Today THE DARK WE KNOW is out in the world!!
I have nothing more to add about the book itself except that it has been one that bridged a very turbulent period of my life, and feels like it as a result; it’s messy and tender and while I think I am a different writer now, it was necessary and full of a lot of my hope. It’s yours now, to get anywhere 💙
I took this week off work for multiple reasons: I’m behind on my edits for BUTTERFLY, TDWK release week emotions/posting/events means I wanted to let myself conserve energy and not be constantly sleep deprived, and I also wanted to make sure I was holding space for this occasion.
I got a lot of warning from everywhere that after the 1.5-2 years of buildup that publishing takes to actually put out a book, the debut day itself tends to be anticlimactic. You’re sitting at home clicking upload on your celebratory post and then you look around and go, that’s it? The world hasn’t shifted. Theoretically, your books are now on sale instead of on preorder. But it doesn’t actually materially change you. So, knowing all that, I just wanted to make sure I was setting aside a space for myself to be present today, and also be restful, especially because I haven’t been restful in probably about six months now.
And it was lovely.
I did, technically, nothing. I woke up at 11am, posted my midnight EST Instagram post from bed, and made myself noodles while responding to friends’ texts and refreshing the post. I answered a couple of emails, played a bit of a mobile game, and then went on a side quest to the north of Singapore to pick up two secondhand purchases. On the train, I finished Monstress by Marjorie Liu & Sana Takeda (Vol 1; stunning! everything i love in one! how did it take me this long!), played my game somemore, marvelled at how I’d basically never stepped foot into any of these two towns I was visiting (AMK and Lentor—what even is at Lentor?) and marked my pub day with the adventurous curiosity of traipsing around a new HDB estate and learning that in order to mail pins overseas, I have to register all the envelopes online first.
Returning homeward with the remaining envelopes and my newly acquired secondhand items, I decided that I was not in the mood for cake, but I treated myself to acai and bubble tea (yakult green tea with aloe vera) and then consumed both while sprawled on the couch watching an old episode of Criminal Minds. I feel incredible. I think all my pub days should be like this. No social energy required, or fanfare—that will be for the launch event! Saturday!—but marking the time for myself, letting myself have this for this milestone. It’s hard to remember it is a milestone sometimes, really, because the whole process is so drawn-out and soul-draining. But I’m glad this was my day. I might try and get in a chapter of my revisions, still, because that really is bearing down on me. But I would so wholeheartedly recommend spending pub day on self-care and little treats.
You can catch me at these events chatting about the book:
Online book launch (in conversation with Gillian Flynn)
14 August, 8pm ET / 15 August 8am SGT, Loyalty Bookstore
Singapore launch (in conversation with Felicia Low) [FULL]
17 August, 4pm, Book Bar
Book Talks: Twists & Tropes (with Lauren Ho)
24 August, 2pm, Kinokuniya Takashimaya Singapore
IG Live Talk with Trinity Nguyen
31 August, 10pm ET, 7pm PT/1 September, 10am SGT
Here are some cool reviews and features TDWK has gotten so far!
An interview with The Straits Times
An interview with Today
This review & most-anticipated from Reactor: “This knockout gothic... The Dark We Know aptly captures the way small towns can feel like a trap, especially for a queer person of color amongst a white, heteronormative population, and how the ties of trauma still bind us no matter how far we try to run. Lee writes with incredible emotional depth to tell a story that will grab at your heart and leave ghostly fingerprints in its wake.”
This review from BookPage: “Not for the faint of heart, The Dark We Know draws a profound connection between supernatural forces and the terrors of grief and dishonesty.”
Starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist; my favourite pullquote is from Kirkus: “This debut transcends the supernatural mystery genre with its emotional depth and engaging setting. As a contemplative alternative to action-focused horror, its striking explorations of grief, shame, love, and queerness will haunt readers with how true they ring... A powerful, introspective gothic tale filled to the brim with horror.”