Rocket Kapre – Fantastic Filipino Speculative Fiction

News of two interesting writing workshops/residencies his my feed today. However, while both are open to non-U.S. residents, they do take place in the United States, so bear that in mind.

First up (via the Philippine Genre Stories blog) is the 2010 International Writing Program (IWP) Residency. Here’s a description from the Ateneo website:

The 2010 International Writing Program (IWP) Residency is now open for nominations. The objective of this program is to bring together a wide range of international and U.S. writers to examine current trends in literature including fiction, drama, poetry, and screenwriting and to explore the creative process involved in writing. Participants will spend 10 weeks in residence at the University of Iowa presenting their work to local audiences, participating in university level workshops and working with translators. The program also includes field trips to attend literary events in order to meet and possibly collaborate with local writers and artists from other fields. Expenses of selected applicants will be covered by the embassy of the United States.Poets, fiction writers, dramatists, and screenwriters are eligible to apply. Literary translators and writers whose publications and careers focus on creative non-fiction (feature journalism, cultural commentary, biography, and memoirs) are also eligible for this program. Candidates should have at least one published volume of work or works that have appeared in significant publications over a period of at least two years. All nominees must be fluent in English, comfortable with cross-cultural dynamics, and interested in close interaction with other artists from a multiplicity of diverse cultures.

Our second item comes from the Philippine American Writers and Artists, Inc. (PAWA) Blog (which is currently open for donations): the VONA (Voices of Our Nation Arts Foundation) Voices Workshop. You can see an overview of the workshops here and the application guidelines are here.  Here’s a bit about the workshop, taken from the guidelines:

The Voices of Our Nations Arts Foundation at University of San Francisco invites applications from unpublished as well as published writers-of- color –anyone dreaming of writing as a serious pursuit. The Voices Writing Workshop is a special gathering of writers who spend 1-2 weeks working with authors and artists of color. This workshop honors the literary traditions of heritage and culture and promotes the styles, voices, forms and concerns of writers-of-color and their connections to the literary world. Held at The University of San Francisco, The Voices Workshop creates an intimate and interactive community with an atmosphere of sharing and engaging.

It’s officially Palanca Awards season again, writers from all genres and walks of life are  gearing up for two months of feverish writing (or hand-wringing). While works of speculative fiction can and have won the Palanca, it’s hard to shake the impression that the prestigious body (and ever changing panel of judges) is more receptive to stories of love lost and regained, when the method of “regaining” that love doesn’t involve the dark art of necromancy. Thinking about a submission for the Palanca Awards is about the only time I even consider writing a story without speculative elements, and it’s always been difficult for me to shift gears. With the 2010 awards opening for submissions this month, I became curious as to how other speculative fiction writers go about writing non-specfic pieces–which meant I finally had an excuse to start the second Rocket Round Table:

How different is your experience writing a story without speculative fiction elements, as opposed to writing Spec Fic?

Yeah, I know, it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue does it? On to the answers then, and many thanks to the authors who found the time to sate my curiosity.

MARIANNE VILLANUEVA [Blog]

==Marianne is the author of several short story collections, and has been a finalist for the Philippines’ National Book Award. She teaches creative writing for the UCLA Extension Writers Program, and her latest short story collection, “The Lost Language”, was released by Anvil last year.==

Very interesting question!

I’m not a writer of speculative fiction, but I do like to “play” in the genre occasionally –  as I also like to play in the “crime” genre, or poetry, or anything.  Because experimenting is what keeps writing fun!

It always starts, for me, with an emotional trigger.  It’s when I find I can’t end my story properly that I start turning to more non-traditional elements.  Then I go back and start again, but with the non-traditional elements as a fixed part of the story.  Then I see if I can finish it.

So, it’s always how to end that bothers me.  And I’ll try anything, ANYTHING, to see how I can get to the end.  And if I have to throw in some speculative fiction elements along the way, so be it.

ADAM DAVID [Blog]

==Adam is an indie publisher, published author, opinionated blogger. He was recently awarded the Madrigal Gonzalez Best First Book Award for his book, The El Bimbo Variation==.

Nothing really significant as far as authorial mindset is concerned. I used the same amount of braincells when I wrote *snip* as when I’m writing my 365 Stories book, the same amount when I wrote the El Bimbo Variations when I’m writing my terribly irregular essays on komix kritisism. The language is different in various levels, as well as in their little textual effects and affectations, but all those things are only merely decoration – or at their highest level, gilding – for the real substance of the thing, which never changes no matter the medium, whether audience or producer, critic or buyer: art is something you work on.

