15 May 2016

REVIEW: Scandalized by Tara Frejas




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Woot! So happy to have read this book!
Tara Frejas' Scandalized is the first of last year's #SparkNA stories to be released. Congratulations, Tara!

Loved all the effort that Tara put into this book---from the promotional cards she distributed during #AprilFeelsDay, to the review signup sheets, and emails----everything looked so professional.

And that cover. I cannot say it enough times. That cover is simply gorgeous! Don't you agree?



Synopsis
Fi Legaspi is living the dream working in Seoul as a road manager for one of South Korea's hottest bands, East Genesis Project. Until she isn't.
When she finds herself in the middle of a scandal and a hostile fangirl witch hunt, Fi seeks the comfort of home, and to her surprise, not the person she had been pining for for years. All too suddenly it's no longer her career on the line, but also her heart. Will she walk away from everything that matters to her or fight to keep her dream alive?

 Review

This is something you'll really enjoy, even if you don't know anything about K-pop (I don't. Well, didn't---until this book). This made me realize the similarities and differences between the J-pop and K-pop fandoms.

But seriously, this book is more than just handsome K-pop stars and hunky PR guys (though those help too!). Because this is a book with so much heart. This is a book that just isn't about romance, it deals with the dark side of the entertainment industry and how stories are seeming manufactured from the flimsiest of evidences. This book deals with the shameful habit of (cyber)bullying, and how a few careless words and a picture or two can distort reality and ruin someone's life.

Super loved the band East Genesis, not only because they were totes adorable, but because of how much they loved Fi---how they all banded together (Hee. Pardon the pun) to help her out.

And Fi. I admired how strong she was the whole time. How she wanted the best for her band. She wanted to stay with them, yet she walked away and let them find their way without her support. How she found something worth doing.

And Carlos. Potres. Tawang-tawa ako sa kanya.

The feels were very real. And the prose was beautifully written. Grabe. As in. To illustrate, here are some of my fave quotes:

"See that's the thing. 
I never wanted to be a refrain in your head . . . 
I wanted to be the song."
- Fi  to Yihwan

- - -

"You are all my songs . . . 
But you were the one who decided 
I should stop singing."
- Yihwan to Haera

- - -

. . . Fi is Gabriel's sun, 
and right now he needs to protect her light 
before it gets snuffed out for good.


But perhaps what I loved most about the book was how real the characters felt. There were bits of IG / Twitter / IG / newsfeed posts interspersed throughout the book. And the comments---the comments helped ground the narrative. Very well done!

And OMG, so much culture packed into this one! So Pinoy, and yet so Korean. The settings, the mannerisms, the dialogue, and the food were all on point :-)

My only beef here is I wanted more of Gabe. Hahaha! 

But in the end, everything was just . . . Golden. Just right.




About Tara Frejas 

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Tara Frejas is a cloud-walker who needs caffeine to fuel her travels. When she's not on work mode, she keeps herself busy by weaving her daydreams into stories.
Aside from her obvious love affair with words and persistent muses, Tara is very passionate about being caffeinated, musical theatre, certain genres of music, dancing, dogs, good food, and romancing Norae, her ukelele. She owns a male bunny named Max who sometimes tries to nibble on her writing notes. Scandalized is her second novel after Paper Planes Back Home.
Fun fact: She's a Piscean. Go figure.
 
Want to know more about East Genesis? (They live!)

 

21 April 2016

#AprilFeelsDay Feels

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It's been almost a week, but I still have an #AprilFeelsDay hangover. Dayum.
Almost didn't make it---the babysitter I’d engaged flaked out on me at the last minute. Good thing my brother-in-law came to the rescue.
And I got lost. Wahaha! Was supposed to meet people at Megamall and got off at the wrong station and ended up walking a good ten minutes in the scorching heat. But all’s well, we were able to get to the venue on time :-)

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I volunteered to do tarot readings, so I was in another world most of the time, but that didn't prevent me from being affected by the live readings and hooting my approval along with the rest of the crowd.
I’d planned to read the tarot for at least 25 people. After all, I’d once done 43 in one sitting. In the future, I have to remember that that record was twenty-two years ago---I was younger and more resilient. Plus I had beer and the rave party was during the nighttime. So to the people I was unable to do readings for, will do so next time! Pinky promise! :-) And will probably restrict myself to ten (or less depending on temperatures. Hahaha!) next time. Hahaha!
Other people have written better recaps than I ever will, so I’ll just stick to things I have learned from the event:
(1) Buy books early. Because they sell out FAST. Geez, I was right beside the table selling books the whole time, but still, I missed out on some titles! If you reserved books directly from the authors, get them before the event starts. If you’re an author, keep a list of people who reserved stuff, because you’ll forget in the crush;
(2) Take pictures! Or jump up when someone points a camera. Hahaha! The latter is me because I refuse to commute with a smartphone and my low-tech phone camera is simply . . . well, low-tech. So thanks to people who’ve been tagging me :-) Appreciate it;
(3) Say hi to people when you have a chance. Because it was such a crush, it was hard to reconnect with people at the other end of the room. Hahaha!
(4) Stay for the readings. I was supposed to go home early. Then British Gio happened. Homaygath. Factor that in. Hahaha; and
(5) Eat. Holy kamote. Discovered the buffet only after the readings. Dyosko, I still have major waffle hangover!
It was also pretty surreal to have ‘history’ with people I’d met for the first time. Hahaha! I must’ve said “It’s great to finally meet you!” a gazillion times! But I really, really enjoyed myself! Can’t wait for the next event!

