Tyra (PHR)'s Blog, page 6

New Year and Everything Else in Between...

Just like the title says, New Year.  LOL.  I don't really know what to write, pero sige na nga, isusulat ko na lang ang maisipan kong isulat.  Hehehehe.  First, gusto ko lang magreklamo.  Naiinis lang kasi ako dito sa MS na sinusulat ko.  I wanted to finish it to today para naman maipasa ko na siya this same day.  Kaya lang hayun, dahil hindi ko alam kung ano ang idudugtong ko, sobrang tagal bago ko siya naipagpatuloy. I'm having the same problem as I had when I wrote Arik's story.  There's just too much information and too many characters.  Tapos parang masyadong na-center yung story dun sa ibang anggulo sa halip na dun lang sa love angle nung mga bida.  And that's why feeling ko na naman hindi siya ma-a-approve.  Haizzzz..... Promise, masaya na ko kung maging for revision siya.  Pero syempre mas masaya kung approve talaga siya.  *fingers crossed*  (Gusto ko sanang gawin yung The Next Big Thing na ti-nag sa 'kin ni Luna, kaya lang I have no idea kung ano dun sa mga novel ko ang susunod na mapu-publish. So, I'll just save that post for later.)
 MY 2012 Hmmm... My 2012 has been, well, I can't really describe how my 2012 was.  Para kasing kahapon January, 2012 lang tapos boom!  Nagising ako 2013 na.  It just passed like a blur.  Siguro kaya ganito ang feeling ko kasi wala naman akong masyadong ginawa this year maliban sa pagsusulat.  One year na rin akong nagsusulat, so gusto kong isipin na kahit paano ay nag-improve na ako.  Haha. LOL.  Wishful thinking lang.  :) I think the following were the highlights of my year.  Basahin niyo na lang. Hehehe. XP I had ten approved MS.  Seven for PHR and three for MSV.  You may think that it's quite a feat, pero para sa 'kin parang kulang pa rin 'yon.  Hehe.  Si Camilla nga naka-sixty three eh.  Super great niya no?  Kahit maka-one fourth lang ako nung nagawa niya, masaya na ko. I attended PHR's summer workshop, where I learned a lot and met my other co-writers.  Dito kami nag-meet ni Luna King who I consider as one of my closest writer friends. Ayieee.... (Luna kung mababasa mo 'to, kiligin ka naman d'yan. LOL.)Three of my novels were published.  Hindi ko alam kung may bumili at kung may nakabasa, pero kung meron man, buong-puso akong nagpapasalamat sa inyo.  :)I met Jelaine Albert. (Jelaine, kung mababasa mo 'to, dapat ka ring kiligin. Hehehe.) Nakakatuwa kasi first meeting pa lang namin sobrang nagkasundo na kami.  Haha.  And now, I'm confident to say that we are what you can consider, FRIENDS.  Hahaha.  Drama lang eh.  Last, PHR Brainstorming in Anvaya Cove.  Grabe, super fun!  Dami kong natutunan.  Sarap ng food.  Ganda ng place.  :)  Masaya din kasi na-meet ko pa yung ibang writers, seniors and juniors alike.  Sobrang bait ni Miss Dawn (kasama namin siya ni Nikki Karenina sa room).  At syempre ang pinaka-hindi ko makakalimutan ay si Sir Jun, ang aming dakilang publisher.  Grabe lang ang pangungulit sa 'kin ni Sir no'n.  He was always calling me 'My Sister the Vampire'.  Kamukha ko daw kasi yung nasa cover of the said book.  XPAnd that's how my 2012 went. :D

