Thursday, January 4, 2024

Author Interview: Bambi Eloriaga-Amago (1 of 2)


The blog's first Author Interview of the year is none other than Ms. Bambi Eloriaga-Amago. Her book, "Too Loud: Soothing Sensory Overload with Music" (Kahel Press, 2023) will be launched on January 6, 2023, 2PM - 3PM at the Quezon City Public Library.

About the book:

Jean's best friend Elmo has autism and a great ear for music. Loud noises easily make him anxious. On a particularly rowdy bus ride home, Elmo begins to panic. Will Jean and their friends find a way to help Elmo calm down?
“Too Loud: Soothing Sensory Overload with Music” is a picture book created by autism awareness advocates Bambi Eloriaga-Amago and Arthur (Gani) Riel Cabezas and translated to Filipino by Mark Daniel Fortaleza. It is a recipient of the publication grant of the National Book Development Board - Philippines.

1.   What books define your writing life?

A: I can’t think of particular books, but I do have authors whose writing styles I do try to emulate (emphasis on “try,” haha!) One is the late Sir Terry Pratchett. I love how his works are full of humor, while injecting loads of social commentary...I wish I was that witty. In the middle of reading, his words just make you stop and think about life, the universe, what it means to be human, and have a good laugh about it in the process. Genius, really. My top two favorite works of his are “Nation” and “The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents.”

Another is Rumiko Takahashi, the mangaka famous for creating classics like “Ranma ½” and “Inu-yasha.” I got into anime and manga because of her. She makes transitioning from funny to dramatic or action scenes seamless. I wish I could be as effortless as her in evoking mood changes, without having them come off as pilit or jarring.

 

2.   What books would you recommend to parents who have children in the spectrum?

A: Not to, as we say in Tagalog, magbuhat ng sariling bangko, but I’d like to recommend my own works—“Doobiedoo Asks” and “Too Loud.” I wrote them specifically for the “support team:” persons who may not have autism themselves, but do have a loved one who has. “Doobiedoo Asks” was made with parents in mind. It is the story of our own family and we shared it, in the hopes of helping other parents who may be facing a similar situation.

“Too Loud,” meanwhile, I wrote with fostering empathy in mind. It is geared towards younger neurotypical readers to show them how to interact with a friend or schoolmate who has autism.

A book I think, which may be helpful for parents and adults is “My Brain is Different: Stories of ADHD and Other Developmental Disorders,” it is a manga anthology illustrated by Monzusu. In the book, the mangaka collects and illustrates personal accounts of people with developmental disorders like ADHD and autism.

While for younger readers, controversy over the name Asperger aside, the book that was most helpful to me in explaining autism to my own son is “All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome” by Kathy Hoopman. In it, the author likens certain mannerisms and behavior of people with Asperger to well-known cat traits.

All of these books are a great first step towards understanding autism, which then leads to acceptance and accommodations.

Come back for the second part of Bambi's interview tomorrow! 

Who is Bambi?

Included among the Philippine Star Life’s list of women who changed local komiks for the better, writer Bambi Eloriaga-Amago is also a Journalism graduate (cum laude) from UP Diliman. She has worked on the editorial staff of various ABS-CBN publications and sat as Editor-in-Chief of Questor: The Ultimate Anime Magazine. She currently works as Manga Editor for US-based Seven Seas Entertainment and also adapts manga scripts for English language readers, including works like It Started With a Kiss and ToraDora. Her collaborations with artist-husband Roland include the Carnal series of komiks and the well-received Doobiedoo Asks, a Kids' Choice Awardee at the 7th National Children's Book Awards. While her latest published work is Too Loud: Soothing Sensory Overload With Music, a picture book illustrated by Artie Cabezas.

 

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