Filipino Friday: Intro Post & New Discoveries

It's that time of the year again, folks! The Filipino Reader Con is happening again this November and I just know it's going to be even more awesome than last year's. And as per tradition, the weeks leading to the big day would include a weekly meme every Friday. Here's the first Filipino Friday meme for the week:

Surprise, Reader! Hello, it’s the first week of Filipino Fridays 2014! Whether it’s your first time to participate or not, tell us a bit about yourself. More specifically, tell us about your favorite book discoveries for this year. Any author you started reading this year that you can’t get enough of? A book you didn’t think you’d like, but you ended up liking/loving? Any book series that you just have to get your hands on? Have you discovered anything new from Filipino authors this year?

ReaderCon Recap + Invitation

A unique approach to the Freedom Wall. Also, Nicholas Park as a favorite author.

ReaderCon finally happened last Saturday and I had a blast! Though this was technically my second time to attend the event, but it was a first for me on the following:

#romanceclass class pic with our books

• I was part of an exhibitor group. The #romanceclass had a booth where we sold the print copies of our novels as well as the ebook bundle. Our mentor, Mina V. Esguerra was also there to sell copies of her latest books, Welcome to Envy Park and Playing Autumn (part of the Rock Gods of Romance ebook bundle).

• I've never been inside the Ateneo school grounds until that day. And the Rizal Library. I probably wouldn't slack off in my MA thesis if I had that kind of library facilities at my disposal.

Panel discussions were insightful and fun!

I also had a great time participating in panel discussions and learning from speakers about everything reading/publishing/writing-related. It was also a great experience to meet and interact with book readers, especially those who bought our books and looked around our booth (special shout out to Ciela who bought a paperback copy of my book!). Thank you to everyone who attended ReaderCon and those who took the chance to buy and read our self-published works.

For the curious, we are still selling the ebook bundle for P320. That's a whopping 8 books for an awesome price!

#romanceclass at BLTXIV

Photo from The Curious Couch

We're also joining this Saturday's (December 14) small press expo, Better Living Through Xeroxography (BLTX). The event is from 9am to 5pm at the Lopez Museum, Benpres Building in Ortigas. It's free to the public! Local zine creators, self-published writers (that's us!) and crafters will be there so you can also do your Christmas shopping at the event.

See you there!

ReaderCon Tomorrow!

That's right! ReaderCon is finally pushing through tomorrow, December 7, at the Rizal Library of the Ateneo de Manila University. The #romanceclass writers will have a booth at the event where we will sell our individual books and the ebook bundle. Personally, I am psyched as this is the first event where I'm going to do a promote my book and meet current and potential readers.

More than just selling books, I'm also excited to participate in the panels and discussions facilitated by authors and readers. Plus, other book sellers and exhibitors will be selling awesome titles and book paraphernalia. My wallet is ready.

Hope you can drop by the Rizal Library tomorrow and join in the fun!

ReaderCon 2013 in November

Logo from the ReaderCon website

I had a blast in last years Filipino ReaderCon and I'm so psyched it's happening again this year!
 
I can't say enough that we need to have more book/reader-centric conventions aside from the MIBF. What's great about the ReaderCon is that it's organized by avid bookworms gathering publishers and the reading public in one venue to celebrate and support reading communities. Talking about books makes my heart giddy and there's nothing like spending an entire day with books, writers, readers, and publishers.

One of my favorite parts in the program is the Filipino Reader's Choice Awards. I've nominated some of my favorite titles and I do hope they win this year! If you haven't voted yet, do it right now because the polls will be open until September 6 only.

See you in November and I hope this year's ReaderCon will be even more amazing than last year's.

Filipino Friday: Introductions

As with every start of a weekly meme, we need to know a bit about you! Talk about your top 3-5 (or more!) favorite books of all time, the genres you read and would never read, the books that surprised you this year. You can also talk about how you became a reader and why you love it so much! And finally, if you were in the ReaderCon last year, talk about your experience too! If you weren't there, but you?re planning to go this year, then what do you expect for the upcoming ReaderCon?

Friday meme from Filipino ReaderCon

The 2nd Filipino Reader Con

There are far too many weaboo conventions out there, and it's about time us bookworms have something to look forward to. I got this tip from Kat about The 2nd Filipino Reader Con, and I'm so stoked to attend! 

And while we're at it, let's nominate some great Philippine-published titles for The Filipino Reader's Choice Awards! Here are some of my nominees:

Alternative Alamat - Short Story Anthology

Trese - Comics / Graphic Novel

Naermyth - Novel in English

Tragic Theater - Novel in English

I still have yet to think who to nominate for the Chick Lit category.

I really do believe Filipinos should patronize local books and authors because there's such a wealth of awesome stories that no one else could tell except a fellow Pinoy. Local myths, for one, have been a recurring theme for some recent novels/comics/anthologies that deserve to be read and shared to the world. And while owning a digital e-book reader has its perks, I still make sure to buy print versions of our local publications to support our publishers and authors. You should, too!