ALA FLYLEAF

flyleaf

Ateneo Literary Association Yearly Publication

Volume 1, Apr 2012 - Feb 2013

4 8 12

A Peek Inside the Paper Cup Christine Mariano

Highlights

Fanfiction Barenaked Jazmine Brusola Pauline Zenit

2 Starting with a Blank Page

John Leir Castro

3 TIRILADAN

Rea Robles Krizzia Mei Esperanza

6 ALAHQ Rea Robles

7 The Art of Tag Team Writing Gian Bron Dhanna Colasito

7 Some Reasons to Read Gabriel Castillo

10 Bahala Ka

Jusan Villaflor Misolas

11 From Hogwarts to Pagford Christaine Mae Bael

14 Rabble Rousers:

A Fate/Zero Anime Review Jazmine Brusola

14 Highly Recommended John Leir Castro

16 Booksniffers Kaye Sereno

STARTING WITH A BLANK PAGE BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE, A CONFESSION—I INTENDED TO WRITE

in a manner entirely different than what I am currently forcing past your cornea, to wit: In a room washed with an unconvincing imitation of the languid shades of coffee, five people had just made themselves comfortable on the tarpaulin-covered floor, a bit bothered by the obvious lack of chairs and the dull weekday afternoon.

For the life of me I couldn’t follow that—my own— sentence. I spent hours thinking of ways to pursue the endeavor but in the end, the sentence turned out to be a defective time-bomb: it never exploded. It also made me wait for hours to the point of hallucination, so much that I could almost see the words collapse and re-arrange into: WRITE ANOTHER ONE. And so I did.

You are presumably looking at the first issue of the FLYLEAF, the official journal or bulletin or whatever-youmay-call-it of the Ateneo Literary Association: an avenue for ALA members to take a breather from their daily dose of heavy metaphor (this is not necessarily a bad thing).

The FLYLEAF was the brainchild of two awesome people who opted to divulge nothing but their names and a couple of titles: Krizzia Mei Esperanza, ALA’s Chairperson, Head of the Creative Non-fiction Guild, and FLYLEAF’s Layout Artist, and John Leir Castro, ALA’s Planning and Evaluation Officer and FLYLEAF’s Executive Editor. Why did they choose to make life difficult by starting a tedious but equally interesting scheme? (Good question. Let me get back to you on that.)

Through the collective effort of the 2012-13 ALA Core Group the mere idea of an organizational bulletin developed into a fully-grown concept, such that it was no longer enough to fantasize about it. After being christened “FLYLEAF” by our moderator, Mr. Jay Salvosa, the Core underwent a series of planning that effectively built momentum (might have included long bouts of procrastination and deliberate attempts on re-starting from scratch).

I half-expected the FLYLEAF to be met with apathy when I first announced its existence to the rest of the members back in January, but in just a few days we were already responsible for a dozen potential articles. It made me nervous enough: Will we be able to manage? Is it worth it? We did not want to eat more than we could swallow, even if the project would taste as sweet as caramel fondue. Indeed, it was anything but eating cake. After the articles poured in, we tried to beat self-induced deadlines, but a number of complications made it even more challenging to achieve. The editors eventually had problems with communication and scheduling, especially during the last two exam weeks. The process of editing slowly became tedious—we had to handle the critiques on the articles of younger contributors very carefully as 2

John Leir Castro

to not, in any way, discourage them from writing or hurt their feelings. Constant reminders (or nagging) were necessary towards the latter phase of editing, with summer vacation closing on us. Amidst these, the rest of the Editorial Board—Christine Mariano, Rea Robles, Anne Estipona, and Jovi Cadores—willingly broke their pens’ speed limits, bypassed their time managers, tossed ideas back and forth, blew ideas into smithereens, stayed up later than owls (some are nocturnal to begin with anyway), and turned their critiques into inked sentences squashed into the margins of 8.5x11-sized sheets of paper. Our layout artist, Krizzia Mei Esperanza, also had to make difficult choices. Funds were limited; every precious white space should count (other times, it shouldn’t). She pulled through anyway without sacrificing quality and art, even with the harshest of time constraints, in less than three days.

I try to make all these sound noble. Indeed it is, but in a different sense of the word. If nobility involves selfservitude then we are guilty. The contributors, mostly the Core, wanted to leave another mark aside from our fiction and poetry and write from the other side, where facts may hinder creativity, opinions may blotch and ruin their article altogether. In reality, that we wanted to share what little brilliance we know in our craft merely came second.

And share we did: the FLYLEAF was finally complete.

In here you will be given a chance to peek inside our Paper Cup, to take a glimpse on ALA territory (Tiriladan; ALAHQ), to pursue a crash course on writing (Fanfiction Barenaked; The Art of Tag Team Writing; Bahala Ka), and to learn why it’s fascinating to live, quite literally, by the book. You can ask, what is ALA and what does it do?

What are they interested in? Why should I join? The answers may be found inside.

A word of caution. As you peruse through the pages of our maiden issue, uncover every fold and sinew and edge, take an open mind. You may find ideas not to your liking, inciting violence from the trenches of your subconscious. The writers may sound imposing, or even rude. The topics may be too opinionated. There will be some that you may not simply understand. Even so, don’t think badly of us.

—

There is not much left to say, really. And so I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to you, the reader— you may be a friend, a teacher, an accomplice, a complete stranger, or even the staunchest adversary of the print— for lending us a bit of your time before reducing the FLYLEAF’s purpose into a paper boat, a seat, a fly swatter, or in the most unfortunate of circumstances, a substitute for tissue paper. Hey, it happens.

As for the meaning of the word flyleaf—well, if you don’t know yet, then it’s up to you to figure it out.

FLYLEAF

Rea Robles SA LOOB NG ISANG BUONG PANG-

akademikong taon (20122013), nailathala ng Ateneo Literary Association (ALA) ang limang isyu ng TILAD—isang monthly online literary folio na nagsilbing instrumento upang maibahagi ng mga estudyante, faculty, staff, at alumni ng Ateneo de Naga University (AdNU) ang kanilang talento sa pagsulat.

Ang unang porma ng TILAD ay isa lamang poster na ipinaskil ng ALA sa mga bulletin boards sa loob ng campus.

Laman nito ang tulang isinulat ni Rainier Maria Rilke na isinalin naman sa Bikol ni Kristian Sendon Cordero (na kinuha ng ALA sa kaniyang librong Minatubod Ako sa Diklom).

Nakapaloob din sa poster ang maikling talasalitaang Bikol, at larawang iginuhit ni Stephen Prestado, Advertising Officer ng ALA at isa rin sa mga namuno (kasama ni Jusan Misolas) sa pagbuo ng TILAD. Breaking out of the shell— sa pagtitilad ng pili, nailalabas natin ang mismong pili sa kaniyang balat. Hango sa konseptong ito ang TILAD, na pagpapakilala ng ALA sa unibersidad bilang sentro ng mas malalim na pag-unawa sa literatura.

Upang mapabilis ang pagpapakilalang ito, hindi na sapat ang buwanang poster lang, kung kaya ginamit na ng ALA ang internet bilang daan upang makapagbahagi ng higit pa sa isang tula. Mula Oktubre 2012 hanggang Pebrero 2013, nakapaglabas ang ALA ng apat na online literary folio: KATAL, KASAGKORAN, KAABTAN, at KAMOOT. Itinatampok nitong apat ang piling mga tula at prosang isinulat, at mga larawang iginuhit o kinunan, ng mga kasalukuyan o dating kasapi ng AdNU. Hangarin ng ALA na ilathala lahat ito labas sa digital nitong porma sa huling isyu ng TILAD, ang KANIGUAN.

KATAL

November 2012

Krizzia Mei Esperanza

TIRILADAN Heto ang ilan pang detalye sa mga nasabing isyu:

KATAL

ANG PAMAGAT NA ITO AY KARANI-

wang ginagamit sa paglalarawan sa mga multo. Katapat marahil nito sa Tagalog ang salitang “lumulutang”—nakaangat ang mga paa ng multo’t hindi lumalapag sa lupa. Tama lamang marahil ang pamagat na ito sa buwan ng mga patay, Nobyembre.

Sa buwang ito, ipinakilala ng ALA ang pangalawang TILAD, ang KATAL. Mga likhang may koneksyon sa kahit anong nakakapanindig ng balahibo ang tema ng isyung ito.

Ginanap ang launching ng TILAD-KATAL sa Thesis Room ng AdNU, noong 15 Nobyembre 2012. Kasama ng mga dumalo ang mga manika at sinindihang kandila na hanggang ngayo’y nakakatakot pa ring isipin. Ilan lamang sa mga binasang pyesa sa TILADKATAL ang Trahedya de Boda ni Ken Brian Esperanza, Hinghing ni Ahj Eufracio, Maldisyon ni Stephen Prestado, at Hematopadya ni Ryen Paul Sumayao.

KASAGKORAN

HALOS KASABAY NAMAN NG KATA-

pusan ng Mayan Calendar na sinasabing End of the World daw (20 Disyembre 2012), ang launching ng TILAD-KASAGKORAN. Sa Bikol, ang ibigsabihin lang naman ng salitang “kasagkoran” ay katapusan, kung kaya maaasahan ng mga mambabasa sa isyung ito ang iba’t ibang pyesang binibigyan ng kahulugan o repleksyon ang kahit anong uri ng pagtatapos. Noong launching nito sa Thesis Room, AdNU, kapansin-pansin ang mga lobong

KASAGKORAN December 2012

simbolo ng hangganan—mas mabilis ang pagpaputok dito kaysa sa pagpalobo. Makikita sa TILAD-KASAGKORAN ang mga tulang Pagkasulo ng Patig ni Jovanie Estrella, Sulnupan ni Marissa C. Agricula, at Kasagkudan ni Jerome Mendoza Hipolito. Nakapaloob din dito ang mga prosang The Rat I Killed ni Gabriel Castillo, Elegy of a Thirteen Year Old on the Grave of Her Beloved ni C.M. Mariano, at An Mga Makinito ni Irmina V. Torres, kasama na rin ang mga larawang-guhit na pinamagatang Deception ni Van Peñaserada, at litratong kinunan ni Olga Villanueva.

