writing

In retrospect, I wish I had actually managed to write another novel this year, but things being things, I was not able to.

With short fiction, I did better. After being able to make time (a dicey proposition in a year graced by a new daughter) and after many false starts (believe me, my hard drive has a folder marked "Fiction 2008" that is littered with stillborn and crippled beginnings, middles and endings) I managed to eke out some new stories, which combined with sold inventory and a reprint or two from last year, make a decent publishing list for 2008:

“An Excerpt from 'Princes of the Sultanate' (Ghazali: 1902); Annotated by Omar Jamad Maududi, MLS, HOL, JMS” in Story Philippines, February 2008
“The Middle Prince” in Tales of Fantasy and Enchantment, edited by Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo, February 2008
“In the Dim Plane” in Digest of Philippine Genre Stories, April 2008.
“Sunboy” in Philippines Free Press, May 2008.
“The Many Loves of Ramil Alonzo” in Philippines Free Press, August 2008.
“The Maiden and the Crocodile” in Bewildering Stories, September 2008.
“Remembrance” in Exotic Gothic II, edited by Danel Olsen, Ash-Tree Press, September 2008
“I, D.I." in Belonging: Stories of Relationships, edited by Erlinda Panlilio, Anvil, October 2008
“Report HC-IK017785A-0097B-006 de Ocampo: Survey of Artifacts Found in the Derelict Vessel The Malaya” in Philippines Free Press, November 2008.

I also translated a story for Khavn's Ultraviolins.

I still feel terrible that the publication of Philippine Speculative Fiction IV was postponed to February 2009, but what can you do?

Moving into next year, I'm happy to note that I have several stories slated for publication in various anthos and periodicals, which frees me from the initial anxiety of having nothing in the pipeline (remember that I take this "working writer" thing quite seriously, and a working writer publishes) and permits me the usual anxiety of developing new inventory.

I think that by mid-year I'll have enough for a second collection of stories - we'll see.

chiro is cool

When my back pain was finally just too, too much to deal with, I caved in and booked an appointment with a chiro - and in the span of just a couple of sessions, he worked miracles with my poor, poor back.

It's true - I *heart* my chiropractor.

Except for the fact that the cost of each session is astonishing (P3k a pop). I'm thankful that there's a little left over from the year end bonus, after paying off all the bills.

I'm wondering if it's not too late to change careers and be a chiro...

Happy Holidays, all!

december

And just like that, it's December again. It's hard to imagine where all the time has gone, considering that it was quite a year for me, especially with a new daughter and concerns about the future because of economics.

Sometimes, the days slow to a crawl, and the longed-for weekend seems impossibly remote, and deadlines just keep coming.

But sometimes, the days whiz by, and when I try to remember what I did back whenever, all I get is a blur, as important things are reduced to routinary tasks leeched almost of meaning - paying bills, getting groceries, paying for school stuff.

But I love December. Apart from the cooling air and general sense of holiday cheer (we, as a people, are great at denial), it marks another year of happy partnership with Nikki. It's 13 years now, and through all the ups and downs of life, we've breezed through everything together. This year, we celebrated with dinner and small gifts, and episodes of True Blood.

Here's to my kakampi, now and always - wife, lover and best friend.

And here's to Sage, who wrote a story for her anniversary gift to us (making sure to make it bittersweet spec fic, just for me).

And, of course, to Rowan, whose smile slays my heart.