Launched

Yesterday, I was part of a book launch of new #SparkBooks titles together with awesome authors, Chrissie Peria, Kate Evangelista, and Dawn Lanuza. The other awesome authors, Bianca Mori and Camilla Sisco, weren't able to make it, and I wish they did, because it was an awesome experience.

We were requested to read excerpts from our books after our gracious host, Mina Esguerra, introduced us. I really wasn't comfortable with my public speaking skills, so I tried to keep my excerpt short. I read that part when Val met Jake for the first time.

His name was Jacob Isaac Clementia.

She knew this because she had read the name off the paper as quickly and unobtrusively as she could before tucking those three words in the folds of her memory.

(cut)

It happened three years ago but she could still remember every detail including what he wore—a red polo shirt that highlighted his fair skin, dark blue jeans that hung low on the waist, and immaculate red and mocha sneakers.

(cut)

Val looked up at his thin, boyish face—a contrast to his towering height. His hair was in that growing-out stage, a week shy of a trim, with bangs creeping down the forehead and the top shooting out in small spikes. (cut)

“I’m Val,” she squeaked. The baboon was still making its happy dance on her vocal cords.

“Jake,” he said in that deep and gentle voice.

(cut) he turned to her. “Well, I guess I’ll see you around, Val.”

That was the first time that Val realized that eyes could smile. Sure, she had heard and read about the phenomenon often enough to know that it existed. But when Jake said his goodbye, it was the exact description that leapt to her mind.

His eyes had creased at the corners, making tiny lines that reminded her of ripples that gently lapped at your feet. For if there were a word that would always remind her of him, it would be gentleness.

Then there was the Q&A portion, then we raffled off our prizes. It just blew me away that boys read romance, too. Don't you just love the democratizing power of books?

The highlight of the event, at least for me, was meeting new people, and seeing familiar faces among the audience. I was able to finally see bloggers and twitter-friends in the flesh, and we were just all excited to make small and talk and get to know each other.

(my bungisngis self flanked by Kate and Chrissie)

Thanks to everyone who came and made this possible. If you're a reader, I hope you continue reading local books. And if you're a writer, I hope to attend your own book launch someday soon.

Photos by Grace Gatdula. Check out her article on the launch!

Breakup Book

Every breakup has its playlist. 

How do you get over a seven-year relationship? 21-year-old Jill is trying to find out. But moving on is a harder job when Kim, her ex-boyfriend, is the lead guitarist of the band, and Jill is the vocalist. Every song they play together feels like slicing open a barely healed tattoo. 

Jill’s best friend Miki says she will be out of this gloom soon. Breakups have a probation period, he says. Jill is on the last month of hers and Miki is patiently keeping her company. 

But the real silver lining is Shinta. Having a hot Japanese actor friend in times like these is a welcome distraction. This gorgeous celebrity has been defying time zones and distance through the years to be there for Jill. Now he is here, physically present, and together he and Jill go through old lyrics, vivid memories, walks in the rain, and bottles of beer. Together they try to answer the question: what do you do when forever ends?

I love the angst, honesty and rawness of this book. I felt like I was watching a film--the characters' actions, dialogues, even the transitions in between scenes, played out clearly in my head. I can tell that the author put a lot of effort into it, even penning the lyrics of the songs mentioned in the chapters, but I read it effortlessly--which is a benchmark of a good book.

It made me reminisce about my 20s, when I was indie-band follower, and experiencing that elusive high because of a guitar riff, or how the bassline perfectly complemented the melody. And yes, it had me swooning over the non-band member, which, come to think of it, is a trope present in two of my fave books--Attachments and Lola and the Boy Next Door.

I look forward to Tria's future books, and the next installment of her Playlist series, wherein I'll be rooting for the friendzoned character. Go figure.

Booked and Bushed!

A confession: I haven't attended the Manila International Book Fair since it was pulled out from Megamall. And from the way I panic-bought yesterday, it was probably just as well.

 Before going there, I reminded myself over and over that I was there to sign books; NOT to go crazy buying them. But how could I not? Especially now, that I'm shopping for two. And believe me, there was a lot more that I wanted to buy. But maybe, I should let my wallet recover first.

It was heaven seeing all sorts of books and book-lovers gather in one place. And what made this event more special was that I finally saw two of my novellas in print.

Still, that wasn't the best part. The most winning moment of all was seeing #romanceclass-mates, fellow readers and writers, social media-buddies, and the woman who got me started on this path, come in full force, buying our books and having them signed. If it weren't for these people, and lots of other people silently supporting us local indie writers, I don't think publishing companies would sit up, take notice, and take a chance on our lovingly crafted stories.

THANK YOU, everyone.

World Cup Hook Up

Buy on Amazon for $0.99.

Synopsis: Stacy missed the excitement of the World Cup, but when a certain incognito guest checks into her dad's inn, not even her craziest soccer dreams could have prepared her for this golden goal.

Consisting of only a few chapters, World Cup Hook Up still manages to punch a pack of feels in the ordinary girl-meets-hot celebrity romance department. I think the real strength of this short story lies in the writing--how Atienza describes settings and the tiny details of relationships: between friends, family members, and of course, potential lovers.