Lalong mas naging memorable ang isyung ito dahil malawakang call for submissions na umabot hindi lamang sa buong Bicol, kundi sa buong Pilipinas. Inanunsyo rin kasi ito ng http://panitikan.com.ph, isa sa pinakamalaking literary portals ng bansa.

KAABTAN

BAGONG TAON, BAGONG BUHAY—

madalas itong iniisip tuwing darating ang Enero. Para sa buwang ito, ibinahagi ng ALA ang TILAD-KAABTAN. Pag-asa o destinasyon ang tema nito.

Galing kasi ang salitang ito sa “kaaabutan,” o sa ibang salita, kahahantungan. Mapapansin ang temang ito sa Panuga ni Jovi Cadores, Walrus ni Jay Salvosa, Random Dad ni Allan Camata, Esperanza ni John Leir Castro, at Campfires ni Rea Robles, ilan sa mga tula o prosang laman ng TILAD-KAABTAN. Sa launching nito noong 24 Enero 2013, na muling ginanap sa Thesis Room, AdNU, Anakasabit sa kisame ang mga paper crane—simbolo ng malayang paglayag.

KAABTAN

January 2013

KAMOOT

LAMAN NG TILAD-KAMOOT, ANG

ika-limang TILAD at inihandog ng ALA noong Pebrero, ang mga likhang patungkol sa pag-ibig. Mula ang “kamoot” sa salitang Bikol na “pagkamoot”. Pag-ibig o pagmamahal ang kahulugan nito. Sa lahat ng isyu ng TILAD, ang KAMOOT marahil ang nakatanggap ng pinakamaraming submissions.

Ilan lamang dito ang Pandulsi ni Leonor Bregala, Macarons ni Frank Calma, Butterflies ni Tyrone Pangan, at At Walang Pag-ibig ni Jusan Misolas.

Ginanap noong 20 Pebrero 2013 ang launching sa Leonardo’s Lounge ng CoKo Café, AdNU — ang pinakaangkop marahil na lugar sa unibersidad para sa tema ng isyung ito.

KANIGUAN

SA HULING ISYU NG TILAD, IBIG NG

ALA na bigyang pansin ang mismong mga taong bumuo rito. Binuksan lamang ang pinto ng KANIGUAN sa mga miyembro ng ALA, isang pagpapahalaga sa pagod at oras na inilaan nila para sa proyekto.

Ang TILAD-KANIGUAN, isang hard copy version ng TILAD, ay inihahandog ng ALA sa unibersidad bilang resulta ng halos isang buong taong pagtitilad.

Kasabay ng mga bagong pyesa ang mga piling gawa mula KATAL hanggang KAMOOT na ilulunsad ngayong Marso. Inimbitahan ng ALA ang lahat ng contributors nitong TILAD sa isang grand launching.

Binigyan ng parangal ang TILAD sa naganap na Student Organizations’ Awards and Recognition Night noong 25 Pebrero 2013 sa Arrupe Convention Hall, AdNU, bilang isa sa mga natatanging proyekyong binuo sa loob ng nasabing pangakademikong taon.

Gamit ito, naabot ng ALA ang kanilang obheto.

Natilad na ang ALA.

KAMOOT

February 2013 3

Christine Mae Mariano

A PEEK INSIDE THE

PAPER CUP

If you happen to pass a room at MR or Dolan which you believed to be empty but upon

nearer inspection was rather full of noisy crickets, prattling and squabbling in what strange lines that you’ve heard before but could not just fathom, dare not to turn back. It was probably just a Paper Cup Session.

What? You don’t know about it? Well, it’s just a cult-based thing where attendees worship demigods who live in papercups.

—

Of course not! It’s just a gathering really—cozy and pretty harmless (unless you count speaking in front as a deathly act). It is after all, a speaking engagement where one voices out the latest in contemporary literature such as Cordero, Neruda, Ong or the forgotten but old-time favorites like Frost, Rilke and Mandino or even one’s recently crafted love poem while supposedly nursing a paper cup of coffee.

The coffee is anything but symbolic. It’s just meant to settle growling stomachs if in case one foregoes an afternoon snacks to attend the session or meant to counter drowse or once and again, to make the gathering a bit warmer and less stiff. Hence, the paper cups may be absent without prior notice.

It’s the content that counts the most.

Where the Papercup Came From

FOUNDER OF ATENEO LITERARY ASSOCIATION (ALA) JAY SALVOSA

(fondly called as “Sir Jay” or “super-mod”) initiated the Paper Cup Session. As a college student, he used to attend the Latte Parties in Ateneo de Manila. The thought of having the same in Ateneo de Naga where he now works seems appealing. But he couldn’t just have a similar name for the event, could he?

So while Sir Jay was filling up the activity form, a verse from the Beatles song “Across the Universe”, crossed his mind. It ran like this…

Words are flowing out like Endless rain into a papercup They slither wildly as they slip across the universe.

* line from

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I Could Be a Poet by Taylor Mali

“The timing or coincidence was just way too cool to ignore… so I named the activity ‘Papercup Session’ in the activity form,” Sir Jay said.

On December 17, 2010, the first Papercup session was held under the roofs of MR Testing Room. For a poetry reading, you would expect a bit of dramatic background, like the dank and dark cave of the Dead Poet’s Society. The air-conditioned and well-lighted room in the oldest building of AdNU was less apt but nevertheless more comfortable.

There was a thermos of hot coffee and paper cups to pour it in. Yes, one nice soul also thought of bringing biscuits.

Sixteen strangers, of varying sizes and generations, holed up in a four-walled space. For a while they casted the rigors of work or study, shared idle chat and a few of their favorite verses. Perhaps at that time, there was already an expectation that the event would figure as historic in the life of a budding organization. Well, it did.

Years later, the Paper Cup Session became the flagship activity of ALA. The first sessions were purely verse readings—laughter-ridden and chummy. While readers entertained the crowd with their antics, the listeners passed around the paper cups (which were filled with coffee minutes ago) for signatures and messages. Then, it usually ended with Kevin de Quiroz’ proverbial “Eat my verbal dust”* followed by a series of picture taking.

With a new generation of attendees, the event transformed from being a simple poetry reading to poetry/ essay/story/discourses/hysterics/extreme noise/unforgettable experiences. Here’s a sample of what occurred in several of the Sessions this year.

Introduction to Creative Writing and the Writing Life

THE GLOOM AND SUPPOSEDLY BAD KARMIC ENERGY BROUGHT BY

the date was easily dispelled in a babble of noise created by eleven old comrades, eleven newcomers (with no special meaning attached to the numbers) and Sir Jay—assembling to inchoate a creative writing lifestyle while the rain poured incessantly outside and the rest of Ateneans partake in their orientation seminars. It was Friday, the 13th of July.

They were quite a bunch—these twenty-three people—who exhibited élan and unreined ruckus in the chill of that afternoon while the images of dead or old Jesuits in the Multi-purpose Room of O’Brien Library watched their proceedings with sullen approval.

There were hoots and bickering (as you would expect from a roomful of quirks) when each one of them read the best American First Sentences (2005)—Our Ecstatic Days, Maps for Two Lovers, a Private Hotel for Gentle Ladies, Where Three Roads Meet, 26a, Europe Central, March, The Brooklyn Follies, The Testing of Luther Albright, As Simple as Snow and a few others which didn’t fit.

Then, there was the yolk of the egg—a discussion on creative writing, the what is and the why as answered by lines from infamous authors. Anne Lamott, present in spirit but not in body, shared tips on the writing process through her essay Getting Started.

And of course, there was that segment on free writing which surprisingly plunged the room into total, almost holy silence, that blanket in time when the waves seemed to have frozen and only the hands were in motion as the

“

With a new generation of attendees, the event transformed from being a simple poetry reading to poetry/essay/ story/discourses/hysterics/extreme noise/unforgettable experiences.”

writer cupped the flow of words from his or her head and strained it on paper.

ed eagerly and actively (according to a witness because the narrator was not present).

BY ALL MEANS, AN ACCOUNT OF THE THREE HOUR PAPERCUP SES-

AS AN EARLY VALENTINE’S TREAT, FICTION GUILD MEMBER JOHN

About the Creative Process

sion on the second Friday, 10th of August was insufficient to capture its significance. On this date; the guild system came at play.

Stephen Prestado, head of the Visual Arts guild was jokingly referred to as Coach Ansai during the session because of his size. His size though, spoke well of the amount of creative knowledge he has amassed and dispensed with.

Meanwhile, Head of Poetry Guild Jusan Misolas read his essay Poetika at Birtud ng Paghihintay which spoke of his initial attempts to get recognized as a writer and his later aversion from fast electronic publishing.

John Leir Castro, member of the Fiction Guild, ever full of sarcasm and good energy shared some of his writing quirks which involve chocolates, midnight writing affairs and allergic reactions from deadlines.

Finally, ALA Chairman and Head of Creative Non-fiction Krizzia Esperanza tried to hypnotize the audience (without success) with her pip sounds. In the end, she challenged the listeners to overcome the pips which to her represent monotony in the writing process.

Neruda Hour

“AND IT WAS AT THAT AGE…” SO DOES BEGIN PABLO NERUDA’S POet-

ry. And it was at that moment, on the 8th of November— the afternoon was waning and the cool wind blew—that Pablo Neruda’s poems could be an antidote against sleepiness and boredom.

Neruda is known for his love poems. Naturally, the audience was hypnotized as soon as the audio recordings of Poetry, Ode to the Sea, Morning , Ode to a Beautiful Node, If you Forget Me, Adonic Angela, I Like for You to be Still, Tonight I can Write, And Now You’re Mine belted out.

