goblin
Part One
On a forgotten island where time stands still, a goblin prince meets his match in a shipwrecked girl who bites first and asks questions later.
Writing
My thoughts, works, and stories
mental illness
We do not always hit the water
Three generations of women stand at the edge. In this essay, I trace grief, inherited silence, and a last promise to live
books
Shine for the Fat Lady
A personal essay-style review of Salinger's Franny and Zooey—exploring art, ego, love, and how this book changed my entire life path
books
The surprising thing Taiwan Travelogue taught me about myself
A review of Taiwan Travelogue and the surprising personal reckoning it sparked—on colonialism, nostalgia, and loving a homeland you've also exoticized
asian
The River has Roots
by Amal El-Mohtar
asian
A River from the Sky
by Ai Jiang
parenting
How to Love Your Mother
A daughter reckons with childhood abuse, a mother's belated apology, and what it takes to rebuild trust across thirty years of silence.
grief
Before the Resurrection: Grief, Loss, and Hope Revisited
Ren's life and death will always be inextricably intertwined with injustice in my mind—abuse of a voiceless, minority child, lost and invisible in the fissures of a broken system that should have protected him
Constellation of Forgotten Things Discussion Questions
For inklings, book clubs, and your own reflections
windup
the windup | issue 11
January 2026 roundup: literary fiction reviews (Kuang, O'Farrell), grief essays, life updates, and news on upcoming book The Constellation of Forgotten Things
intentional life
Ways I Am Simplifying My Life in 2026
From the Notebook Rule to slow reading, here's how I'm choosing intentionality over productivity in 2026—plus why I'm reading fewer books
intentional life
Forever is a Series of Moments
Perhaps we are all but memory in the end. Those flashes streak across the canvas of our minds, the paint cracking with the passage of time until faded past remembrance.
grief
Christmas For Those Who Grieve
Christmas is not always a joyous time for everyone, particularly for those of us who are grieving.
I write this letter for you.
windup
the windup | issue 10
Monthly newsletter featuring book reviews, creative writing updates, and reflections on friendship, grief, and creating in life's margins
grief
Advent, Fog, and Beauty in the Unknown
Personal essay on grief after child loss, unexpected pregnancy, and finding hope in fog-covered mornings. On motherhood, waiting, and resilience.
social issues
Platonic Soulmates: What Happened to Our Friendships?
Many cultural critics argue that the art of friendship is in decline. The United States surgeon general has named loneliness an epidemic. People are lonelier than ever, and they don’t know what to do about it. Why is that?
windup
the windup | issue 09
a lot of books, autumn happiness, another giveaway (scroll to the bottom)!
parenting
It Wasn’t Love At First Sight
The common narrative is that when you give birth, you fall in love with your baby at once. In reality, this is a stranger you have to get to know, just like any other person. Sometimes, it’s love at first sight. Other times, it’s not.