Excerpt + Giveaway: The Color of Happiness by K.P. Gazelle

Title: The Color of Happiness

Author: K.P Gazelle 

Publication: April 1, 2015 by Radiant Books

218 pages

Faith Lane is the girl who has everything. At least, that’s what everyone thinks when they see her rocking a killer dress while laughing with her best friend, Tiffany. But Faith’s life is far from flawless. Her peers torment her relentlessly, and her parents expect her to be the epitome of perfection. Criticized and pressured at school and home, Faith retreats into silent acceptance and finds an escape in her passion of dancing.
Then she meets Alex – quirky, forever with a pass, and concealing a mysterious secret of his own. And through his encouragement, Faith starts believing in her gift for dance and gains courage to stand up for herself. But will she be able to keep her footing when the events of one night consume her with the need to jump off the rocky cliffs near her coastal home? And what has pushed her to the edge of reason?

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K.P Gazelle is a true bookworm at heart - she can spend hours with a good book and a hot cup of coffee. When she's not reading or writing you can find her playing with her many nephews and nieces, photographing landscapes, or eating a delicious meal. 

   

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Blitz + Giveaway: The Barrier Between by Stacey Marie Brown

Title: The Barrier Between

Author: Stacey Marie Brown

Zoey’s life has taken a dramatic turn. Only a few months ago she was a Collector working for the a secret part of the government called the Department of Molecular Genetics (DMG), tracking and collecting fae. Her life had been changing and improving with a partner she loved and a sister she adored.

Now all that is gone—Daniel murdered by a fae, and Lexi killed when the Seattle area is devastated by a powerful, magical electrical storm. Zoey herself is altered by her association with the Wanderer, Ryker, in life-changing way.
Zoey discovered she was an experiment from the very company she worked for. She could die at any moment of a threatening defect—taking Ryker’s magic with her.
In a race against time, Ryker and Zoey set out to find a way to transfer his powers back before it’s too late. Their journey takes them to the rainforests of South America, dealing with those who are after something Ryker possesses and who will stop at nothing to obtain it for themselves.
What Zoey and Ryker discover can destroy them or tear them a part for good.

Stacey Marie Brown is a lover of hot fictional bad boys and sarcastic heroines who kick butt. She also enjoys books, travel, TV shows, hiking, writing, design, and archery. Stacey swears she is part gypsy, being lucky enough to live and travel all over the world. She grew up in Northern California, where she ran around on her family's farm, raising animals, riding horses, playing flashlight tag, and turning hay bales into cool forts. She volunteers helping animals and is eco-friendly. She feels all animals, people, and environment should be treated kindly.

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Excerpt + Giveaway: Days Like This by Danielle Ellison

Title: Days Like This

Author: Danielle Ellison 

Release Date: June 2, 2015

Bookish Group Press

Sometimes the only thing standing between fear and hope is yourself.

Almost a year ago, nineteen-year-old Cassie Harlen had a lot to deal with. A stack of college acceptance letters waiting for answers, a proposal from the boy next door, and a mother whose most recent bipolar episode left Cassie hurt and confused. Tired of cleaning up the messes caused by her mother's disorder, of resenting her mother for not being there, and scared of being trapped by an inevitable future—which included marrying Graham Tucker—Cassie did the only thing she could think of to keep from ending up like her mother: she left.

Graham never knew why Cassie walked away. He woke up one morning and she was gone—along with the life that he’d created around her. After eleven months, Graham has a new plan for his future. One that doesn't involve Cassie Harlen.

When Cassie's mom nearly burns down her house, Cassie’s forced to return home. Back to a mother she’s tried to ignore and the guy she’s been unable to forget. Graham doesn't know how he's going to spend the whole summer living next door to the person who broke his heart without letting those old feelings push through to the surface.

Neither does Cassie.

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Danielle Ellison spent most of her childhood reading instead of learning math. It's probably the reason she can't divide without a calculator and has spent her life seeking the next adventure. It's also probably the reason she's had so many different zip codes and jobs. 

When she’s not writing, Danielle is probably  eating cookies, fighting her nomadic urges, watching too much TV, or dreaming of the day when she can be British. She has settled in Northern Virginia, for now, but you can always find her on twitter @DanielleEWrites.

