Good News! Masaya Ang Maging Ako is Translated in Hindi

Let's begin October with good news!

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A post shared by Zarah Gagatiga (@zarahgeeh)

CNN PH Interview: Masaya Ang Maging Ako

 

A year ago, at the press launch of Mga Kuwentong Musmos where I was interviewed by CNN Philippines on our book, Masaya Ang Maging Ako (Gagatiga & Bauza, Lampara Books 2020). Our book is part of the 20 titles published by the international NGO, Room to Read and Lampara Books (along with three Philippine publishers). Adarna House and Room to Read has been working with the DepEd and LGUs to bring our books to communities where there are very few reading materials, or none at all. It was one of the many stories that inspired readers, content creators and industry leaders last year as the pandemic raged on.

 

 

We continue to create, to survive and to hang on to hope for better days to come.

Kuwentong Musmos Books Goes to Mindanao

Yesterday, I joined a webinar led by Mr. Al Santos on the wonder and usefulness of picture books. The context being that Room to Read and the five publishers that worked together in rolling out the 20 Kuwentong Musmos books have successfully partenred with Tanghalang Pilipino and the Department of Education in bringing copies of the books to the Bangsa Moro Region. The webinar was attended by DepEd teachers and school leaders. 

I posted on Instagram the link to the audio drama versions of the Kuwentong Musmos books. The ebook versions can be read online or streamed via literacycloud.org. But of course, getting a print copy will really help the book industry at this time of the pandemic.

Tingnan ang post na ito sa Instagram

Isang post na ibinahagi ni Zarah Gagatiga (@zarah815)

Kuwentong Musmos Book Project Magiging Radio/Podcast Audio-Drama

 

Kaninang umaga, inulan ang puso ko ng saya!

Umattend ako ng consultation at workshop kasama ang mga kaibigang manunulat na bahagi ng Kuwentong Musmos Project ng Room to Read. Isa itong reunion. Marami kaming na-miss at na-miss namin ang lahat!

Bohol Bee Farm.

Kakaibang flavors ng ice cream. Edible flowers.

Paglalakad sa beach sa umaga para abangan ang pagsikat ng araw. Babalik sa dalampasigan sa hapon para sa paglubog nito. May hawak na isang tasa ng kape at kasama ang isang kaibigan sa industriya at magkukuwentuhan tungkol sa... wala lang.

Ang mga workshops sa big group at small group ay nami-miss ko rin. Salamat sa teknolohiya, nakapag-usap kami kahit saglit lang sa Zoom.

Kasama sa pulong ang mga actor-writers ng Tanghalang Pilipino (TP). May mga nakilala akong bagong kaibigan sa larangan ng sining. Fangirling moment, sa totoo lang! Napapanood ko lang sila noon sa CCP at sa online channels ng TP. Ngayon, kasama na sila sa pagpapanday ng mga kuwentong pambata. Sila ang magsusulat ng radio adaptation ng aming mga kuwento. Exciting!

Nakakatuwa ang palitan ng mga kuro-kuro ng mga authors at actor-writers. Nakakatuwa na maging bahagi ng proseso ng mga actor-writers. Para kaming nagwoworkshop.

Layon ng proyekto na mas marami pang bata at pamilya, paaralan at komunidad sa Pilipinas at sa ibang bansa ang maka-experience ng aming mga katha at likha. Isa itong biyaya. Sa panahon ng pandemya, may pagkakataon tayong lumikha. Isa itong paraan ng paghilom at may pag-asa tayong makakamit.

Maraming salamat kay Sir

Al Santos

, sa bumubuo ng Kuwentong Musmos Project, sa Tanghalang Pilipino at CCP. Mas mabibigyan pa ng pagkakataon na marining ang boses ni Tere!

Kuwentong Musmos Author Interview: Kora Dandan Albano

Si Kora, Ara at si Itok!

Isang karangalan ang ma-interview si Kora Dandan Albano. Hindi lamang siya isang batikang illustrador, isa din siyang premyadong manunulat ng mga aklat pambata. Ang kanyang aklat na may pamagat Tara, Itok! ay ginuhit ni Ara Villena at nilathala ng Adarna House sa ilalim ng proyektong Kuwentong Musmos ng Room to Read. 

1. Bakit ka nagsusulat para sa mga bata/kabataan? 

Hindi ko ito pinag-iisipan... Basta nagsusulat lang. 

