"Hi Venny, buti nakarating ka."

A petite woman, who seemed to be in her mid-twenties, greeted me the moment I saw her at the coffee shop table. She was wearing a purple button-down shirt and skinny jeans. Dark-rimmed glasses framed her eyes, and she sported shoulder-length dark hair, which was rebonded.

"Hello po Ms. Rhea. I'm Venny Giron. Venny-G," I smiled.

Isang linggo na ang nakaraan mula nang matanggap ko message ni Ms. Rhea sa Facebook. After thinking about it, naisipan kong pabigyan siya for a meeting. At ito na nga, nakipagkita na ako sa kanya sa isang coffee shop sa loob ng isang mall near our place.

She stood up and extended a hand. Nagkamayan kami and she gestured me to sit in front of her. I pulled the chair and sat.

"Thank you for taking the time to meet with me. I'm Rhea Carola, the head of Star Writers Publishing," she started.

"Yes po, nakita ko na po Facebook page niyo. You published Mystery Squad by Benzayb, right? Yung popular author po?" I saw a picture of that particular book at their FB page.

"Oo, kami nag-publish ng book trilogy niya. Benzayb was our very first client," Ms. Rhea smiled at the idea of it. "As you see, indie publishing house kami, and we're looking for other writers to help make their dreams come true. Sikat na nga yung story mo eh."

"Oo nga po, di ko po inexpect na ang bilis dadami ng reads," I commented, feeling flustered.

"With that in mind, naisip ng team namin na kunin ka bilang isa sa aming mga writers."

She smiled and took out a small plastic envelope beside her. She placed it on the table, opened it, and showed me a short bond paper.

"Read this."

Kinuha ko ang papel at binasa ang nakalagay doon.

It was a publishing offer. The deal was, they will publish three batches of my story for pre-order. There will be 100 copies per batch. The willing buyers have to pay first, pagkatapos ay ipu-publish ang aking story na My Love From The Past at ishi-ship sa kanila. Kapag successful ang first batch ay open na ang second batch, at third batch kapag maayos ang lahat.

If the first three batches of my published work will be succesful within a year, my contract will be open for renewal if I want to. Mabibigyan ako ng royalty from the sales of my published book.

With the manuscript, ibibigay ko muna ito sa kanila at babayaran nila ako ng Php5,000.

"One hundred copies per batch sounds good," wika ko.

"Tama ka, para mas madaling i-publish at ma-monitor ang mga bayarin. Lalo na at puro high school students ang readers mo," ika ni Ms. Rhea.

"Huwag niyo pong gawin mahal ang book," I requested.

"Hindi iyan magiging expensive. Mga around three hundred to four hundred pesos. We will be using cream paper and embossed soft cover. Teka, ilan ba word count mo?"

"Mga around seventy thousand," I answered. "Paano po editing and proofreading?"

"May editor kami who will do it for you. Kaya by November or December, expect mo na makukuha na nila ang book."

"Mabilis ah," I grinned.

"Team effort kasi ito," Ms. Rhea answered.

I pore over the contract.

Siguro ito na nga ang hinihintay ko.

"May I have a pen?" I asked Ms. Rhea.

"Sure." She got a pen from her bag. Kinuha ko ito at pumirma na sa contract.

"Okay na po," I smilingly gave her the paper.

"Congrats Venny, and welcome to Star Writers Publishing!"

I shook hands once more with Ms. Rhea.

This is it! Ito na ang katuparan ng aking mga pangarap as a writer.

---

Aside from being busy with my internship, inayos ko na ang manuscript ng aking story. Mabilis ko itong naipasa kay Ms. Rhea through email, and she acknowledged it. I got the initial payment via another meeting at the same coffee shop, and I was assured na sisimulan na nila ang pre-order by asking for payment.

I immediately announced it on my Facebook fanpage. Within thirty minutes, there were thirty three interested readers who clicked a Google spreadsheet na naka-link sa announcement post. Their details were filled up, and they added a date kung kailan sila magbabayad. Andoon na rin ang bank account details na nakapangalan kay  Ms. Rhea Carola, and they promised to pay within the one-week deadline.

"Uy, thank you at bibili ka ng book ko," I messaged Eri.

"Siyempre naman, excited ako!" Eri replied. "Autograph ah!"

"Sure!" I ended the message with three smiley faces.

"Sa second batch na bibili sila Trixie at Sylvia," Eri chatted again.

