dwellers – Eliza Victoria

summer komikon 2016, or there’s so much good stuff our budget flew out the window

It’s good to be back! I missed last year’s Summer Komikon so I made it a point to attend this year and ask kind folks online what good titles are out there.

There were a lot.

What we got:

Lost (Rob Cham, Anino)
12:01 (Russell Molina and Kajo Baldisimo, Anino)
Kare-Kare Komiks (Andrew Drilon, Anino)
Amorsolo Esperanza & Andres Celestial (Elbert Or, Anino)
ZsaZsa Zaturnnah sa Kalakhang Maynila Blg. 2 (Carlo Vergara, Visprint)
Congratulations, You’re a Girl! (Grickenfish, self-pub)
Bits & Pieces (Grickenfish, self-pub)
Ugh 1 & 2 (Hulyen, self-pub)
Gekorr (Pancho Karambola, self-pub)
Alaala ng mga Anino (Mike Esteves and Mikey Marchan, self-pub)
Ligaya (Fatima Bergonia and Adrienne Onday, self-pub)
Aswang de Manila (Ianthe Pimentel and Kevin Samala, Blue Indie Komiks)
Buhay Habangbuhay (Paolo Herras and Tepai Pascual, Meganon Comics)
+ a couple of books from Charles Tan (not sold at the event–thanks Charles!)

We were very happy with our purchases and will spend the next few days going through them. My early raves and recommendations: Lost, 12:01, Congratulations, You’re a Girl!, Bits & Pieces, and Ugh. I hope to find the time and energy to review them one by one.

Thank you to everyone who dropped by the Visprint table! (Apologies if I forgot your name/got your name wrong/called you by a different name/asked for your name when I should obviously know who you are. It’s embarrassing. I’m really sorry. I’m bad with names.)

Summer Komikon 2016 — Photo from Kyra of Visprint

I’ll add more photos here as soon as I get them! (I remember posing with Alexandra Trese.)

We escaped the summer heat and dropped by Greeka Kouzina (which I also recommend) for dinner. It’s a short walk away from Bayanihan Center.

34th national book awards (national museum, manila)

I had fun at the National Book Awards–and not just because my novel, Dwellers, received an award, or that my publisher, Visprint Inc., won Publisher of the Year, or that the awarding was held in the beautiful Old Senate Hall, but because I was able to spend time with my favorite people. And also, there was food.

On the way to the venue.

There were seating arrangements! I was on the front row. I told J to sit next to me, but he squirmed and felt awkward and eventually moved to the back.

The last time a corsage was pinned on me was in college. :) X number of years ago.

The ceremony opened with the Singkil, performed by the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group and National Book Award-winning author Kanami Namiki (Ramon Obusan, Philippine Folkdance and Me, Anvil Publishing).

Photos below from the NBDB Facebook page.

Here’s the citation from the National Book Awards: “Speculative fiction works best when the transition from the real world of the reader into the fictive universe of the author is seamless. Under the masterful hand of Eliza Victoria, we are drawn into a mystery, as two people find themselves forced to deal with circumstances beyond their uncanny abilities. Deftly written with elements of horror and suspense, Dwellers is a more than worthy addition to the growing Philippine literature of the fantastic.”

Photos from Dean Alfar:

The trophies were made by Lawin Abueva, son of National Artist Napoleon Abueva.

We climbed onstage with Ms. Nida Ramirez to receive the Publisher of the Year award. Cheers!

Publisher of the Year Award

CITATION: Hindi matatawaran ang galing ng Visprint, Inc., sa pagpili ng mga aklat na makakaaliw sa mambabasa habang itinataas ang antas ng pag-unawa nito sa mga pangyayari sa ating bansa. Hindi lamang pagpili, kundi paghubog ng mga manunulat, pagpapalawak ng merkado, at pagsakay sa takbo ng sensibilidad ng taumbayan. Marami at malalim at mapangahas ang mga inilathala ng Visprint sa nakaraang taon.

And here’s Ms. Nida’s speech:

Labing apat na taon na po ang nakalipas nang unang tumuntong ang Visprint sa larangan ng book publishing.

Dahil naglakas loob na magtiwala si Bob Ong sa kabila ng zero experience namin–kakayahan sa pagiimprenta lamang po ang aming pinanghahawakan–at sa pangakong personal siyang magbabahay-bahay upang ilako ang kanyang libro, sakaling tanggihan ng major bookstores, sinuong namin ang masalimuot na mundong ito. Bob Ong, kahit hindi mo itinuloy ang pagbabahay-bahay, ni ayaw mo ngang magpakita. Pero dahil sa ‘yo ay nabuksan ang napakalaking pinto para sa maraming manunulat, para sa iyo ang award na ito.

