Catching Up: The 5th Filipino ReaderCon Panel on Readers Take the Reins

 Aside from missing the PLAI Congress and the seminar-workshop at the University of Perpetual Help Laguna, the Filipino ReaderCon was another event I skipped due to follow up consultations with my doctors. The Readers Take the Reins panel was a session I hoped to take part in along with GFF, Tarie Sabido and book blogger extraordinaire, Blooey Singson. The panel is like a dream sequence where readers assert their needs and their vision of a reading revolution in the country. The question to answer is, if readers have the power to transform the book industry and readership in the country, what would be our environment and behavior towards reading and books?

Paolo Chikiamco has a recording of the session. I still have to listen to the entire thing. I am excited because there is a lot of talk on library development. So I was told.

Feel free to visit and download the recording. Go to Paolo's blog for the MP3.

Filipino Fridays 2014 #3: Fanfiction

 Filipino Friday #3 is all about Fanfiction.

Fanfiction is pretty popular, no doubt about it, but it has been received with mixed feelings by many authors and writers. Some don’t mind it, and even welcome readers who give their own spin on their work. Some writers don’t like it at all, to the point that they contact fanfiction authors to take their work down. Others use it as a jump-off point for their own writing. 

How about you? What is your take on fanfiction? Do you read fanfiction, and if you do, what kind of fanfiction do you read? Do you write fanfiction, and why? Or are you against fanfiction? Enlighten us.

I used to read fanfiction. I stopped, because life has been too busy. I read fanfiction at the height of Twilight's popularity and during the Harry Potter phenomenon. I don't write fanfiction though, and I don't see myself writing one in the future. But I have an open view on fanfiction.

I don't see anything wrong about fanfiction. To me it is the reader's response to a book or a literature he/she loves and/or hate. I consider it a new genre, in fact, that readers and writers can further talk about and discuss. Fanfiction is proof of the powerful relationship between reader, writer and text encountered. Readers need a venue to extend the reading experience. Writing about it is one of the many ways which readers use to extend this experience.

Writers are readers too. Readers can be writers. So, even published writers can create their own fanfiction and their readers can read them on this platform. Fanfiction equalizes the reading experience. I don't see anything wrong with that. But, plagiarized work is something else.

Filipino Friday 2014 #2: Have You Ever Wanted to Write a Book?

Catching up on some blog posts. I'm beginning with Filipino Friday #2 that was scheduled last October 24, 2014.

• As a reader, have you ever thought about writing a book? What kind of books/stories do you want to write? Or are you now a published author, and what compelled you to go fulfil this dream? How was your journey from reader to writer? How did you go about getting your book out there?

My desire to write my own books began in high school. I read S.E. Hinton and Judy Blume and dreamed of putting into words my own stories, getting published and seeing my name after the "by" line. It didn't happen until 2011 when a book I co-authored with Dianne de Las Casas was published, Tales of the 7,000 Isles: Filipino Folk Stories, by ABC CLIO in the US. It is not a novel for young adult, but a collection of folk tales. The proposal for the book project came in 2009 after my traumatic experience with Ondoy The book and my experience of writing this along side Dianne de Las Casas is a given grace. I am forever grateful.

By 2013 and 2014, I have published two illustrated storybooks under Lampara Books: Tale of Two Dreams with Bernadette Solina Wolf, My Daddy, My One and Only with Jomike Tejido and Dear Nanay with Liza Flores. Last September, Lampara Books launched my first series for early readers, Start Right Reading Series, Kindergarten Level. Again, I collaborated with Bernadette Wolf on the illustrations and design of the series.

My journey from reader to writer is a long one. I think the journey will never end. Readers will forever read. Writers will always write. The reading and writing connection continues. I have to thank my friends in KUTING (Kwentista ng mga Tsikiting) for accompanying me in the journey.  Other than my writer friends, I remember with fondness the critiquing sessions I spent with the LitCritters, a group of working writers led by Dean Francis Alfar. Writing may be an isolated act, but it should be a social and cultural endeavor as well.

I suppose it is the same with reading. When we talk about the books we read, we develop a deeper understanding of the reading experience.

A Harvest of Children's Books

It is a day after the 30th NCBD and I find myself marveling at the front page of the Inquirer. 

Now here's the list of new children's books the industry has offered readers young and old. These books were presented and launched during the 30th NCBD at the CCP yesterday.

