Mina V. Esguerra's Blog, page 23
May 27, 2018
How to support #romanceclass (community of Filipino authors and readers of romance in English)
What is #romanceclass? It is a community of:
Authors who attended #romanceclass, #romanceclass2016, the steamy reads, YA classes organized by Mina V. Esguerra
Readers of the books by those authors
Readers of English-language romance books by Filipino authors
Actors and artists who are part of the event and publishing process
That there’s a growing readership for our books has been so encouraging for Filipino authors of romance (in English). We’re trying to write more books! And we’re learning how to make them better, more inclusive, more of the good stuff. If you’re into this too, here are some things you can do:
1. Read the books.
There’s a catalogue on romanceclassbooks.com. Go find a book you’ll love! Give them as gifts!
2. Follow the social media accounts, join the mailing list.
We’re on Instagram (@romanceclassbooks), Facebook (Romanceclass Books), and Twitter (hashtag #romanceclass). Events and book announcements are posted there.
3. Go to a #romanceclass event.
#romanceclass events are like community gatherings. We meet, we sell books, we sometimes talk about how to make better books. Often, our actor friends read excerpts from our books…that’s a lot of fun.
4. Write a #romanceclass book.
Once in a while we’ll open up a new class. Make sure you sign up! Between classes, read as many romanceclass books as you can. We routinely encourage/challenge romanceclass authors to write what’s missing in terms of representing our stories in the romance genre, and this can happen of course whether there’s an ongoing class or not. We consider a book a “romanceclass book” (one that’s listed on the group website) if the community helped make it, either through the class, or in beta reading and editing. The 2017 edition of the class textbook is here: gum.co/romanceclass.
5. Contribute to romanceclass on Patreon.
#romanceclass has a Patreon and the monthly contributions help compensate the people who run the website and our social media. Funds from Patreon also help pay for romanceclass events held at schools in Metro Manila. Romance and YA are not covered in the curriculum despite online stats and bestseller lists showing that this is the genre and category of choice for readers in that age group. At our events, free thanks to our contributors, students can learn about the romance genre, young adult lit, and positive and inclusive representation in these books.
A post shared by Mina V. Esguerra (@minavesguerra) on Feb 3, 2018 at 1:54am PST
What Kind of Day book launch + romanceclass June event
Launching the print edition of WHAT KIND OF DAY on June 9, 4 PM! We’ll be at The Wander Space Shop and Cafe on Maginhawa St. Quezon City.
Copies will be available at P300 each but I hope you pre-order at bit.ly/mvebooks beforehand so I can reserve a copy for you! You can also use the same form to tell me which #romanceclass books you’d like to purchase and pick up at the event. We’ll have #romanceclass books for sale there too but it’s good to set aside your copies for you so we don’t run out!
What else is happening on June 9, #romanceclass related:
Writing LGBT characters in romanceclass books, a lecture by Ronald S. Lim and Brigitte Bautista, editors of Start Here. This lecture is open to romance authors (prioritizing those familiar with romanceclass or are already authors/readers of romanceclass books). Fee is P500, including a snack and drink. 1:30 to 3:30 PM. Limited slots, email minavesguerra@gmail.com to inquire or confirm attendance.
Book swap! We keep talking about sharing or giving away our books. We’ll do this on June 9! Bring books you want to give away, and if you’re attending, feel free to grab what you like from the swap pile.
PS because GPDR happened right when I was rethinking what to do with my mailing list, I’ve decided to…discontinue the mailing list. I’ve removed the signup field here on my author website. If you are a member of it, you will not be receiving any more emails from me on there. For the past year or so I’ve experimented with asking people to opt into things, and then let them go when the thing is done (like a heist!). I don’t know, it seems to be a good thing for me right now.
What I’ll do is post what would have been my newsletter announcements on the author website instead, and promote it on my Twitter (@minavesguerra), FB (Mina V. Esguerra), and Instagram (@minavesguerra). Anything that requires extra participation will again be voluntary…and that is, if I manage to think of stuff to do. Thank you!