HOW I WISHED MY 2013 SHOULD BE

The thing I want the most is to be more productive.  As in!  Yung tipong makakatapos ako ng isang MS sa loob ng dalawang linggo.  That would be really helpful.  Especially since napakadami kong plano for 2013.  At sana lang matapos ko ang lahat ng 'yon.  Do you want to know my upcoming plans?  Kahit hindi niyo pa gustong malaman, sasabihin ko pa rin. LOL.
I'm planning to write four books with interconnected stories.  Tipong sequel, sequel.  Hehe.  I would call it my Dream Man series.  The tentative title for the first book would be "Taming The Actor".  Spin-off siya nung last book ng Montero Siblings series ko (na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin na-re-release. hehehe).There's also this trilogy and this series na connected naman sa "The Captivated Painter" at sa mga sequels no'n.  (ito talaga pinag-pe-pray ko na sana matapos siya)Two collaboration series with my co-writer, Jelaine Albert.  Plano naming gawin yung unang series, middle of the year.  Tapos later, sana makaya pa naming gawin yung isa pa.  *fingers crossed ulit*A modern fairy tale that is based on Little Mermaid.  Balak kong gawing mute/pipi yung heroine ko dito.  I wish I can pull it off. :)And I also plan to go back to school.  Sana lang ma-balance ko silang lahat.  Hopefully.  LOL.

Okayyyyy.....

So,

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!




 
  

On Rejections...

So far, during this whole year that I've been writing, I had four returned manuscipts.  I sent a total of twelve manuscripts on PHR, eight were approved while the other four were returned.  Yung una kong returned, hindi ko masyadong dinamdam 'yon.  Tanggap ko naman kasi na medyo napasobrang out of the box yung story ko.  But the second and third really hurt me.  Hindi ko matanggap na returned sila.  Kasi feeling ko naman maganda naman yung story, saka maayos naman yung pagkakagawa ko ng conflict.   Feeling ko nun, hindi siguro talaga ako para sa romance.  Ayoko namang sumuko na kaagad dahil lang sa nakatanggap ako ng rejection.  So dahil nasayangan ako dun sa dalawang story na 'yon, I sent it to another publishing house.  And guess what?  They approved it.  It was super weird at first, kasi 'di ba nga, returned siya sa PHR.  Naisip ko na lang noon na baka sobrang taas lang talaga ng standard ng PHR.  Pero super saya ko talaga noon, kasi ibig-sabihin hindi masasayang yung story ko.  I sent it to MSV, by the way. After that, nagsulat ulit ako ng isa pang story and I sent it to MSV instead sa PHR.  Ewan ko ba, after kasi nung tatlong returned ko, sobrang bumaba talaga ang confidence ko.  Feeling ko magsasayang na naman ako ng oras kung ipapasa ko siya sa PHR tapos in the end ma-re-returned lang.  Ayun, the story was approved again.  Sobrang kino-contemplate ko na nun na sa MSV na lang ako magpapasa ng story.  Kasi feeling ko talaga hindi nila i-re-return yung mga sinusulat ko. And then the workshop came.  It was PHR's summer workshop.  Super thankful ako na um-attend ako nun.  Nagkaro'n kasi ako ng panibagong confidence na magsulat ulit for PHR.  Ang dami kong natutunan, as in!  Doon ko na-realize yung rason kung bakit nga ba na-returned yung tatlo kong MS.  After that, nagsulat ako ng isang bagong story.  I considered all the things that I learned from the workshop.  And voila!  My story was approved. After the workshop, sunud-sunod na yung naging approve ko.  Kaso this last December 6, I had another returned manuscript.  Syempre nalungkot na naman ako.  Pero hindi ako masyadong nagpaka-wallow sa self-pity kasi the day after that na-approve naman yung isa ko pang MS.  But still, nakakalungkot pa rin kasi gusto ko talaga yung story na yun.  Ipinasa ko ulit siya sa MSV.  Hopefully matanggap siya. :) Anyways, alam ko super cliche na nitong sasabihin ko, but for those na talagang pangarap ang pagsusulat, hindi kayo dapat sumuko dahil lang sa ilang rejections.  Kung alam niyo naman sa sarili niyo na meron kayong talent for writing, then don't give up so easily.  Sabi nga ni Robert Mckee: “Write every day, line by line, page by page, hour by hour. Do this despite fear. For above all else, beyond imagination and skill, what the world asks of you is courage, courage to risk rejection, ridicule and failure. As you follow the quest for stories told with meaning and beauty, study thoughtfully but write boldly. Then, like the hero of the fable, your dance will dazzle the world.”     

