Mina V. Esguerra's Blog, page 31

My 2015: Writing Plus

New stuff I released in 2015

This blog is already a recap of my year, so based on that, I can say that I did stuff. Was not lazy. Kept myself busy. The way I work, I’m never just focused on one thing, so I’m all over the place with new projects, new collaborations, crazy experiments. At the same time though, I reminded myself that I had to actually write, so this year I did allocate more hours to writing. The titles above are actually projects I released or finished in 2015, but half of them were started before 2015. And I started writing projects this year that’ll only see the world in 2016. A pipeline! That’s what it is.

Though my writing goals were met and exceeded, my “other” goals were not. Because I had set rather lofty ones at the beginning of the year, and frankly did not know how to get to point Z and apparently some things can’t be learned in a couple of months. I won’t go into all of that now, but I’m the type who moves on and kicks open windows when doors close anyway.

Cool things can happen too, by the way, and maybe even cooler things when you allow yourself to change, even the goals that you set. Not that I’m saying you should wander around goal-less, and only let things happen to you. Rather…spend time doing stuff, defining yourself, and then find the people who appreciate that. Right? I’m still talking about writing and publishing. And maybe other things.

Because I think about too many things, I also think about how to reach more readers, and not just producing books. I’m a reader too, so I need to put that hat on. What do I want? What makes me feel happy to read? So far, the answers I’ve found: Forming communities around good books and authors, and filling them with interesting people. Readers, writers, and attractive actors, all of that. And make it not about the books all the time, but the satisfaction we get from them.

This is not a comprehensive recap. If you want to know how my year really went, go through this blog’s archives instead. But if that’s too long, and you don’t have time, I guess this is the short version: I focused on writing, but I also wanted us to do more than that. What happens to our books when readers don’t know about them? You could say that you already did your part in the writing, and that the universe should do its job and get that book to the reader. But maybe the universe receives a million new stories a day. Maybe we need to help the universe out by doing something. Maybe we’re the universe.

#romanceclass podcast episode 2: NEVER JUST FRIENDS/FALLEN AGAIN excerpt read by Gio Gahol and Rachel Coates

So episode 2 of our podcast? Is an excerpt from one of my books. Never Just Friends is available in Philippine bookstores via an Anvil Spark Books edition. It’s on Amazon right now under Flirt Publishing, released under the title Fallen Again. (But it’s the same book.)

I chose this book and excerpt because…well, to be frank, I wanted Gio to read more. I briefly entertained the thought of having Gio Gahol and Rachel Coates read from my new book, which I knew would be out by the time the podcast went live. But one of the tricky things we discovered when we produced this was that as a community, we “romance in English” authors don’t write a lot of male POV. And I wanted Gio to, throughout the season, read as much as Rachel did, or close to it. So since I wrote some male POV I knew I’d probably need to use my own books to balance out the rest.

Not that this was a bad choice, no no no. I love Never Just Friends the book, and I love the Jake and Lindsay characters, for a very personal reason. I modeled their careers after the ones I had, or could have had. In fact I hold them both too close that it was a special kind of torture hearing Gio and Rachel perform them, my Jake and my Lindsay, for the first time.

And then Rachel would give me these looks when Gio read about kissing.

This scene has Jake confessing his feelings to Lindsay, but don’t worry about spoilers; this is actually an early chapter. Gio read Jake a bit differently from what I had in mind when I was writing him, but I didn’t go and make him change anything. So I experienced Jake’s thoughts filtered through someone else and…well it was exciting. Slightly embarrassing. And kind of hot. It’s hard to explain. Rachel meanwhile is note-perfect as Lindsay, and her line delivery right after the kiss is just…perfect.

Enjoy the episode, and join our giveaway? You could win the featured books in print, or the entire podcast season in mp3, or an event pass to the next live reading, and more.

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#romanceclass podcast episode 1: FALL LIKE RAIN excerpt read by Rachel Coates and Gio Gahol

Our podcast has started! We recorded theater actors Rachel Coates and Gio Gahol reading excerpts from romance novels by Filipino authors. It’s super fun for us, but try listening too if you’ve never read one of our books before.

The excerpt from Ana Tejano’s Fall Like Rain is a sweet one — the actors actually said “Awww this is sweet” right after — and I chose this because Rain gets to tell us how she sees Mark. Apart from a physical description that we expect from romance novels, in this short excerpt we see Rain describe Mark to us using memories, fun times they had, the little things that cemented their friendship and made it last beyond the other relationships they had (or could have) with other people.

This is early on in the book so they’re kind of reconnecting, and I thought it was a good way for someone who has never heard a reading or seen Gio and Rachel to ease into the experience of it.

