Announcements (Updated)
Tobie Abad of the New Worlds Alliance will be the guest speaker at the Talecraft Scifi Workshop this Sunday, 1 p.m., May 11, 2008, at Powerbooks Megamall. Please do find the time to attend, and to get a copy of Talecraft for yourselves or as gifts (it's available at Powerbooks and at select National Bookstore branches). I talked about it here and here, too, and Elbert Or, PGS layout editor, uses it in the classes and workshops he handles.
The Manila Litcritters will be having another open session at 2 p.m. this Saturday, May 10, 2008, at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf branch along Emerald Avenue (Ortigas Center, Pasig City). One of the stories they're taking up is Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes, a story I first read when I was twelve, that I enjoyed then, and still enjoy very much today. If there's a speculative fiction short story that has succeeded in reflecting so well a number of aspects of humanity, and that you can pass on to non-readers of speculative fiction without fear of them saying "What's this?!", this is it. Do drop by. No pressure to speak; if you just want to listen in, that's perfectly all right. Just make sure you read the stories beforehand so you know what's being talked about. Also, a member of the Manila Litcritters, Dean Francis Alfar, has a story, "Sunboy", published in last week's issue of The Philippines Free Press (Sarge Lacuesta, Literary Editor). Kudos, Dean! He's the author too of "The Middle Prince" from PGS1 and "In The Dim Plane" from PGS4.
As I first announced here back in February, Crystal Koo, author of "The Scent of Spice" from PGS2, is heading for Australia. She's attending the Sydney Writers Festival in, well, Sydney, where one of her stories, and last year's 3rd place winner at the Palanca's, "Benito Salazar's Last Creation", is included in a book that's being launched on May 25, 2008. The book is Salu-Salo: An Anthology of Philippine-Australian Writings. She's promised to keep me up-to-date while she's there, so I can post about it on the PGS blogs, or link up to her blog as she writes about her trip. Here's a portion of her latest email to me:
"...there's a chain of bookshops in Australia called Gleebooks...it's not as big as Dymocks or something like that, but it's pretty famous in Australia among the literati...they contacted me and said that they were the supplier of books in the Festival...then they asked me for copies of my previous publications so they could sell them in the launch during the Festival. My jaw dropped, pretty much. They wanted any contacts of book publishers or distributors that had published me before. Didn't matter which country it was. Only, of course, the thing is, this is the first book that's publishing me! I swear, if they could see and display magazines, I'd send them your contact in a heartbeat (except previous issues mags and journals aren't really sold in launches). Maaan. Suddenly, though, I feel extremely vindicated of every rejection I've had, hahaha! (Which really isn't a proper feeling, but I was so stunned.)"
I suggested to Crystal to bring copies of PGS2 where "The Scent Of Spice" is printed even if it's just shown for display, and she said she'll try to do just that. I asked her for pics of the Festival too (and of PGS on display, if that's even possible!). And here, let Crystal's experience be something to ponder for those of you who write and have been letdown by rejection: persistence counts, as well as learning and growing in your writing. Hey, even Stephen King has famously written about the huge pile of rejection slips he has accumulated in his life.
Congratulations, Crystal! And like I told you, you can always count on me to support you and all the other PGS contributors. I really get a kick out of seeing you and all the others either winning contests or getting published elsewhere.
Update (as of 5:00 p.m., May 8, 2008), via Banzai Cat: Mia Tijam, author of "Blink, Wake Up" in PGS4, has also been published in the latest issue of The Philippines Free Press. Her story there is "Wishes Do Come True". Congratulations to you too, Mia!
The Manila Litcritters will be having another open session at 2 p.m. this Saturday, May 10, 2008, at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf branch along Emerald Avenue (Ortigas Center, Pasig City). One of the stories they're taking up is Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes, a story I first read when I was twelve, that I enjoyed then, and still enjoy very much today. If there's a speculative fiction short story that has succeeded in reflecting so well a number of aspects of humanity, and that you can pass on to non-readers of speculative fiction without fear of them saying "What's this?!", this is it. Do drop by. No pressure to speak; if you just want to listen in, that's perfectly all right. Just make sure you read the stories beforehand so you know what's being talked about. Also, a member of the Manila Litcritters, Dean Francis Alfar, has a story, "Sunboy", published in last week's issue of The Philippines Free Press (Sarge Lacuesta, Literary Editor). Kudos, Dean! He's the author too of "The Middle Prince" from PGS1 and "In The Dim Plane" from PGS4.
As I first announced here back in February, Crystal Koo, author of "The Scent of Spice" from PGS2, is heading for Australia. She's attending the Sydney Writers Festival in, well, Sydney, where one of her stories, and last year's 3rd place winner at the Palanca's, "Benito Salazar's Last Creation", is included in a book that's being launched on May 25, 2008. The book is Salu-Salo: An Anthology of Philippine-Australian Writings. She's promised to keep me up-to-date while she's there, so I can post about it on the PGS blogs, or link up to her blog as she writes about her trip. Here's a portion of her latest email to me:
"...there's a chain of bookshops in Australia called Gleebooks...it's not as big as Dymocks or something like that, but it's pretty famous in Australia among the literati...they contacted me and said that they were the supplier of books in the Festival...then they asked me for copies of my previous publications so they could sell them in the launch during the Festival. My jaw dropped, pretty much. They wanted any contacts of book publishers or distributors that had published me before. Didn't matter which country it was. Only, of course, the thing is, this is the first book that's publishing me! I swear, if they could see and display magazines, I'd send them your contact in a heartbeat (except previous issues mags and journals aren't really sold in launches). Maaan. Suddenly, though, I feel extremely vindicated of every rejection I've had, hahaha! (Which really isn't a proper feeling, but I was so stunned.)"
I suggested to Crystal to bring copies of PGS2 where "The Scent Of Spice" is printed even if it's just shown for display, and she said she'll try to do just that. I asked her for pics of the Festival too (and of PGS on display, if that's even possible!). And here, let Crystal's experience be something to ponder for those of you who write and have been letdown by rejection: persistence counts, as well as learning and growing in your writing. Hey, even Stephen King has famously written about the huge pile of rejection slips he has accumulated in his life.
Congratulations, Crystal! And like I told you, you can always count on me to support you and all the other PGS contributors. I really get a kick out of seeing you and all the others either winning contests or getting published elsewhere.
Update (as of 5:00 p.m., May 8, 2008), via Banzai Cat: Mia Tijam, author of "Blink, Wake Up" in PGS4, has also been published in the latest issue of The Philippines Free Press. Her story there is "Wishes Do Come True". Congratulations to you too, Mia!
posted by pgenrestories at 5:15 PM
2 Comments:
Wai! You coming? You coming? ^^
It was rather scary when I first went there, and no Sir Kyu and no Charles! (Elyss was there, though, buti na lang.)
http://ekmisao.livejournal.com/213885.html
EK 8 )
Hi, EK! I'm doing my best to fix my sched so I can go. So far, it's clear, but no promises because sudden work can crop up. I'll do my best. I heard Charles will be there, though. And nothing to worry about when you go. The Manila Litcritters are an accommodating bunch, as I'm sure you've discovered. Regards!
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