CHASING PACQUIAO

CHASING PACQUIAO is Rod Pulido's fantastic, thoughtful debut. Not just a consideration of how we survive the disappointments of our heroes, it is also a joyful celebration of young love and the friends that fight alongside you. With humor, compassion, and a bone-deep knowledge of his characters, Rod's novel is a triumph.

All Bobby Agbayani wants out of his high school experience is to maintain a 4.0 GPA and keep his sexuality a secret. When he's ruthlessly outed, Bobby finds himself the target of a series of attacks from a small group of friends. Their leader, Rex, not only kicks Bobby's ass, but he steals his bike - the last thing he has connecting him to his now deceased father. Bobby wants revenge, and he has the inspiration to get it: Manny Pacquiao, world champion and hero to all young Filipinxs. Bobby studies Pacquiao's fights, learns to box like him at the local gym, and challenges the thief to a fight in the ring in front of the entire school - with the bike going to the victor. Days before the bout, Bobby learns that Pacquiao has called gay people "worse than animals" in the press. He's shattered Like his worst enemy, his hero is a homophobe. But he can't dwell on that now. Not with the upcoming fight, and his life and his father's final gift on the line. Rod Pulido grew up in Cerritos, California. As a child, he loved making toy spaceships out of cardboard and devouring ice cream straight from the carton - he still does both. He earned his Bachelors of Arts in Film Production from California State University, Long Beach, where he founded the first Pilipino Graduation Ceremony in Southern California. His movie The Flip Side became the first feature by a Filipino director to world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Rod strives to uplift and entertain with stories that highlight the Fil-Am experience. He enjoys collecting comic books and working out at the gym - stereotypes be damned! Follow him on Instagram and Twitter @RodAPulido.com