BOOKS TO BUY : Adarna House’s Recommended Reading List for Fiction Writers

In all the writing workshops I have attended, the speakers never fail to say that a good writer is a wide reader. This is quite a challenge on my end because as a solo parent with multiple jobs, my time each day to perform all my responsibilities seems to be never enough. There are even occasions when I would be leaving a book in the toilet because going inside there is a window for my guilt-free “me time” where I could update myself on reading by at least a chapter or two. Isn’t it that an ad said before, a page a day takes ignorance away?

In the writing workshop I recently attended, the “Sipat| Sulat: An Adarna House on Seeing and Making Literature,” the attendees were presented of the writers’ suggested chapter books. I took note of the book titles which from now on I consider as my target books to purchase sooner or later.

Here are the new book titles on my list:

WHY CHAPTER BOOKS?

Fantasy and Paranormal Series

1. Harry Potter (1997)

2. Twilight (2007)

Dystopian Series

1. The Hunger Games

2. Divergent

Science Fiction 

1. The Square Root of Summer by Harriet Reuter

Bullying

1. Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Sick Lit

1. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

2. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

3. The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin

Fandom Love

1. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

2. Carry  On : The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow

3. Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here by Anna Breslaw

4. The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

It’s All A Lie

1. Crenshaw by Catherine Applegate

2. The Land of Forgotten Girls by Erin Entrada Kelly

3. Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer

4. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Illustrated Novels / Sequential Story Telling

1. The Invention of Hugo Cabret

2. Diary of a Wimpy Kid

3. The Popularity Papers by Amy Ignatow

4. Flora & Ulysses : The Illustrated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo and K.G. Campbell

5. This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki

6. Gene Luen Yang

Alternating Points of View / Multiple Narratives

1. Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead

2. I’ll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson

3. All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

4. Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra & Dhonielle Clayton

#WeNeedDiverseBooks

1. Blackbird Fly

PLAYING WITH LANGUAGE

1. Tall Story by Candy Gourlay - Dual Narrative

2. Shine by Candy Gourlay - Dual Narrative

3. Choco Chip Hips by Agay Llanera - Manipulating Language

4. Woman In A Frame - Characterization and Language

5. I Hate My Mother - Code Switching

6. Si Janus Silang - “Offensive” Words

7. Sep? - Slang

8. Displaced - Novel in Verse

9. Anino ng mga Alon - Lyrical Language

SUBMITTING TO PUBLISHERS (ADARNA HOUSE)

1. Papel de Liha

2. Bakit Matagal Ang Sundo Ko

3. Palengke

4. Papa’s House, Mama’s House

5. Supremo

Moved

When you do something drastic, it’s like making a new chapter of your life official. In my case, getting a new apartment symbolizes my commitment to become more mindful and active in raising my children well.

I garnered a handful of remarks about my decision. Some were positive, some were not.

My Son Says

My favourite remark was Vladimir’s. He said, “Mommy, thanks for my new home. I’m excited with my new life.” Maybe he said this because this is the first time in his seven years of existence that he experienced having a decent territory.

From birth to age five, we lived under the roof of his grandparents. At age six, we moved to our internet shop – our abode was the second floor while our business hub is at the ground floor. My son used to tell me, “This is not a house, this is a shop,” with tears in his eyes.

I have observed that for two days now, he’s quite proud that he lives in a true house with complete parts just like what is taught in school – bedroom, dining area, living room, restroom, etc. I even heard my son tell his playmates to behave well because they’re inside ‘his’ house.

My Mama Says

Before she was supportive, she was quite pessimistic of my decision because she knows that I’m having a hard time juggling my finances. After explaining to her how I badly need peace of mind, she eventually gave in.

Moving entails a lot of benefits on my end, I told her. (1) My cousins are near, so even if I haven’t found a nanny yet, I could leave my children to my unmarried or childless cousins while I’m at work. (2) I could also isolate my household from my business; which means I could condition my mind how to act appropriately and effectively in two different spaces. (3) My son will be delighted to have a new place he could call ‘home’. (4) The house is nearer my office. (5) I could jump into another business. (6) My son and I will have a more conducive space for studying.

My Sissy Says

My sister was happy of my decision. She told me that my move will allow me to experience independence better. She also said that it’s high time for me to invest on new appliance and furniture that my family needs.    

