Tell us a bit about how you came up with the idea for your story.

The Widow and the Princess of the Dwende is actually a prequel to a NaNoWriMo project I was working on in 2009: A Brief History of the Enkanta. Both of them came about in a rather roundabout way. The vampire craze was going strong then (as it still is), and while I’m fond of vampires, I was frustrated by the current trends.  The vampire was always the Romantic Male Lead, and while I think vampires are awesome when they’re not just predators, they were depicted in such a way that they weren’t frightening anymore. For me, that takes away the compelling power of the vampire archetype.

And I thought: But hey, how much more scary would the vampire be if he was in a position of institutional power? If somehow, refusing to be a vampire’s paramour, or not welcoming him into your home, was bad news for you and your family? The idea of the vampire frayle was born, and from there, the idea of various enkanta clans wrestling for agency and survival in the Spanish era.

What aspect of the story gave you the most joy?

I love delving into the back stories of characters and fictional societies. The intricacies of Filipino society under the Spanish are fascinating to me, and it was immensely fun to delve into enkanta societies, mix enkanta lore with Western myths, and explore how they would interact.

What aspect of the story gave you the most difficulty?

The problem is, when you geek out like that on the page, you need to balance all of those details with telling a story. With a short story, you need to condense, condense, condense, which I found very hard to do. But I had awesome friends and an awesome editor [Editor Pao: Naks!] . They taught me how to fix the little things that were driving me mad.

Have you ever worn a costume? What was your favorite one? What about the most ridiculous?

I was waaaaay too little to remember this. But there’s a picture of me at three in a Supergirl costume. The geeky DC Comics-loving adult I am loves it.

Does your cultural background influence how you write, or what you write?

I don’t think I could have written The Widow and the Princess of the Dwende or a Brief History of the Enkanta if I wasn’t Pinoy—if I hadn’t grown up on stories of the cruelty and romanticism of the Spanish era, or stories of the aswang lurking in the streets of Manila, or of the dangers of the various enkanta. And I think it’s partly due to my heritage that I’m particularly interested in colonial stories—stories that look at the dynamics between the powerful and the powerless, and the people caught in between.

What was the best piece of writing advice you ever read or received?

Finish everything you start. Incidentally, the best method for finishing what you start appears to be writing fast, which I still need to work on.

You’re the first artist I’ve met (virtually speaking) who is equally at home with two dimensional and three dimensional art work. Or at least, it seems that way–are you more naturally inclined toward one form?

I am an artist, a game developer and a gamer… For someone like me who loves games and has the passion to make games, it actually seems only natural that I’d be interested in both art forms. I would say that I didn’t have the slightest idea about 3D models back in college, but when I found out that one of my units in 2nd year college would be 3D modeling, I got excited. I was amazed when I first saw how 3D models were done (from modeling to animation), but then… I was disappointed to learn that there were the professors were not as knowledgeable nor as capable as I’d expected them to be. Fortunately, in my second job I met the people who taught me all I know in 3D modeling, my officemates and friends who shared tips and techniques Ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. I truly thank them for all they’ve shared with me! Great games also inspire me to do more 3d models

Which games have had art design that truly impressed you?

The Prince of Persia game released in 2008. I just love it, from the concept to the in-game art! (Although I do have mixed feelings about Elika always being there to pick you up whenever you fall…) Another would be Call of Duty Modern Warfare. I really like the lighting in the game, which was very realistic!

What are the advantages of 3D art as compared to 2D, and vice versa?

In 3D- Effects, lighting and shadow are processed in real-time, and that is awesome! On the other hand, in 2D, lighting and shadows are fixed. SFX is complicated.

2D games doesn’t require powerful computers unlike 3D.

Animation is easier to do in 3d rather than in 2D, especially considering the latest technologies that make the 3d animator’s work easier and faster.

In 2D, however, you don’t need plug-ins–instead, you sit for an hours, do some trial and error for the lighting and special effects, and from that you can create a really nice looking piece.

You’re currently working for an outsourcing game company. Can you tell us a bit about your work there?

We create art assets for our clients, which could be either for casual games or next-gen games. Published games that used some of our assets include Uncharted2, Mean Girls, Clueless, CSI: NY, Sherlock Holmes and a lot more.

I know you plan on making your own games someday. What would your ideal game be like?

A traditional fantasy role playing game.

Aside from your own game, do you have any other dream projects, whether you’re already working on them or plan to in the future?

I’ve always wanted to make my own manga (and profit from it!)–but then, I don’t have much time for that. Still, I hope that someday… somehow… I’ll be able to proudly say that I’ve published one of my stories.

When did you start creating works through digital painting? You used to do work using pens and colored pencils – was it difficult to make the transition?

It was when I got my first job… that was the first time that I used pen and tablet. Yes, it was difficult at first, since I didn’t even have the slightest idea that such a thing could be used to paint digitally!  Fortunately., I already new how to use Adobe Photoshop at the time.

How many hours in a day do you spend drawing/painting?

Almost every hour, every day, and every week! (Hey, it’s my profession!):-) But seriously, I spend almost 8 hours a day on art during the weekends, but on weekdays I only get two hours to paint. Actually, that was when I was in my “career mode”, but there are times when a week can go by where I don’t even touch my pen. There are simply some activities that are important enough that I wouldn’t regret skipping painting for a few days. Sometimes, we all have to focus on things that are not related with our work and career, in order to enjoy life to the fullest!