   

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Excerpt + Giveaway: Descent by Tara A. Fuller

Title: Descent (Kissed by Death #3)

Author: Tara A. FullerPublication: June 2, 2015 by Entangled Teen

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He’ll destroy everything and everyone to save her…including himself.
Easton doesn’t believe in love. He believes in death. Darkness. Sin. As a reaper for Hell, it’s all he’s known for more than four hundred years. So when he gets slapped with the job of training the boss’s daughter, an angel that knows nothing but joy, he knows he’s in for a world of trouble.
Though he’s made it clear he wants nothing to do with her outside of work, Gwen will do whatever it takes to get close to the dark and wounded reaper—even taint her angelic image and become a reaper herself. But in all her planning, she forgot to factor in one thing—how far the demons Easton doomed to Hell will go for revenge.
When the dangers of the Hell threaten Gwen, Easton will destroy everything and everyone to save her. But as the darkness closes in, will he be able to save himself?

“What do you want, Gwen?” he whispered. 

I stared at his chest, breathing hard, heart beating a frantic rhythm. “I want to touch you. And I don’t want you to stop me.” 

He hesitated, but when I ran my fingers over the criss-cross pattern of raised white scars that slashed 

across his ribs, he didn’t stop me. 

“Are these from when you were alive?”
He tensed, but allowed me to keep exploring him.  

“Yes.”  

I looked up. “Why did you keep them?”
 

His eyes searched mine. A muscle in his jaw flexed. “So I would never forget how I got them, why I’m here...what I lost.” 

“They’re beautiful,” I whispered. 

He closed his eyes and exhaled harshly. He was struggling, fighting some internal battle to give me this, to accept joy in return. 

I resisted the sudden, overwhelming urge to close the space between us, to press my lips to his. Something so simple, and yet it felt bigger than the two of us put together. That should have scared me. If I gave in to such urges, I could be cast out, stripped of everything that made me my father’s daughter. But it didn’t scare me. It exhilarated me. In the back of my mind I could hear Sky’s warning. 

Aren’t you tempted? Gwen, what if you fall? 

I was. I wanted it with every fiber of this body. Every part of me felt jittery with want and anticipation. The sweet, addictive desire rolling off him told me he wanted it, too. Easton reached up and touched my chin, his fingers like a magnet drawing me in. 

“I’m about to kiss you, Red,” he said, voice rough. “You should probably stop me.” 

Tara Fuller writes novels. Some about grim reapers​. Some about witches. All of course are delightfully full of teen angst and kissing. Tara grew up in a one stop light town in Oklahoma where once upon a time she stayed up with a flash light reading RL Stine novels and only dreamed of becoming a writer. She has a slight obsession with music and a shameless addiction for zombie fiction, Mystery Science Theater, and black and white mochas. Tara no longer lives in a one stop light town. Now she lives with her family in a slightly larger town in North Carolina where they have at least three stoplights.

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Excerpt + Giveaway: Modern Monsters by Kelley York

Title: Modern Monsters

Author: Kelley York
Publication: June 2, 2015 by Entangled Teen

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Vic Howard never wanted to go to the party. He’s the Invisible Guy at school, a special kind of hell for quiet, nice guys. But because his best friend is as popular as Vic is ignored, he went…
And wished he hadn’t.
Because something happened to a girl that night. Something terrible, unimaginable, and Callie Wheeler’s life will never be the same. Plus, now Callie has told the police that Vic did it. Suddenly, Invisible Vic is painfully visible, on trial both literally, with the police, and figuratively, with the angry and judgmental kids at school. As the whispers and violence escalate, he becomes determined to clear his name, even if it means an uneasy alliance with Callie’s best friend, the beautiful but aloof Autumn Dixon.
But as Autumn and Vic slowly peel back the layers of what happened that night, they realize that while the truth can set him free, it can also shatter everything he thought he knew about his life…

She rounds a corner. Instead of going into a classroom, she walks out the double doors leading to the quad, maybe heading for the library or the gym. I jog to catch up, reaching out to touch her shoulder. “Hey—”

The next thing I know, the sky is above me and I’m hitting the ground as my legs are knocked out from under me. I see stars. In broad daylight. Concussion: minor brain injury that may occur when one’s head strikes an object. Ow.

