Updates: I'm a Locus book reviewer! And Ignyte finalist and more!

 

Some updates:

(1) I’m delighted to say that I am now a book reviewer for Locus Magazine! My first review appeared in the May 2026 issue, for S.L. Huang's brilliant novella, The Language of Liars. It's about an adorably nerdy (and naive) linguist who infiltrates a mysterious alien race to try to understand their secrets. It's a tautly plotted spy-thriller mystery, and also a sharp and devastating meditation on exploitation, greed, and the power of language. 

Here's a screenshot of part of my review below! You can buy the full issue here. Book and short story reviews eventually appear online some time after print publication.


I'm delighted to be writing for such a storied publication, the trade journal of the science fiction/fantasy/speculative fiction field. I'm also delighted that one of my own stories, "Lotus Dew for the Emperor's Tea," got a shout-out from short fiction reviewer Maria Haskins in her column in the same issue. 



(2) Dovetailing with this new milestone in my reviewing career (my god, I think I can legitimately use the word "career!"), I learned that I've just been named a finalist for the 2026 Ignyte Awards in the "Critics Award" category! I never, ever expected this, and I am in some amazing company.  


CRITICS AWARD

for reviews and analysis of the field of speculative literature

  • Alex Brown
  • Gabino Iglesias
  • Maria Haskins
  • The Skiffy and Fanty Show: Shaun Duke, Daniel Haeusser, Paul Weimer, Trish Matson, Stephen Geigen-Miller, and Cam Coulter
  • Vanessa Fogg

The Ignyte Awards were created with a focus on celebrating diversity in the field of speculative literature. You can learn more about the awards here and vote for your favorites through August 16 here.  There are so many wonderful writers and stories to be found here. I'm honored to be among them.


(3) Finally, I have a reprint to announce. My short story, "Remembering Day," first published in Uncharted Magazine in 2024, has been reprinted in the gorgeous photography/art/essay/fiction magazine, Black & Grey. It appears in the limited print-run Summer 2026 "Simulation" issue. I'm delighted that my science-fiction story on "mind-uploading" and the pleasure and wonders of human embodiment has found a new home there.


One more thing: I really never did expect to be nominated for an Ignyte award in criticism—or to receive any kind of attention for my criticism/reviewing at all. For years now, I’ve been posting my short fiction round-ups and book reviews as a labor of love. Recently, I’ve been wondering whether it’s worth it. I love reading, and I love talking about the stories I love. But it takes time and effort, and I’ve wondered how much it really matters. To suddenly start getting this level of attention and recognition for this work—a paid gig at Locus and an award nomination from the Ignyte Awards—is more gratifying than I can say.  




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