You’re also an anime fan–any series or movies that you’ve particularly enjoyed?

Clannad: It’s wholesome, yet can make you laugh and cry, a really heartwarming series; Ghost Fighter: I could care less about what people may say about it, Ghost Fighter remains to be one of the best anime that I’ve ever watched; Kaitou Saint Tail; Mojacko; Howl’s Moving Castle; Princess Mononoke; D.N.Angel; Card Captor Sakura; Gundam Wing (maybe?)…

How did you go about creating the art for “100% of Me“? You definitely gave it an anime feel

I actually wanted it to be more realistic… But I guess it was a failed attempt… (More practice is needed!). I did some research for the background, looked at some character references and some formulas of probabilities (Thanks to Wikipedia). Han Hyo Joo, a Korean actress, was my character model for the woman. I used some textures from my library that allowed me to finish the piece by the deadline.

What’s the most important piece of art advice you’ve ever received?

Don’t let envy be the fuel of your motivation. Inspire and be inspired. Don’t fall in love with your artwork–be the meanest critic of your own work.

We’d like to thank MJ for taking the time to answer our questions. You can see more of her artwork at her deviantart gallery here.

How did you get started as an artist?

I got interested in drawing at a very early age. I think it’s all the cartoons and video games that got me started. I also collected Marvel and DC comic books and copied them all the time.

Me and my brother were fortunate to have a few friends who also liked drawing. After playing video games like Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat, we would do an artjam on our favorite characters or design ones based on them. They later lost interest with drawing in high school but me and my brother stuck with it.

You have a twin brother who also seems to be a very good artist. Do you think that, to some degree, artistic talent is genetic? Does anyone else in your family draw/paint?

In our family, only the two of us are interested in drawing. So far I haven’t seen or read anything that proves the existence of “artistic genes” so I have no reason to believe in it. We just happen to like drawing and have made it a hobby.

A lot of the pieces in your deviantart gallery have a lot of detail invested in the background, whereas a lot of artists I know would prefer not to do backgrounds at all. Do you enjoy rendering those vast, panoramas? Do you like working on the background as much as working on the characters/people?

If art is biology, then those who are interested in backgrounds would be the type of biologists who study not just a certain species but their environment as well: how they interact with it, what role and niche they play in the ecosystem, how they cope with environmental changes, etc. I guess artists who ignore backgrounds are like biologists who are more concerned with a species’ anatomy, behaviors and interactions with other creatures. I don’t want to choose between the two because I’d rather be both.

I wouldn’t say that I enjoy doing environments and landscapes more than characters, but there’s a special kind of feeling in creating thriving ecosystems or living and breathing societies. There’s an incomparable joy in painting places that can allow someone to forget about reality for a while and be transported into another world, even for just a few seconds.

If you want to create fictional worlds, then you have to understand that a setting can become the star of a story while the characters themselves can take a back seat. Environments can have “personalities” and sometimes they’re much more interesting and complex than the characters that inhabit them.

You’ve also painted quite a few battles, and you once posted that in high school you “filled a sketchbook with battle scenes from WWII aerial dogfights to Spanish conquests to American civil war naval battles.” What is it about a battle that inspires you?

I became fascinated with history as a kid. I was a young history buff who was more interested in wars and battles than the more “boring” aspects like politics, economics, social systems etc. Lately I’ve gotten interested in these other aspects as well (I’m interested in a lot of things ) but my fascination with military history is here to stay.

I guess it’s the energy, the adrenalin, and sense of movement that makes battle scenes so inspiring. They are challenging to paint but I enjoy composing them. There’s a lot to draw too, which is fun. It also helps that I’m into armor and weaponry.

What historical battle would you most enjoy painting?

The Battle of the Hydaspes River would be great. Alexander the Great, a phalanx with thousands of pikes, Indian war elephants, chariots…It would be cool!

Leaving the realm of reality for a moment, what type of battle do you think would be the most exciting?

It’s hard to choose. I guess it depends on my mood. It could be sailing ships against giant squids, underwater humanoids fighting over Atlantis or a battle between winged creatures.

When did you start creating works through digital painting? You used to do work using pens and colored pencils – was it difficult to make the transition?

I started doing digital paintings almost a year ago. It wasn’t easy making the transition from traditional to digital but it wasn’t too hard either. A lot of the difficulty had to with not knowing how to use photoshop well. The fact that I happen to have a penciling style that relies on shading just as much as outlines made it easier for me. I guess the hardest part was that I had to understand things like saturation, undertones, hues, soft and hard edges etc. rather than just values and lines.

How many hours in a day do you spend drawing/painting?

I spend about 2-5 hours practicing each day. I sketch with pencils on paper more often than I paint with photoshop.

What’s the most important piece of art advice you’ve ever received?

Practice, practice, practice and if you’re tired then practice more. Well, you do need a break once in a while, but you get the point. I know it’s overused and “corny” but it’s the best advice I’ve read, especially after considering what some experts call the “10,000-hour rule”.

If you could own five pieces of original artwork–paintings, comics pages, animation cells, anything at all–which five pieces would these be?