Ncbd new titles.doc from Zarah Gagatiga

Filipino ReaderCon: United We Read

The 2nd Filipino ReaderCon

Last year, around September, Flips Flipping Pages, a group of Filipino readers and book bloggers, teamed up with publishers to stage the 1st Filipino ReaderCon at the Manila International Book Fair. The event was a roaring success both on site and online venues. And because of the warm reception of Pinoy readers and book bloggers that the organizers experienced from last year, they're having a second run of the conference on August 18, 2012 at the Filipinas Heritage Library. The theme of the conference this year is, "United We Read". This time, Flips Flippine Pages is collaborating with the National Book Development Board and the Ayala Foundation.

The conference promises a program that caters to all Filipino readers. Specifically, the objectives of the conference are:

* provide support, instruction, and social time for book club members and book bloggers
* celebrate readers and reading in the Philippines
* promote a closer connection between readers and writers and/or publishers
* acknowledge beloved Filipino books through the Readers’ Choice Book Awards


Yours truly will be a panelist for the topic “Reading Everywhere: Scanning the Reading Environment.” The organizers invited me to discuss what bookstores do and don’t do for readers, how you would characterize the Filipino reader from the perspective of a bookseller or librarian, what the current gaps in bookselling are, and whether libraries are still important. The panel will be at 9:15 AM to 10:35 AM.

It is going to be an interesting panel since the organizers gave me discussion points that I am eager to talk about as well. The last in the list of talking points is extremely challenging. Everyone seems to be asking of the relevance of libraries in this day and age.

I hope to see you there!

Picture! Picture!

When Librarians Love (2 of 2)

I have said before in many workshops and seminars how my mother, herself a librarian, instilled in me a love for books and reading. She modeled the reading habit and built an environment that was print rich. I am doing the same for my two kids aged 14 and 11 years old.

Nico, the eldest, moved towards music but has nonetheless maintained a reading culture about him. Laid back and creative, he has shown strategies in understanding the world around him and efforts at comprehending difficult tasks in school. I still bring home books I think would interest him. It has been a hit and miss situation. His favorites are graphic novels - Budjette Tan's Trese, Arnold Arre's Mythology Class, The Amulet Series and The Best of Chico and Delamar's The Morning Rush: Top Ten.

One time when in the bookstore, he wandered to the graphic novels section. Turned off by the price, he went to the music section and picked song books of his choice. I let him be. Then again, I worry (the typical mom) when he needs to do tedious and longer reading tasks for academic work, he might not have the stamina to stay on track and follow through when necessary.

Zoe, on the other hand, has started reading chapter books by Beverly Cleary and Roald Dahl. She attempted to read Gaiman and, viola! She finished Coraline in three weeks time. She's the one who writes a lot too. And draws pictures if words are hard to come by. Above is her floor plan for a school library.

Below is the annex of the school library she designed. There was this one time when she told me she wants to be a librarian when she grows up. I would like to think that I am too strong an influence on her choice. I want her to grow up as her own person.

For the meantime, I will continue to bridge them to books that they think and feel confident in reading. Like the typical school librarian, I will guide them in their reading choices and habits.

Unsanitary Reads

A student borrowed a magazine from the library.

Boy: Miss, I'll read this magazine in the bathroom (silly grin).

Me: Ok. Be sure it's clean when you return it. No missing pages.

Boy chuckles.

Boy: Yes miss!

Girl 1: Miss, you allowed him to do that?

Girl 2: That is so gross!

Another boy rushes in the library.

Boy 2: Miss, I saw Boy in the boy's comfort room with a magazine in hand. May I borrow an issue of NatGeo? And can you hurry a bit, Miss? Thanks!

Girls: Yuck! Miss, why do you allow that?

Me: Reading is a right. Information access for all.

The 1st Filipino ReaderCon: Filipino Readers Make it Social

Filipino Friday: On to ReaderCon!

September 9 - What do you hope will happen in the Filipino ReaderCon? What are you expecting from the event?

First of all, as reader, literacy advocate and President of the Philippine Board on Books for Young People, I wish the organizers of the Filipino ReaderCon a successful convention. As a reader I am happy to find readers who, like me, are still in love with the written word. As literacy advocate and PBBY President, I hope that the efforts and ideals of the organizers won't go to waste; that this ReaderCon won't turn into a one hit wonder. In my years in the industry and in the advocacy of literacy, I have seen many literacy campaigns and initiatives fizzle out. Some crashed and burned and a few died a natural death.

