My name is J.R.

I'm a writer whose story has been shaped by more than one place.

I took my first airplane flight at age nine, immigrating from Manila to Los Angeles. Two years later, I flew alone across the country to New York City. That journey marked the beginning of years spent moving between coasts, following parents who lived separately while remaining deeply connected. High school, college, and adulthood followed in much the same way.

Growing up this way fostered an equal devotion to independence and connection. It became a lifelong practice of holding opposites at once: road and home, whimsy and method, change and foundation.

I’ve found that between the familiar and new is where I like to live and work.

Random Facts

My first language was English.
My mother was a linguist genius with a rare, but delightful guffaw.
My father was a news anchor in the Philippines for over 30 years.
At age 88, my stepfather sold everything and started traveling the world on his own.