Rainbows and Paper Bags: Take Aways from the Likha-Pambata Workshop 2016

Our tarp at the workshop venue

Three wonderful things happened during the 4th Likha-Pambata Writing and Illustrating Workshop: 1) there were participants who were able to write a story map/outline; 2) there were participants who developed characters by drawing on paper bags; 3) there were participants who were able to do both by using the character from their story outline. Needless to say, the workshop that I ran with Ruben "Totet" de Jesus had been fun and deeply engaging. I felt inspired myself. I now resolve to finish all book projects I have with my publisher.

YAY! (fingers crossed)

How we went about the activities

The workshop program was in two parts. Being the author who facilitated the writing component of the workshop, I had an input session on my writing life, my writing process and where I get stories to write. Afterwards, participants were given story prompts to come up with story maps and outlines. I used the photo of a rainbow to establish context and focused on questions that lead to character development. In fifteen minutes, participants were able to write! This is only a pre-writing exercise but the output for the day is something they can file in a writing portfolio. This way, ideas and story development techniques are documented and can be tracked down.

Raquel V. Endoso's character is a fearful lion.

When Totet took on the second part of the workshop, the participants couldn't help but be amazed at the spot drawing demonstration. Basic shapes, lines and curves, geometric shapes and points can be used to create a character with emotions and personality. His input in our collaborative work was, I think, is the more interesting topic in the workshop.

Indeed, book development and publishing takes time. It is not easy and it can be messy too. But, if the heart is into this kind of creative endeavor, then, being a part of this industry is worth it. The returns are numerous and the gains are satisfying. Though, I can't claim that authors and artists like Totet and myself will be millionaires in the level of JK Rowling.

The Writer and the Illustrator Collaboration

During the Q&A, I was asked who is the illustrator I wish to collaborate with in the future. I wish to work with Robert Magnuson however, he seemed to be very, elusive.

This question made me think of the reasons I keep in choosing artists to work with. Since my stories are very personal, so is my choice for the book's illustrator. I admire the loving ways of Jomike Tejido towards his daughter. Having met his wife in a school visit, I sense this deep bond between them. He was my first choice for My Daddy, My One and Only. Thank God, Jomike said yes to the project considering how busy he was (and is)!

Raquel's fearful lion! Scaredy cat!

Bernadette Solina Wolf was also my first choice for A Tale of Two Dreams since she has a first hand experience of living in Mindoro. Besides, she knows a good number of Mangyans in the island. The Chocolate Kiss is one of my favorite restaurants. The restaurant is a business managed by Liza Flores' family. I have seen and met her sister there and her mother too. How closely knit she seems to be with her sister and mother. My gut feel told me she would do justice to Dear Nanay. When I saw her studies during the production stage of the book, my separation anxiety surfaced. It was exactly the emotion I want to visually appear in the book.

Totet is a friend and an ally in the advocacy for quality books and children's literature in the Philippines. He is funny, reflective, compassionate and responsible. I know he has sisters. For sure, a guy to be sensitive and perceptive, must have grown up among loving and "annoying" sisters. His work in Big Sister is splendid! In my mind, I hope to work further on with Totet in a workshop where participants can truly create books. It is going to be longer for sure, say two to three days? I don't even know if Totet will agree to the idea.

For now, I hope to keep in touch with the participants via social media. There is a writing and illustrating fellowship that is being talked about among the management team of Lampara Books. It would be my pleasure to be a mentor in this fellowship.

Caption this: ___________________________________

 
Thank you very much to Jun Matias of Lampara Books for the patience, his trust and confidence in me to push for the book projects that would matter to children and uplift writers and artists in the industry. All the best to Carlos Manalansan and Aiko Buduan-Salazar! May your hard work pay off a hundred fold. On to the next book project, my dears!

Awaken the Force: Library Services for Digital Natives

Awaken the Force: Library Services for Digital Natives from Zarah Gagatiga

Author Meet & Greet at the 37th Manila International Book Fair

ZarahG_author meetgreet from Zarah Gagatiga

Book Review: An Ember in the Ashes

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There is just something sexy about a guy who wants to live life in his own terms according to his principles and values. This is how I see Elias Veturius, the soldier hero of Sabaa Tahir's , thus, it was easy for me to root for him all throughout the book.

