Rocket Kapre – Fantastic Filipino Speculative Fiction

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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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!

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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Writing (and Writer) News:

• Dominique Cimafranca shares his presentation on Online Literature for the Tabaoan Writers Conference (yes, he does mentions us ^_^). The conference is ongoing at the moment, so do check Dom’s blog for coverage (he has Day 0 and Day 1 impressions up on his site.)
• Speaking of writers getting together, Ian Rosales Casocot has posted a call for submission of manuscripts to the 49th Silliman University National Writers Workshop.
• Ruin and Resolve contributor Catherine Batac Walder tells us she’s got a story out in this week’s Philippine Graphic. It’s entitled “Hey Soldier”. Congrats Catherine!
• In further congratulatory news, I’ve read that (via macoy’s blog) it seems that Gio Paredes’ Kalayaan indie superhero series might see some U.S. distribution.
• Via Yvette Tan’s, we’ve learned of Filipino Scares, a tumblr site with short (flash-length) horror stories.
• Over at the Philippine Genre Stories blog, Kenneth Yu has a post on ongoing local writing competitions, and another on a workshop for online writing from Luis Katigbak (the first is on the 15th).
• Kenneth also informs us that the launch of Philippine Speculative Fiction Vol. V will take place on April 24, 2010, 3 p.m. at the UView Theatre of Fully Booked at Bonifacio Global City.

Events:

• For those looking for a twist on typical Valentine’s fare, science writer and curator of the upcoming Mind Museum (and friend of the site) Ms. Maria Isabel Garcia dropped us a line to let us know of When Love Falls an evening of love and science on February 12, where psycho-analyst Dr. Agnes Bueno will discuss love gone awry. You can see the poster here.
• I think we’ve mentioned it before, but let me remind everyone that KomiksTrip, the first UPLB comics convention, is taking place on February 13.
• Speaking of comics, the Renaissance Project, a comics/komiks event for the benefit of Filipino artists who have fallen on hard times, seems to be pushing through on February 20 21 at the SM Megamall Megatrade hall.

Reviews:

• Some reviews of interest over at Metakritiko (which I’ll be leaving soon, unfortunately. Although I’m sure you’ll all be pleased with the new man at the helm ^_^). I take on Lola by J. Torres and Elbert Or  (it’s also been reviewed by Ruel de Vera)
• Also on Metakritiko, Fidelis Tan reviews Underpass. You can actually read her favorite story of the lot (by the Trese pair of Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo here or here). Also on the channel, Mighty Rasing reviews Legion and Marrianne Ubalde praises Kapitan Sino.

Dominique Cimaframca has uploaded a short slide show from a short workshop he gave for the College Editors Guild of the Philippines. The focus of the approximately twenty slides is flash fiction, and you get to read some samples of Dom’s work in that mode as well.

Dominque Cimafranca has launched a new website, aptly named Deadline.kom.ph (note the “k” in “kom”) which serves as an online deadline calendar for writer’s markets that are open to submissions. Here’s what Dominique has to say about the purpose of the website:

As the name says, this site is all about deadlines: whether it’s for a contest or call to submission for an anthology; whether it’s for short stories, poems, artwork, or novels; this is about deadlines, deadlines, deadlines. Why? Because sometimes nothing spurs creativity and kills procrastination more quickly and effectively than a looming immovable target.

Check back with the site from time to time to see what’s coming up soon, or better yet, subscribe to our feed.

If you have any deadlines for contests or anthologies that you want announced here, drop us a note, too.

You can also check out their FAQ here.

It’s a happy day for fans of Philippine Speculative Fiction–most particularly for fans of Philippine Horror–as the long-awaited Horror Issue of the Digest of Philippine Genre Stories is now available at Comic Quest branches at Megamall and SM North EDSA (it will also be available soon at National Bookstore). Yvette Tan takes over as guest editor for this issue, and gathers stories from Dominique Cimafranca, Alex Paman, Charles Tan, Raymond G. Falgui, Sean Uy and Joseph Nacino

You can see a preview here, and an advance review here.

“On the Far Shore” is what I’m calling this series of interviews with the authors/editors of “The Farthest Shore” an anthology of secondary world fantasy from Filipino writers. The anthology is available here. Today we speak to Dominique Cimafranca, author of “Rite of Passage.“

Tell us a bit about your story “Rite of Passage”

I would qualify “Rite of Passage” as a quiet space fantasy; quiet because there are no clashing lightsabers or firing lasers, just a man and his companions on a trek to find a new home away from their tribe. It’s not just any tribe, though, but a spacefaring one, and very much constrained by resources. The trek then takes on the form of a ritual, one that plays on the hopes and fears — the could-have’s and should-have’s — of the chosen one as he strikes out on his own.

How did you hear about the Farthest Shore anthology?

I believe I heard about it from several sources at about the same time. I’m subscribed to Ken Yu’s blog, as well as to Charles Tan’s and Joey Nacino’s (and now to Paolo Chikiamco’s )  so it must have been one of those.

Prior to that, had you ever written a secondary world story before?

Yes, “Twilight of the Magi”, a re-imagining of the Three Wise Men as battling wizards. That came out in the PGS Christmas Special. I didn’t consciously set out to write a secondary world story then, though; it just so happened mystical Egypt was the most logical setting. Only after the story came out did people tell me it qualified as a secondary world.

How long did it take you to write the story?

Around three or four days, on and off. I can really only write in the evenings.

That’s… mighty quick. Especially given you only write evenings. Is that your usual rate of writing? How many drafts do you usually go through?

Heh. Well, it was a short story. But yeah, that’s about my pace, once I get going. I go over my work a couple of times, but I don’t usually do major rewrites: if I really don’t have a feel for the story I’m writing, I usually drop it and start over again.

What aspect of the writing did you enjoy the most?

Thinking about the backstory of the characters and the tribe, a detail which never really made it into the final version.

Do you think you’ll ever revisit the world of “Rite of Passage” in another story?

Probably not, as it’s a one-off tale with a theme behind it. But who knows, maybe.

What aspect did you find most difficult?

Heh. The writing itself. Because it never really quite comes out the way you want it.

Were there any particular sources of inspiration for your story?

I like to think the inspiration comes from the rite of leaving home, a necessary part of adulthood, but heightened with the fear that you can never go back.

You’ve experienced the displacement that comes from leaving one home for another correct? Did that influence or enrich the writing in any particular way?

Yes, I’ve left home several times, whether for work or for studies. I always managed to come back, though, and that’s a good thing. But I sometimes wonder what happens if you can’t go back. So those are the emotions which made their way into that story.

Are you working on any new stories or projects now?

I have a domestic scifi story that’s three-quarters written. I’ve put it away for a while because I got caught up in other things. I really should finish it.

If you could write in a secondary world created by another (literary, television etc.), which world would that be? What kind of story would you write?

The worlds of Arthur Conan Doyle, Jules Verne, and H.G. Wells. There’s something terribly appealing about the 19th century optimism. But I’d like to write it away from the perspective of the white
superman.

Well those authors all have works in the public domain already if I remember correctly. Think you’ll ever give their worlds a shot?

I probably will.  With cameos by Crisostomo Ibarra and Pilosopo Tasyo. Hmmm… “Liga ng Mga Hindi Pangkaraniwang Ginoo.”

I’d read that! Well, as long as Juan Tamad isn’t a member. Where else can we find your work?

I have some stories lined up with Philippine Genre Stories, and I’ve had a few published with Philippine Graphic. I also have a story in Vin Simbulan’s “A Time for Dragons.”