Tyra (PHR)'s Blog

My Thoughts These Days

It's been a while since I posted anything here, so this will probably be full of random musings.  LOL.  So first of, gusto ko lang i-share na napa-approve ko na ang story ni Sasha.  Banzai!  Haha!  Kung natatandaan niyo pa siya, he's the thief from my two books The Enchanted Sailor and The Enthralled Warrior.  Medyo matagal na silang na-publish, three years ago to be exact.  Hindi ko sure kung meron pang naghihintay sa story ni Sasha, and kung meron man, ayan, padating na siya.  I just hope you will like his story and of course her heroine, Ley.  This story will be some sort of opening act for a six-book series and a trilogy.  It will be titled; Metusela Men and The Thief's Apprentices.  Which is hanggang ngayon hindi ko pa nasisimulan.  Well, I'm hoping na masimulan ko kahit yung 1st book ng series within this year.  Sana talaga magawa ko siya.  *fingers-crossed*
Sinusulat ko ngayon 'yong isa do'n sa assignment from brainstorming.  The #squadgoals to #relationshipgoals thingy.  So far, it's going smoothly naman.  Since may ideya na ko kung ano yung magiging conflict nila.  Ang kelangan ko na lang ay mga scene kung paano sila makakarating sa conflict na 'yon.  Ah, may isa pa pala akong kelangan; kasipagan.  Haha!
Hinihintay ko pala 'yong result nung isa kong MS, wala pa namang isang buwan since naipasa ko siya so keri lang.  I'm just hoping that the result will be positive.  Two-books worth yun.  Maiiyak talaga ako kung ibabalik 'yon sa kin.  Speaking of results, nabalitaan ko na matagal nang magbigay ng results ang PHR these days.  May friend ako na limang buwan na pero wala pa ring result yung MS niya.  Meron ding inaabot ng anim na buwan.  Tho hindi ko pa naman nararanasan na maghintay ng ganyang katagal.  Ang pinakatagal na siguro for me is one and a half months.  And I'm super thankful for that.  Hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko kung makaranas ako ng ganyang katagal na paghihintay.  So I'm really, really hoping na hindi siya mangyari sa 'kin.  >_<
Aklat Awards 2016.  Panibagong pakulo ng Precious Pages.  I'm nominated in two categories; for best mini-series para sa Finding Ethan and for best PHR Singles para sa aking Moon Saga (Moonflower, Black Moon, & Moon Fever).  I'm not expecting anything.  Alam ko naman na hindi ako mananalo.  LOL.  For sure yung mga seniors ang mananalo jan.  Mahirap ng umasa, masasaktan ka lang sa bandang huli.  Biglang humugot?  Haha!  But seriously, I'm not really expecting anything.  Alam ko naman na hindi bonggang-bongga sa dami ang readers ko.  Kaya matalo man ako, okay lang, tanggap ko.  Kung manalo, eh di masaya.  Haha!
May kinababaliwan pala akong K-Drama ngayon.  W-Two Worlds ang title.  Gusto ko siya kasi para akong nanonood ng anime.  Ang galing lang nung mga writers.  Sobrang two-thumbs up do'n sa story.  And it doesn't hurt na parehong gwapo at maganda yung dalawang bida.  'Yon nga lang malakas ang kutob ko na hindi siya magkakaron ng happy ending.  By happy ending I mean hindi magkakatuluyan yung mga bida.  Well, unless magdesisyon yung heroine na mabuhay sa loob ng webtoon.  So ngayon pa lang hinahanda ko na yung sarili ko para dun.  
Pokemon GO!  Available na siya dito sa Pilipinas pero hindi ako makapaglaro.  Sira na naman kasi yung magaling kong cellphone.  Kabwisit.  Kainggit tuloy kapag may nakikita ako sa newsfeed ko sa Facebook na mga nanghuhuli ng Pokemon.  TT__TT