The girl’s face comes into view as I’m blinking the white from my vision. “You following me, jackass?” she snarls. “I know who you are. You’ve got some fucking nerve.”

I push myself up to sit, scooting back on the concrete to avoid getting struck again in the event she lashes out. “N-no—I mean, y-yes. I j-just wanted—”

“Wanted to what? I’ve got nothing to say to you.”

“I…I saw you at Callie’s l-locker…”

“If I had my way, they would have thrown your sorry ass in jail already. You realize they’re getting a restraining order against you.”

“I—”

“Better not let me see you in the parking lot, ’cause you’d better believe I’ll mow you down.”

“I didn’t touch her!”

The heat of my voice startles me. I’m not a yeller. I keep quiet, under the radar. But those words felt like they were going to burst out of my ribs if I didn’t say them. Callie’s friend is watching me with a smoldering glare.

“Right. She just made it up, then.”

“N-no. I didn’t say…say that.” Once I’m sure she isn’t going to use some weird karate move to put me on the ground again, I pick myself up. “I’m just saying it w-wasn’t m-me.”

She squints, looking me over. Studying me. I’d feel less exposed lying naked on a silver tray in biology being sliced open in the name of science. “Why were you following me?”

Why was I? What, exactly, did I want to ask? What did I want to say? I rub the back of my neck, ducking my head. “I wanted to s-see if you could deliver a m-message.”

“Uh-huh. What kind of message?”

“T-tell her…I d-didn’t do it. I swear on my life. And…” The guilt. It comes out of nowhere and slides its slivers into my lungs, making my chest tight. “Tell her I’m sorry.”

She folds her arms, gaze steely. “Sorry for what?”

“For not keeping her safe.” That’s what it comes down to. No, I didn’t rape Callie Wheeler, but I feel like it was my fault it happened. The number of things I could have—should have—done to prevent it seems staggering. The weight of my guilt makes it hard to breathe.

Kelley York was born in central California, where she still resides with her lovely wife, step-daughter, and way too many cats, while fantasizing about moving to England or Ireland. (Or, really, anyplace secluded.) She has a fascination with bells and animals and Disney. Her life goal is to find a real unicorn. Or to at least write about them. She occupies her spare time with video games, designing covers, playing on Tumblr, and watching anime.

Kelley is a sucker for dark fiction. She loves writing twisted characters, tragic happenings, and bittersweet endings that leave you wondering and crying. She strives to make character development take center stage in her books because the bounds of a person's character and the workings of their mind are limitless.

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Excerpt: Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

Hello, Bookish Friends! :) Would like to introduce to you - that's if you haven't been acquainted yet - to Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry. I know, I know, the cover is fantastic. I actually wanted to read this, only if I have enough time. But, maybe, in time, I'd be able to. I can only hope. So, for now, I'd just satisfy myself with an excerpt that I also shared below!

Title: Nowhere But Here (Thunder Road #1)
Author: Katie McGarry
Publication: May 26, 2015 by Harlequin Teen

An unforgettable new series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible.
Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both.

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down.

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home.

EXCERPT

THE MOTORCYCLE ACCELERATES AND THE FEW inches I had established between me and Oz: gone. My body slides forward, colliding into his, and we click together like two puzzle pieces. Heat rushes up my neck and onto my cheeks. My thighs are too close to his, too tight against his body and this is way more intimate than I have been before with a guy.

Even when the two of us kissed.

Oz veers left, away from Olivia’s, away from the main road, and the entire motorcycle pitches to the side. My heart thun­ders and my fingers clutch not only at Oz’s belt loop, but at the material of his jeans, and his hips.

Oz glances at me over his shoulder as the bike straightens out. “Lean with it, Emily.”

Right. Lean with Oz and the bike. Got it. The narrow road curves ahead and this time when Oz and the bike tilt, I move along with it. Oz releases one of the amazingly high handlebars and massages my knee before returning his hand to the grip. Whether in reassurance or to affirm I mastered the curve I don’t know, but either way, I sit higher.

