Mid-March Madness

And just like that, we’re almost at the middle of March, and about to celebrate our one-year anniversary in lockdown with a record-breaking number of COVID-19-positive cases and a brand spanking new Philippine variant. Yay… Us, I guess?

I think I already mentioned that I was thinking of writing a reflection post in our year in quarantine but eh. I’ll just be sad and angry. Not even for me. I would like to think I’m one of the lucky ones. 1) I have not lost anyone I know and love to COVID or COVID-related reasons. 2) While 2020 was difficult in every way, I seem to always manage to find a way to make things work so that bills are paid, there’s food on the table, and our dog and our cats are fed. 3) Probably the best thing that happened to me in 2020 is that I managed to fight off my depression pretty well for the most part. It would have been unbearable and unsurvivable had I been depressed too last year. So it didn’t matter to me that 2020 is an awful year. I’ve actually had worse because those years were tainted with mental illness.

I did have episodes last year until my parents left for the province in July of 2020. After that, I actually managed to pull myself together. I got better everyday.

And then I finally started watching Haikyu in December, and my love for that anime knows no bounds that a blog post isn’t enough to describe it. I want to have the same mental strength and fortitude of everyone in that anime. And also, DaiSuga is my absolute  happiness at the moment. Don’t start talking to me about them because I will never shut up! 

Speaking of DaiSiga, I’m currently so in love with the voice of Sugawara’s seiyuu, Miyu Irino. I adore Suga and I find his voice so sweet and comforting. (I have the same feelings for Super Junior Leeteuk’s voice.) Then while I was reading his Wikipedia page, I found out he also voiced Haku from Spirited Away!  I love that movie. Whenever I feel like being “spirited away” from reality,  I watch that, but I never watched it in Japanese. When I found out he also voiced Haku, I immediately watched the movie again without the English dub, and I teared up at his first line when I heard Suga! 😭 I really love, love, love his voice.

I also started listening to his music and I just… Love him. So there. Happy that I found something new to love.

My DaiSuga AU is also going well though I only steal time from work and other life chores to write it. It’s really like a reward for myself.

I posted an excerpt on my new private Twitter account. Oh, yeah! That. I made a new Twitter account because my elisestrella account has gotten messy. I talk about everything, my SHINee, SuperM, Super Junior fandom, my Haikyu and DaiSuga obsession, my political views though I try to limit that because I want to control my anger and anxiett for my own mental health, and politics is not the best topic for that, my books, my writing process… I mean, not everyone is interested in everything about me. Some people only want book news.

Anyway, I also wanted to be able to post short fics, excerpts, plot ideas, book plans, etc., and I really don’t  want to share that with a thousand strangers and anyone who follow them. I’d really rather share things like that with people who are interested. So if you are, and you haven’t followed yet, my book Twitter is @EliseanBooks.

I’m a little busy right now because I took on a new job job as a gatekeeper/dream crusher, and I have a ton of chores at home. But I have things planned out. My WIPs aren’t moving because I want them neatly lined up, and one of them wasn’t working so I couldn’t start the others. I’ve restructured my 2021 plans, and I’m hoping that they’d push through starting this month or April.

As always, thank you for your patience and for your support (moral, emotional, and through BuyMeACoffee) because I appreciate ALL of them. The fact that you guys never fail to remind me that I’m loved is a HUGE deal to me. Thank you.

I’m going back to being a cat mama because we had two of our cats neutered/spayed yesterday. I cheered, actually cheered!, when my Kobayashi Maru woke up. Then Yoshi also responded to the volunteer who checked on her so they let us go home. But that might be another blog entry.

Still so groggy but they allowed us to bring them home.

For now, I’m back to… House chores first with my coffee. I’ll see if I can squeeze in author work later.

I hope you have a good day today! And that you have a good week. Good morning! ☀️

Protected: Breathless – Chapter Two

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Protected: Breathless – Chapter One

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Hello, March!

