October 31, 2020

Best Halloween Ever!

 My Creative Writing students collaborated to gift the entire universe their amazing Halloween story complete with outstanding narration. The “Red Carpet” World Premiere of their story debuted today during our online class. So proud of their accomplishment! 

https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1P9_oUwP_R9w92gzDjeNAaA02FO-Nn13-ZXLNJCHO_Mc/mobilebasic


 

September 20, 2020

Best Birthday Gift!

 For my dearly-departed Mom’s birthday today, I gifted her with the birth of Sitting Pretty, otherwise known as Book Three of the Pretty Princess Trilogy. This book has truly been a labor of love from start to finish. When I committed to do the editing of the book earlier this year, I had intended to dedicate this book to my Mom as she had always been my biggest fan and my most loyal supporter. I remember the time when she stood up in the middle of an audience at my first book signing at the Hercules Library and told the audience how proud she was of me!  I also recall the time when she brought a stack of my books, Not Just Another Pretty Face to be exact, to sell to her friends at the Hercules Senior Center. Happy Birthday to you up there in Heaven, my dearest Mama! Love you Forever! ❤️

May 31, 2020

Always in My Heart...



After a turbulent start to 2020, this month, my beloved Mom, who instilled in me a love of reading which led to a passion for creative writing, transitioned from her physical presence on Earth to a spiritual presence in Heaven where she now watches over me and my family. I've been filling my days with writing a new novel, revising and editing two novels--one I hope to publish this year. I'm including this letter which I posted on Instagram on Mother's Day. Hug your Moms and tell them you love them while you still can!

Dear Mama,
Even though it’s only been 2 days since you left us so prematurely and so suddenly, we know for sure that we can never ever get used to not having you around. There’s a void that can never be filled. We will always remember and thank you for all the ways you showed us your love: through your cooking, through encouraging us to follow our dreams, through teaching us to love each other, and to be kind to others. In the words of Frederick, one of my writing students who recently sent his condolences: “What does one say to a dear friend that has lost their Mother? I was at a loss of to write about your loss. I can't imagine the feeling. I don't want to imagine it. Losing a Mother has to be different than any other family member. Mom was the most important thing in a child's life. And no matter how old we get they will always be Mom and we will always be her child.” ***
I want to thank you for introducing me to a love of reading which led to a lifelong passion for writing. I always tell people ‘my Mom knows how to speak 4 languages: Tagalog, English, a proficiency in Spanish, and definitely, a fluency in the language of LOVE!’
It was truly my honor to take care of you the past month, during which time you imparted to me some inspirational words of healing: *When you said, “I wouldn’t be here without you,” and you meant that you wouldn’t be able to manage without my help, to which I responded with, “But Mama, remember, I WOULDN’T be here without you.”
*When I asked you to forgive me for all the times I gave you a hard time growing up,” you replied with, “There’s nothing to forgive.”
*When you said, “Thank you,” after the times I gave you your medicine or fed you your meals when you were bedbound, to that I replied, “No, Mama, THANK YOU for being the Best Mom Ever, for doing the best you could do for us, for giving birth to us, for being patient with us, and for loving us unconditionally. You will always live in our hearts and we will love you forever. 😢 ❤🙏🏽🌹