How Traveling the Philippines Inspired My Horror Romance Novel The Heart of the Sea.
Sometimes, the landscapes we walk through leave echoes in the stories we create. My recent journey to the Philippines wasn’t just a vacation — it was the beating heart behind my upcoming horror-romance novel, The Heart of the Sea. From the bustling streets of Manila to the coastal villages and folklore whispered in Batangas, every detail of this trip reshaped how I saw love, fear, and the haunting depths of the ocean.
The Philippines: A Landscape of Storytelling
The Philippines is a country where natural beauty and myth intertwine. Towering coconut palms bend toward the sea, fishing boats dot the horizon, and local legends flow as freely as the tides. Traveling through these landscapes, I realized how perfectly they reflect the themes of my novel: passion, mystery, and the pull of forces greater than ourselves.
For a horror-romance, the Philippines offers the perfect backdrop — a setting both breathtaking and dangerous, where romance blooms even under the shadow of something supernatural.
Filipino Folklore as Inspiration
One of the strongest influences on The Heart of the Sea came from hearing and reading about Filipino folklore:
Tales of the aswang, a shapeshifting night creature feared in villages.
Stories of sirena, sea maidens whose beauty often lures sailors to their doom.
Legends of spirits tied to the ocean, storms, and shorelines.
These myths weren’t just curiosities; they became core threads of my story. They gave my romance a darker edge and turned the sea itself into a living, breathing presence within the novel.
Romance Beneath the Waves
Romance is at the heart of the book, but it’s not soft or easy — it’s tested by fear, longing, and the unknown. Traveling through the Philippines, I saw firsthand how love thrives in everyday gestures: couples sharing food at seaside markets, families protecting each other during storms, the resilience of people facing hardship with warmth.
These moments influenced how my characters love fiercely, even when haunted by the ocean’s secrets.
Writing from Place: Why Travel Matters
When I sat down to draft The Heart of the Sea, I didn’t want a generic “tropical setting.” I wanted authenticity — the smells of the wet earth after rain, the sound of waves against fishing boats at dawn, the taste of mangoes cut fresh by the roadside. Traveling gave me these details, and they give the book its atmosphere.
It’s one thing to imagine an island; it’s another to feel the humid night air cling to your skin while shadows stretch along bamboo walls. That sensory depth came only from being there.
Final Thoughts
My trip to the Philippines gave me more than memories — it gave me a story. The Heart of the Sea is a horror-romance born from folklore, landscapes, and the raw emotional truths I witnessed along the way.
If you’re curious about Filipino culture, horror with a romantic core, or just want to see how travel can transform art, keep following my journey as I bring this book to life.
