Blog — Malinda Lo

My first novel, Ash, was published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers almost ten years ago, in September 2009. It was a retelling of “Cinderella” with a twist: Ash, the Cinderella character, falls in love with a woman rather than with Prince Charming. Ash lives in a world in which same-sex love is normal, so she doesn’t have to suffer through any coming-out angst. She gets her happily ever after.

Ash was received so warmly by readers in 2009, and in the years since then I almost feel like I’ve ceased being the author of Ash and instead become the keeper of memories for this book. So many readers have emailed me or told me in person how Ash made them feel seen; how it showed them that it was OK to be gay; how comforted they felt by the story. This is not something a writer can ever expect or hope for, and I’ve been deeply touched by every person who has shared their love of Ash with me.

FeaturesMalinda LoMay 14, 2019LGBTQ, statistics, LGBTQ YA By the Numbers, Ash

Full Cover Reveal: 10th Anniversary Edition of ASH

It’s only one month until the 10th anniversary edition of Ash is released, and I’m thrilled to show you the full, updated cover today. It still retains the image of the girl curled up on the ground that made me love the original cover so much, but the title treatment is new and several incredible authors have contributed new blurbs for Ash.

I case you're not familiar with publishing jargon, blurbs are those little bursts of praise that are printed on book covers. (For example: "This book is better than sliced bread!" — Jane Bestseller, Author of Many Bestsellers) They are a source of incredible anxiety for authors, because who wants to go around asking for other people to praise your book publicly? It's totally nerve-wracking!

So when I learned which authors had offered new blurbs for a 10-year-old book, I was completely floored. Here they are on the new cover, front and back:

NewsMalinda LoApril 17, 2019Ash

A belated annual review: 2018 to 2019

For many years I've posted an annual review at the end of each year in which I wrap up the previous year and give a preview of what's coming up. I didn't do that at the end of 2018, but as the weeks of 2019 roll by (slowly, filled with way too much news) I realized that I don't want to skip my annual review. So, even though this is a little late, here we go!

I had several short stories published last year, and it's not too late to read them!

"New Year" (published in Feb. 2018 in the anthology All Out) is about a Chinese American girl in 1950s San Francisco who discovers that there's a lesbian community right next door to her Chinatown home. If you're a regular reader of my blog or a follower on social media, you'll know that "New Year" is turning into a full-length novel (I'm working on it right now), so you can get a sneak peek at it in the story!

New short story: "Red" at Foreshadow

The new year is already upon us, and I'm happy to report that I have a new short story just published that you can read right now.

Foreshadow is a new publisher of young adult short fiction; they describe themselves as "a serial YA anthology, published digitally." What this means is that every month in 2019, you'll be able to read three new (free!) young adult short stories. They'll be written by published authors and new voices alike. I'm thrilled that my short story, "Red," leads off their first issue of the year.

NewsMalinda LoJanuary 2, 2019Red, Foreshadow

New short story: We Could Be Heroes

When I went to the Women's March in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20, 2017, I was overwhelmed by the masses of marchers and the pain that so many of us felt at the inauguration of our current president.

But I was also amazed by so many other things: the sharp wit of the protest signs; the thousands upon thousands of hot pink knitted pussy hats; the feeling, prevalent throughout the city, of a nation on the edge of something huge and unknown.

After I returned home, I couldn't stop thinking about it. As is my way, I started wondering: what if something else happened at that inauguration? Since I'm a writer who has written science fiction, and I'm an American who (of course) has watched Independence Day, I naturally thought: what if there were an alien invasion?

FeaturesMalinda LoOctober 1, 2018We Could Be Heroes

A LINE IN THE DARK is now available in paperback

My latest novel, A Line in the Dark, is now available in paperback with this glorious review from Teen Vogue on the cover:

"A twisty, dark psychological thriller ... impressive storytelling, a chilling plot, and mean girls aplenty."

I might argue with "mean girls" in its most stereotypical sense, but to be honest, there are some mean girls in A Line in the Dark. What I mean, of course, is that this book contains anger, obsession, jealousy, and complicated shifting identities that sometimes are expressed by meanness.

NewsMalinda LoSeptember 4, 2018A Line in the Dark