the world is big and small

philippine speculative fiction vol.1

Right after launch and while I was in the US, I sent copies of PSF to France, Japan, and a few cities in the US (to friends old and new, plus a couple of authors I met online). I originally intended for PSF to be available only locally in the Philippines, but am now receiving various inquiries from different countries - thanks to Jeff Ford's blog and Charles whose comment provoked a great post.

(I seriously need to digress here and tell you how awesome it is to know that Jeff read and liked one of my stories. He is one of my favorite authors - I have this interview over at Pinoy Book Reviews conducted last year to prove that it's not a matter of kissing ass. In particular, his short stories "Creation" & "At Reparata" plus his novel "The Portrait of Mrs. Charbuque" are among the best things I've read in my life.)

So now, I have to come up with some way to handle payments and remittances. My first impulse is to look into the regular old banking method. I've already instructed my accountant to facilitate matters. I can also use this for other aspects of my design company business and stuff for my pet store. The other option, suggested by Ben, is PayPal. Despite the fact that PayPal's website makes things seemingly clear and easy, a huge part of me is still stuck on the paranoid notion that money sent via the internet is a risky proposition. That, and the Luddite in me. So I've asked advice from the best tech friend I have, Jason, as to how to handle it.

Getting speculative fiction written by Filipinos out to readers in different parts of the world is a thrilling thing to think about. It goes beyond the act of writing, editing, and packaging the book. In the Philippines, the book can be found in Fully Booked and over at Comic Quest, and is selling nicely. But beyond our shores... the possibilities are both exciting and terrifying. I need to learn how to think bigger, that's all.

This brings to mind an expanded interpretation of the question "Who do I write for?". Food for thought, indeed.