So it’s Monday and I opened my email and got this:

Hey Eliza,

I just wanted to tell you that I read your story “December” in StoryQuarterly 44 and it was unlike any other short story I had ever read. You took conventions and cliches and turned them on their heads. It was one of the most unlikely relationships I had ever seen put to paper, and by the end of the story I was rooting for them. The climax was emotionally resonant and came out of nowhere. I loved it.

Thank you very much! It’s amazing that there are people who take the time to read my work and write to me.

Have a great week everyone.

basement stories issue #4 is now up!

It’s been up for a while now, sorry for the tardy post. I can’t believe my name is listed on the cover alongside these big names!

You can read the issue’s introduction here, and my poem here. Thank you to James Dent and Carol Kirkman for having me.

Fiction

“TimeSnip” by Cat Rambo

“Sugarplum Karma” by S. Hutson Blount

“A Void Wrapped in a Smile” by T.A. Pratt

 

Poetry

“Dreams After the Storm” by Eliza Victoria

“Remorse and the Pariah” by Michael J. DeLuca

“Birthing Monsters” by Siobhan Carroll

“Dawn” by WC Roberts

 

Articles

“And All My Idols  Are Angels, With the Faces of Cranky Old Men” by George Potter

 

under the storm poetry anthology launch

September 2 at the Ayala Museum. Thanks to Ian for guiding us haha!

Got held up at work so unfortunately I missed a huge chunk of the event, but J and I got there in time to meet up with Charles, Jordan, Lyza, and Tin (who sassed the waiters at MCafe for being so goddamn slow). Met Eva for the first time, and forgot to tell her that I loved this poem of hers. Met Richard Bolisay for the first time (oo kailangan full name haha) and saw Gian again. And it was wonderful to see Andrea! So sabaw I forgot to ask for autographs. I would love to round up all of these lovely people in one corner of this city and just talk and drink – that would be nice, yes?

Read my poem, “Crime Scenes“. I was a member of a writing organization in college that regularly held poetry readings, but I’ve never read a poem before. Yep – never. So of course I was nervous and frightened but people said it was okay. Not too painful? Beautiful. I listened to Andrea’s recording of my reading (probably coming soon on YouTube now on YouTube, thanks to Andrea and Kate) and boy, did I hate my voice haha. Next time I’ll just make someone else read my work.

I regret not being able to arrive earlier, though. Bitin! But at least I got the chance to stay, even for a short while.

Again, thanks to editors Joel and Khavn for letting me be a part of this.

Photos from Jovie Angelica Dayon.

editor khavn de la cruz

the 61st palanca awards night

In 2009, I didn’t even think of having my hair did or applying make-up because hair and make-up takes two hours at least and I was feeling lazy. In any event (graduation, awards nights, book launches, work days), all I use are: eyelash curlers, pressed powder, blush-on, lipgloss and lipstick, a comb. I don’t know how to apply eye make-up, and even if I did, I don’t know how to make it last. I have this habit of touching my eyelids and turning smokey eye make-up into a pair of smokey smudges.

This year, I asked J if he could ask his sisters to do my make-up for me. I really just wanted to make my eyes pop out. For the pictures! (Whatever else!)

V and V were kind enough to agree. (V & V already sounds like a salon. They should put up one! Where they can also sell pastry!)

The makeover worked so well that my father gave a start when I reached our table the night of the event, hehe.

Blast from the past!

My parents:

My date! Howee.

Natasha Gamalinda and Rosmon Tuazon (who won 2nd Prize for Tula) were sitting at our table, but I didn’t recognize them! I thought Facebook would be able to help me in moments like this. Thank you Natasha for introducing yourself, and hope I’ll get the chance to see you guys again. (Oh my god I hope the two of you didn’t see me eating like a pig haha.) Congrats to your future hubby, Natasha! :)

Got a picture with the Alfars while waiting for the event to start. Congrats to Nikki for bagging the first prize for Short Story for Children, and Dean for sitting as chairman of the board of  judges for the Short Story category!

Always lovely to see the Spec Fic crowd. :)

With Aste, Grand Prize winner for the Short Story category. (And my boss! Ha!)

Food, then the usual staging of one of the winning dulang isang yugto.

