Bitter Over Sweet In Chicago Review Of Books and My End Of The Year Thoughts

I was so honored to have my book included in Chicago Review of Books The Best Short Story Collections of 2025. This review by Rachel Leon had me tearing up and I am so grateful:

This might be the slimmest collection on the list, but don’t let its size fool you: these flash stories pack a punch. Following Tita, an Indigenous Hawaiian woman, and other women working to escape poverty and abuse in their homeland that’s overtaken by tourism, these stories of resilience offer a master class in the art of compression. They’re imaginative and unflinching, full of voice and brimming with life.

It’s been a whirlwind of a year: AWP in Los Angeles, my first ukulele gig, becoming Senior Submissions Editor at SmokeLong Quarterly, first multi-day bike ride to Iwate Prefecture, Bitter Over Sweet release and book launch with Deesha Philyaw… so much to be thankful for.

I appreciate all of you and your amazing support. Our community is what keeps me going as a writer, especially as I am someone who mainly interacts with other writers online.

Sending you all light, love and creativity!