Ficsation

Thursday, September 10, 2015

PinoyWriMos: JustWritePH For the Feels Excerpts (2/2)

“Ang mga ahas nasa gubat bakit nandito ka? Fieldtrip niyo siguro?” Panimula ko habang tinitignan ko siya mula paa hanggang ulo. Nagulat siya sa sinabi ko at dali-daling nagpunta si Paul upang maging kasangga niya. Nice!

“Hmp! Condolence nga pala para sa EX-Boyfriend mong patay na patay sa akin.” Sabay smirk niya with matching palupot pa ng kamay niya kay Paul!

“Malandi!” Sigaw ko at napatingin siya sa akin, akala niya siguro nagalit ako. Pero…

“Oh, sumigaw lang ako ng malandi, napatingin ka na sa akin? Bakit, malandi ka ba?” Ha! Ano ka ngayon? Nga-nga!

“Oh, baka mag-away na kayo. Tapusin niyo na ang debate.” Sabi ni Sir Values. Okay for the final wave (Plants vs. Zombies lang!?)

“Ito na lamang po ang message ko. Love is dangerous, kaya always take care.” Sabi ko habang palapit kay Zinnia upang kamayan siya. Spell plastic? E-R-I-C-K-A.

“Thanks for being a nice opponent.” Sabi ko habang nagsi-shake hands kami. Niyakap ko siya at bumulong.

“Kung saan ka man nakakuha ng Bachelor’s Degree sa kalandian at pagiging mang-aagaw, i-enroll mo naman ako.”

Enjoy another another excerpt, this time from Kristine Cuevas' A Bump in Athena’s Life:

I’m fidgeting at the hem of my shirt as we get closer and closer to my apartment. I don’t like being judged. If I spot one hint of pity or any kind of judgment on Callum’s voice, I’ll quit that assisting job.

He stops the engine. There are no words. It is quiet that I feel claustrophobic all of a sudden.

“We’re here,” he says afterwards. I hear a click. Through my peripheral vision, I see him unbuckle his seat belt and he turns to face me. “So this is where you live.” It’s a statement and not a question. I’m about to snap at him when: “Can I stay for a while?”

My head cricks so loud I almost break my neck when I turn to look at him. “You want to stay for a while?” I ask incredulously. “Can’t you see? That building is not as posh as the place you probably live in. There might be insects lurking on every corner of the room. I’m sure you don’t want any insects—”

“I don’t mind,” he cuts me off.

I’m in a daze then.

“So?”

And all I can do is nod at him.

The walk to my unit is slower than I use to. I’m thinking of something to say. Something that will make him go away maybe? It’s not like I don’t want him to be there but what if Jeremy’s already there? Sometimes Jeremy is so feel at home that he likes taking off everything he is wearing. Except for his boxers. Gross, I know. But he is my best friend and we’ve known each other since elementary days. There’s not any part of him I haven’t seen yet. Yes, I’ve seen everything of him because he is too liberal he likes to flaunt all of him. Gross again, I know.

I stop and spin around to face him. “You’re tired. You should take a rest,” I say.

He shakes his head. “I know when I’m tired. Are you trying to shoo me away?”

“Yes, I am,” I admit. There’s no way to deny the truth anyway.

He narrows his eyes at me. “Is there something you’re hiding in your apartment?”

I roll my eyes. “I hid a dead body under my old, dusty couch. I also used his blood as an air freshener. I bet you’re scared now.”

“I don’t mind any of those.” He shoves me slightly to the side and walks past me.

“But you’re Callum Young!” I yelp in alarm.

The sudden turn and surprised look on his face makes me regret what I said.

“I know I’m Callum Young but, can’t I just be a normal Callum Young tonight? When I get home, my mom will ask about the practice. How did it go, blah, blah, blah. Then my dad will ask when I will go back to school to take law. In short, when I’m home, I can’t be the normal Callum Young I want myself to be. I love acting, yes, and I’m thankful I got a big name at such a young age. But to have a normal life even just for a night will be something for me,” he exclaims.

There are four stories in this bundle, which you can purchase here. Or you can join the Rafflecopter promo below to win a FREE copy!

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PinoyWriMos: JustWritePH For the Feels Excerpts (1/2)

Hindi ako paladasal. Hindi rin ako palasimba. Hindi rin ako mabait. Sa katunayan nga, binyag, Pasko, at tuwing may okasyon lang ako nakakapasok ng simbahan. Wala eh, hindi naman kasi ako relihiyoso tulad ng iba. Normal lang akong tao.

Eiffel ang tawag nila sa akin kahit pa Irish Faith Lim ang tunay kong pangalan. Relihiyoso ang nanay at tatay ko. Sa katunayan, pareho silang officers sa aming parokya. Samantalang akong nag-iisang anak nila, hindi ganoon karelihiyosa. Sa palagay ko, tama nang magsimba ako isang beses sa isang linggo. Minsan, pilit na pilit pa ako noon. Eh kasi, hindi naman ako katulad nila Nanay at Tatay. Hindi ako mabait.

Lagi akong nagtatago kapag niyayaya nila akong magsimba. Lagi akong nakipaghahabulan kina nanay bago ako sumama sa kanila. Kulang na nga lang ay itali nila ako para maisama nila ako sa simbahan. Sobrang pilit talaga ang pagsisimba ko.

Noong nag-college ako, mas madalang na akong sumama kina Nanay sa simbahan. Minsan, hindi na rin ako nakapagsisimba. Syempre, nagagalit si Nanay. Hindi raw ako marunong mag-manage ng oras ko. Eh bakit naman raw sila, maraming ginagawa, pero nakakapunta pa rin ng simbahan.

Naging matabang ang pakikitungo sa akin ni Nanay. Si Tatay naman, ayos lang. Pero, inaalala ko si Nanay. Ayokong magtampo siya sa akin habambuhay. Kaya naman, pagkatapos kong makauwi galing sa university para sa NSTP, dumiretso ako ng simbahan. Napilitan lang ako dahil ayoko talagang pumupunta nang madalas doon dahil may pumupunta naman nang taga-simbahan sa amin.

Aba, ilang araw na nga ba akong hindi nakapunta rito? Mukhang maraming nagbago. Ibang-iba na nga ang lahat. Pati mukha ng tao, ibang-iba na rin. Halos kaunti na lang ang kakilala ko.

