Pictures Writing Workshop in Makati; Steve Aznar's Party

I'm posting some pictures taken at the Writing Workshop (Fundamentals of Creative Writing Workshop, July 9, 2011) which I conducted for Anvil in Powerbooks, Makati; and here's a photo taken at Stephen Aznar's party celebrating his new pad in Cebu (July 11, 2011 - Steve owns Cafe Elysa in Historic Cebu).

Both events were very fun. Some 55 workshoppers braved Manila's rain and showed up at Powerbooks in Makati. We worked together for over 2 hours. The pictures show some of the workshoppers sharing their in-class right brain exerice. I did a right brain meditative exercise and the results were fantastic; the workshoppers themselves were surprised at their work and experience. Thank you Anvil and Powerbooks for sponsoring the event.

Steve's party was in in his new place in Cebu, and he had some 20 people enjoying his seafood pasta and goat curry stew (the best!), along with egg rolls and Greek salad, another chicken dish. Wine, champagne and a unique lychee-martini drink flowed. We were up until 2 a.m. still chatting while Steve and our hostess Joy Uy finally crashed. Thank you Steve and Joy for a very fun evening!

Cecilia Brainard Conducts Creative Writing Workshop, July 9, in Manla

Hi, I'll be conducting a Creative Writing Workshop in Mankati, July 9, from 10-12 in Powerbooks, Greenbelt 4.

_______

Dear Sir/Madam:

Greetings from Anvil Publishing and Powerbooks! We wish to invite your Language and Literature teachers and your most gifted student writers to a workshop on CREATIVE WRITING by award-winning novelist and editor CECILIA MANGUERRA BRAINARD on July 9 from 10 am to 12nn at Powerbooks Greenbelt 4.

The workshop covers the following;

Setting and Scene

Character development

Conflict development

Dialogue

Plot development

Point of View

Voice

Style, Theme, Tone

Cecilia Manguerra Brainard is the award-winning author of eight books, including the internationally-acclaimed novel, When the Rainbow Goddess Wept, Magdalena, Vigan and Other Stories, Acapulco at Sunset and Other Stories, Philippine Woman in America, Woman With Horns and Other Stories, Cecilia's Diary 1962-1968, and Fundamentals of Creative Writing.

She edited four books: Growing Up Filipino I and II, Fiction by Filipinos in America, Contemporary Fiction by Filipinos in America. Cecilia co-edited six books, including Journey of 100 Years: Reflections on the Centennial of Philippine Independence; Behind the Walls: Life of Convent GirlsAla Carte: Food and Fiction, and Finding God: True Stories of Spiritual Encounters. She has also written a novel with four other women entitled, Angelica's Daughters, a Dugtungan Novel.

Her work has been translated into Finnish and Turkish; and many of her stories and articles have been widely anthologized.

Cecilia has received a California Arts Council Fellowship in Fiction, a Brody Arts Fund Award, a Special Recognition Award for her work dealing with Asian American youths, as well as a Certificate of Recognition from the California State Senate, 21st District. She has also been awarded by the Filipino and Filipino American communities she has served. She received the prestigious Filipinas Magazine Arts Award, and the Outstanding Individual Award from her birth city, Cebu, Philippines. She has received several travel grants in the Philippines, from the USIS (United States Information Service).

She has lectured and performed in worldwide literary arts organizations and universities, including UCLA, USC, University of Connecticut, University of the Philippines, PEN, Beyond Baroque, Shakespeare & Company in Paris, and many others. She teaches creative writing at the Writers Program at UCLA-Extension.

She is married to Lauren R. Brainard, a former Peace Corp Volunteer to Leyte, Philippines; they have three sons.

For reservations and inquiries, please call the ANVIL PUBLISHING marketing department tel. nos. 477-4752, 477-4755 to 57 loc. 807 or sign up at any customer service counter of any branch of POWERBOOKS.

Her website is www.ceciliabrainard.com

Fundamentals of Creative Writing Available

My book, Fundamentals of Creative Writing, was also released by Anvil this August. Proper book launching will be scheduled when I return to the Philippines in early 2010, but the book is available from Anvilpublishing.com and from palhbooks.com.

It's a how-to-write book sharing what I've been teaching at the Writers' Program of UCLA Extension for 15 years.

