Looking Back on A Decade of Writing (Part 2)

Note: The following is a continuation from last week’s post. To read the first part, check it out here.

Looking Back on A Decade of Writing (Part 1)

It’s around this time of year that retrospectives start to pop up. While I will be doing one for this past year a little later in the month, I did want to do a retrospective of a different kind starting today.

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6 Years of “An Absolute Mind” and the Future of that Universe

Ideally, I would have liked to have written about this earlier in the month. However, due to occurrences that I’ve made known by now, it just didn’t feel right. But I didn’t want the month of November to come and go without acknowledging it at all either, as there is more to be said about it than a year ago.

8 Years of Lola By the Bay and 2021 Year in Review

For those who celebrate Christmas, Merry Christmas! For those who don’t, I hope you have a really good day anyway.

I can’t believe it’s been this long since the formation of my little corner of cyberspace already. It’s grown to be the virtual hub that I’ve always wanted for myself, and then some. I created the website to make it easy, for those who don’t already follow me on social media, to keep up with writing projects I have going on, as well as what’s on my mind on a (mostly) week-to-week basis. Looking back on my posts over the last 11 months, I think I’ve started to notice just how blatant and honest I’m becoming about both where I am in my journey as a writer, as well as the things that I truly care about.

Looking Back on “An Absolute Mind” 5 Years Later

Well… here we are. Two days from now will mark five years since the release of my second novel, An Absolute Mind. Half a decade has passed since I made this work of mine available to the world, and I continue to be astonished as to how relevant some of the themes and topics covered in the novel have and continue to become.

Re-Introduction in Honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

May is recognized as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the United States, where the entire duration of the month is devoted in recognizing the history, culture, and achievements of people from the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. While this annual, month-long celebration has been going on for a couple of decades now, I think it’s fair to say that this year’s will really be one of the first ones where people outside the communities are actually paying attention and learning about the history, in light of the hate crimes that have been happening for over a year now. I’m always going to be dismayed that it took a massacre for the general public to start paying attention to what has been happening, but the positive is that at least they’re finally paying attention. We’ve been here for a long time and we’re not going anywhere.

What Did I Miss? – January 2021

Published Works

Review of A Test of Courage by Justina Ireland – For Goodreads, after receiving an ARC of this upcoming middle grade novel from Disney Books, I give my brief thoughts about it.

The Backstory ‘Cobra Kai’ Should Tell – For The Nerds of Color, I argue my case for why the backstory of a gone but not forgotten character from “The Karate Kid” universe should be brought to life for the hit Netflix series.

The Stars of ‘Finding ‘Ohana’ Discuss Filming in Hawaii and Hawaiian Representation – For The Nerds of Color, I talked story with the four stars of this new family adventure Netflix film.

Review of Into the Dark by Claudia Gray – For Goodreads, ahead of its February release, I give my take on the first young adult novel from “The High Republic” era of “Star Wars.”

Appearances

Amazing Asians in the Arts: Lauren Lola – I am the first featured creative for The Cr8sian Project’s Amazing Asians in the Arts series for the year. I talk about my work as a writer, challenges and moments from my journey, and goals I have set for myself.

Jan. 5, 2021 – Screenwriter Lauren Lola (An Absolute Mind) – I take part in a short interview for WILDsound Podcast about the screenplay adaptation of An Absolute Mind, my journey as a writer, as well as which “Star Wars” film I’ve seen the most times.

Rainy Day Artistic Collective Interview – Ahead of the inaugural Winter One Act Festival, as one of the playwrights who will have work featured in it, I’m interviewed about my journey in the theatre world for the collective’s Facebook page.

Interview with Screenwriter Lauren Lola (AN ABSOLUTE MIND) – Matthew Toffolo, CEO of the WILDsound Film Festival, interviews me about the screenplay adaptation of “An Absolute Mind”.

News

The Short Screenplay Challenge 2020 | 1st Round, Challenge #2 Results – My scores from the first two challenges of this screenwriting competition are added up, placing me in the Top 15 for my assigned group.

Trailers

SCREENPLAY TRAILER: An Absolute Mind Script Trailer – WILDsound’s Fantasy/Sci-Fi Film & Writing Festival produces an epic trailer for the screenplay adaptation of my second novel of the same name.

Feeling It In the Air Tonight: Recommended Reading and Listening

Obviously, it’s been one hell of a first week of the new year here in the U.S. Following the white supremacist mob attack on Capitol Building back on Wednesday, I’ve been trying to think of a good way to talk about it on here, while still staying true to what this blog is all about. What’s been said about it already? What lens has it been explored through? And then I remembered that this month marks 40 years since the release of “In the Air Tonight;” Phil Collins’ solo debut single.

What Did I Miss?: December 2020

Published Works

Hiromi Kamata On Growing Up with Selena’s Music and Directing Netflix’s Biopic Series – For The Nerds of Color, I spoke with one of the directors of the first season of this new series about how it came together.

Kimiko Guthrie on Her Career in Dancing and Writing Block Seventeen – For Hapa Mag, I speak with this Bay Area author about growing in Berkeley in the 1970s, her work in the dance world, and about the process of writing her debut novel.

Raya and the Navigation of Asian America as a Mixed-Race Filipino American – For Hapa Mag, I dive deep into my excitement for this upcoming Disney animated feature film, after years of going about Asian America as both a mixed-race and Filipino American woman.

Three Characters Lauren Mary Kim Performed Stunts for in ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 2 – For The Nerds of Color, I go over the characters this former interviewee performed stunts for in the most recent season of this live-action series from a galaxy far, far away.

Appearances

#Kollab2020 Alumni Staff Highlight – Ahead of Kollaboration’s 20th anniversary celebration, I was featured as one of many former staff members, where I talk about my experience being a part of the organization and how it has changed my life. (Facebook version available here.)

NOCs of the Roundtable: Goodbye 2020 – As we close out this horrendous year, the people behind this pop culture outlet come together to discuss their favorite nerdy moments from the year.

Readings

SCI-FI Festival Best Scene Reading: An Absolute Mind by Lauren Lola – WILDsound’s Fantasy/Sci-Fi Film & Writing Festival produces an audio-only reading of one of my favorite scenes from the screenplay adaptation of my second novel of the same name.

7 Years of Lola By the Bay and 2020 Year in Review

A part of me has always found it perplexing that I chose to start up my website at the end of a year. I sometimes wonder, “Why not have waited one more week until you were in the new year before finally starting it?” Well, seven years later, I look back on that decision and I think it worked out, actually. I get to both acknowledge the formation of this constantly growing website and look back on the past year in one go… and… well…. needless to say, this is quite a year to look back on.