Maria Lima's Blog

A few years ago, I accidentally discovered the world of YouTube reactors. I totally did not know this was A Thing! At first, it was just an amusing way to spend 10 – 15 minutes watching other people discover old songs, etc. Honestly, I can’t remember exactly which reactor(s) I found out about first, but I think it was the twins reacting to something or another, back in the day Twitter was actually relevant.

Then I fell into the fandom rabbit hole of The Untamed and, as with any of my hyperfixations, I sought out Other Things, and found Noah, who was reacting to the entire series. She was fun & ridiculous and I enjoyed her takes.

Nowadays, since I’ve expanded my interests to other C-dramas, I’ve completely imbibed all the Kool-Aid and not only follow, but am a patron of quite a few reactors & even C-drama info channels.

My favorites (in no particular order):

* Marcus Here! (posts 3 times a week and gives us C-drama news and reviews)
* Gaywatch (I dived right in to Brittany’s reactions, am a patron & on her Discord. She’s amazing…and also, reminds me a LOT of myself back in the day!)
* Topher Reacts (covers music, dramas, etc. He’s loads of fun!)
* JustaLowly (covers all sorts of shows)
* Jeanet Henning (a recent add to my list)

What I love about reactors

It’s like being in the room with a friend, sharing a show/music/etc. Although I don’t live alone, I’m the only one in my house with these interests, so it’s kind of difficult to find the fannish glee I was used to sharing when I lived elsewhere & could attend fan cons. One of the brilliant parts about Gaywatch, in particular, as a patron, I can join in the Discord livestreams and watch along with Brittany and other fans. Sharing our own thoughts & reactions in the chat is a blast. Asynchronous discussions on social media are fine, but there’s really nothing like the immediate thoughts/feedback/squee of a bunch of fans together, sharing something at the same time – no matter that we’re all in different countries/time zones. I really missed this aspect of fandom.

Some days, when my brain is in weird weasels mode*, I can spend hours just watching my favorite reactors and immersing myself in fandom meta. Somehow, that feeds the part of me that needs to connect & be entertained all at once. I’m glad I’ve got that option.

Who are your favorite reactors?

*brain weasels = inability to focus, lack of executive function

Happy 520, my friends! In honor of this day, NSMG have released The Untamed Nanjing 2019 concert to YouTube for free – with multisubs!! If you’ve not seen it, it’s definitely worth watching!

This afternoon, I’m going to be watching a live reaction to episodes 7 & 8 of Justice in the Dark (JITD), a fabulous C-drama airing on Youku. I say “airing,” which implies it’s still running, but…it’s not. For some reason known only to Youku, the show dropped 8 episodes in February 2023, then nothing more. I understand 22 eps were filmed & approved to air, but no one I know has a clue to what’s happened since.

The drama is based on a novel by Priest, the same Priest who wrote the IP for Word of Honor and Guardian. The source novel is called Silent Reading (默读) and so far, I’ve read books 1 & 2, which correlate to the first 2 cases in JITD. The book so far is as excellent as the drama and I am SO ready for more drama, damn it!

I know censorship is A Thing in China and the source material is BL, but TBH, there’s less obvious BL here than in WoH, so IDEK.

In any case, if you like case-based cop dramas with a taste of BL goodness, do check out Justice in the Dark…even though we may only ever get 8 episodes. (Sigh)

Welcome to The Lima!(aka, Maria Lima, Chickwriter, etc.)I’m a writer, editor, reader, and fangrrl who spends a lot of time watching C-dramas, reading books and enjoying retirement.How it began

It all started with Mary Poppins and Perri the Squirrel — when I discovered out that I could keep the books I bought from the Scholastic sale. Shortly thereafter, I picked up a pencil and haven’t stopped writing. (The pencil eventually morphed into an iBook, then to an iMac and MacBook and finally to the MacBook air and Mac Mini, etc., etc. – yes, I’m an Apple nerd. FWIW, I currently use a MacBook Pro.)

