Willow 2022 In Memoriam (for now)

Willow 2022 is no longer available for legal viewing in any format, anywhere. We hope it will be resurrected at some point, somehow, but TPTB at Disney have given us no concrete reason or timeline to expect its return. (Jon Kasdan, the show runner, has tweeted cryptic messages but is not in a position to make key decisions, nor to share details.)

First and foremost, I grieve for kids who now will not have the chance to stumble upon this wonderful show with a diverse/queer cast on a platform with the reach of Disney+. I can’t express in words how much I appreciated being able to watch this show with my enby 11-yo kid. Of course I also regret losing the opportunity to build the fandom over time with new viewers, as the Princess Bride did after a lackluster box-office opening in 1987, and I feel so angry on behalf of the creatives who poured their efforts and craft into this project. But I grieve even more the potentially life-saving representation that young people might have benefited from, and I fear for the chilling effect Disney’s decision might have on greenlighting queer/diverse projects aimed at younger audiences in the foreseeable future.

On a personal note: Actor Erin Kellyman has mentioned in interviews that playing the role of Jade Claymore helped her work on childhood issues, and I feel similarly about what watching the show has done for me. I was raised in central Kansas in the 1970s and 80s, a gender-non-normative “tomboy” lacking any mainstream queer representation. I don’t recall even learning the words “gay” and “lesbian” in the queer context until high school, and of course when I did, they were corrupted by ridicule and shame. Fortunately, I had a very strong sense of self and managed to survive and to thrive as a lesbian as soon as I went elsewhere for college.

I grew up as a fan of all the Lucasfilm franchises (including the original movie Willow, released in 1988). While I identified with both Leia and Han to a degree (and shipped them), something always felt off. There was something lacking in that magical Lucasfilm world. It was not just overt queer and diverse representation; it’s also the case, for example, that the entire original Star Wars trilogy does not pass the Bechdel-Wallace test. The original Indiana Jones trilogy barely does. (Criteria: there must be at least two named women who talk to each another about something besides a man.) Willow 1988 is the rare exception in early Lucasfilm that satisfies the Bechdel-Wallace test without our having to squint. As a fan of the original Willow, I found that Willow 2022 matched its spirit brilliantly and expanded its potential in such interesting directions.

I can’t begin to say how much it would have meant to me growing up to have had Willow 2022 within the Lucasfilm universe, for all these reasons. I really believe that a series like this would have changed the whole trajectory of my life - I am turning 50 soon - even when I count myself so very lucky to have had a supportive family and a strong sense of self. I am grateful that the first season of Willow 2022 exists at all, and it truly has propelled me to do a lot of important healing work around the childhood trauma of growing up queer at a time and place that was totally lacking in positive mainstream representation.

But it’s not enough: Willow 2022 should be made available for legal viewing in some form as soon as possible to keep saving lives and changing lives for the better.

First episode is out!

The first episode of my original audiobook has been posted to YouTube!

Thalassophobia is set in a world where demons roam the earth along side humans. The two species are far from a harmonious cohabitation, and nowhere is this more true than in the town of Reveldad. Due to a prophecy woven many years ago, Reveldad underwent an oppressive rule governed by the wolf demon known as Ma'relle. Her rule ended the day that the human woman known as Krona cast her into the ocean. Ma'relle escaped her imprisonment after a year, but has since opted to live a life far removed from what anyone would consider a reign. As such, demon-kind was forced to suffer a terrible retreat and their hope and faith in Ma'relle as their hero wanes by the day while humanities faith that Krona is the 'one true victor' foretold by the prophecy grows ever stronger. Still, demons remain a presence in Reveldad, making it so visitors are rare, and often leave as quickly they come. New residents, however, are nearly unheard of. So when Vitala Ston, a woman free from any experience with demons or prophecies, decides to make herself at home in the town of Reveldad, she will earn experiences far beyond what she imagined when she set out with her horse and cairn terrier. Her curiosity and thirst for knowledge will earn her friends, enemies, and most unexpected of all: a love that may be the catalyst for a prophecy that has long waited to be fulfilled.

