Book Two - It Should Have Been Us

Authors Note

Dear love,

It Should Have Been Us started out as a joke. My cyberfriend Lissa and I were so bothered by this episode in On The Wings of Love – wherein Leah (Nadine’s character) was reading this book with the same title telling Clark (James’ character) that it was about a story of lovers who got separated and were reunited but are both in different relationships already. I think that entire weeklong episode in Carmel marks the very first time I have written a review for the OTWOL series. My friend and I searched for that book. In Wattpad, PsiCom, Booklat, local pocketbooks, and all we ever came close to was a tumblr account of this writer who goes to UP – she’s in the theater and we guessed Direk Tonette knows her personally ‘cause it was her name listed as the writer in that made up book for that specific episode. I got frustrated to say the least. So I wrote a poem titled It Should Have Been Us. But that didn’t end there. When I dreamt of this entire plot, I knew in my mind that I wanted to use the title – it so happened that it was a very apt description too. I started writing it and sending one chapter per weekend to my friends. Then I realized I wanted to share it to a not so bigger audience. My friends agreed. Provided that my readers will not reach up to 500 and that it will not be posted on a daily basis to avoid the “sawa” factor and that we keep it under the radar.  Truth be told, part of the agreement was that I have free reign to write love scene for James with other girls and Nadine with Paulo but I shouldn’t write any love scene involving James and Nadine (sorry friends haha!)

Anyway, from a bit of frustration and a little vision of a scene, It Should Have Been Us evolved into a two part story. I’m not sure how you visualized the entire thing to unfold but it was exactly how I wanted it to be. From start to finish. Every word written in this book is my heart and mind speaking out to you. Thank you for letting me tell you this story. Thank you for making me part of your weekly habit. Thank you for holding on until the very end. I hope I entertained you. I hope I made you happy. I hope I excited you.  I hope my story made you feel all the necessary feels. But more than all of that, I hope that my story helped you escape into a world that blurs the line between fiction and reality. Because this was as real to me as it gets.

Whenever I write the words, each time I proof read, I would wish that you would feel exactly how it feels for me. I hope you love It Should Have Been Us just as much as I loved it.

“The truth is but always stranger than fiction”

Xoxo,
Janee 😘