As what Mina Esguerra's classes (like Buqo YA, Spark NA, and Strange Lit) proved, there are countless ideas for stories out there and a lot of Filipino writers who can write them and put them out given the chance [and a workable deadline].

#JustWritePH is another example. The #JustWritePH workshop, which ran from July 1 to August 8, challenged participants to write a story and prepare it for publication in a little under six weeks. By the end of the workshop, 20 writers had succeeded, and their stories have now been bundled into five bundles of four stories each!

This week, we're putting the spotlight on For Justice.

When justice calls, heroes rise. Follow the journeys of a fire programmer, two very unique detectives, and an unlikely partnership between a mortal and a ghost as they fight for what they believe in and even their very survival in this action-packed bundle of four stories from up-and-coming writers. 

Eleven by Michael Recto

Detective Randall Dela Rosa is hot on the trails of a string of unexplained murders halfway around the world. There have been 7 victims so far, all of them murdered in creatively horrible methods, had the number 11 carved on their corpses, and were made to recite a cryptic in Filipino before their murders: "Mayroong isangdaan at dalawampu't isang dahilan kung bakit hindi para sa iyo ang kuwentong ito ngunit..." The latest victim, number 8, has led him back to his father's home country, the Philippines. As an Interpol agent, he expected that his presence will not be welcomed. The local police deemed his "meddling" as unnecessary and a blow to the local force's pride. However, Detective Dela Rosa is ready to place everything on the line to stop the murders and finally stop the nightmares haunting him.

Expendable by EK Gonzales

Corespasa is a fire programmer, drifting and drinking through his aimless life. But during a fire of his own making, he is saved by a stranger, a scholar running away from the rival region. As their paths and lives join, their individual paths will change the other. But will he destroy their joint world?


Between Two Worlds by Pau Castillo

At the age of 5, Sam Lawrence discovers a peculiarity which changes her life forever. Along with three others who share a similar curse, Sam eventually finds herself caught up in a mishap involving a family, a mansion, and a spirit who continues to haunt its walls. With Sam's perseverance, an unlikely friendship forms between Sam and the infamous White Mansion ghost, Lucian Malliarch. Together, they try to stop a greater and more sinister force which connects Sam and Lucian in ways no one had expected.


The Seven-Day Detective by Mark Manalang

Insp. Gene Bello is no stranger to rape cases, or speedy investigations. As a cadet, he was known as "The Seven-Day Detective", having solved a serial rape incident in seven days. So when an NBI official asked him to handle a similar case, he was ready to take on the job... or so he thought. The case: a serial rapist targeting call center agents from Bonifacio Global City. Luck is on Gene’s side, though. Four PUV drivers plying the EDSA-BGC routes have seen and interacted with the fifth victim. Each of them knew her well. Each of them, perhaps all of them, may hold the key to stop the next attack and find the suspect before he strikes again. But they have to hurry... All they have is seven days.


I underestimated the amount of work that I had to accomplish as well as the energy I had to have for our two events this week. Nonetheless this bundle served as a good distraction, never mind the gore. Consider yourself warned: this bundle is not for the faint of heart. My issue with For Justice is that it kept me up when I should have been sleeping instead. Still, I'm glad that the stories in this bundle gave us new heroes to root for.

For Justice is available in Buqo for $0.99 (P45) for this week only so you better grab your copy now. Visit this link to make your purchase. You may also follow the rest of the #JustWritePH — For Justice by going here.


Enjoy reading!

I'm a summer baby but if asked what my favorite season is, I will definitely answer "Autumn!" without missing a beat. Technically, we don't have autumns here in the Philippines as we only get Rainy or Sunny (or, Rainy-Sunny or Sunny-Rainy with the weather being bipolar and all) but I'd still choose autumn. Just imagining those gorgeous golden colors, the crunch of the leaves under my feet, and the longer days and shorter nights makes my heart glow. I love it. 

Having said that, I love fall fashion as well. Think boots, scarves, and layers for days. Just last Monday, I visited fashion giant Forever 21's store in SM Megamall to take a peek at their Fall 2015 Collection, and I LOVED EVERYTHING.

Forever 21, one of the most recognized and largest independent fashion retailers in the world debuts their Fall 2015 collection globally and celebrates the uniqueness is us all through the tagline, It’s All About You, Forever You.

Photographed by Dan Jackson and styled by George Cortina, the new imagery is a continuation of the brand’s new, elevated point of view and direction with a large focus on menswear. 

The creative spirit of fashion and how individuality connects us all are the themes at the heart of the Fall 2015 Collection. This motif is mirrored through the models featured in the campaign, from Alana Zimmer, who is involved with numerous charitable organizations and volunteers in her spare time, her boyfriend Nick Rea, the self proclaimed outlier and adventure junky, Baylee and Kelsey Soles, the telepathic identical twins from South Carolina, to Yuri Pleskun, the Russian export with a punky personality. Though all have a different background and story, each are connected through one quality – they are all Forever unique.