A Random Lady Says

In my desperation to hire a nanny for my baby, I spoke with a random slipper vendor one time and our conversation brought us to ‘home ownership.’ The vendor mentioned that she dreams of acquiring a house for her family. The argumentative monster in me was not able to tie her tongue and remarked that yours truly is not a believer of house acquisition. I read in a magazine before that it’s okay to simply rent because it allows you to bring your family to the city or locality where you are employed. This way, you save money from maintaining two households, and at the same time, you live WITH people who matter to you.

Hamichu Reacts

My youngest child is only one year old and she doesn’t talk yet. She lived at the shop, there were times she slept at her dad’s place, she slept at my mom’s house, and she also resided at her aunt-godmother’s apartment. When we transferred to our new house, my daughter’s gaze at the ceiling moved from left to right. Maybe she was thinking, “Where am I again?”She was uneasy only on the first day. After her adjustment period, she was already playing and running around the place. Her favourite part is the stairs where she often practices her climbing skills.

It is my children’s reaction that gives me the validation that I made the right choice. This is it, I took the leap and I must keep going. My commitment to go places has now begun.

Back to the Loving Arms of Oble

Since the first semester I taught at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela (PLV), my superiors there have been telling me that I should pursue my master’s degree if I want to retain my teaching job. After years of being indecisive, I gathered my courage and leapt into the decision to pursue my education despite the soft voices telling my head that I’m going to have a difficult time – “You have kids and you don’t have a nanny yet; you rented a new apartment, that’s a new financial obligation, where will you get the money?; Apart from your day job as a local government employee, you teach in two universities and you’re also maintaining a small business. Explain where will you get the time to study?”

That’s the word: TIME.

I’m already on my thirties and my children are growing up. I can’t afford to be passive because I have mouths to feed and futures to build. Even if Rizal’s quote – if you fail to plan, you plan to fail – scolds my head, a part of me is quite stubborn to jump into blurry stuff. This is it. I have to continue to be brave amidst my storms.

Hello UP.

A couple of weeks ago I submitted the requirements for my preferred course at the College of Arts and Letters. The scent of UP brought me back nostalgic memories. I was saddened to see the burnt Faculty Center (FC) where my thesis on gay language was kept and destroyed. At the back of my head, I look forward to writing another study on gender.

Sipat | Sulat : An Adarna House Workshop on Seeing and Making Literature 

A college orgmate, Ms. Ergoe Tinio, posted on Facebook that Adarna House was coming up with a writing workshop to raise funds for the rebuilding of FC. It was a brilliant idea to come up with a fund raising activity that hits two birds in one stone – writers get to donate something for the university while being able to learn something that may improve their craft.

May 21, 2016 at Carillon Lounge, University Hotel, UP Diliman)

Children's Books

I only attended the Day 2 workshop of Sipat | Sulat that talks about Chapter Books. I should have read more about this topic because I was reading Jessica Zafra and Scott Garceau and I thought somehow I could transform some of my blog entries into a book in the future, only to find out that chapter books are meant for children. (Aw, shucks. I had an entirely different view.)

Workshop Mementos

I am not ashamed even if I had a blunder there. I’m only human, I make mistakes. Haha!
       
I was a sponge during the seminar. I tried to absorb all the new palatable information that was presented to me. The speakers shared interesting concepts which I could relate with being a writer, although from the government field and not from children’s lit. Just in case, I am equipped with another multitude of ideas for my future writing projects. Furthermore, I have earned new concepts to contribute in intellectual masturbations.

Meet The Speakers.

1. Tarie Sabdo
e-mail: asiaisintheheart@yahoo.com
- She effectively explained what Chapter Books are and shared the recent trends on young adult (YA) literature. She also gave her recommended list of books for the consumption of aspiring writers for children and young adults. She’s an engaging speaker who can make any non-bookworm writer feel bad that they’re missing a lot of books. This is good. She gave us a list of must-reads. And she’s pretty.

2. M.J. Cagumbay Tumamac
Twitter: @XiZuqsNook
Site: www.xizuqsnook.com
- This very young but accomplished speaker talked about making use of language effectively to connect with target (YA) readers. He delivered his piece in a very easy to grasp and humorous fashion.
- I like the consistency of his use of XiZuksNook in all of his social media accounts.

