REVIEW: Scandalized by Tara Frejas

-->

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?

>>> BUY Scandalized on Amazon <<<

 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.

>>> BUY Scandalized on Amazon <<<

About Tara Frejas 

-->

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.

Facebook/ Twitter / Blog

 

Want to know more about East Genesis? (They live!)

Website / Twitter

 

#SparkNA: Choosing to be Brave

Two weeks before the #SparkNA deadline, I shook my head and told my husband, “This isn’t working. I’m not going to finish.”

That admission was really disheartening. After all, I already had my final chapter and epilogue fleshed out. The problem was the four chapters that preceded the last. Although they had some scenes written here and there, the thought of weaving them together loomed before me like a herculean task.

I was on the verge of falling into a writing funk and giving up. But my hubby told me, “Remember Nadine.”

Too cryptic to digest? Let me explain.

Eight years ago, I was on the verge of finishing another book—my dissertation on the architect Leandro Locsin. But three weeks before the deadline, I had a major panic attack. I ran out of the lab—my heart racing and my hands clammy. Like a lunatic, I paced up and down the square in front of the engineering building, muttering as I walked.

I was already considering breaking the news to my professor, when I bumped into Nadine, a Filipino sempai (or senior) who was doing her postdoctoral at the same university. When she asked what the matter was, I told her everything—that I couldn't finish my book and that I wouldn't be able to graduate on schedule.

Instead of indulging my little pity party, she asked me if I had all the data and results I needed. I told her that I did. I just needed to string them all together into a coherent narrative.

I’ll never forget what she said to me that day. Behind her thick spectacles, her brow furrowed, “Gaga ka pala e. You know what you have to do, just do it. Go back to the lab and write. Wala nang next year.”

At that time, the ice bucket challenge hadn’t been invented yet, but that's exactly how I felt—like a bucket of cold water had been poured over me. She was right, there wouldn't be a next year for me—unless I was willing to pay for my tuition myself. Considering that a year’s tuition was more than enough to buy a new car (albeit a very modest one), paying was certainly not an option.

So I went back to the lab and got to work. Two weeks later, I finished the first draft of my dissertation—all three hundred and fifty pages of them (Disclaimer: half the pages were filled with pictures, charts, and graphs).

And I’d never have done it if Nadine hadn’t hit me on the head (well, figuratively at least).

Through the years, when I’m on the verge of giving up on something, my hubby would always remind me of Nadine’s words.

Back to the present day—with Nadine’s tough-love pep talk in mind, I sat back down in front of my computer and forged on. 

Back when I had first started writing a month and a half ago, I mostly wrote scenes, settings, and dialogues—anything to reach my target word count for the day. One day I'd be on chapter three and the next day, I'd skip to chapter seventeen. But although I surpassed 20k words, my story was far from complete. I still had a lot of holes to fill. 

I think that having an outline really helped. The outline gave each chapter a goal—how it contributed to the development of my characters and their relationship. It was a step-by-step process—much like building a house. First, you had to make sure the foundation was solid before you erected the skeleton of columns and beams. Then you roofed it over, poured in the concrete for the floors, built the walls, and put in the doors and windows before you moved on to finishing. The outline was my story's blueprint, it's basic foundation and skeleton. Without the outline, I don't think I would have been able to write a completely new novella in only two months.

Also, knowing how the whole story would end was also immensely invaluable. It was like a compass—even though I was panicking, I knew the general direction I was headed.
Six days later, I completed the first draft of my #SparkNA manuscript. My word count was 40,360 words.

But my journey was far from over.

#SparkNA’s theme is being brave. And for me, bravery is a highly personal journey.

Bravery is not only about jumping off a cliff or initiating a big confrontation. It’s the little things—sucking up your fears, learning, accepting, and moving on. It’s about taking a chance and being vulnerable . . . opening up to people . . . and to the joy and pain they bring. Bravery is realizing you were wrong and admitting it. It’s doing something concrete to salvage the situation. It’s doing something—even if you don’t want to—because you have to.

