Love and Other Firsts
Stella “Tilay” Angbetic, the author of the coming-of-age novel “Love and Other Firsts” was born and raised in Cebu. She was a graduate of A.B. Communication at the University of the Philippines – Cebu. She then moved to New York City where she married her husband. In New York, she studied and developed the craft of writing. As of today, she is now living in San Diego, United States with her family. Today, she is living her dreams of pursuing her passion for writing, photography, food and travel. She successfully published her first novel: Love and Other Firsts.
It is set in the summer of 1975 where the Philippines is yet under the grip of Martial Law. Ligaya, a fourteen year-old, is the least bit concerned about anything around her with the exception of her reputation being involved. She has a noticeable ambition for the years to come. She sets out to become class president, first honor of her class, and a girl who would be noticed by a boy for the first time. She struggles with the ups and downs of her family’s fortunes, the rollercoaster ride of her first romance, and the different turns of her principal’s mind. Ligaya learns that it will take her to be smart when it comes to her outlooks in life rather than being occasionally dumb.
Love and Other Firsts is a coming of age novel that is delightful and deeply affecting. It circles on a year-long journey of a teenager’s different firsts in life. It sets against the backdrop of the Philippines with its embrace of American pop culture, Spanish customs, Chinese culture and Roman Catholicism.
Different places in Cebu can be viewed in the book such as Cebu Country Club, Paradise Village and many more. Many Cebuano terms and catchphrases can be read there too such as “gi ahak”, “holy pantalones” and “holy pan de leche”.
On the 10th of December 2011, she launched her first novel “Love and Other Things” for the first time Cebu in Casino Espanol de Cebu and sold it for P450. The novel received a few achievements. Love and Other Firsts became one of the “Asian Bestseller books” in Amazon and ranked first and fourth. Love and Other Firsts is too available in the San Diego Public Library. Love and Other Things received good reviews from SunStar and Freeman at 2011 and Peter Bacho, an American Book Award Winner for Cebu.
Her novel “Love and Other Firsts” is now available at Amazon in paperback and for the Kindle, Apple iTunes for the Apple iPhone and iPad, Smashwords for the Sony Readers and Kobo, and Barnes and Nobles for the Nook. It is also available for purchase on her website.
