For Free? (Maharlika Volume 2)

A little birthday giveaway

Hello friends!

Sometimes I feel like no one reads this Substack… and then someone tells me they’ve read everything up to The Kafka Papers and it makes my day! And I realize maybe when things are quiet here, it’s not because no one’s around, but because no one knows how to log in to their Substack account to like/comment. Big love to you lurkers reading this. :)

It’s my 32nd birthday, and my wish is to continue putting this story out to more people. So I’ll be reserving free copies of volume 2 (to be published later this year) as part of a little birthday giveaway.

(Message from the future: This giveaway was for the week of July 21, 2024 and is no longer open. Thank you to everyone who supported!)

Here’s how it works:

1. Drop a comment on the Maharlika: The Story So Far post with your thoughts on the story! No requirements/guidelines on the content except to avoid spoilers or anything spammy/low-effort. Limit of 1 comment per person.

2. Email me at rexyjoshdorado@gmail.com with a link to your comment + your shipping details.

3. If you’re in the Philippines, I will mail you a signed copy of Maharlika vol. 2 when it comes out!

   1. If you’re abroad, I can mail it to you if you pay for shipping, OR you can have it sent to a friend/family address here in the Philippines. Let me know your preference in the email.

Extra bonus gratitude to anyone who decides to go the extra mile and leave a review on our Goodreads page. Those things matter a lot! I want to take this opportunity to shout out a couple of recent reviewers while we’re at it:

This is the beginning of a longer review by Diane AKA booksandthensome who has been an amazing supporter in the short amount of time she’s known about Maharlika. She also happens to be running a Maharlika Vol. 1 giveaway on her page ending today!

I also really like this one from Miko, who surprised me and John (whose bday was earlier this month) with a cake at PICOF yesterday!

I like this one because it speaks to exactly what we are striving for… not just hooky ideas and aesthetics but substance. The sci-fi elements, the setting, the twists the Baybayin SFX: none of that is new. But our job as students of culture and art is to put these ingredients to work in service of telling a story that engages you beyond the level of flashy packaging.

Whether we succeed on that is up to the filter of your own experience. But in any case, thank you for giving me and John an opportunity to keep doing what we love.

P.S./PSA: John will be at PICOF (Philippine International Comics Festival) for 1 more day today if you’d like to meet him in person and get his signature!

See you around :)

— Rexy

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