In this case, bravery meant sticking to my writing goals. This meant continuing to write even though I wasn't in the mood to or even if I thought my words were crappy. I wrote on my phone while my kids played. I dictated dialogues onto the Notes app while I folded laundry. I thought of solutions to plot holes while I washed dishes and vacuumed. On weekends or at night when the kids were fast asleep, I edited and revised. I sent copies to my betas for feedback then scrambled to complete the final edits. My final word count was 38,993.

Even at the very end of my #SparkNA journey, my bravery was tested yet again. It took a whole lot of courage to press the SEND button . . . knowing that I was letting a little part of myself go and not knowing where it will lead.

But I chose my path and I am happy I stuck to it until the very end. Because bravery in battle isn’t about waving a sword in the air and shouting expletives—it’s about getting out of bed and fighting the fight. It’s about overcoming the simple things in your everyday life . . . making time and space for something you’ve committed yourself to.

Bravery is a choice. And what makes it so scary is that you have to do it all by yourself.

*crossing my fingers for ALL #SparkNA participants*

P.S. And to honor Nadine and her tough-love tactics, her beloved strawberries get a special mention in my #SparkNA novella. Though to this day, all I really know about her research is that she makes damn good strawberry ice cream after she finishes her sampling. Hahaha!

+ + +

Note: #SparkNA is an free online writing class that was sponsored by Anvil Publishing’s Spark Books imprint. The goal of the class was to help authors write and finish a contemporary new adult novella. For more info, check out Facebook or Twitter :-)

MARCH Featured Author: Michelle Jo Quinn

One of the first (and probably the only book club) I’ve (really) participated on Wattpad was organized by Michelle Jo Quinn. She’s a fabulous person who does a really great job with the Filipino Romance WritersBook Club. But she did an even better job with her novel, Confessions of aWedding Planner, which is in turns hilarious, introspective, and steamy. 

Did I say it was steamy? It’s smoking hot! :-)

Here’s our interview with Michelle:

CPS: You've been working on quite a few stories, but Confessions of a Wedding Planner by far has the most reads. Can you tell us a little bit about it?

MJQ: Confessions of a Wedding Planner is about making a choice between love and duty.  It focuses on Veronica who agrees to plan her ex-boyfriend, Jake's, wedding.  It sounds nuts and not many would do it, but she is a constant people-pleaser, who unfortunately still has feelings for her ex-bf.

Throughout the planning, she goes through a myriad of emotions and challenges, with the help of her best friend, Chase, and the Player of the Century, best man of the wedding, Levi, who seems to have a different motive altogether.  

If you like rom-coms this is certainly a story you could bite into.  It also has cake.

Follow Michelle on Twitter at @MishlRodriguez

CPS: Where did the idea for the story come from? Perchance you're one too? :-)

MJQ: I didn't start planning weddings until after I wrote CoaWP.  Where did the idea for the story come from?  Gee, I started composing it three years ago, so it's hard to remember.  I can barely recall what I did yesterday!

CPS: One thing I noticed about your books is that your guys are always so hunky! Who's your favorite fictional boyfriend right now and why?

MJQ: They are all hot men!  One day I will write about a man with a bald spot and a pot belly, and make everyone swoon.

My favourite is Levi, because he is a huge surprise.  First he comes off as an arrogant player, then you get to know him.  You find out that he reads poetry and loves art, is rather intelligent, and he offers to give piggy-back rides.  He is aloof and honest, and he cooks!

Wattpad page of CoaWP

CPS: And who's your favorite heroine of the moment? Why?

MJQ: Asking me that is like asking which one of my kids do I favor most.  I like each and every one of them for various reasons.  They all go through challenges, pain, sorrows and heartaches with their heads up high.  In a way, they are all the same, but different.  It would be irresponsible of me to choose one of them.  But at the moment, I'd say Chase, because of her sass.  Just don't tell the others.

CPS: Tell us a little bit about your writing process. How long does it usually take you? How do you manage multiple stories at once?

MJQ: Writing process?!  I've heard of that...

