The Bubble: A New Review

Back in the nineties, I used to write reviews. I wrote music reviews for Alternative Press, movie reviews for TNT Rough Cut, and over the years I've written book reviews occasionally, once even for the New York Times. But it's been a while since I did any kind of writing like that. Once you have a book or two out there, or hope to one day have another book or two out there, writing potentially-negative reviews becomes complicated. You know how it feels to get roasted, and you don't want to do that to other people. Also, that person you roasted might one day show up next to you on a panel at a book festival, and that would be awkward. 

I thought I was being wise by declining to have an opinion, but I have been rethinking that decision.

Last summer found me at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland. I was helping my bandmate Tressa Preston stage her show, "Gooder Than Gold," but I also had a chance to see a lot of other shows, and I posted about them on social media. Not reviews exactly, because I didn't give any stars, but analysis and reactions. What is this play, and who is it for? What other media does this connect to? What ideas did it spark? In writing this kind of review, I found a middle ground between vapid boosting and serious critique. It worked, and also I found I actually loved it. 

The idea for The Bubble was hatched at a working breakfast in Edinburgh, and has been in development since. I launched some social media accounts, and experimented with talking to the camera. I began listening to new music, and keeping up with award show buzz. I got back on Netgalley and started reading ARCs of forthcoming books. It's been good for me, and it's been really fun, to write reviews and hot takes on The Bubble. Some books I've reviewed: Kin by Tayari Jones, Missing Sister by Joshilyn Jackson, and Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher. I did manage to actually criticize Hamnet, reviewed two local plays, and I'm gleefully making Spotify playlists, picking new music I like. 

Currently I'm playing around with @itsonthebubble accounts on Instagram, Threads, BlueSky, Facebook, and TikTok, with the main blog living on Substack. That's a lot to maintain, but in a month or two, I'm going to evaluate what makes sense to continue and what I can cut. The whole thing is an experiment, and this part of it is really interesting. Who knows what else might pop up?