Book Feature: Seven Faces of Life + Exclusive Author Interview with Caris MB

"And like the moon, we must go through phases of emptiness to feel full again." - Anonymous 

Today's book feature is special because this book is actually scheduled to be launched in  August however, we'd like you to be one of the first to know about it! 

Seven Faces of Life is a poetry book showcasing the different stages of our lives. It displays not just the different phases we are bound to travel. It also delineates the beauty of every stage and the lessons we can partake by passing through each. It depicts the nature of life as we capture memories at every stage and know our inner capabilities little by little. As a whole, it displays how each stage impacts us physically, emotionally, and psychologically. 

This book was written by Author Caris MB from Cebu City, Philippines. At a young age, she learned to sell sonnets, poems and even turned a few into songs. And when she lost her father at age 24, she decided to pursue her father's ultimate dream for her which is to publish her own book. In 2020, she was able to publish her first book, One of the Boys which is also a poetry book depicting varied male personalities. 

In the same year, she was able to write her second book, Seven Faces of Life and this is the book that we are going to talk about today in this exclusive interview with Author Caren.

1. Can you share with us something about the book that isn't in the blurb?

That's a very nice question. The book was made with so much passion and art not just from me but also from my illustrators. The book represents varied personalities which are not only expressed through my poetry but also through illustrations created by my artists: Karsten Pabinguit and Stan Adornado. It expresses different kinds of emotions portrayed by the different stages of life.

2. What inspired the idea for your latest book?

When I lost my father year 2019, I felt pain in different forms. I was full of questions, regrets, and sadness. That time, I wake up every day trying to assess myself; ending up feeling unproductive. I tried lifting myself up by doing things, I know, my late father would have loved me to do. I love writing because of him. Maybe because it is something I resemble him most. So, I started writing my first book for him.

However, as time goes by, I also learned to see the people who've been with me all throughout. Among all of them was my mom. I saw pain from my mom that weighed twice as heavy as mine. And so I wrote my second book, Seven Faces of Life for her. I have learned how pain does not end in one stage/ phase. Pain goes on because it will always demand to be felt. So, I wrote the book to express life's different stages and that it is normal to get hurt, to grieve, to cry, and feel sad. These are things we cannot control. I wanted to share how normal it is to put so much effort into ourselves just to gain the value of acceptance and forgiveness. But again, after having to learn its value, it will definitely be all worthwhile.

3. How long did it take you to complete the book?

I wrote the book, Seven Faces of Life for about a month while I was also busy distributing my debut book, One of the Boys: Men in Poems. During that time, I had a lot of things in mind. I just can't stop writing and I wanted to take advantage of the angst mixed with the passion to prove that I can do it.

I just came from a 6-year job. I never really planned on resting but the pandemic hit so when I was supposed to transfer company, I was stuck. Believe it or not, rest was forced upon me. I wasn't used to doing nothing considering the length of time that I have been employed so I realized, I have to do something out of scrap; out of my innate capacity. So, I decided to write.

But the collaboration between me and my illustrators, Karsten Pabinguit and Stan Adornado took about 2 more months to complete. Imagine how three great minds communicate? We came from different personalities. Karsten is very young and blooming, yet her talent is already very ripe and authentic. You can never believe her age when you see how great her potential is with her art. 

While Stan is very efficient and imaginative. His forte is into gaming and streaming so indulging himself in this kind of field is huge for me. I am just very lucky to have to work with such great artists. They are the type to know right away the kind of personalities the book is portraying and having to illustrate it makes the book's content so much livelier.

4. What part of the book was most challenging to write and why?

I find the fifth to seventh chapters challenging to write because as a young adult these chapters are still unknown to me. But picturing out the people around me who went through these phases helped me a lot. Observing them and their sudden shift of responsibilities helped me get through the challenge.

5. What do you hope your readers take away from this book?

The main goal of the book was always to tap on its readers and make them feel that they are never alone in this journey. That yes, things can get worse and can be as unimaginable as it may seem; but nonetheless, we have to trust ourselves in the process. We have to take both the good and the bad in these situations in order to move through another stage. And, that every stage is an accomplishment.