This is Remi Karen Velasco’s “Ondoy: Buhay sa Bubong”. Hilarious!

Fooling around while waiting for the awarding to start.

Guest of honor is F. Sionil Jose.

Here’s the complete list of judges and winners. Congrats to everyone!

And of course, after the event, photo-op sa stage! Parang graduation lang!

I have a couple photos with my father’s mouth open, because he kept talking while the pictures were being taken. Worried na baka hindi raw masama yung Palanca logo sa likod. Haha!

With Ricky Davao, chairman of the board of judges for Dulang Pampelikula. Mr. Davao asked me, “Bakit hindi mo i-try mag-screenplay?” Well! Challenge –

no, not accepted. It’s too hard. /whine

Anyway this picture made my father really, really happy.

The cast of “Ondoy” with the author herself. :)

Of course we need to have our photos taken with Cai Cortez! “We’re big fans of Septic Tank!” said I, and she replied, “Na-enjoy niyo yun? Kahit wala akong linya?!” Winnur.

A wonderful night.

the book launch is on friday!

UNDER THE STORM Book Launch [Literature.MOV]

.MOV International Film, Music, & Literature Festival
in cooperation with The Antithesis Collective

The Book Launch of
UNDER THE STORM
An Anthology Of Contemporary Philippine Poetry

Edited by Khavn De La Cruz & Joel M. Toledo

September 2, 2011. Friday. 6pm.
Ayala Museum, Makati Avenue corner De La Rosa Street, Makati City.

Live music from
RADIOACTIVE SAGO PROJECT
CORPORATE LO-FI
VIGO
ANTHONY PIGGOTT & YNO+
AXEL PINPIN & THE PROPAGANDA MACHINE

Featuring:
Bienvenido Lumbera (National Artist for Literature)
Gemino H. Abad
Pete Lacaba
Teo T. Antonio
Ronaldo Carcamo
Ronan B. Capinding
Marra PL Lanot
Benilda Santos
Rebecca T. Anonuevo
Bebang W. Siy
Andrea B. Teran
Eliza Victoria
AND OTHER SURPRISE READERS

Hosted by Sue Prado & Dakila Cutab

Free Admission

UNDER THE STORM is a compilation of 150 poems from an eclectic mix of 150 Filipino poets: from the renowned and the known to the upcoming and the knowable. It surveys the landscape, explores the topography of the phenomenal, social, and lingual developments in contemporary Philippine Poetry. This is not simply a gathering of the intelligent. It is a harvesting of works by the willing and the devoted to the labor of crafting, the human turn, and the myriad possibilities of language.

Read more.

second time

That first win was so awesome and so satisfying that I thought there wouldn’t be a second one.

I just feel so happy right now.

“Maps”. First Prize for Poetry, Palanca Awards.

I posted the news elsewhere first (Twitter and Facebook) and immediately got a ton of love. Thank you so much for all the kind words. The show of support was just overwhelming. I can be quite unkind to myself and to my words, so I appreciate it when people take the time to message me to say that they like what I write, and that I should write more.

“Maps” should be uploaded on the Palanca website soon, and I hope you can read it and give me your comments. :)

writing updates

  • Tin Lao shared a link to a quick Goodreads review of PSF VI. The reviewer writes: “The stand-out for me is Eliza Victoria’s ‘The Storyteller’s Curse'” – thanks so much!
  • UPDATE: Just received the cutest email from the Stone Telling editors Rose Lemberg and Shweta Narayan: “You win a prize for one of the shortest consideration periods in the history of Stone Telling. We’re very happy to accept ‘Prayer’ for publication in the fifth issue. It’s wonderful.” This is wonderful!
  • Basement Stories has released the TOC for their fourth issue, which will be available on August 30:

Fiction:

“TimeSnip” by Cat Rambo

“Sugarplum Karma” by Stephen Blount

“A Void Wrapped in a Smile” by Tim Pratt

Poetry:

“Dawn” by WC Roberts

“Remorse and the Pariah” by Michael DeLuca

“Birthing Monsters” by Siobhan Carroll

“Dreams After the Storm” by Eliza Victoria
Nonfiction:

“And All My Idols Are Angels, with the Faces of Cranky Old Men” by George Potter

Continue reading writing updates