Ilalabas pala sa upcoming MIBF ang Our Last Colorful Days.  Medyo unexpected.  Akala ko kasi talaga hindi na masisilayan ng araw yun eh.  LOL.  But I'm super happy na lalabas na siya and magkakaroon na ng chance na mabasa siya ng mga tao.  I just hope people will appreciate it and hindi sila masyadong magreklamo for the lack of romance and for the way it ended.  
Hmm... ano pa ba?  Ah, yun lang ata.  Till next time na lang! LOL. XD   

Our Last Colorful Days

Last February my very first YA entitled Our Last Colorful Days was approved.  I was quite happy with this one.  It's different from all the others I've written so far.  It was written solely on the hero's POV.  Feeling ko hindi gano'n karami ang matutuwa sa kanya dahil sa takbo ng utak nung hero at dahil hindi rin gano'n karami ang nakakakilig na scene.  And most importantly, wala siyang happy ending.  Feeling ko kasi hindi pa time para magkaro'n ng happy ending yung hero ko dito.  I mean, he's only fifteen.  Madami pa siyang pwedeng pagdaanan sa buhay.  So this novel was more like a coming of age story.  Putting your faith on someone, living your life, and learning to forgive yourself.  Sana ma-inspire yung mga makakabasa nito sa kwento ni Andrei (hero) at ni Pippa (heroine). I really love the two of them.  Kung mabibigyan siguro ako ng chance.  I will write another story for Andrei and this time bibigyan ko na siya ng happy ending. :)
The only problem I have is baka hindi na masilayan ng araw ang kwento na 'to.  It will be published under Pastrybug.  Lahat ng YA na makakapasa sa PHR, sa Pastrybug na ipu-publish.  But there's a catch.  Kailangang madami muna siyang reads at votes sa Wattpad.  I-po-post kasi ng Wattpad account ng Pastrybug ang lahat ng pumapasa sa kanila, and kapag madami yung votes and reads nung kwento, saka pa lang siya ilalabas.  Not really sure kung totoo ang procedure na 'to.  But if it was true, then I'm afraid baka hindi na nga lumabas sa mundo ang kwentong ito.  Hindi kasi talaga ako magaling sa pagpo-promote ang stuffs like that.  Kapag nag-post ako ng story sa Wattpad, iniiwan ko lang do'n and bahala na sila.  LOL.  Anyway, kung mababasa niyo ang post na 'to, thenclick the link below para mabasa niyo siya. :)
https://www.wattpad.com/story/6536953... 

Do's. Don'ts. And Some Pointers.

