Teacher by day and writer by night, Bea Bustamante graduated with a degree in Communication from Ateneo de Manila University in 2019. She briefly dipped her toes into the advertising world as an account manager before realizing her true calling as an educator, and is currently finishing her professional teaching certification program at the University of the Philippines.
When she’s not teaching or writing, Bea can be found sharing her literary adventures with the BookTok community on her TikTok profile, @missbeabooks, or reviewing her favorite makeup products at @missbeabeauty. She is an avid reader and is running out of space for her books at home. She is also a songwriter and musician, occasionally releasing music under the stage name “beabu.” And now, she’s a novelist too! She Who Devours is her debut work, and she talked more about it during the book launch!
Hosted at the National Book StoreSuperbranch in SM Mall of Asia, Bea chatted with award-winning and bestselling author Mica de Leon about her inspiration, writing process, and more fun details about the book.
Behind the Myth: A Conversation with the Author of She Who Devours
What’s the book about?
She Who Devours is a fantasy fiction story that focuses on history, culture, folklore, mythology. And it’s about this 21-year-old woman named Maya Halili who is an aspiring academic, she wants to be a professor at the most prestigious university of her entire country, which is the National University of the Seven Islands.
She is working towards this goal but she does have this rival named Aga Kaneko, and with only one position left at the faculty. While she’s working towards this, she encounters some very strange coincidence – so there’s a monster that attacks her in the school infirmary, things go crazy. And eventually she discovers that there is a secret society of babaylan which are Filipino shamans, and they’re called “The Hand of Kaylahon.”
They [The Hand of Kaylahon] contact her and called her because they need her help because the evil ancient serpent bakunawa has awakened again after thousands of years, and is threatening to flourish the world back into darkness. But Maya is very conflicted because she really cares about her work and her job. So she has to choose between this or letting the world fall apart. So she is faced with a very difficult choice. That’s what She Who Devours is about.
When asked about the title of the book, Bea answers that she initially wanted to write about the bakunawa and that there are themes and parts of the book about being hungry and having to devour something.
When asked about the gender of the bakunawa, Bea answers that it never had a gender. The focus is more on how the creature was depicted as a monster. The challenge for her was to show how a bakunawa was more than just a monster by giving it more depth and what it means to be a monster, and how sometimes you don't really know who the monsters are among you. Sometimes they're in plain sight, and you don't really see who they are.
How and why did you choose the Bakunawa myth?
Bea says, "I think when I was researching the story, the bakunawa myth was one of the first that I really wanted to write about. Because I actually first heard about it from my lolo. So my lolo is or was a storyteller. He used to tell me a lot of stories all the time, and I think everything I know about Filipino myths and stories, galing talaga sa kanya.
And you know, 20 years later, now that I'm older, and I was looking for something to write about related to Philippine mythology, that was one of the first stories that really stuck with me. And I think I just liked the idea of this bakunawa eating the moon. Water is so cool and so scary and mystical, and there's not much... there's not a lot of definitive literature about bakunawa. So I thought it would be very interesting to write a story adding to that kind of literature."
Bea goes on to describe the bakunawa as a serpent-like dragon that is very hungry and wants to devour seven moons in the sky. When the bakunawa ate each moon until only one was left. Though there are many versions of it due to the effect of oral tradition, there are versions that say Bathala struck down the creature and sent it back to the depths of the ocean. Some say, Haliya, the goddess of the moon, stopped the bakunawa and slew it before sending it back to the depths of the ocean.
In every version, the bakunawa is always defeated which came to Bea’s idea of what if it came back to life? How would it work if it's not just a myth, not just a legend, and something that we have to deal with now, along with everything else happening in the book?
Bea Bustamante
Can you tell us about Maya and Aga?
Bea answers that she has always been a fan of academic rivals because the two romantic leads have a romantic feel in a dynamic rivalry.
Because I think, inherently, kasi, 'yung dynamic ng rivalry, it's so romantic to me. Because for you to consider somebody a rival, I think 'yung rival mo lang kasi nakakaintindi ng ambition. This thing that is important to you, this one... everything that you will do to get this thing done. And for that to happen, even if they're your rival, there has to be some level of mutual respect. There's this one person who gets it, even if you don't get each other in a way. And that's just so romantic to me! Parang it's just like... you're equals, you know? There's something so romantic about two people being equals, even if they're fighting for the same thing. So I think that's why it was so clear to me na they have to fight. They have to fight! That's why.