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Thanks to everyone who bought print copies of When Cocoy Became Kikay and Be Careful What You Wish For! Hope you enjoy them!

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Thanks to everyone who stopped to say hi! And to the kind souls who made paypay during the worst of the afternoon heat. Aylabyuporeber!

10 February 2016

Release Day Blitz: Minsan Pa by Jessica F. Larsen




Hi y'all! Joining Jessica E. Larsen's release day blitz! Congrats on your new book, Jessica! 
Read on and don't forget to join the giveaway at the bottom!

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Title: Minsan Pa
Genre: Romantic Comedy, Drama
Word count: 37,300 words
Natutong mahalin ni Neena si Yuusuke noong teenagers pa lamang sila. Subalit sobra siyang nasaktan sa bigla nitong pagkawala ng walang paalam. Sa paglipas ng mga taon wala siyang naging balita rito maliban sa mga scandal nitong nababasa niya sa mga magazines. But after eleven years, Yuusuke's back as her boss at muling pinalalambot ang puso niyang akala niya ay naging bato na pagdating sa pag-ibig.


Excerpt:
NANG nasa labasan na sila ng squatters' area ay hindi mapigilan ni Neena ang mapanganga sa kotseng itinuro sa kanya ni Isabella. Hindi nga nagsisinungaling ang kapatid. Napakagara nga ng makintab na kulay asul na kotse. Tinted ang salamin nito kaya hindi nila makita kung sino ang nasa loob, pero sa gara noon ay halos matatakot ang sinuman na hipuin man lang ang sasakyan dahil baka magasgasan. Nakontento na lang sa pagtingin ang mga tao sa paligid maliban kay Neena na patuloy ang paghakbang palapit sa kotse at kinatok ang salamin na agad namang bumaba. 
Mukha ni Yuusuke ang tumambad sa kanya.
“Ano'ng ginagawa mo rito sa lugar namin?” matabang na tanong niya.
“Dinadalaw ka.”
“Hindi pa ako pinaglalamayan, bumalik ka na lang pagtanda ko.” Nagngingitngit ang kalooban na tinalikuran niya ito. Ewan niya kung bakit siya sabay na natuwa at nainis nang makita si Yuusuke. Naiinis siya dahil simula nang tapatin niya ito ay hindi na ito muling nagpakita pa. Pero ngayon namang dumalaw ito, hindi rin niya mapagbawalan ang suwail niyang puso na huwag matuwa.
“Neena wait!” tawag ni Yuusuke sa kanya. Lumabas ito ng kotse at hinabol siya papasok sa squatter. Lahat ng babae ay napalingon pagkakita rito. 

Get Minsan Pa here: 

About Jessica Larsen

Jessica E. Larsen is an author of contemporary romance, YA, NA and Paranormal stories. She writes in both English and Taglish/Filipino language.

Jessica’s not hundred percent sure what her characters are thinking, but most of the heroine in her stories love to bite her head off and fall for the guy they dislike, then blame her for their misery.

When she's not writing, you'll find her reading or creating digital art.

Jessica doesn’t like doing housework, but love hearing from her readers. She might be late at times, but she always takes the time to reply to comments and messages.



Connect with Jessica Larsen today!

Join the Giveaway!

Click the link for the chance to win a $5 Amazon gift certificate and a copy of Minsan Pa!







04 December 2015

Featured book + Interview: Just a Little Bit of Love (Ines Bautista-Yao)

Sometimes, a little bit can make a *really* big difference. Ines Bautista-Yao's newest release offers us just that. Read on for Just a Little Bit of Love.

Isn't the cover soooo pretty?

Just a Little Bit of Love

Three short stories about three young girls: Anita, Ina, and Carla. Each one finding their lives disrupted by a boy. Maybe it’s because he wanders into the coffee shop where she works after school every Tuesday. Maybe it’s because he won’t leave her alone even if she has made it clear that she is crushing on his football teammate. Or maybe it’s because she’s spent one unforgettable afternoon with him—despite being oh-so-forgetful. Three small doses of love that serve up a whole lot of feels.


My favourite of the lot is Ina and John's story, On The Sidelines (I'm biased since I beta-read this story. Hahaha!). So for this post, I decided to interview John :-)

CPS: So, John. What exactly about Ina made you want to get to know her better?

John: Who accuses someone they've just met of having a small brain? It pissed me off at first because really, no one does that. Not to me anyway. But when I watched her get all frazzled and riled up over who knows what, something inside me just... I don't know. I knew I had to get this girl's attention.