Sa mga bossing namin na pikit mata at bukas bulsang nagtiwala sa mga proyektong pinasok namin, Sir Nido at Sir Efren, para sa inyo ang award na ito.

Sa mga manunulat, lalo na sa UVAS (ang United Visprint All Stars), sa patuloy na pagtitiwala sa Visprint ng inyong mga obra, at sa pakikiisa sa ating mga misyon–You make Visprint look soo darn good! Para sa inyo ang award na ito.

Sa mambabasang Pilipino, maraming maraming salamat po. DAHIL SA INYO ang award na ito.

Sa NBDB [National Book Development Board] at MCC [Manila Critics’ Circle], sa pagpapatamis ng aming paghihirap, maraming salamat po.

With Manix Abrera (14, Kikomachine Komix), Tepai Pascual (Maktan 1521) and Kyra Ballesteros hiding behind a clutch.

Messing with the photo wall. Photo from National Book Award nominee, Karl de Mesa (Radiant Void).

The National Book Award trophy as a very heavy clutch.

The National Museum at night.

Thank you once again to the NBDB, MCC, Visprint–and my books’ readers, as always.

‘dwellers’ wins best novel in english at the 34th national book awards + a new poem + #talkflip

Exciting stuff! Dwellers wins Best Novel in English, and Visprint is awarded Publisher of the Year. Thank you to Visprint, the National Book Development Board, the Manila Critics Circle, J and my family, and the little book’s readers for their attention and kindness. Congratulations to all the winners. The full list follows.

Dwellers by Eliza Victoria (Cover)

The National Book Development Board (NBDB) and the Manila Critics Circle (MCC) are pleased to announce the winners of the 34th National Book Awards (NBA). Below is the list of NBA winners for books published in 2014:
LITERARY DIVISION

FICTION CATEGORY – NOVEL
(English Language)

Dwellers, by Eliza Victoria, Visprint, Inc.

FICTION CATEGORY – NOVEL
(Filipino Language)

Si Janus Silang at ang Tiyanak ng Tabon, by Edgar Calabia Samar, Adarna House, Inc.

FICTION CATEGORY – SHORT STORIES
(English Language)

Wonderlust, by Nikki Alfar, Anvil Publishing Inc.

NONFICTION CATEGORY
(English Language)

Ramon Obusan, Philippine Folkdance and Me, by Kanami Namiki, Anvil Publishing, Inc.

ESSAYS CATEGORY
(English Language)

Cherry Blossoms in the Time of Earthquakes and Tsunami, by Rey Ventura, Ateneo de Manila University Press

ESSAYS CATEGORY
(Filipino Language)

iStatus Nation, by Joselito Delos Reyes, Visprint, Inc.

ANTHOLOGY CATEGORY
(English Language)

Agam: Filipino Narratives on Uncertainty and Climate Change, edited by Regina Abuyuan, Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities

ANTHOLOGY CATEGORY
(Filipino Language)

Ang Labingtatlong Pasaway, by Jun Cruz Reyes, Visprint, Inc.

LITERARY CRITICISM/LITERARY HISTORY CATEGORY
(English Language)

The Postcolonial Perverse vol. 1, by J. Neil C. Garcia, The University of the Philippines Press

LITERARY CRITICISM/LITERARY HISTORY CATEGORY
(Filipino Language)

Talab: Mga Sanaysay sa Wika, Panitikan, at Pagtuturo, by Rebecca T. Añonuevo, Ateneo de Naga University Press

POETRY CATEGORY
(English Language)

Hidden Codex: Fictive Scriptures, by Jose Marte A. Abueg, University of Santo Tomas Publishing House

Time’s Enchantment and Other Reflections, by Marne Kilates, Ateneo de Naga University Press

POETRY CATEGORY
(Philippine Language except Hiligaynon/Kinaray-a)

Kundiman sa Gitna ng Karimlan, by E. San Juan, The University of the Philippines Press

POETRY CATEGORY
(Hiligaynon/Kinaray-a Language)

Tikum Kadlum, by Federico Caballero and Alicia P. Magos, The University of the Philippines Press

GRAPHIC LITERATURE CATEGORY
(English Language)

Rodski Patotski: Ang Dalagang Baby, by Gerry Alanguilan (story) and Arnold Arre (illustration and color), Meganon Comics Publishing House

GRAPHIC LITERATURE CATEGORY
(Filipino Language)

Tabi Po (Volume 1), by Mervin Malonzo, Visprint, Inc.