The wind whips through my hair and onto my face and I shut my eyes for a brief second and pretend that I’m flying. There’s something energizing, something hypnotic, something inside me that begs to burst out of a cage in search of freedom.

The motorcycle kicks forward and our speed increases. Beams of sunlight filter through the towering trees and green foliage blurs together as we fly over the road. From head to toe, my body vibrates with the loud growling of the power­ful machine.

My knee still tingles from where Oz laid his fingers on me and I’ve never been more aware of my hands in my life. I should let go of Oz’s body, but I can’t. Belt loops weren’t enough and my fingers have somehow edged up and onto his sides. Oz is solid. Yes, definitely solid. Every inch of him that I touch is tight muscle.

Oz is a year older than me, but somehow he seems older, wiser and hotter than any other guy I’ve known. Just the way he rides his bike creates this overabundance of confidence.

Warm sensations I’ve never experienced before blossom through me. We enter another curve and I lean with him. I like how in sync I’ve become with Oz and the motorcycle. Like we’ve merged into one.

The purr of the engine deepens and Oz eases the bike to a stop. His feet hit the ground and he turns the machine off. It’s as if all sound in the world ceased, or maybe I’ve gone deaf because there’s no way anything can be this still or silent.

The wind picks up and the silence is frightened away with the roar of the trees bending. Both Oz and I shift with the flow of air and Oz doesn’t move the bike until the breeze gentles.

Oz kicks down the stand and the bike tilts, but not too much. He sets a hand over the fingers that I laced together across his stomach. Oh, hell, I’m plastic wrapped to him. I drop my head onto his shoulder and it places me closer, and closer is not what I need.

I go to unglue myself, but Oz squeezes my fingers, send­ing a jolt of electricity up my arms. “You okay?”

I have to clear my throat to speak and that just sucks. “Yes.”

Oz slides his fingers against mine and a fluttering occurs in my stomach. It’s a light fluttering. Ticklish even, and my survival instincts scream at me to get off this motorcycle.

* * * * *

Still not enough? Head over this LINK. My friends at the Pinoy Book Tours reviewed this book and yes, we are currently running a giveaway so if you are from the Philippines and you want a copy of this book, why not enter the Rafflecopter below.

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Spotlight + Excerpt: Glaze by Kim Curran

Title: Glaze
Author: Kim Curran
Publisher: Jurassic London
Publication: May 2014

Petri Quinn is counting down the days till she turns 16 and can get on GLAZE – the ultimate social network that is bringing the whole world together into one global family. But when a peaceful government protest turns into a full-blown riot with Petri shouldering the blame, she’s handed a ban. Her life is over before it’s even started.

Desperate to be a part of the hooked-up society, Petri finds an underground hacker group and gets a black market chip fitted. But this chip has a problem: it has no filter and no off switch. Petri can see everything happening on GLAZE, all the time. Including things she was never meant to see.

As her life is plunged into danger, Petri is faced with a choice. Join GLAZE… or destroy it.

EXCERPT

‘Where to now?’ I ask when I catch up with him on the next level down.

‘You go home,’ he says, grabbing hold of the banister and swinging himself down the whole flight of stairs at once.

‘That’s it? You rescue me and then disappear?’ I skid on the lino flooring of the landing and race down the stairs after him. We’re on the first floor now. Only one level to go.

‘Pretty much.’

His feet land on the marbled ground floor with a loud bang. It takes him a little longer to find his balance. I hope he’s hurt himself.

‘I don’t even know your name,’ I say, from the top of the stairs. He’s standing in front of a fire exit that leads to the street outside. The light spilling through the dappled security glass throws him into shadow.

He waits and thinks about it for a bit. ‘Ethan. It’s Ethan,’ he says finally. He stretches out his hand in greeting. I walk down three steps to meet it.

‘I’m Petri. But you already know that.’

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Review: Si Janus Silang at Ang Tiyanak ng Tábon by Edgar Calabia Samar

Title: Si Janus Silang at Ang Tiyanak ng Tábon
(Janus Silang #1)
Author: Edgar Calabia Samar
Publication: April 2014
Publisher: Adarna House
Genre: Young Adult, Middle Grade, Fantasy
Format: Paperback, 179 pages
Source: Publisher for blog tour
Language: Filipino

In a TALA Online tournament in the town of Balanga, all the players fell dead, save for Janus. Soon after that, teen after teen suffered deaths in computer shops around the country. Janus was contacted by someone who calls himself Joey, apparently another survivor of TALA like him. Janus did not expect the truths he would discover, weaving him into the mystery of the RPG that enthralled him—and into the legend of the Tiyanak from Tábon!

