Me: Good afternoon, miss cee! It's such a pleasure to finally be able to have a chance of interviewing you!
Cee: Good afternoon! The pleasure is mine. Thank you for having the time to have this interview with me, too.
Me: So first things first. We are going to discuss your newly finished book – Destination XYZ. How did you come up with the title?
Cee: Actually, I was listening to "Magbalik" by Callalily when I was jotting down the plot... I was supposed to be titling it "End of the world" since I originally planned to write down the lyrics from the song by the Carpenters. But when I saw the album "Magbalik" was from, I decided to title it Destination XYZ. The meaning of the title was really spontaneous when I decided right then and there.
Me: Wow! I love the spontaneity! So next question, what inspired the idea for your book?
Cee: Some of the lines in the book actually happened in real life. Some of the events there happened to me. I have also written a book called Anticipate. The same goes for there. All the kilig stuff that happened in my life made it to Anticipate and those who are kind of painful went to DXYZ.
Me: Okay. Wow. So, both your books are actually based on your IRL experiences! Next question, Which part of the book did you have the hardest time writing? Why?
Cee: The part where I wrote the hardest would be.... The second both of them realized that it's better to let each other go. I think in that part, it mirrored how we (an IRL) handled the situation.
Me: That must have been quite an IRL experience you went through there! As the song says, "pinagtagpo pero hindi tinadhana". Next question, which part of the book was the most fun to write? Why?
Cee: That will probably be the kilig moments! The letters, the banats, and just the happy details that Riny and Regy spent together.
Me: Hahaha! Those kilig moments are to die for!
Me: Next question, would you and your main character/s get along?
Cee: Probably yes. Riny and I would get along since she's a pediatric surgeon and I am studying to be one. Regy and I... We might get along? But not as much as Riny. I am not that talkative in person but I do like to listen.
Me: Oh! That's interesting! Quick question: what would Regy have to do to be chums with you?
Cee: Treat me to some cheesecake and coffee😉
Me: Ooh... perfect answer!
Me: Next q, if you could meet your characters in real life, what would you say to them?
Cee: To Riny... Hmmm... I would say that I feel her. The doubts, the hesitations, and all those whizz. I understand her and everything will be fine in the end. I also want to thank her for being true to herself.
To Regy... Thank you for trying. For giving your all before giving up. I know letting go is not that easy but, thank you for your patience and understanding.
Me: I'm reliving that pain again when they let each other go! Those two must have been really strong.
Okay, next q: if you were to write a spin-off about a side character, which would you pick?
Cee: It would be Rhiane. HAHAHAHAHAH you might know why...
Me: Oooh! That sounds juicy. Would you care to divulge little details for our readers?
Cee: Rhiane and Gio's love story is somewhat alike to their parents but this time, a little less pain and hurting.🤣
Me: That's a pretty exciting notion to think about (and hopefully, look forward to)!
okay. next q: while you were writing the heavy, emotional scenes, how do you set the mood?
Cee: I don't recommend this but... I read the letter the IRL gave me (that inspired me to write DXYZ) and it sets the mood up. I also listen to music that hits deep in the soul for more feels.
Me: Yeah, your music does hit deep! While Anticipate's playlist is more playful and fun, I really felt the pain while listening to DXYZ's playlist.
Cee: Yess!!🤣 That's why I really tell the people who read that if they want kilig stuff they should go to Anticipate!
Me: I was one of these people.😂
Me: okay. next q: what do you do to get inside your character's heads?
Cee: Getting into Riny's character was easy because I mirrored myself to her. Regy, on the other hand... It took time for me to get into his character since I needed to imagine I'm in his shoes. So I imagine what it would be like if I was the one going through Regy's pain. In short, I hurt myself with my own mind😭✌🏻
Me: Don't worry. You hurt us, too!</3
Cee: kasi nga damay damay😗✌🏻
Me: okay. next q: are there any plans for a sequel in the indeterminable future? or perhaps a spin-off/short story?
Cee: as of now, my answer would be not yet. I am currently writing another Irene and Greggy book called "Goodbye To Love" which is ironic because the story isn't going to end in shambles. It would be the opposite. So, maybe... Soon
Me: That's exciting to hear!
Me: quick q: whom do you ship? Regy and Riny? Milo and Riny?
Cee: Idealistically, Regy and Riny. But in reality? I ship Milo and Riny more...
Me: Hmm. Not a popular opinion but I have to say I do agree. Regy and Riny were all the feels, but in the end, it just couldn't be.
Cee: Regy and Riny's relationship was draining. love shouldn't be that. it should be countless of understandings and never having the thought of breaking up. However, Milo and Riny's relationship had peace. And that's something Regy could never give.