Enjoy episode 1! Comments are welcome!

Love and Scoring: A Sports Romance discussion

I’ve been reading a lot of sports romances in the past few years, so it was a surprise to me that when I started this discussion topic, romance readers would go, “What’s that?” But it’s not that they weren’t familiar with the stories; just that it was called a thing. “Sports romance.” Essentially a romance book that involved athletes, either as main characters or love interests, or both. Set in the world of that sport, but sometimes not that much.

We met on December 5, and traded recommendations. I pitched hard for The Year We Fell Down, by Sarina Bowen, which to me is a sports romance that also happens to be the first romance I read featuring people with disabilities. I have so much love for that book.

Others in the group recommended their own favorites. We covered hockey, rugby, American football, MMA, talked about why we liked certain characters, and what we were looking for in books like this.

Freebies! Sports-related, in a way!

We had a guest at the discussion: professional basketball player Gabe Norwood. I know him and his wife Lei, and they so generously agreed to spend time with us! (Lei would have been around too if not for another thing she had to do.) As many of the readers who join our discussions are also authors, Gabe took questions that may have been bouncing around the mind of someone wanting to write a sports romance. Like, how do you meet someone when you’re an athlete? (Common friends introduce you!) What dates do you go on? (Movies, concerts, music trivia night!) How does your relationship survive the lifestyle and the schedules? (Faith and love!)

Gabe and Lei rock, people.

Photo from Anne Plaza

These romance novel discussions that I host are open to anyone who can come to the scheduled event, or would like to participate online. I usually set up a private event page on Facebook (private because of adult content that may be discussed or posted), so just message me if you’re old enough, and want to join in. February’s book discussion will be about Laura Florand’s Amour et Chocolat series.

Romance at Filipino Readercon 2015

There was a lot for romance lovers to check out at Filipino Readercon this year! We had been experimenting as a group with a bunch of things, and everyone stepped up to put everything to the test for a larger audience on Readercon day.

Like this one. I mean, I had a post about how fun this was, organizing a reading with Gio Gahol and Rachel Coates for a small group of authors. What if we opened it up to a larger group? And what if there was a stage, and microphones, and lights, and everything?

So I loved it. I’m not objective, I admit. But well, I loved it to pieces.

The books they read, and the authors who wrote them. Chrissie Peria (The Kitchen When It Sizzles), Chris Mariano (Cover Story Girl), Rachel Coates, Jay E. Tria (Songs of Our Breakup), Gio Gahol, Miles Tan (Finding X), and Dawn Lanuza (The Boyfriend Backtrack). Find links to their books here: romanceclassbooks.com or do a search on Amazon. Print editions are available too.

We’ve experimented with selling books all together in book fairs before, but I feel that we took it up a notch this year (based on the interest and the fact that books were sold in fab numbers!). Some of us have print deals already with Anvil and Visprint (and both publishers were there at Readercon as sellers too) but it seemed like a good idea to be the romance table, so we could have indies and formerly-indie books sold or promoted together, and I loved how it was so…romantic. Haha!

And then there was the FRCAs, and the Romance in English award went to Chrissie Peria (again!) this time for The Kitchen When It Sizzles. Very happy for her! The book itself is fun and pushes the envelope a bit and may surprise people who think they’ve got a handle on Filipino-authored romance. In a good way. And hot chef. Come on.

If that’s not enough, apparently we’re so happy with Readercon that we’re planning more things. Romance-y things. We will do more! If this is something you’d like to do, or help out with, or just watch and enjoy, join us, okay?

Filipino Readercon 2015 at DLSU

I’ve participated in the past Readercons in a casual, somewhat non-committal way, since it started. Of course it was the kind of thing I’d go to as a participant, and I did. Then I was invited to be part of panels, and I’d do that. When I was fortunate enough to be a finalist at the Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards, which were given out during Readercon, then I went to those too. Earlier this year I was invited to be part of the board of this group of volunteers, thinking I’d have dinner with the fellow board members, talk about books, and then go home. No obligation to help organizing the event, they said.

Haha!

11.26 #TBT ReaderCon 2012. Someone was tiny back then #FilReaderCon #RoadtoFRC2015

A photo posted by Mina V. Esguerra (@minavesguerra) on Nov 25, 2015 at 3:07pm PST

This year I actually helped a bit more, even if I had been under no obligation to. The committee needed help with the program and putting some panels together, and what the hey, I like doing that. I like having interesting people who did interesting things sit on a panel and tell everyone else what they’ve been doing. So I suggested a few things, and then did a few things, and before I knew it, there were shared spreadsheets, I was drafting letters on my birthday week, I’d put in the little company I co-founded to provide support with paperwork, Jothee and Carmel (volunteers too mind you!) were sending letters to people, and late night messages were bouncing back and forth about budgets and books and performers and lots and lots of Mockingjay books.