6. If you’re planning a sequel or write the next book, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?

I always wanted to write something about different women's personalities; as a sequel to my first book: 'One of the Boys'. My goal is always to write inspirational stories through creative poetry.

7. Where can they buy your books or find out more about you?

I would like to invite everyone to get your copies through these outlets:

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Faces-Life-Caris-M/dp/B08KJ1SYW4

Central Bookstores in the Philippines - They have branches in Manila, Makati, SM Megamall, Cebu, and Davao. Click this link to check store addresses and contact numbers. 

You may also order online through Central Book's website or its official stores in Lazada and Shopee. 

8. Where can readers find out more about you and your books?

You can follow me on my social media channels: 

Facebook:  facebook.com/carismb
Instagram: instagram.com/caris.mb
Site: carismb.wixsite.com/author

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Thank you, Author Caris for agreeing to this interview. Thank you for letting us know that we are not alone as we take this journey called life and that someone out there understands what we are going through. 

Thank you for being an inspiration to others. You just showed us that no one is too young to become an author. We are so proud of what you have accomplished and we look forward to seeing more wonderful things from you. 

Big Bad Wolf - LIST OF BOOKS, PRICES AND PROMO CODES

UPDATE: As of 06.22.21, they have temporarily locked the website. Products can be viewed during actual event dates.

The next few days are going to be more exciting for all bookworms here in the Philippines. After the Aklatan Book Fair (last day today) which included the Php 99 National Bookstore Book Sale, we're all excited for the Book Bad Wolf Online Sale happening on June 30. 

I know that you are all curious about what books are going on sale and their prices so let me give you a sneak peek of what you can find at the Big Bad Wolf Online Sale. :) 

For Rick Riordan fans, you can buy 3 books for the price of 2. 

For Harry Potter fans, the box set is on sale at 27% off

For Paulo Coelho fans, the premium box set is available at a whooping 72% off. 

For Nicholas Sparks fans, we have seen only a few titles. Hope they add more in the coming days. 

If you are looking for children's books, the Little Miss My Complete Collection (35 Books) is at 60% off. 

Goosebumps box set is also available at 72% off

Aside from the discounts, you can also expect other expecting promotions and offers such as the Php 10 book if you purchase at least Php 1,800

Some of the titles that you can purchase for Php 10 are as follows: 

You can check the complete list of Php 10 book promotion, here. 

How much is the shipping? Shipping varies depending on location but please note that the books will be coming all the way from Malaysia so please expect around 2-4 weeks for delivery. They are also offering free shipping for a minimum purchase of Php 2,900. 

Exciting right? Anyway, you may check availability and complete book titles available this Big Bad Wolf Online Sale through this link: https://ph.bbwbooks.com/

Once you have finalized your order, here are some promo codes for additional discounts. 

Happy Shopping! Let's connect via Instagram. We're having a book giveaway right now where you can get a chance to win a copy of the book, ME BEFORE YOU by Jojo Moyes. 

Join here: www.instagram.com/mymetrolifestyle 

The National Book Store Php 99 BOOK SALE! (Biggest sale ever!)

National Bookstore is having their biggest price cut on their books starting tomorrow, June 19, 2021. 

Get these bestselling books for only Php 99 only! 

Available in-store and online so, you can visit their website - www.nationalbookstore.com or their online stores:

Lazada NBS: http://bit.ly/NBS99saleLZD

Shopee NBS: http://bit.ly/NBS99saleSH

Lazada NBS Warehouse Sale: http://bit.ly/NBSWH99saleLZD

Shopee NBS Warehouse Sale: http://bit.ly/NBSWH99saleSH

To give you an idea, here are some books expected to go on sale. :) 

Source: https://www.facebook.com/nbsalert

Please note that items will depend on availability per branch/ channel.

So, what are you waiting for? Add to cart now or text to reserve. See details here.

Don't forget to share and tag your bookworm friends. :) 

Book Feature: From One Small Garden Recipe Book + Exclusive Author Interview with Lillian and Dave Brummet

One of the silver linings of staying at home was the fact that many of us discovered our love of plants and gardening. Whether it was for ornamental plants or a vegetable and fruit garden, one thing was for sure. Our inner green thumb was brought to life.

