Pick up This Week's Free Press, Y'all!

In celebration of Britney Spears' losing 25 pounds, I'm going on a diet for two minutes and declaring this post my "Speak Like Britney Post," y'all. Cuz I'm Southern like that. Okay, I'm really not.

Anyways, pick up this week's copy of the Free Press, y'all, cuz my story, "Transmission Ended" is in it, y'all!

For people familiar with my work (all three of you), "Transmission Ended" is something I've never done before. Its' my first attempt at 'straight fiction' (no gay jokes, please), meaning this isn't a horror piece. Nobody gets maimed, killed or goes nuts. Nobody takes drugs, does questionable things to animals or children, or engages in illicit or illegal bahavior. There are no monsters, human or otherwise, and no one is wearing kohl eyeliner (unless one of the characters put some on when I wasn't looking). It does, however, involve a gay man. What, you expected me to write a completely straight story?

It took a lot of courage for me to write it, and even more to actually send it out. I'd like to thank Sarge Lacuesta, the mag's Literary Editor, for accepting it. It's my first time to be published in this magazine (granted, it was also my first time to send them something). My new story coincides with the mag's "new look," so I'm even more honored.

Remember:
Free Press
Transmission Ended
New Look

I hear it'll be available on Saturday. Go out and grab yourselves a copy, y'all.

Not a Nerd, Not

So I’m half a nerd. So what? I get the best of both worlds.

The Passing of a Master

I just found out that author/ editor Charles L. Grant passed away last September 15, 2006. This is a big loss to the horror community, as Mr. Grant has not only written many brilliant works, but has put together lots of great athologies. He will be missed.

I've an Article in Entrepreneur

I've an article in this month's Entrepreneur (September 2006) on store displays, where I interview stylist Niña Sandajas and grocery-merchandiser-turned-jewellery-deigneer Bo
Escueta.

Even if I didn't have an article in it, I would have bought the issue anyway because it's got a great piece on microentrepreneurship.

Hard times are making Pinoys look for different ways to make money and this (microentrepreneurship), I think, is what's going to make our country succeed in the future.

In other news, people have been telling me that they've seen me on Eternity , which opened in theatres today. Wow, it's like being an artista... only not. :P

Making Pakyaw the Boys in Bands

The high school girl in me is doing cartwheels at the prospect of interviewing Westlife. Actually, the high school girl in me has been doing cartwheels all year because I've been lucky enough to interview, shake hands, pose in pictures with and declare my love to her (take note, hers, not mine) crushes.

That's probably the only reason I ask for and giddily take these assignments: to live the life I wanted to have in grade and high school.In grade school, I wantged to be a freelance writer. In
high school, I wanted to meet all my idols. This year, I'm a freelance writer who gets to meet her high school idols. Better late than never, I guess. I got to interview the Backstreet Boys (and proclaim my love to Howie!), Swedish Industrial band Interlace (Goth is a state of mind), and (forgive me for including you in the same sentence and though you aren't a boy band, you
*are* my favorite Pinoy musical act) Pedicab.

And now I'm off to interview Westlife (my favorite: Mark, who came out last year -- why do I always like the gay one???!!!)! I haven't been this happy since Michael Buble (another man who I think may be gay) touched my shoulder when he was first in the country! Now if only Take That would get back together and come to the Philippines. Now that would *really*
make my year!

My favorite Take That member in high school? Mark Owen! And boy does he look gay in a tight shirt! Remember the "Everything Changes" video? He made baby powder seem
obscene. No wonder I feel slightly dirty everytime I see a bottle of Johnson's talc-iest.