“The Persistence of Memory” by Salvador Dali, Venus de Milo, “The intevention of the Sabine women” by Jacques-Louis David, Leonardo Da Vinci’s sketchbooks and uhm…. Sauron’s helmet.

In five years, what do you hope to have achieved, as an artist? Any dream projects, whether you’re already working on them or plan to in the future?

I’m open to many possibilities. I might be might be a concept artist in a video game development company, or work in a studio, maybe create my own studio, or teach in digital painting courses.

As for dream projects, my brother and I are thinking of making a 4-5 part graphic novel that incorporates our obsession with fantasy worlds, diverse cultures, military props, wars and battles. I doubt we’ll start making it any time soon though… I’m guessing we’ll be in our 30s by the time we start.

How did you go about creating the art for “The Widow and the Princess of the Dwende“? I must say, I feel you really captured the malice of the frayle.

Yeah the frayle were the ones I really enjoyed painting. I had to google for pictures of Filipino clothing and houses during the Spanish era so I could capture the atmosphere of Elaine’s short story. It was nice learning a few things.

We’d like to thank Mark for speaking with us. You can see more of his work at his deviantart gallery here.

Whenever an issue of Usok comes out, I conduct a short interview with the authors, to give readers some insight into the creation of the stories, as well as the authors themselves. As we started our interviews for Usok 2 with VN Benedicto, who did the art for “Elsewhere“, we’ll begin the author interviews with the author of “Elsewhere“: Eliza Victoria, one of the country’s most prolific authors of speculative fiction. Don’t believe me? Check out her newly minted author’s page here on the site, and see for yourself.

Tell us a bit about how you came up with the idea for your story.

It was just a what-if that came out of nowhere: What if there were a natural phenomenon – like lightning, or rain – that could create superheroes, but those superheroes couldn’t choose their powers? I thought it was a scary idea, and a sad one, and I had to write about it.

What aspect of the story gave you the most difficulty?

There is a secret in the story, and it is always difficult to hide a secret.

What aspect of the story gave you the most joy?

I’ve always wanted to try my hand at using a different structure for the short story. I’d planned to use the structure of a film script, and even studied a handful, but couldn’t find a narrative to sustain the form. Then one day my boyfriend mentioned taking up a comic-writing class in the University of the Philippines, our alma mater, and I insisted on seeing his script. Before I saw his comic script, I already had the idea [for “Elsewhere”] in my head, but as usual couldn’t start it because I couldn’t figure out the right way to tell it to make the story different from all others. Then I saw my boyfriend’s script, and I realized, here it was: a narrative structure based on images, a structure I could use.

Not long after, he lent me several comic books, one of which was a copy of Neil Gaiman’s Marvel 1602. 1602 contains a sample script of the graphic novel. I studied that closely, and had fun writing those portions of the story.

However, I still don’t know if I could write an actual comic book script.

Have you ever worn a costume? What was your favorite one? What about the most ridiculous?

What is this question doing here?! I don’t wear costumes, and have never attended a costume party, because I’m boring like that. Well we had to do a presentation at the company anniversary party, and I wore a cheerleader outfit. I was never a cheerleader, and never aspired to be one. So that’s definitely ridiculous, haha.

Does your cultural background influence how you write, or what you write?

Definitely. All of my stories are based in the Philippines, usually Bulacan, where I grew up, or the Cagayan Valley, where my mother grew up, or the city, where I live now. My mother has several fantastic stories from the Valley, made more fantastic by the fact that she considers them true. My stories involving the aswang and witchcraft came from her, from the stories she told me and my siblings about her hometown.

What was the best piece of writing advice you ever read or received?

Of course there’s “Start with what you know” and “Show, don’t tell” but the one writing rule that I adhere to was advice that I didn’t receive but, instead, something that I realized after several creative writing classes filled with workshops and critique: you can’t please everybody. So I write what I want to read, not what I think other people will want to read, because I don’t know what everyone wants. It is a sad, sad thing, to receive praises for a story you’re not even proud of, or to change a story in order to please an audience. I write because I want to share something, not because I want to satisfy a certain group of people.

To hear other people say that they read and like my stories or poems (and even like some of them enough to give me an award!) is a bonus, and a lovely bonus at that.

I was struck by the amount of local folklore inspired artwork you have in your deviantart gallery. When did you become interested in Philippine mythology?

I’ve been drawn to folklore ever since I was a little kid. I was fortunate to grow up in a place where oral folklore still exists, if you know where to look.

Where do you turn to for information about Philippine mythology and folklore? I’m a bit of an enthusiast myself, and resource materials can be hard to find.

In the interwebs there’s the Encyclopedia Mythica, Maximo D. Ramos’ A Survey of Philippine Lower Gods, even Wikipedia… also, I found John Maurice Miller’s Philippine Folklore Stories in the Gutenberg Project archives.

What is it about Philippine mythology that inspires you?

I love all mythology and folklore. But of course I’m more fond of the ones I grew up with, it’s what inspired me to be a fantasist.

Do you have a favorite myth or legend? What about a favorite character?