Some people have been asking me on how can they avoid getting a returned manuscript.  Honestly, I don't really have a sure fire answer to that.  Since for me, hindi naman pare-pareho ang taste ng mga editor pagdating sa mga manuscript na binabasa nila.  One editor might think that this story is good enough to be publish, but another editor might think otherwise.  So here are some pointers as to how to lessen the probability of having a returned manuscript.  Hindi ko maipapangako na kapag sinunod niyo ang mga nakasulat dito eh sigurado nang makakapasa ang manuscript na gagawin niyo.  These are solely based on my opinion, so here goes;Grammatical Errors. Truthfully, PHR is not so strict on this.  Pero kung puno na ng grammatical error ang manuscript mo to the point na hindi na maintindihan ng editor kung ano ang pinagsasasabi mo, then that will surely affect the editor's judgement on whether she will approve your story.  So I suggest kung hindi ka naman gano'n ka-confident sa pag-gamit ng wikang Ingles, you can always use our own language.  Hindi naman 'yon magiging kabawasan sa pagkatao mo.  And mas gusto ng mga editor na mas madami ang Tagalog sa isang manuscript.  But avoid using deep Tagalog words, just used words that you will use in an everyday normal conversation.Characterization. Be sure that you are consistent in your characterization of your hero and heroine and even your other side characters.  For example, your hero was supposed to be cold and aloof, then all of a sudden bigla na lang siyang magpapaka-kengkoy ng walang dahilan.  'Wag sanang gano'n.  If he's cold and aloof then he should act like it.  Kung kinakailangan siyang magbago para umandar ang kwento, then do it gradually, 'wag mong bibiglain.The 'Kilig' Factor.  Sa isang romance novel, ito ang dapat talaga na hindi mawala.  Try putting at least one 'kilig' scene in every chapter para hindi ka masabihan ng editor na kulang sa kilig ang manuscript mo.Conflict.  Your conflict should not pop up out of nowhere just to give your hero and heroine a problem.  For example, sa chapter nine, may bigla na lang lumabas na babae/lalaki na mag-se-serve as third party na magiging dahilan ng misunderstanding between the hero and heroine.  Yung tipong hindi mo naman siya nabanggit sa mga naunang chapter at bigla mo na lang siyang isiningit sa chapter na 'yon.  Hindi dapat gano'n.  You should introduce your conflict as early as chapter two or three, whether it's an internal conflict or an external one.  Dapat merong build up hanggang sa makarating ka sa climax.Plot.  If you're writing a contemporary romance, then make sure your plot is believable.  'Wag masyadong out of the box na hindi na siya makatotohanan.  Although we're writing fiction, dapat meron pa ring toud of reality.  Yung tipo na posible pa rin talaga siyang mangyari sa tunay na buhay.  Also, you should be able to justify the plot that you chose.  Dapat mapanindigan mo siya.  Your story should be consistent, you should not unnecessarily drag it on.  Yun bang singit ka ng singit ng mga scene na hindi naman nakakatulong sa pag-usad ng story.  Yung kahit alisin mo siya, mabubuhay pa rin ang kwento mo.And that's it.  Sana makatulong 'to sa mga aspiring writers na makakabasa nitong post na 'to. Goodluck everyone!  Kahit makatanggap man kayo ng returned manuscript, 'wag kayo agad susuko.  Gora lang ng gora hanggang makapagpa-approve.  After all, we can all learn a lot from one rejection. :))

Moon Saga

Last Monday Moon Fever was approved.  It was the story of Woods.  Grabeng tuwa ko lang no'n.  Si Azure na lang ang kulang at makukumpleto ko na ang aking apat na lobo.  Hindi ako sigurado kung kailan ko siya masisimulan, pero sana this year din.  But don't fret dahil hindi pa naman do'n nagtatapos ang lahat.  Madami pa kong balak na gawin.  The world that I built in this saga is so vast I could probably make a hundred stories out of it.  Okay, so maybe not a hundred, but still a lot.  
Plano kong gawan ng spin-off sina Ebony at Natsume (you will meet them in Black Moon) and introduce another race of supernaturals.  Pero pagkatapos nila hindi ko na alam kung ano ang isusunod.  Plano kong magpa-survey once na lumabas na ang Blood Moon (working title for Azure's book).  Itatanong ko sa mga reader kung ano ang sunod nilang gustong mabasa.  Would they like to read Turquoise's story?  Or would they like to start knowing about the ten Punishers?  Or maybe, they'd like to read an origin story about Lucian and Friese?  The last one would still depend on my editor though.  Do'n sa mga nakabasa na ng Moonflower, alam niyo naman na namatay si Friese, kaya hindi ako sigurado kung papayagan ako na isulat ang love story nila ni Lucian.
But see?  Ang dami ko pang pwedeng gawin at isulat mula sa mundo nila.  There are still the feys and the demons.  I would really want to write the stories of the seven demon archdukes.  But that can wait.  Maybe three years from now?  LOL.  I just hope na mahalin din ng mga reader ang bawat character sa saga na ito.  Sila naman kasi ang dahilan kung bakit patuloy kong pinagsisikapan na mapaganda ang bawat librong sinusulat ko. :))

This Feeling... Again

I'm having this fucking feeling again.  Like everything is not going my way and the universe is conspiring against me.  I can't write, my chest hurts, and I just want to hit something.  It's awful.  And I hate it.  I don't want to feel like this but I can't help it.  I'm only human.  All of us have that little green monster inside that's just waiting to be unleashed.  I keep a very tight leash on mine because I know how bad it would go if I let it roam freely.  But sometimes, just sometimes, it simply gets the better of me.  
It makes me want to give up and just say 'to hell with it all'.  It's like nothing comes out of all my effort.  If that's the case, then what's the point of all these?  What am I even doing?  But of course, I can't think like that.  Because if I do, then everything will be over.  And I can't simply let that happen.  So I will continue to fight and fight and fight some more.  Until I reach my goal and get everything I ever wanted. 