They were delivered by celebrities such as Madonna, Ralph Fiennes, Glenn Close, Andy Garcia, Julia Roberts among others. Feeble spirits seemed to jump into ecstasy and minds perked at the sensuous and idyllic verses—the sea lapping about, some kind of nudity in different models, eroticism curtailed to modest description, a miserable town where “intestines hang over doors and false teeth lie in a coffeepot”. Sleeping would be almost a shame.

Narrative Devices

UNLESS ONE IS A LITERATURE MAJOR, IT IS BY RARE CHANCE THAT

one should hear about red herring, macguffin, diabolus ex machina, deus ex machina, prolepsis and analepsis in one sitting, but these things were exactly the points of discussion on the 26th day of November at D418. They’re just narrative devices and they’re very easy to use, no manuals needed.

The attendees even recognized the devices used in Harry Potter novels and familiar movies. They participatFLYLEAF

Use of Dialogue

Leir provided twelve attendees with the rudimentary of using dialogue while the wind chilled outside and the trees shared conspiratorial glances.

It’s one of those papercup sessions again, they must be thinking.

The date was February two and the location, D418.

As soon as the first slide flashed, the attendees have pasted on their face an expression of attentiveness that could be mistaken for stoicism. Meanwhile, Leir rattles about keeping dialogues as natural as possible. Most of his advices were pretty direct: give the damn thing a purpose or else throw it away.

Furthermore, avoid making characters sound like an idiot unless they really are. This requires a bit of explanation. See, there are people who would approach you in a movie house and ask, with extreme nonchalance, “What are you doing here?” when it was pretty obvious that you’re watching a movie.

The same blunder, Leir says, would be to have your main character ask a fellow character who holds a key and is about to open the house this question, “Is that the key?”

Of course, idiot!

To test this newly acquired knowledge, a round of exercises followed. The challenge is to reveal the character of two persons (like a recently-raped girl and a playboy) through dialogue. Some of the dialogues generated laughter and naturally, each group fared well.

There’s More

NOW, YOU’VE HAD A SNEAK PEEK OF ALA’S SESSIONS. THEY DON’T

seem interesting, do they? Pretty boring, if you say so.

Well… they are.

So why do you have to attend the Paper Cup Sessions?

(Listen very well, ALA members.)

It is but the nature of man to search for beauty and peace amidst the rigmarole of ordinary living and in a way, the Paper Cup Session serves that need. These Paper Cup Sessions are meant to bore holes into one’s pocket of indifference and patch the holes with crafted ideas and vivid sensations that literature can provide in copious amount.

If one has extreme aversion from poetry, your phobia has already been addressed with the inclusion of discourse and nonfiction reading. So perhaps, the next time you passed an ongoing session, you’ll take great pain to join the squabble even if in the end you will be accused as a deliberate party crasher.

You don’t even have to worry about the crickets with the funny laughs because they’re pretty tame whenever a Paper Cup Session is going on. (They wouldn’t bite... unless provoked.)

5

Rea Robles

ALAHQ AT LIBRO

KUNG SAKALING MAHANAP MO MAN ANG IYONG

sarili sa isang lugar na tila kakaiba at bago sa iyong senses, magmasid ka! Baka nakarating ka na sa lungga ng mga ALA Peeps—ang opisina na mas kilala sa tawag na ALAHQ o Ateneo Literary Association Headquarters.

Para malaman mo kaagad kung nasa ALAHQ ka na, heto ang checklist:

Pink na dingding

PINK ‘ATA O PEACH. BASTA ‘YUNG NAKAKAAN-

tok na kulay na resulta ng isang palpak na paghahalo ng pintura, na dapat sana ay kulay ng kape para mapanindigan ang pagiging coffee lovers namin. Ito ay sinamahan ng mga posters na bigla-bigla na lamang sumusulpot (pero bawal na daw mag-tape ng posters sa dingding sabi ng OSA, kaya baka wala na ‘yun habang binabasa mo ‘to). Ipagmamalaki ko din na may corkboard na kami. Dito ipinapaskil ang mga tula o prosa na isinulat ng mga miyembro kapag bored, nagpapatanggal ng antok, nag-aaksaya ng papel, o inaapawan sila ng creative juices. Hanapin mo ‘yung corkboard kapag pumasok ka sa ALAHQ. Malay mo, sa susunod, ikaw naman ang makaisip na maglagay ng tula.

Wala ring pumipigil sa’yo na idikit ang picture mo.

Ilan pa sa mga maaaring makita na nakasabit sa pink o peach na dingding (at sa pinto) ay mga artworks, announcements, drawing ng puso, mga liham para sa mga huling aalis ng opisina, lumang jokes, at ang mahal naming TILAD poster.

Sari-saring schoolbags

HINDI ISA, HINDI DALAWA, HINDI TATLO. MARAMI.

‘Yung mga bag na pinagpatong-patong sa gilid o sa ilalim ng mesa para hindi magmukhang madumi at makalat, at ‘yung mga pinaghalo-halong personal belongings na kung kasama ang iyong gamit, kailangan mo munang maghukay ng malalim bago mo ‘to makuha. Mala-ukay style.

Mga laptop na may iba’t ibang sukat at kulay

KATULAD NG NASA ITAAS, HINDI ISA, HINDI DA-

lawa. Pero hindi ipinagpapatong-patong ‘yung mga laptop ha? Ito ‘yung mga nakabukas na laptop na naglalaman ng mga bagong laro (halimbawa na lamang ay ang walang kamatayang Little Inferno), mga

6

pagkain).

Wala kaming bookshelf noong una kaming lumipat sa opisina ng ALA, pero sa sobrang kagustuhan naming magkaroon ng lalagyan ng libro (wala kaming perang pambili), nakiusap kami sa mga janitor na ibigay sa amin ‘yung luma at inaalikabok na shelf sa gilid ng OSA. Kapag tinutulak nga namin ito, sa sobrang luma, malakas na creak ang maririnig mo.

Hindi kami nagrereklamo. Walang kaso kahit gawa pa sa talahib ang lalagyan namin ng libro, ang mahalaga, meron kami. Masaya na kami dun. Tinatanong mo kung bakit?

Kasi…

Kahit halos magiba na ang bookshelf namin, naglalaman naman ito ng iba’tibang klase ng libro. Unang araw pa lang nang paglagi namin sa ALAHQ, halos mapuno na ito noong nag-donate si Sir Jay Salvosa ng mga babasahin mula sa collection niya. Habang tumatagal, nadadagdagan ang aming mini-library dahil na rin sa mga miyembrong nagpupunta sa mga bookstores at nagiiwan ng isa o dalawang libro kada balikan. May mga libro sa poetry, fiction, at creative non-fiction. Mga literary folios galing sa iba’t ibang literary circles, amateur man o hindi. Mga art at graffiti books, comics, at manga. Minsan, nadadaluhan na rin ng Spanish dictionary, Accounting books, at kung ano pa. Parang may nakita nga akong cookbook.

Hindi rin kami masyadong nanghihinayang kapag may nawawalang libro sa aklatan ng ALA; una, wala dito ang mga pinakamamahal naming mga libro (medyo madamot din kami sa ibang bagay kaya inuuwi namin) at ikalawa, malaki ang chance na babasahin ng kung sinuman na ito ang nakuha niyang libro. Pero lagot kapag kinuha mo ‘yung mga librong pinaiwan lang.

Gusto mong manghiram? Magsabi ka lang, kahit Twilight pa ang gusto mo. Meron kami n’yan—at kung wala naman, may ibibigay kami sa’yong mas maganda.

ANG FIRST LOVE NAMIN (BUKOD SA

pelikula, mga tapos at hindi tapos na isinusulat, artworks, animé, manga, layout sa TILAD, at kung anu-ano pa. Sa katunayan, magandang magawi sa lugar namin kung saka-sakaling may mga gawain kang tatapusin at wala kang ibang mahihiraman ng laptop o PC. Siguraduhin mo lang na malinis ang flash drive mo bago mo isaksak sa kahit anong laptop sa ALAHQ, para hindi ka namin awayin.

Dalawang brown na bench

MAY DALAWANG BENCH NA NAIPAMANA SA’MIN

(sinadya man o hindi) ng mga dating occupants ng opisina ng ALA. Medyo halatang luma na ang mga ito lalo nung hindi pa namin sila napipinturahan ng maayos.

Mabuti na lang at benevolent pa ang mga anay na kasama naming nananahan sa ALAHQ; hanggang upuan lang sila.

Sa ngayon ay nakalagay ang dalawang bench sa isang side ng pader para mabigyang espasyo ang bagong addition sa opisina—ang mahiwagang banig. Maipapalagay nating lalong gagaling ang mga ALA Peeps sa self-control dahil sa magiging sanay na kaming pigilan ang antok at ang kagustuhang mahiga (hindi ito bedroom!). Mas friendly at hindi na rin tense ang atmosphere sa loob, lalo na kapag may miting.

Mga abubot

ITO PO ANG COLLECTIVE TERM PARA SA CUTTER,

mga handouts, notebook, tela, atbp. Medyo marami nga kaming mga anik-anik, pero nakatutulong naman ito sa mga panahong hindi mo inaasahan. Kailangan mo ng ipanlalatag sa sahig para makapagindian sit? Kunin ang trapal (though may banig na rin kami ngayon). Kailangan mo ng calculator? Halukay lang d’yan at baka may nakaiwan. Kailangan mo ng baso?

Lakihan ang mata para makakita. Naalala ko nga noong isang araw, nagpahiram pa kami ng long nose at may nakita rin akong screw driver.

Maniniwala ka bang pati Christmas balls meron kami?

—

O, kumusta naman ang iyong checklist?

