It has been three years since I first published Searching for Faerie, Finding Me through Amazon’s print-on-demand platform. At the time, simply finishing the book felt monumental. I had taken an idea that once existed only quietly in my imagination and brought it into the world in physical form. That alone felt like an accomplishment worth celebrating. But over the years, I found myself continually returning to the story as I painted on canvas. Certain lines questioned me, ce

Father's Day has just passed, and as often happens this time of year, I find myself thinking of my father. Most of my memories of him are tied to nature. He loved sitting outside in the garden under the mango tree, and he loved watching the sunrise and sunset. I developed my own ritual of waiting for the sunrise, following his practice. The photos of him staring into the horizon, towards where Mt. Apo lies in the distance bring to me such a sweet ache as he watched the sun r

People sometimes ask me why I wrote Searching for Faerie, Finding Me. The answer has changed over the years, but today I think it comes down to one simple truth: I wrote the book I wish I had when I was a little girl. Not because I needed another story to read, but because I needed a voice beside me reminding me that I was enough exactly as I was. Growing up, I never felt deeply connected to the creative in me. The message I somehow heard was that I had to improve, to be bett