“Miss, excuse me. Kilala mo ba si Father Alex?” Isang binata ang nagtanong sa akin. Nakasuot siya ng puting t-shirt at jeans. Maayos ang kanyang buhok. Maputi siya at pansin kong medyo mapula ang labi niya para sa isang lalaki.

“Hanapin mo,” matabang kong sagot sa kanya. Bukod sa hindi ko siya kilala, hindi rin ako pinalaking nakikipag-usap sa mga lalaki. Medyo boyish kasi ako. Basta, hindi ko ginustong makipag-usap sa kanila.

Here's another excerpt, this time from Maria Criselda R. Santos' Never the Princess:

It was another supposedly another sleepy afternoon in Physics class at San Mateo School for Science and the Arts (SMSAS) had Mr. Royce Cornejo not interrupted Ms. Tejera’s monotonous explanation of speed and acceleration. The English teacher and IV-Mahogany’s adviser cleared his throat and apologized for knocking, while Ms. Tejera abruptly stopped speaking and stepped aside to give room for him.

A slip of paper in hand, the tall and lanky adviser addressed his students and dropped the bomb half of the class had been waiting for:

The JS prom is three weeks away.

Exaggerated groans came mostly from the boys while sighs and protests came from the girls.

“Let’s have a Taylor Swift theme!” cried one girl, the class treasurer.

“Yuck!” cried another.

“Are we really going to wear tux, Sir?” asked another boy. The anxiety is his voice was too obvious not to be noticed.

Mr. Cornejo looked at Ms. Tejera helplessly, but the latter just shrugged at him.

The class has never been this excited. Sure, they jumped for joy when classes were suspended. They also got a little hyper when the seniors won in the cheerleading competition, besting out even the participants from the college department. But for IV-Mahogany, no subject or extracurricular activity is as worth waiting for as the JS prom.

“I can now wear the heels my Mom bought for me!” squealed Trish, who is seated beside a grim-looking bespectacled girl with curly hair. For Meryll, the prom is nothing to be excited about.

“I’d rather stay home and read.”

Trish looked aghast. “Don’t be such a spoilsport, Meryll. Come on, it’ll be fun!”

Meryll just sighed and concentrated on the Physics book on her desk. In her peripheral vision, she could see Justin de Mesa, basketball maverick and campus cutie, giving his seatmate a high five.

Like what you've read so far? You can purchase JustWritePH's For the Feels bundle here or you can join the Rafflecopter promo below to win a FREE copy!

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PinoyWriMos: JustWritePH For the Feels Blog Tour + Giveaway

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, and now these stories are available in bundles on online e-book shop Buqo.

Title: For the Feels
Authors: Lee Miyaki (Kim Derla), Maria Criselda Santos, iamloid, and Kristine Cuevas

About the Bundle:
The feels come in all shapes and sizes, with a million different unique stories for every kind. Experience bitter feels, forbidden feels, pretend feels and young feels in this four-story bundle that’s sure to tug at your heartstrings. Features "13th Prayer" by Lee Miyaki, "Never the Princess" by Maria Criselda Santos, "My Ampalaya Story" by iamloid, and "A Bump in Athena's Life" by Kristine Cuevas.

You can purchase JustWritePH's For the Feels bundle here.

13th Prayer by Lee Miyaki (Kim Derla)

Paano nga ba magmahal nang bawal? Hindi kasi alam ni Eiffel kung paano. Sadyang malakas lang talaga mang-trip ang pagkakataon nang ipinakilala sa kanya ang seminaristang si Jem. Isa, dalawa, tatlo... Simula nang magsulat si Eiffel ng labintatlong dasal, tila nagbago na ang kanyang mundo.

Connect with and follow this author via these channels:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lee.miyaki
Twitter: https://twitter.com/imtheweirdapple
Blog: https://itsleemiyaki.wordpress.com/
Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/Lee__Miyaki
Instagram: http://instagram.com/theweirdapple

Never the Princess by Maria Criselda Santos

When their adviser announced that the JS prom is fast approaching, the class of IV-Mahogany was in high spirits, except for Meryll Yuson, a 16-year-old bespectacled bookworm, who wishes to dance with the school's badminton star at the prom. Too bad it seems he already has someone in mind -- Little Miss Perfect, who has been gifted with beauty and smarts. Fortunately for Meryll, she has her own mom to play fairy godmother to her, and her friend Trish who gives her all-out support. Will Meryll get the dance she so wants, or will she end up as a wallflower? Will she even attend prom after the news that she learns?

Connect with and follow this author via these channels:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maria-Criselda-R-Santos/1646500162272617
Twitter: https://twitter.com/crissemari
Blog: https://xoxocriseldalovestowrite.wordpress.com/
Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/crissemari

My Ampalaya Story by iamloid

Paalala ang kuwentong ito ay ‘di angkop sa mga mambabasang naniniwala sa forever at sa happy ending. Halina’t pasukin ang mundo ng ka-bitter-an kung saan walang ka-sweet-an na masusumpungan. Ito ang My Ampalaya Story. One of the most ‘ampalaya’ work published in an online writing and reading site.

Connect with and follow this author via these channels:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LoidOnWattpad
Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamLoid
Blog: http://christianloid.webstarts.com
Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/iamloid
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/iamloid

A Bump in Athena's Life by Kristine Cuevas

A rejection leads Athena to find a diversion on her plans for the summer. After finding out an assisting job at Star so Bright, particularly to be Callum Young’s assistant, she then becomes a pretend girlfriend, offered for whatever reason. And after all the hassle and bump she gets with Callum, there’s still that question that hangs in Athena’s head… How can an assisting job turns to a pretend girlfriend be of help in getting to Juilliard? It’s going to be a bumpy summer for Athena as she discovers that sometimes what you want is not what you always get but still have the best in the end.

Connect with and follow this author via these channels:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealKristineC
Twitter: http://www.twitter/kristinecuevas_
Blog: http://thetipofherpen.blogspot.com/
Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/_fearlessdreamer
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/ kristinecuevas_

Want to win a free copy of these four kilig stories? Join the Rafflecopter promo below:

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Saturday, January 24, 2015

Cities Blog Tour + Giveaway

As an SFF reader and writer, I was really excited about the premise of Cities. It reminded me a bit of Margaret Atwood's Happy Endings and Kasie West's Pivot Point series. The novella is brimming with possibilities, and I'd love to see more books like this in the market.