"Okay lang, basta may bibili," I said.

I leaned against my chair and smiled contentedly.

After one week, Ms. Rhea told me na nagbayad na lahat ng thirty-three readers na bibili ng My Love From The Past.

"Inaayos na namin ang book mo, wait for it around first to second week of November. Tamang-tama, early Christmas gift for your readers," Ms. Rhea said through her message.

"Salamat po nang marami!" I replied.

True enough, by second week of November, natanggap ko na ang complimentary copies ng aking libro. Three readers messaged me that they received their book.

"Ganda po nito Miss Author!"

"Wow, may physical copy na ako ni General Santander! May bookmark pa na chibi versions nila General at Charina! Cutie!"

"Can't wait to read this!"

I thanked my readers who messaged me. I logged out, and I decided to scan the book I received.

As I flipped through the pages, I sniffed that comforting scent of a newly-published book. As I randomly read through the paragraphs, it was only then I noticed something.

"Palam, Heneral! Aking mahal!"

"Charina...mahal kita..."

"Babalik ako balangaraw, at magkikita tayo mulli."

"May typos?" I whispered. As far as I know, I did some of the editing, but left the rest to the editing team of the pub house. Bakit ganoon, parang hindi yata thoroughly edited yung book?

I flipped the pages. When I got to the last page, I lifted it up. To my shock, agad napunit ang pahina mula sa binding nito.

Bakit ganoon? Ang ayos tignan ng libro sa labas, pero yung contents naman sa loob, pati yung binding, questionable ang quality.

I decided to open my laptop and chat Eri.

"Eri, nakuha mo na ba yung book? May napansin ka bang defects?" I asked via Messenger.

"Hey Venny, got it! Wala lang sa akin yung ibang typos, pero ang bilis mapunit! Naka tatlong punit na pages na ako oh, huhu," she replied.

"Thanks for letting me know."

"Okay lang, first time mo ma-publish."

I decided to check my fanpage. The inbox notifications showed twelve unread messages.

I scanned each of these messages.

"Ate Venny, di ko pa po natatanggap ang book!"

"Bakit ganoon, natanggap ko yung book pero ang bilis mapilas ng pages!"

"Ate, follow up po sa order ko!"

"Ano ba ito, bakit napupunit agad yung page? At inedit ba yan? I love your stories, Ms. A, pero sana kung magpu-publish kayo, di ka sana nagmadali."

Almost all the other messages sounded similar.

I chatted up Ms. Rhea that very moment.

"Ms. Rhea, may readers po ako na delayed ang shipping ng book, may sched po ba kayo kung kailan nila matatanggap? And bakit po madaling mapilas yung pages and mukhang di edited yung content? Please reply."

I stood up and walked back and forth in my room. After a minute, may reply na si Ms. Rhea when I sat down.

"Hi Venny, nagkaproblem lang sa courier, pero they will receive it soon. And it is edited," reply niya.

I was not convinced with her reply. I took a picture of the typos and sent it to her through my phone.

Pero pagkatapos ng balisang paghihintay for twenty minutes ay walang reply si Ms. Rhea. I ended up telling those with delayed orders na i-message na lang ang Star Writers fanpage.

I shut down my laptop and turned off my data connection. Napahiga ako sa kama. Napupuno na ako ng inis at pagkadismaya.

Bakit ang daling mapunit ng binding at mukhang hindi edited ang libro? Bakit parang umiiwas si Ms. Rhea na sagutin ako kung edited ba ito o hindi?

At bakit may mga delay sa ibang orders?

I shut my eyes and was about to fall asleep out of frustration, when my phone beeped.

Nag-message si Nine sa akin through text.

"Blind item ka ngayon sa isang confession page. Sa Wattpad Rants. Halatang ikaw."

I sat up and turned on my data connection. Pinuntahan ko ang nasabing page, at ito ang unang bumungad:

Badtrip ako!

Bakit ganoon, yung book na inorder ko, puro typos and madaling mapunit ang pages? Disappointed ako sa author and pub house na napili niya. Favorite ko pa naman siya!

I saw the comments section.

May nag-upload ng picture ng aking book. Sa ibabaw nito ay may comment na "Super disappointed with this author."

"Hala, is this VennyG's book?" Sabi ng isang comment.

Nine's chat bubble popped on my screen. I clicked it open.

"You were scammed."