Is This the Real Life?

Now, as October ends, I look back to the 40+ posts I made this month and say, "Whew!!!" I am so glad to have put in some writing despite my laslas-pulso schedule this month. Hopefully, I will get to feed this blog with more stories in November.

As mentioned in a previous post, I am doing the NaNoWriMo this year and all hell is supposed to break loose tomorrow, November 1. It will be a gruelling month of putting together the first draft of a novel with at least 50 thousand words. I don't know how I will be able to get some short stories done with this task at hand but maybe I could post some bits and pieces of the novel I'm planning as I write it along. I don't know how you guys would take it as it may not entirely be lesbian-themed. (Full disclosure: I don't have a friggin plot yet. Gaaaaah!) I guess I'll take the story as it comes along. Please don't judge me if I don't even go beyond 10k in this 50k goal.

Also, JOMS Month comes to a close. If you all could recall, I mentioned at the beginning of the month that I would be dedicating October's posts to my Peyups G2G family. Majority of the stories I put out this month were inspired by our girl group (Charoz). And I believe it is only fitting that I end this month via a link to an article written by one of the most well-loved joms in our group. She captured our story best :)

Thank you again for being there for me and with me this October. Love and kisses to you all!

Trying My Luck (and Short Attention Span)

Just a few hours back, I decided to sign up for the NaNoWriMo challenge. (God bless my poor procrastinating soul.)

NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month. It's supposed to be this real harrowing experience where you try to come up with the first draft of your novel of at least 50 thousand words in the span of an earth-month. The challenge officially starts on November 1 and ends on November 30. That's 30 days of trying to churn out at least 1667 words a pop.

So, as if I'm not yet neck-deep with my Masters' paper, tutoring responsibilities, and writing jobs, I will once again dive myself into this pool of time consuming uncertainty.

(Ka-drama ah.)

By now, I should at least have a plot in mind. But first, I need to go find a piece of it. My mind, that is.

Meanwhile, I'd love to hear your suggestions for story angle possibilities. Or if you're as much a Gemini as I am (Geminis will get what I mean), come join me as we embark on this challenge together, sink or swim :-)

P. S. Today was not so happy, hence no webseries chapter posted. I'm gonna make bawi tomorrow by posting at least two ;-)

Thanking everyone!

Whew!

Another series done. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one who went along with the journey. Can't Deny ang pag-aappreciate ko ng pagbabasa niyo.

A special shoutout to the awesome peeps from Twitter who never tire of retweeting the links of the series to their legions of followers and even posting links on Facebook! @TanginaTibs, @TomboyTips, @Sapphic_Lounge, @rainbowblooded, @LezConfessions, @OMGTomboy, @OutandaboutMLA, @iheartricaparas, @eseiran. [If I forgot anyone else na nag-RT, please please let me know! Then give me a bonk on the head for forgetting!] Salamat din syempre sa mga followers ko na nagbabasa dito. Lab lab lab!

To my Peyups jomsisses, atin ang buwan na 'to. Nakaka-jirits lang na wala ako sa party bukas. Huhuhu! Ituloy natin ang MRT fieldtrip ha!

Kay @sleazee, hoy babae, kahit di ko alam birthday mo, ikaw ang unang-una kong ginawan ng kwento sa mga joms. Tapos hindi ako true friend? Hmp. Nagtweet pa ako kay @MissIzaCalzado para batiin ka. Hmp. Hmp. Kelan nga uli birthday mo??? Hahahaha!

Kay Syb [at sa iyong multiple personalitiesssss], siguro sa bawat 100 views ng site na 'to, 90 dun eh galing sa 'yo. Hahahaha! Salamat, salamat, salamat! [Isa for every personality. Pag kulang pa, sabihin mo lang, dagdagan natin.] Kelan tayo magkakape? :)

at syempre, Para Kay Aya :) my stories are not worth shit unless you like them.

Again, thank you soooo much sa lahat lahat!

Hihinga lang ako nang konti bago muling sumisid sa pagpo-post ng series, hane? [Chika lang, bukas makalawa may bago na ulit. Haha]

Salamuch sooo much!

- Lee

Welcoming October

Almost a decade ago, I stumbled upon the Peyups.com website. Before Bob Ong or Eros Atalia or Lourd de Veyra, some of the country's most promising young writers were being featured on that website. After a couple of years of frequenting the site, I finally got my article published. I still remember how I rushed to Aya's office, showed her the published page (without telling her I wrote it), and halfway through reading the short piece, she was crying her eyes out ("This is me, this story is about me, about us," she mumbled like a blubbering fool.)

That article opened many doors for me, and eventually got published in Lunduyan ng Sining's Literary and Art Folio "What These Hands Can Do."

But more importantly, that article led me to the website's Girl-to-Girl thread. That thread and the wonderful wonderful individuals I met through it is so much a part of what I am now. Many years and many more kilograms later, friendships remain strong and steadfast. I think that other than February (when I met the group for the first time), October is the most special month for the group because of the birthdays, anniversaries, and (araguy.) breakups celebrated during this month.

For that, I am dedicating the entries that I will be posting this month to our small but awesome group. I hope that you enjoy our little stories and watch out for us in a prayer meeting nearest you. :)