He is a guy against a system he doesn't want to be a part of and the fates has something else planned for him. He fights for his freedom and gets to runaway with the girl at the end of the book. No, it's not a happily ever after ending since his escape from the system is wrought with conflicts that range
from breaking the bonds of friendship, living with the guilt of killing his friends, and turning away from an illustrious and entitled life of a Gens/Mask. These will haunt him in book two and will definitely play a big role in his character development. For now, it is enough for me to say that I truly enjoyed Ember, the magic, the mayhem and yes, even the murders.

In this age of GoT and the Walking Dead, reading a book that has a viscous violence in it but stays centered to a hero, tormented and seeking redemption, is definitely worth several reads.

What else worked

The world building of Tahir is neither in the past nor in the future. The place is either middle Eastern or Mediterranean. Soldiers fight with spears, daggers and scrims but they wear boots and fatigues. The social strata is similar to imperial Rome, yet the existence of Augurs, mortal mages who know the patterns of time is suggestive of Greek myth. There are djinns and efrits, fey creatures and ghouls, the stories are told in the tradition of the Arabian nights all mixed, matched and meshed in a world that made me believe it does exist.

There are girls and women characters as strong as the men and the guys; villains that can put Lord Bolton to shame; and a splattering of supporting characters created to help the heroes and push the villains with their evil plans.

Ember has so many layers and pieces put together, it is a tastefully made novel crafted with so
much care. It doesn't look like a novel that was easy to write, but Tahir knew how to do it amazingly well.

What did not work

The romance is middle grade level. The characters are in their late adolescence, between 17-20 years old and yet, I feel like I am reading about an 8th grader falling in love for the first time. Eeew.

I hope this would improve in the second book since the love angle can be a stronger force to bind Elias to Laia thus, forming a tandem that is worth swooning over and cheering for as they battle the odds in the next journey. I look forward to Helene Aquilla's turn to shine. I want to know if my hunch on Keenan, the rebel Scholar is correct. Did Cook truly survive and why does she know so many secrets? Will Marcus turn out to be a super villain aided by the Nightbringer? And, I want to find out what the heck those Augurs were trying to tell Laia, Helene and Elias all along.

On to book two as there are riddles left to solve!

View all my reviews

AKLATAN 2016: Reading as Tool for Lifelong Learning

Here is a video of the PPT I made for AKLATAN 2016. Here, I talk about reading as cognition and how our thinking skills lead us to live fuller and purposeful lives.

2016 Teens' Top Ten Nominees

Illustrator of the Month: Ruben "Totet" de Jesus (Part 2 of 2)

Totet has a funny bone: Totetious Pandakusorious

Did you like part 1 of the interview with Mr. Ruben "Totet" de Jesus? You can recall the interview by clicking the highlighted link. 

Here now is part 2 of the interview where Totet shared his approach in illustrating Big Sister. We will run a workshop on writing and illustrating children's stories during the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) at SMX, MOA Pasay City. Abangan ang press release!

4. Ano ang feeling na mapili sa Kids' Choice Top Ten?

Masaya siyempreng mapasama sa sa Top Ten ng Kids’ Choice sa katatapos na National Children’s Book Awards. Sa totoo lang, malaki ang pakiramdam ko na mapapasama sa shortlist ang Big Sister dahil sa simpleng charm ng kuwentong ito, ang prosesong tinahak ko para mabuo ang mga ilustrations ko, at ang mga positibong feedback na natatanggap ko para dito.

Ang tema ay napakasimple pero madaling maka-relate ang mga bata (at ang mga hindi na masyadong bata) sa ugnayan ng mga karakter sa kuwento. Kung ikaw ang mas batang kapatid, alam mong hindi parating nakakatuwa ang iyong ate. Kung ikaw ang mas nakatatanda, minsan masarap kulitin ang bata mong kapatid. Pero, kahit hindi perpekto ang ugnayan ng magkapatid, mangingibabaw pa rin ang pagmamahalan sa isa’t isa. Nagkakaroon pa rin ng pagkakataong makita ang kabutihan ng kalooban sa iyong kapatid.

Isang challenge para sa akin ang iguhit ang kuwentong ito. Paano ko gagawing mas interesante ang karakter ng ate kahit na sa umpisa ay parang hindi nakatutuwa ang asal niya sa kanyang mas batang kapatid? Ang naging solusyon ko ay gawing multi-faceted ang karakter ni ate. Marami siyang talento at kakayahan. Pinakita ko ang versatility ni ate. Nagba-ballet, nagka-karate, nagbe-bake, kumakanta, nagba-bike at mahilig magbasa.

