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
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Choose a doorway: deep water, distant planets, beloved tropes, or the stories behind the stories.
Fantasy Deep Dives
The Amazing Secret Power of Dreams in YA Fiction
Dreams are slippery things. They pull us into strange places, show us truths wrapped in riddles, and let our deepest […]
Tropes & Worldbuilding
Beyond Kings and Queens: Exciting Opportunities in Worldbuilding
I get it, we all love a good monarchy. There is something so primally satisfying about a story centered on […]
Tropes & Worldbuilding
Folklore’s Shadow: How Modern Fantasy Reshapes Our Fear
Folklore has always given us monsters that reflect what scares us most. Spirits, demons, shapeshifters, and creatures lurking at the […]
Fantasy Deep Dives
Sounds Like Magic: Scoring Fantasy Worlds in Fiction
Okay, here’s a weird but persistent question that’s been living in my brain lately:What do fantasy worlds sound like? Not […]
Fantasy Deep Dives
Oceanic Infrastructure and Floating Fantasies: Could I Actually Write High Fantasy?
So here’s what’s been circling in my head lately: coastal cities in fantasy. Not just pirate hideouts or storm-battered ports, […]
Fantasy Deep Dives · Uncategorized
The Unsung Heroes of YA Fantasy: Why I’m Obsessed with Background Characters
Lately I’ve been thinking about the quiet ones. Not the brooding heroes or the villains with tragic pasts. I mean […]
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