CPS: (Note to self: Insulting a guy is a good way to get his attention. Yes, even guys over twelve.) But weren't you fazed by her apparent obsession with Ethan?

John: Considering she can barely breathe let alone say two words whenever he's around, no. Haha! But seriously, I knew we belonged together. I just had to wait for her to see that.

CPS: (*nods* Good point.) Besides the cheese rolls, how did you get her to notice you?

John: Besides hang around her all day and pretend to study while finding ways to stare at her without her knowing?

CPS: (*nods again* persistence and patience. Good strategy, that) So now that you're together, where did you take her on your first *real* date?

John: Would you believe it? I found out our school's theater org was staging The Merchant of Venice and I got us tickets. I read whatever I could find on it online so I could impress her too. Let's just say it worked.

CPS: (*claps* A for effort!) What's changed now that you're officially together?

John: Not much now that I think about it. She still gets annoyed with me and tells me to stop bugging her, but now if I move in to kiss her, I know she'll kiss me back.

Thanks, John!

Isn't he an absolute sweetheart? And the fact he's such a hunk doesn't hurt either *swoon* Hihihi. Get to know more about him and Ina by reading Just a Little Bit of Love now! But be sure to buy cheese rolls before you do! :-)


About Ines Bautista-Yao


Ines Bautista-Yao is the author of One Crazy Summer, What’s in your Heart, and Only a Kiss. She has also written two short stories, “Flashbacks and Echoes,” which is part of a compilation called All This Wanting and “A Captured Dream,” one of the four short stories in Sola Musica: Love Notes from a Festival.

She is the former editor-in-chief of Candy and K-Zone magazines and a former high school and college English and Literature teacher. She is also a wife and mom and blogs about the many challenges and joys of motherhood at theeverydayprojectblog.com. She has recently launched The Author Project, a section in her current blog devoted to the stories in her head.





17 November 2015

Featured Author: Jay E. Tria

Whee! Today we have on the blog author Jay E. Tria (also known as Jhay---but only if you've read Songs Of Our Breakup. Hihihi.) Jay's a Filipino indie author who wrote Blossom Among FlowersSongs Of Our Breakup, and Majesty.



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CPS: Tell us about the first story you ever wrote.

JET: Oh gosh. I honestly don’t remember the plot. I do remember an LI named Matt. I liked that name. Matt had brown hair and blue eyes and was likely based on Brad Renfro or Devon Sawa. I was in elementary then and I wrote on notebooks because I was inspired by Sweet Valley, Unicorn High, and Teen Beat. And the feels I got from reading weren’t enough so I had to write something down. I even pestered my friends to write their own stories so we could form a series. I was a bossy kid. But it didn’t work out because I was the only one who cared. Haha.

CPS: What’s your writing process like?

JET: This is going to sound corny, but for me it starts with a feeling. A heartbreak, an infatuation, a frustration over an ending I didn’t like, or a couple I was shipping but the ship didn’t sail. Before, I didn’t make an outline, but now I do. I don’t always follow it to the letter, but it’s there to give me structure, to help me stick to a schedule. It’s also a self-check mechanism of sorts to see if the plot is making sense. With my last few works I was able to write the ending and the beginning scenes first. That might be weird for some but I think that’s super great, because I find those are the hardest things to write!



CPS: When and where do you write? Do you have a set schedule for writing?

JET: I try to write every day. I write at home. Sometimes I write during my lunch break, or in between meetings, or before walking home. I wrote Slipstream while I was on the MRT from Ayala to Quezon Avenue. I write whenever, wherever, basically.

CPS: Tell us a little about the books you’ve published. Is there any overlying theme that connects them all?

JETBlossom Among Flowers is a Japanese manga/drama-style high school love story. Songs of Our Breakup is heartbreak, indie rock and roll, and a hot celebrity. Majesty is a beautiful ghost visiting her mourning best friend. When I lay them out like that it doesn’t seem like there’s an overlying theme. Just a lot of feelings. But a reader recently said that I write to give hope to sad people. That’s a lofty theme to claim, but it’s a good one to try and live up to ☺



CPS: What are the last five books you’ve read? How did you like them?

I’ve been doing a marathon of Filipino-penned literature. Enumerating them below:
a. Only a Kiss by Ines Bautista-Yao – Ines got me from the first page. The story starts off with the POV of nine-year-old Katie, and she’s an adorable bossypants. I have a soft spot too for the friends-to-lovers trope, and when done right, like in this book, it goes straight to my list of favorites.
b. Janus Silang books 1 and 2 by Edgar Cabalia Samar – This series is killing me. It’s one of those books that betray you. Starts off as nice and friendly then hits you with the big guns—chills and tears all at once. I haven’t read in Filipino in a long time, so reading comprehension was my initial challenge. But Egay’s prose is fluid and at times, street, so it was easy to get deep into the story. I cannot wait for book 3!
c. The Year We Became Invincible by Mae Coyuitco – This is a very honest book. It’s telling me secrets, opening doors, whispering dreams to my ear every time I turn the page. Young Adult done best by a young adult. I wanted to hug this book.
d. Learning to Fall by Mina V. Esguerra – the many times I blushed while reading this! This is the steamiest MVE book I’ve read, and I’ve been time-hopping across her backlist, so I know she started with sweet romances. It’s a fun ride. Grayson is <3 p="">e. Be Careful What You Wish For by CP Santi – I read you say somewhere that this reads like a Jdorama, and that your peg is Oguri Shun. For shame, woman. How dare you lure me? But I’ve told you this: this book did not disappoint. I enjoyed reading about a scientist MC (lab coats are sexy) and OguShun as Ken. So yes, I loved this book. It gave me feels. (Uy, sipsip! Hihihi - CPS)

