New Doctor Who-ish things

 

There are a few things in the works writing-wise (things which I should be working more closely on now that I'm not traveling for a while), but there are at least a couple of things to tide people over until more announcements go live.

First up is the latest Celestial Toyroom... or should that be Sealestial Toyroom? There's a definite focus on The War Between the Land and the Sea for this issue, which sadly I can't yet say much about because it's still in Disney+ jail. However, I did do some reviews as usual: one on 15th Doctor book Spectral Scream and one on the DWAS's own Fifth Doctor-centric annual. Plus, there's a very lovely review of my Mawdryn Undead Black Archive in the mix (which is always a relief when you send something out into the world).

Check out the Celestial Toyroom page to download the new issue as a free PDF or to put in an order for a print copy.

Second, and something I've been wanting to talk about for ages, is the new installment of The Benton Files. I was originally supposed to be in the sixth book with my Altrix collaborator Paul Driscoll, but his story ended up warranting a stand-alone book of its own! So instead I've been paired with the equally lovely James Middleditch.

My story, Wiltshire Drift, takes place during Benton's "retired but still UNIT adjacent" era and takes more than a little inspiration from Initial D. (Because if there isn't at least one anime fingerprint on it, it might not be mine.) An old acquaintance gifts UNIT a very special car, which immediately goes missing. Meanwhile, a mysterious racer is doing the impossible on Wiltshire's roads late at night. Big thanks to my long-time friend Rob Lantz for being my brainstorming partner on this story.

You can pre-order this new installment, or go all in and get the full collection of every Benton Files story!

Thanks as always to everyone interested in my Whoniverse and Who-adjacent work. There will be more coming in future, and I am very much looking forward to talking about it once I can.

MANGA REVIEW: Statues: Junji Ito Story Collection

STATUES
by Junji Ito
Available now

There was a time when your only hope of reading the complete works of Junji Ito was surfing around Tumblr or other blogs and hoping you hadn't outpaced every scanlation group. Fortunately, the horror manga master is finally getting some well-deserved attention in the US, and Viz continues to release print editions of his short horror collections. The latest is Statues, containing a mix of stories ranging from psychologically haunting to outright gory.

This collection contains ten stand-alone short manga, including (of course) "Statues." While none of these is as famous as the "Tomie" stories or as infamous as "The Enigma of Amigara Fault," it's a good showing of strong pieces.

While "Statues" is the title story, it's not the stand-out piece in terms of quality. It's still good, but some lesser-known ones are even better. Ranking in the top three for this reviewer:

The Circus Has Come to Town: One of Ito's more oddball stories, about a deadly circus that lures locals into becoming its performers for the chance to win the hand of one of its lovely acrobats. This one focuses less on body horror (though the cast is dropping like flies) and more on the human nature—in this case, the lengths some men will go to for a beautiful girl, and how one entity chooses to exploit that.

Scarecrow: A lo-fi predecessor to more Black Mirror-esque stories, this one is another take on grieving relatives and lovers attempting to bring their loved ones back from the dead. But instead of AI, they're using scarecrows... which appear to take on the likenesses of the deceased if placed on their graves.

Red Thread: A twisted take on the "red thread of destiny." When high schooler Ishii is dumped by his girlfriend, he's convinced fate is working against him. But then he discovers red stitches on his skin, which increase in number overnight. This one stands out because of its strange ending, which hints at more but leaves the reader to process what exactly is going on between Momoko and the jilted Ishii. It also plays more into the body horror angle, in a way we've seen Ito tackle once before.

An awfully close runner-up is "Suicide Note," a story of ghosts and revenge that has one of my favorite endings to an Ito short. I can't decide whether it's funny or tragic... perhaps a bit of both. It's a great note to close the book out on.

While Statues doesn't contain any of the must-reads of Ito's career, it shows many more angles to the horror master's talent than a Greatest Hits collection would. If you're only familiar with his more famous titles, this is a great way to start broadening your horizons in the Itoverse.

TEA PAIRING: Headless Horseman
A creepy story for a creepy collection! Originally released for Halloween, this spiced pumpkin tea is the perfect companion for a scary night in reading classic horror manga. Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and other teas from Chapters Tea & Co.!

