Overbooked Reader

Many of my close friends know that "Carrie" is my favorite Stephen King novel. I always talk about how that was the book that got me into reading and writing. However, I don't often mention that "The Shining" is my second favorite novel by Stephen King. "The Shining" tells the story of recovering alcoholic Jack Torrance, his wife Wendy, and his son Danny. When Jack finds a job as caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, the whole family drives up to the hotel for the winter. The former caretaker succumbed to cabin fever, and killed his entire family. Obviously, a foreshadowing of things to come, and Jack's family soon finds out why. Everything is fine at first. Jack even finds time to work on his long overlooked play. Then, Danny begins seeing visions. Danny has 'The Shining,' a telepathic ability that allows him to have premonitions, read minds, and perhaps more dangerous things. Unfortunately, his ability inadvertent...

Filipino ReaderCon 2014 is just around the corner so it's time for Filipino Friday. Here is my second entry for today: Here is this week's topic: As a reader, have you ever thought about writing a book? What kind of books/stories do you want to write? Or are you now a published author, and what compelled you to go fulfill this dream? How was your journey from reader to writer? How did you go about getting your book out there? As a reader, have you ever thought about writing a book? YES. I've always wanted to be a published fiction writer. That's the reason why I took up creative writing in college, instead of a more practical course like mass communications or journalism. What kind of books/stories do you want to write? Over the years, beginning with my thesis year in college, I realized that I have an inclination towards writing contemporary romance stories. So I'd like to write fiction (short stories, novellas, and novels)...

Filipino ReaderCon 2014 is just around the corner so it's time for Filipino Friday. I forgot to write a blog post last week, so I'll be posting two entries today. Here is last week's topic: Surprise, Reader! Hello, it’s the first week of Filipino Fridays 2014! Whether it’s your first time to participate or not, tell us a bit about yourself. More specifically, tell us about your favorite book discoveries for this year. Any author you started reading this year that you can’t get enough of? A book you didn’t think you’d like, but you ended up liking/loving? Any book series that you just have to get your hands on? Have you discovered anything new from Filipino authors this year? So, Hi! My name is Verne. I work as a writer and researcher for the Ayala Museum. This year is a big one for me. I recently submitted by MBA thesis, hence the lack of blog posts over the past few months. To celebrate this accomplishment--and finally get some writing done--I'm joining ...

Ever since I first read a novel for fun--it was "Carrie" by Stephen King, back when I was in first year high school--I wanted write my own novel. The desire to be a novelist was what inspired me to take up creative writing in college. But, for practicality's sake, and because lacked confidence, I chose to focus on creative nonfiction instead of fiction. The pivotal moment came when my fiction workshop professor told me to wait until I was 40 years old before attempting to write fiction, even a short story. It's true that I may have lacked the skill back in college. It's true that many of my block mates are more talented writers than me. However, it's also true that I lacked the commitment to focus on honing my writing craft. That, more than having a late start in reading and writing, was what prevented me from writing good fiction. I see National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) as an opportunity to make up for lost time and prove to myself that I ...

Me holding my hardcover copy of 1Q84, which I bought on the day it was released in Fully Booked, Greenhills Promenade.  It's really dirty. I spilled some coffee on it. I will finish reading it soon.  I haven't read the whole 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami , but I've probably read part one of this novel more times than any other novel I've read before. It's not that I didn't enjoy reading part one. In fact, I loved it. It's just one of those stories so heavy and detailed that I have to pause for a while. It just so happens that when I get back to reading it, I feel like starting all over again. 1Q84 is set in a Tokyo during a fictionalized 1984. I assume the parallel between this book and George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four will become more apparent in parts two and three. Part one alternates between the narratives of female assassin/gym instructor Aomame and budding novelist/male cram school mathematics teacher Tengo . Aomame kills with a needl...

I'll be honest here. I bought my copy of The Way of Kings (Part 1 of The Stormlight Archive ) by Brandon Sanderson for two reasons. First, I though he wrote all of the Wheel of Time epic-fantasy series. He wrote co-wrote a few of them, but only after Robert Jordan died in 2007. Second, I really dig its white book cover. I even bought an entire roll of plastic cover just to wrap that one book. I'm trying to catch-up on reading fantasy and science fiction books that, regretfully, I didn't read when I was younger. Thus, my recently reading Orson Scott-Card's Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow , as well as J.R.R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring ,  all of which I've reviewed previously. This is also the reason why I bought The Way of Kings (Part 1) in Fully Booked, Alabang Town Center.  Me being silly again, I thought the thick tome was the entire book, but it was only half of it! Luckily, I found Part 2 in Fully Booked, Greenbelt 5. Af...

Sharp Objects is one of the most thrilling and terrifying novels I've ever read.  Gillian Flynn 's debut novel tells the story of the journalist Camille Preaker . She's a cutter, who carves words onto her skin using knives and other sharp objects. She can barely cover the words sliced onto her skin, a permanent reminder of her troubled past. Camille is given an assignment to cover a pair of murders. Two preteen girls have been abducted and strangled in the small town of Wind Gap. All their teeth are missing. Camille must now return home and face her neurotic, hypochondriac mother ( Adora ), her beautiful half-sister ( Amma ), and the memory of her dead sister ( Marian ) She must confront her childhood traumas. As she delves deeper into her investigation, we learn more about her, her family, her friends, and her hometown.  Wind Gap is a town filled with horrifying secrets, but who hides the biggest secret of them all? Will Camille survive her homecoming or wil...