May 15, 2018
What Kind of Day (Six 32 Central #1)
Book description:
It’s a bad day for Ben. After years of earnest work, he’s been fired from his job as a speechwriter for a Philippine senator. Name tarnished and bridges burned, he steps into what he thinks is a shuttle ride home, and accidentally joins a tour of his own city.
It was supposed to be a good day for Naya. Her passion is traveling, her hobby is discovering cool things to see and do, and taking people on tours of Metro Manila is her only job right now. An extra person at the last minute isn’t ideal, especially if the person is a former colleague and the subject of the day’s hottest political trash fire. But work is work, and she decides to let him stay in the tour.
She’s hoping she won’t regret it. He’s hoping his day turns around. What kind of day could it be? Maybe the best kind.
Buy links: Amazon Apple iBooks Kobo Smashwords B&N Print (Philippines)
March 21, 2018
April Feels Day 2018: Registration form
All of our books and feelings! And this time, with a publishing services section so you can put your team together for when you’re ready to release your book. Sign up here: bit.ly/aprilfeelsday2018
March 1, 2018
What You Wanted 2018
What You Wanted has a new cover! The team: Tania Arpa, Chi Yu Rodriguez (#romanceclasscovers), Alex Lapa, Layla Tanjutco, Celine Bengzon, and Bibo Reyes.
Buy links: Amazon Print (PH)
If you have any previous edition, get this one free here: https://instafreebie.com/free/Wkhq3 (code is what musical adaptation, titlecase)
January 11, 2018
Love Your Frenemies 2017
Love Your Frenemies, #4 in my Chic Manila series, has a new cover and epilogue! Designed by Tania Arpa, styled by Alex Lapa, photographed by Alexandra Urrea. Featuring AJ Olpindo and Coralin Resurreccion. Free digital copy if you have any previous ed: https://instafreebie.com/free/mUXoU (code is which Shakespeare play).
Buy links: Amazon Print (Philippines)
Book description:
Yes, Universe, Kimmy Domingo knows that you hate her. But she’s a nice person, she really is — as long as you ignore the stories of people she’s bullied, manipulated, and annoyed in the past. She totally gets that you’ve gotten back at her by having her fiance’ dump her a week before their wedding. Soon after, she quit her job, hopped on a plane, and just hid from everyone who knew her.
A year later and she’s back in Manila to be maid of honor at a wedding she can’t miss. She’s home because she’s ready to start over, but she also knows that some people at that wedding were responsible for the mess her life turned out to be. The first step to recovery? Cutting off the ones who caused her troubles to begin with: her best friend and her first love.
Part of the Chic Manila series, but can be read as a standalone.
December 19, 2017
Recently on the Book Thingo podcast
#romanceclass has been all over the Australia-based Book Thingo romance podcast lately! Kat Mayo visited Manila a few months ago and we put together a series of episodes that have all gone live by now. Catch up!
Episode 45: “Makes your heart race” with Rachel Coates, Fred Lo, Salve Villarosa, and Migs Almendras. This time the actors talk as they are! Kat interviews Rachel, Fred, Salve, and Migs and we find out what they think about their role as live readers for the romance novel community.
Episode 46: “100% no cheating” with Chachic and April, book bloggers who actively read and participate in community activities.
Episode 47: Authors Jay E. Tria, Six de los Reyes, and I talk about #romanceclassFlair. Why we came up with it, and what’s coming from the “imprint.”
Episode 48: “Filthy things” with Gio Gahol, me, and Chachic. I remember this as fun and a bit dirty but upon listening again we apparently got to talk about serious issues regarding romance writing and publishing by Filipinos. Maybe even tackling the challenges of a judgmental society and colonial mentality OMG.
Listen to the episodes! Definitely subscribe to the Book Thingo podcast.
November 30, 2017
#romanceclassYA happened and now we have these
Not sure if you were aware of this, but for the past three months, over 40 authors have been busy writing. I mean, maybe more than usual. We at the #romanceclass community opened up a free, online YA novella-writing class. Ines Bautista-Yao and Agay Llanera served as mentors, and the authors were asked to write a 30,000-word novella, for young adults, with Filipino characters. An additional challenge, because we like doing that: Incorporate a “Filipino thing” that you haven’t seen yet in any YA book.