Kung natitiyak mo nang nasa ALAHQ ka, kumaway ka lang. Tiyak may babati sa’yo nang: “Welcome to ALA!”

FLYLEAF

THE ART of

TAG TEAM

WRITING

Gian Bron

Dhanna Colasito

Tag Team writing?

TAG TEAM WRITING IS THE PROCESS

of writing with a buddy, a partner, or anybody aside from you.

Writing is a journey to find the right words that would convey a message derived from your thoughts, it is a tough, but fulfilling adventure for experts and greenhorns alike, like love.

Well, if you think that writing is a journey that one must take by him/herself, you’re wrong (thus explains the existence of the term “co-writer”).

Think about it, travelling with someone is much more fun than going on a trip by yourself.

…

Not much of a team player?

Don’t worry, we’ll guide you to the art of Tag Team writing in five easy steps.

Step One: Know your ene— I mean, your partner!

FIND OUT EACH OTHER’S STRENGTHS

and weaknesses so you can find a common ground for your tag team. Acceptance is always the first step; you as well as your partner must accept what the other has to offer in terms of writing. Let’s say your partner is knowledgeable in making cheesecakes, and both of you needs to write an article about cheesecakes, then you have to suck it up if your partner can write better than you in this field. Remember, partners support each other—not compete with each other.

Step Two: Use your other head!

SYNERGIZE, TWO HEADS ARE DEFI-

nitely better than one, especially when they think as one. Two minds focused on one target can be most useful

because more ideas are being discovered or rediscovered which makes it easier to stitch several ideas together.

Step Three: Be like the cops.

USE THE INFAMOUS GOOD COP, BAD

cop routine; two entirely different approaches that work well together. The “Good Cop” generally provides the light side of the article, carrying with it all the ideas important to the topic. Whereas the “Bad Cop” brings out the big guns, and brings in the darker, heavier side of the article by showing another side of the facts.

This makes readers think and balance out the two sides for themselves.

Step Four: In case of emergency, unleash the combo attack!

THE KEYWORD IS SYNTHESIS, RAther than working on a single

article, write separately then combine your works afterwards. For instance, one can write in the perspective of one character and your buddy could write in another character’s perspective. After this process, the two perspectives can be intertwined to create a multi-perspective story.

Step Five: In case of writer’s block,

DON’T PUSH OR PULL!

NEVER FORCE YOUR PARTNER INTO

writing what he/she doesn’t want to write. Rather, help your buddy in finding his/her own words in writing by encouragement and praise. Or what can be done so that your buddy will want to write. Oh, and don’t let your buddy push you either. Everything comes down to love and respect!

(Bleurgh.)

—

Take it from us…

Writing with a buddy is give-and-take. It is ultimately up to you two to set the bounds of your relationship. How far it goes, we don’t know, but the bottomline is having respect for other’s opinions. Remember, people first before the article.

So when your back is on the metaphorical ropes, tagging in your partner is tapping out any day.

Some Reasons to Read

Gabriel Castillo

IF YOU’RE THE SORT OF PERSON WHO PURCHASES A BOOK BECAUSE OF

the cover and later on wonders if you should read further, you don’t have to consume a lot of time and energy making a decision. Just read. If you’re thinking of going out but a heavy rain suddenly pours, you don’t have to mope around because of the weather. Just read. If you feel inadequate or sad or bored or have nothing better to do, just read. You don’t have to antagonize reading because a lot of good things come out of it. Here are some of those good things.

Reading can make you the center of attention.

A PERK OF READING IS THAT YOU CAN KNOW THE STORY AHEAD OF

your friends which gives you the ability to lead conversations whenever it centers on the latest novel you’ve read.

When they start talking about movies, you can simply barge in and say that it came from a book and you’ve already read about it. If your friends don’t know that you read books, then your revelation can also be a surprise. Your friends would surely be amazed.

Reading sharpens your intellectual devices.

WHEN PEOPLE SEE YOU READ, YOU DON’T JUST APPEAR SMART TO

them, you will boost your intellectual confidence. You will start to back up your opinions with things you’ve read about. Without second thoughts, you’ll reply to hard questions served by teachers and other students. Also, you will react faster because you’ve encountered similar situations in the books.

You might win reality game shows.

LITERATURE CAN ALSO SPELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOING BACK

to the basic level and grabbing the million in game shows.

Most players don’t know the answer to even the most common literature questions. An example would be, “Who wrote Romeo and Juliet?” Now, if you’re the player and you missed that question, you’ll surely regret that you’ve neglected literature when you were at school.

Reading fills your vocabulary chest.

THERE’S NO DENYING THAT WHEN YOU READ, YOU RETAIN A NEW

word or two. Hence, when you start to write, there’s no need to grope for the right word to use. It’s already stocked in your chest and you just have to pull out the word.

Reading delights your senses.

SOME AUTHORS WRITE SO FUNNILY THAT YOU CAN ALMOST PEE IN

your pants. Some of these are Bob Ong, George Saunders, and Lindon Gregory. Some authors can also give you a good scare with their bizarre and eccentric writing styles. Some of them are R.L Stine or Stephen King and Jive Bunny.

Reading isn’t just reading.

READING IS SEEING. IT IS CONSCIOUSNESS TO INFORMATION, IDEAS,

plots, messages, lessons, people’s lives, places, past, present, future. Reading allows you to see how things happen like how a simple fight evolves into a murder. Or how things are made like a recipe for a good ham and cheese sandwich.

Reading gives you consciousness to different methods of doing things like eating pizza.

—

You don’t have to read just books either. You can read anything on your homepage or news feeds. Heck! Cookbooks are nice, so are maps, diet regimens, self-help books, texts, comics, game descriptions, medical descriptions, job descriptions and more.

With reading, you always have tons of choices.

7

Highlights 2012 April

14 Bikol Poetry Slam

Competition

SeĂąor Avelinos, Naga City

July

9-13 Student

Organizations’ Fair I

August

September

For our booth, the ALA offered the university community a mix of poety, caffeine, and nostalgia. We sold coffee in cups wrapped in customized sleeves (with poems written on each) and snacks we used to love as children.

8-31 TILAD

Introduction to Creative Writing and the Writing Life

10 Paper Cup Session:

20 Team Building Activity Baao, Camarines Sur

16 Poetry and Prose Reading We brought our literary pieces to St. Ignatius Park to an afternoon of outdoor poetry and prose reading.

14 Paper Cup Session:

About the Creative Process

28 Poetry Workshop

with Alan Popa

26 ALAB NG PUSO:

Mga Dasal, Tula, at Awit Mula sa Kapisanan ni Hesus 29-30 Paghurop-hurop,

Paghuron-huron: Ika-apat na Pagsurat Bikol National Commission for Culture and Arts

8

20 HAROS The ALA invited three young writers, Jerome Hipolito, Jonas Soltes, and Kevin de Quiroz, to discuss their poetics or creative process, as an alternative class program, generally sponsored by the AdNU SSG.

The Academic Year 2012-2013 was a hectic, productive, and (mostly) fun year for the Ateneo Literary Association. Here is an attempt to compile the events that the organization spearheaded, including some local literary occasions that we participated on—but as memory can only take us so far, we’re sure there are still more.

November

13 Paper Cup Session:

Neruda Hour

December

15 E-Book Launch of

TILAD-KATAL

18 Literary Walk The Naga City People’s Mall is a good source of writing inspiration. Exposing one’s self to the busy shuffling of feet, noisy chatter, and the stench of fish in a crowded market is good... once in a while.

12 Winter Wonderland:

2013

January

Poetry Reading Competition When The Pro Chef’s Office held a poetry competition, ALA attended as main audience. Some of the members participated and won—with Krizzia Mei Esperanza grabbing the first place.

February

24 E-Book Launch of

6 Book Launch of Wounds of my Landscape (by Francia C. Clavecilla Avenue Square Lobby, Magsaysay Avenue, Naga City

TILAD-KAABTAN

13 Book Launch of Hangog: Mga Osipon (edited by Paz Verdades M. Santos and Francisco V. Peñones Jr.), and Antisipasyon (by Victor Dennis T. Nierva)

26 Peer-Critiquing

20 E-Book Launch of TILAD-KAMOOT

17 Paper Cup Session:

Narrative Devices

Workshop

An activity to encourage critical thinking among members, wherein we had the chance to give our opinion on a variety of prose and poetry, written by renowned authors and amateurs alike.

We have to learn how to properly critique literary pieces, after all.

21-22 8th Annual Bikol Book Fair Legazpi City Museum, Rizal St. Old Albay, Legazpi City

20 E-Book Launch of

TILAD-KASAGKORAN 19-22 Student

Organizations’ Fair I The ALA decided to prepare a café for the year’s second Org’s Fest. Some of the members even dressed up accordingly, donning flashy and eye-catching costumes, serving as waiters and waitresses.

21 Book Launch of

Fish-Hair Woman (by Merlinda Bobis)

FLYLEAF

20-21 End of the World

Christmas Party

It was supposedly the end of the world, but we opted to party, watch movies, and sleep through it instead.

27 Writers’ Retreat Taking a rare step towards the spiritual, we went on a retreat exclusive for young writers.

28 Paper Cup Session:

The Use of Dialogue

9

BA HA LA KA

Jusan Villaflor Misolas

SA MGA MAKATA, nagbabalak gumawa ng katha, manunula at manunulat, para sa inyo ‘to.

Walang pangit na tula.

IT IS NOT A MERE EXPRESSION OF

emotions; it’s a fragment of your experience. It’s an attempt to re-member. When I say re-member, I say being there again. The challenge for us is to make the reader be there again. Not to moralize about God’s love or God’s absence, but to create and to re-create. After all, the word poetry comes from the word poesia which means creation. Pangalawa na lamang siguro yung mga agenda/ideologies na gusto mong ipaabot o i-instill sa mambabasa.

