Indie Support Sunday: Anj Miranda

A few months ago, I stumbled across The Off-Chance of Me and You by Anj Miranda on my Kindle and absolutely loved everything about Tala and Jason. I also loved how much of her Filipino culture Anj infused throughout the book with everything from the familial relationships to the personalities of the characters. And to know that it was the first in a series following three siblings only made me love the world Anj has created more!

Growing up with teachers for parents and an older sister, it’s no surprise that Anj was drawn into the world of books early on. Like a lot of us, her mind wanders and she imagines different situations and scenarios that could work for her stories. That’s a true sign of an author, right? While contemporary romance is where she’s gotten her start, if she was to move into something else, Anj says she’d go down the women’s fiction route.

With The Reyes Siblings series now complete, and available in Kindle Unlimited, Anj is working on things she can’t share yet. However, there’s a travel book somewhere in the future!

BEING AN AUTHOR

Who or what inspired you to write?

This might sound cliché, but I’ve been reading and writing since I was a child. My parents were both teachers so they got me into books early on, and my older sister was a massive reader too. The more I read, the more I realized I had stories in my head that I wanted to read. The only way I could do that was to write them myself. 

What’s the best and worst part about being an indie author? 

The best part about being an indie author is having control over the different aspects of creation and publishing and making sure (to a certain extent) that they align with my vision. The worst part is having to do everything myself, especially since I find the business side challenging.

Why did you choose to self-publish instead of going the traditional route?

I wanted to have control over my books and publish them according to my timeline instead of waiting to query. I definitely learned a lot in the process, but I do want to explore traditional publishing and maybe try going hybrid one day.

When you’re not writing, what do you do to get the creative juices flowing?

I read, travel, and give myself time to imagine different scenarios. I find that taking a break from routine and getting out of my bubble helps to refill my creative well.

If you were to recommend books to me (in any genre), what would they be?

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez, Second Chance Books by Carina Gaskell, The Desire for Elsewhere by Agnes Chew

What are your top 5 tips or pieces of advice for aspiring authors?

1. Read a lot, especially books in your chosen genre so you know readers’ expectations.

2. Write something that excites you—something you yourself would love to read. (Because you’ll have to do that a lot in the revision stage!)

3. Connect with other authors and find (or build) your community.

4. Study the craft and continuously upskill yourself, whether that’s with respect to writing, marketing, or learning new tools.

5. Take time to recharge when you need to.

ROMANCE AS A GENRE

Why did you choose romance as the genre to write in? What is your favorite thing about the genre?

I’ve been hooked on romance since I started borrowing my mom’s and my sister’s books. I love knowing that despite the conflicts and challenges that the characters go through, I can always look forward to a happy ending. I also like exploring how the characters complement one another and help each other grow.

If not romance/subgenres of romance, what genre would you like to write in?

Definitely women’s fiction and creative nonfiction.

What are your most and least favorite tropes?

My favorites include enemies/rivals to lovers, opposites attract, and slow burn. I also enjoy a good forbidden romance, though this can be a hit or miss. Least favorites are surprise pregnancy and amnesia tropes.

What are some tropes you want to write in the future?

I’d love to write books featuring a love triangle, the “it started with a bet” trope, and possibly a destiny or fated mates type of romance.

What are some topics (sensitive and otherwise) that you think should exist more in romance?

I feel like there’s a broad spectrum of topics existing in romance now, especially in indie books—the gap lies in their visibility and reader base. Social media is a great way of reaching a wide audience, but often, the attention remains fixed on books that are already trending, especially when the authors are well-established. There are so many books by BIPOC authors featuring diverse characters in varying settings and circumstances. I’d love to see more readers taking a chance on them and hyping them up.

If you write open door romance, why did you choose that and what inspires your sex scenes?

I decided to write open door romances because I think they can help reveal new things about the characters and drive the relationship forward (or backward!) That said, I find them challenging to write. I try to balance the description, dialogue, actions, and emotions, which can be tough to nail. I’d say I’m inspired by the dynamics between my characters and my imagination.

YOUR BOOKS

What inspired your published stories? How and when did you come up with these stories and plots?

It started with me wanting to write about a Filipina who goes to the US and studies there so she could build a better life for her family. As I delved into her character, I discovered that she was the eldest sister who felt responsible for her siblings. I realized that was a theme that I wanted to explore—family dynamics. Family is so important in Filipino culture, and I wanted to see that reflected in my stories.

From there, I explored the other siblings’ personas—their dreams, fears, and wounds, and I tried to introduce characters who would complement or challenge them.

Can you briefly tell me about your books?

The Reyes Siblings series is a contemporary romance series following Tala, Luna, and Alonzo on their separate journeys of love and self-discovery. 

It starts with The Off-Chance of Me and You, a second-chance romance between Tala, the eldest of the siblings and Jason, her former college friend who’s now an NBA superstar. It’s a story about taking chances and pursuing what you truly love. 

The Odds of Happily Ever After picks up with Luna, the middle child’s story. This is a grumpy-sunshine romance between her and Gabe, her sister’s best friend. This has the slowest slow burn, with the two starting out as not-quite enemies and growing to become friends and, eventually, lovers. 

Finally, The Fallacy of True Love follows Alonzo, the youngest child and golden boy of the family, and his unlikely romance with Cam, a surfer he meets in a small beach town. They’re total opposites who get off on the wrong foot but learn that there’s more than meets the eye to each other.

You can expect varying levels of slow burn, flawed characters who grow throughout the story, yearning, banter, and open-door spice.

Do you already have a favorite character from the stories you’ve written?

I have several: Luna from The Odds of Happily Ever After, because I relate to her feelings as a middle child and I admire her positivity, and Cam from The Fallacy of True Love, because she’s such a strong character and unapologetically herself.

If you were to cast your book for a movie/television show, who would you cast in the lead roles?

I’ll only mention my dream cast for the three siblings—Nadine Lustre as Tala, Gabbi Garcia as Luna, and Donny Pangilinan as Alonzo.

How much of yourself do you put into these characters?

It varies from character to character, and it’s usually unintentional. There are some that I share clear similarities with, but often, it’s when I’m revising a draft that I realize there’s a part of me that’s reflected in my characters. It can be a dream that I once had, an inner wound, or an emotion inspired by something I was going through while writing.

What is a story/stories that you really want to tell?

As a travel lover, I would love to write about a girl, her travels, and the people and lessons she discovers along the way. I have multiple iterations of this, so it’s a question of when I’ll publish it, not if.

Is there one common element that readers can find in all your stories?

Flawed characters who grow throughout the story. I love exploring character arcs.

What’s next on the bookshelf for you? Anything you can tell us about a future project?

I can’t confirm what’ll come next exactly, but that travel book is definitely on the list!

When you write these stories, what are you hoping your readers will feel?

A sense of comfort, home, and kilig—that’s a Filipino word for extreme giddiness and elation.

AUTHOR’S CHOICE

• Paperbacks, hardbacks, ebooks or audiobooks

• Contemporary, fantasy, historical or romantic suspense

• Single or Dual POV

• Standalones, series or standalones in a series

• Open door, ajar door or closed door romances

• Music or silence when writing

• Plotter, pantser or plantser

• Water, tea, coffee or….wine?

• Cold or warm weather

• Write better in the morning, afternoon or night?

• Illustrated or photo cover?

You can follow Anj on Instagram and TikTok. Check out her website for more information and stay updated by signing up for her newsletter!