The 16 Sweetest Moments of 2016

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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)

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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

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Tara’s Book Giveaway: The #MMFF2016 Edition

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Hey, everybody–Merry Christmas! What are your holiday plans? If you’re living in the Philippines, I hope you consider watching this year’s entries to the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) because the 2016 line-up is pretty interesting. If you’ve been following the news, you’d have already known that “the usual suspects” are missing from the roster, and the films that made it to the cut offer a different “flavor” from what we’ve been served for years now.

Unfortunately, there are some cinemas who aren’t showing official MMFF entries in favor of those they’re sure will rake in money for them. I personally think this is unfair not only to the people involved in the films that qualified for this year’s festival, but also to the viewing public that’s been continuously shortchanged by being fed haphazardly done movies year after year after year.

If you’re of the same opinion, I encourage you to please please go to the cinemas, watch the films, and spread the word so that others may be interested to do the same. And because it’s Christmas–here’s a giveaway!

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#RomanceClass Made My Wish Come True!

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I distinctly remember that afternoon in June when Ana Tejano mentioned planning for a #romanceclass Christmas anthology. Without even asking for any other details, I said I’m all for it, let’s do it, go!

We didn’t know yet then that we were going to have a SURPRISE!event at Trinoma the next month, or a booth (A BOOTH!) and an event (AN EVENT!) at the Manila International Book Fair in September. And we certainly weren’t even seriously planning October’s #FeelsFest yet back then. All those three events kind of threw us authors for a loop, and before we knew it, Christmas anthology deadlines were only two weeks away! (HAHAHA. HA. HA.)

But hey, what do you know? We actually made it. <3 And boy, did it feel awesome!

Here are some photos from last week’s Make My Wish Come True launch:

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Your #RomanceClass Christmas Shopping Guide! (Part 2)

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Hey everyone! Hope you were able to find new books to give your family and friends this coming holiday season OR add to your growing TBR list with the first #romanceclass Christmas shopping guide. In case you’re still looking for something in particular, here’s another set of books, sorted by the profession their characters have.

Ready? Click on the Continue Reading button for the entire list! Happy shopping!

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Your #RomanceClass Christmas Shopping Guide! (Part 1)

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I’ve always thought books are the best gifts. (There’s also food, but that’s not the point.) Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been excited by the prospect of receiving books as gifts for any occasion, and I know there are people in your life who would squee at the thought of unwrapping their presents and finding brand spanking new books for them to read and treasure.

Which is why I put together this very special shopping guide for those of you who are looking to buy your family members or friends new, Filipino-authored romance books in English for Christmas. Or maybe you want to create your own wishlist, that’s cool too!

Take a look at these #romanceclass titles I’ve sorted according to different categories. And as you window shop, please take note of the following:

  • MC = main character
  • LI = love interest

Click on the Continue Reading button to view the first part of the shopping guide. Buy links are provided.

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