CPS: What inspires you to write?

JET: Daydreams. Literally, daydreams. Blossom Among Flowers and Songs of Our Breakup are documentations of long, winding daydreams. I had another daydream that I was friends (okay, maybe more) with Robert Pattinson, and that resulted into a 30k+ word manuscript that I don’t know how to even begin editing. Music is always inspiring, and places. Humans are always inspiring, being we are so weird and amazing.

CPS: Of all the characters you’ve written so far, who’s your favorite and why?

JET: Why are you making me choose a favorite child?? This is a mean interview. That said, I love Shinta. I always say that the snobbish, Takeshi-type of guy gets me every time. But in reality what I really want is a Shinta. Someone easy and fun to be around with, smart and a smart ass. Someone who is patient but does not wait in vain. Someone consistent but not too intense. Someone taller than me, with abs. He also fits into the friend-to-lover trope quite nicely. Oh what’s that? You asked about my favorite character and not the character I want to be my boyfriend? Oops. (Tsk, tsk. Hahaha!-CPS)

CPS: What story are you working on right now?

JET: I’m working on Playlist#2, Songs to Get Over You. I’ve had the plot bunny hopping inside my head since I finished Songs of Our Breakup, before I even released it. Miki’s story is begging to be written. Here is a man who doesn’t seem to think he should find happiness in love. He’s so used to heartbreak. Dissecting his thoughts and feelings is so much fun and so much work! Haha.




CPS: Tell us about your latest release, Majesty (this story is part of #StrangeLit Darkest Dreams story bundle).

JET: When I was 25, my best friend died. She was 30. We’ve known each other for less than a year. I know that reads funny, but my grief was whole and my love for her was real. I wanted to capture those feelings when I was writing Majesty. Having written it with a paranormal/fantasy twist for StrangeLit class gave it the sparkle that it needed, I think. It’s my gift for my best friend. I promised her I would always remember.

CPS: Any writing goals you’d like to achieve in the next few years?

JET: I have so many ideas for new books, it makes me panic sometimes! I always feel like time is running away from me. I’ve written all the ideas down together with the dates I want them released, so I don’t forget about them and so I’m motivated to keep going on days that I feel like I suck. One important goal though is to learn the business side of this writing thing. The starving artist paints a very romantic picture, but I don’t want to be ‘starving’ as an author for too long ☺

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Thanks very much, Jhay . . . este Jay pala! Hihihi.
And happy happy birthday! *pasabog ng confetti and eats cake*


Connect with the author!

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If you want to read Jay E. Tria's books in print, check out the #romanceclassbooks box at UniqubePH (3F University Mall in front of DLSU Taft)!!! 
Lots of freebies (including a free ebook!) with every purchase!!!

Photo from Mina V. Esguerra

17 October 2015

Featured Author: Tara Frejas

Hi everyone! I'm making up for skipping a ton of posts by featuring two authors every month until December (#ambitious). But really, it's fun getting to know more about all these Filipino authors!

So this week, we're featuring author Tara Frejas, author of Paper Planes Back Home and The Forget You Brew (#StrangeLit).

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CPS: Tell us about the first story you ever wrote.

TF: I wish you could hear me laugh as I read this first question, but not because the first story I ever wrote was hilarious. If memory serves me right, I was nine when I wrote it, and it wasn’t even straight-up prose or anything badass like that. We had a school requirement wherein we had to turn in comic strips, and because the only thing I could draw rather decently back then was Snoopy, I created comic strips of a dog that looked just like him. And the story was about a dog that baked . . . pies, I think. I don’t remember the premise now, just that he was a baker dog.

CPS: What’s your writing process like?

TF: Not sure I have an actual writing process because I usually start really, really small, like with a sentence or paragraph, or lines of dialogue. Sometimes I start with a chapter and see how that flows before I move on to the next, and the next. Before signing up for #SparkNA, I have never seriously outlined any of the previous fics I wrote, except for when I’m in the middle of writing it and I realize I need to sort out character or event timelines. So yeah, the process usually varies for me.
With Paper Planes Back Home, for example, I started by writing a chapter and then sending it off to a friend who took a look at it and said it was promising. I took her cue and continued writing it until I challenged myself to finish it in time for a Wattys thing last year. It took me around 6 months to finish the entire thing. #SparkNA was outlined, but I did veer away from that when I got to the middle, and my outline for #StrangeLit was completely scrapped when I started writing it.
The thing which is constant, however, would be me looking at photos or watching videos of my character pegs. Research, I say, haha. It helps me figure out how they would react to certain things, how they would move or how their voices would sound like when speaking. Some of those details don’t appear in the stories, but they help motivate me anyhow. Also, listening to music is an absolute must.