The deadline was set for just before midnight on November 30, 2017. Now we have these YA novellas, by Filipino authors!
Lost and Found by Angel Constantino Aquino
In Tune by Yeyet Soriano
The Days I Hold Your Hand by EK Gonzales
Flipping the Script by Danice Mae Sison
The Love Team by Moras Dela Paz
More Than You Know by Celestine Trinidad
Riley and Grayson’s Guide to Saving the World by Catherine Dellosa
How You Get the Girl by Fay Sebastian
Before I’m Gone by Kristy Mauna
A Place for Us by Angeli E. Dumatol
The Brighter Side of Things by Miel Salva
Life of the Party by Kannika Claudine D. Peña
Fake Girlfriends by Mary Balane
Oceans Apart by Raissa Rivera Falgui
Princess in Distress by Nicai de Guzman
C and Other D by Jane Rocs
His Secrets to Keep by Paola Aliedo
And the Crown Goes To… by Mayumi Cruz
Take Me As I Am by Roda Tajon
Getting Hooked by KB Meniado
Then Comes Love by Romy Pena Cruz
Congratulations, authors! I’m so excited for these, and all the new stories and characters and settings they’ll bring to Filipino-authored YA.
These are finished drafts, in various stages of “ready for publication” and we’ll be helping the authors get their manuscripts out. Thank you, authors, for giving your time and words. And a reminder: the deadline was just one day we chose almost at random to ask you to submit a draft…but really you can do that any day. Write and finish, and let us know when you’re ready.
November 9, 2017
FilReadercon Cebu: See you!
The Filipino Readercon will be held in Cebu this year, and I’ll be there! I’ll be at this panel on romance and feminism, but I’ll also be around all day selling #romanceclass books, meeting authors and readers…definitely joining Jamilton in the evening. Can’t wait!
October 24, 2017
#FeelsFest2017: Because you’re all so good at this
A post shared by Mina V. Esguerra (@minavesguerra) on Oct 15, 2017 at 3:48am PDT
Dear #romanceclass community (i.e. those who have written books, those who have read the books, those who’ve read only one book or haven’t read a book but are reading this and are interested in picking up a book…):
It looks like we’ve been having a lot of events lately, and that’s awesome. It’s always exhausting, but it’s fun to do this because you really appreciate it. And that was the theme we were going with, every single person who worked behind the scenes on #FeelsFest2017 — let’s do a little something extra, because the community appreciates it.
If you noticed, the program was a little different this time. Supersized, so even if we had the 2nd floor of Commune Cafe+Bar for 5 hours, nearly the entire time was spent on the live readings and performances. No time for the other fun and games, though it was still fun and games.
The live readings have always been meant to celebrate the work of the authors, and I hope the selection this time around did just that. I try to find little things in the books that’ll push the actors too, so authors, keep doing that as well.
Featured books:
Chasing Waves by Bianca Mori
Just for the Summer by Justine Camacho-Tajonera
Rules of Non-Attraction by Andrea Soto-Pionilla
All About that Bass (from Summer Feels) by Fay Sebastian
Once Upon A Bully (from Promdi Heart) by Georgette Gonzales
My Imaginary Ex by Mina V. Esguerra
The Queen’s Game by Carla de Guzman
Because, #romanceclass, you’re always such a good audience–the best according to The Gio Gahol–the live readers did new things too.
Migs Almendras and Sam Aquino read poetry, adapted for performance by Tara Frejas.
This is How It Starts by Dawn Lanuza
Before I Lose My Nerve by Layla Tanjutco
Gio Gahol and Rachel Coates performed Fairy Tale Fail as a stage play (with a kiss!!!)
Fred Lo and Vanya Castor sang a cover of Only Us, from the musical Dear Evan Hansen.
Chachic, Kat, April, and Jothee (who read, blog, and do other things for the community) also put together this wonderful video–full of messages from international authors we love!
This has just reminded me, again, that it just works when we do it this way. And it works that we don’t have to tell ourselves to be like this??? Please continue to pursue what speaks to your heart (and your kilig) because it seems to work for all of us. Thank you.
