Category: writing

the big thank you

Back home: My sister, who graduated in April and has been, um, let’s say, restless (like most recent graduates – it’s a syndrome; I’ve suffered from this, can be quite debilitating, reduced me to tears at one point), sent me a text message, asking me to take a look at her CV. A good start, I think. (She also asked me to bring home copies of the soundtracks of Phantom of the Opera and Slumdog Millionaire, and don’t I dare forget it. I’m almost afraid to ask what for.)

AND. It’s my mother’s birthday today! *dance*

Last night: I can’t remember now when I had the idea for this particular story, but I’ve been taking notes, the characters just suddenly piping up while I’m busy with laundry or the dishes or while I’m eating (which can be very annoying). Anyway, I took notes. (If you write fiction or whatever and take notes in a little, battered notebook, lord help you if you get involved in a crime and the cops take a peek into this – they’ll think you’re a nutjob. Maybe I should put a sign on my little notebook: JUST STORY NOTES DON’T PANIC.) Snippets of dialogue, plot comments, character quirks. And I ended up with what? A jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces. Oh, what fun. But I sat down and began writing anyway, coughed up five pages without tripping once, and was pleasantly surprised. The beauty of a half-baked idea: you work on it long enough and before long the characters are practically dragging you to the next plot turn. It’s freaky and exciting and I hope I won’t hit a wall. I hope I’ll finish telling the story.

I’m grateful. It’s not a bad emotion to feel every once in a while, right. ;)

this close

From the (e)mail:

Your poem made it into the final rounds of consideration, but having accepted another poem about <subject matter>, I felt that it might be too much in one issue.

I’m in love with the tone of this letter but I still went ACK!

Muntik na!

*snaps fingers*

mini-reviews, 4

First, second, third,

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3

Film Review The Taking of Pelham 123

pelham123top1

Well, I didn’t know John Turturro was in this film; if I knew then I would have entered the cinema with a little more than a vague, vague curiosity. John Travolta as the crazy-ass hostage taker, with bespectacled Denzel Washington chained behind a microphone. Pelham 1 2 3, the train, comes to a sudden halt, Travolta’s Ryder gives his demand, and filmmaker Tony Scott freeze-frames every now and then to slap us with the number of minutes remaining, just in case we forget. It’s quick, it’s sleek, and it’s exactly what I needed that Friday afternoon.

James Gandolfini is in this film, too. Bet you didn’t know that.

The Green Mile (novel)

green mile

I’ve seen the film years before, and I’ve been meaning to read the novel, but every time I dropped by the bookstore I only find the last two volumes (it was originally published as a serial novel), and what the hell was I supposed to do with that, right. Before going to the movies I passed by a BookSale branch and lo and behold, a copy meant just for me. Good, strong writing, even some lovely passages (See? Even genre readers care about language); a story I can easily get lost in. I finished it late on Saturday night. And because I’ve seen the film first I couldn’t help but hear Tom Hanks’s voice in my head as I read the words of the Narrator.

Sigh, I want to see the film again.

PS I’m pretty sure Cois will again say I should read Hearts in Atlantis, and what is wrong with me? But I’m working on it, I swear! :D

* * *

While in Powerbooks I saw a copy of Tana French’s new book on the counter. I didn’t even know she’d already come out with a sequel!

the-likeness-pb

I really liked her debut novel, In The Woods, but originally had misgivings about the idea of a sequel. (I liked Rob more than Cassie, for one.) Then I saw the book and now I want iiiiiit.

I’ll have to save money, then I’ll come back to grab it. Hopefully by then there’ll be cheaper copies.

* * *

During the screening I saw the trailer of Surrogates, a sci-fi flick starring Bruce Willis. Looks interesting.

* * *

I just found out today that I was this close to winning a free book. :) Tell a mystery/romance sci-fi story in 126 characters, they said, so I sent:

entry1

Congrats also to Celestine and Sir Kenneth. :D

earthset

“Earthset” is in the June 15 issue of the Philippines Graphic.

I just wanted to mention that.

Thanks to Sir Kenneth for the head’s-up, and Charles for checking. Will link once the website’s updated. Okay, okay? :)

fiction for 6/12

Philippine Genre Stories and A Time for Dragons contributor Paolo Chikiamco (did I get that spelling right) on June 11 posted a call for six-word speculative fiction stories to celebrate this year’s Independence Day. What better way to celebrate freedom than with stories, right.

I sent him four, and here’s my personal favorite:

blissery

I’m now seriously thinking of turning this into a story. :)

* * *

Read more of these short short short stories here. Maybe next year you’ll have more entries, eh, Mr. Chikiamco? And maybe a book? And and prizes?

Kidding.

* * *

Here’s an article about Independence Day from the National Historical Institute. Makes you wonder how things would have turned out if Aguinaldo did different.

* * *

So I’ve been reading Issue 8 of Expanded Horizons, and I have to say that Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s “King of Sand and Stormy Seas” is my favorite story there.

* * *

Here’s a cool announcement about the EH issue from the World SF blog.

http://bahaytalinhaga.wordpress.com/2009/06/11/rp612fic-celebrate-independence-day-with-six-word-stories/

lunar park

lunar park

There’s a story behind the film Adaptation: scriptwriter Charlie Kaufman had a hard time adapting The Orchid Thief, so what did he do? He wrote a film about him having a hard time adapting The Orchid Thief, writing himself into the script, creating for himself a twin brother, dedicating the finished piece to the sibling who didn’t exist. Author Bret Easton Ellis, creator of American Psycho and other “transgressive” novels, wrote himself into his novel Lunar Park, conjuring for himself a family, a film actress wife, a quiet neighborhood in the suburbs, a son. A series of brutal murders, a haunting, a loss. I write stories but I could never imagine writing myself into one of them, even as an exercise. Of course every writer writes himself into his stories, his fears, his joys, but how terrifying to see your own name on a page, to see yourself as a fictional character running away from fictional horrors. Honesty can be very frightening, so with Lunar Park Ellis was being very brave. Ian McEwan asks, How can a novelist find atonement when, in his novels, he is God? But Ellis found atonement. There was one long passage in the novel that ends with From those of us who are left behind: you will be remembered, you were the one I needed, I loved you in my dreams. Writing these words, would it be too much to say that Ellis found freedom? Perhaps, upon finishing the novel, he had forgiven everyone and everything that had to be forgiven, and in the process also found absolution.

I think this is a remarkable book.

night out

untitled

“Night Out”, Expanded Horizons, Issue Eight (June issue). Click here to read the story.

Thanks to Charles and Kenneth (co-contributors to PSF IV, both) for spreading the word. :)