Bea Bustamante
The bond between the sisters is central to the story; could you tell us more about their relationship and the Philippine mythology that inspired their names?
Since the novel is depicted from Philippine mythological aspects, Bea took inspiration from the two goddesses from Philippine mythology: Mayari and Hanan, also the name of Maya’s sisters in the novel.
I think I did it specifically because they are... they have a third sister, but I didn't mention her. But I like them because I like that idea of there's this family in heaven, the same way there's a family here. And I am an only child. So I don't know what it's like to have siblings. Pero kasi, in-imagine ko if I were to have a sister, parang ganoon 'yung dynamic nila. And when, in the book, they represent two very different approaches or mindsets to what is happening in the story. I think Maya is more of a pacifist. She's more like, ‘I will just keep my head down and keep working, and things will get better.’ She's kind of like that person. Um, and I feel like that's very aligned with moon energy. I don't know, baka gawa-gawa ko lang sa isip ko. Pero for me, it's like very calm, very collected energy. And then there's Hanan, who is like very forward, very vocal. Uh, she really goes for what she wants. And they're very contrasting personalities, but they still really love each other. And I think it plays into what will happen in the story.
Bea Bustamante
How would you describe the world-building of your alternate Philippines?
The world called “Seven Islands” is derived from the 7,107 islands the Philippines has. In every island from the book, Bea says that there are many different names of the islands that are named purposely and reflects the role of that place or that city.
Kunyari, Kinadman comes from the Visayan word kinadman, which means knowledge and wisdom. And then just so happens that the National University is on that island. There's the Island of Hiwaga, which means hope. Namnama, which is an Ilocano word for I think hope also. There's a lot of words there that if you take time to really look into the etymology of it, there's very interesting... very interesting meanings behind it. And they're all... I tried my best to do it on purpose. So I chose those words purposely.
Bea Bustamante
What's your world-building process like?
Parang I'm really into making info sheets about stuff. Di ba? I love making info sheets and like making the history na parang 300 years ago, these people came to this place, and this is what they did, and this is what they look like, and it's so fun even if hindi talaga siya labas doon sa book! Kasi parang it gives me an opportunity to just like set the foundation for what it's supposed to be like now. And so I think it's the same. I just made a lot, a lot, a lot of notes na iba-iba 'yung pangalan ng draft ko na notes version 2, version 10, mga ganoon. So it took a lot of time. But it was very fun to do.
Bea Bustamante
When asked what the first thing was that was made in the world of Seven Islands, Bea answered that she had to make the map since she is a visual learner.
So parang kailangan kong talaga makita, like what's the geography? Would it make sense na if they're this far apart, would they speak slightly different languages? Would it make sense that if somebody were to colonize them, they would be coming from this side of the world, versus another person who wants to colonize them coming from a different side? I guess that's how I started it first. And then I mapped it out. May mga drawing-drawing ako sa notebook ko. I don't know where it is. But it's like really ugly drawings of just like blobs. Just parang may mga labels. 'This is Kinadman.' And then that's it. And then after that came the languages. So in my book, uh, I'm not Tolkien-level creative about the languages, but it's mentioned in the book that there are many, many, many languages. I think to reflect din our experience as Filipinos na kahit saan ka pumunta, there's a different language that we speak wherever you go. And I think you'll see that in the book like there's, if you're from Kinadman you speak Kinadmani, if you're from Hiwaga you speak Hiwagani. And then the colonizers, they force their own language onto the islanders too. And then I, they, parang the islanders also learn this language whether they're good at it or not. So um, I guess that was the process like, map first, and then language, and then map and then history, history, info sheet, info sheet. And then language. And then like, how many languages would they speak? And would it make sense if they would understand each other or parang no? Parang ganoon.
Bea Bustamante
What's your writing process like?
Bea admits she’s more of a "pantser" than a planner, preferring to let the story develop organically rather than sticking to a strict plot. Even with a deadline looming, she’s known to toss in new ideas or last-minute chapters—like her epilogue—just because they felt right in the moment. For her, the best part of the process is the excitement of seeing where the story goes and just letting the magic happen.