And it doesn't stop there... Surrounded by all this greenery and a growing vegetable and fruit garden, we can't help but be inspired to have a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. 

The book, From One Small Garden - Over 300 Delicious Nutritious Recipes is loaded with interesting historical & nutritional information, this is more than just a collection of recipes - it is a way to treat yourself to healthy, delicious garden-fresh produce.

Lillian and her husband Dave are behind Brummet Media Group and here's our exclusive interview with them as they share more about their book, From One Small Garden - Over 300 Delicious Nutritious Recipes.

1. Can you share with us something about the book that isn't in the blurb?

Yes, thank you for asking - this book also helps with chemical exposure, budget issues, and waste reduction. For instance, the final chapter offers frugal ways to make natural hair spray, herbal tea mixtures, pest deterrents, and air fresheners, from common ingredients found around the home. We also offer alternatives to boxes of little envelopes of chicken coating and taco seasoning... further reducing the reader's waste stream.

2. What inspired the idea for your latest book?

This book began after a car accident, as a hobby - collecting all the recipes we created and putting them in a binder for our own use. Over the years the binder was revised a dozen times or more and printed out for our own use more times than that. Eventually, we had perfected the recipes, reducing the volume to about 320 some odd recipes. We used them for hosting our weekend drum workshops, or day-long workshops - serving meals and snacks to our participants. We also used them in the spa we managed for a short time. It was the responses to these experiences that made us consider publishing it. We were hesitant because we aren't famous and we felt it would not have much of a market. However, we soon saw there was indeed a market for this book and the long work on the manuscript began. The book honors people who inspired us and celebrates a number of friends and family members who are no longer with us - sharing our versions of their inspiring recipes.

3. How long did it take you to complete the book?

The car accident (a 3 car pile-up) was in 1998... and that was when the random collection became more organized. The sincere work taking that binder to the draft manuscript stage really began in earnest in 2019 or so. The manuscript was set aside during that time frame while we continued house renovations and garden development. We were so excited to have it published on January 18, 2021, and officially available for purchase as of February I think. What a thrill to have our own copy in our hands!

4. What part of the book was most challenging to write and why?

The most challenging was the marketing blurbs, inside cover blurbs, and the text on the cover itself. Trying to convey what was in this 275-page book, the value and the wide array of textures and cultural foods, and the extra recipes we have at the end... it was not easy to create a tasteful enticing text for all of this.

5. What do you hope your readers take away from this book?

We hope that readers will become more excited about cooking fresh foods at home. We encourage our readers to shop at farmer's markets and via local food producers. We also encourage gardening, as even just a few pots on the doorstep can help supplement the menu plan. We educate the reader by showing them interesting historical, agricultural and nutritional tidbits. We help them reduce waste, save money, create nutritional menu plans and take advantage of peak harvests.

6. If you’re planning a sequel or write the next book, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?

The next book project is actually a 3-book series that we are starting work on in the next few weeks. This project is in honor of Dave's dad, Frank Brummet. He was a popular writer, speaker, and poet in the Okanagan, Boundary, and Kootenay regions of BC, Canada. We hope to publish his poetry, photos, and short stories/memoir this year. Frank's Wanderings, Frank's Pondering's, and Frank's Tales are the tentative titles we are mulling over.

7. Where can they buy your books or find out more about you?

The best place to go is our Amazon Central Page: https://amazon.com/author/lillianbrummet

Our main website is: www.BrummetMedia.ca or people can also visit our main blog where we have several additional pages such as book reviews, media appearances, pictures of Dave and I and our furkids, and more: http://www.consciousdiscussions.blogspot.com/

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Thank you, Lilian and Dave, for agreeing to this interview. We are inspired by your new book project and can't wait to have a healthier and sustainable lifestyle by cooking freshly cooked meals at home and implementing eco-friendly practices. 

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Here's how: https://www.mymetrolifestyle.com/p/do-you-want-to-promote-your-book.html