Order a Visprint book via email from November 10 to December 10 and they’ll deliver it for free anywhere in the Philippines, with no minimum purchase required. The rest of the mechanics is here. Please read the whole thing.
A Bottle of Storm Clouds (PhP 220 or US$ 5.35), of course, is included in the list of books that you can order. :) More books this way!
Not writing anything, other than work stuff and these blog posts, but then I have just finished writing a long-ish piece. I guess my brain just wants to take a break.
Oops. I know the long weekend is over, but happy to find this on AVA (“Genre Reads for the Long Weekend”, written by author and book blogger/reviewer Chris Mariano):
“…imagined worlds become springboards to explore universal themes of loss and regret in award-winning writer Eliza Victoria’s A Bottle of Storm Clouds (Visprint, Inc). From fantasy (‘Ana’s Little Pawnshop on Makiling St.’) to science fiction (‘Night Out’), Victoria explores parallel dimensions, myths come to life, and everything else in between in this short story collection. Her lyrical stories have previously appeared in print and online, earning her fans here and abroad. There’s something here for quiet afternoon during your Boracay getaway (try ‘An Abduction by Mermaids’) or a late-night bedtime read (her ‘Sand, Crushed Shells, Chicken Feathers’ will give you appropriate chills). It’s a heady dose of myth and magic that will make you wonder why you haven’t explored more Filipino speculative fiction before.”
Also mentioned are Chinggay Labrador’s Popped 3 and AS Santos’s Voices in the Theater.
My book, A Bottle of Storm Clouds, is available in all major bookstores. :)
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And while you’re here, a couple of podcast recommendations for your nightly jog (or whatever else you wish to do while listening):
Rappler contributor Jerald Uy reviews A Bottle of Storm Clouds:
If there is one thing [Eliza Victoria’s] first collection of short stories, A Bottle of Storm Clouds, has shown, it’s that her sensibility as a news-oriented person can be a factor in weaving stories that feel so relevant and Filipino — characters and settings beyond the American lovestruck vampires and British lightning-scarred wizards Filipino bookworms know.
Don’t expect the usual tales starring your friendly neighborhood aswang and that snake-man who lives under women’s fitting rooms in this book.
Victoria’s characters — though plucked from the stories of our lolo and lola — are refreshing.
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A news-savvy reader can spot the various references in the short stories that make the reading experience more enjoyable: the Guinsaugon landslide, the Oakwood mutiny, the Rizal Day bombing and even the time the President extended the operating hours of the MRT to appease call center agents.
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If you haven’t been introduced to Filipino speculative fiction, I ask you to do yourself a favor and get yourself a copy of “A Bottle of Storm Clouds.”
For those who were not able to attend Visprint Inc.’s WIT 2 event (I will get your excuse letters later – loljk), Flipside Publishing has generously uploaded a recording of my talk (a mix of English and Filipino). Follow @Flipsidepub on Twitter for updates.
Click here for the recording! Might contain nuts and awkwardness.
If you enjoyed the podcast (or have suggestions who you’d like to hear from in the future), feel free to send us comments below, or via our other social networks like Facebook or Twitter (@flipsidepub).
We’ll have more recordings from Visprint’s WIT 2012 event in the next few days. Stay tuned!
The short version: I was floored by the love and support shown by Visprint, and the fans and readers of Visprint’s books. Who says the Philippines does not have a reading public? This event just proved that notion wrong. Maraming salamat po!
The long, chronological version (with pictures):
J and I didn’t wake up early enough to catch the opening of WIT (Writers in Talks) 2, but we hurried to catch the Comics panel. Donned this flowery dress as a departure from my usual blues and blacks.
We just took a cab because we had no idea about the parking situation in Alphaland, and woe is you who gets stuck with Makati’s notorious traffic police. We got to the venue, said hi to Ms Nida, and I wrote in J as my plus-one.
I heard that attendees lined up as early as 6! (!!!) Kaloka!
Said hi to Andrea, who said the staff had gotten new stock of my book because it was selling well. Yehey!
Mortal Kombat!
This was the Comics Panel with Manix Abrera, Budjette Tan, and Paolo Fabregas. Look at the size of that crowd.
We checked the other room and saw Karen Francisco (author of Naermyth and the artist who designed my gorgeous book cover) giving a talk in the Fiction panel.
The Fiction panel was composed of Karen, Eros Atalia, and Siege Malvar.
Here was Ms Nida talking about story rejection, from the point of view of the publisher. She said: “Parang-awa niyo na, huwag niyo kaming aawayin.”
The morning sessions went on overtime, so Visprint decided on an early lunch, and moved the Creative Non-Fiction Panel to 12:30.
Forgot to take a picture! CNF panelists were Karl de Mesa, Bebang Siy, and Alan Navarra.
A Bottle of Storm Clouds onstage.
Enjoyed the performances of Eros Atalia, Siege Malvar, and special guest G.P. Abrajano. Seige Malvar, during the Fiction panel, asked attendees to drop their deepest, darkest secrets in a box, which he used in his Sotto performance. Hilarious.
Siege and G.P. performing a balagtasan on books and reading, men and women, and love.
G.M. Coronel also came onstage to deliver a talk about suspense and his new book, Tomb Keeper.
Then it’s my turn! Karl de Mesa introduced me and gave me a cookie.
Cookie from Karl, with the symbol for calling the voodoo goddess of love. J and I ate it. :3
I hope the attendees learned something from my blather! I got pretty nervous and forgot to look at my notes to guide me hahaha!
Grabbed from Visprint’s album on Facebook.Thank you to Elyss Punsalan for her amazing reading of an excerpt of “The Storyteller’s Curse”. Visit Pakinggan Pilipinas!
Photo-op for the Visprint writers who stayed behind.
Photo by Fernando Hernandez, posted on Facebook.
After the event, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of people who approached me to have Storm Clouds signed, have my picture taken, chat, ask questions, etc. I was like, Really? You want a photo with me? Haha. You are all dears.
Happy to finally meet Karen Francisco!
Bb. Bebang Siy!
We had dinner with Charles, who actually ate something. (No photographic evidence.)
My Visprint loot!
Thank you Ms Nida and Visprint and Visprint fans and friends! Thank you for buying our books! Hope you had a great time! Exclamation points!
We took a cab again but we would’ve carried this into the MRT. LIKE A BOSS.Till next WIT!
It’s time for WIT 2! September 8, Saturday, 6th Floor, Alphaland Towers, from 8 to 5 pm. Entrance is only P100! Check this link for information and recordings about the first WIT event in September of last year.
Will update this post once I get the complete schedule with time slots, but from my end, expect a short talk about A Bottle of Storm Clouds, reading and storytelling, and the markets where aspiring writers can send their stories. Expect excerpt readings of my stories as well!
Panelists and speakers include Budjette Tan (Trese), Manix Abrera (Kikomachine Komix), Karen Francisco (Naermyth), Carlo Vergara (ZsaZsa Zaturnnah), Karl de Mesa (News of the Shaman), and many more. Save the date and stand by for updates!
Poster art and design by Manix Abrera
UPDATE!
Morning (8AM-12NN) divided into (2) two sessions (Session A & Session B)
Eliza Victoria 