personal – Tara Tries To Write

Personal, The Writing Community, Writing

Yep, I did play it by ear this time.

April 15, 2019 No Comments

So let me start this blog post with a tweet down memory lane:

I started writing something new on my phone at 3am because I couldn't yet fall asleep for some reason. Haha, so I guess now #amwritingPIBE 😅
— Tara 🐰 (@tarafrejas) April 16, 2018

You read that right, folks. It’s been (almost!!!) a year since I started writing the second book in the Backstage Pass series, Play It By Ear, and I cannot be more relieved that I’m finally releasing the book soon. We’ve had a couple of false starts, starting with a very early cover reveal (haha, that was just me being a) impatient, and b) unable to keep Shai San Jose‘s awesome art to myself), but this is the real deal, my friends. I mean…there’s a release date and all, and I am prepping the final, final, FINAL version of the manuscript as of this writing.

Can I say, OHMAHGAWD?

And yeah, in case you missed it, here’s the official announcement…plus a couple more things you need to know:

Personal, Projects, Writing

Once Upon a Project

August 30, 2017 No Comments

When I released Waiting in the Wings in February, I had no idea I would be writing a spin-off novel so soon. Honestly, I already had plans for a second book in the same universe, but it wasn’t top priority on my writing calendar. (Yes, I have one. :P)

And then, #AprilFeelsDay2017 and a certain theatre actor came along to shake things up.

Needless to say, I succumbed to the kilig and gigil and began outlining #ProjectPio in May–and if there was a phrase I’d use to describe everything about this writing process, it would be whirlwind affair.

Personal

The 16 Sweetest Moments of 2016

December 31, 2016 No Comments

Honestly, I hadn’t really planned on writing a yearender blog post for reasons that are relatively mababaw (i.e. my internet connection S U C K S here in Baguio City), but I thought it would be nice to cap this mostly WTF year with a look back at the moments I was most thankful for. After all, happiness stems from having a grateful heart, right?

And so without further ado, here are the 16 sweetest moments of my 2016.

1. Being able to write for kids. (Bayong ng Kuting Workshop, January 2016)

Being able to write is, in itself, a blessing, but at the end of 2015, I decided to challenge myself and enroll in the Bayong ng Kuting Workshop. The workshop required us to craft an original children’s story around the Bayong ng Kuting universe. And if you think writing children’s lit is easy, think. again. No news yet about our submissions, but no matter the outcome, I’m so glad I took on this challenge. ^_^

2. Dipping my toes in uncharted waters. (#romanceclass @ Komiket, February 2016)

Instagram will load in the frontend.

Another first for #romanceclass and myself was being one of the participating merchants at the Komiket, an event that featured and celebrated indie komiks and the talented people behind them. We probably stood out like a sore thumb then, selling romance novels alongside comicbooks and art, but it had been fun, and we actually sold books! I believe this was where the idea for #4 came up (though I could be wrong, heh).

BONUS ROUND: I met Manix Abrera for the first time in this event! He is SO COOL. <3

Personal, Writing

The Agony of Waiting

December 29, 2016 No Comments

If you’ve been following me on Instagram (personal & author accounts), Twitter, or Facebook, you’d know by now that I’ve finally finished my current work-in-progress. Last year, right on the heels of finishing The “Forget You” Brew, I came up with a story that merged my love for the undying friends-to-lovers trope and musical theatre. Labeled #teatrofic for a while, I filed the concept away for months until May of this year, when I began to really, seriously outline the story. A week later, I started writing.

The question that started the concept was this: What if your first kiss, and every single kiss you’ve received thereafter, is a stage kiss?

Events, The Writing Community

#AprilFeelsDay? More like #AfterFeelsDay

April 24, 2016 No Comments

First of all, let me tell you this. I use a lot of social media every day, and whenever I get exhausted and completely turned off by election-related hostility, the #AprilFeelsDay tag on Instagram has now become my refuge. Why? Because…

*dreamy sigh*

Isn’t it so beautiful? Yeah, let’s take a good, long moment to scan through those photos and videos once again, because God knows I haven’t had enough of them yet. I’m also stalling because I don’t know where to begin with this recap, if it could even be called such.

If you’ve missed it by the way, here are #AprilFeelsDay recaps from Mina, Chi, April, Ana, Carla, Ron, and Krissy.