2015 PHR Annual Brainstorming

Last April 24, the annual PHR Brainstorming was held at Hidden Valley Springs in Calauan, Laguna.  Nung malaman namin ng aking co-writer na si Jelaine na malapit lang dito sa 'min yung place, we were really beyond happy.  Kung nagkataon kasi na malayo sa 'min yung pag-gaganapan, kelangan pa naming pumunta muna sa office ng PHR.  Meaning kelangan naming gumising ng maaga para umabot sa call time.  Good thing hindi na namin siya prinoblema this time.  
Pagdating namin sa Alaminos, naghanap kami ng masasakyan at nagulantang talaga kami nang singilin kami nung napagtanungan naming manong ng 200php papuntang Hidden Valley.  Dahil hindi namin matanggap yung price, nagtanong-tanong pa kami sa iba.  May napagtanungan kaming ate na tinakot pa kami at sinabihan kami na 'wag kaming magpahalata na hindi namin alam kung saan yung pupuntahan namin dahil baka kung saan daw kami dalhin nung driver.  Eh di yun, may nahanap kaming tricycle driver na 150php lang ang sinisingil.  So gora na kami sa kanya since kahit paano makakamura kami ng 50php.  The road from there to Hidden Valley was really bumpy, literally.  Pagdating namin do'n sa place sobrang sakit ng puwetan ko dahil wala man lang kalambot-lambot yung upuan ng tricycle ni kuyang driver.  Anyways, Miss Rose Tan was already there when we reached the place.  Eh di yun, kwentuhan galore muna kami.  Almost 11 a.m. na yata before dumating yung bus at magsimula yung activities.
After the initial pakilanlanan, hinati kami into seven groups.  Napunta ako sa group 2 at nakasama ko sa group na yun sina Leonna, Gezille, at ang aming team leader na si ate Sofia.  Ayun, walang humpay na pagbe-brainstorm ang naganap.  And at the end of it, tatlong concept for collaboration series ang nabuo namin.  Finding Ethan, which was about an idol who suddenly disappeared and the three women who will look for him.  #Ampalaya, well about sa mga bitter.  And lastly, Perfect Brides, which was about naman sa isang school na nag-te-train sa mga babae para maging perfect na asawa.  Our deadline for all of these is in June.  Hindi ko sure kung matatapos ko ba silang lahat, pero sana talaga.  Then nand'yan pa yung dagdag pressure na dapat pang-Reader's Choice level yung gagawin mo para i-release nila sa MIBF.  Pero kaya ko 'to.  Dapat kayanin.
Mas light yung naging brainstorming ngayon compared to last year na inabot talaga kami ng hanggang alas-dose ng madaling-araw sa pagpre-present lang ng mga plots.  And this year, nakapag-swimming kami.  Yey!  Hindi siya naging drawing lang compared to the last two brainstorming na na-attend-an ko.  Sobrang sarap magbabad sa warm pool.  Nakapag-videoke pa kami nung gabi at nakainom ng red wine.  Hindi ko na ikukwento ang experience ko sa red wine na 'yan, just know that I'm a happy drunk.  LOL.  The place was great.  Maganda yung cottage, masarap maglangoy dun sa pool, mababait ang mga staffs.  But I must say, mas masarap pa rin talaga yung food sa Anvaya.  Although masarap din naman yung food nila.  
On the second day, habang naghihintay sa pagdating ng bus, nagkayayaan kami nina Jelaine, Luna, Gezille, at Honey na maglibut-libot.  At sa paglilibot na 'yon, sa wakas ay natagpuan din namin ang soda pool at lover's pool.  Although nakakalungkot lang na hindi na kami nakalangoy dahil pare-pareho na kaming walang panligo.  And of course na natagpuan din namin ang hidden falls na sa sobrang pagka-hidden ay ilang kawayan yata ang tinawid namin para lang makarating do'n.  
Over all, this year's brainstorming was uber fun.  Sobrang nag-enjoy ako at ang aking mga co-writers.  Sana lang talaga tamaan ako ng sipag at magawa ko ang lahat ng story na dapat kong gawin.  *fingers-crossed*

