Book Blog Tour: Interview with Marissa Bañez (2 of 3)

 

Here is part 2 of my interview with Ms. Marissa Bañez, author of Hope and Fortune. 

Who do you dream of collaborating with in the future or on your next book project?

      My next book project is already in production and scheduled for official release on July 20, 2023.  It’s called Hues and Harmony (How the Rainbow Butterfly Got Her Colors).  It’s a story about multiraciality, self-discovery, self-acceptance, and belonging, as told through the life and adventures of a gray caterpillar.  The Fortune Fairies and Esperanza from Hope and Fortune make a cameo – but critical – appearance in Hues and Harmony, but it’s not a sequel.

       I’m also already thinking about my third book, which deals with the concept of “beauty.”  Again, Esperanza may make a cameo appearance there, but it’s also not a sequel.

      Honestly, I presently don’t have any dreams of collaborating with other children’s author for any of my upcoming book projects.  I like my own ideas as they are.  I wouldn’t want to impose them upon anyone, nor would I necessarily want others to impose their views on me to change my ideas.  However, if the stars align and someone comes along with whom I can collaborate and work nicely with on a new and different idea, I wouldn’t be opposed to it.

       Also, I think that my stories translate well into film or live performance by expanding on the themes and messages introduced in the books.  I would love to work and collaborate with the right person(s) for that type of project.

      What is the children’s book you wish you had written?

      I would never presume to take away credit from someone else who poured their heart, soul, and ideas into a book.  Nor do I have a shred of jealousy or envy of their successes.  The marketplace of ideas is big enough to accommodate everyone without anyone coveting the work of others as their own.  So, there is no children’s book written by someone else that I wish I had written.  I’m happy enough to simply have my books on the same bookshelf and hopefully enjoyed by some of the same readers.

      Author Bio

      A first-generation immigrant to the U.S. from Baguio City, Philippines, Marissa Bañez is a graduate of Princeton University and a lawyer licensed to practice in New York, California, and New Jersey. She has published legal articles for the prestigious New York Law Journal and the American Bar Association, but her true passion for writing is her children's stories.  At almost age 65, she is embarking on her new venture as a children’s illustrated book author with the debut of Hope and Fortune.  Her second book, Hues and Harmony (How the Rainbow Butterfly Got Her Colors) is scheduled for publication on July 20, 2023.  You can find her online at https://www.marissabanez.com/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissa-banez/ and https://www.facebook.com/marissa.banez.7.

 

PPT Presentation: Author Visit and Storytelling at ValACE

 

Author Visit_Ms. ZarahG_K-3 by zarah gagatiga

Author Visit 2023: Grand Opening of the Valenzuela City Library

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Book Blog Tour: Interview with Marissa Bañez (1 of 3)

I am delighted to have this interview with Ms. Marissa Bañez, author of Hope and Fortune. I participated in the Book Blog Tour for Hope and Fortune a few weeks back and my review opened doors for Ms. Bañez and I to exchange views on the themes and topics of her new book. 

Here now is a three part interview where Ms. Bañez generously walks us through her writing journey. 

Parts 2 and 3 will be posted on the blog in the coming days.

Congratulations on the publication of Hope and Fortune. My first question is how – how did it all begin for you, the idea or desire to write for children?

Thank you for giving me this wonderful opportunity to introduce myself and my book. 

The whole book-writing thing came about organically.  Writing children’s stories was not  something I deliberately chose; it was more like it chose me.

My husband was 49 and I was 40 when we got married.  As we were both no-longer-young, I did not expect to have a child.  Yet, one night during our honeymoon, I had a wonderful, extremely vivid dream.  I still remember every detail to this day.  In the dream, I found myself in a beautiful, very colorful floral garden, feeling peaceful and happy.  Suddenly, singing, laughing, and dancing angels and cherubim surrounded and enveloped me into their midst, giving me a joyful and warm feeling beyond all imagination.  Then, a dark-haired cherub kissed me on the lips.  I immediately woke up and, still very much feeling the cherub’s kiss on my lips, told my husband that we were going to have a baby.  Nine months later, my daughter Angelica was born. 

For no particular reason, I wrote a little book about that dream and the words almost wrote themselves.  Whenever I read the story to my friends, everyone always got a bit teary-eyed in a good way, which led me to think that I might be able to write stories that affect people positively.