Oo, darating ‘yung point na sasabihin nilang pangit ang gawa mo. Pero p*ta, sino ba sila?

O baka naman tama sila.

‘Di naman nila sasabihin ‘yun kung wala naman talagang mali. Walang pangit na tula, oo, pero baka ineffective lang talaga ‘yung tula mo. At baka hindi mo lang sa kanila napadanas ang gusto mong ipadanas sa kanila. O baka kanya-kanyang trip lang talaga yan. At baka ‘di pa ipinapanganak ang audience mo. Baka.

ng mga striktong disiplina ang likha. Darating ang dapat dumating. Maghintay. Habang ‘di pa dumarating, gawa ka ng iba.

Magsulat ng bagong tula. Magbasa. Magwalis ng bakuran tuwing gabi. Uminom. Makinig ng music. Bahala ka.

Pinagpapaguran ang paggawa ng tula.

TAMA, EXPERIENCE MO ANG TULA.

Sa’yo yan. Pero maliban doon, craft pa rin yan, isang arte.

Gaya ng painting, doodling, sculpture, swimming, ballet, piano, etc. etc., pinagpapaguran ang bawat salita.

Kailangan mong magbasa.

Kailangan mong i-develop ang vocabulary mo. You have to be careful/precise in every word, punctuation, line-cut, rhyme, symbol you implement. Kasi maapektuhan ng mga ito ang gusto mong ipakita/ipadanas.

Una sa lahat, kailangan mong mag-establish ng goal mo. Pangalawa, kailangan mo ng mga materyales. At ano ang mga materyales? Ikaw. You. Ika. At ano pa? Salita. Sarita.

Words. Tataramon.

You have to know the basics. Metaphors. Line cuts/ Enjambments. Images. Defamiliarization. Kahit itong apat na muna siguro.

Ang tula hindi kagaya ng ibang sining, halimbawa, visual arts na makukuha mo na ang nais niyang ipakita sa isang tingin lang. Titingnan nila yung gawa mo, babasahin, daranasin, may maalala sila, daranasin ulit, maguguluhan, ibabalibag sa gilid, babasahin ulit, may maalala sila, at Eureka! moment. Minsan inaabot ng matagal na panahon. The point is, you have to be meticulous.

Pero sa huli, bahala ka pa rin.

Walang nagagawang Ingatang ‘wag maging pilit, mabuti ang sobrang pagmamadali. baka mapilipit.

PAGKAKAMALI NG KARAMIHAN AT

pagkakamali ko rin noon. At ngayon.

Tandaan, alam ng mga mambabasa kung pilit ang tula mo. ‘Yung tipong sablay. ‘Yung tipong, ahhhhh!

Tandaan din na hindi ito requirement na dapat i-submit sa schedule kahit bullsh*t talaga. Dapat mas alam mo ‘yun, ikaw ang nagmamay-ari nun.

Oo, mas disiplina ang tula pero huwag naman sanang dumating sa point na kainin na

10

NATATAWA NA LAMANG AKO SA MGA

poets na hindi kayang maghintay. Iyong tipong, nakaisip ng concept, bira kaagad, sabay submit sa mga publications o di kaya’y sa FB. Minsan ‘di nila nare-realize na gawa nila talaga iyon/sila iyon dahil sabik na sabik silang ibigay sa mundo ang isang bagay na hindi pa nila sigurado kung sa kanila ba talaga.

At dumarating ‘yung point, na magigisa sila ng mga established writers na kesyo

mali yung spelling, na cliché na ang image, na pangit ang line cuts, na hilaw pa, at ‘wag ka nang magsulat ng tula kasi mas magaling kami sa’yo. At lalapit sila sa’kin o sa’yo, at sasabihin: Kuya/Ate, ayoko ko nang magsulat ng tula, pangit daw ang tula ko. At kapag sinusumpong ako sinasagot ko naman ng: Then stop writing poems. Wala na.

Hindi ako naiinis sa pagkasabik nilang marinig o mabasa, kasi ganun din ako; ang kinaiinisan ko e yung pagsuko nila sa komento ng iba. Kasi p*ta, kung wala ka naman pala talagang tiwala sa gawa mo, e bakit mo pa ‘yun ipinakita?

Hindi pangit ang tula, t*nga ka lang talaga.

And remember, a poem is not just a mere collection of words. Ikaw ‘yun, experience mo ‘yun, kwento mo ‘yun.

Bakit mo bibitawan?

Bahala ka sa buhay mo!

Follow your instincts.

Alam mo kung may mali.

ALAM MO KUNG MAY MALI SA GAWA

mo. Alam mo kung may kulang at sobra. ‘Wag kang magdududa sa instincts. ‘Wag sobrang pakakain sa sinasabi ng teachers at mentors mo. Basahin mo ng malakas, at may mga point may kukuliling na lang sa tenga mo, at alam mo na ang dapat mong burahin at idagdag.

May mga tulang inaabot ng isang minuto bago matapos. May iba naman na isang linggo, isang buwan, isang taon, isang dekada, isang buhay bago matapos. Ikaw ang magde-decide. Nasa sa’yo ‘yun.

Bahala ka!

‘Di ka nag-iisa.

SOLITARY NA NGA ANG PAGSUSULAT

tapos itatago mo pa sa baul?

Double suicide yun. Baka sumabog ka, at oo, sasabog ka.

Promise. Kahit yung mga kilalang writers e may mga pinagkakatiwalaan sila ng kanilang gawa kahit isa o dalawang tao.

Minsan kailangan mo rin magtiwala. Pero you have to be selective, piliin mo ‘yung taong sa tingin mo makikinig/ titimbangin ang gawa mo ng mabuti. Pwedeng bestfriend mo, bf mo, nanay mo, tatay mo, crush mo, ikaw na ang maghanap. Kung kelangan mo ng boyfriend, nandito ako.

Isa pa, nariyan ang ALA. Maraming mga taong available palagi para makinig sa writing concerns mo. At oo, walang

bayad. Sa’n ka pa?

Sa huli, ikaw pa rin talaga ang makapagsasabi.

Sa huli, na sa’yo ang huling verdict. Ikaw ang gumawa. Parte iyon ng pagkatao mo. Ikaw ang naghabi ng mga salita. Alam mo ang hindi mo alam. Alam mo ang galing at baho mo. Alam mo ang kahinaan mo. Alam mo ang mga alam mo. Alam mo ang gusto mo. Alam mo ang mga bagay na gusto mo pang malaman. At alam mong gusto mo pang matuto. Ikaw naman talaga ang bahala. ‘Di ba ikaw naman lang talaga ang tula? E’di bahala ka!

Halos. Oo, halos lamang ang tula.

ATTEMPT. PAGTATANGKA.

Medium lamang ang salita.

Kapag hindi ka makapagsulat ng tula e’di mag-fiction ka, mag-doodle ka, mag-skates ka, mag-marijuana ka, manuntok ka nang katabi gaya ni Rea Robles, sumayaw ka, maghubad ka, manood ka ng pelikula, magbasa ka ng boring na text books, manood ka ng anime, tumawa ka ng malakas na malakas hanggang sa masira ang vocal at spinal cords mo.

Minsan wala sa mga salita ang tula. Minsan wala sa mga poetry books. Minsan wala sa mga literary organizations.

Minsan kailangan mo lang mabuhay. Ma-in love at madepress. Minsan nasa jeep ang hinahanap mo. Nagkataon lang siguro na TULA ang tawag doon. Nagkataon lang siguro na putol-putol at may rhymes.

At nagkataon lang siguro na ang TULA ay isinusulat sa papel. Pero na-realize ko na hindi naman pala talaga.

Minsan nariyan lang talaga sa tabi-tabi at sa mga kasuloksulukan at sa mga ‘di mo masabi at sa mga pamilyar na bagay na akala mo wala lang pero meron, meron, at meron.

Nasa buhay ang tula. Buhay ang tula. Buhay ang tula.

Huwag mong irarason na academics ang problema mo kaya hindi ka nakakasulat ng tula kasi malay mo tula na pala iyon at hindi mo lang makita.

Minsan naman e palaging mata ang ginagamit mo kaya hindi mo nararamdaman.

Halos lamang ang lahat ng kaya mong maisulat, alam kong alam mo yun. Ngunit narito ang pinakamalaking tula: BUHAY. LIFE. VITA. MABUHAY KA. BAHALA KA SA BUHAY MO!

FLYLEAF

Where the Magic All Began

“MR. AND MRS. DURSLEY, OF NUMBER FOUR PRI-

vet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.”— this was the very first ever line inscribed by Joanne Kathleen Rowling that made her quite possibly the most famous writer in the world. This may not look like introducing the boy wizard protagonist himself, Harry Potter, but it was the start of his phenomenal adventure with best friends Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger in their wizarding world.

It has been approximately five years since the release of the seventh and final book of the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and the Harry Potter fans, including the Potterheads (more avid and dedicated HP fans) have experienced great sorrow that their magical travel with the Boy Who Lived had ended. They still await the next book/s and still hoped that their queen will continue the magical trip she started with the Harry Potter series. On September 2012, the wait was over. A new Rowling book was released; but fans were shocked to find a radically different take on her writing genre.

Introducing the Town of Pagford

PUBLISHERS FIND THE CASUAL VACANCY AS A

blackly comic novel for adults. It has been described as Rowling’s attempt to write a modern version of a 19th-century novel, sometimes funny, often startlingly wellobserved, and full of cruelty and despair.

Shifting the point of view constantly, wearing together issues of class, race and sexuality, she delivers a kaleidoscopic, deeply moving vision of a tiny, complex drama that’s both grand and petty at once, and in which every character is both hero and villain.

The new novel opens with the death of Barry Fairweather which led to a vacant position for parish councilor. It is all set in the parochial West Country town of Pagford, an idyllic place. Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils... Pagford is a commotion within. The election, as it turned, is “fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations”.

