Malinda Lo

Here’s a roundup of what’s been going on with Ash in the last two weeks:

• One of my favorite authors, Nicola Griffith, blogged about Ash. True story: I was a big fan of Nicola when I interviewed her for AfterEllen years ago. She then volunteered to read a draft of Ash, which not only nearly knocked me over but also cemented what a generous person she is. She and her partner, Kelley Eskridge (also an excellent writer) have just started an editing service called Sterling Editing, so if you’re serious about your writing, you should check out their site.
• I wrote about what I’ve read lately for Campaign for the American Reader.
• I was interviewed for an article in the Gay City News, New York City’s gay newspaper.
• The Washington Blade reviewed Ash, noting: “Ash … presents gay relationships the same way it does heterosexual relationships, which makes it a terrific book for young teenagers — whether they think they might be gay or not. Lo’s refreshing voice is a needed one, and hopefully a sign of more progressive young adult lit to come.”
• Ash was also reviewed particularly thoughtfully by Colleen Mondor at Bookslut, who wrote: “Ash is a mature retelling of a classic and one that startles as much by its subtlety as it does with its hint of passion. … There is a happily ever after here, but it is found in Ash’s decision to live and love and find happiness. That she makes unconventional choices will just endear her even more to her readers and elevates Ash high above the standard fare.”
• And last but definitely not least, the amazing Meg Cabot, who was nice enough to give Ash a blurb (you can see it on the back cover!), recently blogged about the book. Thank you, Meg!

Edited to add: Ash also just received this great review from the Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books in their October issue:

“Lo’s evocative prose transforms what is at first the darkly ominous setting of the Wood into a place of wonder and beauty, mirroring Ash’s transition from despondent servant to willful young woman. Although the conclusion is of course a bit different from the original Cinderella story, fans of fairy-tale retellings will nonetheless find a happy ending in this inclusive adaptation.”