I have great expectations on the ReaderCon but not on the event itself. I would like to see the aftermath. I expect to see greater influence of readers affecting and effecting others who need conversion. If not this, then greater effort on the readers part to turn their love, their passion, into a mission. Celebrating reading is wonderful. Making a non-reader read or providing reading materials to those in need of it the most is another. But yes. The advocacy begins with a recognition that reading must be highlighted and celebrated among those who've discovered it's magic and power so that they could, hopefully, share this discovery to others.

May the ReaderCon be an event that would narrow the great divide between those who have books and those who have no books at all. May it be a celebration of reading, not so much as a privilege but as a right for all. May it continue to have sponsors who, acting collectively with the organizers of the ReaderCon, set up another convention next year for readers of all ages.

Bumasa at lumaya!

Filipino Friday: Reading as a Hobby

August 19 - How did you become a reader? What factors influenced you to take up reading as a hobby and why do you enjoy it so much?

I became a reader because my grandmother told me stories. I became a reader because my mother read to me. Books and writing materials were always available at home. We were not rich, but my parents made it sure that I grew up reading. Thanks to the reading genes as well! My parents and teachers didn't have a difficult time teaching me how to read and making me love it.

In my case, when it comes to reading, nature agreed to my parents' desire to nurture a reader for life.

Peers were also a great influence in my reading habits. In grade school, I remember a classmate who was so fond of dinosaurs I showed her the dino books my mom borrowed for me in the library where she worked. By sixth grade, I was using references and non-fiction books for my projects and assignments courtesy of mom's library. It was at that time when I met Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys. To my surprise, a boy in class is a Hardy Boys fan as well! These books were the only books I borrow from our school library. In high school, more reading friends surfaced and we had mini-book talk sessions during recess and lunch. It was such a great joy to have friends whom I could share insights and feelings on books I have read. At that time, there were no blogs so I had to wait for days to connect and communicate with friends who read.

Now, as an adult, I keep in close proximity reader friends and a reading community. I also try my best to pass on to my children this love and culture for reading. I think I am successful with my daughter. My son, who is fourteen is turning out to be a challenge. I will blog on this next time since teenagers these days have different reading styles and varying tastes!

At the start of the year, a dear friend gave me a gift. She gave me a copy of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It's my favorite read so far for 2011.

Filipino Friday

Filipino Book Bloggers unite! See them wield power and influence at the 32nd Manila International Book Fair via the First Filipino Reader Conference. Here are details of the event from the blog -

Filipino Readers Make It Social!
The 1st Filipino Reader Conference
When: September 14, 2011, Wednesday, 1-6 PM (during MIBF)
Where: SMX Mall of Asia, Meeting Room 2

Objectives:
1. to provide support, instruction, and social time for book club members and book bloggers
2. to celebrate readers and reading in the Philippines
3. to promote a closer connection between readers and writers and/or publishers

Carloe Javier is the keynote speaker. Pinoy Book Bloggers (PBB) like Tarie Sabido and Charles Tan, to mention a few, are panelists.

In line with the event, the PBB's are creating noise in the blogosphere by memes, blogs and social media, of course. To start off, there's Filipino Friday where in book bloggers blog about the topic of the week. Officially, Filipino Friday is a weekly meme used by Filipino Book Bloggers to discuss more about book they read, the events and happenings that affect the world of literature. For now, as a part of an upcoming event, we are using this meme to promote the upcoming The Filipino Reader Convention on September 14 and to promote the Filipino Readers.

I'm not sure if I can go to the ReaderCon so I'll simply blog my reading habits and book choices along with the PBBs. Visit the Filipino Friday website for a list of meme topics till 14 September, 2011.

I was six years old when I read my name on the list of accepted applicants of grade one pupils. I knew then that I will be reading for life. It helped that my mother read to me as a child and that she brought home a lot of books for me to read. She did not buy them in bookstores. She borrowed them from the library. At the time, I considered it a privilege -- getting my books from the library. Ang yabang ko!

I was the only girl in class who knew Dr. Seuss and that there existed animals as big as buildings, as wide as mountains and as fierce as a pack of hyenas by the hundreds. I was friends with Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. I idolized Judy Blume and hated myself for not understanding Asimov's sci-fi world. I put down Bradburry in my teens to devour Sweet Valley High and the classic Newberry's. In college, I discovered Filipino writers and children's books by Filipino writers. There were so many things to know; so many things to see; so many things to experience from a book written and made by another human being who is just like me in so many ways.