When I was young, I always read way above my grade level, quickly graduating to so-called adult reading… no, not that — get your mind out of the gutter! (okay, that came later). Fairy tales and myths were soon joined by Nancy Drew (the ones with the yellow and blue covers), Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan of the Apes (the Ballantine paperback editions) and Doc Savage–mostly enabled by my father, who was my mentor & who himself harbored a secret desire to write. In the 80s, urban fantasy became my dream – starting with reading books by Tanya Huff and many others.

My first published fiction appeared in 2004 (The Butler Didn’t Do It; Chesapeake Crimes I.)

The following year, my first full-length novel, Matters of the Blood, was published by a tiny press and unfortunately, too soon fell out of print (not to mention the small press vanishing, like so many do.) The good news, the book was picked up by Juno Books, an imprint of Wildside Press and debuted (again!) March 2007.

In 2009, the series re-birthed yet again, as Juno became an imprint of Pocket Books. The series is complete at 5 books and the audiobooks are now available via Audible.com.

I’ve also written short stories and non-fiction essays for various collections. Find out about all my work at the links above.

The Official Bio

Sometime before the Revolution, Maria Lima was born in Matanzas, Cuba, to a family of voracious readers and would-be writers. After her family emigrated to the United States, Maria discovered the magic of books. She started writing her own stories and has been at it ever since. Her writing turned corporate as she used her journalism degree and cranked out marketing copy, feature stories and book reviews. The fiction muse kept calling and in the spring of 2005, was finally fed as Maria’s first published short story, “The Butler Didn’t Do It” was published in Chesapeake Crimes I and garnered an Agatha Award nomination for Best Short Story. Shortly thereafter, her Blood Lines series released in mass market paperback, ebooks and audiobook formats. In 2021, Maria retired and now spends her time reading, watching C-dramas and engaging in silliness.

Halloooo there!

This may (or may not) become a place for me to post random thoughts.

Places to find me on social media as of May 19, 2023:
Mastodon: https://federatedfandom.net/web/@thelima (this is my main for now)
Twitter: https://twitter.com/themarialima (I mostly lurk there & read posts from friends who are not elsewhere)
Discord: chickwriter#9705 (though this will change shortly when Discord changes its handle policy)

I am still retired and still love all things pop culture and am currently obsessed with The Untamed & many other related c-dramas.

Halloooo there!

This may (or may not) become a place for me to post random thoughts.

Places to find me on social media as of May 12, 2023:
Mastodon: https://federatedfandom.net/web/@thelima (this is my main for now)
Twitter: https://twitter.com/themarialima (I mostly lurk there & read posts from friends who are not elsewhere)
Discord: chickwriter#9705 (though this will change shortly when Discord changes it’s handle policy)

I am still retired and still love all things pop culture and am currently obsessed with The Untamed & many other related dramas.

Mystery Readers Journal: Paranormal mysteries (volume 26:2, June, 2010)

My love and fascinating for vampires and all that stalk the night goes back to my early days, growing up in a house full of books and no restrictions on what I read. This essay explains why I love them.

Table of Contents for this journal issue:

The Dark Behind the Door by Mignon BallarThings That Go Bump in the Night by Lillian Stewart CarlAccidentally Paranormal by Judy ClemensTrue Confessions by E.J. CoppermanI Love Cemeteries by Casey DanielsSomething Is Moving in the Woods by Vicki DelanyParanormally Yours by Carole Nelson DouglasThe Case for Detecstasy by Graham EdwardsParanormal? Perhaps… by Kathleen ErnstInto the Woo-Woo by Jack FredricksonI Hope Ghosts Are Real by Chris GrabensteinBooks That Go Bump in the Night by Deborah GrabienSwinging Around a Cloud by Carolyn HartI See Undead People… by Sue Ann JaffarianThe Truth About Vampires… by Maria LimaHaunting—A Do-It-Yourself Guide by Paul McHughThe Supernatural and Deputy Tempe Crabtree by Marilyn MeredithThe Mystery of the Paranormal by Kris NeriMysterious Forces by Joyce and Jim LaveneThe Spiritual Procedural by Phil RickmanBy Ghosts Possessed by Elena SantangeloThe Rowan Gant Investigations—Paranormal Suspense Thrillers by M. R. SellarsGhost Wrangling: From One Who Knows by Clea SimonWhatdunit? by Alexandra SokoloffWriting About the “Real” World by Roz SoutheyHow a Psychic Entered My Life by Earl StaggsWe’re No Angels by Mary StantonAnything’s Possible by by S.D. TooleyMysteries Go Beyond the Pale! by E. F. Watkins