My Third Baby

Published: November 20, 2012The Captivated Painter Paano ba niya magagawa pang bumalik sa dati niyang buhay, if his heart was mercilessly captured by this angel?
Isang yacht cruise ang iniregalo kay Seika ng nobyo niyang si Arik. Sa pangalawang araw ng cruise nila, isang napakalakas na sea storm ang hinarap nila. Nahulog si Seika sa dagat. Sinubukan siyang iligtas ni Arik pero nang malapit na ito sa kanya, saka ito inanod ng malakas na alon. And that was the last time she saw him. Dahil pagdilat niya, wala na siyang makita kundi kadiliman.
Because of the accident, she became blind. Bukod doon ay hindi pa rin nakikita ng mga rescuer si Arik. She felt so devastated. Parang mas nanaisin pa niyang mamatay kaysa manatili sa kadilimang kinalulugmukan niya.
 And that was when Aram came to her life.
 He was like a breath of fresh air. Binigyan uli nito ng liwanag ang madilim niyang mundo. Unti-unting nahulog ang loob niya rito. She was always flooded by guilt tuwing naiisip niya na sa loob ng maikling panahon ay minahal niya si Aram. Dahil bukod sa hindi pa rin natatagpuan si Arik, hindi rin niya maaaring takasan ang masaklap na katotohanang kapatid si Aram ng kasintahan niya. 
Una sa lahat, I so love the cover!  Feeling ko ang swerte-swerte ko pagdating sa mga cover. Haha. Yung teaser niya was the same teaser I made.  Nakakatuwa lang.  Ibig-sabihin ba marunong na 'kong gumawa ng teaser?  Naks naman. lol.

Anyways, I was quite surprised nang makita ko na out na pala 'to.  Akala ko kasi mga next year pa siya lalabas.  This was actually my fifth approved MS.  O di ba ang weird lang.  Naunahan pa niya yung 3rd at 4th ko.

This is Aram's story and the very first story of a very long saga. Haha. lol.  Saga talaga eh?  Madami kasing characters na lilitaw and of course they will have their own story.  The first part would consist of four books.  At ito ngang kay Aram ang una do'n.  And it will be followed by Arik, Aram's twin.  Secret muna kung sino yung dalawang susunod.  Hehe.

Then the four books will give way to a trilogy and a six book series.  Hanep.  Ambisyosa lang ako ang lola niyo noh?  Sa totoo n'yan, plano ko pa lang isulat ngayon yung pangatlong book dun sa first four books.  At wala pa akong kaide-ideya kung paano ko gagawin yung pang-apat.  Sana lang magkaro'n ng himala at malinawagan ako sa kung anong dapat isulat.

My hero in this story, Aram, ay ang unang hero na sinulat ko na masyadong mabait.  Siya yung unang hero na hindi pushy at hindi isang malaking flirt.  Medyo nahirapan ako na gumawa ng "kilig" moments sa kwento na 'to kasi nga hindi marunong mag-take advantage si Aram.  So kailangan ko pang gumawa ng mga situation para lang magkalapit sila nung heroine ko.

Sa lahat ng mga MS ko na na-approve, ito ang pinakapaborito ko.  Ewan ko ba.  Basta, malapit sa puso ko ang story nito.  I just love my hero and heroine.  Pareho silang masyadong naive.  Hindi ko nga alam kung paano ako naka-survive na tapusin ang kwento nila.  Kaya nung na-approve siya, sobrang saya ko lang talaga. :)

Sana magustuhan niyo rin ang story nila.  And please, do wait for Arik's story.

TRIVIA:  Aram's name came from the manga "Meru Puri".  Siya yung bidang lalaki dun.  Seika's name came from the manga that inspired me to write this story.  It was entitled "Hakuji".  It was a story of a painter, lost in his own world, and a cheerful girl who later on became blind.  Medyo dark yung theme nung manga at may pagaka-psychological din siya.  But i was really moved after i finished reading it.  Tapos bigla ko na lang naisip na gusto kong gumawa ng story about a painter and a blind girl.  And thus, this story was born. 