Class picture! :)

Story Outlines (Are Not For Me)

Many writers make a story outline before they write a story.  Nakakatulong 'yon para mas mapadali ang pagsusulat nila.  Planning first what will happen in every chapter before writing the story.  But for me, it never really works.  The only time that I have ever written a story outline was when I wrote my very first novel.  Pero hindi ko rin siya nasunod and I realized na outlining the story first before writing them was not really for me.

Since then I just go with the flow of the story.  Pero hindi naman ibig sabihin no'n na basta-basta na lang akong nagsusulat ng kahit na anong maisipan ko.  Once I think of a plot and a conflict to that plot, then I start writing.  Pero dahil nga hindi ako nagawa ng outline at wala akong idea sa kung papaano tatakbo ang kwento, matagal bago ako makatapos ng isang kweto.  It takes me an average of three weeks bago ako makatapos ng isa.  But take note, sa three weeks na 'yan wala dapat akong ibang ginagawa kundi 'yan lang.

It's frustrating sometimes.  Kasi kung alam ko na beforehand kung paano tatakbo yung story ko at alam ko na kung ano ang ilalagay kong mga eksena sa bawat chapters, mas mabilis siguro akong makakatapos ng isang kwento.  But the thing is, I don't really work that way.  Mas lalo akong walang matatapos kung pipilitin ko ang sarili ko na gumawa ng outline.  Hindi ko kayang mag-isip beforehand ng mga eksena na ilalagay ko sa kwento.  That's why whenever I start a story, I just let the characters do the work for me.  Sila ang boss kumbaga.  Ibabase mo ang lahat ng gagawin mo sa kung paano siya kumilos, sa ugali niya, and how he/she would handle a certain situation.

Yes, my process is definitely slower compared to those writers who make story outlines.  Pero dito ako komprotable eh.  So I'll stick with it for a little while longer. :)

Disappointed

Nakikita niyo ba kung ano ang mali sa picture na 'yan?  Bibigyan ko kayo ng sampung segundo para makita.  Nakita niyo na ba?  Yes, tama kayo.  Mali ang spelling ng 'Tattoed'.  It should be 'Tattooed'.  Biglang nawala yung isang 'o' at naging 'Tattoed' na lang siya.  Nung una ko 'yang makita, akala ko namalikmata lang ako.  Pero nung pinakatitigan ko na at hindi pa rin nagbabago yung nakikita ko, do'n ko na na-realize na mali talaga yung spelling nung 'Tattoed'.
Sobrang disappointment agad ang naramdaman ko nang makita ko siya.  Ang daming reklamo na umiikot sa utak ko.  Like bakit kailangang magkamali sa spelling ng title?  Wala bang auto-correct at hindi napansin na mali yung spelling?  Ipagpalagay na nga na gano'n, then hindi ba nila nakita yung title na nakalagay sa MS na pinasa ko sa kanila?  Because I'm pretty sure 'Tattooed On My Heart' ang nakalagay sa title no'n.
Sinabi sa 'kin nung isa kong co-writer na baka do'n lang daw mali 'yon at baka naman daw sa print eh tama na ang spelling.  Umasa ako na sana gano'n nga.  But no, 'yang title na 'yan talaga na may maling spelling ang nakalagay.  Gusto ko nang maiyak after kong makita yung photo na pi-nost nung isa kong reader.  Mas matatanggap ko pa kung sa catch line nagkamali o kahit sa teaser, pero bakit sa title pa?  Syempre wala na kong magagawa di ba kasi publish na siya.  Nai-distribute na sa iba't-ibang branch ng PPC at kung saan-saan pang bookstore.  Hindi ko naman siya pwedeng i-pull out para lang ipatama yung mali nila.
Paano kung isipin ng mga makakakita na sa akin galing ang title na 'yan?  Baka isipin nila, 'ay ang tanga naman ng writer na 'to, hindi alam ang tamang spelling ng tattooed'.  Ang sakit lang sa puso.  Lalo pa nga't si Rune ang pinakapaborito ko sa lahat ng boys ng Assassins.  Tapos ganyan lang/  Sobra talagang nakaka-disappoint.  Sana lang talaga hindi na 'to maulit.  Utang na loob.  (-_-)  