About the Book:
Celia has dreams.

She dreams of going to Seoul for a scholarship she never took, of leaving everything behind and moving to New York.

In all those dreams, she finds herself attached to Benedict, the boy she has always loved, but who doesn’t love her back.

Ben believes in parallel worlds.

Worlds where things you didn’t do come true—worlds in which he goes to London and falls in love with Celia, where he shows up on the day she needs him the most. He believes that dreams are glimpses into that parallel world, and it’s not a coincidence that Celia’s been having them too.

But here, now, they’re in Manila. It’s the day of Ben’s wedding, and a typhoon is raging through the city. How will these dreams and unmade decisions change their lives? Will they bring them closer together or drive them farther apart?

Cities is Carla de Guzman’s first original novella. The story is based on the theory of multiple universes, the idea that somewhere out there are worlds where the choices you make are different from the ones made here. Carla writes about the cities that have inspired her and changed the way she sees the world, in the hope that her readers will want to travel there too.

You can purchase the book through any of the following links:
• Amazon
• Createspace
• Smashwords

Excited yet? Get to know a little bit more about the author and the process that went into writing her novella.

Q: How long have you been writing? Can you share a little about how you got your start as a writer?
A: I've been writing since I was a kid, scribbling on scratch papers until my mom got me a scented diary. I started out writing about my own experiences (pouring milk over my
sister's head, having a pet die) and putting them in the context of my favourite cartoon and
anime characters. Then when we got dial-up, I discovered fanfiction. Oh what a world it
turned out to be. I like to say I really got into writing because of fanfiction (I'm still on Fanfiction.net and Archive of Our Own!). Reading all those adventures these characters
potentially had made me think of my own. Things kind of spiralled from there. :))

Q: What first sparked the idea for Cities?
A: To be honest, it was an article that I saw from Thought Catalog. It was an essay about someone who wasn't in love with someone else, but desperately wished that they were. The only comfort they could offer themselves was that somewhere else, s/he did love them
back. It was such a heartbreaking thought, and something I'm sure many people have experienced. Then all of the “what ifs” in my head started, and Cities was born.

Q: We see two notable fandoms in Cities, Star Wars and Dr. Who. Are these fandoms you
share with your characters?
A: Yes, definitely! More Doctor Who than Star Wars, really. I grew up watching the Star Wars Saga several times, and I remember it was Queen Amidala that struck me as a strong, steady character to admire, which carried over to Princess Leia in the older movies.

As for Doctor Who, my love is relatively new, and I've only seen the new series (that's 9th
Doctor onwards). But I was just so amazed by the stories! I could wax poetic on my favorite episodes, and how much I love Series 3 and 4. I consider 10 my Doctor and Donna Noble
and Martha Jones my favourite companions. I love the complexities of the characters and
how they react when faced with a new adventure. The show breaks my heart and makes
makes me happy, really. I couldn't write a book without mentioning it.

Q: Are Star Wars and Dr. Who where you got the idea for alternate timelines and
multiverses?
A: Doctor Who definitely helped me get a couple of the details right—the concept of dreams as glimpses definitely has shades of inspiration from Doctor Who. But the book isn't very into the fine details of the multiverses, it's just accepted.

Q: Do you have a personal favorite among the multiverses in this book?
A: Oooh. I would have to say that London is my favorite (which is mainly why we used it for the cover). I enjoyed writing about Ben still kind of stumbling his way through becoming a Londoner, and doing the same with his relationships with Vivian, Celia and Henry. Their story has several parallelisms with my own adventure there, so it's very close to my heart.

About the Author:

Carla de Guzman had horrible handwriting as a kid. That didn't stop her from writing, though. Riddled with sleep apnea and a vivid imagination, she started writing every midnight. She grew up with her toes in the sand and her bags packed and ready to go on adventures. These books are chronicles of her journeys, with a silly love story mixed in.

Contact Info:
• Blog: http://somemidnight.wordpress.com/
• Tumblr: http://www.somemidnights.tumblr.com/
• Archive of Our Own: http://archiveofourown.org/users/ckwhales/pseuds/ckwhales
• Instagram: @ckwhales

Want your own copy? Win an ebook of Cities (open to international entries) by joining the giveaway below:

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Sunday, October 26, 2014

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Japan

I don't usually blog about my travels in detail but I received a bunch of questions about my recent trip to Universal Studios Japan's The Wizarding World of Harry Potter that I decided to just write about it here.

Some quick details: My friends and I stayed at a small hotel along both Osaka's Chuo and Sennichimae lines, which was just a quick ride to Universal City. We headed to the JR Osaka Loop Line's Nishi-Kujo stop, and then crossed to the JR Yumesaki platform heading to Sakurajima. Universal City is two stops away from Nishi-Kujo and the entrance to USJ is a few hundred meters outside the station.

Prior to going there, we had already discussed being at USJ by 8:00 AM. Unfortunately, we were still at Nishi-Kujo station by that time, so we knew we were running a little later than schedule. It turned out that the few minutes weren't a problem. We decided to purchase our tickets at Hotel Kintetsu Universal City, which is the nearest hotel to USJ and was on the way from the station. The ticket counter opened at exactly 8:30, but since we were third in line, we got our tickets right away.

We already had our tickets by the time we passed this arch.
I don't know how early the main ticket booth opened, but by the time we got to there, there were already lines at the counter (but all moving quickly). But no, those were not the long queues you should be wary of. Everyone else was now queued up by the gates, waiting for them to open. There's a special line for guests who can enter earlier; just be sure to find the correct lines. We were there on a Thursday and though the website said that the park opened at 10:00 on that day, we were let in by around 9:15 (9:00 for the special pass holders).

Once the gates opened, there was a mad dash to the Harry Potter area, located near the lakeside (turn right after Main Street or just follow the crowd). From reading a few early blog entries AND USJ's official site, we all knew that there were timed tickets to the Wizarding World attraction. So when everyone started running, we ran for it as well. My friends and I got separated at this point and I belatedly realized that we had not discussed where to meet once this happened. I just kept running to the area and looking for a kiosk or ticket machine with a long line.