Don't worry, wala pong pang-gagaya na naganap nung sinusulat ko ang kwentong ito.  Sobrang layo as in malayo talaga ang story na 'to sa "Hakuji".  Kahit basahin niyo pa yung manga.  Ang tanging pagkakapareho lang siguro nila was that the heroes were both painters and the heroines both became blind.  But that's the extent of it.  Hehehe. XP

 

Days of Blood and Starlight

First of all, look at that amazing cover?  What kind of person, with his right mind, could not be intrigued by that cover?  Man, the first time I saw it, I couldn't take my eyes off it.  I thought the cover of Daughter of Smoke and Bone was the most amazing cover ever, but this one was just as amazing.  And the title, gosh the title.  Days of Blood and Starlight?  What can be cooler? I've been waiting for this book for a year now.  Since I read the first book, I've been hooked.  I mean, who wouldn't?  Laini Taylor is just a pure genius.  I love the world she created in this book.  The world of the angels and the chimaera.  Astrae and Loramendi.  Everything was epic.  So, when I went to National Bookstore yesterday, I was gravely disappointed to find out that the said bookstore still didn't have the book.  And because I'm an impatient little fellow, I did a drastic move.  I downloaded an epub version.  I did an all-nighter and finished it. My experience in reading this book can all be describe in one line.  This line: "I fell in love, only to find my heart broken.  But then, unexpectedly, I fell in love again." Don't get me wrong, this doesn't pertain to the story.  I'm talking about a certain character in the book.  And, no, it's not Akiva. It's Ziri. The last Kirin. The handsome and sweet Ziri. Lucky Ziri.  As they call him.  He's the last one of his kind.  If you read the first book, then you would know that Madrgal (the chimaera Karou was before she became Karou) was also a Kirin.  They're humanoid chimaera, with horns, bat wings and hooves.  They're one of the most beatiful chimaera races.   When I first read about Ziri, I immediately fell in love.  It's the first time I fell in love with a character after only reading a few lines about him.  As the story progressed,  I found myself falling even harder.  I just want to comfort him everytime he's emotionally hurt and I want to kill all those bastard angels who tortured him.  I want him all for myself, but at the same time, I also want Karou to notice him, even just a little. That's how much I love him. And when I was near the end, and I thought he was gone, I felt like killing someone.  Then something happened and he was back.  But it's just sad.  So sad, because he will never be the same Ziri again.  It just pained me that I could never read about his beautiful form again.  But, oh well, Ziri is still Ziri regardless of how he looked.  I still love him just the same. I'll give this book 4 stars out of 5.  I honestly want to give it a 5 but I just can't.  Half of the book, Karou just lose her usual spunk.  She became this timid, afraid, obedient girl.  Yeah, I know, it can't be helped after all that happened to her.  But heck, where did the cool Karou I knew disappeared to?  And another thing was the unexpected event that happened at the end.  It's just a little weird.  I don't want to spoil anyone so I won't mention anything here. :p All in all, it's still a great book.  I can't wait for the third installment already.  I think there would be a lot of bloodshed.  And a lot of love triangles, too.  AkivaXKarouXZiri and KarouXAkivaXthatStellianQueen.   Ziri  -This is how I envisioned Ziri.  The beautiful madness of it.  I will miss his true form.  God, I'm missing him already.  :'(     

Breaking Dawn

I went to SM San Pablo earlier with my two younger brothers and obviously, as you can see on the title, we watched Breaking Dawn.  I didn't really plan on writing any review for this movie since I might just end up bashing it.  You see, before going to the mall, I was actually already prepared to be disappointed.  I'm not really a big Twilight fan.  I hate Bella's character, then add that to the fact that I don't like Kristin Stewart.  But as we watched the movie, I was pleasantly surprise. It was actually pretty good.  The flow of the story was good.  The fight scenes were good.  It was the classic example when a movie was actually better than the book.  As I've said, I'm not really a Twilight fan but I read the books.  The book was so popular four, five years ago so I got curious and read it.  I don't know if it's because of the fact that I read the Breaking Dawn book four years ago, that's why I'm saying the movie was way better.  But I honestly think that it was way, wayy, wayyy better than the book. So I'm giving this movie a 3.5 stars out of 5.  I want to give it a 4 but Kristin's acting was still as emotionless as ever, so I think 3.5 stars is enough. :p  -lol I just thought of putting a picture of the three of them. haha 

drowings ko...