Now, I know better. Having access to books and libraries is not a privilege but a right.

Now, I know better. Books, reading and libraries are a culture. It is not exclusive to one nation or elite groups of peoples.

Now, I know better. Reading is power. And those who can wield that power even has the greater responsibility to share it and empower others!

Till next Filipino Friday.

Picture! Picture!

Special thanks to Estan Cabigas for the picture.

Library News From Near and Far

Over the past few days, I have been inundated by bits and pieces of library news.

First is about this PM I got from a friend who is currently residing in Canada. His kids got their library cards from the local public library. What amazed him and his wife was the fact that even infants are given library cards. That only goes to show that children should not be deprived of their right to literacy and access to information. More than a love of reading, the library has a role to play in actualizing the basic human rights of people. Children included. A library is an institution that promotes the basic tenets of freedom of information for all.

Does the news make a librarian happy? Even envious, I would say for the reality of public library services in the country is dismal. Sure, there are cities with flourishing libraries in the National Capitol Region. But Manila, in spite of its rich history and commercial status is not the entire Philippines.

This being said, I was disappointed learning of the news on the plans of demolishing the library at UP Mindanao. Details are vague. I got wind of the news via Facebook. It's viral so facts are not easy to establish.

I could not help but reflect on the work that I do for the past year -- building libraries and helping teachers become advocates of reading and literacy. The task gets difficult every year with every technological upgrade.

Librarians Read Series: The Reading Librarian

From November 8-12, 2010, the blog will feature one librarian per day and their list of books read as a teen. Yes, it's a spill over of Teen Read Week 2010!

This is what I got for having invited readers to join in the Teen Read Week list mania. No regrets! The more the merrier!

The five Filipino librarians who replied to my call for participation in this blog's Teen Read Week list mania is a very small percentage of the big group of  Filipino librarians out there who read. I've often met people from outside the profession who complain that librarians do not READ. Shame it is to hear and know about this. A librarian who does not read should re-examine his or her career path. Librarians MUST be models of the reading habit especially in the community of learners that they belong to. It is not a requirement to read every book there is in the vast collection of the library or online resources but, it is essential that the librarian is a READER.

Now I imagine teaching LIS (Library and Information Science) in college. If I were, I would ask the college applicant these two questions: Do you read? What have you read recently?


If you are a college freshman and is considering taking LIS as a major course (and brave enough to reply to this post), hit the comment button and share your reading list!

Happy reading!

What's Your Bookprint?

I have five bookprints at You Are What You Read.

What's yours?

Teen Read Week Round Up

And so the carnival of Teen Read Week (TRW) 2010 comes to a close. It was fun doing the list mania but I'll cook up something for next year's TRW. For now, here are thoughts and inferences I've drawn up from the blog activity. Feel free to add yours if you have one or several.

* Edith Hamilton and books on mythology are a big hit among teen readers.

* There were a few Filipiniana Young Adult books in the list of the ten readers who participated. Majority are foreign books. We, people in the book and publishing industry, should do something about this. I'm sending an email to a local publisher right after writing this entry.

* There are a reader's rite of passage books -- books that a reader in one particular age group read through -- Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Sweet Dreams, Sweet Valley, Mills & Boon, tons of comic and graphic novels. It only goes to shoe that books written and produced for young people must address their developmental needs. This does not mean though that adult books are forbidden for them to read. Reading is developmental and interest based. There is a necessity to recognize this reality.

* The reading young adult is a curious monster to tame.

* The choice of reading materials reflects the reader's personality. Haha!

I wish to thank all who sent their list - Rayvi Sunico, Mike Rivera, Carlo Go, Paolo Chikiamco, Blooey Singson, Liwa Malbed, Maricel Montero, Kenneth Yu, Candy Gourlay and Anthony Mariano. For those who did the list in their blogs like fantaghiro23 many thanks as well for others have followed suit and responded in earnest via comments. The PBBY board joined in the fun too! Click this and see our fave books when we were teens.

Off to November now which is Library and Information Services month. I'll be resurrecting the Author of the Month; will feature five librarians and their reading list from their teenage years (yes, we can't get enough of books and reading!); post a few library related topics; and will share some workshop highlights and library projects.