Paano ko gagawing interesante ang paraan ng pagpapakita ng bata ng kanyang pagpapahalaga sa kanyang ate? Dito ko pinalabas ang kakayahan ng batang lumikha ng kakaiba at malikhaing paraan para ipakita ang kanyang pagmamahal sa kanyang ate.

5. Saan ka kumuha ng inspirasyon para maiguhit at mailarawan ang Big Sister?

Meron akong dalawang ate. Sila ang una kong pinaghugutan para umpisahan ang paglikha ng karakter ni ate.

Mahalaga ring balikan ang simpleng pagpapakita ng mga emosyon sa pagguhit ng tuwa at inis, takot at payapa, saya at lungkot sa mga sitwasyon ng kuwento.

Pero ang unang biswal na tumatak kaagad sa isip ko ay ang yung nasa cover – yung agawan ng dalawa sa remote control ng TV. Alam ko kaagad na ito ang magiging biswal ko para sa cover.

6.  Anong medium ka pinakakomportable sa paglikha at paguhit?

Watercolor, color pencil at fine-point pens.

Reading as a Tool for Lifelong Learning

  

Illustrator of the Month: Ruben "Totet" de Jesus

With Totet, under a shower of books! 

This month's featured illustrator is none other Ruben "Totet" de Jesus. Totet and I worked on a book project two years ago. He illustrated my story, Bis Sister (Lampara House, 2015). Our book was chosen by kid judges in the Kids' Choice Award (2015-2016) as one of the top ten books, a finalist among the many books published from 2014 to 2015.

It did not win first place, but we are honored to be recognized by the readers we write for. Salamat, mga bata!

Here now is part 1 of an interview that Totet so generously accepted for the blog. Many regard him as "Sir Totet" in the UP College of Fine Arts. Being one of the "manongs" (older brother) in Ang INK (Illustrador ng Kabataan) he has points to tell the aspiring illustrator. But, he is a lifelong learner who looks back at the artists whom he has learned much from. Read about Totet's insights about the artist's life and his heroes in the industry. 

1. Ano ang top three life lessons na nakuha mo bilang illustrador ng mga kabataan?

Una, makulay ang buhay. Pero ang bawat kulay ay nakikipag-ugnay sa iba para mabuo ang eksena.

Ikalawa, ang bawat linya ay mahalaga – manipis man o makapal, diretso man o baku-bako, mahaba man o maigsi. Ang bawat linya, kung matyagang gawin at tapusin, ay nakakabuo ng iba-ibang anyo at hugis.

Ikatlo, huwag maliitin ang kakayanan ng batang umunawa, makiramdam at magbigay ng kahulugan sa bawat detalyeng nakikita niya. Marami tayong matutunan sa mga bata. Hindi natin dapat isantabi ang bata sa ating mga sarili.

One of my favorite spreads in Big Sister is the five loving ways of "Ate".

2.    Sino ang iyong idol illustrator at bakit?

Larry Alcala – simpleng line drawings pero naipakita ang tunay na karakter ng mga Pinoy sa nakakatuwang paraan. Isang karangalan para sa akin na iisang kolehiyo ang aming pinagmulan bilang mag-aaral at guro ng Visual Communication. Pareho rin kaming naging bahagi ng Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY).

Albert Gamos at Ibarra Crisostomo – malawak ang kakayahan nila bilang ilustrador. Sila ang unang mga ilustrador na aking nakatrabaho noong nag-Practicum ako sa Adarna.

Maurice Sendak - hindi ko siya nakatrabaho pero sana (hehehe). Kahit simple ang mga eksena at hindi sumisigaw ang mga kulay, parating may magic sa mga biswal at may pino at maayos na mga detalye.

Maraming mga mahuhusay na miyembro sa Ilustrador ng Kabataan. Saludo ako at natututo rin sa kanila.

Our certificate. This makes it legit.

3.   Saan pa kaya patutungo ang mga Pinoy illustrador ng kabataan?

Marami pang maihahandog ang mga Pinoy na ilustrador para sa mga kabataan. Kahit walang kasiguraduhan ang takbo ng mundo, lalo ng ating bayan, sana marami pang mga kuwentong maisulat na makakatulong sa mga batang humarap at maging positibo ang pananaw sa buhay. Ang mga ilustrador ay patuloy na magbibigay ng kulay at anyo sa mga karakter at kuwentong may kabuluhan para sa kabataang Pinoy.

Part 2 will be posted sometime within the week. It is there where Totet shared his approach in illustrating Big Sister. We will run a workshop on writing and illustrating children's stories during the Manila International Book Fair at SMX, MOA Pasay City.