Happy Filipino American History Month!

The 2026 theme for FAHM from the Filipino American National Historical Society is “Beyond the Margins: Centering Intersectional Filipino American Histories.” To celebrate, five incredible authors have joined me to tell us their favorite part about sharing FAHM stories with their readers, books that have shaped them, and more. From a queer cyberpunk The Great Gatsby reimagining to a middle-grade time travel adventure to a swoon-worthy YA sapphic romance to an adventurous fantasy duology with elemental magic to a heartwarming YA romance debut, you'll find the perfect FAHM reads below. 🫶

K.M. Fajardo, author of Local Heavens (published with Bindery!):

"A brilliant reimagining of Fitzgerald’s classic tale of glamour, desire, and desperation, Local Heavens examines the guardrails of morality… and the price of desire."

Q: What is your favorite part about sharing Filipino culture and characters with your readers?

A: I like exploring all the nuances of the Filipino experience. I'm proud and grateful that I get to write Filipino protagonists that I rarely grew up seeing. I also like writing Filipino characters who are just as much heroes as they are flawed, messy, and difficult. The Philippines has undergone centuries of colonization, violence, trauma and multiple foreign invasions, and this has shaped Filipino thinking and society a lot. I'm often drawn to characters who must confront their discomfort and deconstruct their colonial upbringings or the model minority myth.

As Filipinos, we are very community oriented people and I cherish that, especially as a diaspora Filipino, born and raised in the west. In the Filipino households I grew up in, it didn't matter if you were blood-related. You were welcomed as family, no matter your background, and I try to reflect that warmth when I write. Our culture is not without its flaws and while I'm interested in discussing this in my work, what I truly appreciate most about writing Filipino stories is getting to pay homage to all the labour and love our communities contribute to each other and society.

Q: What do you hope readers take away from your story?

A: In LOCAL HEAVENS, my cyberpunk reimagining of THE GREAT GATSBY where Nick Carraway is a Filipino-American hacker, the Philippines is not represented as a poor country in the Global South, but as a burgeoning tech hub at the forefront of a lot of innovation. In many parts of the west, they are still not taken seriously, even though the Americas are the ones in decline due to corporate and political corruption. As a cyberpunk fan, I chose to write this because I felt that classic cyberpunk tropes have always placed the US and East Asia on a pedestal. I wanted the chance to blend futuristic world-building with Filipino culture and put it on display because our culture is so rich, with so much to offer. If you grew up entrenched in western media, preconceived biases about the Global South and a general lack of representation might stop you from experiencing that. If there's anything I hope readers take away from LOCAL HEAVENS, with regards to Filipino culture, I hope it's curiosity and appreciation.

Q: Which book(s) do you recommend to celebrate Filipino American History Month?

A: For the classics, there is a collection of short stories by Nick Joaquin, The Woman Who Had Two Navels and Tales of the Tropical Gothic, which I found to be a less daunting starting point into Filipino literature before tackling José Rizal's Noli Me Tangere which was a very pivotal literary work in the history of Filipino revolution and liberation. For contemporary works, I often go back to Isabel Yap's speculative short story collection, Never Have I Ever, which blends myth and modern voice beautifully.

Q: What is a story that has had a significant influence on your life?

A: The first time I ever read a book with a Filipino protagonist was Randy Ribay's Patron Saints of Nothing. It had a profound impact on me as a YA novel about a Filipino-American teen who finds out his cousin in the Philippines was killed but his family refuses to talk about it, which prompts him to visit the Philippines and learn more about what really happened. It was a poignant exploration of family, class and the corruption in Filipino society, told in a way that reaches younger audiences without pulling any punches. I'm very grateful for this book. It made me realize that in my entire lifetime of writing, I had never written a Filipino protagonist before and it changed the trajectory of my work for the better.

Marie Miranda Cruz, author of A Boy Called Hero:

A Boy Called Hero is "a time-travel adventure story about finding ways to make a difference, connect with others, and be true to yourself no matter where (or when) you are."