GRAPHIC LITERATURE CATEGORY
(Wordless)

14 (Silent Comics) by Manix Abrera (writer and illustrator), Visprint, Inc.

TRANSLATION CATEGORY

Manila Synod of 1582: The Draft of Its Handbook for Confessors, translated by Paul A. Dumol, Ateneo de Manila University Press

NON-LITERARY DIVISION

FOOD CATEGORY

Country Cooking, by Michaela Fenix, Anvil Publishing, Inc.

SOCIAL SCIENCES CATEGORY

Rido: Clan Feuding and Conflict Management in Mindanao (expanded edition), by Wilfredo Magno Torres III (editor), Ateneo de Manila University Press

PROFESSIONS CATEGORY

The Adventures of a PR Girl, by Bettina Rodriguez-Olmedo, Anvil Publishing, Inc.

LEISURE CATEGORY

Buti Pa Ang Roma, May Bagong Papa, by Noreen Capili, Anvil Publishing, Inc.

ART CATEGORY

Journey of a Thousand Shuttles, The Philippine Weave, by Norma A. Respicio, National Commission for Culture and the Arts

SCIENCE CATEGORY

Birds of Cebu and Bohol Philippines, by Nilo Arribas Jr., Bobby Kintanar, and Raul Benjamin Puentespina, University of San Carlos Press

HISTORY CATEGORY

Sakdalistas’ Struggle for Philippine Independence, 1930-1945, by Motoe Terami-Wada, Ateneo de Manila University Press

JOURNALISM CATEGORY

Vantage Point: The Sixth Estate and Other Discoveries, by Luis Teodoro, The University of the Philippines Press

DESIGN

Manila Synod of 1582: The Draft of Its Handbook for Confessors, design by Karl Fredrick M. Castro, Ateneo de Manila University Press

LANGUAGE STUDIES

Ambagan 2011: Mga Salita Mula sa Iba’t Ibang Wika sa Filipinas, by Michael M. Coroza and Galileo S. Zafra, The University of the Philippines Press

PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR

Visprint, Inc.

Source: National Book Development Board

Other exciting things:

My poem, “The Royal Doors“, can be read in the latest issue of Heroic Fantasy Quarterly.
I will have a live Twitter chat in the middle of APEC week. November 18, 5 to 6 PM. Let’s talk.

36th manila international book fair: notes, tips, photos

My endless gratitude to those who dropped by Booth 78 (Komiket x Visprint) to say hi, buy books, and have their copies signed. I’m not a fan of crowds, but I always leave book events like this energized and pumped to write more.

Here are a few photos I was able to take. I wanted to take more shots but I was carrying a shoulder bag and a bag heavy with books, and the crowd. Oh, the crowd.

Before we headed to SMX, we went to the new Beni’s Falafel branch in SM MOA (South Building, near Gonuts Donuts if I remember correctly). Thank you to Honey de Peralta for the tip! If you’re in the area, you should try Beni’s Falafel.

Here is Booth 78 busy with buyers.

The Visprint x Komiket / Komiket x Visprint catalogue! After Lambana is already listed here. Hala ka, Mervin.

That empty spot was where copies of Dwellers used to be. The Visprint ladies said they bring 20 copies of each title every day. When I left, there was only one copy of Dwellers left for the day. Thank you, readers!

Jack Alvarez’s boots were so high and so awesome the guards thought he was going to the cosplay event. Probably my favorite story of the day. Haha!

3D printer. I enjoyed watching it at work, when a guy behind me said, “Last year pa kaya ‘yan.” E di ikaw na updated!

Saw this in passing. It was lovely, but didn’t get to buy it.

Signed copies.

