To do something for the spec-fic field, I've decided to join Angry Robot Books' army of mindless droids and for my first foray, I'm reading an eARC (electronic Advanced Reading or Review Copy) of City of Dreams and Nightmares by Ian Whates.Now, downloading the eARC is tantamount to coming up with a review (that's what the fine print says when I signed up to be an AR droid -- every physical or electronic ARC you receive or download should merit a review on your site). Otherwise, I forfeit my membership to the droid army.
I hope to finish reading Mr. Whates' book in two weeks or so (slow reader, sorry, especially on a new medium such as a smartphone) and thereafter a review will follow. Mind you, I'm no professional critic and my review will be most likely based on my preferences in the genre. For those unfamiliar with my tastes -- J.R.R. Tolkien, D. and L. Eddings, F.L. Baum, F. and B. Herbert, K.J. Anderson, and several Filipino genre writers.
Quite excited about this upcoming personal project!
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A bit late to do so but I've put up links to two Filipino spec-fic anthologies at the right under the "Spec-Fic with Your Coffee".
"Usok", the quarterly 'zine from Rocket Kapre Books was released some months back but somehow my screw of a brain forgot to put up the link earlier. Edited by Paolo Gabriel Chikiamco, it's free to read and there's also a downloadable version that can be uploaded thereafter to your mobile device. I think RKB is due with issue 2 anytime now, if my timing is correct.
The other online antho is "Farthest Shore" -- stories about other worlds by Filipinos and this collection is edited by Dean Francis Alfar and Joseph Nacino featuring 12 out-worldly stories. Both editors contribute a story apiece to the anthology.
Another locally-flavored anthology that is forthcoming is Demons of the New Year: Horror from the Philippines, edited by Joseph Nacino and Karl De Mesa. I'm not into horror stories (and vampires and things that go bump in the night) to be honest about it, but a TOC like this looks interesting:
The Kambubulag by Catherine Wilder
Salot by Eliza Victoria
The Different Degrees of the Night by Don Jaucian
K-10 Mushroom by Marguerite de Leon
The Landlord by Tyron Caliente
People's Champ by Dominique Cimafranca
Best Served Cold by Rommel Santos
Snip by Adam David
Demon Gaga by Carljoe Javier
The Summoner by Ed Geronia
An excerpt from The Magdalene Fist by Karl de Mesa
A still untitled story from Karren Senna
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This month's CrossedGenres theme is "Eastern", basically spec-fic with Eastern culture as an integral backdrop to the stories.
And since we're Filipinos and are Asians, I think this month's theme for submission should be up our alley, so to speak. Guidelines here for those interested. Deadline of stories would be March 31. The issue will be released on May.
CrossedGenres has also listed its themes for the upcoming months:
April: Gadgets & Artifacts
May: Lies
June: Invasions
July: Bildungroman (Coming of Age)
August: Dreams and Nightmares