I woke up this morning and I couldn’t believe that it was actually already March. In a couple of weeks, we’d all celebrate(?) our one-year anniversary under lockdown due to the pandemic. I’m planning on writing my thoughts and reflections about this but I’d really rather keep that private. I just want to say that despite the miserable year we’ve all had, I would like to think that I’m one of the lucky ones to not have lost anyone I love to COVID-19. And though it was incredibly tough, mentally, emotionally and financially, I’m still… here. There are highs and lows, realizations, regrets, hopes, fears, dreams… but I would like to still be thankful for what I have.

So there.

Anyway.

The point of me blogging semi-regularly lately is to let you guys know what’s up with me and my writing and my books, so let me talk about that.

Lately, I’ve been trying (and failing) to relearn how to write concisely. I’ve been reading a lot of short fics on Twitter, and I’m envious of how the writers manage to tell a story in a five-Tweet thread. Like, HOW?! I mean, I can barely fit the description of a character’s hair in five Tweets. I’ve been practicing by writing one shots but they still end up as 500-word scenes. And even then, I feel like I’m not able to describe the scene enough. If I’m an artist, it would be like presenting a black-and-white pencil drawing of a future art. I’m still going to practice—because practice is awesome and we all need to practice to improve our craft, and because I’m enjoying it—but I think I’d just stick to novels.

Speaking of novels, I’ve nailed down a schedule for my next self-published book. Gawd, I wish I’d stick to it because I really need to finish this and have it released by April. I’m supposed to have finished three books by now according to my schedule, but I can’t seem to focus on anything. At least, anything longer than a one shot.

Yesterday, I was supposed to work on a BMC update but I could only focus on something for three minutes before I have to do something else. So all I did was tweet, watch random Haikyu episodes, read, write three paragraphs, then go back to Twitter. I’m writing now so I hope it means I can focus on something today. I really want to get this BMC update out this week.

I’ve also been asked a lot about BMC. Buy Me a Coffee is a site where you can support your favorite creators. I’ve been using BMC for a few months, and it has been a huge, amazing help to me, financially. I won’t lie, your coffees helped me move forward. I do use the money you give me to buy coffee, but mostly, I use it to buy cat food for our cats.

If you don’t know yet, my sister and I have four cats and one dog, and we also feed four of the neighborhood stray cats. Your help in feeding them is greatly appreciated.

I’ve already sent DMs to reply to people who wanted to support me on BMC, but if anyone else wants to buy me a coffee, I’m not going to say no. A “coffee” is 3 USD (about 145 to 150 Php, depending on the exchange rate) and is roughly the same price as a Starbucks coffee. You do need a PayPal account though.

When you do buy me a coffee, you get access to my BMC account where I post exclusive content. Click on this link to see the stories I currently have posted. I’ll be updating this as soon as I post new stories.

I’m currently deciding whether to post a completed book that I’m planning on rewriting. That way you can read the original story before I change the POV to first person. We’ll see. But I promise I’m going to be posting a lot on BMC this year to say thank you to everyone who’s bought me coffee.

And speaking (again) of thank yous, I wasn’t planning on using a planner this year. I had everything planned out on paper last year but 2020 happened, so I said no, thanks this year.

BUT! Oh my God! I received journaling gifts from amazing and incredibly sweet friends.

Gette sent me kawaii pens and washi tapes, and Susie sent me what seemed to be a whole branch of National Bookstore! As in! It was like she went to a store with me and bought everything I touched. I seriously cried when I opened the packages. Thank you, you two! There are a few things that make me happier than pens and you gave me a boxful of pens! That’s a boxful of happiness! Thank you! Not only for the gifts but for your generosity, and for thinking of me.

I’m getting teary-eyed again. Also, sorry for the blurry pics. My hands were shaking too much + I don’t know how to take pics.

Anyway, I think that’s it for today. Please follow my Twitter account for updates when I post on Wattpad or if/when I have a new book out. I’m going to do my best to blog more often, maybe twice a month for updates on what I’m working on and stuff. I’d love to tell you about Lex and Marlon right now but I’m currently fixing A LOT of things because I’m also working on the Sarreals timelines, and there are A LOT of them, and their timeline has to fit into Marlon’s. And the Sentinels. Let’s just say it’s been crazy. But I’m really excited to work on all of them. I hope you can wait for their books.

