Miel and Raf (anime version)

Dahil sobrang kinilig ako sa review ni Reviewer Blue ng Reviewer's Haven (https://www.facebook.com/bookreviewershaven?ref=ts&fref=ts) sa book ko na The Wrong Proposal, bigla kong naisipan na i-drawing sina Miel at Raf, my favorite couple and the lead characters of the said book. Kapag nakaluwag ako sa oras ay susubukan ko na gawan ng manga version--just for fun--ang The Wrong Proposal. So kailangan kong magbasa ng maraming mangas ngayon para pag-aralan ang technicalities. Wew, goodluck to me. Sa totoo lang hindi ko pa nasusubukang magbasa ng manga.

Sobrang thankful ako sa review na 'yun, nawala 'yung bigat ng dibdib na ilang linggo ko nang dala-dala. Nakatulong din 'yung comments ng readers sa status ko na "getting out of my comfort zone" churva, na mas gusto raw nila ang comedy, na magmamature din daw ang writing style ko sa tamang panahon.I don't wanna push myself. I took that as a sign na i-postpone muna ang paglabas ko sa "cocoon" ko. Sabi nga nila, kapag "hinog sa pilit ay mapait". So true. Look what's happening to me this past few weeks, nagiging kasing pait na ako ng apdo. LOL.

My Dream Story

~CRESCENTIS~

Nabanggit ko na sa isang post ko na dream ko ang makagawa ng story about Witches. Nag-start ang fascination ko sa Witches magmula nang mabasa ko ang series na Charmed. So, I made this story about a Witch named Yzabel and a Vampire named Cleus. I'm planning to submit this to PHR under the imprint Gothic Romance but I'm having some second thoughts kasi...kulang na kulang pa ako sa information, sa skills at hindi ko alam kung pasado ito sa theme ng imprint na 'yon. Anyway, meet Yzabel and Cleus. :)

~YZABEL~

My name is Yzabel. But that's not my birth name. It's Leigh Armada. I was required to change my identity five years ago after the tragic accident that killed twenty nine other people, including me.

Yep. I'm dead already—well, actually it's Leigh who died. After her death, I, Yzabel—the “other” personality living inside Leigh's body— was born. Leigh was my “Normal” personality which means to say that I am er...abnormal? Okay, I'm not an ordinary person. I'm a Witch, a Half-Immortal and belong to a place called Crescentis—the Land of Fogs, Cold and Darkness. The land of nightmares. I hate that place.

I'm not an ordinary Witch either, I'm a Healer. My Healing Ability is so powerful that I can cure every kind of illness and Curses. I can mend the deadliest wounds and...give life to the dead.

My problem starts there. Spiderman says, "Great power comes great responsibility", he's damn right but he forgot to add the word “danger”, because having such great power is a dangerous thing. The Enemies wants me, they want to use my power for their evil deeds. They want me to summon Lord Branzon—the meanest, the most powerful and the notorious Vampire in the history of Crescentis who killed his clan and thousands of Mortals for the sake of Eternal Life.

Agatha and her coven called Luminus adopted me and hid me in the Crimson Castle. For five long years I was hidden inside that cold and dark castle surrounded by floating orbs, leather bound books about Crescentis and Sorcery, of old paintings and odd-looking statues... until one night the Enemies attacked us for an obvious reason: to get me.

I was forced to leave the castle with Agnes, a Witch who's expert in Teleports. We ended up in a dark forest outside Crescentis but as our feet landed in a solid ground, a hooded shadow ambushed us. Everything happened so fast, my vision went black, I lost my consciousness and lost track of what's happening. But one thing I'm sure of: I am in grave danger.

~CLEUS~

My name is Cleus. I'm a Vampire. Yes, a Vampire. Those nasty creatures who drinks human blood, sleeps in coffins, disguises as bats and fly like Superman. How cool is that, huh?

But not me.

I'm different. I'm a Regal breed or what they called "The Born One". I don't fly, I Teleport. I don't drink human blood--okay, I did try. Once. About hundred years ago. I don't sleep in coffins, all right? I have a bed. And I don't transform into a bat, I'm a vampire, not a shape-shifter.

They said I am special not just because of the Regal blood running in my veins but the powers I possessed as well. They call me the “Immortal Killer” for I have the ability to kill the Immortals. Immortals like Lord Branzon, the nasty cousin of mine who murdered our clan one hundred and twenty years ago.

I killed Branzon together with his Vampire Warriors but his other allies who survived my wrath were planning to summon his spirit by performing a Necromancy. The Widows were Branzon's faithful servants, they were the three old Necromancers or Death Callers who helped him gain the Eternal Life but the old hags failed to bring their master back to life.

Until recently I found out about they're plan to attack the Luminus. The Luminus is a Coven of good witches and one of them is a Healer, the Widows' target, who happened to be my target, too.

I ambushed the Healer, took her to my castle to kill her but I froze as I look into her face and realized that she looks like Caira—my sister who died in the hands of Branzon more than hundreds of years ago.