BOOK REVIEW: Olivia Gray Will Not Fade Away

 

OLIVIA GRAY WILL NOT FADE AWAY
by Ciera Burch
Available now

Things are weird for Olivia as she starts seventh grade. Her parents are supportive of her older brother Malcolm coming out as gay, but she doesn't really understand why it's a big deal to be identified by who you like. Her friend group has moved from talking about their personal interests to the cutest boy in school, and the group chat has even moved to KruSsh: a social app focused on rumors and secrets. And when Olivia goes viral for inadvertently rejecting said cutest boy in school right before the fall formal, things start getting weird. As in, "she literally starts to vanish into thin air" weird.

From her brother spending all his time with his new boyfriend to her friend group drifting away, Olivia starts to feel invisible. Then she starts to be invisible. Talking to the new school librarian and Jules, a similarly-invisible classmate and fan of Olivia's favorite art streamer, starts to help. But their behests for her to study up on what it means to be asexual only frustrate her. Rather than be viewed as "broken," Olivia decides to blend in... but doing so just makes her problems worse.

Olivia Gray Will Not Fade Away covers an aspect of growing up and finding your identity that previous generations never had to deal with: the idea of feeling invisible in multiple spaces. Older confidants, no matter how understanding they may be, didn't had to grow up in a world with social media: a whole extra battleground on which to chase popularity and feel excluded. Similarly, the book shows that being supportive and informed isn't always enough, and we can't train ourselves to be perfectly empathetic. It's a strong metaphor for a situation I personally don't have experience with, but one that resonates nonetheless.

TEA PAIRING: Wonderland Tea Party
Between Olivia's artistic tendencies and her desperate attempts to be seen, this colorful, color-changing tea felt right. It contains fruit, citrus, and butterfly pea flower, changing from pale purple to brilliant burgundy as it steeps. Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and other teas from Chapters Tea & Co.!

BOOK REVIEW: Heiress of Nowhere

 

HEIRESS OF NOWHERE
by Stacey Lee
Available now

Lucy is the ward of the eccentric Mr. Sanders, a resident of the secluded Orcas Island on an estate he has dubbed "Nowhere." After arriving as a baby in a green canoe, she's gone from employee to collaborator on his scientific endeavors. And she's about to tell him she plans to move to Washington state to attend university. But before she can be on her way, he's found dead, his body found in a state eerily similar to that of another man's many years prior. But things get even stranger when his will leaves the estate to Lucy, with the employment of her fellow staff now in her hands.

But that's not all he's left her with. She's now armed with clues as to the identity of her father, whom it turns out her guardian knew well. With the help of Nash and Koa, two long-time acquaintances and rivals for her affection, she attempts to set the estate right while also solving a pair of murders. But standing in her way is a lingering belief that she might be the killer, shored up by her strange ability to communicate with the orcas who live near the island.

Set in the early 1900s in a part of the Pacific Northwest, Heiress of Nowhere puts me in mind of a darker, more windswept Anne of Green Gables. There's the same young adult confusion in matters of life, love, education, and one's place in the world. Combined with a heritage Lucy never knew she had, this story is as entertaining as it is educational. Beyond the fiction, it's a fascinating look into the history of an island many may not even know exists. Most of all, it has a wonderful character at its core: Lucy is strong but anxious, intelligent but with much to learn, and trusting in ways that both help and hurt her. She's believable and relatable, even for people not of her world.

TEA PAIRING: Poet's Study
A moody Earl Grey for a far-off, secluded setting—and a story that often takes place within the walls of an old home. It's a favorite, and one that fits this story well. Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and other tea blends from Chapters Tea & Co.!

AFTERNOON TEA REVIEW: Tea Around Town (Chicago)

 

Location: Chicago, IL (starting point at the Aon Building)
Price: $69-79 per person for Petite menu, $89-109 per person for Luxe menu
Reservations: In advance via website

As part of my semi-regular (but not nearly frequent enough) trip to see bestie Ginger in Illinois, I scheduled us seats on Chicago's branch of the Tea Around Town tour bus. We already know I'm an afternoon tea fiend, and she's much the same after our trip to the UK several years ago. It seemed like a very cool idea, especially since we were belatedly celebrating my birthday.

