The trickster god is still bitter about being thrown out of the godly world and having his own realm of darkness locked up after his attempted coup. It's unclear how much of his personality is residual from that and how much is just him naturally, but Seokga really does not seem to care about anyone, nor very many things (other than coffee, man is particular about his coffee) prior to the events of the book. That being said, it becomes clear that Seokga does have deeper ties to his exiled life than it seems, and even he comes to the realization that there are some people that he cares about. It's easy to forget that Seokga was a trickster god because he's fairly serious and dedicated to his investigation(s), but it shows up in odd moments, such as when he cheats at rock, paper, scissors. Despite the fact that he's an asshole, Seokga does have a certain charm about him, even before he begins being a more...tolerable person.

The romance is, obviously, between Hani and Seokga. They balance each other out pretty well once they get past their barista-customer annoyance. Seokga is able to play 'bad cop' with ease while Hani is a much more soothing figure and the type who can calm crying witnesses enough to give a cohesive statement. I liked seeing the quirks they brought out in each other and am glad they get their chance at a happy ending.

The whole Scarlet Fox thing really is a mess. Hani was just enacting a kind of vigilante justice when she got the bright idea to take their livers as a treat for a friend. Unfortunately, the killings align too much with her 1888 spree and whaddya know suddenly there's a hunt on for the Scarlet Fox. Hani definitely does not want to get caught, and she definitely doesn't want another gumiho taking the fall in her place, she'd rather the whole thing just fizzle out and get written off as a fluke, and she's willing to attach herself to the investigation, and thus her least favorite customer Seokga, in order to achieve that. While there were some tense moments when I was worried about her getting caught, it was humorous to read about Hani doing her best to thwart Seogka's investigation and coming up with absurdities to get it done.

The eoduksini is the more serious of the two, particularly since the eoduksini has the potential to create a dark world in the realm shared by humans and immortals, something no one wants happening. There are a lot of twists and turns in this part of the investigation and I was definitely trying to work it out myself as the characters were. At times I felt confident I knew who it was, and then something new would happen and I would second-guess myself or Seokga and Hani. I was very invested in finding out who the eoduksini was and seeing how things would play out there.

Overall I greatly enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it to fantasy lovers. Seokga and Hani are pretty different but each bring humor to the novel and the two of them fit well together. I thought the worldbuilding was pretty interesting and I enjoyed getting to know the world and the magic within it.

#book #book review #books #book recommendations #fantasy #bookstagram #booklr #bookblr #bookaholic #bookish #book addict #the god and the gumiho #korean mythology #mythology #gumiho #asian characters #asian authors #netgalley #netgalley review #arc review #netgalley read #advanced readers copy

[samanthakgarner]

Historical inspiration for my fantasy novel: Pre-colonial Philippines

Seeker of the Lost Song is a historically-inspired fantasy novel merging medieval Finnish & pre-colonial Filipino elements, and I wanted to share two elements of Filipino history I included.

☼ 1) Dulang, a low table ☼

One of my favourite tidbits from my research is that pre-colonial Filipinos ate at a low table, sitting on the floor. Part of me worries that readers will think “Hey you stole that from Japan!” but I’m excited for the chance to show my people at their own low table, eating rice with their hands.

☼ 2) The balangay boat ☼

Another pre-colonial Filipino element I included in the book was a balangay, an ancient Filipino boat that’s recently come back into the public consciousness, with ancient boats being excavated and working replicas made. A quote from this article in STARweek, from one of the people who worked to rebuild the balangay, really resonated with me:

“It is very sad because we are a maritime people. We should be gifted and natural in the waters but colonialization robbed us of that consciousness. I am doing this to help rekindle that spirit”

The balangay that appears in my novel has a double outrigger (something that always feels so Filipino to me), but essentially it’s a larger version of the sketch pictured.  And I have to admit, the scenes on the balangay did stir something in me. Something ancient and ancestral, perhaps?

Seeker’s as-yet-unnamed sequel also features elements of pre-colonial Filipino history, but more on that at another time. Suffice it to say I’m enjoying this opportunity to learn more about the history of my people and use it in a fantasy setting!

#amwriting #fantasy novel #seeker of the lost song #filipino history #canadian author #asian authors #southeast asia #precolonial philippines #asian fantasy #filipino fantasy

[previouslyafangirl]

"The memories of spirits and gods may be hazy, but not the memories of books. Stories are eternal."