Rowling’s “Ready-to-Change” Genre

WHAT MADE ROWLING CHANGED HER WRITING

style? Rowling says, “I think I’ve really exhausted with the magical. It was a lot of fun, but I’ve put it behind for the time being.” Her storytelling is of course, peerless in its popularity, but magic is something separate, pulsing, and other.

The enchanting space Rowling created in those seven increasingly weighty Hogwartian books is not one in which old, real magic is involved. It is a carefully controlled, closed system, which falls apart the movement we start thinking about it.

In spite of this, Rowling explained, “the thing about fantasy—there are certain things that you just don’t do in fanta

FROM HOGWARTS Christaine Mae Bael

to

PAGFORD sy. It’s ironclad rule. It’s tacky. I’m a writer, and I will write what I want to write.”

Maybe the fans just got used of her telling juvenile stories.

This time will be different.

The Casual Vacancy Casts a Different Spell

FROM THE WELL-KNOWN SERIES OF MANY

genres, including fantasy, prejudice, corruption and coming of age (with elements of mystery, thriller, adventure and romance), especially death as the main theme, Rowling had moved to a range of class, politics and social issues, like that of drugs, racism, prostitution, heroin, pornography, suicide, domestic abuse, child abuse, self-harm, and rape.

In the Harry Potter books, the adults aren’t as well developed as the children, which makes sense, because the children are the protagonists. In The Casual Vacancy, the children are also the most dynamic cue. Particularly compelling scenes involve children characters who are involved in complex personal relationships.

We are no longer at Hogwarts, with its child wizards and magical incantations.

In The Casual Vacancy, Rowling transports us to a dark contemporary version.

She takes the same meticulous planning, though, in which she built Hogwarts and applies it to the town of Pagford.

Barry rhymes with Harry

THERE ARE HOWEVER CERTAIN SIMILARITIES BE-

tween The Casual Vacancy and the Harry Potter series. Remove the spells from Harry Potter, and what the readers will have is an “issues” book—ironically, the very sort of book that was popular at the time Harry Potter came out. The novel also contained class wars, worries about the welfare of disadvantaged people, and then there is the element of politics which is dominant in the Harry Potter books, particularly in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The Casual Vacancy appears to fall also into the category of ‘po-

litical thriller’.

Rowling also shared that the idea for her new novel came in mind when she was on trip. She explained, “Obviously, I need to be in some form of vehicle to have a decent idea, this time I was on a plane.

And I thought: local election! It’s a rush of adrenaline, it’s chemical I had it with Harry Potter and I had it with this.” So from conceptualizing the Harry Potter series on a train from Massachusetts to London, she had another brilliant notion on an aeroplane to the United States, while on tour for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

The Casual Vacancy, Bookworms’ Next Interest

MOST BOOKS WOULD LOOK TERRIBLE IN COM-

parison to Harry Potter, but The Casual Vacancy will be stunning in its own as it is already the center of a massive whirlwind of hype due to Rowling’s sudden change of genre in writing. Although this is an adultbased novel, fans all around the world will still be intrigued and get fascinated. They are after J.K. Rowling’s name. It’s she that we’re talking about here.

It may be a world away from Harry Potter and Hogwarts, The Casual Vacancy had already become a bestseller, shooting to the top of the fiction charts on its release since September.

Looking back to the magical adventure of the Boy Who Lived, there will surely be some dismay at the amount of smut and sadness in the pages of this debut. The Casual Vacancy isn’t a book that is easy to be admired by Rowling’s young fans, the way Harry Potter was with its charming, winning hero and his plucky friends, saving the world from evil; however this will also capture our hearts with its story focusing on the social issues of society.

Joanne Kathleen Rowling might be quite intimidated by the expectations of her fans, but in the end, they will still get their money’s worth and again enjoy taking another trip with her, even if this isn’t a trip to Hogwarts.

11

REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME YOU PICKED UP A PEN OR OPENED THAT

word document, wrote words which eventually found its way to fanfiction.net? Ah! Those were the good old days.

But, then you read your work again later only to find out.... it SUCKS. Fanfiction is basically a term for stories using the ideas, characters, and/or settings of existing works like books, TV shows, movies, games, etc., as written by the fans. It’s a popular outlet for creative fans, making it prevalent over the internet, with the most notable hub being Fanfiction. net. Because of its nature though, it has gained a reputation for being a source of horrible writing. Over the years, fanfiction hubs have been filled with stories that seem like they were written by wangsty or insane 13-year-olds deprived of the concept of grammar, spelling, common sense, and possibly, intelligence.

Don’t be dismayed! There are still some really incredible fanfiction out there.

The world of Fanfiction is quite diverse and requires some knowledge of certain terminology. So, here’s something you’d want to read before you begin because if you don’t, you’d probably say, “Wait. What the hell is a crack fic? Is it broken? What the hell am I reading? Is this even legal?” And since we don’t want to confuse you, here’s a list of some of the terms:

12

A/N or Author’s Note – Similar to Twitter’s hash tags but way cooler. As the name implies, it’s a note by the author within the fanfic.

AU/ Alternate Universe – Answers the ‘What ifs’ of fans/ authors and tend to stray away from the canon. Authors deliberately go against the original story, or tweak a few parts to match their own ideals.

Beta Readers – Often shortened to Beta. As the name suggests, these are the secondary readers of a fanfic. They’re the taste testers so to speak, but they also serve as editors.

Canon – From lines, to characters, to events, it’s simply everything as expressed in the original story.

Crack – This is a fanfiction so random, that a cow mooing at the side of your bed on a bright early morning needs no logical explanation. It’s been nicknamed crack because it’s so crazy, that readers believe that the author must’ve been high on crack while writing.

Crossover – A fanfic that breaks the wall between two or more series, books, movies, or the like, and connects them by allowing the characters to interact with each other due to an event.

Disclaimer – Fanfiction etiquette condones that authors state that they have no claim over the original piece or whatever material used in the fanfic that does not belong to them.

This little note is called a Disclaimer. It’s for the fanfic authors’ safety and also, for respect to the intellectual property rights of the owners.

Fanfic, fic, ff.net – These are abbreviations for fanfiction, fiction, and fanfiction.net respectively.

Flames/Flaming – When arguments get intense, things start to get nasty. People start cursing and bashing each other without any constructive criticism and this is called flaming, with flames being the derogatory insults.

Lemons – WARNING: Innocence may be lost forever. These are stories with explicit sexual content. Signs of a lemon-y fanfic: Rated M, has ‘lemon’ warning all over the summary, usually categorized as ‘romance’ or at times ‘angst’. Should not be confused with lime, which is a friendlier version of lemon.

Mary Stu/ Gary Stu – These characters are the epitome of perfection. Sometimes, tragic life-changing experiences come with the package. Mainstream example: Good looking, well mannered, straight-A student who’s loved by everyone.

FANFICTIONB Jazmine Brusola

Fanfiction existed way before its internet boom. Lewis Caroll’s Alice in Wonderland spawned some parodies and revisions by many authors like E.Nesbit and Frances Burnett. Classic authors like Charlotte Bronte and her siblings wrote “real person fanfiction” about the 1st Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley when they were in their teens.

Even the Greeks were writing plays about the character relationships in The Illiad. So, some people find their way to literature through fanfiction. It’s not as bad as its reputation deems it to be. All that’s really needed is quality control. If you want to give it a go, or if you’re a long time writer but find your works suck, there are a few regulations you’ll need to follow in the road of writing fanfiction.

Road Regulation #1 Cliché is Cliché.

OH! YOU’VE HEARD THIS BEFORE. REALLY, YOU HAVE. SO MUCH SO

that this rule itself seems cliché. Everyone is tired of the loyal Childhood Friend, the Deus Ex Machina abuse, the meaningless Freudian Slips, and all of those twists that just make your eyes twitch in disbelief at the lack of creativity. People want something fresh, something they can believe and invest their interest in.

Say you absolutely want to use these clichés, do you just give up using them entirely? No. The infamous Anonymous once said, “Clichés make for a good read when the story is well-written.” Study the clichés. Pace your story right, so that it falls in place naturally. One of the jarring things about the big C is that the readers can figure out everything that will happen with the way you word your sentences. If you can avoid that, then you’re on the right track.

Road Regulation #2 The Way of the Summary

FANFICTION HOSTS USUALLY PROVIDE A SMALL SPACE FOR A SUM-

mary. Author’s also use this to inform the reader of the possible contents like AU, Crack, Lemons, Crossovers, and the like. It’s like a free sample in a crowded market place.

You need to capture the customer’s taste with few words.

But only enough to entice them to open the first chapter and read the rest.

Let’s break it down shall we. Your summary should be intelligible. Most would immediately turn away upon reading a summary without proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling. And also, looking for pity because you’re new conjures the opposite effect. So even if your story is actually good, you’re summary can steer away the readers in a flash.

On the other hand, don’t lie! Readers might have high expectations from your summary only to find that the actual story is a completely different world. A disappointed reader is hard to woo back.

Do you really want to read a fanfic with a summary like this: “(sims) when the adoption van arrives one morning bakura’s life takes a change for the worst! his girlfriend bb and gay brother marik are living in his house. written

NBARENAKED Pauline Zenit

by me and my friend charlotte in English. may contain some abrigedquotes and some language. :) I suck at sumaries but please read, my first story on here so be nice”?

— Bakura and the rebel child! [Author withheld]

Yes, Captain Obvious, you’ve made it painstakingly clear that you suck at summaries. Why on earth would we read your story? The summary is where you sell your story. Don’t mess it up.

Road Regulation #3 Haters Gonna Hate

NOBODY WANTS A SOUR SPORT. IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT, THEN GET THE

hell out!