Let’s see… Well in our province there is an island called Kayatung that is supposed to be a capital of the engkanto realm and a lot of lore are tied to it. Old people claim to have seen golden ships arriving or leaving that island, possessed people are supposed to have been taken there during their possession, and people who go crazy are said to have [had their souls brought] there and will remain insane until their soul/essence returns to their body. There are supposed to be invisible bridges and roads connecting Kayatung to other engkanto cities. Sounds like a really nice place to visit, so if I go insane you know where to find me.

One of your projects, Diwata Nation, seems to draw heavily on Philippine mythology, re-imagining the diwata into a matriarchal government that seems like it would fit right into a secondary world, fantasy novel. Can you tell me a bit more about Diwata Nation?

It’s a world building project about a realm where magic and mana are the foundation of technology. Mana, despite ecological issues, is relatively easy to procure. But since for some reason people who are born in the realm somehow lack the affinity for magic, they have to scout for recruits in our world and raise them to become members of a sisterhood of mages. This Diwata Sisterhood is the most influential economic, political, academic, and military force in the entire realm, hence the term Diwata Nation. There is also a race of arboreal elves called the Inkantu and a sort of sci-fi type race of amphibians called the Sho-kui.

One of your Diwata Nation stories was included in an indie komik anthology which your group sold at the komikon. How would you describe the experience you had with self publishing?

Well my group-mates did all the work for that since I live far from Manila. But the idea that there are people out there reading and owning something you created is just too cool.

Are there any komiks at the moment that you enjoy, or creators who you love?

Unfortunately I no longer have access to comic books, I haven’t bought a comic book in like… four years, lol.

Do you have any plans to create more komiks?

As soon as I come up with a story and some time to draw it, sure.

How did you go about creating the artwork for “Elsewhere“? I’m glad this one was assigned to you, considering the subject matter, since you’ve done comics before.

It was kind of intimidating since I haven’t done a sequential page in a looooong time. And I have never done a fully digital comic page. I spent a lot of time just coming up with a layout. I also relied heavily on references for both the colors and pose of the hand in order to make it reasonable realistic, and kept the rendering of the page loose so as to contrast with the realism of the hand.

I was also very happy to see “steampunk” as one of your subgalleries, and doubly pleased to see a few steampunk pieces in a Philippine setting, something I rarely see. What about steampunk appeals to you?

I like the aesthetics of it I guess, and mixing in some Filipino elements seems like a natural thing to do to give it an element of originality.

Do you think that steampunk can make inroads here in the Philippines as well?

Definitely. I think the more interesting question is: why hasn’t it? We should put more effort into establishing a local steampunk scene. A steampunk cosplay would be awesome.

What’s the most important piece of art advice you’ve ever received?

“It will be difficult at first, but everything is difficult at first.” Miyamoto Musashi said that and by god he is right.

How did you get started as an artist?

I started drawing when I was very young. I had cousins that would give me their old Marvel and DC comics and I would try to copy the images. When I started going to school the last few pages of all my notebooks we’re filled with drawings.

When did you start creating works through digital painting? Was it difficult to make the transition?

It was just something that started happening gradually when my brother gave me a wacom graphire 4 as a gift. I started using it to color my pencils, then started doodling with it, and eventually moved on to full-color digital stuff.

How many hours in a day do you spend drawing/painting?

If I’m not working on a project, my drawing habits are a bit erratic. Sometimes I draw almost the entire day, sometimes days would go by without me doing anything, but whenever I come up with something I want to draw I would spend one to four hours on it, then over the next few days I would work on it little by little until I’m satisfied.

If you could own five pieces of original artwork–paintings, comics pages, animation cells, anything at all–which five pieces would these be?

I would like to have five Alfredo Alcala pages on my wall. Or five Hayao Miyazaki cells. Or five Adam Hughes girl art. Any of those would be sweet.

In five years, what do you hope to have achieved, as an artist? Any dream projects, whether you’re already working on them or plan to in the future?

My dream project is definitely a Diwata Nation graphic novel. If I can put that out in the next five years, I’ll die happy… but not immediately after of course. Hahaha.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Romblon island, in the province of… Romblon. It’s somewhere in the middle of the Philippine archipelago.

What’s your family like?

It’s one big happy family, with an emphasis on big, and no I don’t mean numerically. And more importantly with an emphasis on happy.

When you’re not drawing/painting, what occupies your time?

I spend my free time loitering in the interwebs.

What would you consider yourself to be a passionate fan of? (It could be a TV show, a comic book, a celebrity, even a particular food.)

Recently I discovered H.P. Lovecraft. Many of his stories remind me of those folklore and horror tales that the old people around me used to tell while they were doing household chores.

We’d like to thank VN for speaking with us. You can see more of his work at his deviantart gallery.

The second issue of Usok is now live! I’ll post my introduction here, but you can also see it on the front page of the new issue itself. I hope you enjoy the stories and the art, and if you do, please comment and encourage the creators, because feedback is sweet ambrosia for writers and artists. For those who are looking for Usok #1, you can get a PDF of the illustrated edition in the Past Issues section of the Usok site.

Introduction: Hidden Selves

Kept you waiting, huh?