There was none I could see.

At this point, I had stopped to catch my breath and was now just walking along Forbidden Forest. I was still in a hurry wondering: (1) where my friends were, and (2) where the ticket machine was.

Past the Whomping Willow, still no queue.

Already inside Hogsmeade, still no queue. (Also, you don't think I took these photos while I was running, right?)
More alarmingly, still no sign of my friends. People were running deeper into Hogsmeade and towards Hogwarts Castle, so I decided to ask one of the attendants around.

Me: (in English) Is there a ticket for this area? (Because hey, everyone said there was!)
Attendant: (looking surprised by the question) No, no ticket. (Maybe she was thinking, What the hell are you doing here if you don't have a ticket?)
Me: (thinking, hmmm maybe she didn't understand me. Time to bring out my laughable Japanese) Uh... koko... kippu... arimasu ka?
Attendant: (in English) This area, no tickets.

Twilight Zone. Okay, no tickets. I'm not going to question the fates. I was already in, right? (But why were people still running?)

Just follow the signs!
I thanked her and jogged to the castle anyway, since I saw people heading there. That's when I foundnd the longest queue I've seen so far. And finally, my friends were there! We lined up and soon realized that the queue was for the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride and a trip through Hogwarts Castle. I didn't want to go on the ride, so I went through the separate entrance for those who just want to go on the Castle Walk. You get to walk through the same thing that the ride-goers go through before the Forbidden Journey starts, but since there are less of us in our lane, we weren't rushed by the attendants.

Once we were through with the Castle Walk, we decided to explore the rest of Hogsmeade. From butterbeer to robes to owl posts to wand selection, there was a surprise waiting at every corner.

We did not expect the long line at Honeydukes so we decided on lunch at Three Broomsticks first. The meal is more expensive than usual, but I thought the serving size was just right and the interiors made it feel like you were really there.

Details are everything!
Finally, when we got to Honeydukes, we made a beeline for the chocolate frogs and peppermint toads...

only to find out that there are small kiosks outside that sell the more popular items like the frogs and the every-flavored beans.

But then again, who would pass up the chance to enter Honeydukes, right?

So the timed entry tickets? Not yet applicable for early park-goers, it seems. I think it depends on how many people are in the attraction before any sort of timed entry applies. If you're there when the main gates open, I suspect that you could still enter the Wizarding World without running from the main gate. But please note that we were there on a Thursday in the fall, which could have been part of the off-peak season. I don't know how applicable these tips are if you're heading there around the holidays. The golden rule is still the earlier, the better, which is also a good way to avoid the crowds. The timed entry tickets seem to take effect later on, maybe when the attraction is at full capacity or maybe an hour or so in the day. In any case, when we left, we already saw that the area had been closed off and attendants would look for the guests' timed entry tickets before allowing them into the Harry Potter world.

If you plan on going to USJ, make this attraction your first stop. The place is beautiful. Not everyone gets the chance to walk through the pages of a beloved story and this experience just made Harry Potter come alive for me. I didn't regret a single minute.

Thursday, October 02, 2014

The Kitchen When It Sizzles Blog Tour + Giveaway

Title: The Kitchen When It Sizzles
Author: Chrissie Peria
Date of Publication: August 16, 2014

About the Book:
Olivia Nadal is an almost perfect girl with an almost perfect life. She has stunning good looks, an exciting job that pays well, men lining up to date her, and a homey little condo she calls her own. The only thing keeping her from perfection is her utter inability to cook.

Enter Nate Olivarez, a hotshot chef who's filling in for Olivia's cooking instructor. Sparks fly when they meet, but a fling with the visiting hottie is the last thing Olivia needs. But as things keep heating up in the kitchen, she can't help but wonder. Can things work out between her and Nate? Or is the sizzle all set to fizzle?

You can purchase the book through any of the following links:
• Amazon
• Smashwords
• The Book Depsitory

Today, we've asked Chrissie herself to talk more about her latest novella. Little did we know that after she released her indie novella All's Fair in Blog and War last year, she would take on a steamier piece!

What prompted you to write a more mature story?
The Kitchen When It Sizzles started as a short story for Mina Esguerra's #steamyreads writing class. It was outside of my comfort zone, but it sounded like a fun challenge to take on, so I signed up. Then the 5,000 word short story exploded and the next thing I knew, I had a full novella. I find it funny that the short story ended up longer than my first book which was intentionally written as a novella. I lay the blame on Nate and his food.

Do you have pegs for your characters?
Yes! Olivia is a compendium of a lot of the AEs I've worked with during the advertising days. Miss Julia is a bit of Julia Child and a lot of Nora Daza (a woman who mesmerized my generation with her cooking show). And Nate---Nate is Adam Levine in chef's whites. Or rather, out of them. I am a fangirl, hear me roar.

How different was your writing process for The Kitchen When It Sizzles compared to writing your first novella?
The main difference between writing The Kitchen When It Sizzles and All's Fair in Blog and War was not having a deadline, other than my self-imposed ones. I allowed myself a little more leeway with editing Kitchen Sizzles. I had time to do more rewrites. And coming from my first novella, I learned to be less attached and more ruthless when it came to revising, trashing whole chapters without batting an eyelash. Whole characters, even. But I'm happy with how it turned out.

What should readers expect from your third book?
I have a couple of projects simmering in the backburner, so I'm not quite sure what will come out next. I'm heavily leaning towards another sweet contemporary romance, but a YA project and a steamy story are struggling to convince me otherwise. They all have romance angles though, so the one thing sure in the third book will be a whole lot of kilig. I hope everyone looks forward to it!

About the Author:
When not obsessing over fictional people doing fictional things, Chrissie obsesses about food: the eating, the cooking, and the procuring of it.

An advertising copywriter in her past life, she now spends most of her time writing, taking photos, cooking, and babysitting a tiny human and a curly-haired dog. She still plays with dolls and she thinks that bacon is the answer. Her first book, All's Fair in Blog and War, is a finalist in the 2014 Filipino Readers' Choice Awards.

