Izzy Matias’ debut novel, “The Hush Society Presents…” is a contemporary young adult novel and coming-of-age story about Cameron Evans, a musician in pursuit of his dreams despite the many challenges along the way. As Cameron dives into the world of secret shows, he is recruited to join a summer tour; however, to make it big, he must face his biggest rival and self-destructive fears before they destroy his dream for good.
One of Matias’ aspirations back in grade school was to publish a book. She started writing her debut novel, “The Hush Society Presents…” in high school, rewriting and editing during her college years. “I ran a music blog where I would go to lots of concerts and write about them. Over the years, I made multiple music blogs and wanted to turn blogging into a career. Later on, I decided to approach blogging from a business perspective, which led me to my focus as a blogger now,” explains Izzy. While working and blogging, she continued revising her debut novel, and finally this year, she decided to self-publish it on Amazon.
Izzy has always enjoyed the opportunity to merge her passion for writing and business. As a finance and wealth management graduate of Enderun Colleges, and now the managing editor of INK Enderun, the school’s official student publication, she delights in her work as a blogger at izzymatias.com where she teaches others to start and build a money-making blog of their own.
“I [started] by being an active member of INK Enderun. I joined INK as a freshman and went from a features writer to features head and eventually the editor-in-chief for 2 years,” says Izzy. Her best memories in college were the classes, extracurricular activities, and internship experiences. She remembers working at Bella Luce Publications, publisher of Lonely Planet Philippines, and completing a creative writing course at the University of Oxford. “I enjoyed making life-long friends.”
What motivates Izzy is her vision to live life on her terms and do what makes her happy.
She strives to constantly grow and be better. “I learned many valuable lessons in Enderun like leadership, teamwork, and having a business perspective on things as well as how my education has shaped the way I manage my finances,” she explains.
Another important lesson is to always apply theory in practice. She enjoys learning new things, especially about improving her blog and writing craft.
Izzy graduated Summa Cum Laude and Valedictorian and was awarded the Academic Area Award for Business Administration and Student Area Award. She was also a 100% Merit Scholar for four years and was one of the top 30 participants at the 11th American Chamber of Commerce Business Orientation Program (BOP).
Izzy has a piece of advice to those who dream of becoming an author like her or simply want to achieve a personal goal: “Even if it takes a long time to achieve your aspiration, if it’s something you want, keep going. Take a chance on your dreams and make the most of the opportunities available to you or create an opportunity for you to achieve your dreams.
There’s never a linear path to get to where you want to be, but I believe if you keep going, you’ll get there eventually.”
“The Hush Society Presents…” is available on Amazon. To order, please visit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08THPX198.
