This is Me

Hi, I’m Mona Liza. Yes, that really is my name. 

I’m a Filipina American author, publisher, educator, traveler, creative, mom, animal lover, music person, planner, and someone who somehow always has another idea floating around before the last one is completely finished. My life can be busy and fast-paced, but underneath all of that, I am actually a pretty simple person at heart.

I can travel across the world and be completely fascinated by a place I have never seen before, then come home and be just as happy watching a movie with my son, hanging out with my dogs, going to the beach, walking through a park, or simply being home. I think that little mix of adventure and simplicity is very me.

I Never Had Just One Dream

Growing up, I definitely did not have one perfectly organized plan for my life. At different times, I imagined becoming a doctor, nurse, tour guide, fashion designer, musician, singer, and probably a few other things I forgot about somewhere along the way.

Becoming a children’s author was never really part of the plan.

During the pandemic, I started making up simple stories for my son when he was bored, restless, or having trouble sleeping. I was not thinking about publishing, building a business, or creating a career. I was just being his mom and trying to make something comforting and meaningful for him.

One of those stories became Mama, I Love You. Then another book followed, and then another. Somewhere along the way, that small beginning became 42 books and counting, and World Love Press became the publishing home I created for all of them. Even now, I sometimes look at how it all started and think, “How did one little bedtime story turn into all of this?”

I Would Rather Collect Memories Than Things

Travel has always been one of my biggest passions. I was never someone who cared much about collecting expensive things, so I would rather save money for a trip, experience a new culture, try food I have never had before, see something I once only knew from pictures, and come home with a memory.

That mindset has taken me to more than 70 countries and destinations, many of them with my son. For me, travel has never been about luxury or simply counting how many places I have visited. I genuinely enjoy seeing how other people live, what they value, what they eat, how they celebrate, and what makes each place feel special.

The more of the world I experienced, the more I realized how different we can be and how similar we are at the same time. Languages, traditions, religions, customs, and ways of life can vary so much, but people everywhere still want love, respect, family, acceptance, safety, and a sense of belonging.

Travel also made me appreciate my Filipino identity in a deeper way. Sometimes seeing more of the world helps you understand home a little better.

Being a Mom Comes First

I can have books, projects, events, interviews, deadlines, travel plans, and ten other things happening at once, but being Michael’s mom will always be one of the biggest parts of my life.

A lot of what I create began because of him. We have traveled together, created together, watched movies, explored new places, laughed at things only we understand, and made memories that mean more to me than he probably realizes right now.

I know he is going to grow up, have his own dreams, and build a life of his own, so I try to remember that time is something we do not get back. The older I get, the more I care about being present with the people I love instead of trying to fill every minute with something productive.

My Pets Definitely Run Part of the House

I love animals, and my pets are absolutely part of the family. Destiny is my pug, Warrior is my Boston Terrier, and Luna is my Doberman and German Shepherd mix. I also have three cats, Beerus, Charcoal, and Lola, and they mean just as much to me. I have always had a soft spot for animals, and having them around brings so much personality, comfort, and happiness into the house.

They all have completely different personalities, and somehow each one seems to believe the house revolves around them. Between the dogs and the cats, there is always something going on, whether someone wants attention, a treat, a nap in the perfect spot, or simply to sit right in the middle of whatever I am trying to do.

They also have absolutely no concern for deadlines, emails, publishing schedules, or anything else I might be working on. Sometimes the most urgent situation in the house is simply somebody staring at me because it is apparently time for a treat.

And honestly, they are usually very convincing.

Creativity Does Not Stop With Books

Books are only one part of my creative life. I love music, writing lyrics, creating songs, listening to violins, experimenting with different sounds, journaling, design, and putting ideas together simply because I enjoy the process.

That is part of what Momo’s Sphere represents for me. It gives me another space to create without worrying about whether something fits into publishing, education, travel, or any other category. I think adults sometimes forget that we are still allowed to make things simply because creating makes us happy.

Not everything has to have a big purpose. Sometimes creating something just because you love it is reason enough.

I Am Still Learning

I can be a perfectionist, and I can spend way too much time trying to make something look exactly the way I imagined it in my head. Over time, though, I have learned that not everything needs to happen today, not every opportunity deserves a yes, and something does not have to be flawless to have meaning.

My mindset has become pretty simple: me versus me. I am not interested in measuring my life against somebody else’s success or timing. I would rather look at where I was yesterday, keep learning, and continue becoming a better version of myself.

We are all on different timelines anyway.

A Few Very Mona Things

I would rather spend money on an experience than something I do not really need. I can love traveling the world and still be perfectly happy staying home. I love beaches, parks, movies, music, animals, culture, creative projects, and anything that gives me another idea to work on.

I believe children should understand that their emotions matter, their culture matters, and who they are matters. I also believe people should be proud of where they come from without ever making someone else feel less important because their story is different.

And yes, I am almost always working on something. There is probably another project in my head right now.

Actually, there probably is.

What Matters to Me Now

The older I get, the simpler my definition of a good life becomes. I want time with my son, close family, real friends, health, peace, laughter, meaningful work, travel when I can, and the freedom to keep creating.

I want my books to live beyond me, not because I need my name remembered, but because I hope the messages inside them continue helping children for generations. If something I write helps a child understand a feeling, become more confident, feel proud of their culture, treat someone with more kindness, or realize that being different does not make them less valuable, then that means something to me.

My life has taken me through different dreams, different places, different roles, and plenty of unexpected turns. I still do not have everything figured out, and I am okay with that.

Maybe life was never supposed to be one perfectly organized plan. Maybe it is a collection of people, places, mistakes, lessons, laughter, memories, ideas, and ordinary little moments that slowly become your story.

This is mine.