Set in the 1990s, 19-year-old outgoing beauty, Tin Escalante, has always had the most cliché dream ever--to live a better life.
Growing up unprivileged, she is ready to do whatever it takes to lift herself and her family out of poverty, even if she...
Oops! Ang larawang ito ay hindi sumusunod sa aming mga alituntunin sa nilalaman. Upang magpatuloy sa pag-publish, subukan itong alisin o mag-upload ng bago.
I was never a fan of fairy tales. In fact, I hated it. A lot. I could never stand reading something so magical, idealistic, and unrealistic. It makes readers fantasize about living a far-fetched life.
But, aren't we all secretly suckers for clichéd fairy tales?
"Aray!"
Malakas akong napadaing sa marahas na paghampas ng katrabaho sa braso ko. Pero si Gracey, humagikhik lang.
"Congrats, Tina! Another book publishing deal na naman! Iba ka talaga!"
Napangiti ako at muling binasa ang email na naging dahilan ng pagkakagulo namin kanina.
"Roses&Ink doesn't really want to let you go, 'no? This is gonna be your third published book na!"
No matter how pragmatic I've always been, I always knew that deep down, I wished that my life was just like any other fairy tales.
A life where everything smoothly goes according to the plan. A life where the stars would acquiescently align. A life where my big dreams and little fantasies are all in a genie's command.
Fairy tale... that's exactly how my life suddenly appears ever since my what-seemed-to-be-impossible dream of becoming a published author materialized two years ago.
"So, ano? Kailan daw ang estimated release?" pang-usisa naman ni Janine.
Nakangiti akong umiling saka bumalik na sa pinu-proofread na manuscript. Next week na ang target deadline namin para sa masimulan na ang printing ng librong ito pero hindi pa ako nakakalahati. Paano ba naman, napakaraming errors na kailangang linisin.
"Hindi mo pa alam? What about book signing? Wala pa bang mag-o-organize?
Umiling ulit ako sa pareho niyang tanong.
"May isang offer pa ako. Lilipat ako ng pub house," I revealed, eyes still on the screen.
"What?! Saan naman?!" Gracey hysterically spat.
"Hmm..."
Inabot ko ang iced coffee at sumimsim rito bago sumagot.
"Sa Dreams Publishing."
"What?!"
Marahil ay ang dalawang beses kong pagkakape sa isang araw ang dahilan kung bakit halos mabitawan ko ang cup sa gulat nang sabay silang sumigaw.
Napahawak ako sa dibdib habang ang isang kamay ay pinupunasan ng tissue ang brasong nabasa nang kaunti.
"Ayos lang ako. Kayo ba?"
Gracey dramatically gasped. "Hindi kami ayos! Christina, did you just say na ipagpapalit mo ang New-York based publishing house doon sa Pilipinas?"
Tumango ako. "Uy, 'wag niyong ginaganiyan-ganiyan 'yon. Isa kaya ang Dreams Publishing sa mga rason kung bakit ako na-inspire magsulat."
