But First, Writing
I had a few pieces come out recently I am excited to share with you!
A speculative non-fiction for Zindabad Zine:
Read my piece on cake rusk and Great British Bake Off
A satire for WxW Journal: How to Know if You Should Get Cosmetic Surgery
A super short surrealist story in Hex Literary: You Too Can Have a Pass Rate Like Mine
A humor for The Belladonnas: I’m Not at Power Yoga For the Physical Challenge, I Have That At Home with Four Kids
Literary #Twinning
I only realized recently how much I enjoy literature about twin dynamics - but I’ve been sold on them since I watched The Parent Trap, and even before that, as a kid obsessed by the Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley franchise. I think part of the grip this trope has on me is the ability authors have to develop deep character studies by taking advantage of the contrast between nature and nurture. Here are four books that feature interesting twin dynamics:
Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi - A food-oriented story about estranged twins, steeped in Igbo ontology. Gorgeous, poetric writing.
Marigold and Rose by Louise Glück - A master poet focuses on the life of twins in their first year of life.
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese - An emotional heavy hitter that explores lineage, religiosity, and medical responsibility in lush and beautiful prose. Good if you want a sweeping saga.
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett - Pulling from Passing by Nella Larsen, explores the divergent lives of Black twins, but one who passes as white and chooses to live as such.
Readings on my Mind
Michelle Yeoh fresh off her historic Oscar win, writes for the NY Times about why women are disproportionately impacted in disaster situations
How to help victims of the natural disasters in Turkey and Syria
Ode to Rihanna’s maternity style. Simply amazing.
Super interesting information on why books cost so dang much
Also - how is a book even made? The NY Times offers an intimate look into the actual mechanics of the process
Some media I loved:
Watch Oscar nominated short animation "My Year of Dicks” (I’ve seen it twice, it doesn’t get old)
A short story by Mariana Enriquez
An excerpt from one of my favorite novels of the year
We have some inevitable problems in our lives. Here is how to deal:
Love these Swati, thank you!
Thanks to MK&A and The Parent Trap, as a kid all I wanted in life was to be a twin.