I've been drawing ever since I was four of five.  I'm not really that sure.  Basta nagsimula ang hilig ko sa pag-do-drawing noong kasagsagan ng Sailormoon.  Para sa mga 90's baby, I'm sure alam niyo kung kailan 'yon.  Haha. XP
Anyways, I just want to share some of my drawings here.  Enjoy!
Miaka and Tamahome Allen, Lavi and Kanda
 
Yoko
 
                Setsuna, Kyoshiro and Kuu                     Mato/ Black Rock Shooter  Tsuna Soubi and Ritsuka

Tsuna
















Mizuho


















Tsubasa, Konata, Kagami and Miyuki

  Tamaki and Haruhi Kuniko

Kobato
Fai D. Flowright




 

























Kazehaya and Kuronuma
Echizen Ryoma
And that's the end of it, folks!  Sana nag-enjoy naman kayo sa pagtingin ng mga obra ko.  Hahaha. XP

On Writing Novels

There are many aspiring writers out there who are searching for tips that could help them in writing their very first manuscript.  There are also those writers that's been sending their manuscript to different publishing house but to no avail would always get a rejected feedback.  Personally, I don't think I'm capable enough to give tips or guidelines to other people regarding writing.  Because I know, myself, that I'm not that good enough.   But whenever I'm writing a story, there are some set of rules that I follow.  And I just want to share it to all of you. :) Plot.  I make sure that my plot is plausible.  Kapag nag-iisip ako ng kwento, sinisiguro ko muna na yung kwento na naisip ko posible talagang mangyari sa tunay na buhay.  It's really not advisable to write a story that would seem really impossible to happen.  Especially if the genre of story the you're writing is contemporary romance.  The editors would not want a story that seemed to be so out of this world because they would just surely reject it.  Lalo na kung hindi mo naman siya na-justify ng maayos.Conflict.  I make sure that my conflict is believable and justifiable.  Yung bang tipong hindi lang siya basta lumitaw para lang magkaro'n ng conflict yung story mo.  Usually yung mga source ng conflict ng mga story na sinusulat ko is internal.  'Yon bang madaming personal issues yung mga bida ko na nagiging dahilan kaya nagkakaro'n sila ng problema.  (i.e. Your heroine had been badly hurt by another man before, kaya naman takot na siyang magmahal ulit.  Or your hero had a bad experience with a woman before kaya hindi na siya naniniwala sa love.) Pwede din naman na ang source ng conflict is external.  Dito madalas na lumilitaw yung mga pasaway na 3rd party.  (i.e. Yung mga hindi maka-get over na ex-bf/gf.  Misundestanding caused by annoying b*tches.  Parents na tutol sa relasyon nina hero and heroine. etc.)Kilig.  Siyempre hindi dapat mawala 'to.  Ito ang pinaka-importanteng part ng kahit na anong romance novel.  Kapag wala 'to, malamang sa hindi, rejected ang kalalabasan ng manuscript mo.  So, I make it to a point to write a kilig scene every chapter.  Kapag ginawa mo 'to, I'm sure hindi ka masasabihan ng editor mo na kulang sa kilig yung ginawa mong MS.  But there were times na hindi ko pa rin siya nasusunod.  Sobrang hirap kasing mag-isip ng nakakakilig na scene.                  
And that's it.  These are the usual rules that I follow.  So far, super effective pa naman siya since hindi pa naman ako nakaka-receive ng rejected feedback ever since last May.  Actually, ginawa ko ang tatlong rules na 'to after I attended the Precious Hearts Writing Workshop last summer.  Sobrang naliwanagan ang utak ko dahil sa workshop na 'yon.  Kaya para sa mga aspiring writers d'yan, I advise that you attend the same workshop if gusto niyo ring maliwanagan ang utak niyo. I hope nakatulong sa inyo 'tong mga rules na sinulat ko. :)  

