Hello, my book is out

So this wasn’t really in the plan. I mean, the plan was to write a book, publish it under a pen name, and pretend it’s not me. Because that’s the purpose of pen names, right? So my real persona won’t be known, and people won’t ask, “Is this about you?” and all that jazz.

But plans don’t always happen, as we all know. And some things are just too big (well, sort of) and too exciting to keep in secret.

Hello, my first book is out. :)

Rain De Castro has been in love with her best friend, Mark Velasco, for almost the entire time she has known him, but she’s clearly in the friend zone because he’s happily in a relationship. Or so she thought, until the news of his break-up reaches her. Now that Mark’s single again, she decides that it’s time to get out of the zone. But when her cousin Lissa comes into the picture and sets her eyes on Mark, Rain feels troubled when he gets a little too friendly with her. Rain is determined to fight for what she feels this time, but is it worth the effort if it’s a losing battle from the start? Will she back off to give way for her best friend’s happiness, even if it means losing him to someone else again?

This is my #romanceclass project, and but really, it’s been with me since NaNoWriMo 2006. It’s 8 years in the making, and right now all I can think of is, “Finally, finally, finally.”

You see, I was really terrified of having any of my work edited, read, and consumed by the public. Never mind that I blog some stories sometimes, but you know, it’s different when you actually publish something and sell it.

But it’s also exciting and fulfilling and now my head is full of other stories that I want to write and send out into the world because we can never have too many stories and books, right?

To answer some questions…

Why a pen name?

The intention was really to differentiate my blogging self to my author self, which kind of makes it moot right now with this post. But later on I realized (with the confirmation of a friend who works in the industry) that this pen name, Ana Tejano, is easier to spell and market than my real name. I mean, people mess up my surname all the time, so imagine how hard it would be to search if I stick to that surname.

My pen name is also my name, so no problem about that. :D

Is this story about you?

No.

Did any of these happen in real life?

No.

Is this story about people you know?

No.

Are the characters in the story based in real life?

No. Well, some of them were fashioned after people I know, but they’re not really the same people. When I first wrote this, I had specific people in mind, but later on they evolved into their own characters but it was too hard to get rid of the basic qualities I got from the people I know. So it’s sort of them, but not really them.

I did name several people here from my friends. :) But it doesn’t mean they’re the same people.

But it sounds like you! Are you sure Rain isn’t you?

Yes. Definitely not me.

Where can I read a sample?

You can get a sample from the ebookstores that carry Fall Like Rain, but I also posted the first five chapters on Wattpad.

Where can I get a copy?

Here you go:

• Amazon
• Kobo
• Barnes & Noble
• iBooks
• Scribd
• Smashwords

No, I meant a print copy. Will there be a paperback edition?

Yes, there will be a print edition, but since this book is self-published, I am still working on it. Give me until November. You can order the pre-order the print edition now! Target shipping time for print is on first week of November! :)

Are you going to turn this blog into a writing blog?

No, this blog is still my (sappy) personal blog. But if you want to receive author (hihi, still feels weird to say this, but yay!) updates, you can follow my accounts here:

• Follow Ana Tejano on Twitter (@itstimeana)
• Like Ana Tejano on Facebook (/itstimeana)

But I will probably write stuff about writing here, like I used to do.

Are you absolutely sure that this story is not your life story?

Yes, absolutely positively sure. :)

* * *

So many people to thank for this milestone (and the full acknowledgments are at the end of the book), but if you were a part of this from the start to finish, let me say it once again: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. :)