CPS: When and where do you write? Do you have a set schedule for writing?

TF: I can write almost everywhere when inspiration strikes, or when a deadline is looming, but I do most of my writing at home. As for schedules, no. I’m very bad at schedules, which was why I signed up for Mina’s workshops. I wanted to discipline myself enough to be able to sit down at a fixed time and just write something, because I am a serial procrastinator who usually juggles way too many things. So far, I’ve successfully finished two workshops, but at the moment I’m resting from fic writing to support other authors (blog tours, etc.) and market my finished work (yay, #StrangeLit!).

CPS: Tell us a little about the books you’ve published so far.

TF: Paper Planes Back Home is a novel where two people—Skylar and Gianna—meet in some sort of limbo while their physical bodies are lying in hospital beds. In the beginning, we meet Gianna, who’s just being “initiated” into this entire realm where paper planes are currency for how much you are being thought of by the people who love you. As the story goes on, we learn from Skylar that you could actually craft a ride out of the paper planes so you could get out of that limbo and go back home. Meanwhile, we are also introduced to two other characters, Aaron and Anna, who become instrumental in getting those paper planes up there for Skylar and Gianna to use in their journey.
For #StrangeLit, I wrote The “Forget You” Brew, which tells the story of Kyle and Allison who stumble upon Nowheretown—essentially a “town of requirement” in that it finds you when you’re in desperate need of something. The thing is, Kyle and Allison are in love with each other but they’re idiots, haha. They’ve been good friends for years, so there’s that thing about getting scared of rejection and having the Friendship Over flag getting waved and all. Eventually, Allison walks into this cafe where you’re supposedly going to get served what you need, and she gets an afforgeto, which will basically wipe out all memories and feelings she has for Kyle. But of course, Kyle doesn’t want that, and of course he finds out after Allison drinks it . . . so he goes on a quest to retrieve her memories of him.

CPS: What are the last five books you’ve read? How did you like them?

TF: I have an all-Filipino lineup! The last five I’ve read are Choco Chip Hips by Agay Llanera, Songs of Our Breakup by Jay Tria, The Year We Became Invincible by Mae Coyiuto, Fall Like Rain by Ana Tejano, and another one of Agay’s, Once Upon a Player. I’ve already blogged my reviews (more of spazz accounts, actually) about the first four, but in general, I really could say that I loved them for All The Feels they made me feel. I am so looking forward to reading more Filipino-authored books because I apparently missed out on a lot these past several years.

CPS: What do you eat/drink/listen to while you write?

TF: Copious amounts of coffee are a must. I already have caffeine immunity, I think, because I can sleep fine even after having it. But that doesn’t stop me from consuming it while I write; I just need coffee to function. As for food, I don’t have a go-to food item . . . I just usually grab what I can from the fridge or the cupboard, or sometimes when I feel like it, I buy certain things like Jalapeno Cheetos (fave!) or hopia or ramen. Depends on what I’m craving, if I am, but coffee usually does the trick.
Sometimes I listen to just one song when I write. You know, that one song that sums up what your characters are feeling, like you can imagine that song playing in the background while the scene you’re writing plays in your head? Yep, I do that. I loop one song and listen to it over and over again until I’m done with a scene (or chapter). I remember looping Marianas Trench’s Beside You and F.T. Island’s Severely a lot while I was writing my #SparkNA novel, haha.

CPS: Of all the characters you’ve written so far, who’s your favorite and why?

TF: Oh why must you make my life difficult? ☹
If I really must choose, I’d go with Filipina Legaspi. She’s my #SparkNA heroine who works as a roadie for a Korean pop-rock band called East Genesis Project. Fi is my favorite because she’s dedicated to her work, but she’s not all about the money—she really does care about her band as though they were her family, and she loves her job not because of its perks but because she feels like she helps inspire people. She has a good heart, and I like that about her, even if it gets her into trouble sometimes.
A runner up would be Anna from Paper Planes Back Home because she’s just a precious, precious soul. ☺



CPS: What story are you working on right now?

TF: Oh god, plenty. I haven’t really started writing them, but I am outlining several things bit by bit. There’s a #SparkNA sequel in the works, and there’s a #StrangeLit spinoff I’d like to finish before our three-month bundle contract with Buqo is finished. Apart from that, my #TalesFromTheMetro stories are begging to be continued, and at the same time I’m doing research for another possible novel that involves theatre people.
I know I should be working on them the soonest, but I’m dallying and I hate myself for it. I will get there soon enough, I promise! ^_^

CPS: Tell us about your latest release.