It's definitely not the type of experience I've had before, and I was aware that (by virtue of being US-run and on a bus) some things would likely be quite different to what's "standard." Overall, though? A really darn good afternoon, with a really darn good menu.

A proviso before I go on, though: Tea Around Town operates in many cities, and thus quality may vary. Please check reviews for each city's branch specifically before booking. This is specifically for the Chicago-based experience, and this review does not (and cannot) vouch for the quality of the experience in any other city.

Since it was a big day and bestie and I both deserve the best, I went with the Luxe menu. According to the menu on the website, this contains all 14 items on the Petite menu plus three extra sandwiches, three extra desserts, and a bonus tea.

The Experience

This is really something I should do for every tea review (and will going forward), because ambience is part of the whole deal. This, as you can see, was on a tour bus. It was very pretty both inside and outside, and all the seating was on the second level with the first level being kitchen and management (and driving, of course).

The tour guide was very sweet and friendly, and interspersed talking about the locations with singing and chatting with the diners. She was extremely friendly, as was our server, which made a rather gloomy day of sightseeing a little brighter. I managed to come to Illinois right at the front of some really ridiculous weather, so things were overcast.

The tour proper runs about 70 minutes, with your stack (see above) waiting for you when you sit down. You also get a branded tea tumbler, which is where your teas are served and which you also get to take home. This experience does lack fancy teacups and pots but, considering you're on a bus in city traffic, that's understandable.

The Savories

A really impressive spread of traditional sandwiches and unique little bites. As you can see above, the Luxe menu is extremely packed. So you know. Come hungry. (Luxe exclusive items are starred.)

• Ahi Tuna Delight*: A small starter bite of tuna with spicy aioli and greens. This was a fantastic little starter.
• Nautical Splendor Lobster Roll*: My first lobster roll. I am a lobster enjoyer and I was relatively okay with this one, though I wasn't huge on the texture of the bread. Ginger really loved it, though.
• Napoleon Alaska*: A nice little smoked salmon bite. Pretty darn good.
• Garden Gala Chicken Soirée: Obligatory chicken salad sandwich. Not bad, but a bit bland by comparison.
• Triple Crown Steak Stack: This was my personal favorite, and I'm not even a fan of steak sandwiches. This is the one I kept thinking about later.
• Earthly Elegance Crostini: Mushrooms and ricotta on a baguette. I liked this one very much and was a little surprised to realize it's on the standard menu.
• Light 'n Green: Egg salad, of course. Not bad, but again a bit bland by comparison.
• Cool Down Cucumber: Despite the other "traditional" tea sandwiches being middling, they nailed the cucumber. This was simple and delish.
• Deviled Egg Basket: It is very difficult to make me dislike a deviled egg. This was nice.

There was also an extra item: a tiny skewer of melon ball, prosciutto, and mozzarella, I think. Very tasty, and a nice little surprise addition.

The Scones

One plain and one cranberry, with clotted cream and preserves. Rather than the Adirondack preserves described on the site, we got standard strawberry jam. A bit of a disappointment, but only because I was really curious about those preserves. The scones were a bit on the hard-to-cut size, meaning things got a little messier than usual, but they were still good scones.

The Sweets

While these are the same items as listed on the menu, some varied visually. Again, from city to city there may be small alterations. As before, Luxe-exclusive items are starred.

• Ferrero Velvet Delight*: On the one hand, I'm a red velvet fiend. On the other, this was rich. I wouldn't dislike it as a stand-alone dessert (it was good!), but as part of a tea menu it's very heavy.
• Espresso Cloud Divine*: Same note as above. Delicious and worthy of being its own dessert, but not necessarily balanced with a larger spread.
• Emerald Dream*: My favorite of the three Luxe additions, a pistachio puff pastry. This one was both tasty and light enough to be in balance with the overall spread.
• Floral Fun Pop: Good, but nothing special. A cake pop of the sort you find at coffee shops.
• Mini Lemon Meringue: Good, but we were both surprised at how lemony it was. Great if you're a fan of really tart lemon desserts.
• Empire City Cheesecake: This one looked significantly different from what's advertised on the site, but it was still very nice. One of the better things in the spread.
• Cream Puff: Good, but as with the cake pop, nothing special.

