Manila Bulletin Article

A big juicy thanks to Manila Bulletin, to the writer Ron Lim, and to the editor Ivy Mendoza, for that wonderful article they came out with, yesterday, April 19, Saturday, about my book “Retold Asian Myths”. It came out in the Youth section of the newspaper. I was shocked that it took a good, one whole page with a huge picture of me with my camera. Again, thanks to my photo lessons classmate and photo buddy Lennie Reyes for the picture! Thanks for letting MB use it. My mom called me up on my phone shrieking. I thought something awful had happened. She was tickled pink seeing the article, especially since it carried my real name. It’s always been a beef of hers that I use a radio name, instead of my birth name. She always drones on about how, isn’t my real name snazzy enough for a radio name? Uhm…no.

Side Story: Did you know that I actually never received a single centavo (or cent, since I was supposedly paid in dollars?) from writing the book? I don’t remember exactly how much I was supposed to be paid, roughly around $1,000 I think, but I never got a drop of dinero from the whole deal. I’m sure the publisher paid me, but let’s just say, middlemen “lost” the wayward dollars. It’s a touchy topic, not for me, but I guess for whoever got my money. It wasn’t really about the money for me, but more a realization of a longstanding dream. I guess I was so aliw with the whole shebang that I didn’t realize in time that someone sneaked off with my money. I have theories, but theories are not fair when it comes to accusations of swindling. I’d rather give people the benefit of the doubt. But I did get the 5 paperback copies that the contract stated I should be getting. If I wanted more, I’d have to buy copies of my own book! Friends even noticed that the book had 2 ISBN’s, meaning it’s on its 2nd printing and that I should be paid again. But I’m not really sure what was in the contract I signed with blood (okay, okay, ink) years ago. And that’s water under the bridge. That’s why I’m just so amused that the book should get a second life 8 years after it came out. It’s like I had a kid who got lost and after many years, shows up at my door. Welcome home, fruit of my loins!!!