THE READING ROOM
Notes from
other worlds.
Book recommendations, mythology, science fiction, favorite tropes, and occasional dispatches from behind the stories.
FEATURED READING
Merman Books: Where Are All the Male Mermaids?
Mermaids & Ocean Fantasy · Mermen
Found any male mermaids lately? Try this. Search “mermaid books” and you will drown in results. Lists, subgenres, entire BookTok shelves, gorgeous covers with iridescent tails and hair […]
LATEST FROM MSK
Keep exploring.
Choose a doorway: deep water, distant planets, beloved tropes, or the stories behind the stories.
Fantasy Deep Dives · Uncategorized
Romantasy or Just Fantasy with Heart? How I Write Between the Lines
Everywhere I look, the term romantasy keeps popping up. It’s the genre mash-up of the year: part sweeping fantasy, part […]
Fantasy Deep Dives · Uncategorized
Unlocking the Secret Power of Maps in Fantasy: How to Inspire Your Own Journey
Last week we explored how fictional diaries in stories can inspire your own journaling practice. Diaries in fantasy often hold […]
Fantasy Deep Dives
Unlocking the Amazing Power of Magical Libraries: How Fictional Archives Can Transform Your Reading and Writing Life
Over the past few weeks (I skipped last week to feature a special Halloween featured blog last week) we looked […]
Tropes & Worldbuilding
The Haunting Origins of Halloween and How They Weave into Fiction
Explore the true origins of Halloween from Samhain to All Hallows’ Eve, and discover how its history weaves into fiction […]
Fantasy Deep Dives
Reading Outside the Castle: Fantasy Novels From Around the World You Need to Discover
A fantasy novel where everything feels just slightly unfamiliar grabs readers...the kind of book that doesn’t just whisk you away […]
Fantasy Deep Dives
Unlock the Hidden Power of Journaling: Remarkable Lessons from Fictional Diaries
There is something irresistible about stumbling across a diary inside a novel. It feels like peeking behind the curtain of […]
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