2. Paano ka nagsimula sa pagsusulat ng mga kuwentong pambata? Ano ang iyong origin story?

Dumalo ako sa poetry clinic ng LIRA (Linangan  sa Imagen, Retorika at Anyo) summer ng 1993. Si Rio Alma ang mentor at ginaganap ang palihan tuwing Sabado sa Adarna House. Noon ko lang nalaman na may Adarna books pala. Kalaunan, nalaman ni Sir Rio na FA graduate ako at nakaguhit na ng isang libro, Ang Paglalakbay ni Butirik (OMF, 1993) kaya tinanong niya kung interesado akong gumawa ng character study para sa librong Si Pilandok at ang mga Buwaya.  

Fast forward sa 2018, bukod sa 10 libro sa Adarna House na naiguhit ko – 8 doon ay isinulat ni Sir Rio at  5 sa kanila ay Pilandok series -  inilathala ng Adarna House ang aking tulang pambata na Kung May Dinosaur sa Kamalig ni Lolo. Kaya masasabi ko na I have come full circle. Nabalikan ko ‘yung pagsusulat ng tula: ang orihinal na dahilan kung bakit ako napadpad ng Adarna House noon. 

Sa tingin ko naging malaking salik ang pagguhit ko ng halos 50 mga aklat pambata sa loob ng 25 taon para ako maihanda sa pagsusulat naman ng mga akdang pambata sa ngayon.

3. Magbigay ng tatlong salita upang mailarawan ang karanasan mo bilang isang fellow ng Kuwentong Musmos Workshop?

Natuto. Nahasa. Nagpapasalamat.

4. Anong aklat ang sana ay ikaw ang nagsulat?

Where the Wild Things Are

5. Magbigay ng 5 tips o payo para sa mga gustong magsulat ng kuwentong pambata.

Balikan ang inyong pagkabata.

Makinig, makipag-usap, makipaglaro sa mga bata.

Magbasa nang magbasa ng mga aklat pambata.

Pigilan ang sarili na magdikta, magturo at magsermon sa batang mambabasa.

Mag-enjoy sa iyong sinusulat.

Kora Dandan-Albano is an award winning children’s book author and illustrator. Her picture-poetry book Habulan (Anvil, 2016) is a Best Read winner at the 5^th National Children’s Book Awards in 2018. A graduate of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting from U.P. Diliman, she is the illustrator of over 40 well loved children’s books including All About the Philippines (Tuttle, 2015) which won a Gold at the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards 2016 in the US. Tara, Itok! is Kora’s third book as an author.,  

Kuwentong Musmos Author Interview Roundup: Team OMF-Hiyas

Before we bid goodbye to the merry month of May,  here is a round up of the author interviews of Team OMF-Hiyas. What heart warming sharing of experiences they had! Thank you to Joanna Nicolas Na who facilitated this interview. 

Maloi Salumbides - Sa mga araw na darating, mga manunulat at mga illsutrador  naman ng OMF-Hiyas ang itatampok dito sa blog. Buena mano si "Ate" Maloi Malibiran-Salumbides. Siya ang sumulat ng kuwwntong Tinola ni Nanay na ginuuhit naman ni Felix Mago Miguel.

Jana Marie Rivera - Janina Marie Rivera is the author of Kaya ni Mina, illustrated by Cy Vendivil and published by Hiyas-OMFLit. This is her first children's book under the Kuwentong Musmos Project of Room to Read in cooperation with Adarna House. Know what led Janina in the Philippine Children's Book industry.

Joshene Bersales - In this interview, Joshene Bersales, author of Sakto Lang (OMF-Hiyas, 2019) tells us how she started out in the children's book industry. Sakto Lang is illustrated by Domz Agsaway. 

Dr. Luis "Tito Dok" Gatmaitan - Ikinararangal kong ma-interview si Dr. Luis "Tito Dok" Gatmaitan sa unang pagkakataon sa aking blog. Si Tito Dok ay bahagi ng Team Hiyas-OMF Lit na nakasali sa Kuwentong Mumos Workshop noong Oktubre 2019. Siya ang nagsulat ng kuwentong Ang Kuya Kong Zombie na ginuhit naman ni Ivan Reverente. Narito ang interview ni Tito Dok na punong-puno ng inspirasyon.

Yna Reyes - Yna Reyes, author of Imbisibol, shares with us the valuable role that children's book writers play in the lives of children and young people. Imbisibol is one of the twenty books that came to be during the Room to Read Kuwentong Musmos Worshop for writers and illustrators. It is illustrated by Mike Amante. 

Wishing Team OMF-Hiyas all the best as we soldier on through this pandemic!