In one of my previous posts, I think, I've already mentioned that it has already been almost a year since I first learned about this book, which was still a project at that moment. At that time, I find it clever and ingenious. I mean, is there a Young Adult book written in Filipino out in stores right now? Forgive me, but I can't think of any. If ever there is/are, I apologize that I haven't heard of it/them. Well, if you count Wattpad books as YA, then I'll trim my classification to Fantasy books suited for young readers.

It has always been my battle cry that youngsters nowadays don't read because they've been forced to read books they won't enjoy. (Take that, DEPEd! #SorryNotSorry) No, I'm not saying that I didn't like Ibong Adarna, Florante at Laura and Rizal's Novels, I mean... those are Classics! But if you are bound to face countless class reports and compelled to illustrate every chapter, you'll also be thankful that you can skip the printed word and just opt to watch the movie version instead. I can't remember a time when reading has not been a task but a luxury we students enjoy, a time well-spent, a moment we can't wait for like Recess. I can talk passionately about this because it's not a very long time ago that I've been in the position the kids today are in. Moreover, I've always pointed out that young people don't read books written in Filipino because most of the published books either just talk about love, family, sacrifice, pain and struggles -- concepts they can probably relate to or not but they won't definitely take delight in. Or maybe, just maybe, some of the reading materials we present to them weren't written for them specifically. And that is why I laud Adarna House for publishing this book. Mad props!

I've been a gamer myself. I used to go to computer shops to play Counter Strike in elementary, but what really hooked me was Gunbound, I don't know if any of you still remember that game but it has really been popular back in 2006. Don't let its cute GUI fool you because I've met serious gamers around the world in the Gunbound arena. It's not just two players firing at each other, this artillery game is all about strategic calculation. However, as the fuss died down and DOTA captured the hearts of every gamer I know at that, I let the girl in me bloomed into a lady and shied away from RPG and online games. Okay, let's just be truthful here, DOTA is beyond me. My then 5 year old brother (who will turn 11 in June) understands it better than I do! I've tried so hard, but believe me, this brain I have just won't accept it.

In this book, Janus and his friends chose another online battle arena over DOTA, Terra Anima Legion of Anitos (TALA), a game developed by three Filipinos only known to many as ECS, LOG and JAP.  TALA plays a huge part in the narrative of this book. Online games lure kids and every kid at heart, its magnet is something no one can turn away from and that is why Janus and his friends can't stop playing TALA, be it just for bragging rights or self fulfillment, they know they need to find Tala and finish the game.

Like every other game, TALA has different levels and a player must compete and win against Philippine mythical creatures like the Tiyanak on Level 1.

Image from Talarchives.net

Every player needs a BAT or the Bayani-Anito-Tandem to combat the monsters on every level and because of TALA's intricate game design, every player is assured that no BAT is alike.

Image from Talarchives.net

A player can choose between a Bagani or a Pusong for their Bayani and their Anito can either be a Diwata or a Nuno.

Image from Talarchives.net

But the mystery will begin to unfold as Janus and his friend Harold alongside with four other gamers vie for a place in the nationwide TALA tournament and everyone died as they reach a certain level, save for Janus. The question is: Is the role-playing game really instrumental in the death of Harold and the others? Another gamer Joey, who contacted Janus affirms the theory, but should we really believe him?

I had my 10 year old brother read this before I did. I felt he'll appreciate this because he is an RPG addict like the protagonist of the story. He kept talking about the game and how to play it while reading and that to me is a testament that the author did an awesome job on world building. Well, it is safe to say that he created Janus's universe in a way even young readers can grasp and imagine it. I can say that at a time it is almost believable that I myself had to think about its implication to the real world I'm in. What if, what if the legend of the Tiyanak from Tábon were true?