TF: My latest work is, as I’ve mentioned, The “Forget You” Brew which is part of the #StrangeLit Killer Seasons bundle. It’s available only via Buqo for now, at least up until the end of December, I think.
Little trivia about The “Forget You” Brew: I started formulating the story around bunnies, because in early March, my sister bought a bunny from the street market near us and we fell in love with him. And while the direction of the story didn’t focus much on bunnies, I might do that with the spinoff I’m planning, which should be out by January. Wish me luck!

CPS: Any writing goals you’d like to achieve in the next few years?

TF: There are several, actually, but having my books on shelves at local bookstores would be on top of the list and I’m trying to get there eventually . . . hopefully by next year? I’m crossing my fingers, haha. And I would definitely be working hard to get more stories written, finished and published, maybe have one produced as a stage production—that’s a nakakakilig dream of mine. I also want to work with an artist who could translate my work into art because I would love to have a story book version of some of my stories, like Paper Planes Back Home.
But yeah, basically my goal is to write a lot more stories so I could experiment with them in terms of style, so I could also determine the aspects I’m good at and the ones I need improvement in. Finally, this is not a writing goal, but I would love to be of service to the writing community in any way possible. Getting to know Mina and the other Filipino writers through the workshops opened a lot of opportunities and prospects for me, and as excited as I am for my own growth as an author, I am also very excited to be able to eventually pay it forward.

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Thanks very much for your time, Tara! Hoping to read more from you soon!

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Check out these books by Tara Frejas!

Paper Planes Back Home - Amazon, Smashwords, Buqo
#StrangeLit: Killer Seasons - Buqo

Connect with Tara Frejas!

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P.S. I'm reviewing Tara's The Forget You Brew next week, so be sure to check that out ;-)

P. P. S. If you want to read #romanceclassbooks in print, check out our box at UniqubePH (3F University Mall in front of DLSU Taft)!!! Lots of freebies (including a free ebook!) with every purchase!!!


Photo from Mina V. Esguerra

14 October 2015

JustWritePH: For Redemption (Jesse David, Yeyet Soriano, Angie Sanchez, and Racquel Sarah A. Castro)

Hi everyone! Still doing the #JustWritePH Blog Tour :-) This week, I'm featuring the For Redemption bundle :-)

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Redemption doesn’t come easy. It involves hardship, righting wrongs, and making tough choices. This four-story bundle showcases characters who made wrong turns in life, and want nothing more than to make things right. Features “Era” by Jesse David, “Turning Points” by Yeyet Soriano, “A Fateful Encounter” by Cali (Angie Sanchez), and Encyclopedia Mystique by Racquel Sarah A. Castro.

Era
by Jesse David

What do we need to live this life to the fullest? For Era, it is money. He realizes that it is hard to live this life to the fullest without money. We need money to travel the world, to eat every food, and to live to in the most beautiful city. But what if, money is not the answer? What if you live your life the wrong way, and it is too late to turn back? What if you had a second chance?

Excerpt

This story is about Era.

The story is about his lifetime, and also the meaning of his name is a lifetime. This person really follows a strict time when it comes to business. He wakes up on time. Go to his work on time, but never going home on time because going home is not part of the business.

A lot of people are like him. They love to follow a schedule. It is much easier to follow life on a schedule. It is easier to live if you know what you will do next.

Are you like him, always doing things on schedule? Exact time to eat, exact time to take a shower, and exact time to sleep.

The time now is 5:28 a.m., by exactly 5:30, his clock will alarm. He will wake up, go to the bathroom to take a shower, and brush his teeth. He will then have his coffee. After that, he will now proceed on leaving his unit at exactly 5:58 a.m.

He will now walk to the train station and arrived at 6:05 a.m. The train should arrive at 6:10 a.m. but we are not living in the perfect world or rather a perfect country that follows a strict time. It is acceptable to be for an hour late in this country.

The train arrives at the station at 6:23 a.m. which is totally occupied. To get inside of the train, you need to transform as Spartan soldier, this is one of the ways to get in the office on time with this volume of people. And since Era is a person that loves a schedule, he will ride this train even if only a single person is the only one that will fit in, but eventually 5 persons will try to get in. But don't worry, with the magical push from the people outside, the 5 people will actually fit in.

After the train, he will then need to fall in line for the gate ticket. But with the volume of people in the line, Era estimated that it will take 2 minutes for him to pass the ticket gate and another 5 minutes to get in the building.

 He could have a longer time to wait if the line for the elevator is long. Using the stairs could be an alternative but the time and effort will double or even triple.

Era works as an executive in an international company. He always makes it on time to go to the office but never going home. His dream is to live life to the fullest. Having this dream, he thought that he needs to be rich first before he can enjoy life to the fullest.

