Filipino Friday on a Sunday: Catch Up Post!

This is a massive catch-up post for all ReaderCon Filipino Friday posts I missed in the past weeks. I meant to answer each question individually with scheduled posts and all, but you know how sometimes we mean things but never really end up doing them? Yeah, that. But better late than never, even if it means doing a Filipino Friday post on a Sunday. :)

So here’s a massive Filipino Friday catch-up post, answering all four questions that I missed. I promise will try not to be too talkative!

Filipino Friday

...on a Sunday! :)

Week 2: How did you become a reader? Why do you read?

The Best Thanksgiving Ever - SVK # 34[/caption]

I mentioned in my intro post that my dad used to read Pepito the Catfish to me when I was young, and I’d like to think that that was the thing that started me reading. My mom often told me that she was afraid I had problems with reading when I was a kid because it took a while for me to learn how to read. She’d tell me that I used to “pretend” to read, lying on bed with a book open, even if I can’t actually read. I remember in Grade 1, I’d borrow these Bible story books from my classmate and pore over them everyday while it was with me. But I think the time I really started to pick up books on my own was in Grade 3 (when scanner software was practically nonexistent), when a classmate brought some of her Sweet Valley Kids books to school. The colorful covers intrigued me and I borrowed one. I never finished that borrowed copy, but I begged my mom to buy me one book (back then it was only Php 59.75!), and that started everything. That started it all, and since then, the bookstore became my haven. :)

Why do I read? Well, that’s a harder question to answer. I could go on and on about how stories shape our lives and how books provide knowledge and all…but I think my real reason is this: I love words. English has always been my best subject (Science also was one, until the Math part of it kind of made it hard for me), and I have always found comfort in words. There’s just something beautiful about a words coming together to form a story, and I dream of being able to have my own story out there in the wild (no matter how scary that thought is :D).

Week 3: How hard or easy it is to become a book lover in the Philippines?

Okay, this is kind of a big question. Truth be told, I’ve only been looking at how different it is to be a book lover in our country lately, when I started getting more active in book blogger activities. Before I started blogging about books, I was only concerned about the books I find in the local bookstores. I don’t know if I’m lucky or I just don’t want too many books back then, but every time I look for a book I want, I find it. I guess I just happen to look in the right places? Or I just didn’t subscribe much to hype.

Now that I’m more aware…I’m kind of on the fence here. Yes, it’s hard to be a book lover in the Philippines because not all the books I want get here on time, and it’s hard to find some of the books I want, but like I said, for some reason, I always find ways. I guess I could count myself blessed enough to have the resources (and patience!) to get the books I want. Here’s my usual game plan in getting books:

  • I look for it first in local bookstores, usually a few days to a month after it gets released. If I’m lucky, I find it there and get it. Fully Booked (especially Eastwood) has never failed me with their reservation and transfer system, so they’re pretty good for me.
  • Before Book Depository and before I got my Kindle, I also often ask my dad to order some books for me from Amazon and for him to bring it when he goes home. I used to do this for Christian fiction books I want because that is harder to find here!
  • When I got my Kindle for iPhone, I had to weigh the option if I really want that book in ebook form or print form. Now my criteria of getting an ebook is if (1) I absolutely can’t wait for the book, (2) I don’t mind not having a print copy and (3) I love the author so much that I don’t mind buying a print copy after I read the ebook.
  • If it’s not there and I have extra cash in my Paypal account and I really want the book and I feel that it would be cheaper, I’ll order it on Book Depository. (Lately, though, I reserve BD for pre-orders).
  • And just lately: borrow from fellow book lovers. I don’t need to acquire every book I want to read, right?

So I guess I’m just really blessed to find ways. I still wish there are good libraries here, though, because I think it will help a lot of people, but I can’t really complain much since I still get to read what I want to read. :)

Week 4: Do I read Filipino literature?

I love that I can say yes to this. :) Yes, I do! Of course, I only started reading them last year, thanks to Project 20:10, and even if I’ve never met my reading challenge, I still try to read more. As an aspiring Filipino novelist, I think reading local fiction is required. I’m no expert with local fiction, and I must admit that I’m still choosy with local fiction (sorry, the books I used to read in school are the things I still avoid — I can’t handle reading too much social ills and dysfunctional families). I am very glad that local fiction is growing, even if it’s not in the usual channels. Some notable reads:

I look forward to reading more Filipino literature, and I dream for one of our Filipino NaNoWriMo novelists to publish their own novels and send it out in the wild. :)

Week 5: What do you hope will happen in the Filipino ReaderCon?

Filipino Readers Make it Social!Oh expectations. I’ve learned not to set expectations because it often leads to…

Oh wait, sorry, I’m not in my personal blog. =D

Kidding. Anyway, I don’t really have set expectations for the 1st Filipino Reader Conference (it’s only 3 DAYS AWAY! :D). I am looking forward to an afternoon filled with book talk, seeing old friends and meeting new ones, too. I expect to be busy on that day, being a volunteer and all, but I also expect it’s a good kind of busy because it’s for something that I am passionate about. :)

Whew, sorry for the long post! :) I hope that even if I blabbed on and on here, this would convince you to join us in the first ever Filipino Reader Conference on the first day of the 32nd Manila International Book Fair, September 14, 1-6pm at SMX MOA Meeting Room 2! If you can’t make it, then I hope to be able to talk to you over at the @PinoyReaderCon twitter — I’ll be the live Twitter-er for the event. :)

See you there! :D

Filipino Friday: ReaderCon Intro

Filipino Friday

It’s not Friday here anymore, but you know that thing where the day is not over until you’ve slept? Yeah, I’m doing that here.