Kuwentong Musmos Author Interview: Yna Reyes

·     

 Yna Reyes, author of Imbisibol, shares with us the valuable role that children's book writers play in the lives of children and young people. Imbisibol is one of the twenty books that came to be during the Room to Read Kuwentong Musmos Worshop for writers and illustrators. It is illustrated by Mike Amante. 

      Why are you writing for children?

I have a personal reason for writing for children. I wrote all of my children’s books for my nieces and nephews. Now that they’re all grown-ups, I still keep writing for children because I know that children love stories. I want to help nurture their love for stories by writing stories that I hope they would love. Also, I believe that childhood is the season in a person’s life when the foundation of his or her character is being set and his worldview and core values are taking shape. That’s why it’s important to feed children with life giving stories that will not only sharpen their minds but shape their hearts. As a writer, I hope the stories I  write would enrich the childhood of young readers.

·     What is your Philippine Children’s Literature origin story? (How did you start writing for kids and getting published)

I’m an editor by profession, so I consider myself an accidental writer. I’ve been hanging around with writer-friends for years. I’ve been with the Christian Writers’ Fellowship since its birth in February 1986. In one of our monthly meetings, we invited Dr. Isagani Cruz to be our mentor for the day. A few weeks before the meeting, we sent him our works for review. I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to get a helpful critique from Dr. Isagani Cruz, so I tried writing a story for my 7-year-old niece. It was my first attempt to write a children’s story. ­I wrote it in Filipino so that my English-speaking niece would have her first taste of reading in Filipino. I made her the main character so she’d be thrilled to see herself in the story. My story got a good review from Dr Isagani Cruz. I was already with OMF Literature at that time. So, when OMF Literature decided to start the Hiyas brand a few years later, and the editor tasked to do it was looking for stories, she asked me if I would consider submitting my story for publication. Of course I was delighted! Ang Bagong Kaibigan ni Bing Butiki was one of the first five stories for children published under the Hiyas brand in 1993. The book is still available to this day, after more than 20 years since it was first published.

·     Give three words or phrases to describe your Kuwentong Musmos Workshop experience.

Empowering, enriching, humbling learning experience

·    What is the book you wish you had written and why?

Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White. It’s my favorite children’s book. I remember reading it as a young girl and loving it so much. My heart went out to Wilbur. I felt I was one of his friends in the barn worrying for him; I saw myself in the story. Charlotte’s extraordinary love for Wilbur touched my heart. The ending of the story brought tears to my eyes. The story’s message of friendship resonated with me as a child. The memory of reading Charlotte’s Web has stayed with me to this day. Beautiful and powerful storytelling by E.B. White! No wonder it’s one of the best-loved classics in children’s literature. I wish I could write a story that children would love and remember through the years.

·   

What advice or tips can you give aspiring children’s book writers?

o    Listen to the voice of the child in you.

o    Listen to children, and respect their voice.

o    Read as many children’s books as you can.

o    Write, write, write. And learn the discipline of rewriting.

o    Sharpen your craft through writing workshops. And be open to critique.

o    Find a group (or create your own) of fellow writers who can meet regularly for encouragement and peer critiquing.

Yna Reyes is the publishing and communications director of OMF Literature. She’s celebrating her 30^th year with OMF Literature on May 2. As her schedule allows, she finds time to do freelance writing, editing, and writing for children.

Kuwentong Musmos Author Interview: Dr. Luis "Tito Dok" Gatmaitan (2 of 2)