Q: What is your favorite part about sharing Filipino culture and characters with your readers?

A: My favorite part about sharing Filipino culture and characters with my readers is hearing their reactions to the story, the setting—and best of all, to the history I’ve shared in A BOY CALLED HERO. I love seeing their eyes light up when I tell them my stories are set in the Philippines, especially Filipino readers, because seeing yourself and your culture in the pages of a book is so special.

Q: What do you hope readers take away from your story?

A: Primarily, to enjoy and remember them. For those who have read EVERLASTING NORA, I hope they think about their own perceptions of what home means to them. And for A BOY CALLED HERO, I hope readers will know that we can all influence change in our world, no matter how small our role may seem.

Q: Which book(s) do you recommend to celebrate Filipino American History Month?

A: There are so many! For picture books, WHEN LOLA VISITS by Michelle Sterling, BEA’S BALIKBAYAN BOX OF TREASURES by Christine Alemshah, and OUR NIPA HUT by Rachell Abalos. For middle grade and young adult, GHOUL SUMMER by Tracy Badua, ISABEL IN BLOOM by Mae Respicio, AT LAST SHE STOOD by Erin Entrada Kelly, NEST OF TONGUES by Randy Ribay, and WILD SONG by Candy Gourlay.

Q: What is a story that has had a significant influence on your life?

A: That’s a great question!! I don’t think I can pin it down to one particular story but a collection of stories I’ve heard from family over the years, particularly from my mother, paternal grandmother, and my mother-in-law. I loved asking them about what they remember of their childhood and what their lives were like during and after WW2, or how they met the loves of their life. These stories offered me a window into experiences that molded them into the women they became. They also inspired me to dig deeper into history in order to understand the world their experiences reside in. This collection of life stories from the most important women in my life helps me navigate my own and inspire my writing.

Samantha Bansil, author of Black Salt Queen and Bird King Rising (published with Bindery!):

"Filled with passion, romance, betrayal, and divine magic, Black Salt Queen journeys to a gorgeous precolonial island nation where women—and secrets—reign."

Q: What is your favorite part about sharing Filipino culture and characters with your readers?

A: Ultimately, I love that it connects me to fellow Filipinos and makes others like me feel seen. I wrote the Letters of Maynara duology first and foremost for myself. I wanted the literary world to host more characters who looked like me—flawed, three-dimensional heroes rather than side characters in someone else’s story. This is exactly the kind of representation I was craving growing up, and a part of me heals each time I get a message from a Filipino reader saying how proud they are to have my books on their shelf.

Q: What do you hope readers take away from your story?

A: I hope readers will walk away from my story with more questions than answers. With my sequel, Bird King Rising, in particular, I set off to write an untidy ending. In the world of Maynara, there are no cookie-cutter villains. Everyone has a bit of good and bad in them, and the path to victory is very much lined with misdeeds.

More than providing readers a temporary escape, I want the story to linger in their heads for a while. I want my flawed, often frustrating characters to haunt them as much as they have haunted me.

Q: Which book(s) do you recommend to celebrate Filipino American History Month?

A: For more Filipino-inspired fantasy, I’d highly recommend The Stormbringer Saga by Gabriella Buba (perfect if you’re looking for more world building with cultural specificity and delicious A:TLA vibes). I’d also recommend Midnights with You by Clare Osongco—this YA romance had me sobbing at times and made me feel so seen. Finally, The Villa, Once Beloved by Victor Manibo is the best Filipino gothic I’ve ever read and ideal for spooky season.

Q: What is a story that has had a significant influence on your life?

A: Time and time again, I keep thinking about Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. I loved the vivid descriptions, inclusion of different cultures/languages, and strong female characters. It taught me so much about writing craft and fantasy world building. I still have a copy in my childhood bedroom, with its well-worn spine and crinkled pages. It was my favorite book when I was younger—and one I’d happily turn back to for a re-read.