The Teas

Rather than ordering you preferred tea at the beginning of the meal, there was a tea tasting, with the server pouring about half a serving out at points throughout the trip. In terms of managing the unique difficulties of a tea room on wheels, it's a good idea. However, I did find myself wishing that perhaps we could have one less tea, then have each diner close out the meal with a larger cup of whichever they liked best. Except for the Refresh Rosé, I believe these were all Stash brand teas.

• Refresh Rosé*: This one was waiting for us when we sat down, a cold-brewed non-alcoholic sparkling tea that tasted like a rosé. Ginger called this "the only rosé [she's] ever liked," and I as a rosé enjoyer liked it too. It was a great and clever little start to the meal.
• Maple Apple Cider: A really smooth herbal that absolutely does what it says on the tin. Very maple-forward.
• Cinnamon Vanilla: Another nice herbal. Not bad, though it didn't hit as nice as the maple apple cider before it.
• Breakfast in Paris: This was the winner right here. A vanilla lavender Earl Grey. Liking this one so much is why I went searching it out online and found out where the teas are sourced.
• Tangerine Honey: Two flavors that tend to get done wrong in teas, but this was lovely. They called it a green, but on the site it's listed as a white. I don't care either way, it was excellent.

Overall, this was really nice. It's not strictly a UK-level afternoon tea, but of course it's not. The changes made allow the function to operate safely and smoothly, and with that in mind, anything out of the ordinary didn't much matter.

For us, the sightseeing felt secondary - but I was also with a friend who knows Chicago and could point out things of personal interest to me in addition. If you approach this as an afternoon tea with a bonus tour, rather than a city tour with bonus tea, I think it hits just right. But, as before, check your local branches for reviews. And when they say get there 15 minutes early, do it. It will help.

NEW STORY: “The Whole Beast”

 

If there is one writing-related thing I consider myself especially bad at, it’s very short stories. I’m accustomed to having lots of room to describe and elaborate, and my least favorite published works are always the ones that have had several hundred (or thousand) words trimmed because I couldn’t keep my descriptions in check. I’ve admired other people’s ability to get the job done (Andy Farrant and Dan Long being two specific examples), but save for a piece of flash fiction in Build High for Happiness, I haven’t tried to wrangle a super-short story in quite some time.

So that changes with “The Whole Beast,” my first (and hopefully not last!) story published by Dream Theory.

I wrote this one back in December during my most recent trip to the UK, partly on the plane and partly in a Costa Coffee before going to see The Importance of Being Earnest. It’s a kaiju story, of a sort. And to me, the best kaiju stories are those in which the big monster gets to be a metaphor. I wanted to play in a world that developed a unique relationship with the creatures that terrorized them, but I didn’t have many words with which to build that world.

Writing this story was an exercise in trusting the reader and trusting myself. How much worldbuilding could be inferred through common experiences? How much could I rely on action and description to get the job done for me? How much does my narrator even need to say (or think) to make her point? Most importantly, what’s the one thing I want the reader to leave with, to the point that anything else is superfluous?

In retrospect, I'm pretty sure a lot of my ability to write more compactly comes from spending the last few years helping others do it. Medical school applications run the gamut when it comes to essays, with the shortest giving you only 1,000 characters or so to describe formative experiences. I've had to learn how to help others fit important, real scenarios into small spaces, and I guess we're to a point now where I'm putting that into practice myself.

(That said, my current WIP has a ceiling of 10,000 words, so it's not like things are changing broadly going forward.)

While I still feel most comfortable with bigger words counts, where I can really roll around in cinematic descriptions and develop multifaceted stories, I had a lot of fun with this. And I think I am maybe, possibly, over the idea that flash fiction just “isn’t for me.” But I suppose that will be up to readers.

Check out “The Whole Beast” on dreamtheory.media and let me know what you think!