some love for ‘a bottle of storm clouds’

Hello Monday blues/laziness. I got some booklovin’ to drive you away.

Here’s from a reader currently residing outside of the Philippines, but managed to have her Dad pick up a copy of A Bottle of Storm Clouds :

I asked my dad to buy me a copy of A Bottle of Storm Clouds while he was in Manila. I am reading it incrementally, because I don’t want it to end, haha. Reading it, I feel fascinated and homesick. I’m rediscovering old favorites– The Just World of Helena Jimenez, Intersections– as well as finding some new ones which I might have missed when I was going through your website in the past (Sugar Pi is really sweet and subtle, and Reunion is a new favorite of mine– I am a sucker for a good reincarnation plot.) I really enjoy how you include math and science and fantasy in your writing.

Here’s from Sean Wright, Australian writer and book reviewer, and webmaster of Adventures of a Bookonaut:

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On Goodreads, he says: “Nice unencumbered writing style.” And “Very solid collection, if you like modern dark fantasy takes on folktales, if you are a fan of Lanagan or Kaaron Warre,  pick it up.” Thanks Charles Tan for sending Sean a copy. :)

And thank you past, present, and future readers. You make my day!

The book is available in all major Philippine bookstores. Coming soon in ebook format. ;)

PLUS: Visprint’s price list for the 2013 Summer Komikon. Not sure yet if I’ll be able to attend, but do go and visit the tables!

book sales

Back from the long weekend! I enjoyed staying at home but did not enjoy the heat. No, sir. I have heat rash on my face and arms. A bit annoyed also, because I’m having very little writing done due to work, planning a vacation with my siblings, cleaning the apartment, cooking my own lunch, and other things. I used to have so much writing stamina, but nowadays after work I just go home and watch TV or read a book. I need to save up and buy me some extra hours!

Anyway, this blog post is about book sales (wheeee) and I just want to say that I have received my first sales record from Visprint. I don’t expect much from my sales (Filipino authors, who go through literary life with no agents and no advances, often expect not to be paid, and get surprised when they do get paid a fair amount of money) , but I was happily surprised by the numbers: 507 copies of A Bottle of Storm Clouds sold from September 2012 to February 2013, with 30 copies sold at the book launch during the WIT event. It’s been sold in places in the country that I’ve never been, like Iloilo, GenSan, and the Mt. Cloud Bookshop (I know, yikes, I’ve never been to Baguio). This is why I still love traditional publishing: I can never sell 500 copies on my own (I think), and with such  reach.

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If you’re one of those who bought a copy of the book, thank you! And thank you to Ms. Nida, Kyra, and Visprint.

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My thanks also to Flipside Publishing for providing me with reports. For 2012, Lower Myths sold 13 copies, and The Viewless Dark sold 8. (I hear you snickering back there. It’s not a lot, I know, but I’ve received good reviews, and I’m grateful. But of course: do buy a copy?)

ApocalypsesI‘m happy to announce, has sold 23 copies so far. 

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These numbers are small I know, but they’re not yours they are my own – charot. I’m just here to sell some books.

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In the pipeline: the ebook version of A Bottle of Storm Clouds, a print version of The Viewless Dark as part of an anthologyand a science fiction novel.

Yep.

‘the best of philippine speculative fiction (2005-2010)’ to be launched on feb. 28

Source: Dean Alfar
Photo Credit: Dean Alfar

Mark your calendars! The Best of Philippine Speculative Fiction, edited by Dean and Nikki Alfar and published by the University of the Philippines Press, will be launched on the 28th of February! I have a story here!

Here is a message from Dean:

Book launch is on Feb 28, 2013, 5:00PM, at the UP Bahay Kalinaw.

