Press Kit: The Unbalanced Ledger by Teresa Maza
BOOK OVERVIEW
Title: The Unbalanced Ledger: Budgets, Barks, and Beautifully Imperfect Living
Tagline: The anti-guilt memoir that proves you can build financial sanity without giving up your humor or your weekly takeout routine.
Core Concept: A witty and honest memoir/guide where a professional Finance Manager admits that real life—full of unexpected dog expenses, chaotic family budgets, and corporate absurdity—is anything but a balanced spreadsheet. It’s a book about finding financial health by embracing the mess.
Key Angles for Coverage & Audience Value:
- Institutional Credibility: Formally accepted into the Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) System, making it a verified resource for the Northern Virginia community.
- Shame-Free Financial Fitness: A professional Finance Manager demystifies personal finance, focusing on mental and financial sanity rather than restrictive perfection.
- Women-Owned & Minority-Owned Voice: Authored by Teresa Maza, a Filipina-American professional offering a unique, empathetic perspective on work-life balance and finance.
- Rescue Dog Advocacy: Features Sansa (the cover’s mischievous mutt). Teresa champions animal adoption and supports Lucky Dog Animal Rescue (LDAR).
- New Year, New Ledger: Launched December 15, 2025—perfect for Q1 “Financial Wellness” and New Year’s Resolution segments.
Endorsements:
“Essential reading… deeply therapeutic and wildly entertaining. I recommend it without hesitation.” — Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Finally, a finance book that feels real! Build your financial health without sacrificing your humor or your emergency pizza fund.” — Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Teresa Maza’s voice is sharp, relatable, and genuinely laugh-out-loud… a charming, uplifting read.” — Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
LOGISTICS & AVAILABILITY
| Detail | Specification |
| Status | AVAILABLE NOW (Launched December 15, 2025) |
| Amazon Price | $16.99 (Paperback) |
| Retailer MSRP | $18.99 (Paperback) |
| Ebook Price | $8.99 |
| Library Status | Formally accepted into the Fairfax County Public Library System |
| Paperback ISBN | 979-8-9931122-0-6 |
| Ebook ISBN | 979-8-9931122-1-3 |
| Distribution | Amazon (KDP) & Major retailers via IngramSpark |
MEDIA RESOURCES
- Review Copies: For journalists, bloggers, and podcast hosts seeking immediate access, request a digital copy via [laughsbyteresa@outlook.com].
READ EXCERPT PREVIEW: “Sansa’s Budget Bootcamp”
Picture me, the self-crowned queen of budgeting trainwrecks, starring in a Black Mirror horror flick where my bank account—down to $22.13 before rent—was a ghost town with pennies skittering like roaches. As a finance manager, I slay spreadsheets by day, but off the clock, I was a hot mess. I planned a $5 coffee run that spiraled into a $20 latte spree and a $150 ‘vintage’ lamp I swore would ‘spark fiscal balance’. It flickered ominously while Sansa’s roo-roos, my personal zen bell, mocked my receipt shredding woes. My husband muttered, “That lamp’s our new roommate.”
I’ve finally dodged the Eat What’s Left diet and clawed my way to financial homeostasis. You can too! Grab some tap water (it’s free, and coins are for hoarding!), and let’s turn your wallet’s disaster flick into a Pitch Perfect triumph…
(This 970-word chapter includes actionable steps for conquering the “Cash Void”.)
FULL AUTHOR BIO: TERESA MAZA
Teresa is a dedicated Finance Manager in Fairfax County’s Human Resources Department, navigating budgets and spreadsheets with precision and heart. Beyond the numbers, she’s Laughs by Teresa, a frugal humorist who celebrates the glorious, uncalculated mess of real life.
Hailing from the Philippines, Teresa brings a unique perspective to finance. She taught ESL to adult learners for over a decade while working full-time as an accountant, proving that learning—whether it be language or finance—shouldn’t feel like punishment. An introvert who mastered English as her second language, she now transforms adulting’s chaos, from tricky budgets to her dog Sansa’s chicken-stealing escapades, into witty, heartfelt stories.
She shares her Northern Virginia home with her saintly husband Albert, Sansa (the mischievous mutt on the cover), and the cherished memory of their late Sophie, both adopted from Lucky Dog Animal Rescue (LDAR). Through her blog, LaughsByTeresa, she demystifies finance, celebrates human moments, and invites readers to laugh, relate, and feel less alone in life’s ledger
SHORT BIO
Teresa Maza is a Finance Manager in Fairfax County and the Filipina-American author of the debut memoir/guide, The Unbalanced Ledger. She is a frugal humorist who blends her professional spreadsheets with the chaos of her rescue dog, Sansa, to offer shame-free, actionable financial survival tactics.
VISUAL ASSETS
CONTACT
- Email: laughsbyteresa@outlook.com
- Website: LaughsbyTeresa.com
- Social: @laughsbyteresa