In this chapter you meet Cecile for the first time, a character you will love, hate, judge, sympathise and agonise with throughout the book. There is a saying in the Philippines people use when desperate times call for desperate measures - kapit sa patalim (cling to the sharp edge). This is what Cecile's world is... Continue Reading →
Sunset Shadows – Chapter 4 Excerpts
The first few chapters of Sunset Shadows will remind readers very much of Wings At Dawn, especially the helplessness of the children at the hands of violent and abusive adults. This particular chapter was difficult to research, conduct the interview and then reconstruct into fiction. Much as I would like to take credit for a... Continue Reading →
Sunset Shadows – Chapter 2 Excerpts
Thank you for all the encouragement you have shown after yesterday's post. It has been a marvellous experience to immerse myself in the parallel worlds of my characters and begin navigate the murky waters of Julian's assignment. Chapter 2 offers you a bit more insight into Noel Rojas, and the beginnings of the undercover personas... Continue Reading →
Empty Pages – the blessing and the nightmare
It has been well over a year since I have been able to write a short story or finish my next books. 2021 has been a devastating year as a writer, as I completely lost motivation, inspiration, and even momentum. It reached the point where even my regular blog suffered, with large gaps in-between entries.... Continue Reading →
Notes are not always written (II) – a seven-step creative process
The first part of this mini-series was written back in June 2019, when I introduced my duality as author and photographer, and how I use this to take notes for a book or a story. It's always interesting for me to go back and review some of my precepts and principles as a writer and... Continue Reading →
Squeamish about self-promotion as an author
When you get into publishing, regardless of whether my choice or circumstance, there are a lot of things nobody really prepares you for especially if you take the independent publishing, self-publishing or like me, the hybrid publishing road. Traditional publishing is a tough nut to crack and I have all but thrown in the towel... Continue Reading →
Fragments of a Night (Part I)
Welcome, to my feline short stories, I am your storyteller, The CatDiva. It's been a while, I admit, and I first had to dust off the cobwebs of house cat idleness, you know, devil's playground and all that. Nevertheless, I have re-acquainted myself with the keyboard (no easy feat with these delicate paws and claws),... Continue Reading →
It’s not the length but the depth
Bigger is not better! OK folks, get your heads out of the gutter! I am not going down (oops) that path. Let's not talk about sex for a minute, and shift our focus on manuscripts. As author and writer active on social media, I joined several online groups for authors, initially to promote the book(s)... Continue Reading →
Time and Vision
It was almost 03:00 when I shot this, after having spent the night writing, plotting, outlining, and thinking. Someting struck me about tthe simplicity of the look and the statement of the elements - time and vision. Time & Vision ©FrogDiva Photography When it comes to any form of writing, time is essential. A lot... Continue Reading →
Crimes of (floral) passion
Usually, if I am to photograph flowers it is to accent a look, but never solo. Cold winter days when the weather is just too dreadful to go out are perfect for fiddling around with unsatisfactory projects that I hid under many digital layers in my archives. Not only did I intensely dislike what I... Continue Reading →
Wings, Shadows, and Chains 