Some things on my mind.

(Translation: Nisha has a deadline, 2 finals and a teething baby at home so she's been procrastinating)

In no particular order, here are a few things on my mind.

1. I recently did a TikTok where I talked about things publishing professionals shouldn’t say to their BIPOC authors. I have heard author friends complain they’ve heard these excuses in last six months. The truth is, we’re in the middle of a rapidly evolving industry. Tension is heightened, and as usual, trad publishing is ten steps behind. I have a lot more thoughts about this, but their still baking.

2. If you’re making mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving this year, here are 5 things that I learned after trying every mashed potato recipe I could get my hands on:

   1. Russet potatoes or Yukon gold are best.

   2. Pierce the skin a few times with a fork, but boil with skin on to avoid the potato from becoming water logged. This is specifically for people who are nervous about not boiling them for long enough (i.e. me).

   3. As SOON as they’re done boiling, peel the potatoes while they are still hot. You can do this with heat protectant gloves. If you wait for them to cool, they turn gloopy.

   4. Use a ricer. A food mill CAN work, but you don’t want to over work the potatoes because they can turn gloopy here, too. Peel while hot, rice right away for guaranteed perfect texture.

   5. Boil your half cream, half butter mixture, and season with salt and a mix of herbs that mirror the flavor profile of your protein. Once your potatoes are riced, pour in the boiling liquid and use a spatula to gently fold it all together (potatoes should still be hot). Add to an instant pot or slow cooker to keep warm. Also, this is not a dish to make a few days in advance IMO.

3. I opened a storefront! Also, Radha & Jai’s Recipe for Romance is for FIVE DOLLARS. And its a hardcover. So, if you’re interested, check out what I have

   in stock here.

4. I am making plans to go see the Harvard Glass Flower Gallery. Father and son artists Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka worked tirelessly to handcraft these brilliant glass flowers as a study in botany from 1886 to 1936.

   

   Caesalpinia pulcherrima, Pride of Barbados, Model 569, Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka, 1895

5. My YA Romantasy, ILLUSIONS OF FIRE is picking up traction (which surprises me!?) so if you’ve heard about it, you should check it out because it’s kind of dark, snarky fun and moody which can help balance out all the cheer. Because this one is trad pubbed, you should order it from Doylestown Bookshop, because I’ll sign and personalize it for you!

6. Below are the Christmas movies I am most looking forward to seeing this season:

   1. Christmas Karma written and produced by Gurinder Chadha

   2. A Very Jonas Christmas Movie

   3. A Merry Little Ex-Mas starring Alicia Silverstone

   4. Oh. What. Fun. with Michel Pfeiffer

   5. Champagne Problems

   6. She’s Making a List (with Lacy Chabert)

   7. The Christmas Campaign (with Vivica Fox)

   8. Christmas with the Kellers

   9. A Pickleball Christmas (with James Lafferty)

   10. Joy to the World (with Chad Michael Murray)

   11. The Great Christmas Snow in (with Joey Lawrence)

       If you want the Hallmark movie list, you can find it here.

       If you want the full Lifetime movie list, you can find it here.

7. I’ve been really interested in articles about the shift in our current relationship to the internet as a society. As my research in my PhD program is taking shape, a part of it is influenced by AI. A few people have talked about the death of the internet, or the last days of social media, and that’s because there is this natural gravitation towards a more analog existence. I have this theory that every empire rises and falls, and we’re seeing a tech empire fall, and the next stage, the dark ages, will be just a regression to the 80s/90’s which I’m honestly okay with?

8. Here are some of my most recent reads that I’ve enjoyed:

   1. Son of the Morning by Akwaeke Emezi

   2. Willing Prey by Allie Oleander

   3. And they were Roommates by Page Powars

   4. Troublemaker by Jo Brenner

   5. The Perfect Match by Adiba Jaigirdar

9. I started a not-so-secret YouTube account where I basically make videos about stationary. I used to LOVE doing this when I first started my online presence back in 2014-2015? My account is tiny, my editing is not so great,

   but if you like stationary, too, you may want to check it out.

10. I am thinking about putting together some magnate content for readers. SO many of you have been around for years. I’d love to know who you’d like to read about!

Thanks for meandering through the wildflower field of my thoughts today! I hope you stick around because next month I’m sharing some of my favorite bookish gift ideas, and maybe a small glimpse into 2026 releases.

Now that I’ve sufficiently procrastinated, back to work for me.

Hugs, Nisha