3. Edgar Calabia Samar
Site: www.edgarsamar.com
- I immediately got excited upon seeing Edgar Samar’s name as one of the resource speakers in the workshop. Sipat | Sulat is the second opportunity that I got to listen to him, the first one was at the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino’s (KWF) sponsored seminar on Filipino writing and grammar.
- My favourite take away point in his talk is his notion of “commitment.” He said that it works for him if he announces that he’s going to do something big so that he will be compelled to find time to work on it. Of course, nobody wants a tarnished reputation, right? So he that’s what he does – he tells the whole world his plans so that there will be no to go but to go for it (whatever it is).

4. Ani Almario
Email: adarnahouse@adarna.com.ph
- Wow. The daughter of the Pinoy literature luminary, “Rio Alma,” and the vice president of Adarna House. She articulated the basic things that one must remember when preparing a manuscript for submission to a publisher. I appreciated the works under Adarna House better because her team dared to creatively present complex issues to young Filipinos. a
- She made me buy the book, “Papa’s House, Mama’s House,” which talks about broken families. This is the kind of book that realizes that ours is “an increasingly complicated world where people struggle to find authentic selves and lives.” I strongly agree with the book author, Jean Lee C. Patindol, that “A HOME IS A PLACE WHERE ONE BELONGS” not a house that is usually composed of a father, a mother, and their children.

Thank you Adarna House! My experience with you was both enlightening and refreshing. In my heart I have proven once again my belief that if an endeavour is UP’s, it’s always an eye-opener.

Separation of the Church, the State, and the Media

The #ChangeIsComing is quite common in social media these days. It seems that the Filipinos are having renewed faith and enthusiasm about the state of the country because of president-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s winning in the recent national elections.

While I understand that this is a strong indication that the Filipinos are already tired of the political farce we watch on television, I am also a little disturbed by the hashtag because this somehow connotes that most of us are relying on a single political figure to drive change in the country. Of course we cannot discount the fact that the kind of president we have will dictate our fate as a nation in the next six years. But, I cannot reiterate further the importance of us being active players toward societal change -- not mere observers nor excellent cyber bullies, but ACTORS.

 Read Bob Ong’s “Kapitan Sino” for you to understand the drift.

The Church.

A “punisher” type of leader is being associated by the people to Pres. Digong. News says death penalty will be revived in the country. CBCP issues a statement that nobody is entitled to get the life of another person. But the families of victims of heinous crimes shout for justice.

My two cents: Let the law of man take its course because it is anchored anyway on the protection of life, liberty, and property. It is your role, clergymen, to do something about the values of the Filipino people. Maybe standing on the pulpit to do your sermon is no longer effective. You have to reach out to the real world 360 degrees and rebuild your church that is more immersed with the people.

The State.

The yellow oligarchs are organized also like the Mafia although they employed a different strategy – they made use of the state to ensure their unbreakable power and they also use the media to condition the minds of people to believe their version of truth. They documented the Philippine history through their eyes.

I’m not saying that the Marcoses are clean. My point is, who is isn’t and where are your proofs? We’ve had two presidents from the Aquino family and until now, the case of Ninoy’s death has no court decision yet? Perhaps the yellow minions didn’t like this issue resolved. They want the drama and they’re riding the show because they’re getting power out of this. While Ninoy may have been a great man, I don’t think the son was able to pursue the ‘legacy’ that the EDSA Revolution promised our nation to have. Let’s cut all the lies and drama. Can we just fix ourselves and move forward?

While it’s nice to revisit the past once in a while, the clock is ticking and we need to participate in nation building NOW – so you start resolving your personal issues and how you treat the people around you because one negative vibe emitted can be passed on to others like a domino. And may I call on the intervention of the church again to rekindle a stronger sense of spirituality among the people, please?

The Media.

The Spaniards introduced to us the Catholic faith and the western form of government. This topic is one of our common references when we talk about the separation of church and state.

But at the time of EDSA, the role of media moved like an invisible hand which united our people to end the dictatorship. Since then, more than listening to what the church and government had to say, the people preferred to listen to the media and its animated presentation of their version of facts.

The politicians took advantage of our fanatic culture. When you’re seen on TV, you’re famous. You’re an authority. You’re somebody to be respected. On the side, our media played favorites. And it pushed for the great social division – between the class of the rich and famous vs. the class of the undiscerning masses.

