Up ahead: Bookish November!

 

(UPDATED) November is the Philippine Book Development Month, and this year, it’s marked by a series of literary events, including “Text in the City,” the Philippine International Literary Festival, set from Nov. 11-15 at different institutions around the city: UST (Nov.11), DLSU (Nov.12), ADMU (Nov.13), UP (Nov.14), and POPtastik Pinoy! at the Ayala Museum (Nov.15); the Komikon 2013 on Nov. 16; the National Book Store Warehouse Sale, and the 3rd Filipino Reader Conference on Nov. 9 Dec. 7 at the Ateneo Rizal Library, and

I am personally excited for Filipino ReaderCon, as it is a reader initiative, and an event I’ve been part of since its inception in 2011. We’re holding ReaderCon at the New Rizal Library and while it’s not the same building I practically lived in through my university years, it still very much feels like home to me. I was actually over there last Saturday for official ReaderCon business and I love the new library — so many cushy reading areas!

You can find the complete program here, and there are a lot of interesting panels and activities (including Flips’ Flipping Pages’ discussion of Seasons of Mist by Neil Gaiman) but I’m personally excited for the Book Reco Fair and of course, the Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards.

I’ll be participating as a book blogger in the Book Reco Fair, so I’ll have my own booth (surprise!) where I’ll be handing out book recommendations and other bookish treats (squee!). I’m smack dab in preparations at the moment, but I’ll update you later on regarding my booth. Flips Flipping Pages will also have its own booth, so if you’re going to Readercon, please check out our booths.

We’ll also be awarding the winners of the 2013 Readers’ Choice Awards at the ReaderCon, and while the process is always grueling for my worn-out four-person committee, it’s always been a fascinating experience. As of this moment, the winners have already been determined by our pool of judges (squee!), but my lips are sealed, so you’ll have to wait for the official awards ceremony.

Readercon pre-registration is ongoing now, so don’t miss all the fun!

IMPORTANT UPDATE: We’ve moved ReaderCon to Dec. 7 (still at the Ateneo Rizal Library, with the program as scheduled), due to tropical storm Haiyan / Yolanda last weekend. In the meantime, I hope we Filipino readers can pitch in for the relief efforts — every little bit counts!

Held in a different venue each day, “Text in the City,” on the other hand, is set to highlight the universities’ best writers, as well as writers from the region. UST features Xu Xi, Hong Kong-based writer of “Access: Thirteen Tales;” DLSU will showcase Singapore-based international storyteller Kamini Ramachandran and Jasmine Ann Corray from London, poet and writer of “Everything We Don’t Say;” while UP draws the spotlight on Suchen Christine Lim, author of “The Rivers’ Song.”

Ateneo’s Text in the City event is called “Bestsellers and the City,” and it happens this Wednesday at the Rizal Library. Peter Swirski, American literature and American Studies specialist, will deliver the keynote while Manix Abrera, Samantha Sotto, Christine Bellen, and Bomen Guillermo will be among the speakers. The event is free and open to the public but pre-registration is required: bit.ly/PhilLitFest (more details on the Rizal Lib website).

“Text in the City” will culminate in “POPTastik Pinoy!” on Nov. 15 at the Ayala Museum, where Filipino writers will discuss folk and popular literature as shown in komiks, TV, and film in a series of talks on the following topics: “Folklore in Pop Literature (komiks, graphic novels, novels, short stories, and TV);” “Kuwentuhan on Komiks;” and “Writing in Different Genres.” Among the panel discussants and moderators are comic artists Manix Abrera, Noel Pascual, AJ Bernardo, Karen Francisco, and Budjette Tan; novelists Eros Atalia, Luna Sicat Cleto, and Edgar Samar; scriptwriter Suzette Doctolero; fictionists Sarge Lacuesta and Yvette Tan; journalists Ruel de Vera and Kristine Fonacier; and Prof. Patrick Campos.

 Celebrated writers Tony Perez and Rolando Tolentino will open the POPtastik Pinoy! program of activities with talks of writing and the city. Korean-American writer Krys Lee will then discuss her short story compilation Drifting House. Lee will be joined by Sarge Lacuesta, Andrea Pasion-Flores, and Kristine Fonacier for a flash fiction writing masterclass, “City Fiction 100,” while other pocket lectures are being held in the Ayala Museum function rooms.

The Masterclass looks very interesting – here are the official guidelines:

 Guidelines:

 Submit your works of flash fiction saved in .doc format to Camille Dela Rosa (cvdelarosa@nbdb.gov.ph) and Verne Ahyong (litfest@filipinaslibrary.org.ph).

 Multiple entries are allowed.

 E-mail must have the subject heading “City Fiction 100 Entry,” and include the writer’s full name, cellular phone number, and short bio (3-4 sentences only).

 Only 25 slots are available. Early submissions will be given priority.

 Deadline for submission is on 2013 November 8. Final list of participants will be announced on November 11.

 A Php 1,000 workshop fee will be collected from the 25 chosen participants. Fee includes a copy of Krys Lee’s short story collection Drifting House. Fee also includes access to all panels for the rest of the day.

 Only one story per participant will be discussed during the masterclass. The decision of the NBDB screening team is final.

 For inquiries, e-mail Camille Dela Rosa (cvdelarosa@nbdb.gov.ph) or Verne Ahyong (litfest@filipinaslibrary.org.ph). You can also call Verne at 759-8288 loc. 46.

Writer and educator Isagani R. Cruz will also hold another seminar on “How to write a book” for professional and amateur writers. Garitony Nicolas will also share his experience of publishing his own books with the help of Central Books, the first publisher-on-demand in the Philippines.

This week also marks the return of the National Book Store Warehouse Sale, from Nov. 14-19 at NBS Quezon Ave., where I made off with a pretty good haul last year, and everything I bought was under P100. This should be worth checking out, especially for the budget-conscious, as we all should be these days.

Finally, Komikon 2013 is slated for Nov. 16 at the Bayanihan Center, Pasig City, the Filipino comics convention showcasing Filipino artists and comics creators of various genres and themes. And this is very interesting: the theme for this year’s Komikon is the YA genre, so this may be the year I finally brave the legendary Komikon crowd.

Cheers to the bookish month ahead!