ReaderCon 2013 in November

Logo from the ReaderCon website

I had a blast in last years Filipino ReaderCon and I'm so psyched it's happening again this year!
 
I can't say enough that we need to have more book/reader-centric conventions aside from the MIBF. What's great about the ReaderCon is that it's organized by avid bookworms gathering publishers and the reading public in one venue to celebrate and support reading communities. Talking about books makes my heart giddy and there's nothing like spending an entire day with books, writers, readers, and publishers.

One of my favorite parts in the program is the Filipino Reader's Choice Awards. I've nominated some of my favorite titles and I do hope they win this year! If you haven't voted yet, do it right now because the polls will be open until September 6 only.

See you in November and I hope this year's ReaderCon will be even more amazing than last year's.

Dear Universe...

Image from The Creative Penn

I'm (independently) publishing a novel that I wrote a couple of months ago. I never thought I'd get to this stage where I'd really pursue this thing, but I'm very much excited! I just hurdled the first of the many revision with my editor, and I'm all for positive vibes. I want to finish all editing stuff by next month, and hopefully publish by October. It's probably going to be out on Amazon/Smashwords first as I need to save up on funds for the print version. But what the hey, I'm finally getting there! 

Stay tuned as I'll definitely make some noise in this blog as I get closer to the big day. I'm really psyched to get this out!

Back to Blogging

Image from Independent Fashion Bloggers

I've been thinking about going back to blogging for the past few days and one of those things I wasted time on was looking for a new layout (new look, new beginning?). I wanted something minimalist and I've tried to install/uninstall layout files to no avail. I just figured to hell with it, I'll just use Blogger's old templates and be done with it. The challenge would be to try to post something consistently and to not fall back into ningas kugon.

Green mango ice cream with bagoong

The stuff every Filipino's craving

I first encountered this amazing thing about green mango ice cream with bagoong (shrimp paste) from one of my friends who went to Sebastian's Artisan Ice Cream. And when I went to Katipunan yesterday and saw Sebastian's, I knew my curiosity had to be sated. For Php 140, a single serve of the sour mango ice cream topped with warm bagoong is just pure bliss. I love how the contrast of sourness and saltiness mix well together in one perfect blend. Sebastian perfectly recreated the Pinoy snack we all love. Although I have to say that one serving is more than enough. But if you're extremely craving for mangoes and bagoong, this certainly hits the spot!

November agonies

It's just four days left until the end of November and I'm just so stoked. I just want to get over this month after making my fingers go all numb from all that typing for NaNoWriMo. I'm still at 47k-ish and I can already see the light at the end of the tunnel. Of course, there's still some editing to do because I'm betting my entire bookshelf that I wrote crap for the most part that I've rushed to meet the daily quota. I've been thinking about the loopholes in the plot as well, but thank God for my uncanny ability to shut my inner editor into silence. I'm so sure that I'll be wading through the muck that I've written this December. Hopefully I'll be able to write "The End" to this year's story and I'm crossing all my fingers and toes for that. 

I'm just so not in my element writing this novel in another country. I would have been able to enjoy being here a lot better if not for the daily writing that I have to put up with. Ugh. I just want to get my life back.