I don't know if you've already read the first chapter but if ever you haven't I suggest you do. It just doesn't open Janus's story but it's a sneak peek into the life he leads -- a look into his family, friends, environment and who Janus really is.

The book is written in third person narrative as opposed to other Young Adult novels that are in first person but this only allowed the author the freedom to explore not only the thoughts of the protagonist but other events as well.

My instincts tell me that I must stop here and just invite you to the book discussion I will lead next week (I shall announce the venue very soon) or else I won't be able to stop myself from blurting out spoilers. Too. Much. Feels. I can't even....

Let me just leave you with this...
I've long concluded that the books written by The Edgar Calabia Samar are not just manuscripts but a mixture of love, passion and hardwork. Reading his work has always been an experience and Si Janus Silang at Ang Tiyanak ng Tábon didn't stray away from that streak. It is exciting, thought-provoking and action-packed I just hate I need to wait until November for the second book.

Guest Blog: Edgar Calabia Samar

Ikinalulugod kong ipakilala sa inyong lahat ang isa sa mga paborito kong mángangathâ, si Edgar Calabia Samar.
Note: To my international readers, this entire post is written in Filipino.

Ang Talinghaga sa mga Nilalang na Kagila-gilalas

Sa una kong nobelang Walong Diwata ng Pagkahulog, sinikap kong magbuo ng isang mito tungkol sa mga dakilang manunulat: na anak sila ng isang diwata sa isang mortal. At bagaman hindi nagiging diwata ang anak ng diwata, hindi rin sila nagiging ganap na karaniwang tao. Kaya marami sa kanila, káhit nabubuhay sa mundong ito, parang laging lumilipad sa kung saan ang isip. Parang laging may kinakapang kung ano ang puso. Mananatili sila sa mundong ito subalit hindi rin nila mararamdaman na kabilang sila rito kaya’t patuloy silang kakatha ng mga daigdig na ito-subalit-hindi-rin-ito sa pag-asa na matatagpuan ang kung anuman iyong hindi rin naman nila mapangalanan.

Samantala, nang isulat ko ang ikalawa kong nobelang Sa Kasunod ng 909, nagtuon naman ako sa mga manananggal, itong larawan ng ating sinaunang tákot, na pumapainlanlang sa mga gabi ng matinding gutom, at iniiwan ang kalahati ng katawan sa lupa. Sa isang banda, may matandang pangarap na pantao na tinutupad ang larawan ng manananggal: ang pagnanasang makalipad, at tanawin ang mga bagay mula sa itaas. Pero dahil din doon kaya’t hindi rin sila makapamumuhay bílang ganap na tao. Tulad ng anak ng diwata, namumuhay sila bilang iba. Nagbibitak at nahahati ang loob nilang magkasabay na nakatuntong sa mundo at pumapailanlang mula rito.

Iyon sa palagay ko ang bisa ng ating mga kuwento at karunungang bayan na pinagmulan ng mga tauhang ito—ang lagi’t laging ipaalala sa atin na may iba pang mundo. Sa isang banda, ganito rin ang bisa ng talinghaga sa ating mga sinaunang tula, na kasintanda marahil ng kuwento ng mga diwata’t manananggal. Talinghaga ang kapasidad ng kamalayan sa pamamagitan ng malikhaing pahayag na makita o tingnan ang isang bagay bilang iba pang bagay. Niyayanig nito kung gayon ang daigdig ng literal—ang pragmatikong mundo ng naririto, hayag at kongkreto—upang maghain ng bisyon, ng kaisipan na nagmumula subalit lumalampas sa dinaranas ng mga pandama.

Para sa pinakabago kong nobela at kauna-unahan kong YA novel, ang Si Janus Sílang at ang Tiyanak ng Tábon, isang alamat ng Tiyanak naman ang binuno ko. (Siyempre, hindi ko sasabihin ngayon kung ano iyong nabuo ko.) Anuman, sinisikap kong harapin pa rin dito ang isa na namang larawan ng kagila-gilalas sa ating mga kuwentong-bayan. Tulad ng talinghaga, sa palagay ko’y nariyan ang mga nilalang na ito upang patuloy at paulit-ulit na pagbukalan ng ating pagpapakahulugan.

