What Did I Miss?: February 2021

News

Your Script Produced Announces Season 2 Quarterfinalists – My screenplay, “Time and Time Again,” is announced as a quarterfinalist for this screenplay competition.

Your Script Produced Announces Season 2 Semifinalists – My screenplay, “Time and Time Again,” is announced as a semifinalist for this screenplay competition.

Published Works

Review of We Could Be Heroes by Mike Chen – For Goodreads, I go over my thoughts about this latest novel from the thoughtful sci-fi author.

Paolo Montalban on Memories of ‘Cinderella’ and the Making of a Filipino American Musical – For The Nerds of Color, I interviewed the actor known for playing Prince Christopher in the 1997 version about his time working on the film, as well as about his latest movie musical that’s currently in the film festival circuit.

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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.

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.

What Did I Miss?: October 2020

Published Works

‘Song Exploder’ Host Hrishikesh Hirway Breaks Down the Making of the New Netflix Series – For The Nerds of Color, I speak with the voice and brains behind an acclaimed podcast, and piece by piece, breaks down how adapting it for a documentary series came to be.

Ruby Ibarra Aspires to Inspire Through Her Roots-Ingrained Raps – For the Center for Asian American Media, I spotlight this highly celebrated rapper and filmmaker about sharing her perspective and stories as a first-generation Filipina American.

Review of Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse – For Goodreads, I give a short but sweet review of this new novel from this mega-talented fantasy writer.

Appearances

The So Weird Podcast: Halloween Edition – I am one of many fans who contribute to this Halloween-themed episode of The So Weird Podcast, by naming characters and moments we find spooky from the daring Disney Channel Original series. (Full version of the episode can be viewed here.)

Other News

2021 ScreenCraft TV Pilot Script Competition – My screenplay, “Time and Time Again,” is announced as one of the quarterfinalists for this screenplay competition from ScreenCraft.

The Red List – Top Rated Sci-fi Television (Half-hour) Screenplays This Month – My screenplay, “Time and Time Again,” is one of the top 20 of this list on Coverfly.

 

What Did I Miss?: May 2020

Published Works

Director Alice Wu and Actor Leah Lewis on the Whole Story of Making “The Half of It” – For the Center for Asian American Media, I give a glimpse at the making of Alice Wu’s first film since “Saving Face” and how the lead actor landed and approached the project.

Screenwriter’s Commentary: “Breath of Writing”

Within recent years, I’ve begun acting on another goal of mine as a writer, which is the goal of becoming a screenwriter. Since then, I’ve done quite a bit of it; from spec scripts to my first feature-length screenplay. However, so far, none of this body of writing has materialized into being something that can be experienced onscreen.

Well, that all changes today. In collaboration with Asiatic Productions, I am please to announce that my first screenplay to have been successfully produced as a film, “Breath of Writing,” is now available for viewing.

3 Years of “An Absolute Mind”

Yes, it’s hard to believe it’s that time of year already. As of yesterday, it has been three years since the release of my second novel, An Absolute Mind. In a weird way, I can definitely believe it. At the same time though, it feels like it has been even longer than that.

Thoughts About Not Doing/Feeling Enough

There are days where if I really deeply think about it, I’ll go into this state of feeling like I’m not doing enough as a writer and/or I’m not feeling like I’m enough as a writer. Recently, I’ve been experiencing that feeling again.

A lot of it comes from the results, or lack of, from my work and progress as a writer so far, and how frequently it’s happening. There are so many instances I can go off of.

5 Years of Lola By the Bay/2018 Year in Review

WordPress sent me a reminder last night that it has now been five years since the formation of this here blog/website. That’s half a decade of running this thing in the six years since I made the decision to start pursuing my writing more seriously, and look how much has happened since then.

But this post isn’t to serve as a retrospect of the last five years. Instead, this is a look back at the past eleven incredibly speedy months of the year 2018. I say this in some way or another at the end of every year, but it is absolutely crazy how fast this year went.

Reflections on My Hiatus

December is here and my hiatus is officially over. It’s hard to believe I’ve been away so long from blogging on my website already, but then again, the fact that I posted four times during my hiatus definitely shakes the reality of it. Looking back on the past two months, I now see how I chose a pretty good time to step away for a bit, for things have been quite hectic both in the world and in my life.