Erin Baldwin, author of Good Luck, Babe!:

In Good Luck, Babe!, "two former best friends find themselves fake dating on their favorite race-around-the-world reality TV show competition." It's a YA sapphic romance that's perfect for fans of Heated Rivalry and The Amazing Race.

Q: What is your favorite part about sharing Filipino culture and characters with your readers?

A: I love seeing how pervasive—and honestly beloved—Filipino culture is. Obviously, I love connecting with Pinoy readers, but I’m especially delighted when someone who isn’t Filipino shares something they love about our culture. I totally understand how that can be flattening (we’re more than just ube, jolibee, and half of bruno mars), but I’ve had enough people of all ages and backgrounds share their connection to The Philippines with such genuine enthusiasm that I can’t help but feel proud!

Q: What do you hope readers take away from your story?

A: There are so many little moments in this story that I think people can relate to. Whether it be through wanderlust, loss, neurodivergence, or a love of reality tv, I hope readers come away from Good Luck, Babe! feeling seen and understood in some way.

Q: Which book(s) do you recommend to celebrate Filipino American History Month?

A: Shannon CF Rogers’ forthcoming YA, Half a Life Apart (gorgeous cover, also!); It’s Different This Time by Joss Richard; and Some People Need Killing: A Memoir of Murder in My Country by Patricia Evangelista

Q: What is a story that has had a significant influence on your life?

A: Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix sparked my love for reading and writing. Without that book, I wouldn’t be who I am today, so though MPH isn’t Filipino, she’s always welcome as my +1 to the line-dancing-and-karaoke potluck church party!

Trish Caragan, author of Smile for the Camera:

Smile for the Camera is a YA romance in which "a Filipina American teen enlists the help of a guitarist to win a photography competition without her family's knowledge." It's perfect for fans of Jenny Han and swoon-worthy summer romances.

Q: What is your favorite part about sharing Filipino culture and characters with your readers?

A: My favorite part about sharing Filipino culture with readers is celebrating everything that makes Filipino culture special: the food, customs, traditions, clothing styles, and so, so much more. In Smile for the Camera, I incorporated all my favorite Filipino food like pancit, sinigang, and Polvorón as well as conversations in Tagalog and traditional gestures such as the mano po. Writing all these aspects is truly meaningful because I can spotlight this huge part of my identity.

My favorite part about sharing Filipino characters with readers is highlighting Filipino characters in moments of joy and love. Growing up, I’d read all these fun, exciting YA romance books but never saw myself represented in these sweet romances. It made me wonder if people like me could ever get these joyful stories. I never want anyone from my community to feel this way, so I’ve made it my mission to write YA romance books about Filipinos being the stars of the show and getting their Happily Ever Afters. In writing Smile for the Camera, it was so important to me to give Emilyn this special romance with Jase, a boy who listens to her closely and supports her dreams and art just as she does for him. It was truly special to write about a Filipina American having these fun summer adventures and cute, tender moments with a guy who cares about her just as much as she cares about him. By writing Filipino characters, I can give Filipinos stories where they see themselves being loved and happy.

Q: What do you hope readers take away from your story?

A: I want my readers to embrace everything that makes them happy. The things that bring us joy help us embrace our self-worth and motivate us to pursue our dreams. In some parts of Smile for the Camera, Emilyn finds herself bored and miserable. However, whenever she works on her photography portfolio, she finds herself being much happier and excited. Even when she’s frustrated by her presentations or her photo editing, she’s much more invested and learns a lot about herself. This passion motivates her to step out of her comfort zone, become more independent, and figure out who she really is. Additionally, even though she thinks her parents won’t approve of Jase, she still hangs out with him because he makes her happy, especially since they both understand each other’s artistic struggles and inspire each other to grow. As a result, Emilyn makes many wonderful memories that she greatly cherishes. And I want my readers to do the same—follow happiness, make the best memories!

