Congrats!

How's this for inspiring? For the third year in a row, a Filipino author has been part of the Man Asian Literary Prize shortlist.

Eric Gamalinda's The Descartes Highlands (excerpt here) also starts out promising and is likely the kind of book I actually will buy. Looking forward to it, and I wish him winner vibes.

NaNo time

Thank you, Tina, for reminding me that NaNoWriMo is near. I'd heard about it, and been spectator to the efforts of friends to participate, but never really got into it myself.

But wait -- maybe I kinda did. Most of my only first published novel was written in November last year, so I do know how it feels to write every day and finish in a month. I was kind of wrapped up in it and then poof! It's over.

Happy writing and plotting, people!

Everyone has a story

Cutting into regular programming about romance and chick lit to bring you this:

My FirstPerson account of Ondoy

Hope everyone is safe, dry, and healthy.

Not me for a day

I'm starting to see a personal trend. Romance novels work their magic on me when I'm not in a position to get into those wild and wacky situations.

When did I most enjoy reading this genre? In my early teens (no real romance to speak of) and now (that I'm happily in a relationship).

But in my early twenties and late teens, when all of this dating and playing the field was supposed to happen? Romance novels annoyed me. I stayed away from the genre, mostly. Maybe it was the pressure, because each story could have, in theory, easily happened to me if I just put myself out there a bit more. I don't really go for drama in real life, so that made for a day-to-day existence not worthy of a chick lit chronicle.

Why do I enjoy it again now? I think it's for the vicarious thrills. Being a teen and knowing I couldn't have those relationships yet, I enjoyed knowing one day I might, if I chose to. And being in a relationship now, I don't think of these heroines as mirroring my life too closely, and can enjoy each misadventure without thinking of what I should be doing.

The other day I finished Shoes Off by Katrina Ramos Atienza, and got caught up in being a Bridezilla, flirting with naughty balikbayans, and running off with island guys. None of which I'm inclined to do, personally, but I can appreciate how fun it all can be for girls who are the types who would.

Because it's not about me, when I read these books, but about the girl whose life I step into temporarily. When it's written in a way that feels right, I get her crazy decisions, even though I don't think I'd make the same ones.

A confession

I Google myself. (What, you don't? Because you should.)

This hobby has led me to blogs of people who read the book and wrote something about it. It's always fun to see, but I've so far kept myself from replying directly because I'm not sure what the etiquette is. I actually like seeing comments of people who don't know me, and don't think I would ever see what they wrote. Replying and acknowledging seems like the right thing to do, but it also breaks down that wall and I don't know what happens after that.

So I have not outed myself yet and replied to the blogs. In some cases they noticed something and I have an explanation for it, but I've decided to stand by the editorial choices that I (and my rockin' editor Ines) had to make. That thing? Sadya yon. Lahat yan, sadya. :)

Friendster, on the other hand, is something else. Oh, Friendster. My account there was idle, until I made that wonderful discovery that people were adding the book to the "Favorite Books" space on their profiles. Suddenly that social network I had left because it was too "open" became the place that gave me happy fuzzy feelings almost every day. Couldn't help it, started sending private messages of thanks to the people who added My Imaginary Ex to their profiles. I have not been able to thank them all, because some of them have private profiles, or have restricted their messaging to friends, but I hope you wander onto this post one day and know that this is for you and thank you. :)

That said, hugs to: ★ maria ★, depel pilo, akÖ., nickea covar, Maryneth, ei - ei ™, rosabєℓ :), tin tin =x, eri ck, yHanZieLLe_14 aGOzAr, GHiA, tri.cia., rORy, CAMILLE and j.lo. I've contacted all of you one way or another already but here's another shoutout.

(Also, if I must be analytical about it, this Googling myself exercise has shown me who my audience is and what they respond to. Not exactly the audience I thought, but that is why I'm a newbie and need to learn things.)

Spotted in Cosmo again

This time in the August issue, with Cristine Reyes on the cover.

My mobile phone's camera didn't get the text very well, but they wrote something interesting here. Something about what questions the story may stir in you: Do you have the guts to end an engagement? Etc. Questions even I never asked myself.

Fun to think about, if only in the hypothetical. :) And now I have another Cosmo issue in my house.

Also:

Time Traveler's Wife (sniff!) was a great adaptation.

Katrina Ramos Atienza's new book is out!

Finished reading Marla Miniano's Every Girl's Guide to Heartache. It's sweet, smart, and just the thing that the part me that feels like a teenager still enjoys.

Twiddling thumbs

SO excited (and scared) for Time Traveler's Wife.

There are books that wish I had written (The Inheritance of Loss) because I know I could do it, and then there's Time Traveler's Wife which I know I couldn't have done because it's just that out there. But effective. It's going to be a bitch to adapt, I think, but I'll enjoy Eric Bana shirtlessness if I can get it.

***

Really, really appreciate the people putting My Imaginary Ex on their Friendster profiles. I've sent some of them my thanks through messages privately, because I don't know what the protocol is for social networks nowadays. :) But I think I should say thank you, and I have.

You girls (and some guys too!) are wonderful.