Thank again for your support and for reading my work. Thank you for encouraging me and staying with me through the years. I appreciate each and everyone of you, and I’ll do my best so that my work and I are worth your support.

Be safe! Please get vaccinated when it becomes available. Please continue to take care of yourself. Wash your hands. Use alchohol. Wear your facemasks. I’m hopeful that we can do this together.

✨

February 2021 Updates

Happy Chinese New Year!

As you know (or maybe you don’t), I’ve been trying to stick to a schedule as much as possible. It’s still a hit or miss. I’m still fighting (literally) to go back to being the champion multitasker and productive person I was about a decade ago. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to be that person again though, so I celebrate every little achievement now, no matter how small. So right now, I’m celebrating a happy, full day of writing yesterday by… writing. De, joke. By doing the last thing on my to-do list—which is write a blog entry—so I can check it off my list. Then I can brag about being productive. Heh.

Anyway, what am I up to? I’m still behind on the book I’m planning on/supposed to self-publish next. I was supposed to finish it last month ahehe but I still haven’t opened the document file to work on it. I’m hoping I can finish it in two weeks though. Hopefully. Praying for that. I’ll let you know the details as soon as I can.

Wattpad updates. Ah, yes. Well, I was supposed to work on an update for Lex but I got distracted by another project. I will, however, start taking Lex seriously as soon as I can. I just need to work on a project that kept waking me up at three in the morning. If you follow me on Twitter, then you probably already know that I wrote 7K words yesterday, for the first time in about two years. Last year, the most I’ve written in a day is about 3K or 4K words. Umiiyak na ako n’un sa pagod. The 7K words I wrote was only for an outline—an outline!—of a book that I may or may not get published. I ✨want✨ to share it, really! I want people to read it right NOW, but I kinda want it all to myself too. At least for now.

I’m going to be honest. It’s a BL DaiSuga AU if Daichi and Suga lives in my universe. There. I said it. Just know that I’m writing it.

I’m really hoping I could stick to a firm writing schedule because I really, really, REALLY want to finish ALL of my Wattpad WIPs THIS YEAR! ALL OF THEM. INCLUDING IB 2. BECAUSE.

I’m used to not always getting what I want but if I can stick to a schedule, work diligently, focus, and maybe avoid my bffs, Depression and Anxiety, I know I can do it.

Oh, and speaking of new books, one of my cover artists, Charlene has a design start up! If you need someone to create book covers, logos, and other designs, please check out her portfolio from this link.

She was the one who designed the cover for An Heiress for Geoffrey, and she gave me exactly what I wanted for the book on the first try. Please check out her work. Rates and contact information are also posted in her portfolio.

And last but not the least, because of the trying-to-stick-to-a-schedule thing I was talking about, I was also able to finally post updates for my BuyMeACoffee book, A Moondrop Date. This is Kevin Camacho and Noë Pronstroller’s story, and it’s one of my “thank you” books for my BMC supporters for all the coffees they’ve bought me to keep me awake.

If you want to support me on BMC (and I thank you from the bottom of my heart), please click on this link. You only need a PayPal account, and it’s only 3 USD. You can choose to only support me once, or you can sign up to be a member to support me monthly. I’m still trying to come up with a good thank-you gift for members so it’s worth it. I have a few ideas, and I’ll let you know.

And that’s it, so far. I’ll try to regularly update (ayan na naman!) this blog even if I only have very little news to share. You know, just to keep in touch! I’m getting a little tired of social media again, and I’m even thinking of moving to new accounts and start from scratch. I have moods. They come, and they always go, but at least I never want to give up on this blog even though sometimes, I only post twice a year. Sumimasen. 🙏🏼

Anyway. I hope you have a good Chinese New Year today, and a good Valentine’s Day tomorrow whether you’re single or have a partner! I’ll talk to you again soon! And as always, thank you for reading my work and for supporting me. I really appreciate it. Thank you! ✨