Connect with Jesse David!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessedavidwriter



Turning Points
by Yeyet Soriano

Imagine you were about to die, and you were given a chance to change something in your past and live for a few hours in the alternate world created with that change. Would you do it? What have you got to lose, right? What if you got stuck in that world, and although you have achieved all of the dreams you never pursued before, you lost everything that you’ve ever held dear? Sandy Garcia, a forty-something working mother of three, did just that. She wished she never met and married her husband, and she got to live in the world where she became a popular theater star instead. The trouble was, since she never met her husband, then she never had her children. Her entire life was different, and she started to realize that maybe she already had it good in her reality. Alex Marquez was a multi-hyphenated star—theater actress-singer-dancer-published author- professional photographer. On the road to success, she made a lot of wrong choices which left her single, with one child, in her forties, remembering the relationships she screwed up and the children she should have had in the past. Suddenly, she got the chance to live the family life since she got stuck in Sandy’s world. As both women navigate the intricate web of the lives they never initially chose to live, they question whether they still have a chance of getting back their own lives. What does it take to reclaim their real lives? Are both willing to do so? Will they succeed?

Excerpt

“Hi, Sandy.”

I heard the voice. I knew the voice. Was I dead?

“No, you’re not dead,” the voice said.

I opened my eyes and saw him, my dear friend from very long ago.

I slapped him. I had no time to think; my hand had a life of its own.

Luca reeled from the slap. Served him right.

“Sandy . . .”

“Luca.”

We stayed that way for a while just looking at each other. I had so much anger and pain, emotions I thought I had forgotten about. How dare he show his face right now?

Oh, shit . . . this had to be a dream. I remembered I was on a plane, and it was crashing.

 “Where am I?” I asked. I looked around and there was just nothing. Everything was white. “You said I was not dead, so where the hell am I?” I demanded an answer.

Luca still looked at me with a sad expression.

 “You are in a pause state,” he said.

 “A what state?” What the hell was he talking about? Why was I talking to Luca at this moment? And why would I believe him if he told me I wasn’t dead?

 “Pause.” Luca enunciated the word. I heard it right the first time, I just didn’t understand it. I still didn’t understand now. I kept quiet and waited for him to explain.

 “A pause state is when we get a chance to step away from time moving forward and just . . . take a breather.”

“A time-out of sorts?” I asked. Now I’m sure I am dreaming. This is ridiculous.

“You can say that,” Luca said.

 “So . . . after this . . . the plane will still crash?”

 “Ummm, yes, time will move forward.”

 “Can’t we make it move backward so that the plane doesn’t crash?”

 “It doesn’t work that way,” he said patiently.

 “Then why the hell am I here?”

Luca breathed deeply as he stared at me. I was obviously still mad, but I couldn’t meet his stare. Memories were coming back, and I didn’t think I was ready to confront them . . . again. After all these years.

Connect with Yeyet Soriano!

Email: yeyetms@gmail.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ysrealm
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Yeyetsorianowrites
Website: http://www.ysrealm.com




A Fateful Encounter 
by Angie Sanchez

A Fateful Encounter is a story about a college computer science student, Samantha, who just got back from an eight-month holiday. Not a single soul knows why she left in the first place – not her professors, her best friend Aimee and her closest group of friends. She logs in an online chat site and meets Michael, an engineering student from the same university.

Excerpt

I continued to argue with myself quietly. I want ice cream. Do I really need ice cream? No. But do you want ice cream. Yes. Is it right to put yourself in danger for the sake of ice cream? No. But you want one, right? Yes. There you go. And there goes my logic. But in order to dig into my cravings, I must find someone to go out with me at this time of night. Now who’s going to be my knight?  It would be wrong to ask for my friends after what happened earlier. My only available choice was Requiem. He offered to go out with me. Nothing’s wrong with accepting someone’s offer, right? I thought about it again. And again. It was unacceptable and irresponsible. Who goes out with a stranger, at night, for ice cream? I sat thinking of all the possible solutions for my dilemma. It wouldn’t be bad to trust someone, just this once?

 [10:30 pm] Requiem: San kita pupuntahan?

 [10:35 pm] Me: Nakatira ako sa may apartment sa dulo ng Emerald.

 [10:36 pm] Requiem: Sige. Puntahan na kita.

 [10:37 pm] Me: Ingat ka. Text mo na lang ako.

I suddenly became nervous. My heart started beating so fast that I could feel it could jump off my chest. Just because of a stupid craving, I invited a guy I didn’t even know over for ice cream. It was ridiculous. And idiotic. Aimee had already warned me before that nothing good comes out from meeting strangers. I could already picture out Aimee scolding me. I groaned. She is a very protective friend.

My legs are shaking from panic. I could feel my hands getting cold and sweaty. I couldn’t think right. What if this guy were a poser who might think of kidnapping me and holding me for ransom? Or worse, rape me and throw my body somewhere? I promised my parents to stay out of trouble, but I’m directly putting myself into a mess. No one except for myself knows that I would be meeting him tonight – not my friends, my family – absolutely, not a single soul. If something bad happens, no one would even know. I walked to the living room, then back again to the kitchen. I suddenly had the idea to send him a message that I have a bad stomachache and couldn’t get up. I was about to text him through WeChat, but a message appeared.