Dr. Gatmaitan with Ivan Reverente 

Post Script to Dr. Luis "Tito Dok" Gatmatan's Author Interview

Through​ ​the​ ​interview,​ ​Dr.​ ​Gatmaitan​ ​has​ ​given​ ​us​ ​a​ ​glimpse​ ​of​ ​how​ ​far​ ​hard​ ​work​ ​can take​ ​a​ ​person.​ ​He​ ​stated​ ​in​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​answers​ ​he​ ​gave:​ ​“It’s​ ​not​ ​enough​ ​that​ ​you​ ​have​ ​a​ ​gift​ ​of being​ ​able​ ​to​ ​write​ ​creatively.​ ​You’ve​ ​got​ ​to​ ​hone​ ​this​ ​talent​ ​and​ ​make​ ​it​ ​grow.”​ ​He​ ​started writing​ ​at​ ​a​ ​young​ ​age,​ ​especially​ ​when​ ​his​ ​teachers​ ​would​ ​ask​ ​him​ ​to​ ​write​ ​about​ ​a​ ​certain theme​ ​(i.e.​ ​​What​ ​was​ ​your​ ​favorite​ ​summer​ ​experience?​)​ ​That,​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​his​ ​exposure​ ​to different​ ​kinds​ ​of​ ​literature,​ ​is​ ​what​ ​shaped​ ​him​ ​to​ ​be​ ​the​ ​writer​ ​that​ ​he​ ​is​ ​today.​ ​While​ ​balancing school--from​ ​high​ ​school​ ​to​ ​medical​ ​school--his​ ​success​ ​in​ ​writing​ ​did​ ​not​ ​diminish.​ ​Instead, with​ ​the​ ​opportunities​ ​he​ ​had​ ​been​ ​given,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​being​ ​the​ ​editor-in-chief​ ​of​ ​his​ ​medical school’s​ ​official​ ​publication,​ ​​CADUCEUS​,​ ​he​ ​was​ ​able​ ​to​ ​further​ ​develop​ ​his​ ​skills​ ​as​ ​a​ ​writer. He​ ​also​ ​told​ ​us​ ​that​ ​the​ ​struggles​ ​we​ ​face​ ​as​ ​writers​ ​should​ ​never​ ​be​ ​enough​ ​to​ ​stop​ ​us​ ​from writing.​ ​Instead,​ ​the​ ​struggles​ ​we​ ​face​ ​should​ ​be​ ​a​ ​driving​ ​force​ ​for​ ​us​ ​to​ ​become​ ​better​ ​than​ ​our current​ ​selves.​ ​Those​ ​struggles​ ​should​ ​merely​ ​serve​ ​as​ ​a​ ​reminder​ ​to​ ​not​ ​repeat​ ​the​ ​mistakes​ ​we make​ ​and​ ​to​ ​strive​ ​beyond​ ​our​ ​limitations.

Tito Dok with friends at the press launch of RtR Books

Dr.​ ​Gatmaitan​ ​has​ ​also​ ​encouraged​ ​us​ ​to​ ​go​ ​beyond​ ​what​ ​we​ ​think​ ​we​ ​are​ ​capable​ ​of​ ​and to​ ​allow​ ​ourselves​ ​to​ ​think​ ​outside​ ​of​ ​the​ ​box.​ ​According​ ​to​ ​him,​ ​being​ ​inspired​ ​should​ ​not​ ​be limited​ ​to​ ​the​ ​things​ ​that​ ​we​ ​experience​ ​ourselves​ ​or​ ​the​ ​things​ ​that​ ​we​ ​see​ ​or​ ​observe.​ ​To​ ​be​ ​able to​ ​write​ ​something​ ​well,​ ​we​ ​need​ ​to​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​fully​ ​immerse​ ​ourselves​ ​in​ ​what​ ​is​ ​going​ ​on around​ ​us,​ ​even​ ​in​ ​those​ ​events​ ​that​ ​we​ ​may​ ​dismiss​ ​as​ ​insignificant​ ​and​ ​mundane.​ ​At​ ​times,​ ​it​ ​is in​ ​those​ ​events​ ​that​ ​we​ ​are​ ​able​ ​to​ ​write​ ​a​ ​beautiful​ ​story.​ ​One​ ​example​ ​is​ ​Dr.​ ​Gatmaitan’s experience​ ​with​ ​a​ ​cancer​ ​survivor​ ​who​ ​was​ ​more​ ​worried​ ​about​ ​losing​ ​hair​ ​than​ ​battling leukemia.​ ​She​ ​had​ ​become​ ​the​ ​inspiration​ ​for​ ​his​ ​story​ ​​Ang​ ​Pambihirang​ ​Buhok​ ​ni​ ​Rachel.

Dr.​ ​Gatmaitan​ ​also​ ​let​ ​us​ ​know​ ​that​ ​once​ ​we​ ​have​ ​already​ ​come​ ​up​ ​with​ ​an​ ​idea,​ ​there​ ​is no​ ​need​ ​to​ ​follow​ ​a​ ​specific,​ ​definite​ ​process​ ​while​ ​writing​ ​the​ ​story.​ ​He​ ​himself​ ​does​ ​not​ ​follow an​ ​exact​ ​procedure.​ ​​​Instead,​ ​he​ ​writes​ ​a​ ​general​ ​outline​ ​of​ ​how​ ​he​ ​wants​ ​the​ ​story​ ​to​ ​go,​ ​which makes​ ​the​ ​piece​ ​unified​ ​and​ ​coherent.​ ​He​ ​said​ ​that​ ​being​ ​overly​ ​cautious​ ​about​ ​the​ ​way​ ​we​ ​write can​ ​turn​ ​into​ ​a​ ​hindrance;​ ​we​ ​must​ ​simply​ ​let​ ​our​ ​ideas​ ​flow​ ​on​ ​their​ ​own.​ ​We​ ​realized​ ​that​ ​Dr. Gatmaitan​ ​was​ ​right,​ ​because​ ​if​ ​we​ ​limit​ ​ourselves​ ​to​ ​a​ ​certain​ ​process,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​possible​ ​that​ ​our stories​ ​will​ ​be​ ​too​ ​“straight,”​ ​or​ ​no​ ​different​ ​from​ ​other​ ​stories​ ​that​ ​have​ ​already​ ​been​ ​written. His​ ​words​ ​encouraged​ ​us​ ​to​ ​allow​ ​our​ ​creative​ ​juices​ ​to​ ​flow​ ​and​ ​to​ ​not​ ​be​ ​afraid​ ​of​ ​popularly established​ ​rules​ ​that​ ​could​ ​bind​ ​us.

