Archive for » December, 2009 «

Thank You, 2009!

31 Dec 2009 | By

because I met wonderful new friends and they have given me laughs and tears and joys and dramas. You’ve given me sisters and you’ve given me more people to cherish.

because I was able to surpass my 10 ms goal, finished 12 manuscripts, and 6 of my books were released. You taught me that I’m my greatest adversary, and that I can do anything so long as I believe I can.

because you gave me a wonderful boss and a great opportunity to be semi-internationally published this year, and you made me understand how hard it is to be a real writer, and how much I appreciate the talent I’ve been given.

because I finally got my website up and running which means I’ve learned something new.

because I also overshot my travel quota, and I was able to go to places I’ve never been to before like Dumaguete (which I’ve fallen in love with and plan to visit again in 2010) and Siquijor. I’ve also gone to Subic and Nueva Vizcaya ON MY OWN which is a very big thing because I am such a wuss when it comes to traveling alone.

because you spared us from Ondoy and Pepeng, and gave us the opportunity to be heroes to other people, even through small ways. You also opened our eyes to the importance of environmental issues, and allowed us to rethink our way of life.

because even through all the things that have happened, the tragedies out in the seas, the election-related violence and such, you made us realize that there is hope that tomorrow will be a better day if we make it so.

Have a blessed New Year everyone! And here’s to 2010!

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Category: My Life  Tags: ,  18 Comments

Denise’s Destiny by Rhiana Dizon

29 Dec 2009 | By

Denises Destiny by Rhiana Dizon
“Naging isang bangungot ang bakasyong inaasahan ni Denise sa Cebu nang muntik na siyang mapagsamantalahan. Hindi nagtagumpay ang lalaki sa binabalak nito, nang piliin niyang tumalon na lang sa dagat.She was saved from drowning by Greg, a recluse who lived on an island.

Isang misteryo sa kanya ang guwapong lalaki. Hindi niya maintindihan kung bakit ganoon na lang kung ipagtabuyan siya nito. She later learned that it had something to do with his hatred for women.

Masidhi ang atraksiyon niya rito kaya isinumpa niyang gagawin ang lahat upang matuto itong magmahal muli. Kahit pa ibig sabihin niyon ay ipagtabuyan siya nito nang paulit-ulit…”

I am such a proud mama! Or, ate… My bunso’s first book, Denise’s Destiny (walang aagaw dahil akin na akin ang kwentong ito) has been released! When I found out that her ms has been accepted, parang ms ko yung na-approve! LOL

Congratulations, Rhiana Dizon! I’m soooooo so so proud of you. Kita mo na! I hope ngayon naniniwala ka na sa’kin na kaya mo! I’m looking forward to having a copy of this. Compli with autograph ha! Here’s to a successful writing career!

Category: Books, Just Saying  Tags: , , ,  15 Comments

“Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.”

23 Dec 2009 | By

Last night, I went to my grandmother’s wake. We were all taken by surprise because she wasn’t sick. Not sick sick like with cancer or anything serious like that, but she was complaining of a cough and that the weather wasn’t agreeing with her. She also couldn’t sleep for the past few days and asked my tita (her daughter), who is a doctor, for sleeping pills. They were supposed to take her to the hospital for a check-up on the 21st. They took her to Medical City. She got checked up. She slept at the hospital and never woke up again.

The one thing I remember about my grandmother, who was a lawyer, is that Imelda Marcos once accusingly pointed smudged fingers at her and said, “she dirtied my fingers”. My grandma was the one who took the former First Lady’s fingerprints when she was arrested in the mid-1990′s. It was something that kind of intimidated me from her because she was a lawyer and although she barely reached five feet in height, to me, she was larger than life. You should meet my grandfather who used to be a justice at the Sandiganbayan. I was scared of him!

I sat at one of the pews last night and looked at my titas. And I realized, I had their face, their hair and their eyes. My brother and I look alike but he got his face from my dad who got his face from my paternal grandfather’s side of the family. I got mine from my grandmother… face, hair, eyes… and ailments. Most of them (including some of the kids) have big and, very myopic, eyes. My mom also said I got my brain from them, which is a good thing because they’re all smart (HA!).