Q: Which book(s) do you recommend to celebrate Filipino American History Month?

A: I’m so happy I live in a time where there’s so many books to recommend for this special month! The ones that come to mind are Stars, Stripes & Summer Nights by Celeste Dador, Merry Ex-Mas by C.C. Dador (also Celeste!), and Midnights With You by Clare Osongco. I’m a huge advocate of stories about Filipinos being loved, and these books perfectly show this in the most beautiful way. I also recommend This is Not a Personal Statement by Tracy Badua. This book also tackles familial expectations, scheming, and the concept of utang na loob, everything that Emilyn also deals with in Smile for the Camera.

Q: What is a story that has had a significant influence on your life?

A: As far as general writing goes, Sarah Dessen’s This Lullaby and Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before were major influences. I read This Lullaby when I was seventeen, and I loved the main couple’s banter and chemistry so much that I wanted to write books that gave readers that same joy. And writing romance gave me the same joy! When I saw To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before on shelves, I was awestruck that an Asian girl was on such a cute and pretty cover. I thought, I can do that? I can write YA romance books with female leads who look like me? Sarah Dessen inspired me to write YA romance while Jenny Han inspired me to write books with leads who share my identity.

As for books with Filipino characters, Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala made a huge impact. This was truly the first book I read with a Filipina as a strong female lead. It’s a murder mystery, but a cozy murder mystery! And I was happy to see a Filipina character in such a cozy story. I absolutely loved seeing all the Filipino food and Tagalog; it was so meaningful to see my culture illuminated. Naturally, I felt a huge connection to the main character Lila because her experiences as a Filipina American and her relationship with her family were similar to mine. Additionally, it brought me joy to see the Filipina lead being loved.

*Signed copies of Smile for the Camera are available at Moonstone & Mist Bookshop, and the audiobook is out by Tantor Media on November 24!

Thank you so much to Kris, Marie, Erin, Sam, and Trish for joining me in celebrating Filipino American History Month! Their books are absolutely incredible and available for purchase now. 💕

If you're looking for another spectacular read to celebrate Filipino American History Month, I highly recommend Lygia Day Peñaflor's Beautiful to See You (Again). "When Tia finds a way to revisit the happiest days of her life—and her first love—she must choose whether to surrender to the pull of the past or look to the future."

Lygia and I will celebrate Beautiful to See You (Again) live on Instagram (@ofpagesandprint) on November 21 at 2:00 PM PT. We hope you join us! 🥳

Happy Sunday book buddies!

Coming at you a little late after sleeping in a bit this morning. We went out for dinner & a movie last night, then came home and watched another movie. Needless to say, we needed a few extra zzz's this morning.

We saw You Can See Everything, the new Nathan Fielder documentary, last night, and WOW. I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll keep this vague. The fact that Elizabeth Holmes gave someone like Nathan such exclusive access to her and her family is wild to me. It's such an interesting documentary, and it definitely had us talking all the way home.

Since we last chatted I finished Dracula, and, spoiler alert, I loved it! It's the best example of epistolary fiction that I've ever read. You realize when reading just how many liberties films have taken over the years. The 90s version is by far the most true to the story that I've seen, though it also embellishes the original story quite a bit. I've heard the same is true about the full cast Audible exclusive, so I doubt I'll be listening to that. In my opinion, the original needs no improvement. 4.75⭐️s

I'm starting The Next Ship Home on audio today in hopes that I can catch up with the rest of the BBFL before the end of the week. I usually prefer to read BBFL book club books with my eyes so that I can stop and engage in the chat rooms, but I'm super behind and don't want to miss out on this great read.