PLAGIARISM ALERT: BLAME IT ON THE PRADA SHOES

Habang ako ay naglalakbay sa Google, bigla kong napag-trip-an na i-type sa search engine ang title ng isang book ko, ang Blame It On The Prada Shoes. Sa totoo lang hindi ko alam kung ano ang pumasok sa isip ko at naisipan kong gawin 'yun pero ngayon ay alam ko na. Para maipakita sa akin itong site na 'to:

http://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/443716/blame-it-to-the-prada-shoes-romance-schoollife-you-exo-exom-luhan (this post was no longer available)

Okay, balik tayo sa posted story na natagpuan ko. Noong una, ang akala ko ay magkahawig lang ang titles ng story namin but as I scanned further, doon ko natagpuan na story ko nga 'yun. This author named Koolio translated the synopsis and the first chapter of my book into English--word by word--, changed the character's name, claimed it and posted it on asianfanfics site. Asianfanfics by the way is a little similar to Wattpad, pero based on my observation, karamihan sa users nila ay Koreans and Japanese. Sa totoo lang ngayon ko lang natuklasan na may ganitong online story-sharing site.

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang eksaktong mararamdaman ko habang binabasa ko ang post niya. Magagalit ba ako? Matatakot? Magpa-panic? Tatawa? Iiyak? Sige na, muntik na naman akong umiyak. (Lately ay nagiging iyakin na ako. Sign of aging?) Isang chapter pa lang naman ang napo-post niya at alam ko na masusundan pa 'yon kapag hindi siya napigilan. Nai-report ko na ito sa site ng asianfanatics, nag-post na rin ako sa private group ng PHR writers and editors. Sana, sana ay magawan ng paraan 'to. Masyado na akong stress ngayon para dumagdag pa ito. Blame It On The Prada Shoes is one of my favorite books na ako ang sumulat, ang sakit sa pakiramdam na makita 'yun na kini-claim ng iba. At siya pa ang may gana na maglagay ng footnote na: "Don't plagiarize, copy or paste it on other site. If some scene are familiar, it is purely coincident."

Coincident pa iyon--este coincidence?! O, heto ang "coincidences" ng stories namin:





“I don’t need to spend a thousand years beside him para pag-aralan siyang mahalin. A day or two with him would be enough.”
Fara Ledesma loved Prada shoes. She had twenty-eight pairs of them. Ang mga iyon ang nagsisilbing antidepressant, vitamins, and consolation niya kapag may hindi magandang nangyayari sa kanya. At reward naman kapag may maganda siyang nagawa. Para sa kanya, hindi niya kailangan ng Prince Charming para matawag na isang prinsesa. With an expensive pair of Prada shoes on her feet, she felt like a real princess. Isang araw ay may nakita siyang bagong labas na disenyo ng Prada shoes sa isang online store. Desperada siyang mabili iyon kahit maubos pa ang pera niya. Ngunit subalit datapwa, out of stock na iyon. At ang masaklap pa, ang nakabili niyon ay si Lora, ang kakambal niya slash numero unong kontrabida sa buhay niya. Lora offered to give her the shoes but on one condition: kailangan niyang mai-date si Brendon Zenith, the man with a piercing pair of grayish eyes and sensual red lips.

Magawa kaya niya ang hamon ni Lora, lalo pa’t isang multimillionaire businessman pala si Brendon? Paano niya mapapapayag si Brendon na makipag-date sa kanya nang hindi nahihimatay sa harap nito dahil sa pamatay na klase ng mga titig nito? Kaya ba niyang lunukin ang pride niya sa ngalan ng pinakaaasam niyang Prada shoes?


AND HERE'S THE PLAGIARIZED VERSION

Sonh Ha-Eun loved Prada shoes. She had eighteen pairs of them. They are her antidepressant, vitamins and consolation when something bad happened to her. And reward if she received something. For her, she doesn't need a Prince Charming just to be called a princess. With an expensive pair of Prada shoes on her feet, she felt like a real princess. One day, she saw a new arrived Prada shoes in one of an online store. She was desperate to buy it even if she spent all her money. But then it was out of stock. The most irritation of it, the one who bought it is Ye-eun, her twin sister slash number one antagonist in her life. Ye-eun offered to give her the shoes but in one condition: she need to date Luhan, the man with a piercing pair of black eyes and kissable lips.

Can she do the condition of Yu-eun, even more that Luhan is famous cold prince in their school? (honestly, nangangati ang kamay ko na i-correct ang sentence na 'to). How will she make Luhan invite to a date without fainting in front of him because of the kind he satre ('eto pa! Oo na, bad na ako, nakakagigil kasi talaga). Can she really do it for the sake of Prada shoes?

How about you? Do you really have to translate my work for the sake of...of what? Noong tina-translate mo 'to, I'm sure hawak mo ang hard copy. I'm sure nakita mo ang pangalan ko sa cover niyan. I'm sure nabasa mo ang author's note. Hindi ka man lang ba nakaramdam ng sundot ng konsensiya? O sige, sabihin na nating wala kang konsensiya, hindi ka man lang ba natakot noong nakita mo ang copyright notice sa page 4? Ano'ng pakiramdam mo na nakakatanggap ka ng magagandang comments dahil lang sa nangopya ka ng gawa ng iba? Nakaka-proud ba? I'm sure naman na matalino ka, aware ka na krimen ang ginagawa mo but still ginawa mo. For the sake of what? Mga papuri na hindi mo naman deserve.

