I think I did mention obliquely before that I had changed my stance on comfort authors over the years. And I’m blogging about this now because I’ve run out of other topics about reading. Digression but I’ve always had trouble with one of the 4 topics I blogged under at different times, the recent candidateContinue reading “Changing Stance on Comfort Authors”
Author Archives: moonlakeku
Remarkable Women in ancient China (29)- Zhang Xiugu
Who is she? The first person in Chinese history to dissect a diseased human body Notable life events: Born in the Northern and Southern Dynasty period and rumoured to be born to a father who is a wandering village doctor Married to a wandering village doctor by the name Tang Ci In 450 AD, aContinue reading “Remarkable Women in ancient China (29)- Zhang Xiugu”
Mini Reading Challenge 2026
I have finished my mini reading challenge this year, splitting my attention between two keywords: water lily and lotus. Of the four books, I think I slightly prefer Torn from Troy because it’s closer to what I usually read. The Dressmaker’s Daughter is interesting in showcasing a modern era before me that I don’t quiteContinue reading “Mini Reading Challenge 2026”
Chinese vs Western Fantasy: A comparison of Elements (3): Ghosts- Moral Punishment vs Administrative Continuity
Ghost stories exist in almost every culture. They appear in different forms, wear different faces, and follow different rules. Yet beneath these differences, ghosts often represent one universal idea: The past is not truly gone. The dead leave behind memories, obligations, regrets, and unfinished relationships. When a ghost appears, it is a sign that somethingContinue reading “Chinese vs Western Fantasy: A comparison of Elements (3): Ghosts- Moral Punishment vs Administrative Continuity”
I forgive you, life.
The jump-off line is just “I forgive you”, from Phase One by Dilruba Ahmed. The title is from I am talking to Life as an entity when I wrote this piece. I forgive you for derailing my plan for a linear life and teaching me that everything is a choice. I forgive you for notContinue reading “I forgive you, life.”
Embarking on the Game Publishing Journey
On the same day this post is released, my Moonlake’s Studio blog, the game design and publication counterpart to this blog, has already been released. Because I am a planner, I’ve somehow constructed a 10-year publication plan that was originally a product pipeline. And the product releases in the first year kept expanding- from aContinue reading “Embarking on the Game Publishing Journey”
Moonlake’s Writing Updates- June 2026
This is really the year of change for me. The second novel project I announced back in March is now officially on the back burner, replaced by a novelisation of my current ongoing game campaign that has been switched from Fate Core to Cortex. I started to use ChatGPT more frequently now on top ofContinue reading “Moonlake’s Writing Updates- June 2026”
Moonlake’s Book Discoveries- June 2026
Memoir The Dressmaker’s Daughter by Kate Llewellyn This is the first book going towards my mini-reading challenge this year and possibly my first official memoir (I had read a partial one from a beta-reader swap that I was in from being a women’s writer group some years back) but the book itself has nothing toContinue reading “Moonlake’s Book Discoveries- June 2026”
I didn’t know I enjoy…
The jump-off line is from Things I didn’t know I loved by Nazim Hikmet. I didn’t know I enjoy stories featuring animals or emphasizing cuteness. I’m not much of an animal or cutesy person but I’m very much empathic. I can dive into others’ passions and what they enjoy, through reading. I didn’t know IContinue reading “I didn’t know I enjoy…”
Chinese vs Western Fantasy: A comparison of Elements (2): Heroes versus Questors for Immortality
When we talk about “heroes”, we tend to assume a shared structure. But once you compare Chinese and Western contexts, the difference becomes clearer. Broadly speaking, Western stories tend to centre on the idea of a hero. Chinese traditions are less consistent on that front, and in modern fantasy, the structure shifts again. In theContinue reading “Chinese vs Western Fantasy: A comparison of Elements (2): Heroes versus Questors for Immortality”