Contact Info:
• Blog: http://www.chrissieperia.com
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/peria.chrissie
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/chrissieperia
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/chrissieperia

Now show her some love by joining in this awesome giveaway! You can get a chance to win the following prizes, which I bet are all Nate-approved.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Weekend Prompt | Sept 27-28

After watching Rurouni Kenshin The Legend Ends and all the trip-planning that my friend Liv and I have been doing, I've noticed how many things and tidbits about Kyoto interest me. There's a place in particular that I want to visit but... never mind. We'll see how it works out when I post this week's fic. Happy weekend everyone!

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Weekend Prompt #3 | The Lucky

The Lucky

When the phone rang, we thought we were the lucky ones.

Mother was already insisting that we pack even before the call was over. Carl and I both decided it was futile to bring our usual stuff, the ones that accompanied in sun and shadow, the ones that could still bring traces of the fallout with us. So we dug inside our deepest closets for old clothes and unearthed memories, a life interrupted. I reached for the yellowed albums and the pictures that hung on our walls.

"Leave them," she snapped. "We don't have a second to lose."

We were ready in ten minutes, in slightly new hazmat suits, huddled in the dark living room and mentally counting down the minutes. Mother had already locked each door behind us. We heard the rumbling of a large truck, we ran outside. The house was in a sorry state, with aluminum foil on the windows and broken plumbing, but it had been ours and that was all that mattered to me.

Carl left his guitar on the porch. I ran after my brother, fingers reaching towards the truck that would take us to safety. What we didn't know was that it was already inside, racing through our bloodstream, counting down each precious minute of our borrowed breaths.

---

NOTE: This prompt came from a college friend.

Friday, September 19, 2014

Weekend Prompt | Sept 20-21

Last week was a really busy week for me, which was why I was a few days behind with posting. Hoping to get some work in this weekend. But if you're not as busy as I am, please check out the 35th Manila International Book Fair at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia. I visited it during opening day with my students and came home with eight books (three for me), three magazines, and a treatise on textile conservation.

Also, I was chatting with an old friend when he mentioned #weekendprompt. His, but then I thought, why not mine? I think prompts should come from everywhere. Plus it seemed like a good one, especially in this weather.

Let's hope your weekend's better. Stay safe and dry, everyone!

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Weekend Prompt #2 | Noticed

Noticed

Masayuki keeps the end of his tie in his left pocket; keeping it company is the list of complaints that he has about Kashima. He takes great care not to let her see it--not that he has any difficulty expressing his displeasure at nearly everything she does.

#5. She flirts with every girl in sight.
Thankfully not Sakura or Seo, but maybe it's more to their credit than Kashima's. It grates on him daily, this ability of hers to make a girl swoon or send her into excited fits. If he liked a girl (not that he did, mind you) he thinks that he'll be more straightforward about it. None of these flirtatious gestures or honeyed lines. Those are just too much like the plays he puts on, a pretense for an audience, someone else's words on his lips. He'll be different. He'll just tell her directly: 'I like you. Will you go out with me?' Yep. Sounds right. He does not care for swooning.

#7. She never pays attention.
Someone once told him that Kashima was his favorite headache, but that's giving her too much credit. Masayuki has had it with the reprimands. Some days he admires her carefree ways but on most, he finds that she is too much for him to handle. She doesn't listen anyway. Maybe directness is a virtue, but only in all things not involving Kashima.

#10. Her legs are too long.
Masayuki can blame his own build--too short, always too short--but this is Kashima's list and he'd rather take it out on her. Her legs make catching up with her a logistical nightmare. She'll already be halfway across campus by the time he pauses for breath. Her legs were slim and shapely but dug into the ground with the power of an athlete, kicking up dust with every elegant stride, and he's chasing, always chasing.

#14. She does not mind inconveniencing him.
Like now. Her head on his lap is heavy and she's rolling around as if trying to find the best position. He stiffens when the back of her head brushes too close to him, but then she is rolling again, this time too close to the edge of the seat that he wants to reach out and pull her back. She is thoughtless and inconsiderate in most things, and not even his arm across her shoulders--dragging her to rehearsals, pulling her back from a throng of adoring fans, or keeping her from falling while a King Game is going on--is enough to anchor her to him.

#20. Her legs are too long.
Her skirt is hiked up above her knees, and Masayuki tries not to look. Instead he closes his eyes and imagines himself elsewhere; older, maybe, or more sophisticated, and this time when he tells a girl, 'I like you. Will you go out with me?' she does not say a word. Instead she lifts one creamy leg off the bed, her skirt gliding across her thighs, waiting for him to notice her.

---

NOTE: This was written in response to a Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun prompt.

Friday, September 12, 2014

Weekend Prompt | Sept 13-14

I love anime and one of my latest faves is Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun. Here's an interesting article to help explain my obsession.

Curiously, I'm more drawn to a minor pairing than the mine one, and it turns out I'm not the only one. This couple topped a recent poll as the readers' favorite pairing. I like how deceptively simple their relationship seems on the surface (she's the playboy school prince; he's her club senior and clearly fed up with her antics). But watch a bit more and you see their careful dance around each other, despite their blunt words and harsh actions.

So here's my latest prompt, the official art that accompanied the poll. This will be my last anime-related prompt/fic for this month (though to be fair, the first prompt wasn't anime-related at all, just the resulting fic), I promise:

Yup, my mind went there.

Tuesday, September 09, 2014

Weekend Prompt #1 | In the Company of Fish

In the Company of Fish

A flash of orange, and the fish swim away into the folds of the silken kimono. The merchant eyes his customer as he tucks the kimono out of sight, aware that while the man's interest has been baited, there is still the question of price between them.

"The sleeves of this furisode are exquisitely made," the customer concedes in a manner that the merchant would almost consider gracious, if it weren't for the brisk tone often used by men who are not easily won over.

"I am pleased that you think so," the merchant says instead. "Suzuki-sensei will be most humbled to learn that his fine kimono has been met with such regard. His skill is unparalleled in the area--"

The man abruptly brings out more coins than what the merchant is prepared to ask. "Tell Suzuki-sensei that I look forward to seeing more of his fine merchandise."

The merchant, having expected a long and exhaustive debate over the value of the kimono, suddenly finds himself at a loss for a response. He brings the kimono out once more and wraps it into a tidy package. He bows deeply, belatedly. "Thank you for your business." As the gentleman leaves, the merchant is left to wonder the fate of those fish with a man whose eyes seem so cold.