The back cover blurbs say:

Fundamentals of Creative Writing is a powerful resource to encourage students and/or aspiring writers to strive for excellence in their writing skills. Not only does it guide readers through the basics of setting, scene, character, conflict, dialogue, plot, point of view, voice, style, theme and tone but it also provides useful activities that challenges the writer to get their creative juices flowing. I would highly recommend this excellent book to anyone who wants to improve and enhance their creative writing skills.
Jacqueline Gullas-Weckman
Vice-President, Academic Affairs
University of the Visayas


Cecilia Manguerra Brainard has written a wonderful resource for students of creative writing. This book, Fundamentals of Creative Writing, provides students with practical steps that truly work. The strategies presented in this book are a product of the authors 15 years of teaching creative writing. She is also a prolific writer who has written numerous short stories, novels, and non-fiction books.
Edmundo F. Litton, Ed.D.
Associate Professor of Education
Loyola Marymount University

This book (Fundamentals of Creative Writing) describes the “essentials” of creative writing, not only from a technical perspective, but also by unveiling how creative writing leads us to imaginatively engage and act upon the world. Brainard’s structure reminds us that, above and beyond technique, the most important thing a writer needs is a genuine love of story and a respect for the power of words.
Rocío G. Davis
Associate Professor of American Literature, University of Navarra, Spain
Author of Begin Here: Reading Asian North American Autobiographies of Childhood

Cecilia Manguerra Brainard's Fundamentals of Creative Writing is a marvelous textbook that combines useful technical advice on craft with beautiful practical examples in her own stories. Brainard's treatments of writerly voice and left brain/right brain theory as it connects to writing are among the best available in today's writing textbooks. Her story examples cover a variety of story types, techniques, points of view, and historical as well as contemporary topics and themes. This book will indeed help writing students write strong stories and improve their craft. Brava, Ms. Brainard.
Vince Gotera, Editor of the North American Review
Professor of Creative Writing, University Northern Iowa

Updates Finding God, Growing Up Filipino II, and Fundamentals of Creative Writing

Here are some updates on the 3 books I'm working on, which will hopefully be released in 2009:

1. Finding God - coedited by Cecilia Brainard & Marily Orosa, Anvil Publisher
The cover is finished; it uses a lovely painting of a trail in a green quiet forest. Studio 5 Designs is doing the cover, even though Anvil is publishing the book. My co-editor informs me that the back cover will have the blurbs, and will show our picture with this beautiful scripture reading:

"For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV).

2. Growing Up Filipino II (ed Brainard)- With the help of Tony Robles, I finally corrected the manuscript for the nth time. I shared the manuscript with the contributors and there were still mistakes. Paulino Lim's "papayas" ended up as "Loloyas," for instance. How that happened, I'll never know.

3. Fundamentals of Creative Writing (by Brainard)- Since I proofed it, I haven't heard back from Anvil, my publisher so I'm assuming the book has gone ahead with production and will be released by August if not sooner. I think Anvil was trying to catch the beginning of the school year, June.

These are all the updates for now. I've been busy.

Fundamentals of Creative Writing almost done!

My publisher in the Philippines sent me the cover studies for the book, Fundamentals of Creative Writing, a slender how-to-write book, which they are hoping to release in June, in time for the new school year. We've finished editing the galley proofs, and I've picked the cover, so we may make the June deadline. I'm excited! Making books are so fun!


Fundamentals of Creative Writing is a powerful resource to encourage students and/or aspiring writers to strive for excellence in their writing skills. Not only does it guide readers through the basics of setting, scene, character, conflict, dialogue, plot, point of view, voice, style, theme and tone but it also provides useful activities that challenges the writer to get their creative juices flowing. I would highly recommend this excellent book to anyone who wants to improve and enhance their creative writing skills.
Jacqueline Gullas-Weckman
Vice-President, Academic Affairs
University of the Visayas


Cecilia Manguerra Brainard has written a wonderful resource for students of creative writing. This book, Fundamentals of Creative Writing, provides students with practical steps that truly work. The strategies presented in this book are a product of the authors 15 years of teaching creative writing. She is also a prolific writer who has written numerous short stories, novels, and non-fiction books.
Edmundo F. Litton, Ed.D.
Associate Professor of Education
Loyola Marymount University

This book (Fundamentals of Creative Writing) describes the “essentials” of creative writing, not only from a technical perspective, but also by unveiling how creative writing leads us to imaginatively engage and act upon the world. Brainard’s structure reminds us that, above and beyond technique, the most important thing a writer needs is a genuine love of story and a respect for the power of words.
Rocío G. Davis
Associate Professor of American Literature, University of Navarra, Spain
Author of Begin Here: Reading Asian North American Autobiographies of Childhood

Cecilia Manguerra Brainard's Fundamentals of Creative Writing is a marvelous textbook that combines useful technical advice on craft with beautiful practical examples in her own stories. Brainard's treatments of writerly voice and left brain/right brain theory as it connects to writing are among the best available in today's writing textbooks. Her story examples cover a variety of story types, techniques, points of view, and historical as well as contemporary topics and themes. This book will indeed help writing students write strong stories and improve their craft. Brava, Ms. Brainard.
Vince Gotera, Editor of the North American Review
Professor of Creative Writing, University Northern Iowa