Check out this cool trailer for the #HeistClub launch happening on June 25, 6-9PM at The Study by Enderun, Podium Mall, Ortigas! Credits to the awesome Chi Yu Rodriguez.
See you all there! ^_^
#RomanceClass ❤ OPM | Buena Mano
Hello and welcome to the first installment of this mini blog project I’m doing–this is #RomanceClass ❤ OPM, where I ask Filipino authors and readers to send in songs they find relevant to the books they wrote or read and I curate them into playlists. The only rule: ALL the songs should be OPM.
Brief background for those of you who just stumbled upon this post:
What is #romanceclass?
#RomanceClass is a thriving community of Filipino authors who write romance in English and publish them (traditionally and independently). It began in 2013, when author Mina V. Esguerra facilitated a writing class wherein the objective was to complete a romance novel in a span of three months. Fast forward to 2016, the community and its body of work has grown immensely, exploring new avenues in order to weave new stories and market them. We have participated in bookish events, had writing workshops, talked about how to write more and market our work better, sold books, held live readings, and recently organized our very first standalone event in April. Just recently, a new batch of authors have typed “The End” to new #romanceclass books which may (hopefully!) come out before the end of the year.
What is OPM?
OPM stands for Original Pilipino Music or Original Philippine Music. It was originally used to only refer to pop songs, but has since included all genres like rock, jazz, hip-hop, and so on. OPM is usually written in Filipino/Tagalog or English, but may, in some cases, also have touches of other foreign languages or local dialects.
Click on the Read More button to get to the first playlist I curated for this project, along with some notes from the authors and readers of the featured books. Links to read more about the featured books as well as buy them are included in the post. Have fun!
#HeistClub: The Launch
If you thought the Filipino indie writing community is all about the romance, think again. This coming June 25, sixteen new crime stories penned by Filipino authors will be officially launched as book bundles at The Study by Enderun at the 4th Floor of The Podium, Ortigas Center. Ten of these sixteen will also be releasing standalones in digital and print format!
Exciting, right? Full story below:
In November 2015, author and indie publisher Mina V. Esguerra facilitated an online workshop organized by Bronze Age Media and sponsored by Buqo and Enderun’s The Study.
The challenge for the Filipino author: Write tales of dark pathways and mysterious psyches, misdemeanor and trouble, dread and doubt. The story should be a Case # 1 (there’s a hint of a sequel or better yet, a series), set in the Philippines, and written in English.
#HeistClub came alive with writer-participants being guided by invaluable tips and lessons from mentors Jennifer Hillier (author of Creep and Freak), F.H. Batacan (author of Smaller and Smaller Circles), forensic anthropologist R.J. Taduran, life/non-life insurance executive Kevin Uy, Juliet Grames of Soho Press, and Atty. Andrea Pasion-Flores of Jacaranda Literary Agency.
At the end of the month-long workshop, sixteen crime stories were produced. They were released in three ebook bundles on Buqo in late January this year.
Click on the Read More button for the complete list of titles to be launched on the 25th.
BOOK BLITZ: Maybe This Time by C.P. Santi
Another #romanceclass author has birthed a new book into the world! Author C.P. Santi (When Cocoy Became Kikay, Be Careful What You Wish For) has recently released Maybe This Time, a collection of short, contemporary romance stories about love and second chances.
SYNOPSIS
An accidental reunion . . . a sneaky plot . . . things finally falling into place.
Maybe This Time contains three heart-warming stories of love and second chances. Because when fate gives you a break, you grab the chance to finally make things right.
In Sweeter by the Second, when paintings conservator Rina David arrives for the Arts Festival in the heritage town of Jimenez, she’s reunited with Tony, the guy she once loved and lost. Now vice-mayor of Jimenez, Tony wants Rina back in his life and will do everything he can to convince her that they belong together.
Pamela Quiroz hatches a plot to get her parents back together in Exorcising my Ex. But will a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner succeed in reconciling Geno and Viv? After all, it’s been more than fifteen years since they first got together and they aren’t the hormone-driven teenagers they once were. Will wine and cheese balls still do the trick?
Torch, meet hand. Arne Weichmann has been waiting twenty-one years for Bea. Is it finally the right time to make his move and convince her that they are Meant to Be? He hopes so. Because he doesn’t think he’ll survive losing the one person who brought warmth and sunshine to his life.
Buy it on Amazon for only $1.99!
Add it on Goodreads
Click on the Read More button for excerpts from each of the three stories, and cute mini book trailers too! <3
Mini Blog Project: #RomanceClass ❤ OPM
I love listening to music. It doesn’t even matter which language it comes in. While I grew up listening to OPM classics, much of my teenage years were full of Western music, and I turned to K-Pop in my mid-20s. Still, my love affair with Original Pilipino Music is alive and kickin’, and I would like to believe yours is, too.
Or maybe I can help start it.
From June to August, I’m doing this mini project called #RomanceClass ❤ OPM. With your help, I’m hoping to be able to curate Original Pilipino Music playlists inspired by #romanceclass books you authored or read. Sound interesting? See links below for sign-ups!
For #romanceclass authors
If you wrote a #romanceclass book/s, let me know what OPM song you would relate to your story, your characters, or even a scene in your book.
For #romanceclass readers
If you’re a fan of #romanceclass books, tell me what OPM song you hear in your head when you read your favorite titles. It could be a song suited for a character, a scene, or the overall story.
Some rules:
- Strictly OPM songs only. This does not include covers of non-OPM songs by OPM artists. There are plenty of songs out there, I’m sure you’ll be able to find one. Promise.
- Filipino and English songs are allowed.
- You may submit as many songs as you like, but limit one song per #romanceclass title. As this project also aims to help promote as many #romanceclass books as possible, I’d like to see a nice mix of books and songs. You’d have to agree that would make for an interesting playlist, right?
And that’s it! Hopefully, I’d be able to churn out one playlist a month… I mean, we almost have a hundred titles in the #romanceclass catalogue. That’s a lot of material to work on!
Looking forward to your contributions! <3