The Memory Extracts: A Companion Anthology to The Vending Portal

by Judy Liu

When floating among the kelp, Calvin shed all the responsibilities he shouldered and felt free. He felt anything was possible.

From an underground tea brewer concocting guerrilla potions to a granddaughter rediscovering her family through an inherited snack shop, this collection of soft sci-fi short stories explores the memories and thoughts of nine in a world of marine biology and memory technology. The Memory Extracts is an independent companion anthology, expanding on the dystopian world created in The Vending Portal.

Genres: Science Fiction

73 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 11, 2024

About the author

Inspired by her love of Marvel, sci-fi, old Taiwanese dramas, and ridiculous anime, Judy scribbles mini-stories wherever she can (and subsequently forgets them!). She graduated from Rice University in Houston, Texas, studying history, Asian studies, and education. Judy is not unfamiliar with extensive writing, having published multiple pieces. She spent some time living in rural Japan before working in the legal and compliance sphere. With her debut novel The Vending Portal, Liu hopes to meaningfully add to Asian American literature to further enrich the YA genre.

Outside of work and writing, Judy enjoys dancing with her teammates and friends, exploring unknown spots or cities, caring for her plants, and making nonsense sounds to her sister.

Reviews

[Jen Woodrum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entering Liu's vivid and unique dystopian world is like walking into a dream. Each short story in the Memory Extract raises interesting questions about memory, government, values, and society. Readers of The Vending Portal will love exploring the world more in depth, and new readers will be hooked by the magical realism!

[Brittany Dawn | The Cozy Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I throughly enjoyed these ‘side stories’! I picked this up while browsing the author tables at Imaginarium Book Festival without realizing it was Companion Anthology (I’m a sucker for tiny books & pretty covers). I am definitely intrigued by the world of “The Vending Portal” and will definitely be reading the main story at some point!

[Bekah Stegner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was exactly what I wanted after finishing The Vending Portal: more stories that take place in the Second Layer! I loved getting glimpses into so many different characters' lives, and especially enjoyed the Easter eggs sprinkled throughout. The cover is absolutely beautiful, too! You should definitely check this out if you enjoyed The Vending Portal.

[Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of The Vending Portal so of course I was ecstatic when I was offered an ARC and endorsement opportunity for The Memory Extracts. Judy built up such a fun world in TVP and she continues to explore it in this little collection. We get introduced to a lot of great characters and little plots that were executed perfectly. I can't wait to continue following Judy's author journey.