When my daughter was a little girl, I wrote other original children’s stories for her and her friends and created puppet shows out of the stories.  I made stage scenery and puppet characters using foam board, painted bedsheets, paper bags, popsicle sticks, and just about any available useable household item.  Whenever I wrote a story, it seemed that the words and story lines just came to me almost unbidden, without a lot of effort, angst, or self-doubt.  After all, I was just writing kids’ books, not novels.  I had fun, the kids had fun, so why not keep doing it? 

For her 7^th birthday party, my daughter wanted a story about cowgirls, fairies, and her little stuffed horse.  She and I brainstormed a bit, and I came up with a story entitled, The Lost Foal.  This was the party invitation:

In The Lost Foal, the stuffed horse was the one that got lost in the forest and encountered “cowgirl fairies” played by my daughter and her guests, each of whom wore fairy wings and pink cowboy hats and gave the horse life advice to get it back on the right track.

Fast forward 16 years later to the pandemic and lockdown in 2020.  I felt bad for my daughter, her peers and those younger, all of whom faced unprecedented uncertainties in life.  I then took The Lost Foal, modernized it with a diverse cast of characters, and created a message that I hope will resonate not only with the very young but also with those less so who may feel rudderless and lost (in however way you want to define and contextualize those terms) at some point in their lives. 

Who are your mentors in writing and in life, in general?

 I don’t have a mentor in writing. 

 I confess that I’ve never taken a creative writing course or workshop.  That’s not to say such courses or workshops have no purpose because they certainly do.  It’s just that my lawyering and my responsibilities as a mom had taken up so much of my time and energy in the last 40 years that I simply couldn’t bring myself to prepare for yet another vocation.

 However, I’m an avid reader of many different genres.  So, I’d like to say that all the writers whose work I’ve devoured throughout the years collectively are my mentors in writing.

As for my mentors in life, the first and foremost that comes to mind is my late mother.  My mom was a quiet woman who worked hard as a hotel maid to provide for her 10 children the best that she could and who succeeded in raising each of us to be good people.  She modeled that work ethic for us so that I’m proud to share that I have a sister who’s a retired Administrative Law Judge for the State of California and a lawyer, another sister who was a Director of Public Health Nursing, and my youngest sister was one of the very first women to be accepted to the U.S. Air Force Academy.  I memorialized my mom as the Fortune Fairy of Hope in Hope and Fortune, who also represents the Philippines and Filipino culture with her dress.

I also must credit my older siblings in this regard.  I have an incredibly multi-talented family and the competitive part of me simply didn’t want to be left behind.  So, I taught myself to sew like my oldest sister, do arts-and-crafts projects like my third oldest sister, play a little guitar like my brother and second oldest sister, compete in speech/oratory contests in high school like my remaining two older awards-decorated sisters, cook something out of nothing like all of them, etc.  I’m not as good as they are, but it is in the trying that’s fun for me.

Author Bio

A first-generation immigrant to the U.S. from Baguio City, Philippines, Marissa Bañez is a graduate of Princeton University and a lawyer licensed to practice in New York, California, and New Jersey. She has published legal articles for the prestigious New York Law Journal and the American Bar Association, but her true passion for writing is her children's stories.  At almost age 65, she is embarking on her new venture as a children’s illustrated book author with the debut of Hope and Fortune.  Her second book, Hues and Harmony (How the Rainbow Butterfly Got Her Colors) is scheduled for publication on July 20, 2023.  You can find her online at https://www.marissabanez.com/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissa-banez/ and https://www.facebook.com/marissa.banez.7.

 

Pandemic Poetry: A Whisper

 

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Filipino Children's Books on Mental Health

Children’s Literature provides the reader and those who create it a space where they can explore and present varied experiences and realities of mental health and its complexities. Books and stories remain avenues for catharsis, healing and the assurance that one is never alone. Here are ten titles of children’s books that I believe, tackles mental health issues and ways of journeying with the child reader in his/her/their quest for well-being.

What is mental health?

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.1 Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. ~ CDC, About Mental Health

Components of Mental Health, World Health Organization

Mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders. It exists on a complex continuum, which is experienced differently from one person to the next, with varying degrees of difficulty and distress and potentially very different social and clinical outcomes.

Mental health conditions include mental disorders and psychosocial disabilities as well as other mental states associated with significant distress, impairment in functioning, or risk of self-harm. People with mental health conditions are more likely to experience lower levels of mental well-being, but this is not always or necessarily the case.

1.      

         Canon, Christine. Bakit Matagal Ang Sundo Ko/ Why Is Mommy Late? Quezon

City: Adarna House, 2001.

