Meet the ‘Love Guru’

She has become known as the “Love Guru”  a title bestowed on her by Kris Aquino when she guested in Kris TV last June to promote her best-selling books, Parang Kayo Pero Hindi and Buti Pa Ang Roma, May Bagong Papa.

It’s funny, though, because TV writer Noreen Capili (the teleseryes she’s written include Julia Barretto’s Mirabella and the — at least as of this writing — soon-to-air Wansapanatym series My App Boyfie starring the tandem of James Reid and Nadine Lustre) was never really into giving people advice about matters of the heart during her high school and college years. She had only had one official boyfriend and later, got into other relationships although, she admits, not all of them were serious. The one she had in high school was what she describes as “boyfriend-boyfriendan, ‘yung tipong ‘O, boyfriend mo na ako, ha?” But despite having been through such experiences, the last thing Noreen will claim is being an expert on the subject.

“Ako kasi ‘yung tanga pagdating sa love, so I’m the one being given unsolicited advice about love,” she laughs. ”Yung tipong gusto na akong iuntog ng mga kaibigan ko literally sa pader dahil sa katangahan ko.”

Honestly, confesses Noreen, “I fell in love three times, the ones I could consider true love. Then, I’ve had my heart broken by several men, most of them, were not officially my boyfriends, kaya expert ako sa ‘parang kayo pero hindi.’”

She began writing about love and love problems when she was in her early 20s and on her first job as writer for a lifestyle magazine. There were three writers on the staff, and all of them were fresh graduates: She, and two others, one from Ateneo and the other from UST.

The magazine’s senior writer had just resigned, leaving behind an advice column titled Love Lessons. The editor-in-chief told the three new writers to take turns writing the column in her stead. Noreen went first, but after that, the other two were never able to get on board. “Hindi na nakapagsulat ‘yung dalawa kong kasama ng Love Lessons because I became the regular columnist for two years until I resigned.”

But getting into publishing was providential on her part. She was then writing a column for peyups.com, a website run by two University of the Philippines (UP) graduates which also served as some sort of online tambayan for UP students and alumni. An officemate suggested that she might want to compile her essays and columns into a book. Around 2008 or 2009, Noreen contacted a publishing company, but did not get a reply. In 2011, she suffered an aneurysm and nearly died. That’s when she realized that it was now or never. “I told myself I needed to publish a book. It’s my dream. Tatlo ang dreams ko: To write a TV soap, a book and a movie. Eh TV writer na ako that time. So yung book naman ang ina-achieve ko.”

She called the same publishing company that she did in the beginning. She sent text messages and e-mail, but still did not get a reply. Then a friend of hers gave her a gift: A book of essays from the blog of Pam Pastor. “I saw it was published by Anvil but I hesitated,” recalls Noreen. “Kasi Anvil ‘yon eh. Parang masyado silang mataas for my kind of writing. The company seems to be more of the academe or scholastic type. But I still sent e-mail. Nilakasan ko ang loob ko. Nagpakilala ako at nagtanong. Surprisingly, I got an instant response.”

She was advised to check out the Anvil website for mechanics on how to submit a manuscript for publication. Noreen got excited and started compiling her materials.

Today, she is a successful published author and clear proof that dreams can come true. And before we take our leave of her, we ask her for the best love advice she’s ever received.

She says: “This is what my friend told me, ‘When the heartaches outnumber the heartwarming experiences, then it’s time to let go.’ It’s true. Sometimes, nanghihinayang tayo sa mga pinagsamahan natin with a person, we don’t want to let go because you still love him and he makes you happy. But you will reach the point na mas maraming beses na umiiyak ka dahil sa kanya. That‘s the sign when you have to let go.”