Mitzie Sanchez, as an author, never rings a bell. She writes romantic novels but not on the style of Nora Ephron. She’s more of Joan Collins, minus the Hollywood movies and television background.
In fact, she could be the Filipino version of British author E. L. James, the person behind 2011’s “Fifty Shades of Grey.” But without those sex tools, for which the book is famous for!
Sanchez is an author who doesn’t use any symbolism. She writes the way it should be; there are no birds and bees and flowers, but rather she scribes penis, vagina, and sexual intercourse in a manner that there’s nothing much left to the imagination.
In Chapter 7 of her latest opus, the two leading characters – Pamela and Bryan – finally tied the nuptial knot. They had done “it” before but the very night after they got married, they made love.
The author wrote:
“Bryan stepped out of his shoes and removed the rest of his clothing. They joined the heap of Pamela’s clothes on the floor. Then he was back behind her. He nipped her ear; kissed her nape then held her breasts in each hand testing its weight as his thumbs circled her nipples. Then one hand glided lower to abdomen, to crotch, and caressed her vulva over the lacy underwear.
“There’s something sensual about seeing their foreplay instead of just doing it. Feeling his hands over her body and looking at it at the same time only made it more erotic. Pamela felt the warmth emanating from him, from her own body, and their combined heat simmered their blood as desires streamed in their bodies.”
There’s no need to quote further what happened next. You probably get the drift already. The above paragraphs are a little bit tame compared to what you get to read in other chapters of the book.
But there’s more to the novel than just sex scenes. It is a love story. A story of three people who are in love: Bryan, Pamela and Philip. They had all the chances of being happy but along the way, they lost it.
Bryan had his chances but tarnished his marriage with unfaithfulness. In the novel, he had to make the ultimate sacrifice to repossess what he had lost.
Pamela, on the other hand, took her chances on rekindled love. All is not lost, however, but she has to face the consequences of her actions and to make amends and keep her promises.
In the case of Philip, he had the chance to recapture the past and be with the woman he truly loves. All is fair in love but he has now to learn to let her go. For the second time.
Can there be another chance in the future?
That is a question that may be answered in the final saga of this second chances trilogy. “Lost Chance” is the second part; the first part was entitled, “Fair Chance.”
The novel gives us a glimpse of what we done in the past will have an impact today. And how we respond to those impacts shape our future. To err is human, so said Alexander Pope, to forgive is divine. That’s what second chances is all about.
Or to quote the author herself: “Though the past should not determine the future, our past actions or choices and decisions have brought us to our current/present situations. If we have learned from that, then we are in a better position to make decisions or present choices to shape the future.”
Writing the first novel was not difficult at all, according to Sanchez. After all, it is a story about rekindled love, reawakened feelings and fervent yearnings. But the second novel was totally different; it is about betrayals, secrets, forgiveness and redemption.
What makes the novel interesting is that the author wrote “realistic” situations and yet show the “human sides” of each character: the flaws and admirable things about them. The good and the bad. The human frailties and strengths.
To make the characters more believable, she had to write them as if she was the one doing all those actions. “Internalizing each role was more unsettling than gratifying,” she explained. “I had to place myself in each situation. Portray the role of seductress, and be the betrayed wife in the next chapter. Or empathize with a lover’s longing now, and express the outrage of a husband next.”
Places (where she had been) and songs (which she heard during her growing up years) played a big part in the novel.
Although the novel was a mere product of her imagination, she did some researches and talked with some experts to verify what she was writing happens – even how they behave and dressed.
She also had an intimate talk with her Ob-Gyn to verify regarding what is already known on pregnancy. She likewise looked up in articles about pregnancy and childbirth. “As I underwent one myself, I know some details firsthand,” she says.
Since one of the leading characters, Bryan, is a lawyer, Sanchez has to talk with real life friends in the legal field for certain legal matters and practices.
Dr. Maria Gemima Valderrama, an university professor, edited the novel; she also edited the first book. The cover of the second book was conceptualized by Ernest John G. Ulep, a communication art student from the Ateneo de Davao University.
So, who is Mitzie Sanchez? The back cover of the book gives a glimpse: “A graduate of Business Administration major in Management at Ateneo de Davao University, she has always loved to craft stories to touch other people’s lives. Though she took a business course, the meaningful and desirable plots never left her mind.
“After visiting some places when she worked with a Canadian firm under a CIDA-funded project and as a Buyer’s representative in the furniture industry, she realized that her experiences and observations of Filipinos working or living abroad, and the intrinsic cultural and lifestyle differences can become the key elements in her story. She depicted them all in her stories in parallel to the lives of the people they’ve left behind.”
Sanchez was born in Glan, Sarangani Province, the seventh girl of seven and the ninth of 9 siblings. She spent three years of her life in this town until her parents brought her to Suop, a small barrio 17 kilometers away from Asuncion, Davao del Norte. She finished her elementary at Kapitan Tomas Monteverde Sr. Elementary School and attended Holy Cross Academy of Sasa for her secondary education.
The author, unlike her Pamela character, is happily married and the union has produced one son. They live in Davao City but she travels every now and then to Canada and the United States.
The final words about “Lost Chance”: Love comes from the most unexpected places. It also has many facets and choices. This second book of the trilogy is not only heartbreaking but also heart-wrenching. There is no forever – even in pain. Everyone deserves second chance. Everyone needs happiness. And this novel, written in fast-paced manner and free-willing rhythm, is a journey of taking chances. A must read!
For book inquiry, you may contact Ms. Sanchez fb.me/SecondChancesTrilogy.MitzieSanchez or through her mobile: 0943-291-6814.