And Greece, oh, Greece! One of the stories I'll be sure to tell my grandkids is that I've been to Greece once upon my singlehood--to the ruins in Athens, and the tiered blue and white domes and squares of Santorini overlooking the caldera. Reading this book made me sigh and remember my trip, and I loved how the author captured my experience and memories of the place with her vivid descriptions.

Another thing why this book has a special place in my writer's heart is its unconventional ending. I've always loved movies with this kind of ending (One Million Yen Girl comes to mind), and I've never been brave enough to write it myself. So for this, I give the author a standing ovation.

Rules We Like Breaking

Victoria Bennett is in control and in charge all day every day, but she needs help sometimes.
Organizing a romantic proposal weekend for her client in Mexico (she’s never been) would be that time – and the only person available to help her is Nathan Grant, notorious heartbreaker. She knows his past and shouldn’t want him, shouldn’t fall for guys like him, but that hasn’t prevented her from lusting after him for years. It’s just one weekend on the beach, away from people they know, alone with the guy who could cause her perfectly coordinated world to crumble. Shouldn’t be a problem, right?

Reading this book by Mina V. Esguerra is a breeze. It's so short, sexy (and sweet), and nicely paced, that you'll be done reading it before you know it. And that's a good thing 'cause it meant that there was something in it that kept you flipping the pages effortlessly.

I liked the tension between the characters. I thought Nathan was a real gentleman despite his obvious sexual appeal, which Victoria tried so hard to deflect. I like the romantic build up, and as usual, Mina has a way of crafting dialogues that feel and read natural. She doesn't have to say so many words, and go into so much detail to paint a conversation. She leaves some to the viewers to figure out--and this shows just how smart and skilled she is as a writer.

I actually read this right after one of her earliest novellas, Fairy Tale Fail, and I could see how her writing voice has matured, adopting the right tone for the New Adult genre. It was as if Esguerra grew up with characters themselves.

I liked the cover of this one the best (among her Spotlight series) because it's bright and colorful, shot outdoors, and didn't show the usual guy and girl being touchy-feely. And as the cover suggests, this would be a good beach read: light and kilig while you're lounging by the seaside, hearing the waves washing over the shore.

Senior Moments

Kuwento ni Celestino Cabal.

Kabebertdey niya lang. 

Mayroon siyang natanggap na regalo na ngayo'y unti-unti niyang binubuksan.

Ika nga ng mga matatanda, "Huli man daw at magaling, maihahabol din." 

Reading this graphic novel by Russell Molina and Ian Sta. Maria was a stroll down memory lane. I grew up on my kuyas' Filbar's comic book treasures--my favorites included The 'Nam, Power Man and Iron Fist, The Infinity Gauntlet series, Groo, and of course, Tintin.

But the last time I picked up a comic book was back in high school when I started collecting Asterix and Obelix. Now, reading Sixty Six makes me want to get into the joy of reading this genre again.

The illustrations were very spot-on and cinematic, hitting me at gut-level, while the dialogues were crisp and very Filipino. I laughed out loud so many times, though comedy was just a side dish of this visual feast. It had everything--love, action, comedy, drama, and even, kababalaghan.

My favorite part about Sixty Six is that it chose to have a senior citizen as a main character. There's so much focus in our culture (and commercial literature) on the young, and I thought Mang Tino was a refreshing hero. He reminded me of my dad, of my future self--when it's my turn to hand over that senior citizen ID to get my discount in supermarkets and restos.

It's cool to be old. It's cool to have lived your life the best way you can, and contend with creaking joints and gray hair. And best of all, it's cool to be old and have superpowers.

Now, excuse me while I lend this gem of a book to my 16-year-old nephew, who aspires to make a graphic novel of his own.

The Fabulous Baker Girl

One Crazy Summer by Ines Bautista Yao

Ingredients:
1 college junior, fired from summer internship
1 secret crush, the cute and flirty type
1 crush's best bud, with a secret of his own

1. In large bowl, mix together college junior and secret crush.
2. Gradually add in crush's best bud.
3. Stir until best bud's secret is revealed.
4. Let mixture rest in a sleepy provincial town.
5. Bake under the blazing summer sun until golden brown (be careful; batter might burn).

Tania's summer is more than she can handle! Her cooking career comes to a screeching halt before it can even take off. Then, best friends Rob and Mateo enter the picture. Can she figure out her feelings for them AND get the internship credits she needs to make it to senior year?

This book was such a fun, light read. Honestly, I didn't expect to like it as much as I did, but surprise, surprise, I started really getting into it when the main character (MC) left the city and started discovering more about herself.

I liked the MC's voice--it was authentic and honest. Sometimes YA books tend to sound older than their supposed age, but in this case, the author nailed the tone. As the story progressed, I found myself liking the MC more, and gradually, her tone changes. She becomes more observant, more mindful of other people.

There were also a number of times I laughed out loud, especially when MC described the snail's pace of her summer internship in the province. And the most delightful twist of all--how she ended up with the unexpected love interest.

Buy it on Amazon or in bookstores.