Ehersisyo ng pagpapakatao ang pagbibigay-kahulugan sa mga bagay-bagay. Hindi nito nalulubos at hindi malulubos ang pagsagot sa mga tanong na nasa isip natin, totoo, subalit kailangan din ang mga guwang at puwang na iyon upang pagsidlan ng ating haraya, ng ating imahinasyon, na maaaring naging bahagi ng ating pagkatao sapagkat kailangan natin. Sabi nga ng isang nobelistang Ingles na isa sa mga unang pumaksa ng nangyaring 9/11 sa nobela: “cruelty is a failure of imagination.” Kabiguan ng haraya ang kalupitan. Sa gitna ng kabi-kabilang trahedya sa bayan natin, paano natin ito hinaharap? At paano ito hinaharap ng mga manlilikha ng ating bayan?

Ang haraya, na nagpakilala sa ating mga diwata, manananggal, tiyanak, ang nagturo rin sa ating mga ninuno, sa pamamagitan ng isang dalít na: “Ang sugat ay kung tinanggap/ Di daramdamin ang antak./ Ang aayaw at di payag,/ Galos lamang, magnanaknak.” Ito siguro ang ubod ng ipinagpaparangalan nating tatag bilang isang bayan. Lahat ng sugat na kaya nating tanggapin.

*Maaaring i-like sa FB ang Janus Sílang Series sa http://www.facebook.com/JanusSilang. Maaari ring i-follow si Edgar Calabia Samar sa @ecsamar sa Twitter. Bisitahin ang edgarsamar.com para sa iba pang akda ni Samar.

Author Interview: Edgar Calabia Samar

Note: For my international readers, this post is written in Filipino.

Matagal-tagal ko na ring kilala si Edgar Calabia Samar o mas kilala ng ilan sa tawag na Sir Egay o Egay. Una ko siyang nakadaupang-palad nang ako'y dumalo sa isang pagtitipon ng Pinoy Reads Pinoy Books na noon ay sabayang binabasa ang kanyang unang nobela na Walong Diwata ng Pagkahulog. Pagkatapos nga ng gabing iyon sa Marikina ay naging masugid na akong tagahanga ni Sir Egay na lalo ko pang nakilala nang minsa'y naglakbay kami upang hanapin ang Atisan. Noong araw din na 'yon ko nakilala si Janus Silang at simula nga noon ay talagang inabangan ko na ang araw na mababasa ko ang aklat na ito.

Ngunit bago pa natin pag-usapan ang buong libro, tayo ay pinaunlakan ni Sir Egay ng isang maikling panayam upang lalo pa nating makilala ang ating bidang si Janus!

TheLibrary Mistress: Bakit Janus Silang ang pangalan ng bida?

Edgar Calabia Samar: May kababata at kaibigan akong Janus ang pangalan, dahil January ang birthday niya, at matagal na niya akong kinukulit sa FB chat na isama siya sa mga sinusulat ko. Med rep siya, at kapag tinatanong ko siya kung ano ba ang mga interesting sa buhay-med-rep, wala naman siyang maikuwento. Sabi niya noon, kahit pangalan na lang niya ang gamitin ko. Nang pinaplano ko ang pagsusulát ng nobela, at nag-iisip ako ng pangalan ng bida, naghahanap ako ng pangalang makauugnay pa rin ang henerasyon ngayon, at noon ko naalala ang Janus. Pero hindi ko sinunod ang buong pangalan niyang Paul Janus dahil Janus Gregorio Sílang ang buong pangalan ng ating bida. Bakit Sílang? Sasagutin ito ng mga susunod na aklat kapag binalikan natin ang angkan ni Janus.

TLM: Sino si Janus Silang at bakit dapat namin siyang makilala?

ECS: Kinakatawan ni Janus ang karaniwang kabataan sa kasalukuyan na may mga barkada, nagkaka-crush, napapalayo ang loob sa mga magulang dahil sa pagbibinata, nalululong sa mga bisyong tulad ng pagdo-DOTA. Subalit si Janus din ay kumakatawan sa pantastikong buhay na pinapangarap at maaaring napapanaginipan lang ng ilang kabataan. Si Janus ang bayaning nasa puso ng bawat batang ibig iligtas ang mundo laban sa lahat ng nilalang ng dilim.

