Yes. The first ever book I actually wrote.

How Did It All Start?

After I graduated from college, I was in the middle of a postgrad situation. I don’t have any idea on where to land exactly after years of flying. I mean, all of my classmates are already working while I’m just sitting inside my apartment doing nothing.

I tried applying to different companies but no one actually had the interest on hiring a fresh graduate that time, although there were also companies who welcomed me their warm-hearts but I’m the one refusing them because of two reasons: the salary and the work itself. I’m too picky and too careful on accepting contracts that’s why I ended up with nothing.

I became a freelance assistant researcher, helped some of my friends with their thesis and later on became a Corporate Strategist. I did some projects that are way beyond my capacity. Read books about business and management and also studied the whole market. It was an obvious win-win situation for me because not only that I earn money but I’m also learning so many things while researching.

I became a management consultant and did some of the strategy works behind a big company and yes, I was able to make money out of it. I work with my projects only 2 days in a week that’s why I have so many free times to spend and to waste.

The whole writing idea was all beyond my expectations—I’ve been a bookworm ever since high school, I love classic books and everything that concerns reading. When I was in college, I promised myself that someday I’m gonna write something…a book, to be specific. I wanted to become a novelist and they said that it was the “lamest” dream I have (That’s what my friends said to me when I told them) but I never stopped writing, although I literally forgot about my whole book-dream because I was so occupied with so many things—until it struck the hell out me, “Hey! RJ, looks like you’re driving on the wrong path” that’s what I literally told myself that time.

The whole post grad thing, it consumed me and it stressed me so much that I was even hiding myself from everyone just because I have no job and nothing to do at all. Yeah, freelance is something that they don’t count as a job and they don’t see it as a permanent thing on earth.

I started writing the story and had my best friend read the first chapter for me. She said that she was excited to have the next chapter and it went on and on. At the beginning, I was having a writer’s block because of the stress that circulates around me. I kept the whole writing idea to myself and never told anyone except few of my friends that I was actually writing a book.

I spent almost 6 months to finish the book. I research and everything; I have so many personal touches with my book including my love for racing and NASCAR. I also did some research when it comes wines and liquors, also the food in New York even though I haven’t been there. I explore the world of medicine as well and made it sure that whatever I write on the book is very reliable even though it’s a work of fiction.

Many people were asking where I got the inspiration for the whole story. Well, I always tell people that every story has their own histories and I got mine through experience and passion. I’ve always wanted to mark my sit up by doing something that is very unusual and extraordinary. I love dreaming and hitting my limits up.

The book is yet the most challenging path I’ve ever walked into. Why? Because I don’t have any readers yet and even though I write, I don’t actually have the perfect portfolio to show people my works. I don’t have someone who will tell me that the story is good unless they’re my friends and that’s pretty much acceptable.

When I published the book, I first informed my friends about it and it’s actually available as an ebook for them to be able to read and for me to be able to know if the book is worth to be sold in the market. Right now, I don’t have so many comments about the book yet that’s why I can’t publish the book in the market with the actual price tag. For now, I’m letting readers to read my book for free and as a payback, they will tell me comments on what they actually think about the book—I’m starting to create my market of readers, I guess that’s the easiest term to explain the whole thing—Right now, I’m actually presenting my book in my blog for others to know that I’m actually having it publish later next year. If I’m lucky, I’ll be publishing it on paperback but I think I still need some cash to do that or if I could just find the right publishing company that will help me then I’d go for it—I had one publishing company from UK who agreed to publish my book on hard bounds but I had second thoughts and cold feet on signing the contract because of some flaws: I don’t have the market of readers yet that will obviously buy the hard bounds and I don’t have enough guts to publish it right now…I still need confidence and readers can actually give me that, if only I just have plenty.—I’d rather self-publish it as an ebook for now.

What is CHAPTERS all about?

Basically, it’s a romance novel and it entails stories about moving on and the different changes in life after losing someone you love.

It’s about a female racer and her struggles after losing everything because of a tragic accident. It’s pretty much a remarkable story and very different one because she’s not the usual waitress or office girl which we always read on some other books.

Well, I love racing that’s why I came up with the idea of animating something that I really enjoy watching and yes, it’s better to write something that you know than just make up stories about some facts. I believe fiction stories need facts too, just to make them more realistic.

 

How can you get a copy of the book?

Simple! Just email me and ask for the copy and I will send it to you for free.

roanneja@yahoo.com —that’s my email. So yes, let’s see. Let’s make some readers discover my book and yup, I’d be thankful if you’ll enjoy the story.