I'm a mother of two, I have a business and I have all sorts of hobbies.  I write on a whim.  A few of my stories have been plotted somewhat, but most of my ideas begin as daydreams.  The shortest time it had taken me to write a proper novel was ten days, two weeks if you count the daydreaming/plotting.  Ultimately, if I ask myself tons of "what ifs" and I can answer them, I start writing.  It's not the best way, but right now, it works for me.  Hopefully, one day I will be disciplined enough to plot properly.

CPS: As a writer, what kind of pitfalls have you encountered? How did you get over them?

MJQ: My emotions get the best of me, and when you're a romance writer, it's hard not to be emotionally-invested in your stories.  After I wrote "Winter Eternal" (shameless plug), I suffered depression.  I walked around like a zombie, and my family didn't understand why.  That was when I started posting CoaWP on Wattpad, because it's a fun story.  I needed that balance.

English is not my first language, therefore, I find myself editing, and struggling, as I write.  I don't shy away from critiques either.  There is no such thing as a perfect writer, so one must always be learning.  I also suffer quite horribly of Writer's Block when beginning a new story.  I suppose if I plotted properly, I won't have to go through that all the time.

Michelle's Wattpad page

CPS: What kind of things inspire you to write?

MJQ: People, places, things.  I'm a visual person, so I'm often found pinning on Pinterest for my storyboards.  I used photos to inspire CoaWP, love quotes and poetries for the sequel (the MC loves poetry), and now words and facts for the third book (my MC is sort of a know-it-all).

I have a couple of stories inspired by fairy tales.  They're my modern recounting of those long-loved tales, for example, Little Red Riding Hood is now a tattoo artist with fiery red hair, and the Wolf is a cunning business man who is after more than just her attention.

Winter Eternal was inspired by a house with a red roof, located along the edges of a national park, and for the mystery I'm trying out, my inspiration is a one-hundred year old Victorian home.

I find writers must always have their eyes and ears open, even a scent can trigger a story line, as well as touch and taste.  Oh, and watching movies on Netflix is also a good way to be inspired, I believe.

CPS: What are you reading right now? How are you liking them?

MJQ: I read the same way I write.  I have multiple books on the go, traditionally and self-published, and on Wattpad.  I read all genres, except horror.  I'm too much of a wuss for those.  My introduction to English literature was "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes", so I love mystery, but I'm a hopeless romantic, therefore, I always read romance.  A mixture of the two is a definite favorite.

CPS: Most of your work is romance, do you see yourself doing any other genre in the future?

MJQ: Yes.  As I've mentioned, a mystery/psychological thriller is in the works.  It's a lot more difficult to write because of the technical details-- police procedurals, evidence gathering etc.  A whole bunch of research has to go into it.  It's a good way for me to practice that lack of plotting discipline.  The title for it is "The Girl in the Snow".

CPS: How do you reward yourself after you've finished a story?

MJQ: I read.  LOL.  If I finish a chapter, I buy myself a new book, or I continue reading whatever is on my pile. Then I eat chocolates and drink wine (Not all at the same time).  Then, I sleep or go on Twitter.

CPS: Can you tell us a bit about your ongoing / future projects? 

MJQ: Oh gee, how much time have you got?  

I am working on book 3 of my Bliss Series: “Chasing the Runaway Bride”. During Camp NaNoWriMo in April, I will be working on my first NA, entitled “Sugar”.  Also, I have to finish my other stand-alones, "Harley" (Rockstar and female bodyguard) and "The Love Story of Hunter and Blanche" (inspired by Snow White and the Huntsman).

Some time this year, I'm hoping to get Confessions of a Wedding Planner published.  Toes and fingers crossed.

+ + +

Thanks again for the interview Michelle :-) We can’t wait to see Nica and Levi in print!

+ + +

On another note, people are gearing up for the #SparkNA class with Mina V. Esguerra. Action starts in April. Wheeee!

+ + +

Oh, and I've decided to join the wonderful world of Twitter. Hahaha! Follow me @arkiCpsanti

+ + +

Super duper thanks to Claire of Coffee Book Mom for her awesome review of Be Careful What You Wish For! It was a lovely surprise to learn she was one of the book's original beta readers back in 2009-2010. Hugs, Claire!