No Game, No Life

The story of No Game, No Life centers around Sora and Shiro, a brother and sister whose reputations as brilliant NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) hikikomori (shut-in) gamers have spawned urban legends all over the Internet. These two gamers even consider the real world as just another "crappy game." One day, they are summoned by a boy named "God" to an alternate world. There, God has prohibited war and declared this to be a world where "everything is decided by games"—even national borders. Humanity has been driven back into one remaining city by the other races. (source; ANN)
I just finished watching this yesterday and it was uber fun.  Honestly I had my doubts at first when I read that there was only one male protagonist.  Because that kind of thing usually ends up with a Harem.  And I hate Harem.  I was afraid that it might turned out to be like Sword Art Online and I 'm not really a big fan of that anime.  So I said to myself, I will just watch episode 1 and if it's not to my liking, I'll just forget about it.  And oh boy, am I glad I gave it a chance.  
I thought it will be like other game based anime like SAO or Log Horizon but it was not.  It was so far from it.  It was not about an MMORPG game, it's about any kind of game.  From simple rock, paper, scissors to chess to a simulation game.  And what's awesome is they bring flare to each kind of game no matter how simple it is.  It's not like the others where they bring real life to the game.  In NGNL, it's the game you bring to real life.  And even though Sora was the only male MC, he's not really irritating like Kirito,  LOL.  Not to mention, it doesn't really give off that Harem-vibe that I hate.  For one, Sora knows who's the most important person to him and he doesn't go off making every other girl he meets fall in love with him.  That's a big plus in my book.
I just love the dynamics of the relationship between Sora and Shiro.  Yes, they might be dependent on one another and they can't literally function without the other.  But I find it, somewhat, sweet.  Not to mention both of them are quite hilarious.  And they're really great at what they do.  Shiro is definitely a genius but I think Sora is also a genius in his own way.  Both of them are perfect for each other, and yes, i'm saying that because I ship them.  LOL.  I'm also happy that the other characters were not annoying.  Steph was like a comic relief and Jibril was quite fun too.  The ending was like a big cliff-hanger.  Good thing there will be a new season this year.  And i can't honestly wait for it to come out. :)
(les faints. >///< what a wonderful step-cest romance. LOL)       
  

2014 Year-End Special

I think nagiging annual thing na ito for me.  Blogging about the things that happened to me this year.  So anyway, here goes.
My 2014 Highlights
Natapos na namin ng aking partner na si Jelaine Albert ang aming forst collaboration series, which was Assassins.  10 of the 12 books were already published.I finished my very first trilogy which was entitled 'I Lied'.I've managed to write a paranormal/fantasy novel and its sequel.  Both of which are two-books worth.Nakapagpa-approve ako ng 8 MS, two of it were worth two-books.Nadagdagan ang TF ko.  Yey! I made a very big decision.  Hindi ko alam kung paano 'yon makakaapekto sa 'kin.  Maaring madaming magtaas ng kilay.  But who cares?  If I'm the type of person who cares about what others think, baka matagal na kong tumigil sa pagsusulat.
As you can see, walang masyadong nangyari sa personal life ko.  Which is very understandable because I don't really go out that much.  
My Plans for 2015Eat healthier, sleep earlier, and just have a healthy lifestyle.I just want to write, write, write, and write some more.  Basta goal ko na maging 5-digit ang TF ko by the end of the year. *fingers-crossed*