Believe in the Sun: Recommended Reading

Putting on my “Star Wars” hat for a brief minute, Princess Leia Organa has an empowering quote: “Hope is like the sun. If you only believe in it when you see it, you’ll never make it through the night.” You don’t need me to tell you that it’s been a hard year on everyone, and for the longest time, we weren’t sure exactly how long the darkness would last. But now there’s hope in sight; both in the change of administrations a month from now and recently with the vaccines that are starting to be administered around the country.

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Special Sunday Post: 4 Years of “An Absolute Mind”

Woah is me, it’s been that long already?! It’s such a shock that I simply had to write a post about it on the actual day of the anniversary. As of today, it has now been four years since the release of An Absolute Mind. My sci-fi novel of a young woman with an incredible cognitive ability making the decision to demand change for the betterment of the future has been around this long already, and even after all this time, it’s still keeping me occupied.

Legacies, Individuality, and Hope: About “Star Wars”

Every now and then, I expand my dialogue about storytelling by going beyond the boundaries of books and out into the mediums of TV and film. I do so by doing these analysis pieces once in a while about a TV show or film that has reached a significant time in its history (i.e. series premiere, series finale, film release, anniversary of a release, etc.). Previously, I shared my thoughts about the beloved Studio Ghibli film, “Kiki’s Delivery Service.” Today, to commemorate the final entry into the Skywalker saga, I shall discuss my latest takeaways from this beloved space opera, “Star Wars.“

WARNING: There will be SPOILERS from “The Rise of Skywalker.” Stop reading now if you haven’t seen the film yet and do not want it spoiled for you.

Thoughts About Escapism

At this time two years ago, I was already writing what would eventually become An Absolute Mind. It was easy to slip in that mindset of its setting in an optimistic future, given the conditions of my country back then. While I can’t say that everything was peaceful, as far as privileges and rights go, they were as intact and secure as ever, and even got better when the Supreme Court finally made the historic decision to legalize same-sex marriage in all 50 states.

If I were to write An Absolute Mind today, I honestly am not sure how I would be able to effectively slip into that mindset and make that future as positive as it is, given everything that’s been happening in the week since Trump took office. There’s so much to go off of. Women’s rights are in danger. The press is being censored. “Alternative facts” have apparently become a thing. The proposed wall to border Mexico is actually being pursued… somehow. As of recently, immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-dominant countries are banned from entering the country. It’s horrendous and difficult to read about. It’s history repeating itself, and then some.

The Future of America and “An Absolute Mind”

This is it. We are down to the final days before the release of my second novel, An Absolute Mind. Without a doubt, I am getting excited, as an author should be when they’re about to release a novel; regardless of whether it’s the second novel, or the fiftieth. But since my previous post – let alone in the months leading up to today’s post – there’s obviously some emotional weight going into it now.

I’m releasing my second novel post-Election 2016. I knew how pivotal it was going to be. I just did not expect for the aftermath to be what it is. This was my second time voting in the presidential election, and never had I expected an outcome like this. In fact, out of all the presidential elections that I’ve been alive to see, never have I been in this much dismay over the outcome of one.