Free Printable Pages

 I have a new book and I have a few copies to be given away during MIBF. These are limited.

For those who couldn't get a copy, it is free to download and print yourself.

See all the free books here

Need more pages, here are some printables:

Where to Buy Lagimat

 Hello everyone! Lagimat: Tome of Philippine Death Myths is available during MIBF. It is also available on Amazon. MIBF is on Sept. 11-15, SMX MOA.

Links down below:

Buy on Amazon

Free Ticket to the Manila Internationa Book Fair

 MIBF is this Sept 11-15, 2024 at SMX, Mall of Asia.

Here's a free ticket!

The guard at the gate takes it upon entrance so you might want to print a few copies for multiple days.

Young Writers Conference in Davao

 On August 20, 2024, the Book Writers Club (BWC) successfully organized the Young Writers Conference (YWC) at the newly opened Davao City Library, a modern hub in the heart of the durian capital of the Philippines. Under the tagline "Stories for Children, by the Children," the BWC aimed to bring young minds together in a creative space where they could enjoy each other’s company while learning writing techniques from renowned authors and peers alike. Book Writer’s Club is a writing club for children facilitated by Ms. Rhoda Osalvo.

The final workshop of the afternoon was led by Teacher Maita, who captivated the audience with a discussion on using Philippine mythology as a source of inspiration. She introduced the children to various mythological deities and creatures. Then she guided them through a quick exercise: selecting a classic fairy tale and swapping out a character or element with one from Philippine mythology. Of the thirty participants, eleven submitted their creative reimagined stories, which will soon be showcased on Teacher Maita’s website.

The event was widely regarded as a success. Teacher Maita, familiar with some of the parents, took the opportunity to give them a tour of the city, introducing them to the local cuisine.

The Young Writers Conference was a much-talked-about event, with participants and parents alike expressing excitement for a potential return to Davao next year. There is already buzz about expanding the conference to include a larger audience and perhaps introducing inter-school story competitions.

Winners of the workshop with Teacher Maita

Buying books!

The Tale of 1000 Roses

 My article in Sun Star came out. 

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/feature/tale-of-a-thousand-roses

I feel a lot of people will see the Roses in society. It is precisely why I wrote it. There are too many Roses with the same stories. It is a sad society where the woman is under attack. 

The woman is not a costume. Give the woman a chance to bloom!

Why Death Myths?

Many Southeast Asian cultures, including the Philippines, have strong beliefs in an afterlife and the presence of spirits. Filipino mythology and death stories help shape national identity by passing down important cultural values like reverence for one's ancestors and reverence for one's elders.

My fellow writers Jean Karl Gaverza and Mary Louise Lu and I conceptualized Lagimat, A Tome of Philippine Death Myths. It has 61 entries divided into seven chapters. There are Psychopomps, The Ones Who Live Beyond, The Balancers, Sowers of Discord, Witches, Creatures and The Places Beyond.

In doing this project, I realized that although each ethnolinguistic group in our archipelago has distinct beliefs, there are similarities. And the way we view death, is different. It is very different from the Catholic and Christian views. Most of our death myths center around a journey. Many of the psychopomps are boat men, places in the afterlife are towns. Our views on death is not grim. What started a horror made me realize that Filipinos (the original pre-hispanic ones) have a more positive view of death. Perhaps there is a lesson or two to be seen here.

And perhaps, there is a part two to be written...

I've used different scripts in the book. they all say the same thing: Lagimat

How come I didn't use more scripts? Simple: These are the only cultures we have touched in these books (those with scripts, at least).

Pre-order Lagimat and other books for MIBF here: https://forms.gle/vmRP9p1AUp6ALore8