At this point, the media hype focuses on the “change” that will be brought to us by Mayor Digong. Everybody seems to be happy and optimistic. Let’s see what happens in the next couple of months, if the hype will not tone down.

Remember when the media used to glorify GMA and Noynoy only onset? But when they were already towards their exit, they delivered nega stuff about them which the mob instantly believed in. Same pattern was employed – they were good only at the beginning; they were consistently good where there is ‘business.’

The Social Media.

All netizens are now voiced and heard. Some are thinkers, some are bullies, there are peace makers, and there are those who are either clueless or apathetic. The determination of truth depends on which expose becomes the most viral. There is too much information and we are all super busy individuals to research further which of available contents are more reliable. Our generation is susceptible to unverified twisted truths. We live right now in an extremely dangerous information era.

Bottom line: EDUCATION IS CRUCIAL.

Mimi Is Love

“Mimi Is Love” is one of my daughter’s favourite children’s songs by Badanamu on YouTube. “Mimi,” which sounds like “mommy,” is what she calls her aunt-godmother who is currently vacationing in London, England.

Hami Kisses Mimi

When Mimi was still here in the Philippines, she showered affection to my little girl and took care of my daughter as if she’s her own. She rescued us at the lowest point of my life. She offered to look after my baby so that I could work and pay my bills. She was a heaven-sent aid. How can I say no to a neat freak nurse who’s willing to give your child motherly love and care...for free?!

The highlight of their convincing “mother-daughter relationship” was when my daughter won 1^st runner-up in a Halloween costume party organized by Jollibee at the Valenzuela People’s Park. Wearing a lady bug costume she received from Dominique, her cousin in the United States, she bested hundreds of registered attendees in the costume party, including her big brother who was dressed as a pirate.

Trick or Treat 1st Runner-up

Side note: While my baby girl was all glammed up, I was mortified to see my son in supposedly pirate costume but was dressed instead by his nanny as if he’s a faith healer! His blue shoes and the way his red kerchief was put on his head gave me headache. Ugh. I comforted my competitive son who cried when he lost.

Mimi, together with my other cousins and cousins’ friends, did an overwhelming job in making Hami’s baby life a blast. They staged monthly birthday celebrations for my daughter before she reached one, they frequented the mall together with the kid to treat her in different restaurants, they bought her nice toys and fashionable baby clothes, they trained her not to become a picky eater, they brought her to the doctor when she’s suddenly sick, they exposed her to technology that’s why my daughter loves selfies and music videos.

Child Support From Relatives :)

Sponsored Birthday Celebration
Hami's 7th

Sponsored Birthday Celebration
Hami's 8th

When Mimi left for United Kingdom, this happened to me:

I am not complaining. I love to be around my daughter all the time. It’s just that Hami is quite too clingy that I couldn’t do stuff seamlessly when we’re together. Sometimes, I can divert her attention. Sometimes, I cannot. The struggle is real. Hahaha!

Nonetheless, I am quite happy and comfortable that my children are with me. On the side, I am elated to see Mimi tour London together with her family.

Clan of Volunteer-Models

It is not new in our office that if we need talents for our photo or video shoots, we would maximize our connections first before we look for models who would ask for professional fees. So, it is either we tap willing people to post before our cameras or we, employees, will take the job as the subject for the shoots.

On this blog entry, I will just parade my helpful relatives who had been very supportive to me each time I need models. Their photos were used in various IEC (information, education and communication) materials of our local government.

My Son

Vladimir as Book Cover Model

My son in press release photo:

http://www.wingatchalian.com/news-and-research/article/tuition-hike-suspension-in-private-schools-to-ease-burden-of-parents

My Nieces

Arwen
Valenzuela Ngayon Magazine
Education 360 degrees PowerPoint presentations

Yan-yan
"Nanay-Teacher" Calendars

My Cousins

Eugene and Angelo (boys only)
Responsible Pet Ownership Flyers

Myself

Alagang Valenzuelano Women's Dental and Wellness Mobile Clinic Sticker

First Version of the Mobile Clinic Sticker

Second Version

For those of you who would like to add a documented project on their set cards or modelling portfolios, and at the same time are willing to extend a hand to our local government promote its social services, you are most welcome to become one of our volunteer-models! Just contact me on twitter @LizFulgencio .

