PBF 2025: There's A First Time For Everything (Again)

Here’s the thing. Being an author is hard on your mental health.

Between bouts of writer’s block, impostor syndrome, self doubt, the international publishing industry’s almost systematic preference for white authors, the local publishing industry looking their noses down at your genre (on Facebook of all places, lol), people online charging through the nose for “publishing services”, whatever that means, and just in general feeling exhausted, it’s easy to feel that your hands are tied, and there’s nothing you can do about it.

I always say I’m grateful to be part of a community of supportive, friendly (bullies! with affection) authors, readers, artists, but you feel it most strongly in times like this. When you come together just to hang out, to sell each other’s books, encourage each other’s delusions. It’s a great way to remind yourself that you belong here! That there is a place in the world where the things you write make people (and your friends) happy! Where you can be happy for friends who find that space themselves, too!

There were a lot of firsts that happened this PBF—my first time at PBF, my first time to help with booth ingress and preps. But it feels like it’s not my first time being in this space at all, mostly because I was with people I loved, and we all genuinely enjoyed each others’ company.

Chi and Ben paneling for the gays at the Creator’s Stage, Mina launching Vibal’s new Vida imprint with other authors at the main stage!

Thank you also to the readers who dropped by the booth to buy books, and to chat! Special shout out to Bianca, who whipped out her OG copies of Marry Me Charlotte B and We Go Together, which I haven’t seen in a LONG time. Also to the readers who brought their copies of my books just on the off chance that I would be there to sign. :(( I really appreciated it. For the readers who missed out on copies of Blooming Love, I’m doing a last print run before the Vibal edition comes out, please eagerly anticipate haha.

Somehow my soul is still here after the live readings. As you can see, we’re totally fine. :)

I could go on and on about how the readings have taken on a special meaning for us—the physical manifestation of hearing what works and what doesn’t, seeing words take on a whole new meaning for audiences, the ~reactions. But really it’s just great to be in that room, even if you’re in (s)pain. It’s great to hear your words spoken back to you because you remember why you put them into the book in the first place. Like you’re telling yourself—see, this is what you can do. This is what you make people feel!

I would cry if I wasn’t writhing in kilig. It really was just what this mentally exhausted af author needed.

Here’s my little haul of books! I am so, so SO thrilled for H. Bentham and all the well deserved love on his new book. I was lucky enough to help him with the eBook edition and ghorl. The heat. HAHAHA. Ito na po ang success era niya, and we’re just happy to be here.

I also took home a few of the flowers to spruce up the romanceclass booth in Magdamag!

What’s next? Dumaguete in (what Jade pointed out was) two weeks??? I learned that The Last Guy You Kiss will officially be available in Fully Booked maybe on release day (April 1!) and then there’s still the Vibal edition of Blooming Love coming out!

It weirdly feels like something started over. But it’s a good thing!