A little girl patiently waits for mom to fetch her after school. When all the kids have gone home, she resolved to imagine the possible reasons why her mother is late in fetching her. And what imagination can do on a bored little child.

Gourlay, Candy. Sirena Ba ‘Yan? Quezon City: Adarna House, 2019.

Sirena Ba 'Yan? (Is That a Mermaid?) is Candy Gourlay's new picture book. It is about a dugong (sea cow) claiming itself as a mermaid to the chagrin of two kids who met this gentle sea creature by the shore. Together they go on an adventure with the dugong consistently keeping its claim, I am a mermaid!

Anonuevo, Rebecca. Ang Mahiyaing Manok. Quezon City: Adarna House, 2000.

Onyok is a shy rooster who could not crow. To overcome his shyness, his parents gave him all the encouragement he needs. He soon found his voice and his self-confidence. The writer’s use of onomatopoeia has been most effective to characterize Onyok and the change in his character.

 Bellen, Christine. Filemon Mamon. Quezon City: Adarna House, 2004.

Filemon is bent on losing weight so he can play Andres Bonifacio in the school play. With hard work and discipline, he realized the sacrifices he must take to be physically fit. Bellen’s narrative is simple and funny, but sticks to the real issues on obesity.

 Gatmaitan, Luis. Si Miyaw Kasi. Makati City: UNICEF, 2002.

 Nancy takes care of cat foundlings while her parents are away. What her parents could not provide her, she gave the foundlings.

 Rivera, Augie. XILEF. Quezon City: Adarna House, 2000.

 Felix is a young boy with dyslexia. Through the support of his parents & his teachers’ commitment to teach him, he eventually learned how to read & earned gained self-esteem.

Sunico, Ramon. Two Friends One World. Pasig City: Anvil/Cacho Publishing

A blind boy and his friend spends an afternoon at the park discovering the wonders of a tree, a mango fruit and the glow and color of

Patindol, Jean. Papa’s House, Mama’s House. Quezon City: Adarna House, 2004.

Mama explains, with patience, compassion & tolerance, the reasons for her separation from Papa. Using not too complicated words for a child to understand.

Remigio, Corazon. Bruhaha-Bruhihi. Quezon  City: Adarna House,

 A little girl suspects of having a witch for a neighbor. She conjured all the superstitious beliefs on witches that her experience afforded. From this schema, she believed that Mrs. Magalit is indeed a true-blue witch until a humiliating incident shattered all perceived ideas of the old woman. She is after all, just an old woman - shriveled, lonely and alone. Thus, the little girl extended her compassion and friendship to Mrs. Magalit.

 

 

My Art Journey. So far...

 

@djahjumma Well… @STUDIO.Badelles #artheals ♬ Minimal music style / art / art(1277094) - Sumochi

Lights and Sparks in Hope and Fortune

I did a review of Hope and Fortune by Marissa Bañez last February 8, 2023.

I was pleasantly surprised to get an email from Ms. Bañez in response to my review particularly on the agency of Esperanza, the main character in the book.

Here is a snippet of Ms. Bañez reply to my review:

Esperanza is merely the conduit through which the fairies are introduced.  My intention was to inject and immerse the reader directly into the story as the true recipient of the fairies' messages, which is why Esperanza vanishes and is literally out of the picture when the fairies speak.  For her "to work hard and own the virtues bestowed upon her by the fairies" beyond her acknowledgment of their gifts to her at the end would break the fairy-reader connection that I wanted to establish.  In fact, many young and not-so-young readers have told me how they felt personally touched by some of the fairies' messages as they related them to their own experiences.  That's also why most reviewers comment on why Hope and Fortune should be read by adults for themselves and not just for their children.  Even the manner in which Esperanza thanked the fairies at the end is deliberately written in the way that I wanted the reader to remember the fairies' messages.  In short, most of the book isn't for -- or even about -- Esperanza at all. 

To this, I sent back an email. I am sharing selected paragraphs here as well.

As a school librarian, I value this connection and discussion between text, reader, author and the community that we belong and share. I do respect your method and process thus my requests. It is important to see various points and perspectives in the literature that we are reading and engaging with given that we are in the  age where our implicit biases and prejudices are unchecked. If left unexamined the door to empathy building remains shut. There is so much to take and learn from the stories of others. Different our views may be, we share our humanity.

I read Hope and Fortune from the context of a Filipino who grew up during the Martial Law years, with 300 years of Spanish colonization and 50 years of American rule in my collective history...  