Poorly-written fanfiction is one thing, but when you hate a story because you don’t like the pairings or you just hate for the sake of hating, just leave and try to look for meaning in your life or something. Not everyone will be supporting your favorite pairing or write in the style you like, so you’re bound to face a story or two that will incite your burning hatred. Even so, don’t flame the author.

Solution? Constructive criticism. Vent your frustration on something people can actually learn from. Just don’t push it too much. It’s not your story! If you want to change the flow of the author’s creative juice, just use yours and start your own story. It’s a lot more fun than hating on another’s story.

Road Regulation #4 A/N (Author’s Note), Reviews, and Hiatuses

YOUR AUTHOR’S NOTES SHOULD BE PLACED EITHER AT THE BEGIN-

ning or end of a fanfic’s chapter. The latter is preferred though. Putting A/Ns in the middle of your paragraphs ruins the continuity of your story. It’s like a huge red stop light to your reader’s imagination.

The A/N is where you can also ask for the standard review. But, please. Don’t threaten your readers to leave a review in exchange for your fic’s life.

“If I don’t get at least 500 reviews, this fic will be on hiatus. Thank you~ XD XOXO” — one of the many variations of review begging

Blackmail is illegal. Writing solely for the sake of reviews is shallow which will be exactly what people will think of you if you beg. Worst case is that you’ll be on hiatus and no one would care. And if you do go on a hiatus, try not to make your readers wait too long or they will abandon your story.

Road Regulation #5 Reign of the Grammar Bears

WHAT’S WRONG WITH BEING PARTICULAR WHEN IT COMES TO

grammar?

It’s hard to read a story with bad grammar. It can confuse your readers and your story will be lost in a sea of words that don’t make sense. Of course, typos happen and that’s why we have our ever-reliable BETAs/editors.

FLYLEAF

Don’t rely on them too much though. They’d rather work on a fanfic which they know has potential.

Make your editor understand what you’re trying to relate to the readers. Don’t make them change your story. It is YOUR story. Not theirs.

Road Regulation #6 Steer clear of OoCs (Out of Character), and Mary Sue/ Gary Stu

HARRY POTTER IS NOT SOME SUAVE PLAYBOY. HE’S SHY. HE’S AWK-

ward. He stutters. He’s your everyday adorkable teenager.

It won’t feel ‘real’ if he’s anything otherwise. A good fanfic rests itself in the adaptation of the familiar characters into a new plot. Adding a few quirks and habits is okay but make it relevant to the plot.

If you’re also going to introduce a new character, please don’t add a Mary Sue or a Gary Stu. These are characters that are good-looking, funny, intelligent, athletic, and music-oriented in just one package. Nobody is that perfect which makes these characters absolutely fake.

[Related to Regulation # 1] Even popular published books have Sue/Stu type of characters. Everyone has their own character interpretations. If you’re going for the sweet, heartwarming, fluffy story, the most obvious main characters would be a Gary Stu and the awkward girl. If you can handle this plot line, then no one’s stopping you.

Road Regulation #7 Crack Belongs in the Humor Department

SO YOU REALLY WANT TO PUT HOLMES IN THE AGE OF THE DINO-

saurs, or turn SpiderMan into a cannibal that is obsessed with flowers? Be my guest. But for your reader’s sake, warn them that it’s a crack fic and put it under the humor department. That way, they can will their suspension of disbelief to be high enough to handle a crack fic.

Crack fics are examples of works that are just so bad, it’s good. Take the fic 30Hs for example. It’s real title is “HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH” but the former is easier to pronounce. Here’s an excerpt: Dobby relished his groinsaw’s roar as he withdrew the flesh-choked blade from the astronaut’s ruined skull. He turned to Harry, thrusting his bloody, retina-covered pelvis with elfin fervor.

“How does Ronnie Ron taste, master?”

Harry spat out an eyeball. “Like some kid with eyes.”

Those are just the first few lines. It’s so ridiculous, it’s actually funny, but your mileage may vary.

Crack isn’t always a bad thing. In a lighter sense, it’s just a parody. Look at Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Sense and Sensibility and Zombies, and the rest of the Quirk Books mash-ups. The premise of the stories seems absurd, but that becomes its selling point.

—

Fanfiction has many sides and you’ll need to learn a few more things before you can understand them. But for now, you know the basics and you’re well-equipped for the most part. Take these road regulations as guidelines.

They’re not absolute but they can help steer you in the right path if you want to become a good fanfiction writer.

Experience is one of life’s greatest tutors so as you write more, you’ll get better.

Don’t let Fanfiction’s bad reputation bother you. Write.

Prove to the world that there is high-quality fanfiction still in existence.

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RABBLE ROUSERS A FATE/ZERO ANIME REVIEW

Jazmine Brusola

The Legend

THE WORDS AWESOME, GREAT, AND EPIC ALL GOT A BIT OF THEIR meanings downgraded when the internet craze decided that anything akin to the Dancing Baby fad or the Lolcats meme is a groundbreaking piece of work. A cat swims across a pool; it’s EPIC! With that being said, Fate/ZERO is an anime that can be considered awesome, great, and epic, true to the definition. It’s dark, mature, smart, and captivating. It’s a rare breed of anime and one of the best to come in recent years.

Point Zero

ANIME IS THE JAPANESE ABBREVIATION FOR THE

word “animation” and is used as an umbrella term for all sorts of animation in the world, but outside Japan, the word generally refers to Japanese animation. It started around the early 20th century but was introduced outside Japan in recent decades through some notable works like Osamu Tezuka’s Astroboy and Hayao Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro. Since then, anime has grown and spread over many different regions of the world spawning titles like Spirited Away, Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Dragon Ball, Cowboy Bebop, and so on.

With the growing popularity, more and more anime are produced every year.

And as per the usual, with the growing number, the quality drops. Anime is considered a source of great interest and inspired works of art, but in recent years, the anime that come out are just derivative pieces of work with a few rare gems per season. Looking at anime charts, there’s always the harem series with the

dense hero and a bunch of girls whose personalities are pulled out of a set cast of tropes (the Childhood Friend, Tsundere, Yandere, and Lolita, for instance). And of course, there will always be a series about a bunch of high school girls doing their club activities, drinking tea and eating cake. Even the action genre has degraded to fight scenes of who has the most obnoxious sounding and flashy signature attack.

While these kinds of series do have their moments, there’s really not much to them besides the mindless fun in an overused formulaic plot.

However, there are a lot of anime produced in recent years that are quite good.

Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece are some of the biggest titles and the most popular for new audiences of anime. Their popularity is supported by the quality of the work with just the occasional drop in quality over arcs or several arcs. Howl’s Moving Castle, Fullmetal Alchemist, Durarara!!, Code Geass, and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann are also just a few of the best and most enjoyable anime of this decade.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED A Study in Scarlet

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle You’ve heard of him before. The man with the thin, hawk-like nose wearing a deerstalker, holding a magnifying glass, and smoking a pipe. (No deerstalker? That’s true.) The man who can deduce your job just by looking at your sleeves or your thumb, your state of living from your watch, and where you came from by checking the soles of your shoes.

A Study in Scarlet is the first in the series of novels and short stories that feature the iconic genius detective Sherlock Holmes and his chronicler Dr. John Watson, of 221B Baker Street. Written in the time when detective fiction was only a child taking its baby steps, it greatly contributed to the development of the genre—even said to be singlehandedly responsible for its massive popularity

14

among readers. Decades after, the pipe-wielding sleuth benefited (and also suffered) from numerous adaptations in film, television, radio drama, and stage play.

You probably already saw him portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. in the 2009 and 2011 Sherlock Holmes movies. If you thought he was impressive, well, wouldn’t you want to know about the original?

Learn of other original characters like Conan Doyle’s Holmes from these books: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Dracula by Bram Stoker

Planning to be a mystery buff?

Start here: The Murders in the Rue Morgue

by Edgar Allan Poe The Mysterious Affair at Styles

by Agatha Christie

And to add to that list is Fate/ZERO, a gem from the long line-up of anime in 2011 and 2012.

FATE/ZERO IS THE PREQUEL OF FATE/STAY NIGHT

and is part of the Fate franchise by TYPEMOON, a company known for producing visual novels. ZERO is originally a Light Novel written by Gen Urobuchi as supervised by TYPE-MOON’s Kinoko Nasu.

The anime adaptation was animated by Ufotable with the first season airing in 2011 and the second in 2012. It’s one of the few hardcore action anime that’s not afraid of the grays of morality, which the mainstream tends to avoid. And in its rise to fame, Fate/ZERO became known by many as the prequel that outdid the original.

Fate/ZERO is set during the 4th Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City. The Holy Grail War is a fight to the death between 7 Masters each possessing a Heroic Spirit for a familiar or as they are referred to, “Servants”. A Heroic Spirit can be anyone revered in history or myths regardless of whether they are good or evil like Medusa, Robin Hood, and Alexander the Great.

They are classified into 7 basic classes; Saber, Archer, Lancer, Rider, Assassin, Berserker, and Caster with each class possessing certain RPG-like attributes like magic resistance, independence, and the like. The last master standing will be the one to possess the Holy Grail. It’s a fight to the death for the ultimate wish-granting prize—your usual battle royale.

The show handles the battle tactics, the character interaction, and the twists intelligently. There’s a sense of realism to John Leir Castro

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court Mark Twain

One of the lesser known novels of humorist Mark Twain but deserving of full credit, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court tells of the adventures of Hank Morgan, Yankee (American) engineer from 19th century Connecticut who gets transported into 6th century England—specifically Camelot, under the reign of the legendary (and supposedly mythical) King Arthur. Using his knowledge of the “future” he weaves his way into gaining political power under the guise of “magician”, and strives to improve England by educating the people and installing “modern technology”.

As to why I included this book in my list instead of Twain’s

critically-acclaimed Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: I’m a sucker for satirical comedy and a long-time fan of the legend of King Arthur.