 [10:46 pm] Requiem: Andito na ako.

 I frantically rushed to the kitchen drawer to get my Swiss knife and pepper spray. I’ve always kept these in case of emergency. I placed both of them inside my purse along with my phone, my wallet and sneaked a peek frim my apartment window. There, I saw a person standing right outside the gate. For a while, I remained seated on the couch debating whether to go through with it or not. I gathered all my courage and closed the gates behind me.

 “Hello,” a guy wearing a jacket and cap said.

 “Hi,” I replied nervously.

 “Tara na?” he asked.  


Connect with Angie Sanchez!

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorangie
Email: theangiesanchez@gmail.com




Encyclopedia Mystique 
by Racquel Sarah A. Castro

Amelia Agustin is a digital converter in the National Library of the Philippines by day and a digital artist by night. At 24, she supports Filipino Authors by buying and reading their works. She rates the books honestly but she didn’t have the courage to write a review. She has this habit of doing digital art inspired by her favorite scenes. She loves to go to Korea to visit Incheon, the newly proclaimed book capital of the world. She admires Jay Diaz, a popular newscaster/bachelor in town. Serendipity pulls them together in an embarrassing incident. Take a glimpse on where their relationship would go.

Excerpt

“Techie geek . . . at the national library? Interesting!” He curiously stares at me. Well, I like geek reporters with glasses. That’s why I have a little admiration, okay, a lot of admiration for him. I have glasses too by the way. That’s a match.

“See you around!” I leave him with a quick glance and a friendly wave.

Toni sees me smiling and asks, “The smile is for . . .”

“I am going to the restaurant now. Bye.”

Toni grabs a bit of my hair and asks again;”Don’t you want to meet your crush?”

“I met him just a few minutes ago. Bye Toni! I am late.”

“Call me!” Toni shouts and to my surprise, I hear another familiar voice.

“Wait! Ms. Jiu Jitsu!” Jay Diaz runs towards my way. And he calls me Ms. Jiu Jitsu?

I display a what-do-you-need stare. Jay catches his breath while saying, “Can I get your name?”

“Her name is Amelia. Do you need her number?” Toni smiles at me. I stop walking. A thought bubble seems to come out of my head: Is he interested to get my name? Or maybe he will get my name to report me to my boss?

I notice that he is an inch too close to me. I turn back to hide my smile. He immediately pronounces, “Amelia! Wait.”

“Yes.” When I turn, he is closer than half an inch and our eyes meet.

“Can you wait for me?”

I curiously glance at him with narrowed eyebrows. He clarifies, “I mean, can I do what I have to do and go with you. This won’t take too long, I promise.”

I want to ask why but my inner self appears and verbalizes aloud, “Sure.” What are you thinking Lia? Are you sure about this?

I wait for him at the lobby. Mr. Villar sees me and asks, “Are you not going to the restaurant today?”

“I am waiting for Mr. Jay Diaz. He might feature our restaurant.”

“Hidden motives huh.”

“Yes sir.” I laugh.

 “I’ll go ahead. See you on Monday!” Mr. Villar salutes me first before going upstairs.

At last, I spot Jay Diaz with his crew after 30 minutes of roaming the whole place. It is exactly 12:30 in the afternoon when we leave the national library. His crew, however, will take their lunch before going back to the place for another set of interviews.

I am about to get a cab when he shouted, “Hoy! Di ba sa akin ka sasabay.”

“Maka-hoy naman to. Sundan mo na lang yung taxi.” I get in the cab and wave farewell. While I can see him get in the car and follow the cab, I instruct the driver to take me to our restaurant.

When I arrive, I run as fast as I can. A staff greets me, “Good afternoon ma’am!” He probably observes my nervous-me-what-will-I-do glances and asks,”Ma’am Lia, sinu po tinataguan nyo?”

“Yung crush ko, kakain dito.”

“Si Jay Diaz, Ma’am?” He curiously says.

“Oo.” I intensely say with so much excitement on my voice. I ask, “Okay ba yung itsura ko?” I don’t have the time to wonder why one of my staff knows who my crush is.

“Yes. You look gorgeous.”  My dad says while he and his business partner come and I pay respect to them by pagmamano.

 Jay comes to me and says, “Huli ka!” He laughs and my dad clears his throat.

Connect with Racquel Sarah A. Castro!

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rsacastro017
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/racquelsarahcastro
Blog: http://www.racquelsarah.wordpress.com/
Email: racquelcastro2884@gmail.com
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/rsacie
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/11574447.Racquel_Sarah_A_Castro
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00RTBGT62

Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/RacquelSarahCastro





Note: The #JustWritePH workshop, which ran from July 1 to August 8, 2015, challenged participants to write a story and prepare it for publication in a little under 6 weeks. Tips and lessons were delivered online & in person. The reward? Guaranteed distribution on Buqo, plus marketing opportunities like a bundle launch (held at Bo’s Coffee Megamall on August 22), a Facebook party, and a blog tour.