It’s been a long journey to get to the second issue of Usok, and while I’ve had to deviate from my original plans for the magazine, I’ve learned a lot about editing, working with creative people, and the speculative fiction scene in the Philippines, during the past year. There were ups and downs, but I have no regrets; sometimes the only way to get any solid data about an endeavor is to try it, to let your plans and dreams drum against the craggy shore of Reality. Usok will continue to evolve from here on out, and I hope you will all continue to support the magazine.

One thing I’ve learned is that it’s easier to find a unifying theme among stories that I’ve already accepted, than it is to assign a theme and wait for the stories to come in. Or maybe it’s just serendipity that all three of our stories in this issue (released days after Halloween) touch upon the theme of hidden selves, the masks we put on for the sake of blending in with “normal” society. It’s a common enough theme in speculative fiction, but it’s one of my favorites, and I hope you’ll find that each of these stories engages it in an intriguing way.

My thanks to the authors, Kate, Elaine, and Eliza, all of whom were very gracious and patient during the editing process. I’d also like to thank Kevin for the wonderful cover and for recruiting our latest batch of excellent digital artists: MJ, VN and Mark.

As with the previous issue, some of the stories contain scenes that may disturb those who have difficulty distinguishing fact from fiction – children, the easily offended, etc. – so please keep that in mind. (Kate’s “100% of Me”, however, should be 100% safe for all but those who are allergic to percentages.)

Okay, it’s been way too long since I said this last, so without further ado: Kwentuhan na.

- Paolo Gabriel V. Chikiamco

The wait is over. Be here on November 3, 2010 for the launch of the second issue of Usok, the webzine of Fantastic Filipino Fiction. Three all new stories, each with a custom piece of art by some of the best digital painters in the country, with a cover by CG Pintor founder K. Lapeña. Please spread the word!

Table of Contents:

100% of Me by Kate Aton-Osias

Elsewhere by Eliza Victoria

The Widow and the Princess of the Dwende by Elaine Cuyegkeng

Artwork by K. Lapeña, Mark Bulahao, MJ Pajaron, and VN Benedicto

The first Future of the Book conference was held last week at the UP-Ayala Technohub in Quezon City (here’s a great overview of the conference at Coffeespoons), which brought together publishers, writers, teachers, readers – and yes, even lawyers – to discuss the changing aspects of publishing throughout the world, and in the Philippines in particular. I was there on the second day, to talk about how independent publishers can thrive in the digital age, and I managed to take videos of a few of the other speakers as well.

A few caveats though: First, the latter half of the footage of Charles Tan’s talk has atrocious video quality – my Vado is quirky that way apparently – but the audio is still good, so I uploaded it because it was a great talk, and you can at least still listen to it (or indulge in Max Headroom nostalgia by watching it).

The second caveat is that because of time constraints, a few of the speeches had to be rushed or cut short. After the videos, I’ll have the full text of my speech and links to a few others.

I’d like to congratulate the conference organizers for a successful conference, and I hope we can all work together to maximize the benefits of this new world of publishing for all interested parties. But I swear to God, the next time I hear someone say Filipinos don’t have a reading culture, I’m shoving a textbook up his ass…

And now, the videos!

First up is Charles Tan, (Bibliophile Stalker) prolific blogger and Philippine Spec Fic advocate, on the topic of the consumer experience in the age of ebooks.

More after the cut

Here’s a talk from the same panel, this time by Carljoe Javier, ubergeek, Metakritiko editor and author of “And the Geek Shall Inherit the Earth” and “The Kobayashi Maru of Love“. You can read the full text of his talk here:

And who is this handsome, handsome man? (Hey, give me a break — I rarely wear a suit, so let me pretend it had some effect.) Many thanks to Charles for taking the video. As promised, I’ll put the entire paper at the end of this post.

Poet and critic Angelo Suarez was my counterpart for the panel, his talk showing, amongst other things, how digital space can be a home for works deemed “unpublishable”.

Gerry Alanguilan was supposed to be a part of our panel as well, but he had to bow out. He did upload his paper though, which you can find at his site.

Last but not the least, let’s hear a sample from one of the many foreign speakers at the conference. Here’s J. Kirby Best, e former president and chief executive officer of Lightning Source Inc.

And now, as promised, the full text of my paper/talk:

EDIT: Now with relevant hyperlinks

BRIDGES OF VIRTUE: INDIE PUBLISHERS AS THE GOLDEN MEAN

A Paper for the Future of the Book Conference 2010, by Paolo Gabriel V. Chikiamco

“Virtue, then, is a kind of moderation inasmuch as it aims at the mean or moderate amount.”

- Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics.

Being a philosophy major, I’m of the opinion that the great thinkers of the past have something important to say about every aspect of life, even our modern life. As such, I hope you’ll humor me as I open this talk on a decidedly modern topic – the opportunities for independent publishers in this digital book revolution – by talking about Aristotle and the Golden Mean.

For Aristotle, virtue or excellence is that trait which, when possessed in the right amount, keeps something in good condition, and allows it to perform its function well. One of the key phrases there is “possessed in the right amount” – Aristotle believed that virtue could only be found at some optimal point between two extremes, that of excess and that of deficiency. To use the most common example, the virtue of courage is found between the two extremes of cowardice and recklessness.

