The Transnationality of Romance

June Sandoval is the publisher of Summit Books. During her time leading the brand, Summit Books has earned multiple award-winning successes, including the Gintong Aklat Award in the Graphic Literature category for Salamangka 2 and the 8th National Children’s Book Awards, Kid’s Choice for Alinam 2.

Her career path wasn’t exactly linear. A licensed nurse, June started out balancing hospital work at night while working as a market research coordinator by day. She eventually climbed the ranks to become Project Management Head at her previous company. But her love for books proved stronger, leading her to Summit Books. There, she worked her way up from an Associate to Head of the department.

June is passionate about making books accessible to all readers, believing that great stories should inspire, entertain, and open doors. She is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of publishing, embracing innovation, and bringing fresh voices to the forefront.

When she’s not immersed in publishing, she’s off traveling, exploring new cultures, and, naturally, hunting for her next great read.

Mina V. Esguerra writes and publishes English-language romance and contemporary fiction. Her contemporary romance novellas have won Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards, and have been featured on NPR, Buzzfeed, the Seattle Review of Books, and more. She is an advocate for Filipino authors and readers, and delivers lectures regularly on topics such as writing, publishing, guiding creative communities, and making the romance genre more inclusive. She founded RomanceClass, a community of Filipino authors who write romance in English, and since 2013 has helped over 100 authors write and publish their romance books, now read in 52 countries worldwide. She is also a media adaptation agent, working with LA-based Bold MP to develop romance media by Filipino creatives for an international audience. Visit minavesguerra.com for more information about her books and projects.