Defined by unlimited style that is designed to amplify your fall street cred, the Forever You Collection focuses on key trends including luxe and layered, oversized, boho chic, and textured essentials, personified by three key personalities.

Whether you love the poetic beauty of a genuine suede jacket styled back with a marled and double-faced knit sweater, prefer to make a fearless statement in a rebel glam shirt in burnout velvet and tapestry, like to be adventurous in a tonal plaid dress with a rainbow faux fur-lined parka, or are drawn to the originality of a camel coat paired back with luxe knits and cool denim, the Forever 21 Fall 2015 Collection celebrates and lets you explore your own uniqueness and what it means to be #ForeverYou.

The Forever 21 Fall 2015 Collection will launch in stores globally and on Forever21.com beginning today! Here in the Philippines, Forever 21 stores are located at Megamall, SM Makati, SM City Cebu, The Block North Edsa, Mall of Asia, Lanang Premier, Aura Premier, SM Fairview, SM City Clark, and SM Southmall.

Happy shopping! ;)

Reclaim precious space on your bookshelves [for more books] AND get free books for your virtual bookshelf when you bring books to Buqo's booth at the Manila International Book Fair 2015 happening in SMX Convention Center starting tomorrow until Sunday!

Basically, A Book for an eBook is a book drive: donate a book and get an eBook in exchange. It's that simple!

To join #ABookForAnEBook, all you have to do is drop by Buqo's booth at the MIBF (Booth 419 located at Hall 1 of the SMX Convention Center), leave your book(s), and get your eBook(s).

The donated books will be given to a chosen library, so your precious books will not be put to waste.

Buqo will be giving an eBook bundle in exchange for every book you donate as appreciation for your support of this cause. There are currently 19 bundles to choose from from all the bundles that came from the workshops they sponsored:

#buqosteamyreads - 5 bundles
#buqoYA - 5 bundles
#JustWritePH - 5 bundles
#StrangeLit - 4 bundles

By the way, my stories belong in Buqo YA Bundle 2: Sweet Complications and Strange Lit Bundle 4: Incredible Truths. ;)

There will be people from Buqo who will be manning the booth so just approach any one of them to assist you so you can get your eBook bundles. Please be advised that these bundles are only accessible through the Buqo app (available on both iOS and Android devices) so I suggest that you download this in advance to make the process quicker for you. You may also follow the hashtag #ABookForAnEBook on social media.

I really, really, really hope you can support this cause! I also hope to see you there at the Buqo booth when I go on Sunday! 

Someday, all this sugar is going to catch up on me. But in the meantime, let me enjoy my dessert.

Here is this week's Currently!


READING
For Justice from the Just Write bundle, available at a promotional price of $0.99 only! I [stupidly] miscalculated how busy I'm going to be this week and I joined the blog tour, so I'm hoping I can finish all four stories and come up with a decent review before my blog tour stop on Saturday!

WRITING
My to-dos for this month. I'm drowning H E L P.

LISTENING TO
Silence. I'm normally okay with it but it sucks tonight because [I feel] I should be hearing Carly Rae Jepsen live in her concert tonight. Huhu.

THINKING
Of my work load. Of how I can market the story I wrote for Strange Lit. Of how long tomorrow is going to be. Of how much I miss my boyfriend. #cheese

FEELING
Exhausted, and it's only Monday. H E L P.

WANTING
Rest, please. And more desserts, if possible.

NEEDING
More money for the Asia Pop Comicon and the Manila International Book Fair!

WISHING
For an emergency dance party to make everything better!


I hope that wherever you are, you are all and happy and loved! Take care of your hearts. ♥

In a bid to be more frugal, I have decided to only purchase things for myself if there is a valid justification for it.

Yesterday, after months of deliberating, I finally got the exclusive collector's edition of Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell!

This purchase is justified because:

• It is the first anniversary of Rainbow replying to my tweet.

• It is my reward for finishing my story for Strange Lit.

• I have a Fully Booked Discount Card that slashes 5% off if you use a credit card or 10% off if you pay using cash. For this one though, I only got a 5% discount because the SA said the book is already marked down.

I only paid P721 for this beauty

Something uncanny happened to me today.

Well, not so much as uncanny as funny, really.

I was checking my Timehop this morning and saw, much to my amusement, that the dress I was wearing today ---

was the same dress I was wearing exactly a year ago!

I usually plan my outfits the night prior but since I got home late last night I didn't really have the time and energy to do it, and so I just grabbed whatever I felt like wearing from my closet when I was in a mad rush preparing for work this morning.

The discussion could have ended there, but because I am me and I tend to over-analyze and romanticize everything, I thought about how much things have changed in just a span of that one year.

In a span of a year, I: learned how to paint; lost my Uncle Karl; finished writing and published a Young Adult story; joined two 5 KM runs; got promoted; got a boyfriend; failed writing a New Adult story; and finished writing and is in the process of publishing an urban fantasy story.

So many things happening, and there's no stopping anytime soon.

I love it.