---
The man doesn't anticipate his intended's reaction, beyond the customary refusals. "You don't like it?" Only he says it more like a statement, each word heavy with its own certainty.

"Of course I like it," she begins tentatively, but he knows that slight crease in her forehead. It warns him that an impassioned speech is on its way and she does not disappoint. "I've never owned anything quite like this before! The fabric is gorgeous and the colors and ... oh! Everything's so rich and vibrant." Her finger traces a reluctant path over the the kimono's details. "But that's just it, I suppose. This is much too rich for me. I suppose I want something I can be more comfortable in, something that suits me."

"I was under the impression that you young ladies enjoyed turning men's heads with such a display of color," he tells her.

The crease in her forehead deepens; he realizes he has blundered onto some mistake. She carefully puts the furisode aside.

"How easy it must be for you to decide my wants," she says almost glibly, but he senses her anger. He is uncomfortable in this skin, the comforter. Instead, he bides his time and waits for the squall to disappear from her eyes.

"If you do not appreciate the kimono, it will be easy to exchange it for another," he replies calmly. He does not understand. Her tone up until now has been perfectly neutral, her questions perfectly valid (why, indeed, the rain asks as it falls in slow random drops outside, as if unsure whether today is the right moment to turn into a summer torrent--why, why, why), but he has a feeling that their world is poised at an equinox not of his own choosing.

"Don't," she says firmly, folding the garment into her arms, gentler than he has ever seen her move. "I am honored by the gift, but perhaps I do not wish to turn young men's heads as you so delicately put it. If I may excuse myself?"

He watches her go. He does not understand why his chest seems to tighten at her admission (no, not true, it is but a fool's notion that there is any emotion processed outside his mind), as if the fish from her furisode have silently navigated the room and floundered, lost, into the chambers of his heart.

---
The rain forgets details. It only remembers grand things: a tree twice touched by lightning, a deep scar made on the bank where the river once swelled. It does not remember the stone on which a little girl once tripped or how that girl's lips (now a woman) is the shade of a persimmon that has bruised itself easily on the hard earth.

Some days, he wishes to be the rain.

---
In the end, she wears the furisode to the harvest festival. When she moves, hundreds of sunset fish jump and hide beneath a shower of cherry blossoms. His strides are long and measured but it is an effort to keep up with her. Does he imagine the mischievous rise of her lips, smoothed back before he can contemplate what it means? Or does he remember the girl she once was, the one he thought would welcome him back and let him settle into her life without any complaints?

"Why do you think that you must be responsible for my happiness?" she asks him suddenly. He blinks, unsure of the question's origins, uncomfortable with its implications. But still, she forges on. "Who told you what I need to be happy?"

"I am sorry." He says the words a year too late, but here they are nonetheless, stumbling after them on an uneven autumn road. He had thought the furisode would be a step towards penance but he is slow in contemplating his faults, especially where she is concerned.

"You are not the same man who left," she tells him. "I am not the maiden you left behind. We do not have many obligations left to each other, you and I."

"Even to make you happy?"

"Autumn does not seem like such a good time to start," she notes. He hears it in her voice, the unspoken admonition, the blame, the regret.

"I will walk with you to the temple," he says. He wants to reach out for her but he is afraid that all he will touch are scales, too quick and slippery to hold.

She nods. "I will see myself home."

---

NOTE: Furisode - a colorful kimono worn by single women especially on festivals and other occasions. The long and flowing sleeves are said to be usually colorful to attract men.

--
This was written in response to this prompt.

Friday, September 05, 2014

Weekend Prompt | Sept 6-7

As a personal challenge, I'm going to start posting little prompts here and hope they help me write something before the weekend is over. I'm thinking tonight it'll be Jim Croce's Lover's Cross. My friend Ilyn tweeted the most beautiful part of the lyrics a few minutes ago and it reminded me how deftly a song can capture a specific experience:

'Cause baby, I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you
My favorite lines go:
And you were tryin' to make me your martyr
And that's the one thing I just couldn't do
'Cause baby, I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you

'Cause tables are meant for turnin'
And people are bound to change
And bridges are meant for burnin'
When the people and memories
They join aren't the same

It's Friday night; let's see where this goes. Join me?

Friday, June 27, 2014

Dressing for the Heat

Because Hot Like This takes place at a commercial shoot with a tropical resort and casino in the backdrop, we got excited over planning the dresses and outfits that the female characters would wear. Think of it as packing for a trip -- but without having to worry about whether a dress will fit us or not!

When planning our collaborations, Chrissie, Miles, and I usually set up a Google spreadsheet that contains all the info we need. Think of it as our working encyclopedia. It usually contains character info: ages, families, backgrounds. Even when they end up not being used, we usually have details like this stored away. For Hot Like This, we even had pegs for the resort, and more importantly, for the characters' clothes.

We felt clothes were important here because 1) they added detail to a characters' actions and thoughts; 2) they played a crucial role to Elaine's transformationl and 3) we had to work out certain mechanics for certain steamy scenes. So it was very important that all three of us had a clear picture of what we were writing about. We picked the clothes based on what was required of the scene and what felt natural to the character.

The Cover Dress
Our primary requirement is that the back should be striking. A backless dress similar to what Ginny wore in All I Want for Christmas wasn't going to work for Elaine's manang personality, but we tried to push the envelope as much as we could. It also needed to be something that fits the beach scene. We're glad we found this: it keeps Elaine covered up but it's not really that conservative. It's sexy and flirty, perfect for her first date with Luis. Miles did a good job of tweaking the dress (like straightening the hemline and adding more fabric to the bodice.) We loved the color -- it's cool to the eyes and it captures the summer vibe we were going for.

The Maxi Dress
Elaine is a fan of maxi dresses, and if she had her way, these are all she'd wear at the beach! Don't get us wrong; we don't have anything against maxi dresses. :) We ended up picking this floral bohemian dress. It has a nice, fun print that Elaine would go for. We may not have described it fully in the story, but we all had this in our heads.