Between these covers are the best short stories of fantasy, horror, science fiction and genres in-between, selected from the first five years of the Philippine Speculative Fiction annuals. Step through the portal and explore worlds old and new and experience the power of the literature of the imagination as crafted by Filipino authors. Featuring stories by:

Rebecca Arcega
FH Batacan
Rica Bolipata-Santos
Jose Elvin Bueno
Ian Rosales Casocot
Paolo Chikiamco
Ronald Cruz
Marguerite Alcazaren de Leon
Timothy James M. Dimacali
Andrew Drilon
Russell Stanley Geronimo
Pocholo Goitia
Carljoe Javier
Angelo R. Lacuesta
Anne Lagamayo
Apol Lejano-Massebieau
Joseph F. Nacino
Alexander Osias
Kate Osias
Vincent Michael Simbulan
Joshua L. Lim So
Charles Tan
Yvette Tan
Mia Tijam
Noel Tio
Eliza Victoria
Isabel Yap
Kenneth Yu

‘the mechanic’ is second-favorite story in 2012 (kaleidotrope)

From Kaleidotrope‘s Twitter feed:

According to the poll that ran for all of December, readers had three favorite stories from Kaleidotrope in 2012…
#3: “I Am a Being Under Enchantment” by Patricia Russo
#2: “The Mechanic” by Eliza Victoria
And the readers’ favorite story from Kaleidotrope 2012?
#1 “Commuter Train” by Brady Golden

Thank you voters and readers! And congratulations to Patricia and Brady!

kaleidotrope

hello 2013

It’s the second day of the new year and I’m scrambling to get some work done. So? How have you all been? Wait, let me just share with you these links before I dash:

  • Thursday Never Looking Back, an anthology about the world’s end, is now available on Amazon. Buy a copy! It has three of my poems, and great work from local authors.
  • Authors talk to the Manila Bulletin about what books to give as gifts. It’s never too late to go book-shopping. Read about our answers here.
  • Jerald Uy on Rappler lists A Bottle of Storm Clouds as one of several Pinoy book you can give to your loved ones.
  • My poems – “Ten Truths”, “Somebody tell the river”, and “Elegy for the lost minutes” – will appear in an upcoming issue of UK-based literary magazine, NEON. Many thanks to editor Krishan Coupland. http://www.neonmagazine.co.uk/
  • For those who can’t find A Bottle of Storm Clouds in the bookstores, you can order a copy online via Lazada. It’s available for nationwide delivery.
  • Meann Ortiz on GMA News Online recommends Lower Myths and other books.

For more information about my published works, please visit this page.

Back home, found these babies, old issues of Asimov’s SF.

Asimov's SF

And here’s J, channeling Bruce Lee in Bulacan.

J as Bruce Lee

More blather about 2012 to follow. But I’m grateful, grateful, grateful. Happy New Year, everybody!  :)

one more page reviews lower myths, the viewless dark, storm clouds

Well, if this ain’t the best way to cap off my week: Tina Matanguihan of One More Page reviews my three books.

Lower Myths is a good starter for Eliza’s works, if you’re into quick, fantasy reads with a local flavor. Of course, it could also be too short for you, but that’s why you’d end up looking for her other works just to satisfy that craving. :)

A Bottle of Storm Clouds is one of those books that you can’t help but keep on reading but you also don’t want to end just yet. I tried not to read this book too fast because I wanted to savor each story. There’s something interesting and entirely different in each story — some of them were creepy, most of them sad, but all had really good fantasy elements that stretched my imagination wider than it did before. :) I liked how Eliza hinged most of the stories with real human experiences like grief and sadness, family and friendship and love and even selfishness and life crisis.

The Viewless Dark…even if I read this in broad daylight, I still felt creeped out every now and then with the story. I liked how the story unfolded from the death of Flo and into flashbacks that pointed just to how exactly Flo ended up that way to what happened to Anthony’s family. I liked how vivid the setting was and how sufficiently creepy the “possession” they set up, until the final twist in the end which undid everything I thought I knew. And then Eliza wraps it up in a different way, giving it a poignant, almost hopeful ending.

Read the full post here.

‘party like it’s 1999’

It’s the end of the world and we’re still here, so I’m going to Bulacan for Christmas. Maybe The Hobbit tonight, maybe another poem tomorrow.

I might be offline until Tuesday night, but first, here are last night’s office shenanigans at the Hard Rock Cafe, starring the Mocha Girls.

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Got Revlon Colorburst in Sugar Plum at the office exchange gift! It’s a great shade. Here be my big face:

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Before I let you go, a couple of things:

Be with your loved ones this coming weekend. Take care!