Vestige

vestige -  (1): a trace, mark, or visible sign left by something (as an ancient city or a condition or practice) vanished or lost (2): the smallest quantity or trace _that's the definition I got from merriam-webster dictionary. This was the the title of the first ever (and probably the last) poem that I wrote back in high school.  I really hate reading poems, much worse writing them.  I just can't appreciate it.  Napaka-cryptic kasi ng dating sa 'kin ng mga tula.  Yun bang tipong kailangan mo pang i-dissect ng mabuti ang bawat lines para lang makuha mo yung gustong iparating ng writer.   Tapos most of the known poets used old English pa.  Eh sobrang hate ko rin ang old English.  Kaya nga kahit na anong gawin ko hindi ko ma-appreciate ang mga gawa ni Shakespeare eh. (because all of his plays were written in old English) Well anyways, I just want to post here my very first poem.    Vestige Underneath this frozen windI stand here all aloneFeeling pathetic,Feeling drowned. Tears keep falling from my heartIt's broken, it's bleedingI thought you can ease the painBut you're the one causing it. How can you say you love me?When you still love herHow can you say you like me?When you like her just the same. You promise you'll work this outBut how?As long as I can feel that you love herI think you can't. I'm brokenAnd I keep on breakingAs long as I can feelThis damn feeling for you.  And that's it.  Hahaha.  Masyado bang halata na may pinaghuhugutan ako nito?  Well, yeah, naisulat ko 'to dahil sa 'king first infatuation.  Haha, infatuation talaga eh.  Feeling ko naman kasi hindi naman talaga ako na-in love sa kanya.  Parang nadala lang ako nung mga tao sa paligid ko at nung mga pangyayari.  Parang nasobrahan lang ako sa excitement no'n.   He was the cutest guy in our class.  If the cutest guy in your class told you that he likes you, ano pa bang mararamdaman mo?  Tapos idagdag pa do'n na half-Japanese siya, kaya ang lakas lang ng dating niya sa 'kin.  I think nung mga panahong 'yon, yung crush na nararamdaman ko ay na-heightened lang dahil sinabi niya sa 'kin na gusto niya ako.  So i know for sure that it's definitely not love. I'm a freaking romance writer.  I should know the difference between love and a simple crush, right?? Hahaha.  Parang jina-justify ko lang ang sarili ko.  >_____<              

It's a Miracle (again)

Grabe lang!  Feeling ko napakaswerte ko ngayong araw.  Remember that MS that I've been ranting about?  Well, it's finally approved.  Akala ko talaga magiging for revision na naman yun.  Kung sakali man na naging for revision na naman yun, baka talagang umiyak na 'ko ng dugo.  Mabuti na lang at sa wakas na-feel na ng editor ko na mahal talaga nung mga bida ko ang isa't-isa.  At mukhang naging kuntento na rin siya dun sa mga kilig moments na dinagdag ko. Para akong nabunutan ng malaking tinik sa dibdib.  Haizzzz..... Ngayon pwede ko nang isulat yung last installment dun sa kwento ng magkakapatid na 'yon.  Ooops!  Mali pala.  Kailangan ko pala munang mag-isip ng plot.  hehehehe    -ganito lang ang itsura ko ngayon, nagpapakalunod sa happiness. LOL. 

It's a Miracle..!

WOW.  I honestly can't contain my happiness right now.  As in!  The MS that I thought was never ever going to be approved was just approved!  And the best part was wala man lang gustong ipabago yung editor dun sa story.  Imagine that. Ang buong akala ko talaga ay ma-re-returned siya sa 'kin.  Actually, masaya na nga ako kung magiging for revision lang siya.  But my lucky star seems to be shining on me right now dahil na-approve siya.  Well, hindi naman ako sira para magreklamo pa.  So I'm just really, really thankful.  There will be another two sequels for this novel pero wala pa rin akong maisip na plot para sa kanila.  Haizzzz..... I just hope na makapag-isip na ako ng magandang kwento para sa dalawa pang susunod na characters. And another thing that I seriously and freakingly wishing for right now, ay sana ma-approve na yung bwisit kong revision.  I mean, duh, nauna pang ma-approve yung MS ko na akala ko hinding-hindi ma-a-approve.  To think na nauna ko pang ipasa yung revision na yun kesa dun sa approved kong MS.  Sana lang talaga maisip na ng editor ng revised MS ko na yun na ayos na yung story at wala nang dapat pang baguhin.  Sana maramdaman na niya na mahal talaga ng mga bida ko ang isa't-isa.  Sana sapat na yung idinagdag ko para makaramdam siya ng kilig.  Please lang talaga.  Maawa na at mahabag.  Well, regardless of that, I'm still pretty happy right now.  O___o