This story is, at its core, a lesbian love story, but that's not all it's got going for it. Are you into monsters? Fleshed out characters? Fleshed out characters who are monsters? Warrior women? Swords? Good stories? Or are just intrigued by the description above? Well, welcome to Reveldad!

Beautiful Book Covers: Hispanic Heritage Month Picks

Portrait of an Unknown Lady by María Gainza, Thomas Bunstead (Translator)

In the Buenos Aires art world, a master forger has achieved legendary status. Rumored to be a woman, she seems especially gifted at forging canvases by the painter Mariette Lydis, a portraitist of Argentine high society. But who is this absurdly gifted creator of counterfeits? What motivates her? And what is her link to the community of artists who congregate, night after night, in a strange establishment called the Hotel Melancólico? On the trail of this mysterious forger is our narrator, an art critic and auction house employee through whose hands counterfeit works have passed. As she begins to take on the role of art-world detective, adopting her own methods of deception and manipulation, she warns us “not to proceed in expectation of names, numbers or dates . . . My techniques are those of the impressionist.” What follows is a highly seductive and enveloping meditation on what we mean by “authenticity” in art, and a captivating exploration of the gap between what is lived and what is told. Portrait of an Unknown Lady is, like any great work, driven by obsession and full of subtle surprise.

Bindle Punk Bruja by Desideria Mesa

Yo soy quien soy. I am who I am. Luna--or depending on who's asking, Rose--is the white-passing daughter of an immigrant mother who has seen what happens to people from her culture. This world is prejudicial, and she must hide her identity in pursuit of owning an illegal jazz club. Using her cunning powers, Rose negotiates with dangerous criminals as she climbs up Kansas City's bootlegging ladder. Luna, however, runs the risk of losing everything if the crooked city councilmen and ruthless mobsters discover her ties to an immigrant boxcar community that secretly houses witches. Last thing she wants is to put her entire family in danger. But this bruja with ever-growing magical abilities can never resist a good fight. With her new identity, Rose, an unabashed flapper, defies societal expectations all the while struggling to keep her true self and witchcraft in check. However, the harder she tries to avoid scrutiny, the more her efforts eventually capture unwanted attention. Soon, she finds herself surrounded by greed and every brand of bigotry--from local gangsters who want a piece of the action and businessmen who hate her diverse staff to the Ku Klux Klan and Al Capone. Will her earth magic be enough to save her friends and family? As much as she hates to admit it, she may need to learn to have faith in others--and learning to trust may prove to be her biggest ambition yet.

A Woman of Endurance by Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa

A Woman of Endurance, set in nineteenth-century Puerto Rican plantation society, follows Pola, a deeply spiritual African woman who is captured and later sold for the purpose of breeding future slaves. The resulting babies are taken from her as soon as they are born. Pola loses the faith that has guided her and becomes embittered and defensive. The dehumanizing violence of her life almost destroys her. But this is not a novel of defeat but rather one of survival, regeneration, and reclamation of common humanity. Readers are invited to join Pola in her journey to healing. From the sadistic barbarity of her first experiences, she moves on to receive compassion and support from a revitalizing new community. Along the way, she learns to recognize and embrace the many faces of love—a mother’s love, a daughter’s love, a sister’s love, a love of community, and the self-love that she must recover before she can offer herself to another. It is ultimately, a novel of the triumph of the human spirit even under the most brutal of conditions.

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

In the overthrow of the Mexican government, Beatriz’s father is executed and her home destroyed. When handsome Don Rodolfo Solórzano proposes, Beatriz ignores the rumors surrounding his first wife’s sudden demise, choosing instead to seize the security his estate in the countryside provides. She will have her own home again, no matter the cost. But Hacienda San Isidro is not the sanctuary she imagined. When Rodolfo returns to work in the capital, visions and voices invade Beatriz’s sleep. The weight of invisible eyes follows her every move. Rodolfo’s sister, Juana, scoffs at Beatriz’s fears—but why does she refuse to enter the house at night? Why does the cook burn copal incense at the edge of the kitchen and mark its doorway with strange symbols? What really happened to the first Doña Solórzano? Beatriz only knows two things for certain: Something is wrong with the hacienda. And no one there will help her. Desperate for help, she clings to the young priest, Padre Andrés, as an ally. No ordinary priest, Andrés will have to rely on his skills as a witch to fight off the malevolent presence haunting the hacienda and protect the woman for whom he feels a powerful, forbidden attraction. But even he might not be enough to battle the darkness. Far from a refuge, San Isidro may be Beatriz’s doom.