Put these two together and you get the picture. Incidentally, you don’t have to be cautious with this book. Even if you only have minimal knowledge about knighthood and the sword of Excalibur, that’s not really the point of the story. Read and see for yourselves.

Be a Twain follower like me! See also: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer The Prince and the Pauper

If you want to learn more about the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, you can read: La Morte d’ Arthur

by Thomas Malory

FLYLEAF

an otherwise mythical form of fighting.

It can make you feel like a lance passing through armor is natural because of its affinity as a cursed weapon and that a person could survive falling through floors through a reinforcement spell. It’s all magic and fantasy, but it can make you believe in the reality of its universe. And isn’t this gift of believing one of the greatest gifts of animation? Aside from sheer “badassery”, there’s also the fact that characters aren’t just flung into random flashy battle scenes. Nowadays, sending signature moves back-and-forth pretty much makes up the whole of a battle scene. Of the many battles in Fate/ZERO, magic plays a role alongside careful observation, planning, and adjustment used in one-on-one duels to complex mind games. Caster, being weak in close-ranged combat, prepares and fights from afar. Assassins lie in wait in the shadows and Masters try to avoid the frontline to avoid being killed. The location is also put into account in the battles especially for ambush, assassination, and raid tactics. One of the best aspects of the show is that characters are given careful attention and development. The first season lays out each of the characters’ ideals, motivations, and skeletons and the clash between these ideals become one of the driving aspects of the battles. The characters are also treated fairly evenly at the start creating an air that anyone of them could win the war. The characters are so well-written that it’s entertaining just to follow the interactions between them creating an intricate mesh of relations. Bonds of chivalry are formed between servants and other bonds are severed through treachery. Even their ideologies change as

a result of these interactions.

The show also excels in the animation department, courtesy of Ufotable.

The visuals are crisp and have a vivid tone of color perfect for the show’s dark air. The character designs are fit and appealing with the background art perfectly detailed to match. Details like the cloak of air around Saber’s sword or Archer materializing through gold dust look absolutely magnificent on screen. With a reportedly huge budget, the animation involves a tremendous amount of CGI that goes well with the hand-drawn animation and does not stand out too much which CGI is notorious for in anime. Of course, there were lapses in the quality in the animation like Caster’s CGI monsters and some inconsistencies in the characters’ looks because the budget was still kind of tight. Nonetheless, it is easily forgivable as the quality is high end for the most part.

Also, to compliment the animation is the magnificent soundtrack by Yuki Kajiura, whose recent works involve Sword Art Online and Puella Magi Madoka Magica.

The soundtrack is made up of epic choir music that sets the mood perfectly for the battles and creates the eerie ambiance for the shows darker scenes.

Under the Mask

FATE/ZERO IS NOT WITHOUT FAULTS. THE PHI-

losophy rants tend to stack up and some conversations drag on, which weighs down the show a bit. This also results in the show having a bit of a slow start with the first episode being a full 40-minute info-dump on the Masters as they are in the process of summoning their Servants.

There are also times when the show might

Take a peek past your boring textbooks and start a real reading habit.

A Series of Unfortunate Events Daniel Handler a.k.a. Lemony Snicket

Stories aimed for children tend to be… well, childish. This is not the case with the thirteen children’s novels in this series—adult themes present in each book (death and loss are recurring ones), mature content disguised as wit, numerous literary works frequently alluded to that even a voracious reader can miss a few, and Snicket’s use of wry, dark humor made me wonder at first encounter why I would want to read these books to my five-yearold cousin.

The plot revolves around three children, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire as they escape the clutches of notorious actor-villain

Count Olaf. The first three books were already adapted into a film back in 2004. Oh, and if anyone discourages you from reading this series, contact me so I can give them a good beating.

Just kidding. (Really.)

There’s a recently published prequel to the series that you can read afterwards: All the Wrong Questions

by Lemony Snicket If you liked Lemony Snicket’s Unfortunate Events, you can also look for: The Mysterious Benedict Society

by Trenton Lee Stewart

get confusing for people who are not familiar with the franchise because of the many rules involved in the Holy Grail War and the assumption that the audience already heard the backstory of the heroic spirits in their history lessons. As with the nature of prequels, the greatest limiter to Fate/ZERO is its ties to Fate/stay night leading to a bit of an anti-climactic ending.

Even though Fate/ZERO is a prequel, it does not evoke the need to watch Fate/ stay night first because it’s still perfectly enjoyable alone. But it’s also true that ZERO compliments Fate/stay night nicely.

Yes, like how a prequel should. It clarifies some of the details that aren’t tackled in Fate/stay night and presents the scenes in such a way that the events in Fate/stay night seem even more tragic.

Rabble-Rousers

FATE/ZERO IS ONE OF THE MOST BALANCED A-

nime in recent years since almost every facet of it gets high marks. It’s a rarity of an anime that gives us breath-taking animation, well-knit characters, and most of all, an in-depth and refreshing story. It’s one of best anime out there that ignites passion in the grey created by the multitude of formulaic anime. Barring its few flaws, it’s the perfect blend of magic and the supernatural that is a must-watch especially if you want a break from the usual moe, harem, or nakama-based anime.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions Neil Gaiman

So you don’t like the classics that much. Maybe your high school literature teacher traumatized you by making you write a ten-page report on Homer’s Iliad, or maybe the way they’re written just bores you. You probably can’t commit to reading a full novel. Or your girlfriend probably dumped you for someone who looked like Shakespeare. Don’t despair yet! For the meantime, read the unusual short stories and poetry compiled in this book, from the same author who brought us Coraline and Stardust (both adapted into motion picture).

Dark humor. Irony. Magic. From adult re-tellings of well-known children’s tales like The Billy

Goats Gruff (Troll Bridge) and Snow White (Snow, Glass, Apples), fantastical detective fiction Murder Mysteries, to the mundane-turned-eerie We Can Get Them For You Wholesale. As any fan of fiction would do, Smoke and Mirrors gets my sparkling recommendation.

More Neil Gaiman? I know you can’t get enough from this guy, so here: Good Omens, co-authored by Terry Pratchett The Sandman, a comic book series published by DC Comics If you are interested in fractured fairytales and modern re-tellings, check: Snow White, Blood Red, edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling

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Editorial Staff

Executive Editor John Leir Castro

Managing Editor Krizzia Mei Esperanza

Proofreaders John Leir Castro Christine Mae Mariano Associate Editors Christine Mae Mariano Anne Estipona Rea Robles Jovi Cadores Feature Writers Christaine Mae Bael Gian Bron Jazmine Brusola Jovi Cadores Gabriel Castillo Dhanna Colasito Andrea Donacao Anne Estipona Jusan Villaflor Misolas Vina Peñaserada Rea Robles Kaye Sereno Pauline Zenit

Layout Artist Krizzia Mei Esperanza Art Contributors Expedito Ramos III

1, 7, 11, 13, & 16

Joao Quinones 15

Photography Krizzia Mei Esperanza

4, 6, & 8-9

ALA Core Group

2012-2013 Krizzia Mei Esperanza Rea Robles John Leir Castro Christine Mae Mariano Jovi Cadores Jorge Jonathan Botor Jr. Stephen Prestado Moderator Jay Salvosa

BOOKSNIFFERS

Kaye Sereno

It started when I riffled the pages of a book and inhaled deeply. It entirely consumed me. Like some sort of a virus, a virus of the soul, I am compelled to be smitten by the beauty of written sheets and be captivated by the endless wonder that comprises a mosaic of infinite possibilities.

Once it catches you, it will begin to seep its way through the roots of your veins, join the air that expands your lungs, and find the way to your heart, draining your energy.

It is something that has burrowed deep inside me. It grows like peculiar flowers in the desert. I find absolute happiness whenever I am slowly turning worlds and uncovering little bits of life that fills the blank pages and… sniffing.

Whenever I go to a bookstore I inhale the smell of the books, both old and new, and try not to flinch on those I call Twilight array—the ones that do not smell right to me. Perhaps you are wondering what a good book smells like, just like my father when he caught me sniffing once.

He also told me that, perhaps, the reason why I had my sinusitis about six years ago was because of my sniffing habit.

An old book smells wonderful. It had already made love to so many different kinds of people, already been stored and kept in different kinds of places, endured almost all kinds of generation, to smell more beyond of what it contains and preserves.

Sniffing new books, too, is something sensual. As much as I enjoy the feeling of running my fingers through the corners of their pages, new books smell – more likely feel – incredibly sublime. Fresh, sharp, and intoxicating. The smell makes the books alive.

My mind seems to associate the smell of books with a thousand things, differently each time. Sometimes they are the pun-

gent aroma of glue, other times woody. It reminds me of rain, watermelon, an old rocking chair (the thing we used to have before grandma died). Of mixed medicine, perfume, wine, the beach, money. Of sunshine and cigarettes.

Each smell gives the sensation of excitement, like a good thing waiting to start. It is the same excitement that you wish to get when you’re stuck in a middle of a ridiculous predicament, such as a boring class where you can’t keep your butt still and your eyes dart to your watch in sporadic intervals.

The smell is the reason why I fall in love with a book so easily, why I am able finish a book in just a short period of time.

I can always imagine buying books simply because I like the smell of it. My fascination with smell seems akin to loo-loos going gaga over some dresses or magazines, too.

It is weird, I know, but I can’t help it.

When I am sprawled on a couch or lying in bed with a good book, I would begin to sniff like a lost puppy seeking its way through the pages. I am appalled by the idea that the book invites me to claim the wholeness of its being, as if telling me that anything can be true…

It is a pulsating, itching desire, letting yourself be sucked up by the smell seeping through the pages. At rare times, it could actually bring back time. Of what you thought already languished. And that is my favorite part, to be reminded just because I sniffed…

A book.

Consider this as an invitation to the life of reading, writing, and other sh*t you find interesting. Visit the ALAHQ at 2-F Xavier Hall, Ateneo de Naga University.