Y'all, I finished Lonesome Dove, and I don't know what to do with myself. I can't stop thinking about (aka mourning) these characters. How is it possible to make a 900 page book feel too short? I needed more time with Gus, Call, and the gang. I tandem read the audio and Kindle version this week, switching from one to the other because I couldn't bear to be parted from the story. I definitely enjoyed the audiobook (newly narrated by Will Patton), but I much preferred reading this one with my eyes. ∞⭐️s

I tried listening to The Buffalo Hunter Hunter this week and promptly put that aside after realizing it's the type of book that requires reading with your eyes. I confirmed this with Lorin, my go-to Stephen Graham Jones expert. She acknowledged that some of his books are best read with your eyeballs, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter being one. I'll go back to this when I get a chance to sit down with this big book.

I started (and nearly finished) The Whitechapel Full Moon Society on audio after putting The Buffalo Hunter Hunter aside. It's enjoyable, but I've got such a book hangover after finishing Lonesome Dove that nothing seems as good. I am enjoying the atmosphere though; it reminds me of Olesya Salnikova Gilmore's books.

Up next is my October Let's Go to the Library read which I picked up from the library on Thursday. The theme this month is a book with a god or goddess which wasn't easy to find, but I'm excited about the book I chose. You'll have to wait to see what book made the cut!

ICYMI:

• Real, raw thoughts about one of my most anticipated reads

• The Lonesome Dove book hangover is real, and based on the comments I'm not the only one

• My most recent 5⭐️ Reads made a splash over on FB! (my first viral video there!!!)

• Books to read next if you loved The Calamity Club (long form or short form)

• My thoughts on The Witches of Cambridge

Hear It Here First:

In case you haven't heard, the BBFL Book Club is reading Jane Eyre in November. Please join us!

I'm recording the November TBR video today, so be sure to stay tuned to find out which books got the most votes!

I'll be sharing an in-depth YT version of 5 Books You Couldn't Pay Me To that should ruffle some feathers. Stay tuned for the drama. 😜

And of course, the end of the month is coming, which means I'll soon be sharing November historical fiction look-ahead content across platforms.

Lastly, the November newsletter will go soon, so be sure to sign up if you haven't already.

Happy reading, y'all!

xoxo

c

The Sunday Prescription

One reading topic, one week of plans, and plenty of books administered weekly for chronic readers.

Symptoms: The ten before the end

Happy Sunday everyone! Hope you are all doing well, and getting some time to read a good book this week! Next Sunday is November first, and as the year is ending, everyone is talking about their ten before the end, or ten books that they want to read before the end of the year.

Now I participated in this last year, and I think I actually got pretty close - I want to say I read 9 out of the 10 I proposed in October. But as I sat around looking at my shelves and thinking about it this year, I decided not to post anything about it, and not to really consider doing it this year. And contrasting this October with last October has been a big reason why.

Last year, I was being much more prescriptive with my reading. I was doing monthly TBR's, and generally sticking to them. I give my reading a lot of structure. Now that works really well for some people, but for me, I found myself struggling with it. As I've talked about before, I consider myself a reasonably feral mood reader, and a few months back I decided that to embrace that even further I was going to be cutting back on ARCs. ARCs were a big part of my struggles, because they have deadlines and due dates. So this October, I had one ARC to read (Victorious by VE Schwab) that I was so excited to read, our book club books that I was excited to read, and then I have just let the mood reading run wild. It has been so much fun! I have read a few books I wanted to read last October, but never got to. I've been able to jump into some highly anticipated stuff, and even though I have been reading at my own pace, I have noticed I'm so much more excited to read this month. Contrast that with last year, and

So this year, the idea of doing a ten before the end just struck me as something that I didn't want to do. I'll read 10 books before the end of the year, but I'm not sure what they'll all be, and that has me really excited! now, to be fair, I do know a few of them:

• Two will be our last two books club books of the year, The Demon Star and Scion.

• Two will be the Fable book club books. In November we'll be doing Boudicca's Daughter, and for December I'm not 100% sure quite yet!