Having explained the context I bring in, reading Hope and Fortune, my inner child who grew up under colonial rule and dictatorship yearns to see on the pages of a book the agency to be allowed to wield my own power because, while fairies can bestow and generously bequeath gifts and graces, I too can do that and be the fairy for myself and for others.

From this exchange we can glean how books and stories figure dominantly in our lives. Books and stories bring people together. A story shared can bridge the past to the present providing sparks that can lead to more opportunities to tell stories.

Hope and Fortune is a modern-day fairytale, featuring multicultural, multiracial (e.g., Filipina, African-American, Latina, Asian, Muslim, etc.), multigenerational, and multigender (including a boy) fairies of different shapes and sizes who help a sad little child who has lost her way to find her path.  Each fairy represents an ideal - Hope, Innocence and Wonder, Truth and Virtue, Generosity and Kindness, Strength and Courage, Respect and Dignity, Confidence, Imagination, Happiness, Beauty, Wisdom and Intelligence, and Love and Friendship. Although the protagonist is a little girl, the life advice given by the fairies is non-gender-specific and could resonate with anyone facing a difficult situation at any point in her/his/their life.

Publisher: Black Rose Writing

ISBN-10: 1685131174

ISBN-12: 978-1685131174

Print copy pages: 46 pages

Teacher and Librarian Collaboration: How to Find Sources (Research Skills Instruction Grade 9)

I spent Valentine's Day teaching our grade 9 students the basics of Finding Sources. Thanks to our English teacher who recognizes the role of the school librarian in enriching and expanding student's understanding on the use of sources. As the topic falls under academic reading and writing, I asked for the texts that students were assigned to read. 

The English teacher sent me two articles selected from research journals. So, last weekend, I rolled up my sleeves and went to work. My goal was to lay the foundation of location and access. I planned a review of the different sources of information and the parts of a book - the printed format. Documenting the bibliographic data of a book source was the hands-on activity of choice.

I was amazed and inspired, and yes, a little bit insecure to approach the teaching of sources in this level of difficulty and sophisticated thinking. I am still in awe working alongside skilled and competent teachers.

The coolest thing about this teaching collab was the return of the students to the library!

The English teacher engaged students in the conversion of questions and statements of inquiry into language that can be used in searching sources in print and online formats. As the school’s teacher librarian, I facilitated a session where students apply skills and strategies in finding, locating and accessing information from curated collections of sources and followed through. Further assisting students in their journey of inquiry.

Waiting for the day when content or subject area teachers strike up collaborations with us, literacy skills teachers.

Poetry: The Patience of Ordinary Things by Pat Schneider

 The Patience of Ordinary Things

By Pat Schneider

It is a kind of love, is it not?
How the cup holds the tea,
How the chair stands sturdy and foursquare,
How the floor receives the bottoms of shoes
Or toes. How soles of feet know
Where they’re supposed to be.
I’ve been thinking about the patience
Of ordinary things, how clothes
Wait respectfully in closets
And soap dries quietly in the dish,
And towels drink the wet
From the skin of the back.
And the lovely repetition of stairs.
And what is more generous than a window?

Curatorial Notes on My Artworks

 

Photo: Jose Badelles Feb. 15, 2023

1.       Ode to an Onion

      I drew an onion to highlight its globed shape using pencil and watercolor graphite. I had a real onion on my table while drawing on paper. Finishing this piece was a satisfying exercise since I felt confident working on the curved lines and the gray tones.

2.      The Quill

It was my first time to use an angler shader and watercolor. I was nervous and excited at the same time since I was dependent on my intuition and imagination to finish this piece. 

3.   The Eggplant

Because I had an excess of green and red-violet hues.

4.    The Reed 

This was a pleasant surprise. It was my first time to use three small watercolor brushes, green and a mix of red-violet watercolor paints. I noticed that I am more confident holding small brushes on small art pieces. I need to trust water more.

BA Library Research Skills Instruction: How to Find Sources

 

BALib_How to Find Sources_ThePioneer by ZarahG

Planning for a Research Skills Instruction: How to Find Sources

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Kuwentong Bangtan: On Solo Stans and Their Relevance in the Fandom (1 of 3)

I have been thinking about solo stanning for a while now.

Since Bangtan announced their pursuance of solo projects back in June and Jin’s conscription in December last year, my co-ARMYs (my daughter, most especially) and I have been discussing the noise of solo stans on socmed. They have always been noisy to begin with. They are unabashed in sowing division in the fandom. They bully. They gaslight. They are clique-ish.

