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

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 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.