READ MORE: Cover Reveal: Si Janus Silang at Ang Tiyanak ng Tábon by Edgar Calabia Samar

TLM: Bilang awtor, ano ang inspirasyon mo sa pagsulat ng akdang ito?

ECS: Matagal ko nang gustong makapagsulat ng nobelang sa palagay ko’y mababasa’t magugustuhan ng mga taong mahalaga sa akin. Hamon sa akin ang pagpapahalaga sa simpleng pagkukuwento. Sa mga una kong nobela, higit na nangingibabaw ang proyekto ng pagsasanaysay kaysa pagsasalaysay. Ngayon, gusto ko lang lumikha ng nobelang pananabikan ng mambabasa. Ngayon, gusto kong maunawaan kahit ng isang karaniwang teenager. Kapag binasa niya ang nobela ko sa halip na mag-DOTA sa loob ng kung ilang oras, alam kong hindi nasayang ang panahon ko sa pagsusulat nito. Pagkatapos niyang magbasa at habang hinihintay ang Book 2, puwede na ulit siyang mag-DOTA muna.

READ MORE: First Chapter Preview: Si Janus Silang at Ang Tiyanak ng Tábon by Edgar Calabia Samar

TLM: Sa iyong nobelang, Walong Diwata ng Pagkahulog, ipinakilala mo ang mga tiyanak sa mundo. Saan nangagaling ang iyong pagkahilig sa mga tiyanak?

ECS: Noon pa mang tula ang mas isinusulat ko, interesado na ako sa ating mga panitikang-bayan, lalo pa ang mga nilalang ng dilim sa ating mga alamat. Nakapagsulat na ako ng mga tulang nagtatampok sa tiyanak, bago ko pa man ito ginamit sa aking mga nobela. Sa isang banda, halos awtobiyograpiko ang simula ng Walong Diwata ng Pagkahulog. Isa sa mga hindi ko malilimutang kuwento noong bata ako’y na pinaglaruan umano ako ng tiyanak.

TLM: Nabanggit na rin naman natin ang isa mo pang nobela, ano ang mas mahirap isulat?

ECS: Magkaiba ang antas ng hirap ng dalawa, dahil magkaiba ang proyekto. Mahirap magkompara. Unang nobela ko ang Walong Diwata, at gusto ko lang magsulat ng nobelang tingin ko’y hindi pa ginagawa sa nobelang Filipino. Iyan ang yabang ko noon, nagtagumpay man ako o hindi. Ang mahirap naman sa Janus Sílang, kailangan kong pagmukhain itong madali, lalo pa sa mga mambabasa. Siguro, kahit anong mahal mo, paghihirapan mo, dahil gusto mo ang pinakamabuti para rito. Pero sa bandang huli, ayaw ko nang pag-isipan ang hirap na pinagdaanan ko sa kanila. Ang importante’y natapos ko sa wakas, kahit pa hindi dito nagwawakas ang mga paghihirap na kailangan kong harapin.

*Maaaring i-like sa FB ang Janus Sílang Series sa http://www.facebook.com/JanusSilang. Maaari ring i-follow si Edgar Calabia Samar sa @ecsamar sa Twitter. Bisitahin ang edgarsamar.com para sa iba pang akda ni Samar.

Spotlight + Excerpt: Si Janus Silang at Ang Tiyanak ng Tábon by Edgar Calabia Samar

 

Title: Si Janus Silang at Ang Tiyanak ng Tábon
Author: Edgar Calabia Samar
Publisher: Adarna House

In a TALA Online tournament in the town of Balanga, all the players fell dead, save for Janus. Soon after that, teen after teen suffered deaths in computer shops around the country. Janus was contacted by someone who calls himself Joey, apparently another survivor of TALA like him. Janus did not expect the truths he would discover, weaving him into the mystery of the RPG that enthralled him—and into the legend of the Tiyanak from Tábon!

Meet and Greet the author, Edgar Calabia Samar! Have your books signed, meet book bloggers and Filipino readers at the bookstore launch of Si Janus Silang at Ang Tiyanak ng Tábon on May 10, 2014 at National Bookstore SM North Edsa, 3PM. 

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