Last​ ​but​ ​not​ ​the​ ​least,​ ​when​ ​we​ ​asked​ ​Dr.​ ​Gatmaitan​ ​what​ ​advice​ ​he​ ​would​ ​like​ ​to​ ​give aspiring​ ​writers​ ​and​ ​creative​ ​writing​ ​students,​ ​he​ ​said​ ​“to​ ​read​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​(both​ ​fiction​ ​and​ ​non-fiction). To​ ​be​ ​very​ ​observant.​ ​To​ ​capture​ ​moments​ ​of​ ​epiphany​ ​in​ ​print.​ ​To​ ​jot​ ​down​ ​the​ ​ideas immediately​ ​when​ ​they​ ​come​ ​to​ ​you.​ ​To​ ​write​ ​every​ ​single​ ​day.”​ ​These​ ​words​ ​strike​ ​anew​ ​the spirit​ ​of​ ​writing​ ​and​ ​the​ ​heart​ ​behind​ ​it.​ ​Since​ ​writing​ ​is​ ​his​ ​passion,​ ​he​ ​never​ ​stops​ ​doing​ ​it​ ​and finds​ ​it​ ​in​ ​every​ ​walk​ ​of​ ​his​ ​life.​ ​With​ ​these​ ​words,​ ​he​ ​reminds​ ​us​ ​to​ ​never​ ​tire​ ​of​ ​our​ ​passions and​ ​of​ ​our​ ​desire​ ​to​ ​touch​ ​the​ ​lives​ ​of​ ​other​ ​people.​ ​He​ ​said​ ​that​ ​despite​ ​the​ ​struggles​ ​he​ ​has faced,​ ​he​ ​never​ ​tires​ ​of​ ​writing​ ​because​ ​it​ ​gives​ ​him​ ​joy.​ ​“Writing​ ​is​ ​like​ ​breathing,”​ ​he​ ​said.​ ​“If you​ ​stop​ ​to​ ​breathe,​ ​you​ ​die.”​ ​In​ ​the​ ​same​ ​way,​ ​whether​ ​it​ ​be​ ​writing,​ ​painting,​ ​designing, singing,​ ​teaching,​ ​analyzing​ ​data,​ ​balancing​ ​the​ ​balance​ ​sheet,​ ​etc.,​ ​our​ ​passion​ ​will​ ​only​ ​keep burning​ ​if​ ​we​ ​keep​ ​fueling​ ​the​ ​fire.​ ​In​ ​everything​ ​we​ ​do,​ ​we​ ​must​ ​work​ ​at​ ​it​ ​with​ ​all​ ​that​ ​we​ ​can, in​ ​every​ ​possible​ ​time,​ ​and​ ​in​ ​any​ ​possible​ ​way.​ ​Then​ ​that​ ​day​ ​will​ ​come​ ​when​ ​we​ ​too​ ​will succeed​ ​in​ ​sharing​ ​that​ ​passion​ ​with​ ​others.

Just​ ​like​ ​Dr.​ ​Gatmaitan,​ ​we​ ​can​ ​start​ ​small​ ​and​ ​let​ ​our​ ​success​ ​speak​ ​louder.​ ​We​ ​do​ ​not have​ ​to​ ​aim​ ​to​ ​be​ ​big;​ ​only​ ​our​ ​impact​ ​in​ ​this​ ​world​ ​should​ ​be.​ ​Either​ ​way,​ ​what​ ​matters​ ​most​ ​is allowing​ ​our​ ​passion​ ​and​ ​enthusiasm​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​burning​ ​and​ ​letting​ ​that​ ​flame​ ​make​ ​a​ ​difference​ ​in the​ ​world--a​ ​world​ ​that​ ​always​ ​needs​ ​a​ ​little​ ​more​ ​life​ ​and​ ​color.