• Two will be our Dark Traveler pick a books for November that will be The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

However, everything else is...who knows! I know I want to sneak a few nonfictions in there, I have some great stuff on my TBR, and I also know that book 5 in the Gael Song series, Son of the Serpent, is coming out in November. I'm so excited to see where I find myself over the next few months.

I preach a lot on my channels about how reading is an individual experience that we all share, and that we should all read what we want, how we want. I know for me, leaning into the feral mood reader side of me has been so much fun the last month, and I'm looking forward to continuing to embrace that. But I know for some of you, reading with a plan is more fun, and for some it's somewhere in between! So what are you: feral mood reader, strict planner, or somewhere in the middle?

The Rx: What I'm Reading and Doing

So there is a lot going on! First and foremost I am really excited to announce a new tier option for everyone here on Bindery called The Apothecary! This is going to be a quarterly book box that will start shipping in January 2027. Each quarter will feature a book and some extra goodies, with the following themes:

• January: Fantasy

• April: Sci Fi

• July: A surprise book/genre!

• October: Horror

Here are the details/rules for the new option:

• Obviously, you need to be comfortable sharing your shipping address with me!

• Cost is $12/month

• You must be a member for 2 months before you get your first shipment

• At the outset, I am going to offer this international as well (I ship from the US), and I will pay for the up front shipping costs. However, there may be extra import duties or costs on your end that would be your responsibility to cover.

• There will be no skips - I'm a one man show here, so skips would not be feasible. If it is a book you already have or don't want to read, you are welcome to sell or give away!

I have already had more folks sign up than I expected, and I appreciate you all so much for supporting me and being a part of our community!

Book clubs continue on! We're wrapping up Japanese Gothic, and The Demon Star is looming for November. I'm very excited for that one. For our Fable book club, we will be reading Boudicca's Daughter by Elodie Harper. This is a standalone historical fiction that follows the meteoric rise and devastating fall of the Iceni warrior queen Boudicca through the eyes of her youngest daughter. Excited to read it, and hope to see some of you there!

Our Monthly Reading Challenges are wrapping up for the year here soon. Remember, to be eligible for the $25 Bookshop.org gift card, you need to either be in the StoryGraph Challenge, or let me know what you read in our Discord channel by October 31. November's reading challenge will be to finish a series. For this, you get a bonus entry for each book in a series you read. So if you read and finish a trilogy, that's three entries for the gift card! For me, I'm thinking of doing either The Jasad Crown, or A Day of Fallen Night.

I'm having a ton of fun with The Bone Season, and so many of our Dark Travelers are either reading or have read this one, so the discussion is great. I'm finishing that as soon as I hit send on the newsletter here. I'm also loving The Castle and the Cloister so far. Really excellent! Up next...who knows!

Hobby wise, in the wood shop I'm finishing up a couple built ins and a writing desk, and then in November/December will be starting some built ins in my basement for Lego and record displays. And speaking of Legos, I have The Shire set that just showed up that I'll be starting here soon.

If you are not on our Discord server, you should consider hanging out! I do exclusive giveaways there, and I have some really exciting ones planned for the next few months (including a full hardcover set of the Villians series by VE Schwab and more)! I don't really do giveaways on IG/TT because I like to reward you all in our community, so be on the look out for those. We have two giveaways running right now!

Hope you all have a great week of reading and life, and I'll see you next week!

Want More In-Depth Access?

If you enjoy getting into the details with me about reading, then consider upgrading to The Dark Travelers or Apothecary tiers! My Dark Travelers get an exclusive Discord role and channels, a weekly deep dive reading update video, early access to YouTube videos, and each month they get to pick a book for me to read. This can be a book they want to read with me, or something they want me to try for them. I then do a member's only review when I'm done. It's super fun and a great tight knit group that I really enjoy talking books with, and I'd love to have you part of it!

The apothecary is a quarterly book box I'm starting in January 2027! You get all the benefits of the Dark Travelers above, as well as a quarterly themed book box. Thank you to everyone who has joined already!