Teatro Lakambini has a new face!

Waiting in the Wings has a new cover! How much do you lab it?

Say hello to the new cover of Waiting in the Wings! The cover now features MNor Madamesila and Gio Gahol, photographed by Chi Yu Rodriguez. Design and lettering by Miles Tan.

It’s been six years since the release of Waiting in the Wings, my romance novella set in Manila’s musical theatre world, and while I didn’t have any urgent plans to change its cover, the idea had been simmering in my mind for a while. In February this year, PETA Theater opened its doors to a new Filipino musical entitled Walang Aray (an adaptation of Severino Reyes’ Walang Sugat), and it captured my heart instantly and prompted all of this madness.

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New anthology alert: Pawfect For You!

Friends and lovers, listen up! #RomanceClass is back with another charity anthology, and this year, we are helping cats and dogs in need!

On National Pet Day (April 11), we did a cover reveal+ pre-order link drop for Pawfect For You: Tropetastic Kindness Bundle 3. It’s a collection of six all-new nakakakilig stories where the main characters are pet owners/pet lovers falling in love. Check out the wonderful cover below, illustrated by Liza S. dela Cruz.

We met Liza last year when she worked with #romanceclass authors Carla de Guzman and Celestine Trinidad for their KILIG anthology entries, and it was so lovely getting to work with her for this cover. Don’t you think it’s pretty? ^_^

Included in the anthology are stories by Danice Mae P. Sison, Ines Bautista-Yao, Tara Frejas (that’s me!), Celestine Trinidad, Angel C. Aquino, and Jay E. Tria. You may pre-order a copy of the book at US$7 (or the price you want) at kilig.pub/pawfect4u. Just like our previous charity anthologies, Pawfect For You is available for a limited time only (until June 29, 2023), so please make sure you grab this opportunity to get the book while it lasts.

Pawfect For You will be released on April 29, 2023. ALL PROCEEDS will go to Pawssion Project, a non-government organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and rehoming of cats and dogs in distress.

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[ Cover Reveal ] What If We Fall In Love?

I love cover reveals. I do. Especially when I know the author doing it and I trust them to “deliver the goods,” so to speak. And also when I’m the one doing the reveal.

In the #romanceclass community, we have a project called #romanceclasscovers where we (or actually, our resident photographer, Chi Yu Rodriguez) takes photos of Filipino models (sometimes they’re actors, sometimes they’re friends of friends!) and we put these photos on the covers of our books. It doesn’t sound quite revolutionary when you think about it, but it’s a statement. It says, loudly, that we want to see Filipinos on the covers of our books. We want to see not just faces, but faces with real emotion. Poses that entice and tickle the imagination. The whole she-bang.

It’s a representation thing. It’s an aesthetic thing. It’s a choice.

My choice for my upcoming book, What If We Fall In Love?, is a playful, happy photo of Gab Pangilinan and Gio Gahol taken way back in 2017, when we still did regular studio shoots for #romanceclass covers. It’s been hidden away for so long, I’ve just being waiting and waiting and waiting to see where I could use it, and the opportunity presented itself after deciding on releasing a romance anthology.

And here it is—the cover of What If We Fall In Love?:

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COVER REVEAL + BLOG TOUR: No Two Ways by Chi Yu Rodriguez

It’s the season of new #romanceclass releases once again, and it is with great pride that I present this exciting new book from good friend and fellow #romanceclass author, Chi Yu Rodriguez! ^_^

(Models: Rachel Coates, Gab Pangilinan, and Gio Gahol. Photography: Chi Yu Rodriguez. Styling: Alex Lapa. Title art: Carla de Guzman. Cover design: Chi Yu Rodriguez.)

I’ll give you a couple more seconds to take it in. Go ahead. Take it all in. Isn’t that cover beautiful? <3

*snaps fingers*

All right, now — deets!

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COVER REVEAL: Second Wave Summer

Sometime in the future, I feel like no one’s going to believe Jay, Six, and me when we say we have nothing up our sleeves.

But honest to god, we really didn’t have one until mid-February (unlike the time we were planning Summer Crush, which went on for almost a year) and we were even doubtful we’d make it because everything was such a struggle lately.

Anywayyyyy… that’s not the point. The point is this: WE HAVE A NEW BOOK COMING OUT THIS MAY!!!

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