In a seemingly indifferent universe, the following facts are true: Vampires exist. Fey exist. Werewolves exist. Magick users exist. Gods exist. Most humans are unaware of these truths, though a few are - and despite their attempts to tell others, they are often dismissed as mad. These are the Hidden Keys, natural and supernatural beings that hold sway over our universe's reality, each with their own agenda - and to the hope or doom of humankind. [Original art by Triplecast artist David JJ Smith.]

Something old, something new

Certain things are unavoidable when dealing with a fifty-year-old franchise. Nostalgia feels good. People like the familiar; we find comfort in things we recognize. We delight in seeing old friends again – sometimes even when we no longer have anything in common. At the same time, there’s limited value to lingering in the past. The “good old days” are a sepia-toned illusion. So where’s the…

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If you like stories with:

Gay characters

Anti-capitalist themes

A lot of humor but also a lot of angst

Weird, complex magic systems

Large, quirky casts of messy characters

I wrote comic called A Flair of Fate, and I'm inviting people to join the exclusive fan club ("sidekick program"). The story follows teenage bicon Javi Cabrera who joins a superhero sports league to train as a hero even though he doesn't have a superpower himself and will need to use magical gear to compete. It's basically a dystopian adventure story in the vein of shounen manga, only there's over 110 canon queer characters and the women are treated like actual people.

If you join the sidekick program, you'll get early access to the comic plus behind the scenes bonus content and community space. Applications are open through the end of January!

You can apply here!

Otherwise, the comic will be available this fall so keep an eye out for it!

Something old, something new

Certain things are unavoidable when dealing with a fifty-year-old franchise. Nostalgia feels good. People like the familiar; we find comfort in things we recognize. We delight in seeing old friends again – sometimes even when we no longer have anything in common. At the same time, there’s limited value to lingering in the past. The “good old days” are a sepia-toned illusion. So where’s the…

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OWN Voices

The concept of “OWN Voices” has become increasingly popular in the past several years, especially in the literary world. OWN Voices is a term used to describe literature, stories, or pieces of art that are written or created by people who are a part of the same culture, community, or identity portrayed in the work itself. In a world where so many stories are created by outsiders, the presence…

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What I've Been Reading Lately: November 15

What I’ve Been Reading Lately: November 15

Welcome to What I’ve Been Reading Lately, a feature where I’ll be giving short reviews of what I’m currently reading: (more…)

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"Interior Chinatown" by Charles Yu

Thank you @amandatacklestbr for the rec! ❤️

Explore Mexico with the Best of Mexicanist Newsletter! From political bloopers to oceanic wonders, culinary revolutions, and economic insights, each issue unveils the diverse stories shaping Mexico's past, present, and future.

Danny is being held for ransom, on the grounds that "Oh come on, lookat 'im! He's gonna get adopted by Wayne at some point!" There's a problem with that; he's in Star City, not Gotham.

Normally, he'd just phase through and disappear, but they're livestreaming it.

Also, the livestream has gotten...weird.

Apparently Wayne is willing to pay the ransom, but Oliver Queen is also willing to pay the ransom, and is saying he has more right to pay it since Danny is in his city. They're having a ransom competition with each other. The kidnappers are begging them to stop, but they won't.

They've reached 4.5 billion in ransom money, and are still trying to outbid each other.

So exhausted of book influencers on tiktok and Twitter implying that authors including sexism, racism, transphobia, etc. in their stories is endorsement of that behavior

More often than not it’s members of these marginalized communities who are the authors sharing discrimination/oppression they’ve faced in their own personal lives and book “influencers” (who are often not members of that marginalized community themselves) are stating it’s wrong for them to do so.

If you personally don’t enjoy books with this kind of content, that’s fine. I often find myself struggling to read some of the best trans-femm literature because the topics can be heavy and hurt to read about but that does not mean the books are bad by any means.

