BACOLOD CITY — A Negrense author has become a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author for her first novel “The Hurricane Wars.”
The book by Thea Guanzon, 34, a native of this city, was launched on Saturday, Oct. 15, at the National Bookstore at Shangri-La Plaza in Metro Manila.
The book, published by Harper and Collins, is a romantic fantasy set in a world spun from the myths and cultures of South East Asia, particularly the Philippines.
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“Two bitter enemies on opposite sides of a deadly conflict forge a volatile alliance in order to save their respective nations from a greater threat on the horizon,” Guanzon said.
“In the process they must confront the strange and unexpected facets of their magic, as well as a tangled web of political intrigue, the secrets of the past, and a burning attraction as dangerous as it is irresistible,” she added.
The Hurricane Wars is a trilogy, with the next book to be published in 2024.
Guanzon said she had sold rights for the book to be published in other languages.
She said she also wrote the short story “Dune Sea Songs of Salt and Moonlight” for the 2023 anthology From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi.
Guanzon holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, with a specialization in International Politics and Peace Studies from Miriam College.
She finished her high school and elementary studies at St. Scholastica’s Academy in this city.
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The author is the daughter of physicians Casten and Joy Guanzon.
Guanzon’s book was launched in London on Oct. 12. She will have a book tour in Scotland, England, and Wales in November.
There is a regular edition and a Waterstones exclusive edition, the latter of which sold out before release day in London, she said.