FeelsSoHot steamy readings event: Even hotter in 2023

Once in a while we get to do this: live readings of steamy scenes from our books. Always organized with the intention of reminding the romance readership that Filipino authors are writing this — just in case people think in [current year] that we don’t. (See my recap of the first FeelsSoHot event.) The last one was in 2019, and we were finally able to organize one again on November 11, 2023.

This live reading lineup featured “Do Me A Favor” from What If We Fall in Love? by Tara Frejas (something to do with a showerhead), the title story “Yes to You” from the short story collection by Jay E. Tria (suddenly everyone is “Jiji” now), First Time for Everything by me (I chose a scene that was half the sleepy conversation AFTER, because I love that and I think intimacy is so much that), Some Bali to Love by Carla de Guzman (“Bakit may egg tarts?” Migs asked, but Carla is so great at the dialogue that connects the sex scenes to everything before and after), a sneak peek at the upcoming The Lease of Their Problems by Brij Bautista and Chi Yu Rodriguez (Exes have to live together and it is a problem — until it isn’t), and finally I’m so glad we were able to feature Truth or Dare by Brianna Ocampo (the as yet only heat level 4 romanceclass book, and the infamous Mirage scene was only the prelude ha).

Thankful always to our awesome awesome live readers Gio Gahol, Rachel Coates, Migs Almendras, and Jade Albert (in her first FeelsSoHot!). We gain confidence as authors every time you read for us! (And also always the feeling of Who Wrote That because live performance hits different talaga.)

This was held at Magdamag Market Cafe, and we served cookies and macaroons from Happily Ever Cookies (by bookish.abby).

*Some photos in the gallery from Twitter bentchbites, gela_uy, chachic_

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