What does this have to do with publishing? Right now, publishing is defined by two extremes. First are the Big Publishers, the ones with substantial investment in the old status quo of print books, the entities with big-name authors, enviable capital and long-standing connections with distributors and media outlets. At the second extreme are the Self-Publishers, a class of authors which have always been with us – for authors, such as Aristotle himself, were releasing their works to the public long before third party publishers existed – but who have in the past been stigmatized, as well as sidelined from the most lucrative types of commerce by an inability to match the scale of access and distribution available to Big Publishing. (In the Philippines, the most visible form of self-publishing – social networking aside – is the burgeoning indie komiks [comics] scene.)

Of course, “in the past” here must be taken to mean B.T.I. – Before The Internet. While I would not go so far as to say that the playing field has been leveled – although I’d argue that it is on its way there – the fact that the publishing landscape has been irrevocably altered cannot, at this point, be doubted.

“Nothing endures but change.”

- Heraclitus.

During this conference, you’ve been exposed to the changing face of publishing, especially in the West, and the problems it brings for Big Publishing: issues with regard to ebook pricing, royalties, digital rights, DRM, and inadequate business models. There are opportunities for Big Publishing as well, but the simple fact is that, having reigned atop the Old World of Publishing, they have the most to lose by the transition to the New.

For self-publishers, it’s a different story. In the New World of Publishing, the Internet, ebook readers and print-on-demand outlets give authors the ability to distribute their work internationally, on a scale unthinkable even to Big Publishing (BTI), and at a fraction of the cost.  Having spent so long at the bottom of the barrel, self-published authors have nowhere to go but up, and hence the New World is nothing but opportunity. In fact, in an era of social networks and blogs (and just recently, plugins like Anthologize which can turn a WordPress blog into a functional and ready-to-sell ebook) where it can be said that we are all publishers, some wonder if third party publishers are needed at all.

If all that one wants is to make a book, as a text, available to the world, then the answer is no, you don’t need a publisher. On the other hand, if the goal is to make a book as a commercial product, one that is visible and viable, then – unless you’re an established author or are willing to put a lot of work into the book above and beyond actually writing it – yes, you still need a publisher.

But in the New World, the Big Publisher is not your only option – nor is it necessarily your best option. In a publishing world dominated by the two extremes, the most “virtuous” means to get your book to the market may be through an entity which can combine the strengths of Big Publishing and Self-Publishing, and in so doing (because the strengths of one are the weaknesses of the other) minimize their weaknesses. The best option could be an Independent Publisher and small presses: entities with more resources and business savvy than your typical author, but which retain a flexibility and personal touch absent from bigger publishers.

“If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn’t brood.  I’d type a little faster.”

– Isaac Asimov

At Rocket Kapre, I write and edit speculative fiction by Filipinos, and in that field, most of the authors I know are artists. They want to write stories – full stop. This paramount love of writing is the only reason we even have speculative fiction authors here – God knows that none of us, not even our best and most popular authors, are making a full time living out of it, even though that is the ultimate dream. Yet, while authors would love to have a bestselling book, very few have the time or inclination for the back breaking, non-writing work that is required to turn a well written book into a commercial success.

Publishers, on the other hand, even if they love their genre, always have an eye toward commercial viability. They’re the ones who study the market and how to market, who traditionally handle both big and little details from ISBNs to getting the book into retailers. While it’s easier to get a self-published book on the shelves of retailers in the Philippines, abroad the stigma still remains.

Also, while authors are increasingly being asked to share in the burden of book promotion, publishers still play a key role as intermediaries, since many authors, even avowed self-publishers, have an aversion to self-promoting. Publishers, on the other hand, don’t have to be modest when describing the genius of their authors. Nevertheless, the larger a Publisher grows, the larger the potential divide between the interest of the Publisher and those of the individual author.

Independent Publishers can retain the commercial savvy (and earn the credibility) of larger entities, but they also tend to remain small, and as a consequence, are usually very focused on a particular niche or genre. The smaller size (less red tape), fewer authors (more attention to each author), and greater focus will ensure that the individual author seldom feels that there is a conflict of interest between himself/herself and the Independent Publisher’s bottom line.

Having a strong online process can also make it possible to promote a book/brand well, even without the budget for large scale physical events, such as book launches: Rocket Kapre Books is a fledgling press, and yet free and easy access to content on the site, including our online zine “Usok“, allowed us to receive coverage on local and international websites, including Locus Magazine, probably the leading English language SF news/reviews magazine in the world.

However, it cannot be overly stressed that a Publisher not only adds value after the work is complete, but helps ensure that the book is the best it can be. While some self-publishers rejoice at the way the Internet has allowed for a circumvention of the traditional function of Publishers as “Gatekeepers” of the literary world, rare (if not non-existent) is the draft or manuscript that does not benefit from a close reading by an objective third party. Even the most critical author will have blind spots, especially when dealing with a text they have become overly familiar with, blind spots which an objective editor will not share. While the rigor of editing benefits the book and the author, it is this promise of quality control that benefits the prospective reader, who can be assured that any book released by a publisher was filtered by at least one objective pair of eyes before the reader spends his or her hard earned cash.

Here, again, an Independent Publisher can provide the best of both worlds, providing and guaranteeing editorial oversight, while the smaller size of Independent Publishers allows for a more personal relation with both authors and readers.  With capable and consistent editorial work, Independent Publishers can win respect and credibility at par with that of any Big Publisher – if not greater. Here, it again helps that Independent Publishers have a clearly defined niche or genre, as they can quickly establish a reputation amongst fans.