COLUMNS

Mystery in Retrospect: Reviews by Lesa Holstine, Marlyn BeebeTrue Crime: Paranormal Legal Thrillers by Cathy PickensThe Children’s Hour: Paranormal Mysteries by Gay Toltl KinmanCrime Seen: Paranormal and Supernatural by Kate DerieThe Mystery Story and the Paranormal: Observations from an English Viewpoint by Philip ScowcroftFrom the Editor’s Desk by Janet A. Rudolph

Whedonistas: A Celebration of the Worlds of Joss Whedon by the Women Who Love Them ; Mad Norwegian Press (March, 2011)

I’ve joked a great deal in the past that I was Joss Whedon’s bitch*. I even bought the fabulous ThinkGeek t-shirt that states: Joss Whedon is my master now. But despite the amusement factor, one fact is pretty much true: Joss Whedon can write. His ideas, his treatment of genre television goes so far beyond traditional tropes and expectations that there are words invented to talk about his impact.

*Please note, this essay (and the book) was written/published in 2011 – long before I knew about Whedon’s horrible treatment of women. My deepest apologies.

About the book:

In Whedonistas, a host of award-winning female writers and fans come together to celebrate the works of Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, Doctor Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog). By discussing the impact of Whedon’s work, their involvement with his shows’ fandoms and why they adore the worlds he’s created, these essayists aim to misbehave in Whedon’s rich, fantastical worlds.

Filled With Glee: An Unauthorized Glee Companion; Benbella Books/Smart Pop Series (November, 2010)

For me, no matter how much I enjoyed the dynamics among the four major teen players, the show wasn’t about Rachel, the over-the-top Jewish American Princess diva with two dads. Nor was it about Finn, the jock-turned-choirboy, nor even about Puck or Quinn and their baby drama. It was about the others; the ones singing backup—Kurt, Artie, Mercedes and Tina, who truly embodied the role of the outsiders. Glee is about identity. This essay explores my two favorite characters and how their journey reflects us all.

About the book:

Is Sue the true driving force behind Glee? Who’s the real alpha male in New Directions? Why do we really keep coming back to Glee week after week? From its quirky character insights to its inspirational, funny, and touching stories from fellow gleeks, Filled with Glee is the perfect companion for the fan who can’t get enough Glee.

Filled with Glee also includes a guide to putting together a glee club in your own school or community; an index of songs by episode; and the musical biographies of the main and guest actors (including where and when they’ve worked together before).

A Taste of True Blood: The Fangbanger’s Guide; Benbella Books/Smart Pop Series (June, 2010) A out

Every TV show has one–that place that when you go there, you’re part of the club. Cheers, the popular 1990s TV comedy used a Boston bar. Friends revolved around Central Perk, a coffee house. In True Blood, that place is Merlotte’s, where the food is fabulous (as is the cook), the staff is amazing (in more than one way) and the customers? Well, depending on the night, it’s either feast, famine or war. And don’t forget–everybody knows your name…and what you’ve been up to.

About the book:

True Blood, Alan Ball’s critically acclaimed television adaptation of Charlaine Harris’ bestselling Southern Vampire mysteries, has successfully glamoured millions of viewers and brought vampire-lovers everywhere out of the coffin. With smart and quirky pieces on a range of tasty topics, A Taste of True Blood: The Fangbanger’s Guide gives you something to savor between episodes—and whets your appetite for more.

A Taste of True Blood also includes a quick reference guide to the show’s first two seasons, with episode summaries and memorable quotes.