A solo stan is dangerous. They cannot be reasoned with and would never step aside to examine their implicit prejudices. Their favoritism and loyalty to stereotyping prevent fanbases to co-create, collaborate and get along complementarity to and with each other.

The reality is, they are everywhere. We all have them, right? In our families, among relatives, in the workplace, in our communities and the larger society.

And now that Bangtan is brilliantly streaking into their Chapter 2, the solo stans are bolder and more courageous in expressing their biases to the detriment of the fandom as a whole. I am still reflecting on this a lot.

Bangtan, intentionally or not, have always stood for inclusion and diversity. While ARMYs, in general treat each other like family even on first sight, there exist the solo stans that prods me to look into the darkness that dwell in the chambers of my own little purple heart.

BTS is and will always be seven!

Bibliotherapy: The Healing Magic of Stories on YT

Finally! 

I have uploaded my talk on Developmental Bibliotherapy on my YouTube channel. This lecture was improved, revised and  recorded during the pandemic. 

I hope you find this helpful, teachers, parents and librarians!

Book Review: Hope and Fortune

I am participating in the book blog tour of Hope and Fortune by Marissa Bañez. As to what the book is all about, you can read the description and the author's information here. Now, for my honest review.

The main character, Esperanza, a young girl of about 9-11 years old lost her way in the Fabled Fairy Forest. Thankfully, an enchanted tree and twelve fairies guided her way out and back on to the path of the world with advice, words of wisdom and quotable quotes to live by. These are all good and beautiful things. The fairies are vividly illustrated carrying symbols of virtues that each of them represent. The emblems and sigils of the fairies can lead readers, the young and the old into discussions of its cultural origins and philosophies.

Take for example, the terno and saya worn by the Fairy of Hope reminds me of the Filipiniana costume and attire Filipina women wear on special events and family gatherings. Even the design and weave of the saya or the skirt seem inspired from an indigenous culture in the Philippines or a country from Southeast Asia. It is the same with rest of the fairies and how each is illustrated.

Abundant in encouraging words, but limited in scenes and events that allow agency, Esperanza remains a passive participant from start to finish. The verse is eloquent and beautiful, but I would rather see Esperanza work hard and own the virtues bestowed upon her by the fairies.

I am going to hazard a guess. Maybe, Hope and Fortune is an introduction to a series where Esperanza applies herself after gleaning wisdom and virtue from the twelve fairies?

Book Review Rating: 3 bookmarks over 5

Taking Courage #1: Keys and Maintenance Meds

I realized I could never leave home without my keys and my maintenance medications. My wallet is a given. It does not count. But my maintenance meds and the keys to the house, the backdoor gate, the rooms, drawers and cabinets propels me into stress should I forget to bring them with me. My internal sunshine fades into shadow. I spiral down to a stress eating habit the entire day despite practical solutions applied in cases like this. 

The stress eating could go on for days. It is a by product of trauma and adverse experiences from years past. I shall write about this when I am ready. For now, let me dwell on the importance of always bringing along my jumble of keys and medications every day.

What is it with keys and medicines?

Keys open things. Keys present opportunities. Keys can be duplicated, given and entrusted to the next person of kin or close relationships. Keys allow me to open locked doors to the house; to escape to a room and seek comfort; to rest undisturbed in my own room; or just to simply stay in the safety of home.

What can be found next to my jumble of keys inside my bag is my pouch of medicines. Mostly maintenance meds: lipitor, clopidogrel, antihistamine plus, vitamins and supplements like collagen and zinc. I also bring with me two packets of hydrate and erceflora. Yes. These are my sources of sustenance, comfort and peace of mind. If keys provide me with a sense of freedom of choice and a bit of control, my medicines, vitamins and supplements calms me down. Its presence in my bag, kept in a soft, canvas pouch is a reminder of the fragility of life and the big responsibility of valuing life as well.

Keys and medicines reassure me that there are solutions to problems and that, the first person who must take care of me is myself. I need to remember what such precious little things can do and magnify. My life has come to this.

February is Arts Month

 

Memoir: The Courage to Begin

 

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Of Ours Who Are Torn Apart*

 Of Ours Who Are Torn Apart*

Here we stand
Close enough to touch
To even kiss and share one breath

In a place where
the water goes back
to the sea always

Sighing
Crying
Weeping

For the years of wonder
And endless sunsets
Are drowned and
Washed away
To another land where
Your songs sail
On the wings of clouds
To return as rain

zarahG 2.4.23

Photo and caption by Kim Namjoon on @rkive on IG 2.3.23

#poetry #poetrybyARMY