Fiction is experimentation; when it ceases to be that, it ceases to be fiction.

- John Cheever

You may note my repeated emphasis on the small size of Independent Publishers, and how this can give them the advantage, in some instances, as against Big Publishers. The reason for this is that small entities are generally more adaptable than larger ones, and during this period of transition to the New World – where we know the landscape is changing, but not what it is changing into – publishers need to be adaptable in order to survive; in order to thrive, they need to be willing to experiment. Many of the experiments they take when they test the waters will result in failure, but as Independent Publishers have less to lose and more to gain, they will be that much more innovative.

Keep in mind that the uncertainty of the current environment is about more than the format of the digital file, of PDF versus EPUB vs MOBI… Anyone who believes that the final form of the digital book will be static lines of text on a screen is fooling themselves. The book as a medium for delivery of content is in flux, and small, risk-taking ventures are at an advantage.

Lacking rigid corporate structures or the baggage of the Old World (huge warehouses, pile of returnable books), Independent Publishers are the publishers best poised to position their businesses atop the rapidly shifting sands of the New World, to grab opportunities as they present themselves – especially in the digital space.

Here’s an example of an advantage of adaptability: having a quick turnaround. After the devastation brought by Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng in late September of 2009, I decided I wanted to put together a small charity anthology. I pitched the idea to authors on September 30, and before three months had passed, Rocket Kapre books released “Ruin and Resolve: Pinoy SF for Charity“, with nineteen stories and five poems – many of them made specifically for the anthology – from Filipino writers here and abroad.

“To live alone one must be an animal or god.”

– Frederick Nietzsche

In speaking of opportunities, I cannot stress enough how the Internet creates and facilitates opportunities for collaboration, and how these collaborations can add value to your products. We saw that from “Ruin and Resolve”, where I managed to put together the book through email correspondence with authors and the cover artists. Filipino artists have also become key collaborators with me on Usok, the online magazine of Filipino-made speculative fiction which I host on site.

Kevin Lapeña, who I’d commissioned for the cover of the first issue of Usok, approached me with a proposal: he’d just co-founded a group for digital painters – CG Pintor – on the popular art website deviantart, and he wanted to know if I’d be willing to tie up with the fledging organization. Their artists get exposure on the website, and our stories for Usok receive artwork from some of the most promising digital artists in the country. It’s a mutually beneficial partnership, and yet had Rocket Kapre Books been an impersonal corporate Big Publisher, I doubt that Kevin would have made the offer, or that he would have received his reply a day after his email. The arrangement has worked out well: the international exposure helped get an older piece of Kevin’s published in a German artbook, and I was able to renew interest in Usok #1 when I re-launched it with the beautiful artwork – an endeavor that would probably not have been financially viable with a print magazine, but was easily executed with an online zine.

The Internet also allows an Independent Publisher to collaborate with the most important partner of all – the readers. Having at least some of your content online can give a publisher access to invaluable data about who reads your products, and how they use them. One day, I was looking at the daily statistics for Usok when I saw a sharp spike in views – it turns out a high school class had used the stories for an assignment. The ease by which the Internet facilitates distribution of content means that the biggest problem a book will have is still discoverability, but a strong web presence will allow you to connect with your readers – compare sending a link to a class to forcing them to find copies of a book – and in the process discover what interests them.

As I mentioned, for an Independent Publisher, the means to distinguish yourself from other content providers is to clearly define your niche, and information about the readers who visit your site – which posts are most popular, which posts receive the most comments, which posts have the most links – can be important to fine tuning your focus, so that you can give your readers what they want. Big publishers tend to operate as a “Brand”, their communication to the consumer only one way, from them to the consumer. Independent publishers have the opportunity to go beyond the creation of a brand to the creation of a “Community”, one where there is a mutually beneficial two-way flow of information. Book readers are a passionate lot, and they want to be heard, want to be involved.

This is how an Independent Publisher can succeed in the New Era of digital and immediate content: by serving as a bridge between the author and the readers, adding value – in house or through strategic partnerships – to the work that passes its hands, and ensuring that nothing gets in the way of a good story.

I began with a philosopher, and now, allow me to end with a poet:

“We shall not cease from exploration

And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time.”

– T.S. Eliot; Little Gidding

What’s the first thing you remember drawing?

I remember that I when I was 4 years old I’d always draw a scuba diver thrusting a knife unto a shark’s body.

Uhm. Why? Did you have a deep hatred of sharks or something?

Actually, I don’t really know why I did that when I was a kid… maybe sharks are just so cool to draw?

How did you get started as an artist?

My Dad always used to bring home issues of “Funny Komiks” when I was a little kid. Do you remember those? That’s where I got the urge to start drawing after seeing those wonderful characters in that comic book.

When did you start creating works through digital painting? Was it difficult to make the transition?

When I won a certain logo making contest .That gave me enough capital to build a decent PC and start painting digitally. It wasn’t hard, even when I was just starting out, since my technique using the traditional medium and the digital medium aren’t much different. My knowledge of traditional painting helped me a lot, I believe.