On November 28, it all came together, and for a day we offered a bunch of activities for people who enjoyed reading and books. The program went a little something like this:

It was fun, if a bit crazy busy. But people were helping each other out, every step of the way, which was awesome, because that’s what you try to look for right? For people who feel the same way about the thing as you and just want to do stuff. Honey de Peralta of Readercon was at the PILF in Davao also last week and we were talking a little bit about what was coming, but not really, maybe because we were in denial, but we did talk about why we were doing this at all…and the only answer we could give was, we just wanted to.

So we did! So glad I jumped in and committed, this time. So worth it.

Thoughts post Philippine International Literary Festival 2015 in Davao

Photo taken by Honey de Peralta (IG: fantaghiro23)

My first time in Davao, first time traveling without my daughter. November turned out to be a busy month so I haven’t properly recapped this event, but I’m thankful that I got the invite from the NBDB. I appreciate that they’re giving me a chance to talk about my publishing experiments.

I go through the same (but updated) presentation though. Yes, everyone can easily publish. Yes, we have to work on overcoming self-publishing’s reputation among snobs. Yes, once you get over it, you may find success with it. I’ve no problem being the person who says this (right now) but here’s what I’m leaving out: If you’re only thinking about this now, you’re already too late. The world has moved on. Publishing is already digital, self-published authors already control the charts, and trad publishers have already changed the way they work to adapt and they will keep adapting.

I’m hoping that future gatherings will connect me to people who can say they’ve tried something and it worked. We have SO many challenges facing us in this not-so-traditional publishing landscape and I want to hear more stories of people who tried a new way and how successful they were.

I also had great food, great conversations, and awesome company on this trip. Thank you for letting me hang out with you all.

Read our romance books at Tweedle Book Cafe in QC

If you visit Tweedle Book Cafe on Scout Gandia St., Quezon City, you’ll be able to read these indie romance books free with your coffee or hot choco.

What About Today by Dawn Lanuza

When Cocoy Became Kikay by C.P. Santi

My short stories Georgia Lost and Found and Gifted Little Creatures

Paper Planes Back Home by Tara Frejas

As always, these are available as ebooks, or in print by ordering direct from the author! Go to romanceclassbooks.com for more info and more books.

What You Wanted

Releasing a new Chic Manila book! This is romance set in Manila again, after taking a break and writing five books set in other places. Feels like going home, for me. There are familiar characters here too, and even as an author I re-acquainted myself with the people and places I had written about before.

What You Wanted is a full book featuring Andrea and Damon, the main characters in my short story Wedding Night Stand. Andrea is the sister of Julie (from That Kind of Guy). The book can be read as a standalone, and should be easy to get into, even if you’ve never read the other books. But if you want to anyway, that’s fine too!

It’s the classic one-night stand: Beach wedding, bridesmaid, groom’s friend. When Andrea and Damon meet, sparks fly, and they give in to the attraction. Sounds simple, but Andrea’s still getting over someone, and Damon thought he’d be hooking up with another person that night. It could still be simple, really, if they chalk it up to a weekend tryst and move on.

But one night becomes lunch the week after, and then dinner the next weekend…and before they know it, Andrea and Damon are still together, dealing with the feelings they know they might still have for other people. How hard can it be to get exactly what you want? How do you even know what it is?

Out on November 25! Pre-order now and get it at its discounted launch price:

Amazon iTunes Smashwords

Spark Books Launch (October 25, 2015)

I’m not just a Pinoy author of romance in English; I’m one of this niche group’s biggest readers also. I’ve gotten used to one new published book every few months, if we’re lucky. In recent years authors are self-publishing their romance books so we don’t have to wait so long between new releases. But a traditional publisher like Anvil releasing six titles in one go? Awesome — it’s a buffet! Haha.

Six new titles were released under Anvil’s Spark Books imprint on October 25, and I was asked to host the event. (I accepted, of course.) All of these books had a life online before their Spark editions. You may have even bought them if you read Kindle editions — and if you did, you’re part of why these print books were selected. You, supportive reader, make books exist and give them new life in other media.

Four of the six authors were at the launch and signed books!

Kate Evangelista, Agay Llanera, and Chrissie Peria

Dawn Lanuza

Spark Books (including my books) available in National Bookstore and Powerbooks branches! I’ve seen them in the Philippine Publications and/or Romance and/or New Adult and/or Young Adult sections — and in some cases near the cashier. If you’re trying to find them and can’t, please go ask customer service, or tweet @nbsalert.