- Axie Oh, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea

#booklr #ya #axie oh #the girl who fell beneath the sea #reading #quotes #books #quotes about books #asian authors

[bookaddict24-7]

AUTHOR FEATURE:

﹒R.F. Kuang﹒

Three Books Written By this Author:

The Poppy War

Babel

Yellowface

___

Happy reading!

#books #bookish #booklr #book list #recos #author feature #Features #aapi authors #diversify your shelves #read diverse #rf kuang #asian authors #book recos #book blog #book blogger

[wildflowerinlovewiththemoon]

Current read 💛

#art #aesthetic #books & libraries #nature #books #reading #asian authors #japanese #japanese author #bookstore #sunday #sunday afternoon #picnic #public park

[lazehaze]

I definitely buy more books than I should…

I got this after hearing some amazing reviews from some peers at a book club. It got me really intrigued, so here it is.

When I’m reading it? Oh, I have no idea.

#guilty #sorry not sorry tho #book community #book photography #bookblr #bookstagram #readers #readers of tumblr #reading community #book recommendation #horror #cursed bunny #asian authors #asian literature #horror books

[black-is-beautiful18]

Just wanted to say that it is alright to be fans of books like LegendBorn, Children of Blood and Bone, and Raybearer but if you are not Black you are not the targeted audience. They deserve your support but the author is not writing with a nonblack audience in mind. The same goes for other nonwhite authors no matter where they come from. Usually these authors are writing for themselves and ppl who look like them. Seeing ourselves is much more important than whether or not white readers like it.

#black authors #latine authors #asian authors #pacific island authors #indigenous authors #brown authors #authors of color #legendborn #children of blood and bone #raybearer #please enjoy these books but remember who they are for #be mindful #that’s all I’m saying #unique writes

[bookcoversaroundtheworld]

Modern Asian Kitchen: Essential and Easy Recipes for Ramen, Dumplings, Dim Sum, Stir-Fries, Rice Bowls, Pho, Bibimbaps, and More - US

Heaped on big plates, Sichuan beef and broccoli and Indian chicken tikka masala are timeless comfort foods, to be sure, but there’s a brand-new style of Asian cooking that’s giving them a run for their money. It’s more about grazing through small plates than sinking into one big one. It’s more about pan-Asian fusions —“third culture” foods, the cooking of the Asian diaspora—than about each culture’s oldest traditions. It’s more plant-forward than meat-centered. It’s irreverent and fun and incredibly delicious. And it’s all captured in Modern Asian Kitchen .

#book cover #book covers #asian authors #asian heritage month #asian cooking #asian cuisine #cookbook #the united states of america #american covers #the united states

[exordium-graphx]

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

#bookaholic #book blog #bookish #booklover #kindle books #books #books & libraries #booksarelife #booksbooksbooks #graphic art #iron widow #xiran jay zhao #fantasy books #fiction #asian authors

[theblasianwitch]

So as some of you may know, I am writing a book/s. And I've reached a moment of questioning myself in terms of direction with it.

The book is for creative witches. Specifically, art, music, writing, poetry, dance, et cetera et cetera.

My current stumbling block is whether or not I want to include in the book a glamour magic section and a kitchen magic section, because technically they are forms of creativity, but there are already so many books out there existing for them. So do I want to exclude these sections, or include them and just make a giant compendium of creative witchcraft?

Baring to mind that the art section alone is already 15 pages and I still plan on adding more to that section. My insecurity in this is just whether or not people would want a big book like this

#author #asian american authors #asian authors #bipoc authors #witchblr #witch books #witch discussion #discussion #witches of the world #witches of color #witches of tumblr #art witch #music witch #kitchen witch #glamour witch #writing #writer problems #the blasian witch

[inkcurlsandknives]

Found you via Neil Gaiman reblogging you and I’m very excited for your book next year! Only downside is I’ve struggled with reading physical novels. Will there be an audiobook version and is there any audio forms of your current works?

Hi! I'm so glad you found me (I'm still fangirling about Neil Gaiman and Diane Duane noticing my post myself. 😅)

I actually have an audiobook? Audio story? of my short story Dying Rivers and Broken Hearts on PodCastle, you can give it a listen for free. It's about a Filipina catholic witch trying to save the Bakunawa /Laho/sea dragon 🐉 of Manila Bay

I can't yet say for certain if there will be an audiobook version of Saints of Storm and Sorrow, but it's something I very much want to make happen and am working towards with my agent

Thanks for reaching out!

#writeblr #saints of storm and sorrow #podcastle #dying rivers and broken hearts #filipino history #filipino fantasy #queer fantasy #asian authors #asian fantasy #filipino author #audiobook