Mae Coyiuto’s upcoming novel follows a young woman who, after neglecting the practice of pagpag, comes face to face with the spirit of her late father—and learns what it means to navigate the tides of pain, change, and love.
In the Philippines, it’s believed that after visiting the dead, one must take a detour so no spirit follows you home. This tradition, known as pagpag, is so deeply woven into daily life that it feels as natural as breathing. A brief stop at a convenience store, a quick meal at a restaurant, a stroll through a park—any small diversion will do, and those who believe rarely think twice before doing it. But Goodbye and Everything After, an upcoming young adult novel by writer Mae Coyiuto, asks the question: what would happen if, drowning in a sea of grief over the departed, one girl rejects the tradition?
Lifestyle Asia discusses the upcoming novel, and briefly sits with the author to learn more about a story that not only resonates with Filipino culture but also the wider scope of human experience and emotions in the wake of loss.
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About Goodbye and Everything After
Coyiuto’s book follows an 18-year-old girl navigating major life changes in the wake of her father’s death. Lifestyle Asia got an early look at the first chapter, which sets the tone with a blend of humor and striking honesty. Though rooted in a distinctly Filipino-Chinese world, the story feels fresh, intimate, and relatable.
Below is the novel’s official blurb from Macmillan Publishers.
It’s been five years since Nika’s beloved father passed away, but her family has never fully grieved. They don’t speak of him much at all, except on the anniversary of his death.
Whenever they visit her father’s grave, Nika’s superstitious mother still insists on practicing pagpag, a Filipino belief that you can never go directly home after attending a funeral—or risk the spirit of the departed following you back home.
But when her mom’s new fiancé suddenly shows up at the cemetery for this year’s memorial for her dad, she furiously walks out, breaking the pagpag superstition. The next day, she finds herself face-to-face with the ghost of her dead father…and Nika’s the only one who can see him.
As she spends more time re-connecting with her dad’s ghost, Nika slowly learns about her parents’ past and how they fell in love back in high school. And when they recreate memories of her parents’ love story, Nika discovers that her dad’s spirit slowly becomes more solid and alive. Fearing that she’ll lose her dad again, Nika makes it her mission to find a way to make her dad stay permanently, no matter what the cost.
A Talk With Mae Coyuito
What inspired you to write a book about pagpag culture, or the afterlife in general?
Back in 2022, I fell into an internet rabbit hole of researching the pagpag superstition. I grew up being told to always drop by somewhere first after visiting the cemetery, but I didn’t realize it was a belief unique to Filipino culture. Then I started thinking…how can I write a love story based on pagpag? Since the thinking is that you’re supposed to make a pitstop after a wake, so spirits don’t follow you home, I thought, what if my main character wanted the spirit to follow her home?
Why do you think the book’s themes of love and grief are pertinent discussion points in today’s world?
I’ve found that to love deeply means to accept the risk of grief. Grief is such a universal experience, but I think there’s a tendency, especially from what I’ve seen in the Chinese-Filipino community, to avoid talking about loss. While I admire how this comes from an instinct to protect one another, I think we should also try to shift that way of thinking—that we can talk about grief and that we can say something when we’re hurting.
What do you hope readers will take away from Goodbye and Everything After?
There are so many great books in the world, so I’m always honored when someone chooses to spend their time with one of mine. I hope readers enjoy taking a break from the real world when they enter the one of Nika and her family. I hope they feel seen with this story, and that they take away the message to never give up on the good things.
“Goodbye and Everything After” is set to release on February 17, 2026. You can pre-order your copy through the official website of Macmillan Publishers. Copies will also be available at Fully Booked and National Bookstore.
Photos courtesy of Mae Coyiuto.