Avoid Midlife Crisis

“You’ve been forking money before. We thought you’re bound to financial success. What happened to you?” Being asked of this by your former classmates is a hard slap on one’s face. How do you actually prevent your ridiculous friends from rubbing it in? Nope, I’m not talking about myself. I’m talking about somebody I know who’s currently chained in midlife crisis.

According to a talk show in CNN, not everybody undergoes this kind of crisis. A lot of people can actually skip this phase if they have been adamant in pursuing their goals during the early part of their career life.

It is quite inevitable in some people to reach a certain point when they would want to validate their worth as individuals. People evaluate their achievements decades after college and they wanted to see tangible proofs that they ‘made’ it. If they had been dilly-dallying instead of working hard, chances are, they will be trapped in the pitfall of midlife crisis.

I’m not saying that I am going to be exempted from this problem. In fact, I will be enrolling for master’s degree soon for me to re-experience the student life. I’m not sure if this is also a sign that I’m on my way there but I’m refusing to overanalyze anymore. I just want to become the better person that I am so that my children will become proud of their mother.

My interview with my Chinese friend is like music that keeps on replaying in my mind. He said that it is important for people to always upgrade their skills so that their value will not diminish. It’s a rat race out there and you have to always prep up for winning. So here I am, maximizing the opportunities within my reach to improve myself as a communicator.

It was also mentioned by my good Chinoy friend that one must not stop being a parent. He said that while sending your children to school is just one level, ensuring that they fare well in their career is also another level. I was struck by his profound wisdom on parenting so here I am, really determined to make myself strong, because I will be the beacon of my children’s future.
(Read: https://ourvalenzuela.wordpress.com/2016/04/14/message-success-valpoly-graduates/)

Life is good. Let us live it well.

How Do I Love Foodie? Let Me Count the Ways.

One of my realizations in my Intercultural Communication class way back in college is that – food tells a story about a certain life style of a cultural group. Also, there is always a learning opportunity every time we dine out with people because there is information in interaction. The latter can be prolonged of course over mouthwatering foodies!

How do I love foodie? Let me count the ways. *Wink!

1.       Ambiance teaches my kids something new.

-          I find Banzai an educational restaurant. As a lover of culture and arts, I appreciate the interiors of the said resto which features the Japanese way of life. It has a room for model wanna-bes who like to take shots of themselves in front of the wall painting of a sumo wrestler and a dojo with fighters in black holding a katana sword; a stationary Japanese bike; and a man-made cherry blossom tree. It was also through this eating place where I had my first taste of sake (It’s commercialized alright, but this doesn’t matter to me). 

Banzai, SM Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City

2.       Food experience is better if shared with an interesting person.

-          Chinoy parents are excellent business trainers to their children. They start showing them the tricks of the trade at a very young age because blazing the trail will be useless if there is no ample guidance and follow through. Dining at Fong Wei Wu in Quezon City has been a worthwhile experience to me because I got the chance to mingle with a cool Chinese parent who’s also a keen observer of the effects of bureaucracy in private businesses. Hurrah for the lunch treat!

Fong Wei Wu, Quezon City

3.       Milestones are validated if celebrated with food.

-          If your child is a school awardee, he or she should be rewarded. Congratulations, Mirmir! Next year again. Ok? Proud mom here, I’m just thankful.

Classic Savory, SM Hypermarket - Valenzuela City

4.       The parallel function of food with time machine.

-          Who needs to invent a time machine if you can relive the past with your once orgmates? You know very well that reminiscing the good old times is priceless! Moreover, if your friends happen to be braniacs as well, lucky you. Your fine opportunity to mingle with them is like to devouring self-help books in one sitting!

Cafe Breton, UP Ayala Technohub, Quezon City

5.       Feed your mind while feeding your tummy.

-          Next to staying for hours in the shower, having a book beside me is also my favourite me-time. It’s nice to read a book somewhere outside of the house so that when your eyes need to relax, you can glance at the people in the resto and analyze them based on their gestures – what could possibly be eating them? Hehe...

Pizza Hut, SM Hypermarket - Valenzuela City

Bottom line, I just love to eat. I just pondered on its benefits to justify my episodes of gluttony.