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Here’s a neat sale taking place two weeks from now. From the Adarna House blog:

On March 20, 2010 (a Saturday), all Adarna House  storybooks — worth 65 pesos on regular occasions — will be on sale for 30 pesos each from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM.   On that morning, the showroom doors will only be open for that fateful hour.  The rest of the morning, only Adarna House staff will be allowed to enter the showroom.

The thirty-peso purchases will be limited to 30 books per person, so books in excess of the 30 books have to be purchased at regular price.  Not to worry, all customers who enter the showroom during the given sale period will be allowed to stay in the showroom beyond 11:00 AM  in order to settle their purchases.  After 11:00 AM, selling of 30-peso books will stop, only the books in the hands of customers by 11:00 AM will be considered for the sale.

Just a quick note: Crossed Genres has currently opened for submissions to their Eastern-themed issue, which they’re loosely defining as any story set in an Eastern culture. Seeing as we are the Pearl of the Orient and all, I thought this would be right up the alley of most of our authors, so do try and send something to Crossed Genres before the end of March. Don’t forget to check out the submission guidelines first though.

I had no idea what on earth a Pecha Kucha was (but if I were forced to guess, I would have said “Tibetan curse word”), which means I can chalk up one more thing I’ve learned because of komiks. Pecha Kucha is a forum for presentations which are kept concise by adherence to the simple formula of 20 images x 20 seconds. (All in favor of a similar formula for mass homilies say aye!) Trese writer Budjette Tan gave a presentation at last year’s event, a a 6 minute 40 second Trese short story, which he recently uploaded for the reading pleasure of Trese fans everywhere. Thanks Budjette!

Posting this a bit late, but Dominique Cimafranca sent me a link to a presentation on Speculative Fiction which he prepared for his lucky class of students at Ateneo de Davao. The 39 slides give you an overview of a discussion which covers, amongst other things, the notion of unreality in speculative fiction, the Western monomyth, and some reasons why people should bother with Spec Fic in the first place. Thanks Dom!

EDIT: Philvocs is saying that any waves will be “at most one meter” so it doesn’t sound like it will be that bad. Still, be safe guys.

ALERT. Due to the recent earthquake in Chile, areas along the Pacific Ocean have been placed under Tsunami Alert. According to CNN, the areas in the Philippines under the Tsunami Alert –meaning the Tsunami will hit today Feb 28–are Davao (1:27 p.m.), Palanan (1:59 p.m.) and Legaspi (2:04 p.m.).

Other coastal areas need to keep watch as well. Link to Philvocs Press Release, 27 Feb 2010, 11:30 p.m.

Pass the word.

Be safe and alert everyone, especially if you’re anywhere near the sea.

(Image source: CNN)

Here’s the fourth of the talks given last January 30, 2010,  during the character creation workshop at the official launch of Project 20:10 at the Ateneo High School Fair. Carlo Vergara, the creator of the phenomenal Zsazsa Zaturnnah,  should be a household name to fans of komiks, or fans of utter hilarity. In this video, he speaks of how he created the characters and the story of Zsazsa, which was eventually adapted into both a musical and a movie.

Part 2 under the cut.

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Here’s the third of the talks given last January 30, 2010,  during the character creation workshop at the official launch of Project 20:10 at the Ateneo High School Fair. Here, Kenneth Yu gives his own take on what makes for a good paranormal character, and the importance of finding a unique perspective to tell your story.

Second part after the cut: Read the rest of this entry »

As mentioned on the Philippine Genre Stories blog, Fully Booked, in cooperation with Pelicola, has published the stories, comics, and films which made it to the respective shortlists of the 3rd Philippine Graphic/Fiction Awards.  While I assume the respective winners have already been selected, you can help determine the winners of the People’s Choice Award in each category by voting for your favorite at the links above. Congratulations to all those who made the short list!

For your convenience,  here’s the shortlist in each category:

PROSE SHORTLIST:

1. Babymakers by Laura Jermina R. Abejo
2. Leg Men by Dominique Gerald Cimafranca
3. Cherry Clubbing by Kenneth Yu
4. The Sweet Stranger by Michael A.R. Co
5. A Kind of Flotsam by Christelle Rhodamae Mariano
6. Won’t You Be My Friend, Mr. Faceless Creature of Evil? by Karlos de Mesa
7. The Street Child and the Dwarf by Diabelle Joy M. Pazcoguin
8. Filipina: The Super Maid by Irene Carolina A. Sarmiento
9. Remembrance by Dean Alfar
10. Pursuit of the Litaniera by Elyrose G. Punsalan

(Comics and Film categories after the cut)

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