Me: Exactly! What most readers don't understand is that Regy did try, but that one huge red flag was when he didn't do more to try and reach out to Irene while she was studying abroad. The next huge flag was when he just let Riny know the news of his marriage through the news. It was painful, but I told myself they had to let each other go because of that.
Cee: I don't blame the readers... We all want something idealistic, the one we see in movies.
Me: TBH, I felt drained, too.😭😅
Cee: The relationship was on and off.🤣
Me: okay okay okay. here comes this q I've been wanting to ask since forever: would it be possible to have a version of Anticipate and DXYZ to completely not contain explicit scenes? could that be accomplished? how would you do that?
Cee: Yes! There are a lot of stories that is still breathtaking without the explicit contents. I think DXYZ only had one? And Anticipate had two while Serendipity had 1... If it needs to be revised, I'll be cooperative to unpublish the said chapters <3
A/N: for those wondering where Serendipity is, it's just in Anticipate. The author just put the two stories in one book.
Me: Would the plot be affected with the removal of said chapters?
Cee: For DXYZ, the plot wouldn't be affected. But for Anticipate, i think if we remove the first explicit scene, the plot will be affected since that's where they met again. But the other explicit scenes would be totally fine to remove. For the first explicit scene on Anticipate, I could rewrite it and make it not explicit. It would still connect to the story. I can manage that.
Me: Oh 'di ba. I live for your stories, Cee. Your stories are the only reason why I'm still on Watty. You can sink your teeth into the plot and still get those little kilig moments from time to time.
Cee: I'm glad you actually like it😭
Me: okay okay. nearly done! q: any little clues you can give us about what your new story -- Goodbye To Love -- would be like? is it heavy drama like Destination XYZ? or more sweet and romantic like Anticipate?
Cee: I want to explore different genres and also see the readers' response to them! HAHAHAHAHAH Goodbye To Love is actually a RomCom—Drama like
Me: I honestly am a bit intrigued by GTL. The first chapter especially tickled me pink! We get to see a new fictional Irene character.
Cee: I often see Irene being the mahinhin type. HAHAHAHAHA i want to put and explore her to a different personality, and of course there will always be some character development
Me: So, these next few questions are more about you and how you do your writing. Game?
Cee: sure
Me: What's your writing software of choice?
Cee: if i'm using my phone, Notes or directly to Watty lang... when i use my laptop... I use pages, an apple software😊
Me: Whom do you trust for objective and constructive criticism of your work?
Cee: you, dumpi, and my circle of friends irl
A/N: i wasn't able to tell her due to the time limit but i really appreciate being one of your trusted people, Cee!
Me: How do you process and deal with negative comments about your story/stories?
Cee: dedma lang... but the negative comments that have sense naman, i'll ponder about it actually and then turn it into a note na I should do this or do that rather than doing this
Me: What's your favorite writing snack or drink?
Cee: it's unhealthy😭😭😭😭😭😭 cheezy na blue and c2 na red😭😭😭😭😭😭 and if wala, sliced bread and nutella <333
Me: if walang sliced bread, nutella <333!
Me: What advice would you give to help others create plotlines and improve their writing skills?
Cee: hmmm... i say read. reading helps a lot. read and try! don't take the criticism to heart too, there are just people who wants to reach out and help you
Me: Wow! We've been at this for an hour and a half already! Still up for some this or that questions?
Cee: just throw em if you have more
Me: this is exciting! hahahaha
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A/N: our miss author is very, very game! I only asked her for 15 minutes but look how she's still so game after an hour has passed by already. <333
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Me: ice cream or frozen yogurt
Cee: ice cream🤤
Me: coke or royal
Cee: neither...I'm acidic😭
Me: McDo or Jollibee
Cee: Mcdo
Me: matching or mismatched socks
Cee: matching, always
Me: dress or blouse
Cee: dress
Me: bright or neutral colors
Cee: neutral
Me: mickey mouse or Dora the explorer
Cee: mickeeyyyy
Me: Disney or Marvel
Cee: Disney
Me: movie theater or arcade
Cee: arcadeeee
Me: irene or bernadette
Cee: IRENE OI JUSKO
Me: greggy or tommy
Cee: GREGGYYYY
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Me: so, that wraps up our interview! thank you so much for the 15 minute turned 1 hour and a half interview, miss cee!
Cee: yeheyyyyyyyyyy! thankk you so muchh!!
Me: really enjoyed knowing more about you and your works!
Cee: I'll add a fun-fact
Me: sure go ahead
Cee:
fun fact: I chose to have letters because it was something I also did some time ago with the IRL... though Regy wrote Riny the goodbye letter... IRL, it was me who gave a goodbye letter.
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A/N: durog na ba mga puso nyo? Dahil durog na durog na ang akin