As a child, there were weeks wherein I’d collect stacks and stacks of old newspapers from neighbors and sari-sari stores near our house for the annual newspaper drive at school. Competition was really fierce. You could sense it in the way students would try to sneak a peek inside your homeroom classroom to see how huge of a “lead” or “deficit” their class has over the others.
I don’t know if the schools these days still do this, but that was a fond memory to look back on, especially when our class would win. There isn’t even any tangible prize; it’s just being hailed champions for bringing the most newspapers that mattered. (The thought of raising funds through drives like these didn’t even enter my system until I was much older, but it seemed like a good idea. You bring in newspapers for recycling, and you get cash in return. Not too shabby.)
Ah, childhood.
So I’m not sure this story is connected to what I really wanted to talk about, but let me try.
I don’t understand what’s going on. Around forty-eight days ago, I was so pumped about this #StrangeLit plunny, I even felt the urge to flood Rix’s Twitter DM because of it.
But now, two weeks into the class and I still have a blank manuscript.
Sure, I got distracted by a little #TalesFromTheMetro, but that shouldn’t have kicked my plunny away. I have been plotting and outlining all this time and I’m still not getting anywhere. This is one of those times I wish my muse/s would come hug me and leave me inspired enough to sprint through 5,000 words or more.
I’ll even take my muse hugging AND stabbing me right after, if that’s the only way to get me to bleed sentences on my manuscript.
Can I please take a sabbatical from work?
Ah, well. Let’s see what I can come up with these next two weeks. Aja, fighting!
Curious about what the #StrangeLit peeps are talking about? We’re being all noisy (sometimes whiny) on Twitter!
#buqoYA Bundle 3: Finding Fairytales | We all want the happy ending, the dream come true. But what if it doesn’t happen? How far would you go to get that “ever after?” Would you change who you are? Would you swallow your pride? Is the story really going to be as perfect as you think? Follow the path of these characters and see where they lead. BUY THE BUNDLE HERE.
It’s review time once again~ and this time, I’m doing two stories from the third #buqoYA bundle called Finding Fairytales. Admittedly, I haven’t read all of the stories in this bundle yet (because work hinders everything fun in life, yes?) but I hopefully have read enough to be able to do justice to Fall for Grace by Anne Plaza and Love in the Time of Viral Videos by R. Linea.
As promised, here are the rest of the synopses and excerpts from the #buqoYA Taking Chances bundle, which is available on www.buqo.ph for ONLY P45.00/$0.99!
(New to Buqo? Browse their FAQ page to satisfy your curiosity.)
#buqoYA Bundle 1: Taking Chances | Whether looking for closure, proving their worth, or wondering what happens after a moonlit night, the characters from these stories will invite you to take a chance for love. Will they find what they’re looking for? Or will their hearts get broken? Step into their shoes and find out.
Loving You All My Life by Rafael P. Pascual
Isang ulirang estudyante, kaibigan at anak si Danielle Natasha Lastimosa. Ang kanyang pagsisikap, talino at kabutihan ang nagdala sa kanya sa Philippine Institute of Arts, Entertainment & Culture (PHINAREC), ang pinaka-una at natatanging paaralan para sa mga nagnanais makapasok sa larangan ng sining, kultura at libangan. Maayos na sana ang kanyang buhay-estudyante nang isang Jairus Roman Vera-Perez ang biglang nagpagulo rito. Ang lalaking iyon ang anak ng may-ari ng PHINAREC, pero ito rin ang pinakalider pagdating sa katamaran, kayabangan at kakulangan ng disiplina. Pagtatagpuin sila ng isang kakaibang proyekto para sa kursong kanilang pinag-aaralan. Maging mitsa kaya ito ng lalong paglala ng kanilang bangayan, o ito na kaya ang magsilbing daan para sila ay maging magkaibigan – at magkatuluyan? Masabi kaya nila sa isa’t isa ang katagang “I’LL KEEP ON LOVING YOU ALL MY LIFE”?
EXCERPT
DANA’S POV
Philippine Institute of the Arts, Entertainment & Culture
February 16, 2000
Hay, salamat! Natapos din ang isang linggon pagsusunog ng kilay. Kakatapos lang ng examination week at kaming lahat ay nabunutan ng tinik sa dibdib.
Pa’no ba naman: ang hirap na nga ng pagre-review, masyado pang mahigpit ang mga propesor – na pati ang pakikinig ng radio sa cellphone ay ipinagbawal din nila! Para naming walang tiwala ang mga propesor sa aming mga estudyante sa PHINAREC. Sabagay, prestihiyosong paaralan iyan para sa mga nagnanais pumasok sa media at showbiz, kaya gayan sila kahigpit.
Anyway, my name is Dana – Danielle Natasha Lastimosa. Anak ako ng isang retiradong inhinyero at ng isang dating government employee na napunta sa pagtitinda ng sigarilyo at kendi sa NAIA. At kung ang iniisip n’yo ay mahirap ang pamilya naming, tama po kayo.
Mahirap ang pamilya naming, kaya dumating ang panahong kailangan ko nang magtrabaho para matulungan ang aking mga magulang.
Kaya lang naman ako nakapag-aral sa PHINAREC ay dahil may nakapansin sa talent ko. Siya lang naman si Mr. Art Paglinawan, ang pinakasikat na newscaster sa kasalukuyang panahon. Simula kasi nang Manalo ako sa News Reading Competition ng FBN, at nang Makita niya ang sitwasyon ng pamilya naming, tinulungan niya ako sa pag-aaral ko dito – sponsored niya ang mass communication scholarship program ng PHINAREC.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rafael P. Pascual is a 20-year old Mass Communication student at Universidad de Manila. He is a reader of romance, teen fiction, fantasy, horror, mystery and history. He is currently writing under the username raffythequizzard on Wattpad.com.
He also loves to read Wattpad books, particularly those published by Summit Media’s Pop Fiction imprint. He has attended the Wattpad seminar at the 35th Manila International Book Fair, the Pop Fiction Academy at the 1st Philippine Literary Festival, and the 3rd Pop Fiction Festival.
He currently lives in Navotas City with his mother and six other siblings.
Click the banner to see who else has been talking about this #buqoYA bundle!
Today is the last day of the #buqoYA Taking Chances blog tour, but before I move on to sharing some excerpts and reviews, click HERE to join the Buqo special giveaway wherein one lucky Philippine resident will win a handy powerbank! Hurry~ because the form closes today as well. Good luck, guys! ^_^v
#buqoYA Bundle 1: Taking Chances | Whether looking for closure, proving their worth, or wondering what happens after a moonlit night, the characters from these stories will invite you to take a chance for love. Will they find what they’re looking for? Or will their hearts get broken? Step into their shoes and find out. BUY THE BUNDLE HERE.
All right then, moving on.
I signed up for the #buqoYA blog tour for two reasons: one, I wanted to support all the young Filipino authors who took the leap and put their work out there (it takes a loooot of courage, I tell you), and; two, I wanted to start learning all about blog tours because clearly, I have been out of the blogging world for an awfully long time.
In the first #buqoYA bundle Taking Chances, there are two stories that immediately captured my heart and my mind’s eye. I personally really like reading stories with characters, situations, and/or settings I can relate to, and the stories A Portrait of Jade by Justine Camacho-Tajonera, and After the Moment by Six delos Reyes fit those criteria perfectly.
