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    malarayofsunshine.com

    content creator, cruelty-free MuA, cosplayer, feminist, LGBTQAI+

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    WhatchYA Readin?

    WhatchYA Readin? is a bi-weekly, bookish podcast highlighting #OwnVoices queer books and authors within the (mostly) YA sphere. New episodes come out every other week on Saturdays.

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    (or listen wherever you get your podcasts!)

     


     

    WhatchYA Readin? on the blog

    Books to Read for Your Zodiac Sign, Part Two: Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces

      We’re all stuck inside, probably reading now more than ever; so I thought what better time than to sit down and write this blog post.  Blog post ideas like this one flit in and out of my head allll the time. I am constantly thinking about how to combine things I love with astrology

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    Books + Web Comics with Jordandené

    This whole “regularly posting” thing is pretty nice. I could get used to it! This week I’m joined by my pal and entrepreneur extraordinaire; Jordan Ellis of Jordandené and The Sartorial Geek. Click below to listen with your ears 👂🏼 or keep scrolling to read with your eyes 👀! Okay, first of all: Jordan graciously

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    20 Bookish Goals for 2020

    For the past few years I’ve set bookish goals according to the number of the year. So in 2016 it was 16 goals, in 2017 it was 17, in 2019 it was 19 goals – you get the idea. This year it only made sense to follow that trend so I’ve come up with 20

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    @malaray
    i’ve made the decision to cancel the kickstarter i’ve made the decision to cancel the kickstarter for my second book. for now! the timing just isn’t right so i’m hitting “pause”. if you pledged, the money you committed will just stay yours – kickstarter doesn’t collect pledges until the end.

i knew that the timing was off before i launched. there was a little voice in the back of my head whispering, “it’s okay to push the kickstarter back” and i ignored it. even though i knew that i hadn’t laid the groundwork for a well marketed launch, that i hadn’t done any of the things that i needed to do for a successful campaign, i believed if launched anyway that everything would just work out. my goal was my angel number, after all!

a bunch of people signed up for my newsletter at a con i was just recently at and i promised them the first half of my second book as an arc if they did. i’m getting ready to send that out, so if you’re interested, click the link in my bio to sign up for my newsletter. it’ll hit inboxes this weekend.

like i said, this isn’t a goodbye forever! i’m going to pause, re-group, prep my materials, marketing, content (yada yada), maybe even finish the book ;), and re-launch this project later… i’m not sure how much later, but you’ll know. there will be signs.

thank you again from the bottom of my heart and i hope to see you again for take two.

🤍✨ mal
    it’s about time i shared a poem from the new boo it’s about time i shared a poem from the new book, huh?

this one’s called “bee poem” – aptly named, i think, since it’s about the furry little angels who keep our gardens looking so fresh. 🐝

🔗 link in b1o to sign up for my newsletter if you want new poems in your inbox every month.

🤍✨
mal
    Do you have a moment to speak about our lord and s Do you have a moment to speak about our lord and savior, lesbians? (Of the brooding, Regency era variety!)

Some highlights from my very spoiled, early read of “Lady Like” by Mackenzi Lee…

⭐️ Anne Lister (“Gentleman Jack”) coded
⭐️ Real, actual history included
⭐️ Set in Regency England
⭐️ Plenty of lesbian thespians
⭐️ Characters being “in the soup”
⭐️ Queerness is celebrated
⭐️ Homophobia is NOT the central conflict (❤️😭)

That last one, that homophobia and the character’s queerness were NOT the central conflict is what struck me when I was reading this book. It truly and genuinely moved me to tears — Harry and Emily were well and truly allowed to encounter normal, everyday human challenges as their main struggles and I don’t think that’s spoilery to say. (But I DO think it’s a huge reason why you should add it to your TBR immediately!)

Not only is this a brooding “romantic rivals to… ?” regency love story with OODLES of real, historic shenanigans included, it also felt like love letter to queer people everywhere.

“Lady Like” by @themackenzilee is out tomorrow, September 9, 2025 from @thedialpress — get it on @librofm, from @bookshop_org, or your own indie bookstore (as well as anywhere books are sold).

You will not want to miss this one. ⭐️
    the “you look happier” trend but make it cuz y the “you look happier” trend but make it cuz you finally got your friend’s new book in the physical mail! 😱😍😮‍💨

“coffeeshop in an alternate universe” is one of the coziest, cutesy-est, romantasy books I’ve read in a minute. It made me want a coffee real bad, and I don’t even drink coffee!

full review coming soon — ☕️💕

#coffeeshopinanalternateuniverse #coffeeshopinanalternateuniversebook #yabooks #bookstagram #sapphicbooks #queerreads @fiercereads @cblee_cblee
    “to be a woman” — mallory shoemaker, 7 novem “to be a woman” — mallory shoemaker, 7 november, 2024

i feel angry, it hasn’t gone away yet and i doubt it will. feeling anger is a privilege and one that, for the majority of my life, i haven’t allowed myself to indulge in, but now (thanks thirties) i am letting myself feel everything. i will channel my anger into action— with the way my existence as a queer woman is a radical act, the way my love and art and hope are resistance, and the way i will continue to champion for the people around me with fewer seats at the table than i have. we can only get through the next four years if we stay strong together. we must love and protect each other every day. feel the anger, feel the sadness, but don’t ever let them take away your love or your joy. when they take our hope, our love, our joy— that’s when they win and that is simply not how this story ends. 🩵
    Wendy is ultimate eldest daughter core ✨ #Disne Wendy is ultimate eldest daughter core ✨

#DisneyCosplay #PeterPan #WendyMoiraAngelaDarling #DragonCon2024 #OldestDaughter

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