AC grew up surrounded by faith, imagination, and books. While others played outdoors, she disappeared into encyclopedias, almanacs, and novels that opened windows to politics, astronomy, and faraway worlds. For her, the world was never just a playground-it was a puzzle waiting to be solved.

Her sanctuary became the six-story library of Saint Louis University, a place she lovingly calls her "Library of Universes." Wandering its aisles, she touched fragile classics, rediscovered Filipino heritage in José Rizal's works, and devoured tales from Shakespeare, Sun Tzu, and Frances Hodgson Burnett. She also immersed herself in the vibrant world of Philippine pocketbooks, especially the bestselling romances of Rose Tan, alongside global voices like Nicholas Sparks (The Notebook), Stephenie Meyer (Twilight Saga), Arthur Golden (Memoirs of a Geisha), Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games), and E.L. James (Fifty Shades of Grey). Each book planted seeds, preparing her imagination for the writer she would one day become.

Her passion for storytelling deepened through Asian dramas, where sweeping romances and historical epics widened her horizons. Among them, Princess Agents (2017) became a turning point. Its unresolved ending stirred something within her, and what began as translations grew into a writing journey that reimagined and continued the story. For years she poured heart and ink into weaving politics, love, and freedom into arcs that gave closure to unfinished characters.

Beyond writing, AC finds joy in music and art-strumming guitar, sketching, or curating playlists that echo her moods. Yet writing remains her anchor. She doesn't force stories with rigid outlines but uncovers them page by page, letting her characters guide her.

Today, AC dreams of sharing her novels with readers everywhere-stories that speak of love, resilience, and the pursuit of freedom.

✨ "I don't just write stories-I uncover them."