Vampire Kisses, Filipino Edition--TAKEN.

Nitong mga huling araw ay hindi ako makapagsulat nang maayos kaya naisipan kong subukan kung kaya kong pasukin ang translation. I tried two or three of Mills and Boon ng Harlequin pero nakaka-isang paragraph pa lang ako ay sumuko na ako. I'm having some problems translating their dialogues so I gave up. Then sinubukan ko ang ilan sa mga bestsellers na paborito kong basahin...Confessions of a Shopaholic, The Devil Wears Prada and Vampire Kisses. Months ago ay nasimulan ko na ang Vampire Kisses, natigil lang dahil sunod-sunod ang manuscripts na tinapos ko noon. So, last week, sinubukan ko uli siya at umabot ako hanggang sa Chapter 7. Nagsisimula na akong magkaroon ng attachment sa characters, though hindi ko masyadong gusto sina Raven (the heroine) at Alexander (the hero) para sa isa't isa dahil mas gusto ko si Trevor (Raven's nemesis since kindergarten), at hindi ako mahilig magbasa ng vampire stories (nagka-phobia ako sa Twilight. Lol.), may panghatak ang kuwento at nadalian ako na i-translate siya. Siguro dahil simple lang ang mga words na ginamit at maiiksi lang ang dialogues. Anyway, sabi ko magtatanong ako sa mga "bossing" kung puwede kaya na ako na lang ang mag-translate...but when I logged in a few hours ago, nakita ko sa News Feed ko sa Facebook ang book teaser ng Vampire Kisses, The Filipino Edition! I swear, parang may kumurot sa puso ko, I almost cried at hanggang ngayon ay naluluha pa rin ako. Ewan ko kung dahil nanghihinayang ako sa ilang gabing ginugol ko sa pagta-translate, kung dahil naiinggit ako sa translator o kung dahil pakiramdam ko ay bibitawan ko na rin 'yung characters sa Vampire Kisses na napamahal na sa akin. Oh well, masyado kasi akong ambisyosa minsan. I guess, hindi talaga para sa akin ang translation. *sigh*

Just Rants

Medyo na-de-depress ako ngayon kasi...hindi ko na kilala ang sarili ko. Nawawala si Mellicent na ganado magsulat, na tumatawa/umiiyak habang nagsusulat, na kayang tumapos ng isang buong nobela sa loob ng sampung araw...iyong Mellicent na gustong gumawa ng twenty stories this year at mapabilang sa contract writers ng PHR. I wanted to write at least two manuscripts a month, I know I can do that but lately, I can't find the will to do it. Sabi ko baka kailangan ko ng kaunting pahinga so I refrain from writing for a while and do some readings but even my favorite books don't have an appeal to me anymore. I was uninspired, unmotivated, pressured, I was running of cash, too, and...bitter. Yeah, ang bitter ko ngayon kasi 'yung mga characters sa books na binabasa ko ay inaaway ko at kapag may "kilig moments" ay isinasara ko ang book. Geez, nasaan na ang dating ako? Nasaan?????

Warm Bodies

"But Mama, I'm in love with a cannibal...And this type of love isn't rational, it's physical..."

Iyan ang kinakanta ko pagkatapos kong mapanood ang Warm Bodies. Noong una, medyo nag-alangan ako na ituloy itong panoorin kasi naman 'yung heroine, kamukha siya ni Kirsten Stewart and yes, I don't like that actress. (Don't ask me why) Mabuti na lang at natuwa ako kay R (the zombie hero) at sa best friend niyang si M sa simula pa lang. I really enjoyed R's point of view--the voice over thingie when he's explaining something in his mind, since he can not communicate well. His name is R, at wala siyang maalala sa past life niya, he don't know how he died and what his real name is. He hates eating brains but he has no choice or else they'll...die. Permanently. Gusto ko dito ay kung paano niya protektahan si Julie, kung paano siyang nag-eeffort na makipagcommunicate dito, kung paano niyang ia-assure na harmless siya. He was so adorable, napapanganga na lang ako sa tuwing magsasalita siya kahit pa nahihirapan siya.

This is not your typical zombie movie because one: zombies here fell in love; two: zombies here can turn into human again. (I wonder how Rick of The Walking Dead will react on this); and three: you're going to see a zombie's point of view here through our adorable R. Basta, it's a must-watch movie. It's entertaining, funny and sweet and, has interesting characters that you will surely love. I will definitely add this to my list of great movies.

APPROVED! :)

Ayun at lumabas na rin ang hatol para sa Hot Intruder ko, bwahahah! Napa-paranoid na ako, actually. I have this crazy feeling na ma-re-reject siya, ganito talaga ako kapag matagal na dumating ang feedback ng manuscript, bumababa ang self confidence ko. So, it was approved, and I have a long list of people na gusto kong pasalamatan. And my sister was jumping up and down because I promised her that I'm going to buy her a cellphone as my graduation gift once my manuscript was approved. She said that she prayed for my manuscript. Aww... :)