The Cocktail Dress
For the makeover and casino scene, we picked a dress which Miles found on Pinterest (but one we could never identify). We liked it because it hugged her body in just the right way, something that Elaine's other outfits didn't quite do. We thought it was elegant enough for the finale. Or, as Bern would say, "Joseph Gordon-LoveIt!"

Dia's Bikini
We wanted something sexy but still classic for Dia's commercial shoot. Chrissie and I both worked in advertising before and we've had our fair share of selecting swimsuits for various shoots. Real estate? Check. Alcohol? Check. We knew we wanted something that was sexy and high-end but didn't scream gold-digger. So we ended up with Lanvin! Expensive enough, right?

What do you think of their dresses? Were they similar to what you had in mind while reading the story? Let us know what you think!

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Scribbled: Hot Like This

Late last year, when my friends and co-#romanceclass authors Chrissie Peria and Miles Tan and I wrote a holiday short story called All I Want for Christmas, we already knew that we'd be writing a follow-up featuring the other characters. We initially planned a May release for Hot Like This but with scheduling things, we ended up releasing last June 21. Hey, it's still summer in the US and the heat in Manila still hasn't let up! If you've read All I Want, then you're already familiar with our next pair.

Synopsis:
Ma•nang |má•naŋ| noun. origin: Filipino

1. older sister
2. conservative woman
3. Elaine Antonio

Self-proclaimed manang Elaine Antonio is restrained, cautious, and used to taking care of people. Gorgeous Brazilian-Japanese model Luis Inoue is laid-back, impulsive, and totally out of her league. But when they're thrown together at the same island resort one summer weekend, things unexpectedly heat up.

Elaine knows that once the vacation is over, they'll be returning to their two very different worlds. Is this destined to be just a summer fling? Or will she finally learn how to take a risk for love?

Hot Like This is longer than our first collaboration, but we still did it in the same style. We each took a character and wrote from that person's perspective, then we went around tightening the narration and dialogue up after we had the basics down. It's exclusive to Kindle for the next three months, but All I Want for Christmas will be free elsewhere. Expect to see it on other sites (even our own blogs) soon!

We couldn't have done Hot Like This without the help and support of Mina E, Tania A, Gail D, Osing B, and Dia P. (Dia, by the way, won a 5x5 Podcast promo run by Tania and Mina, and we ended up naming one of our characters after her!) We're also very grateful to everyone who has liked, shared, retweeted, reblogged, downloaded, and reviewed our short story.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Jenny Han in Manila

I was very excited when I heard that Jenny Han was coming to Manila. National Bookstore has been bringing in a lot of YA authors recently, but this was the first time that I was determined to show up. Loaded down with books, I trooped over to the book signing at National Bookstore Glorietta last Saturday, June 21.

Jenny Han in Manila
The Summer series marks one of the rare moments when my sister's tastes coincided with mine. She made me get all three books and was disappointed when I wouldn't spring for a hardbound. When I found out that Jenny Han was coming here, she was the first person I texted. I promised that I would head there to get a book signed for her and so last Saturday, I was there bright and early (lined up at 8:30 am for the 2:00 pm signing and got number #128).

There was a good crowd at NBS. Fans showed up in book t-shirts. Some showed their devotion by lining up at 11:00 pm the night before (there were free hot drinks for the first 30 people in the line, courtesy of Jenny, I heard). While the crowd may not have been comparable to some of the other book signings held in recent months, it's always good to be in the company of fellow fans and readers. I ran into some old friends and made new ones, and we filled in the waiting time with conversations about our favorite books and our TBR lists.

Waiting for the book signing to start
The afternoon began with a short Q&A. I wasn't able to get all of Jenny's answers' verbatim, but she talked about:

• her mentors, including David Levithan
• her favorite books, like The Time Traveller's Wife and the Hunger Game series
• the Burn for Burn series and writing with her best friend Siobhan Vivian: "I'm the good girl; she's the bad girl."
• the Summer series being optioned for TV
• diversity in literature: "Lara Jean is Asian because it was natural for the character... I believe in diversity in literature. It must reflect what we see in the world (paraphrased)."

One of the best things I heard from Jenny was when she said that '(her) priority is to write an honest and truthful story.' I missed recording the first part of her interview but here's the part that I did manage to catch(not verbatim, but pretty close):

Q: Do you have any advise for aspiring writers in the audience?

Jenny Han: My advise would be to do exactly what you are doing which is reading a lot and hearing other people's voices but trying to figure out what your voice is. I think my advice would also be to have a lot of adventures and to get your heart broken a couple of times because it's very good material for you. All those emotions, you can pour that into your writing.

What is your writing process? How does it work? Do you sit down and write every single day?

JH: No, not when I'm on the road and not when I'm on deadline. When I'm on deadline, I write a lot, a lot. (And right now, I'm on deadline. I'm going to be late! I'm going to blame you guys.)

You're writing P.S. I Still Love You right now. So will the ending still change or do you know who she'll end up with?

JH: It's still very malleable right now. We'll see. We'll see.

Are there any other series or trilogies or stand-alone books that you're dreaming up?

JH: Always. I have a few more books in my head that I've sold recently but it's still all being formed.

Your books have inspired some fanfiction. Do you ever read fanfiction? How do you feel about it?

JH: It always feel a little weird, yeah, because I think that for the writer, you write the story and then you kind of have to say goodbye to it, in a way and let it be what it's going to be. And then people can, you know, write fanfiction, or kind of imagine their own endings to it but I think that once it's in the world, it's no longer just yours so you just have to divorce yourself from that.

Do you read your own book reviews? How do you feel when you hear what people say about your writing?

JH: I think it's almost like the way that life is, when you kind of remember the mean things that people say about you and the nice things, you're like 'Yeah, yeah, yeah,' you don't really believe it. So I try not to read reviews too much. It can be difficult, especially when you're writing a series, to hear outside opinions because you're just trying to finish and do what you want to do. But the temptation is always there to look and see what people are saying. I often succumb to that.

Jenny talking about her books and her writing process
Soon the floor was open to fan questions:

I would just like to ask, of all the characters you've created, who can you say was closest to your heart and why?

JH: Probably of all the characters I've ever created, I'd probably say, it's a book that you guys may or may not have read -- it's for younger kids -- it's called Clara Lee and the Apple Pie Dream, and it's about a little girl and her grandfather. That book is dedicated to my grandfather who passed away and that's very close to my heart. It's that story and those characters, a little girl and her sister and her grandfather.

