I’m
from the Philippines, I love writing and public speaking. I’m quite an
introvert which is a contradiction since I love public speaking and have no
stage fright at all. I love art, and hate convention. When I write something I
make sure it’s unique and unpredictable. I don’t like one dimensional
characters because in real life, people are most of the time complex,
multi-layered creatures.
Independent Author
Network: Please tell us about your latest book.
Fleur Tamargo. There
was this guy I was infatuated with back in high school. I dreamt about him for
several years after his death. That kind of thing continued for more than a
decade, and I made a journal where I wrote down all my dreams. After more than
a decade of dreaming, I finally decided to make a novel out of it.
Thus, “A Dragonfly’s Dream” is about a girl who gets to be with the man of her dreams (literally, since she can only see and talk to him in her dreams).
A
Dragonfly’s Dream is a deep, multi-layered novel. There are a lot of things
going on between
The
cover was done by my very talented niece, Molly Sira and an artist from the U.S.,
Colleen Sgroi. When my niece saw Colleen Sgroi’s dragonfly painting on the
internet, she immediately fell in love with it. I sent an email to Ms. Sgroi
and thankfully she agreed to let me use her dragonfly to grace my book cover.
IAN.
Is A Dragonfly’s Dream published in print, e-book or both?
F.T. For now, it’s available as an e-book.
Though I’m also working on the print version.
IAN.
Where can we go to buy A Dragonfly’s Dream?
F.T.
For Kindle at Amazon
IAN. What inspired you to write A Dragonfly’s Dream?
F.T. Like
I said, this book is based on my own dream journal. I wanted to give life to
the dreams I was having.
IAN. Did
you use an outline or do you just wing the first draft?
F.T. I used an outline. At first, I didn’t know how to go about it, but along the way, I got the idea that every chapter of my book should begin with an entry in my main character’s dream journal.
IAN. How did you come up with the title?
F.T. In
some cultures, a dragonfly symbolizes change. Dealing with the past, and
dealing with changes is quite a prevalent theme in my book.
IAN. What
do you hope your readers come away with after reading A Dragonfly’s Dream?
F.T. I
think I’m going to leave it up to them. Just like my characters, my book is
multi-faceted and different readers will see and will come away with different
things. But whatever it is, I want it to be something positive.
IAN. How
much of the book is realistic?
F.T. It’s
a magical realism, but a lot of it is actually quite realistic or based on real
life.
IAN. How
is A
Dragonfly’s Dream different from others in your genre?
F.T. The
writing style is different from the mainstream. When I write something I try to
make sure that the story flows smoothly, like water. It also introduces some
things about my own local culture. It’s not your usual love story.
IAN. Do
you recall how your interest in writing originated?
F.T. My
sister published a book on Crimson Romance entitled “How to Wed an Earl.” That
inspired me to write my own book.
IAN. Do
you have any advice for other writers?
F.T. I
believe that all writers need to write. It’s how we express our souls. It’s not
just about selling the book. Expressing our true nature this way is actually
therapeutic, and it has tremendous benefits on a person’s well-being.
IAN.
Tell us about your next book or a work in progress. Is it a sequel or a stand-alone?
F.T. I’m working on a historical romance
that has its setting in Asia. Like my previous book, I want it to be different
from the mainstream.