Parang I try to plot, I really try! Like I really, really try. Like I remember when I wrote it down, I had three versions of a flow. And then parang I was like, 'Okay, I'll stick to this one.' And then I tried, and then I was like, 'Parang it's not working. Okay, let's go to this one.' And it didn't work. And then towards the end, parang deadline na ng manuscript ko, and I was still adding stuff on the day of the deadline. But I feel like that helps me kasi parang I think I am more like... like a pantser. Like I fly by the seat of my pants talaga! Like I just let it happen. 'Oh, what if, what if mangyari ganito?' And then like, 'What if ganoon ganoon ganoon ganoon?' And then I read it again. Or sometimes I don't! Sometimes, you know, okay storytime. When I submitted the first draft of my manuscript, it was like 9 PM on a random day. I was adding something at 8:30 PM. Parang a random, I think it was the epilogue or something. And then I was like, 'Parang it's missing something...' And then I wrote it. And then I submitted it. And then I, so when I got back to structural editing, they were like, 'Oh, um, just a question about this part.' And I was like, 'When did I write that part?' 'Did I write that part?' Yeah, so parang it's really, I guess because this is my first time writing a full novel also, it was a learning experience for me too, na I guess to be more organized. But I really try. But I think I do prefer like just... like just the pantser process of like just letting it organically come to me. And then if it works, and I get excited, and then I write it. Parang ganoon.
Bea Bustamante
What was the publishing process for you like?
Bea describes her path to publication as highly unconventional, admitting she began querying agents while her manuscript was only half-finished due to a severe month-long writer's block. After facing multiple rejections, she received interest from Penguin Random House, which provided the external validation and motivation she needed to finally push through her creative slump.
The looming professional deadline proved essential for her, as it forced her to "iron out" the story and even rewrite nearly 30% of the book in a single week. Ultimately, while she doesn't necessarily recommend this high-pressure approach to others, the structure of a formal offer was the key to turning her unfinished draft into a complete novel.
I hit a really big mental block and I could not figure out for the life of me what was going to happen next. I decided—and I don't recommend this—to query agents even if my manuscript was not finished. Like a crazy person, I thought that was going to work! Buti na lang, Penguin Random House emailed... That offer really changed everything. It changed my motivation because I realized that it matters to somebody that I wrote this thing. That was what made me finish it—kasi may deadline! In that final week, I kid you not, I changed almost 30% of the story. The clouds parted and I was like, 'Oh, I see it now.' I do not condone procrastination, unless it works for you.
Bea Bustamante
What are books that inspired She Who Devours, and what are your favorite books?
Bea Bustamante answers that writers who influenced her most are Budgette Tan (writer of Trese), Yvette Tan (writer of horror anthologies), and Edgar Samar (writer of Janus Silang).
Parang there are so many amazing Filipino writers. Mikael De Lara Co... ayan! So parang there's so many Filipino writers who contribute to the world of mythology, and you know, I really look up to them. To you, to people like you. Because you know you guys are foundations for that... woo! Ayan. Foundations for that, for that, you know, I don't think the door was open before I got here, and it's because of people like that. So I really look up to those writers, to these writers because you know I've enjoyed their work so much.
Bea Bustamante
For favorite books, Bustamante says she has read Sword of Kaigen, Blood Over Bright Haven, The Poppy War, Percy Jackson, and The Hunger Games.
Prior kasi to doing all of this, I also made content about books on TikTok. That's how me and Mika became friends. So um, and I made reviews. And um I guess that's also what made me want to write also because I just, I love reading. I love reading so much. And I just, I just also really, really wanted to contribute to this art form that brings me so much joy. It's brought me... like every since I was a kid, parang books have been everything to me. And I just wanted to make something that so that people can hopefully feel that way too.
Bea Bustamante
She also adds, “As speaking of contributing to the Philippine literature scene of mythology books. Um, I know marami kaming na-contribute, yes! What's in store for us?"
Timed perfectly with the start of Women’s Month, Bea’s journey from a dedicated teacher to a published author serves as an inspiration to every woman balancing a day job with a dream.
If you want to learn more about Philippine mythology, culture, history, and folklore, swoon over academic rivals to lovers, and read a woman-empowering read, head over to National Book Store and get Bea Bustamante’s She Who Devours.
Special thanks to Penguin Random House for making this event possible.
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