Policing how people with marginalized identities tell their stories when you’re not a member of that group feels like a form of discrimination in itself.

In summary: Don't Like? Don't Read!

Book Recommendations: Must-Read Fiction by Arab and Arab-American Authors

What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad

More bodies have washed up on the shores of a small island. Another overfilled, ill-equipped, dilapidated ship has sunk under the weight of its too many passengers: Syrians, Ethiopians, Egyptians, Lebanese, Palestinians, all of them desperate to escape untenable lives back in their homelands. But miraculously, someone has survived the passage: nine-year-old Amir, a Syrian boy who is soon rescued by Vanna. Vanna is a teenage girl, who, despite being native to the island, experiences her own sense of homelessness in a place and among people she has come to disdain. And though Vanna and Amir are complete strangers, though they don't speak a common language, Vanna is determined to do whatever it takes to save the boy.

In alternating chapters, we learn about Amir's life and how he came to be on the boat, and we follow him and the girl as they make their way toward safety. What Strange Paradise is the story of two children finding their way through a hostile world. But it is also a story of empathy and indifference, of hope and despair--and about the way each of those things can blind us to reality.

The Other Americans by Laila Lalami

Late one spring night, Driss Guerraoui, a Moroccan immigrant living in California, is walking across a darkened intersection when he is killed by a speeding car. The repercussions of his death bring together a diverse cast of characters: Guerraoui's daughter Nora, a jazz composer who returns to the small town in the Mojave she thought she'd left for good; his widow, Maryam, who still pines after her life in the old country; Efraín, an undocumented witness whose fear of deportation prevents him from coming forward; Jeremy, an old friend of Nora's and an Iraq War veteran; Coleman, a detective who is slowly discovering her son's secrets; Anderson, a neighbor trying to reconnect with his family; and the murdered man himself.

As the characters--deeply divided by race, religion, and class--tell their stories, connections among them emerge, even as Driss's family confronts its secrets, a town faces its hypocrisies, and love, messy and unpredictable, is born.

The Frightened Ones by Dima Wannous

In her therapist's waiting room in Damascus, Suleima meets a strange and reticent man named Naseem, and they soon begin a tense affair. But when Naseem, a writer, flees Syria for Germany, he sends Suleima the unfinished manuscript of his novel. To Suleima's surprise, she and the novel's protagonist are uncannily similar. As she reads, Suleima's past overwhelms her and she has no idea what to trust--Naseem's pages, her own memory, or nothing at all?

Narrated in alternating chapters by Suleima and the mysterious woman portrayed in Naseem's novel, The Frightened Ones is a boundary-blurring, radical examination of the effects of oppression on one's sense of identity, the effects of collective trauma, and a moving window into life inside Assad's Syria.

The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi

Red is the blood of the elite, of magic, of control. Blue is the blood of the poor, of workers, of the resistance. Clear is the blood of the slaves, of the crushed, of the invisible.

Sylah dreams of days growing up in the resistance, being told she would spark a revolution that would free the empire from the red-blooded ruling classes’ tyranny. That spark was extinguished the day she watched her family murdered before her eyes.

Anoor has been told she’s nothing, no one, a disappointment, by the only person who matters: her mother, the most powerful ruler in the empire. But when Sylah and Anoor meet, a fire burns between them that could consume the kingdom—and their hearts.

Hassa moves through the world unseen by upper classes, so she knows what it means to be invisible. But invisibility has its uses: It can hide the most dangerous of secrets, secrets that can reignite a revolution. And when she joins forces with Sylah and Anoor, together these grains of sand will become a storm.

As the empire begins a set of trials of combat and skill designed to find its new leaders, the stage is set for blood to flow, power to shift, and cities to burn.

This is the first volume in “The Ending Fire” trilogy. 

Due to lack of diversity in friendships, there are chances of you having a limited friend circle. So, why not vow to have more diverse friends? In this article, we will explore the many benefits of indulging in diverse friendships and provide tips on building a diverse social circle.

"the creator said in a reddit thread -" "the official twitter account posted that -" "the actors confirmed in a livestream that -"

i don't care and that's not real to me. put it in the text.