michnavs

July 7, 2026July 16, 2026

“Afternoons That Tasted Like Love In Manila”, Out Tomorrow

Some stories begin with a goodbye. Others begin years after one.

“I live with the ache and the question of whether you ever think of me and those afternoons that tasted like love in Manila.”

That question became a collection.

These pages are filled with people who loved too much, left too late, held on too long, or never got the chance to say what mattered. They are about memory, distance, longing, cities that remember us long after we’ve gone, and the impossible hope that some versions of love never really end.

Tomorrow, I finally get to share it with you.

Afternoons That Tasted Like Love In Manila is a flash fiction collection written for anyone who has ever carried a person, a place, or a moment long after it was over.

If you’ve ever looked back at a city and wondered if it still remembers your name, this book is for you.

Out tomorrow, July 8 on Amazon Worldwide

Thank you to everyone who believed in these stories before they belonged to the world. I can’t wait for them to belong to you, too.

August 3, 2026

Again

here i am trying to make sense of everything

through rhythm and rhyme
through words and syllables
through lines and verses

at my little desk,
a glass of milk growing warm beside me,
a notebook filled with crossed-out thoughts,
the afternoon light slowly fading
without asking permission.

and, as my words don’t even make sense,
or my syllables can’t find their rhythm,
nor my verses barely create a thought,

i think of you,
of you and of our love.

so i press play,

the room stays still,
the milk untouched,
my pen forgotten between my fingers,

and there you are,

leaving me again,
the same way you did the first time:

without goodbye,
without warning,
without enough love
to tell me it was over.

For Sadje’s WDYS Prompt

What do you see # 352- 3 August, 2026

August 1, 2026August 1, 2026

The Rally (Parataxis/Hypotaxis)

The Rally (Parataxis/Hypotaxis)

Parataxis

crowded streets.
yelling people.
screaming drivers.
marching rallyists.

Hypotaxis

When the rallyists marched through the streets, people yelled as drivers screamed in frustration.

The Prompt

Two techniques—parataxis and hypotaxis—can completely change the emotional texture of a scene.

PARATAXIS is writing without conjunctions.

It places clauses side by side, without subordination. It creates urgency, fragmentation, and a cinematic “quick-cut” feel.

HYPOTAXIS involves the use of connectors to give a flow.

It uses subordination to show relationships between clauses. It creates flow, hierarchy, and cause-and-effect clarity.

Write two versions of the same scene—one in parataxis, one in hypotaxis.

Choose a moment of tension: a storm approaching, a heated argument, a love confession, or a character facing a difficult choice.

Reflect on how the rhythm shifts.

For Reena’s Exploration Challenge

Webs

August 1, 2026

Whatever Became of Sir Swellimpedeedoo?, An Ekphrastic Limerick-and-Nonsense Poem

Whatever Became of Sir Swellimpedeedoo?, An Ekphrastic Limerick-and-Nonsense Poem

whatever became of Sir Swellimpedeedoo?
he jigged up the slopes with a sky-scooping crew;
he twirled with such flair,
that the eagles stopped there,
then waltzed to a boutique for baggy-dad shoes

he didn’t learn dancing from dragons at all,
nor did he climb any mountain so tall.
this much is true!
for i saw him splash by in bright shorts of blue,
waving at wobblefish shouting, “hullabaloo!”

Your poem must have two stanzas of five lines each.

Stanza One: Limerick

Write a five-line limerick with the rhyme scheme:
AABBA
The first line must be exactly:
Whatever became of Sir Swellimpedeedoo?
Write the remaining four lines yourself.

Stanza Two: Nonsense Verse

Write a second stanza of five lines.
The first line must begin:
He didn’t…
The second line must begin:
Nor did he…
Complete both lines yourself.
The third line must be exactly:
This much is true!
Do not add any other words to this third line.
Write the fourth and fifth lines yourself. The fifth line must rhyme with “true.” The first, second, and fourth lines do not have a required rhyme.

W3 Prompt #222: Wea’ve Written Weekly

July 30, 2026July 31, 2026

Where History Breathes

Where History Breathes

i walk through the midst
of a white-fitted jungle
bone-dry,
a moistureless desert
stretching beyond the reach
of memory.

miles upon miles,
the relentless sun
presses its fire against my skin,
while the endless blue
keeps silent watch above.

time has forgotten
how to move.
for a moment,
i believe i am
the only heartbeat
left beneath the heat,
the last pulse
echoing across
this barren earth.

yet in the stillness,
i feel it
the quiet warmth
of the world
folding itself around me,
not in wind,
nor in rain,
but in the unseen rhythm
of lives once lived,
of hands once held,
of voices carried
through generations.

i walk alone,
alone no more.
the desert is not merely
sand and silence.
it is every place
where stories wait
to be remembered.

history is not
the dunes,
the borders,
the ruins,
nor the battles
buried beneath them.

it is the people
who crossed this land,
who loved despite the drought,
who left footprints
long after the wind
had erased their names.

the world as we know it
may become
barren,
bleached,
arid,
and still.

but as long as
our hearts continue
to beat together
one humanity,
one spirit,
one hope,
one love
the empty spaces
will never remain empty.

for it is we
who fill them.
and when the dust settles,
the world
will not simply return.
it will remember us,
waiting.

