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Reading shelf:
I've just finished reading Elizabeth Bear's "All the Windwracked Stars". I've only read the Jenny Casey novels, but this one was just begging to be read. I'm so glad I bought it. This novel just blew my breath away. I like how Bear doesn't shy away from the hurt her characters have to endure. I like that her endings aren't neat and happily ever after.
In this first month of the new year, I also read Nalo Hopkinson's "Brown Girl in the Ring". I plan to go and order more of Hopkinson's books. I love how her heritage shines through in this novel, and this is what I want to do in my own work too. I'm conscious of how I bring my cultural heritage with me, and I'll be very honest and say that for all the bad press my third-world home country gets, I am proud to be a Filipino.
Ahmed A. Khan's short story collection, "Sparks". I'm reading through this one bit at a time and will write down my thoughts on it soon. One reason I love the short form is how easy it is for the mom like me to get my shot of lit before heading on to the next mom job.
Brett Savory's short story collection, "No Further Messages". I like the energy in Savory's writing. So much so, I've ordered myself a copy of his first novel. I also like that he's offered to sign it too. Very cool. In case you haven't guessed yet, I am a sucker for signed stuff.
Eileen Tabios's latest poetry book, "The Blind Chatelaine's Keys". Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Eileen's work, and how much I treasure her for helping me find my way back to poetry. I am still conscious of my own shortcomings when it comes to writing poetry, but I also recognize how poetry is an essential part of my writing self. Eileen's approach to poetry as an engagement and as a way of life appeals to me a lot. I love how she sees poetry in everything. There is an intensity to her work that reaches out of the page and grabs the reader. It's hard for me to explain and while we may try to dissect what it is about a certain poem that works for us, the truth is...poetry that works just feels right somehow. Saying why may sometimes be necessary, but if you ask me, all that dissection is extraneous.
"Rice" is a book I'm reading which details the history of rice, includes legends/myths associated with rice, various practices during the harvest and planting seasons. I do know a lot about rice, but it's nice to read through this and discover how other provinces in the Philippines relate to rice.
"Mangyan Treasures" a compilation of the Ambahan of the Mangyan Tribe compiled and translated by Antoon Postma. This is one book I will always cherish. I met Antoon Postma in the Philippines and he seemed a lot more Filipino than Dutch. There's an intensity in his passion for the Filipino heritage that I wish all Filipinos would catch.
I've got a load of books in read, to read, and in order status. Can't remember them all right now. I realize how much I need to be educated in terms of the sf&f publications. So, I'm reading as much of the free online fiction as I can, and chasing down recommended readings. I really enjoyed writing this post. I am a true bookworm and the part I miss most about being at home is the talk that went on at the dinner table. This usually revolved around the books we'd read or were reading. Hopefully I'll be able to duplicate those booktalk moments with my kids as they grow older.