Finally, my book fair haul:

Lunatic, Meganon Comics, various authors
Sixty-Six, Anino/Adarna, Russell Molina and Ian Sta. Maria
Janus Silang books 1 & 2, Adarna, Egay Samar
Histories, Ateneo Press, Charlie Samuya Veric
Cover (Story) Girl, Visprint, #romanceclass series, Chris Mariano (first read this as an ebook)
Piko, Anino/Adarna, various authors
Smaller and Smaller Circles, Soho Press, bought at the National Book Store booth, FH Batacan
Ang Autobiografia ng Ibang Lady Gaga, Visprint, Jack Alvarez
Married Women, Ateneo de Naga Press, bought at the Ateneo Press booth, Maryanne Moll

Some notes/tips:

The huge National Book Store booth has a good system for payment. Lots of cashiers, a single line, a la SM Hypermarket. Anvil, which shares space with NBS, has only two cashiers, I think.
Booth 78 is too small for signing, but I’m happy to see a lot of readers.
I don’t understand the booth numbering system. A map would be handy. I feel like I have missed a lot of interesting booths because I can’t figure out where everything was.
I do wish the aisles were wider, with seats where weary attendees can take a break and rest their aching feet.
Bring water. Definitely.
Wear a comfortable pair of shoes.

see you at the 36th manila international book fair!

I will be at the 36th Manila International Book Fair on Saturday, September 19, sharing the 3 to 4pm time slot with Jack Alvarez, author of Ang Autobiografia ng Ibang Lady Gaga and one of my co-Fellows at the UP National Writers Workshop.

See below for the map. Visprint books will be sold at a discount at Booth 78! Do drop by.

In other book-related news:

Dwellers is nominated for Best Novel at the Filipino Readers Choice Awards. Click here to vote for your favorite reads from 2014.
Visprint is going to the Frankfurt Book Fair this year from October 14 to 18. If you’re going to the fair (lucky you! shut up! you’re making me envious!) and want to pre-order some books, read on below:

We’re attending this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair from October 14 to 18!

If you’re in Germany, we’re open to taking orders for Visprint titles to be claimed at the book fair. Send your orders to bestbookproposal@visprint.net by SEPTEMBER 20.

Use the Subject Line “Frankfurt Book Fair Book Order”
Include contact details, including: your name and contact number. We will reply with payment options and pick up date/time.

Still speaking of books, are you in the mood for cheap, secondhand copies? I’m selling some of mine. Click here to view available titles. Thanks!

notes from the philippine literary festival 2015

There were still a lot of people despite the INC rally blocking EDSA. Probably people from the South of Metro Manila? Happy to see the crowd.
The moment I sat in the Visprint area, someone approached me to have copies of my books signed. Buena mano! Salamat, Kevin.

Philippine Literary Festival 2015

Our first stop was at the “Translation: A Creative Act” panel in the Namayan Room, with John Green English to Filipino translators Luna Sicat, Julz Riddle, Bebang Siy (who was cosplaying Margo Roth Spiegelman) and Ronald Verzo, moderated by Anvil’s RayVi Sunico. Happy to sit next to Elyss Punsalan. It was an excellent talk about the difficulty of translating not just language, but class, culture, and nuances in perspective. (How do you translate “fuck” when the word “sex” is used in the same sentence? How do you translate “state” when we don’t have an equivalent in Filipino? Do you use “lalawigan”? “nayon”? Why do American authors love using “my” — my floor, my bed, my room — and how do you translate that without sounding awkward in Filipino? How do you translate the “poverty” of living in a trailer park, when some Filipinos live in houses smaller than these trailers? How do you translate a story that is not believable to you, as a Filipino author and reader?) I really enjoyed it. Sulit ang pagpunta sa Makati.

Philippine Literary Festival 2015

Book signing pa more. Thank you Anne and the others who dropped by.

Before the night ended, Mervin Malonzo and I were able to share a few pages from After Lambana. We were in a corner of Ballroom 2, sharing the time slot with Meganon Comics.
Photo from Meganon Comics’ Tepai Pascual.

Photo from Tepai.
Sharing with you some snapshots here (from pages 10, 14, and 16). Some people in the audience expressed excitement, so that’s promising!

Lambana, the realm of the Diwata, has fallen, the Magic Prohibition Act has been signed into law, and there is something wrong with Conrad’s heart. Only magic can delay his inevitable death, and so he meets with Ignacio, a friend who promises to hook him up with Diwata and magic-derived treatments, illegal though this may be.

But during the course of the night, Conrad may just discover Lambana’s secrets – and a cure to save his life.

Thank you to the National Book Store and the Visprint team for making this happen. Sa uulitin!

‘dwellers’ is best novel finalist for the national book awards, and other writing news

In this post: National Book Awards, Philippine Speculative Fiction, Voyage to Bathala, Best of the Net, Philippine Literary Festival, Filipino Readercon, goddess fan art, #BuwanNgMgaAkdangPinoy.