For Violet’s Literary Quote Challenge
“History isn’t about dates and places and wars. It’s about the people who fill the spaces between them.”
― Jodi Picoult,
The Storyteller

The Uncomfortable Truths

July 30, 2026

Afternoons That Tasted Like Love in Manila, Book Review By Maggie Watson

Thank you so much, Maggie, for your beautiful review of Afternoons That Tasted Like Love in Manila. I am truly honored and deeply grateful for your thoughtful insights. Knowing that the book resonated with you means more than I can express. Thank you for taking the time to read it and to share such a heartfelt review.

Thoughtfully

i slowly turn the lights off…

a fading trace of joy
lingers in the silence,
while a voice echoes
from deep within.

a longing,
too powerful to ignore,
begins like a shadow figure.

i lie down in bed…

a hole appears
from somewhere
in the middle of nowhere
stealing the air
from my lungs.

i slowly close my eyes…

a vision unfolds above:
a future still distant,
a version of myself
more grounded,
more certain.

and i breathe deeply…

drawing in more of reality
until…

the voice speaks
with a different strength,

the hole opens
into uncertainty,

the vision whispers
of madness…

yet…

one day,
my voice will be heard.

the hole
will no longer be empty.

and the vision
will become reality

a beautiful sight
of the person
who has always lived
within me.

For Esther’s Word Prompt

Your prompt word this week is
FIGURE

https://estherchilton.co.uk/2026/07/29/writing-prompts-124/

July 29, 2026

Thank You, Goodreads Readers

Thank You, Goodreads Readers

I’ve had the pleasure of spending more time on Goodreads lately, and I honestly regret taking it for granted. I should have visited the site more often to connect with the readers of my books.

I’m in awe of the reviews and ratings my books have received – mostly from people I’ve never even met. For instance, my first anthology, After Rain Skies, has now reached 100 reviews on Goodreads, while my recently released book, Afternoons That Tasted Like Love in Manila, has already received 71 reviews in just three weeks. My previously published books have also been blessed with so many thoughtful and generous reviews.

I truly can’t express how grateful I am for the support you’ve given me over the years.

In a time when money is tight for so many, you continue to buy my books, and beyond that, you take the time to read them, reflect on them, and write reviews. That is a gift I never take for granted.

Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart.
I am deeply humbled and honored by your kindness, your encouragement, and your continued support. It means more to me than words can ever fully express.

Maraming salamat.

Here is the link to Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&search%5Bquery%5D=Michelle+navajas

July 28, 2026July 28, 2026

Three Weeks, 71 Reviews, and a Heart Full of Thanks

Three Weeks, 71 Reviews, and a Heart Full of Thanks

Barely three weeks after its release, Afternoons That Tasted Like Love in Manila has reached 71 ratings and 71 global reviews, with an incredible 4.92 star average, something most indie authors can only dream of.

I am truly in awe of the overwhelming support you’ve shown this book. I feel deeply humbled and honored.

These reviews came from people I barely know. Some I’ve had the pleasure of meeting through my blog or online, but most of you were complete strangers who simply took a chance on my story. That means more to me than I can put into words.

I only wish I could thank each and every one of you personally. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading, for believing in my work, and for sharing your kindness through your reviews. You have made this journey unforgettable.

Where Love Once Bloomed

Where Love Once Bloomed

i sat by the window,
always,
every afternoon
silently watching

the world beyond the glass.
there was a park nearby,
its quiet beauty

unfolding beneath the sun,
offering
the rare comfort
of perfect solitude.

yet with every gentle breeze,
every empty bench,

came a silent ache
a tender reminder
of a love
that once bloomed

on an afternoon
much like this,

among the trees,
along the weathered benches,
where two hearts
believed
the season
would never end.

For Sadje’s WDYS
https://lifeafter50forwomen.com/2026/07/27/what-do-you-see-351-27-july-2026/

July 27, 2026July 27, 2026

Our World Is on Fire

Our World Is on Fire

our world is on fire,
with temperatures rising

faster than we can bear.
the heat climbs so high

can we still call it summer,
or has it become something more,
something far more dangerous?
our world is on fire,
literally and figuratively.

wars rage without end,
and rapid gunfire echoes
like music across war-torn lands,
like drumbeats driving
a relentless street dance.

our world is on fire,
with young boys and even girls
carrying guns

as though spreading fear
were a badge of honor,
a medal to be won,
a triumph to be proudly shared.

our world is on fire
in more ways than one.
the flames consume our forests,
our cities,
our innocence,

and too often,
our humanity.

i search for answers
but find only smoke.
i cannot understand why
we keep feeding the flames
that threaten us all.

For Reena’s Exploration Challenge

https://reinventionsreena.com/2026/07/23/reenas-xploration-challenge-440/