It’s been a crazy couple of days that’s why it’s kind of quiet in the blog, and it will be quiet again soon because I’ll be off to a trip for the next two weeks! I’m breaking the blog silence to join the first Filipino Friday meme in preparation for the first Filipino Reader’s Conference that will be happening next month (more to that in a future post, hopefully this weekend :D).

So, hi! I’m Tina. I’ve been reading since I was a kid and I’d like to believe that my dad’s reading time with me was what made me a reader. I remember the times he’d read this Pepito the Catfish to me when I was younger, and there was this other book that he used to read to me in the province when we were staying there. Anyway, the first time I truly wanted to start collecting and reading books was when a classmate in Grade 3 brought some Sweet Valley Kids books in school. Ever since then, the bookstore has always been my favorite place to go to when I go out.

I wish I could say I read any genre, but I’m really very biased towards YA, especially contemporary. I’ve learned to love fantasy last year, and right now I’m working on getting to know more sci-fi and classics. My favorite a.k.a auto-buy authors are Sarah Dessen, John Green, Frank E. Peretti, Ilona Andrews, Melina Marchetta, Mira Grant, Camy Tang, Patrick Ness, Stephen Emond, and Mina V. Esguerra to name a few. :) I’m pretty sure I missed someone there — there’s just too many good books by good authors out there.

Comfort reads include anything swoony or funny, preferably both — best examples are The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen and Fairy Tale Fail by Mina V. Esguerra. I like my books with enough swoon. ;) I also tend to like books with zombies and just recently, superheroes.

Two of the best books I’ve read this year: Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta and A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. And just because it’s unusual, I think it’s worth a mention that I thought Unearthly by Cynthia Hand is one of those paranormal books that went against the norm. And because they’re from favorite authors, I also thought Jasper Fforde’s The Last Dragonslayer and Mira Grant’s Deadline are full of awesome. :)

If this post sounds just a teensy bit loopy, I apologize. I’m actually really sleepy right now. :P So, hi! :)

Filipino Friday: Goals and Resolutions

Filipino FridayI meant to host Filipino Friday last week, but all the hoopla and celebrations for the turn of the year caught up with me and I totally forgot about it. Ooops. Sorry Chachic!

But anyway, here I am! To those unfamiliar, Filipino Friday is a weekly (or sort of weekly) discussion among Filipino Book Bloggers about anything book or book blogging related. I’d like to start off this year’s discussion with something that I am sure everyone did or is still doing now that the new year is upon us: reading goals and resolutions.

I’m fond of setting goals and resolutions, because I believe in the power of setting one. That’s one of the big reasons why I love the new year because it allows people to start with a blank slate and leave whatever they don’t want to bring into the new year from the past there. I am also slightly nuts about setting challenges for myself, so I am always open to joining challenges that I like, or even some challenges that I am not sure I like them just so I can try to go outside of my comfort zone. So here’s this week’s question: what are your 2011 goals and resolutions as a reader and (Filipino) book blogger? Do you plan to read more books from last year, or do you plan to concentrate on a certain genre only? Do you want to up your stats, your comments or network more? Are you joining reading challenges or are you winging it? Do you plan to buy more books or less? Do you have a reading order ready for the books you will read for January, or even in the next months or the whole year?

I’ve already posted about joining the TwentyEleven challenge, which I hope helps me try new books and genres that I haven’t read before. I’ve also decided not to put a number on the books I plan to read this year after I’ve reached 100 last year — although I wouldn’t mind reading more than the number of books I read last year. I have set other goals for myself, though:

  • Read 5 classics – I’ve been setting a 10 book goal in a year, but I know that I will never reach that number because I read classics too slow. I read 3 last year (5 if you count the C.S. Lewis books, which I am not sure are classics), so this year, I’m aiming for a lower number from 10, but higher from the total I read last year. :)
  • Read at least 20 books by Filipinos – I really enjoyed Project 20:10 last year, and even if I didn’t reach the target 20 books, I’m happy that I tried. I have discovered many good Filipino fiction last year because of that challenge. I want to do that again this year.

As for resolutions? I haven’t set a final list, but here’s what I have from the top of my head:

  • I will embrace my Mt. TBR. No more stressing over the number of books I have or will have. Sure, I still think I have too many, but I will not stress over it anymore. I figure, as long as I can read and love reading, I will not stop getting books, so why fight it?
  • However, I will avoid impulse buys. I am very bad at impulse buys. Book buying is my kind of retail therapy, so whenever I am sad or angry or emotional, I tend to get more books. :P I will try to stop doing that…by doing what, I am not sure yet. But I will avoid impulse buys as much as possible.
  • I will allow myself not to finish books. Best example is the book I posted about yesterday. However, I will only probably do this for review copies, if I really cannot stand it anymore. I will still attempt to finish the books I bought with my own money, no matter how much I end up disliking it. I have very high tolerance, anyway. :P And while review copies are nice (and free), I will not force myself to love the book or finish it if I have lost interest.
  • I will keep on writing honest reviews and find ways to improve my reviewing. I know I tend to ramble on my reviews, so this year I’m going to work on that. :P
  • I will clean out my shelves twice this year. No, not dusting or re-arranging (although I would do that), but I will weed out books that I know will find better homes somewhere. If I know I won’t re-read it anymore, then I can give them to someone who will love it more than I do.
  • I will attend more bookish events this year. I think this is self-explanatory? :)

So what about you? What are your reading/blogging goals and resolutions this 2011? I know some of you have already posted your goals and challenges in your blogs, so feel free to leave a link for them below and I can do a round up here, too. :)

I’m sure most of us agree that 2010 has been a good year for us Filipino Book Bloggers, so here’s to hoping 2011 will be an even better year. :) *cheers*