1. First off, my short novel Dwellers is a finalist for the 34th National Book Awards (Best Novel in English). Thank you to the NBDB (National Book Development Board) and the MCC (Manila Critics’ Circle) for the honor, and to Visprint for giving my words a home. My congratulations as well to friends and other fellow finalists. You can see the entire list here.

This is my second nomination. Last year, Project 17 was a finalist for the same category.

To know more about Dwellers (what’s it about, where to buy online and in the bookstores), click here.

2. My story, “The Target”, will be appearing in the upcoming tenth volume of Philippine Speculative Fiction. This is part of a collection of interconnected science fiction stories that I’m working on, and I’m excited to share this one piece of it with you. Thank you Dean and Nikki! Here’s the full TOC, from Rocket Kapre.

A Long Walk Home – Alexander M. Osias
A Report – Sarge Lacuesta
A Small Hope – Gabriela Lee
For Sale: Big Ass Sword – Kenneth G. Yu
Children of the Stars – Francis Gabriel Concepcion
Fisher of Men – Razel Tomacder
Hunger – Lakan Umali
IT Girl – AJ Elicaño
Lamat – Noel Tio
Marvin and the Jinni – Raymund Reyes
Mechanical Failures – Jose Elvin Bueno
Mene, Thecel, Phares – Victor Fernando R. Ocampo
Night Predators – Joseph Montecillo
Oblation – Richard Cornelio
Santos de Sampaguita – Alyssa Wong
Soulless – EK Gonzales
The Dollmaker – Joel Pablo Salud
The Last God of Cavite – Andrew Drilon
The Owl and the Hoopoe – Renz Torres
The Run to Grand Maharlika Station – Vincent Michael Simbulan
The Target – Eliza Victoria
Thunderstorm – Cyan Abad-Jugo
When the Gods Left – Kate Osias

3. Another story of mine, called “At the Diazes'”, also from this set of interconnected stories, has been accepted for publication, but I’ve yet to hear more about that, so let me get back to you.

4. Southern Pacific Review has nominated my poem “Stargazing” for Best of the Net 2015. Thank you! Click on the link to read the nominated poem.

5. Read my stories “The Missing”, “Maybe Another Song at Dusk”, “The Handmade House”, and “Voyage to Bathala” in one volume. Voyage to Bathala and Other Stories is part of the Encounters series published by et al and edited by Dean Alfar and Sarge Lacuesta.

6. I will be attending the second day of the Philippine Literary Festival 2015 to sign books and maaaybe give a sneak peek of the comic book Mervin Malonzo and I are working on. Come visit!

Admission to the PLF at the Raffles Hotel in Makati from August 28 to 30 is free of charge, but seats are limited. Thank you to Nikko over on Facebook for this image.

7. I served as panelist in last year’s Silliman University National Writers Workshop, and it was such a fun (grueling) experience. They are now accepting manuscripts. Read more here.

The Silliman University National Writers Workshop is now accepting applications for the55th National Writers Workshop to be held 9—27 May 2016 at the Silliman University Rose Lamb Sobrepeña Writers Village.

This Writers Workshop is offering twelve fellowships to promising writers in the Philippines who want to have a chance to hone their craft and refine their style. Fellows will be provided housing, a modest stipend, and a subsidy to partially defray costs of their transportation.

To be considered, applicants should submit manuscripts in English on or before 30 September 2015.

8. The Filipino Readercon team is up and about and organizing the Readers’ Choice Awards, with a slight change in rules this year. Watch out for that.

9. Alternative Alamat editor Paolo Chikiamco shared this fan art with me. “Tala’s Spectacles” and “Alunsina’s Mask”, based on characters that appeared in my stories in that volume (“Ana’s Little Pawnshop on Makiling St.” and “Remembrance”). “Ana’s Little Pawnshop” also appears in my short story collection, A Bottle of Storm Clouds (a phrase lifted from the story). Art by michstar090. Maraming salamat!

Image link: http://michstar090.deviantart.com/art/Tala-s-Spectacles-552978428

Image link: http://michstar090.deviantart.com/art/Alunsina-s-Mask-551325575

10. Subaybayan ang hashtag na #BuwanNgMgaAkdangPinoy sa Twitter o Facebook, kaakibat ng pagdiriwang ng Buwan ng Wika ngayong Agosto.

Heto ang mga itinatampok kong akda para sa photo-op na ito (iilan lamang sa mga nahila galing sa lalagyan ng mga aklat):

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