{Story Diary} Love and Other Questionable Choices by Chi Yu Rodriguez

Love and Other Questionable Choices by Chi Yu Rodriguez
Contemporary Romance, Filipino Lit, Short Story Collection, LGBTQ+
April 28, 2018

Rae and JR choose to begin, taking that final step into something new.

Rachel and Geoffrey choose to give in, claiming what they've always wanted and running with it.

Punky and Jazz choose to accept, acknowledging that they’re different and that's okay.

Some choices leave a small imprint in our lives, a little push, a little nudge. While some... can turn our worlds upside down.

Where will their choices take them?

Setting

Manila, Philippines

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Food

Misua

A Chinese soup, consisting of variety of salted noodles made of wheat flour and often times served with ground pork.

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Tagalog/Cebuano

Ate = sister
Kuya = brother
Tita = auntie

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Favorite Quotes

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Jazz carefully reached out for the lightest touch of Punky's puffed cheeks. It was barely there, like a butterfly's kiss, but Jazz felt like there were tiny sparks under her fingertips as she gently stroked Punky's jaw.

She noticed a mole under the tip of Punky's nose. It made her smile and reminded her of the time Punky talked about moles being cute.

--Chi Yu Rodriguez, Five Inches Below the Knee, Love and Other Questionable Choices (Loc 770)

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Seeing how Punky was looking at her in that moment, reassuring her that they were friends, scared Jazz instead of comforting her. It made her feel like her heart was about to detach from her chest slide up her throat, and come out of her mouth in the form of the words: But I like you, Punky.

--Chi Yu Rodriguez, Five Inches Below the Knee, Love and Other Questionable Choices (Loc 835)

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Meet Chi Yu Rodriguez

Chi Yu Rodriguez has many feelings. Sometimes these feelings find their way to paper in the form of short stories and fiction online. Sometimes they don't come out at all and end up as unresolved sexual tension or terrible internal angst.

She prefers making imaginary people go through these feelings for her pleasure. Her muses hate her for it, and they repay her by being forever fickle.

She wrestles with them in her head everyday.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | #RomanceClass | Wattpad | Goodreads

Purchase Love and Other Questionable Choices

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Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AUS

may 2018 playlist

this is america // childish gambino
mad mad world // bonnie mckee
trigger // anne-marie
lo siento // super junior x leslie grace
fake love // bts
soarin // bazzi
otw // khalid x 6lack x ty dolla $ign
brb // bazzi
mood // carlie hanson
lonely // russo
fire of love // jesse jo stark
alarm // anne-marie
don't go breaking my heart // backstreet boys
spoil my night // post malone
messy // kiiara
i love it // cheat codes x dvbbs
one night // fame on fire
blessed // sophia black x lunch money lewis
remind me to forget (remix) // kygo x miguel x hook n sling
solo // clean bandit x demi lovato
catch a body // livvia x quavo
4 the 2000's // todrick hall

april 2018 playlist

3:15 // bazzi
miss you // cashmere cat x major lazer x tory lanez
everybody hates me // the chainsmokers
friends // marshmello x anne-marie
2002 // anne-marie
wanna be missed // hayley kiyoko
call out my name // the weeknd
freaky friday // lil dicky
be careful // cardi b
92 explorer // post malone
wasted times // the weeknd
better with you // jesse mccartney
cloud nine // owl city
on the low // tove styrke
queendom // aurora
miracle // chvrches
stay the night // the shires
hard rain // lykke li

march 2018 playlist

magic // rudy mancuso x maia mitchell
what i need // hayley kiyoko x kehlani
no excuses // meghan trainor
dura // daddy yankee
alone (remix) // halsey x big sean x stefflon don
the middle // zedd x maren morris x grey
put me back together // cheat codes x kiiara
getting over you (r3hab remix) // lauv x r3hab
my enemy // chvrches x matt berninger
let it be // hayley kiyoko
one thing (grant remix) // san holo x grant
jumping stairsets (demo) // pvmnts
like that // bea miller
on my own // 3lau x nevve
nostalgia // mo
chasing fire // lauv
dust // annalia

{Story Diary} That Kind of Guy by Mina V. Esguerra

That Kind of Guy by Mina V. Esguerra
Contemporary Romance, Filipino Lit
March 8, 2017

Yes, it’s true: "Good girl” Julie Crisostomo dated that guy Anton Santos for almost a year.

Julie is everyone’s loyal and concerned friend, but she has no experience being someone’s girlfriend. Then Anton, a “player” she never thought would be interested in her, swoops into her life and doesn’t seem to want to leave it.

Anton has dated a lot of women and is everyone's "delicious distraction." But he seems to have fallen hard for Julie—if only she believed him.

Setting + Places

TriNoma (Triangle North of Manila) Mall, Quezon City, Philippines

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Tagaytay, Philippines

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With a beautiful view of Taal Lake and Taal Volcano in the background.
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Mactan, Cebu, Philippines

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Where my family is from! Makes me want to go back.
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Muntinlupa, Philippines

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Coron, Palawan, Philippines

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Filipino food

Tagalog

Manang = older woman; a term of respect for older female relative
Merienda = light meal or snack
Beso = cheek to cheek kiss
Simbang Gabi = "night mass"; a 9-day catholic mass tradition
Lola = grandma
Bagay (there's two meanings depending on topic) = "things"; or "it suits you"
Quezo de bola ensaymadas = ball of cheese and bread
Ligawin = having many suitors
Dalandan = (sweet or sour) orange

Favorite Quotes

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"All food is comfort food to me."

--Mina V. Esguerra, That Kind of Guy (pg. 24)

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This was how a manang self-destructed, probably. Not with drugs or alcohol, but cholesterol.

--Mina V. Esguerra, That Kind of Guy (pg. 54)

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"[S]he has played different roles in my life since I met her. And vice versa. But I still love her, always have. And based on our track record, I think I always will," Charlie admitted.

--Mina V. Esguerra, That Kind of Guy (pg. 111)

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Pretty much awwed at this secondary characters confession of their dear friend.

Meet Mina V. Esguerra

Mina V. Esguerra writes contemporary romance novels. Through her blog Publishing in Pajamas (minavesguerra.com), she documents her experiments in publishing.

When not writing romance, she is president of communications firm Bronze Age Media, development communication consultant, publisher, and publishing mentor. She created the workshop series “Author at Once” for writers and publishers, and #romanceclass for aspiring romance writers.

Her young adult/fantasy trilogy Interim Goddess of Love is a college love story featuring gods from Philippine mythology. Her contemporary romance novellas won the Filipino Readers’ Choice awards for Chick Lit in 2012 (Fairy Tale Fail) and 2013 (That Kind of Guy).

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Wattpad | Ko-fi | #RomanceClass | Goodreads

Purchase That Kind of Guy

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Amazon | B&N | Book Depository