In a few years, I’m going to look like one (or most) of them. I already do. And when I grow old, I’m sure I’m going to look exactly like my grandmother. I just hope, that when I grow old, I’m going to look half as beautiful as my grandmothers.

Rest in peace, Lola.

Category: Just Saying  Tags:  10 Comments

Correction please.

22 Dec 2009 | By

Re-reading “Each Day With You”. May part doon sa book na sinabi ni Rob, seemingly out-of-the-blue, “Yun, saka ang mabuntis ka”.

Parang napa-huh? ako. Saan galing yung “buntis” comment. Did I miss anything? So I looked at the original manuscript, at ito pala ang dapat nandoon:

Ngumiti lang si Rob at hinalikan siya sa mga labi. “I know, and that’s enough for me,” bulong nito. “Just promise ma na pagkatapos nito, hindi na tayo mag-aaway. Iiwan na natin ang bangayan sa mga magulang natin.”

“Gusto ko magkasundo na din sila,” amin ni Alex.

“Gusto ko din yun, pero sa ngayon, parang mas may posibilidad na mabuntis kang virgin kesa mapagbati sila. I promise, magagawan natin ng paraan yun.”

“Ang mapagbati sila?” tanong ng dalaga.

Pilyong kumindat si Rob. “Yun, saka ang mabuntis ka.” Kinurot siya ni Alex at tumawa ang lalaki. “Basta tayo, bati na tayo.”

So there. Baka, tulad ko, may mapa-huh? lang ;)

Category: Books  Tags: , , ,  5 Comments

Congratulations, Angel Bautista!

17 Dec 2009 | By

To Love Again by Angel BautistaHer novel, To Love Again, is 1st runner up at PHR’s Novel of the Year for 2009!

Angel Bautista (PHR)/Carla Giopaolo (MSV) has become my favorite Tagalog romance writer since I first read Missy’s story. Inalok ako ni Apple, our beloved EA, ng books na pwede ko iuwi ang I saw a copy of  Nagkamali Ba ang Puso?, at hindi ko na pinakawalan. After that, naging fan na niya ako.

Favorite na favorite ko si Judith McNaught. Siya ang writer na nagtransition sa’kin from Sweet Dreams to romance novels, at pareho sila ng talent ni Angel. Hindi ako nagsasawa sa mga novels nila pareho kahit pa ilang beses ko basahin, at kahit ilang beses ko basahin, talagang sasakit at sasakit ang solar plexus ko sa mga parteng masakit sa dibdib ng mga characters. Ang galing niyang mag-develop ng characters at ang galing niyang mag-develop ng plot. At hindi halatang workaholic siyang hanggang leeg ang nakabinbin na trabaho kapag nagpasa siya ng nobela ha! Parang yung nobela lang niya ang tinatrabaho niya!

Hindi ako makapamili ng favorite kong Angel Bautista/Carla Giopaolo book dahil mahal ko silang lahat. Pero special ang To Love Again sa’kin kasi tinulungan ako ng librong ito na mag-iba ang tingin ko sa kapulisan. I swear takot ako sa pulis. Bago ko nabasa ang librong ito, never pa ako tumingin ng diretso sa mukha ng pulis. At kapag may nasasalubong akong isa sa kanila, mabilis ako maglakad palampas, palayo o patawid basta hindi ako lumapit sa kanila. Hindi ko alam pero may “pulis-phobia” ako.

Then, I met Patrick and Jay (ang aking si JC). After ng librong ito naging life’s greatest dream ko na ang makakita ng gwapong pulis kung kaya’t natutuwa na ako sa tuwing dadaan ako sa HQ ng pulis sa Pasig, at kapag may naka-unipormeng pulis akong nakikita, tinitignan ko na sila at ngumingiti na ako imbes na magmukha akong may bagong inisnatch na alahas sa Quiapo dahil sa bilis kong lumayo sa kanila. Hindi na ako takot sa kanila ngayon so dapat magpasalamat kay Angel Bautista ang buong PNP *ahehe*

Ang gusto ko lang naman sabihin ay congratulations, Angel! Here’s to more novels from you :) Salamat sa pag-she-share ng talents sa’ming mga fans mo. I’m sooooo proud of you.

Category: Books, Just Saying, My Likes  Tags: , ,  12 Comments
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