"Hindi ko naman din talaga plan mag-publish in the first place."

Next thing you know—she's a published author with two romance novels and more on the way.

In this episode, Gia sits down with Kyra Isabel, a full-time data analyst and mom who unexpectedly became a self-published romance author. What started as a way to fill evenings while her husband was away and her toddler was asleep turned into a creative passion that's now touching readers' lives.

They dive into how a month of writing became two published books—plus the challenges of maintaining boundaries between work life and creative pursuits, finding time to write with a toddler, and the ins and outs of self-publishing. But more than that, this convo unpacks how Kyra found her ikigai in sharing stories that make an impact, even when it wasn't part of her original career plan.

And of course, they explore why romance novels—especially those set in the Philippines—matter more than some might think, and how fiction can be just as impactful as non-fiction in shaping how we view relationships and ourselves.

🎙️ In this episode, we talk about:

· How Kyra juggled data analytics, motherhood, and writing simultaneously

· The moment she realized she could finish a book in just one month

· Going from teenage "emo" blogger to romance novelist

· Why she chose Business Management instead of arts in college

· Her journey from marketing to data analytics

· The challenges and rewards of self-publishing

· Why she created romance novels set in the Philippines

· Using her data analytics skills to market her books on social media

· How Twilight became her gateway to reading and writing

· Finding her ikigai in "sharing stories that leave an impact"

· The importance of maintaining work-life boundaries with a WFH setup

· Embracing life's uncertainties and transitions

· Why "Lost and Found" would be the title of her life story

🎯 Who This Episode Is For:

📌 Working parents balancing careers and creative passions

📌 Aspiring authors who think they "don't have time" to write

📌 Data and tech professionals with creative sides

📌 Romance readers looking for Filipino representation

📌 Anyone figuring out how to pursue their passion alongside a full-time job

📌 People navigating unplanned career paths and unexpected opportunities

📌 Those who think they've lost touch with creative interests from their youth

📚 Books Mentioned in the Episode:

📖 Between Then and Now by Kyra Isabel

📖 Between Here and There by Kyra Isabel

📖 Twilight by Stephenie Meyer 

📖 Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

📖 The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

📖 Geronimo Stilton series

📌 About the Guest

Kyra Isabel is a self-published author of two romance novels set in the Philippines, a full-time data analyst, and a mother to a toddler. She studied Business Management in college and previously worked in marketing before transitioning to data analytics. What began as a way to fill her free evenings has become a growing writing career with more books on the way.

🤝About Suking Aklatan

A partnership between Booksale and REKO, Suking Aklatan is a new initiative built to support Filipino authors and make books even more accessible to Filipino readers.

Kyra Isabel's books are part of the Suking Aklatan project, with her print books available at participating Booksale branches and ebooks on the REKO platform.

📲 Follow for updates:

REKO – @reko.books on IG/FB

Booksale – @booksalephils on IG/FB

Kyra Isabel – @kyraysabelwrites on IG and TikTok

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