Last year you drew a story called Lazir in Kengkoy Joint #0. Could you tell us a bit about it?

Lazir is a character that I created back in my high school years. Back then, he was similar to Dick Tracy in design, but now you see him wearing an iron mask that resembles the face of Jose Rizal. Still, the idea behind the character is the same: He hunts bad guys in a futuristic Manila, wielding his two swords named “Noli me” and El Fili”. He also has a gun that he calls “Me Ultimo Adios”. He has a penchant for poetry too, leaving a poem written in blood near every kill.

With him around, time is running out for bad guys–those who are the cancers in our society. No one knows who he is underneath the mask–he could be a clone of Rizal, or a relative, or a Rizal fanatic–but there’s certainly a connection with Rizal, hence the name “LAZIR”.

Recently, I met Jerald Dorado (3^rd place winner in the graphic fiction category of The 3rd Philippine Graphic Fiction).  We decided to revamp the “Lazir” character and retell the story using his writing ability. We are doing a painted version of the Lazir story now.

You seem to have an affinity for famous Filipinos of the past. I hear you’re a fan of Juan Luna?

Yeah,  I’m a big time fan of him, artwise. If I had a million dollars I’d buy some of his original paintings. I find the contemporary art scene flooded with artists who are just wasting their craft and time. Guys like Luna, Amorsolo and Hidalgo were the artists that could disprove the saying” beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, because the truth is if a painting is beautiful, it is beautiful no matter who is looking at it.

Are you a fan of any comics/local komiks?

I grew up reading American and Filipino comic books, buying them at bookstores and renting them from sari-sari stores. That’s why I have this love and respect for all comics, whether they be local or international. Right now I am loving Arnold Arre’s works as well, as the Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah komiks. On the international front, I am loving McNieven’s lineart at the moment.

I know that you do a lot of reading in your spare time. What are your favorite books?

I read mostly biographies of some classical painters,  but I also have a collection of Stephen King’s paperbacks. If we’re counting comic books and manga, at the top of my list would be Maus by Spiegelman, and some manga by Osamu Tesuka.

You’ve also done illustrations for game companies like Boomzap Games and Pixelhaze. What have those experiences been like?

Well, working for them has been financially good for me, and it has also brought me to parts of the world that I’ve always wanted to see. Also, working with other talented people gave me the inspiration to push myself more in terms of my artistic capability. I am at the stage right now where I don’t want to go around in circles anymore, instead I want to use the knowledge that I have to further better myself.

Are you an avid gamer?

Yes and No. Yes, because I play almost everyday and no, because I am very choosy when it comes to the game that I actually play.

Which game has most impressed you with its art/art direction?

The old Shenmue games in the Dreamcast console. It’s art, distilled as a game.

So I take it you disagree with Roger Ebert when he says that games can’t be art?

Yes I do disagree with him. In fact, I believe there should be a museum dedicated to preserving video games. From what I can tell, without the proper care, some old games and old gaming platforms could be lost forever. At the very least, having a museum would allow others to get the chance to play the classics, instead of the games just collecting dust on the shelves of collectors.

What do you consider to be the favorite subjects for your artwork?

Women, because they have this quality on them that makes them hard to draw/paint. Also “contrast” in any form whatsoever.

What’s the most important piece of art advice you’ve ever received?

It’s the usual” Walang pera sa pagdradrawing” (there is no money in drawing) advice. Me being a stubborn person, I chose to pursue art and become so good that my art would eventually pay for my everyday needs.

Would you say you’ve reached that goal now?

I feel like I’ve reached a part of it, but being human, there’s always this desire for more. This isn’t the end, I think. Anyway, maybe I shouldn’t have asked for advice anyway–after all, whatever people say, I’d still be creating art. That’s just what artists do.

We’d like to thank Benjo for taking the time to speak to us. You can find more of his work at his deviantart gallery.

Here’s the fourth Usok #1 author interview, this time with Crystal Koo, author of “The Startbox“, which now has an illustration by Kevin Lapeña.

Tell us a bit about how you came up with the idea for your story.

Given the theme that was set as a guideline for the issue, I actually started writing a completely different story, a very science-fiction one with a lot to do with computers. But I was having really big trouble with it, so one midnight I just abandoned it and started writing this one, without any planning at all, and for the most part of the first draft, it wrote itself.

What aspect of the story gave you the most difficulty?
Making the main character’s transformation credible.

Do you remember the first short story you ever wrote? What was it about?
I started off scribbling bits and pieces of things on lined paper and stapling them together into a “book” when I was a little girl. I can’t remember any of those. The earliest that I can remember is the first story I ever typed on a computer – something about a Molly.

Does your cultural background influence how you write, or what you write?
What I write, yes (the how is mostly influenced by the books I read). It’s a bit complex writing as a Chinese-Filipino who’s moving around Asia at the moment, so all kinds of considerations crop up, but most of the time I just make sure that I don’t pigeonhole myself into writing about one particular culture all the time.

What was the best piece of writing advice you ever read or received?
“The whole business of writing is to live with doubt: to do what you don’t know how to do, to place yourself continually in a situation of ignorance and inelegance” – Peter Carey. Not exactly advice, but it’s very reassuring, especially from a big guy in the business.