Will you ever write a spin-off of Jeremiah for The Summer I Turned Pretty series?

JH: I don't think so, because I felt like Jeremiah, in my mind, is doing fine. He's happy, he's good, and I feel like his story is pretty much closed for me. I have a lot of stories that I want to tell and I want to keep going and doing new things.

But Jeremiah is fine. Don't worry about him. He's living a happy life.

If you were to describe your latest book, To All the Boys I've Loved Before, since there were cookies there, what cookie would you choose to describe your book?

JH: For that book, I might choose to describe that book as a lemon cookie. A little bit sharp, mostly sweet and sunshiny, but I think it's kinda like a warm, sunshiny book.

Your books are all about first love, first heartbreak, first crush, and do you believe that you can get over a first love and if you don't mind, who was your first love?

JH: Oh my gosh! (crowd shrieks in delight) I think that you can get over your first love but I think a part of them will always reside in your heart. But I think it's almost like the dream that you had of them but not the real person. Who they were to you at that moment and who you were at that moment.

My first love was a guy -- I'm not going to say his name because --

(Interviewer recites a list of male characters that Jenny has written: Reeve, Alex, Jeremiah, Conrad? Who's Conrad?)

JH: Yeah, this is like a Conrad-ish guy and once in a while, he will still show up in my dreams to haunt me. And I'm like, 'What are you doing here?' But it will always be the high school version of him, not the person he is now. I think that it's the nostalgia of that.

You mentioned earlier that Ashes to Ashes is coming out this September. Can you tell us a little more about it?

JH: Fire with Fire ends in a sort of fiery place. I'll say that there's another death to come, a beloved character. And I can say that it definitely gets a bit juicier with the romance as well. It gets a little scary and it also gets a little bit steamy.

Before the book signing, Jenny thanked the fans, "It's just so overwhelming. I feel that my heart is just like overflowing with love from you guys, and I'm so grateful and thankful. Thank you so much for the love."

I asked her to dedicate We'll Always Have Summer to my sister CJ

I ended up having four other books signed: my Summer series and a copy of To All the Boys I've Loved Before

With friends, author Mina V. Esguerra and PBBY chair Tarie Sabido

With fellow book blogger Camille

Thank you, Ms Jenny Han!

Thursday, June 19, 2014

One Foot in Front of the Other

I would have loved to say that the reason I haven't been posting regularly is because I've been traveling, but the truth is I've just been preoccupied with a lot of other things. I've been a bad blogger. Still, my year has been dotted with some short trips here and there, proof that I've never really been one to stay put. Finally writing this post has been good for me. It was real. It happened. It feels like a lifetime ago, but it happened.

(Warning: This post is image-heavy)

Singapore (January)
I was on a plane bound for Manila on New Year's Day and I want to think that it set the tone for this year's travel plans. Two days after that, my youngest sister CJ and I headed to Singapore. It was both my graduation present to her (she started college last fall) and a chance for me to visit some dear friends.

No trip is complete without a visit to Clarke Quay. We headed there for a short walk on our first night and then returned a few days after to take the river cruise.

It was my first time at the Botanical Gardens. I would love to bring my mom to this place.

My sister insisted on getting a henna tattoo at Little India. She even brought her own design.

We headed to Chinatown on our last day. I insisted.

Taken at the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. I've been there a few times before but this was the first time I found out its name.

Macau (March)
This was a bittersweet journey for me. At first, I was excited for a very brief shake-up-the-weekend trip with my long-time travel buddy Liv (and new friend Mark).

Casinos everywhere. Of course we had to try one.

We stayed only a few blocks from Senado Square so this was a familiar sight. We passed by the Square whenever we went out or came back to the hotel.

Good morning, sunshine.

Liv took this photo in front of the Macau Tower, showcasing different artists' work celebrating the Year of the Horse. This was one of my favorites.

Ruinas de Sao Paulo, gutted but still standing.
One of my best friends--light of my life, heart-sister--was in the hospital before I left for this trip. Macau was one of the places that we had always talked of visiting but we never really got the chance to start any concrete plans. So I took photos and filed notes away, chronicling my trip for her, thinking of all the things I would tell her when I returned. At about four-thirty AM on the day that I was supposed to return, I woke to missed calls and messages and I knew that she had gone on a different journey without me. I still miss her.

La Union (April)
Every year, I only make one New Year's resolution (I believe in focusing). This year's went to seeing more of the Philippines. When my good friend and neighbor Mac invited me to go to La Union for Visita Iglesia, I jumped at the chance. I was still reeling from many things and I thought this was a good opportunity for me to find a little breathing room. Unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera so my photos ended up being mobile device-grainy.

Little town, it's a quiet village...

At the first church we visited. It had plenty of painted leaves and forests on the walls that it made me feel at peace.

Plenty of these old churches had these steps (or are they buttresses?) built against each side.

I liked the contrast between the dusty-looking brick church and the green that seemed determined to break through. Rally, heart.

Quezon (May)
I checked off something on my bucket list when another old friend (classmate of many years) Camille and I headed to Lucban, Quezon for the Pahiyas Festival. We tease each other about being kaladkarin (literally easy to drag along) and in the past few months we've been hoarding up on cultural experiences. Visiting Lucban was a nice change of pace and I would love to return to Pahiyas (time to befriend a local!) in the coming years.

The Pahiyas is definitely the most colorful festival I've seen.

Like seriously colorful. This is edible decor.

Even our food was colorful.

Pahiyas is a time to be grateful for the bountiful harvest, so it was common to see houses decorated with wheat and vegetables.

I didn't want to leave without taking a photograph of Mt Banahaw. My final opportunity came while we were speeding back to the tour bus on a tricycle. Camille held me while I leaned out to take this shot.
I wonder what sort of adventure the rest of the year has in store for me. Liv and I have another trip planned; Camille and I have been plotting one (it would be the first time we'd fly together) since the beginning of the year. But time is such a curious construct that all these really do feel like they were part of another life, and all the plans that we're making now still seem to be so far away. What I do know is that I wish I can always keep going somewhere, 'one foot in front of the other, through leaves, over bridges.'