Blog — Malinda Lo

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

"Meet Cute" is out in FRESH INK today

Today I have a new short story available for you to read! It's called "Meet Cute" and it's in the latest We Need Diverse Books anthology, Fresh Ink, edited by Lamar Giles.

This is a rarity for me — a fun and romantic story with a happy ending! "Meet Cute" is basically my short story version of a romantic comedy, set at a Comic Con-style convention. The two characters who meet cutely are Nic, who is cosplaying as a gender-flipped Sulu from Star Trek, and Tamia, who is cosplaying as a race-bent Dana Scully from The X-Files.*

NewsMalinda LoAugust 14, 2018Fresh Ink, Meet Cute

HOW I RESIST is out today

Today marks the publication day for a new anthology, How I Resist: Activism and Hope for a New Generation, edited by Maureen Johnson. It includes an essay by me titled "Keep Doing What You're Doing."

When Maureen first invited me to contribute to the anthology, it was only a few months into the Trump Administration. (Can you believe it's been almost a year and a half?) I'd already started to feel burned out by the horrible news that came out every day—seemingly every hour—but I knew immediately that I wanted to be a part of the anthology.

NewsMalinda LoMay 15, 2018How I Resist

ALL OUT is out!

I have a new story out today! It's called "New Year" and is part of the anthology All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages, edited by Saundra Mitchell.

All Out has gotten some stellar reviews, which is no wonder since it includes such talented writers as Anna-Marie McLemore, Robin Talley, Mackenzi Lee, Tess Sharpe, Sara Farizan, and more. Here's some of the praise:

★ "A historical-fiction anthology shines the spotlight on queer teens, from as far back as the 1300s up to the turn of the 21st century. ... The vast majority come to life through sumptuous language, plentiful historical detail, and satisfying endings. Most stories acknowledge—and sometimes directly deal with—the hardships of being queer in these settings, but that's not the focus here. Instead, the collection centers on adventure, first love, and self-discovery. ... Readers searching for positive, nuanced, and authentic queer representation—or just a darn good selection of stories—need look no further than this superb collection." — Kirkus, starred review

NewsMalinda LoFebruary 27, 2018All Out, New Year