Category Archives: Giveaway

Happy birthday!

I owe you guys a lot of reviews, and I promise to catch up on them on my long weekend this week and next. A short post is in order, just to let you guys know that yes, I’m still alive. Just terribly busy. And also, a year older.

Anyway, I was watching the latest episodes of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (if you haven’t watched this fun and modern adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice…why haven’t you? Go watch, now), and I found out that Lizzie and Charlotte recently celebrated their birthdays. Being a March birthday, too, I wondered when their birthdays were, so I did a little search¹. And then, surprise! We were all born on the same day – March 17! :)

Happy birthday! – Click to watch the video :)

Okay, fine, they’re fictional characters. But I think it’s still cool to share my birthday with these two girls on Youtube. :) At least, their fictional counterparts.

So, belated happy birthday to Charlotte, Lizzie and me! :) I will end this post now, so you can go ahead and watch The Lizzie Bennett Diaries. Because you really should. :)

Twitter would’ve made it easier, but I’m fasting from Twitter this Lent, so Google is my best friend [↩]

Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards set for 2013

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In 2012, I was lucky to be included in the team that organized the first Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards that was a part of the 2nd Filipino ReaderCon that happened last August. It was fun because I saw so many Filipino books that I can add to my TBR. This year we’re sort of launching the awards a little bit earlier, so we readers can start recalling our favorite Philippine published books in 2012. :)

Filipino Readers' Choice Awards

The Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards returns for its second straight year, engaging the Filipino reading public in honoring their favorite Philippine-published titles.

An initiative of the Filipino Book Bloggers Group, the Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards debuted at the 2nd Filipino Reader Conference in 2012, and was established to develop awareness and appreciation of Philippine literature, recognize the reader’s role in creating the meaning and experience of a literary work, and give the readers a voice in the Philippine book industry.

For 2013, the Filipino Readers’ choice awards will be open to books published from January to December 2012. Nomination period is set for May 2013, in preparation for the awards ceremony at 3rd Filipino ReaderCon in August.

2012 winners of the Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards (books published 2010-2011) were: “But That Won’t Wake Me Up!” by Annie and Anelka Lumbao and Liza Flores, Adarna House (Children’s Picture Book); “Fairy Tale Fail” by Mina V. Esguerra, Summit Books (Chick Lit); “Ilustrado” by Miguel Syjuco, Anvil Publishing (Novel in English), “Ang Huling Dalagang Bukid at ang Authobiography na Mali” by Jun Cruz-Reyes, Anvil Publishing (Novel in Filipino); “KikoMachine Komiks Blg 6” by Manix Abrera, Visprint (Comics/ graphic novel); “Alternative Alamat” edited by Paolo Chikiamco, Rocket Kapre and Flipside (Short Story Anthology); “It’s A Mens World” by Bebang Siy, Anvil Publishing (Essay Anthology); and “Off the Beaten Track: Tulaan sa Tren 2” NBDB and Vibal Foundation (Poetry Anthology).

Preliminary survey for the Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards is now ongoing at http://filipinoreadercon.wordpress.com/readers-choice-awards/frca-2013-survey/.

Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards

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Just this morning, on my way to work, I was thinking of the reviews that I need to write for this blog, and felt a bit overwhelmed because I realized that I am really, really so behind. I really should get around to writing those reviews before they turn two months old.

But before that…I have this!

Last January, I met up with several Filipino Book Bloggers — a casual meet-up, but also not really because we talked about some serious bookish business! It feels like that meet-up was ages ago (and in a way, it was). I can’t help but remember that moment fondly now, because the things we talked about there are coming true now.

Which is why I am really excited to post this! Presenting the first Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards!

The Filipino Readers Choice Awards seeks to engage the Filipino reading public in honoring their favorite Philippine-published titles. An initiative of the Filipino Book Bloggers Group, the Filipino RCA was established to develop awareness and appreciation of Philippine literature; recognize the reader’s role in creating the meaning and experience of a literary work; and give the readers a voice in the Philippine book industry.

Nominations started last Monday and will be open until July 22. You can nominate any book published in the Philippines from January 2010 to December 2011 using this short nomination form. There are 8 categories all in all:

Children’s picture book
Chick lit
Novel in English
Novel in Filipino
Comics / Graphic novels
Short story anthology
Essay anthology
Poetry

Updates on the awards will be posted on the Filipino ReaderCon website (maintained by yours truly :) ), and the winners will be awarded during the 2nd Filipino ReaderCon on August 18 at the Filipinas Heritage Library (a post on this later on!).

I’m really excited about this not just because I’m a part of the committee for the awards, but because I’m really thrilled with the idea that my nominations count! That this time, we readers can decide which books are deserving of the awards. :) Doesn’t that make you feel good, too?

I already nominated several books I read and reviewed last year that I really liked. Have you nominated your favorites? If not, well, you have until the 22nd to do so! Snap to! :)

Kwentillion: A Million Stories to be Told

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Last weekend was the Summer Komikon and I don’t really go there except if I’m looking for autographs for some of the local series I follow, or if there’s an interesting launch. This time around, it was the latter, and I am very proud to say that it’s the first launch I attended where I actually went onstage because I was a part of the project! :)

From the Summit Media page:

Kwentillion Magazine is the country’s first publication dedicated to young adult literature and media, featuring YA-themed comics and fiction by Filipino creators. The bi-monthly, black and white magazine (with an eight-page colored spread in every issue) features reviews and previews of young adult books, interviews with creators, and articles which tackle a wide variety of topics of interest to the YA community.

I co-wrote an article here with my friend Chachic about YA books in 2012:

Apocalypse Can Wait!

It’s not the first time I saw my name in print (I was in another independent magazine a few years ago :P), and I have been writing for Summit and other places online for a while now, but it’s quite nice to see my name in a project like this, something that I am passionate about. The other comics and articles are all awesome too — it’s always nice to read more local fiction. :)

The first issue is really a test run, and the next issue would depend on how well this first one sells, or how much buzz it generates. So! If you like young adult literature, or you want to read more about Filipino comics and fiction, Kwentillion is the magazine you are looking for! It’s available in National Bookstore and Powerbooks branches (last thing I heard, NBS Bestsellers in Galleria has copies) for Php 150. It has pretty good print quality too — I was surprised at the size of the magazine when I finally got my copy.

I’ll try to post a more comprehensive “review” of this issue later this week (promise to get rid of the personal bias over the project :D). I’m so honored to be a part of this project, and it was so cool to see it come to life. :)

Here’s a post from one of our editors about Kwentillion, and why he thinks this project is important. And then, you can also follow Kwentillion on Twitter or like the page on Facebook for more updates. :D

The Spark Project

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Today I am over at my lovely lawyer (and all-around awesome nanay) friend Monique’s blog for the second installment of the new blog feature, The Spark Project.

After featuring her in my blog, it’s my turn to be on hers! This feature, as shown on the image, is really about *cue LOTR tone* the (one) book that started it all. :) Or in my case, several books. To be more specific, the book that started it all for me is a part of a series. Oh and it’s not Harry Potter or Twilight, if that’s your first guess. :P

Click here to read the interview!

Also, I am very flattered to read how Monique described me. :”> Thank you! Haha, and I love that she used pink on my name for the intro. And she even plugged my birthday too (in less than a month, eep!). :D

Again, thanks for the feature, Monique! And do drop by at her blog not just for the features but also for her detailed and honest reviews. :)

One More Page

because reading "one more page" is never really enough :)