Saving Grace, the TV Series

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

This is one irreverent TV series from TNT. The heroine is a boozing, adultering, cussing, lying, exhibitionist female cop, goaded to do good and be good by a tobacco-chewing old guy who pops up every now and then and calls himself an angel.

Get it?

The main premise is simple: can a very sinful woman be saved, albeit by divine intervention? It's a tale often told in many different ways. This time, it so irreverent that the pilot's first scene shows our protagonist butt naked and having sex with a married man.

And who else can pull it off but the very talented Holly Hunter. I don't think anyone can dispute that talent when she shoves her little best actress Oscar on your face.

Also in the cast is the delightfully neurotic Laura San Giacomo whom we know from the comedy series Just Shoot Me, playing Rhetta, Grace's old friend and the forensic scientist who actually believed the angel story and even wants to prove its existence.

Ok, so Holly Hunter is a rather convincing sinner-cop. Then what?

This is not a story based on accounts in feel-good books and magazines. On the contrary, this is trying very hard to be more real. Grace's brothers provide a contrast to her. One is another cop and the other is a very "tight-assed" Catholic priest (pardon the reference but that was how they described him in the show). Her lover is proving to be one incorrigible cheating husband who feigns conscience in the first scene (mentioned above) but keeps on going back to Grace just the same.

And her angel is another story. He can't be summoned. He comes when he wants. He even cooks breakfast. And, get this, he wrestles too. To illustrate the resistance Grace is putting up against this spectacle, she challenges him to a wrestling match, which happens in a Greek arena complete with columns and Earl (the angel) cheats! He compares her to his other wards and says they're more pleasant and she's the only one to wrestle him. Kinda reminds me of Jacob in the Bible. Aside from all that, he tells Grace that faith can be manifested in many forms -- not exclusive to Christianity or any other religion for that matter.

So now I am at a quandary. Here is a pretty good series that has peaked my interest; but no local network will ever dare show it. While watching it, I was half-expecting the wrath of God to strike lightning at my house. If my parents find out I watch this and actually like it, they're going to have the same fit they had when I told them that The Last Temptation of Christ was worth watching if only to see what was so controversial about it. You get what i mean.

Yes, I do like the show. Notice the rating I gave it?

But I have to say that it is not the kind of show for everybody. To enjoy this truly, one must have an open mind about religion and redemption. No fundamentalist will accept the premise of this series, for sure. There are many things in this series that cannot be taken seriously (tobacco-chewing angel, come on!) but there is a relevant message: be mindful of what you do, sometimes it's already so bad it's considered a sin.

Mad Men, the TV Series

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Other

From the producers of the Sopranos comes another series that brings you back in time. This time, it's to the swinging 50's -- literally.

Set in the era of domesticated wives, philandering men, racial discrimination and out-and-out sexual harassment, this TV show has been lauded for its accurate depiction of the time. Women were either taking care of children or mere sexual objects. Black people were waiters who weren't allowed to be "chatty". Standards filled the airwaves. And men ruled.

Suffice it to say, men would love to be nostalgic to that era. I can't say the same for most women I know. For the show itself, it is somewhat intriguing. It does not reflect how it was in my country but it shows what the Filipinos wanted to be like (yes, good old colonial mentality) back then. This was a time when change was imminent. This was an age when subordinates were starting to realize things weren't fair at all.

With the first episode, I am somewhat left hanging though. Maybe it's a ploy for me to watch the next one. Well, it worked. I am looking forward to the next episode. But I am still with mixed feelings about it.

I am glad I do not live in that time. Yet, I am intrigued. I'd like to see more of the show, even just to be sure how I stand about it. For now, that's all I can say, Madmen is intriguing. It picked my interest enough to see another episode.

But, if you are one who loves nostalgia, the crooners of the 50's and the fast-paced environment of ad agencies, you'll love this show.

Masters of Science Fiction - trailer

Masters of Science Fiction - Premiered August 4th at 10pm on ABC - www.mastersofscifi.com

Finally !!! Now, a video worth uploading into my multiply!

This is a new series in the US that will feature stories based on the best Science Fiction works. Finally, recognition for those who don't like making series and epics!

Stars acting greats (in vairous episodes):
Sean Astin (LOTR's Samwise Gamgee)
James Cromwell (the farmer in Babe, among others)
Judy Davis
Terry O'Quinn (of Lost)
Sam Waterson (of Law and Order)
Anne Heche (Men in Trees)
Malcolm McDowell (Heroes, Caligula, among others)
Elizabeth Rohm (Detective Kate Lockley of Angel)
Brian Dennehy (you all know him)
James Denton (the cutey who is all over the place too, kinda reminds me of Eureka's Sheriff Carter)
Clifton Collins, Jr. (of Thief)
John Hurt (HP's Mr. Ollivander, the StoryTeller in Jim Henson's The Storyteller)

and hosted by one of the most amazing minds of our time:
Professor Stephen Hawking
(in his electronic voice)

Set to direct are:
Jonathan Frakes (1 episode, 2007)
Michael Petroni (1 episode, 2007)
Mark Rydell (1 episode, 2007)
Michael Tolkin (1 episode, 2007)
Harold Becker (1 episode)
Darnell Martin (1 episode)

And some of the writers will be:
Sam Egan (1 episode, 2007)
Harlan Ellison (1 episode, 2007)
Robert A. Heinlein (1 episode, 2007) <--- ohmigawd !!!
John Kessel (1 episode, 2007)
Josh Olson (1 episode, 2007)
Michael Petroni (1 episode, 2007)
Michael Tolkin (1 episode, 2007)
Walter Mosley (1 episode)
Robert Sheckley (1 episode)

now... do you see why i'm so hyped about this?

=)K

The 28th Manila International Book Fair

Start:	Aug 29, '07 10:00a
End:	Sep 2, '07 8:00p
Location:	World Trade Center

WHEN:
August 29 - September 2, 2007
(10:00 A.M — 8:00 P.M., Daily)

WHERE:
World Trade Center
Metro Manila Financial Center Area
Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue cor.
Diosdado Macapagal Blvd.,
Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines

For more details, visit www.manilabookfair.com

Read Or Die needs volunteers for The 28th Manila Book Fair

Call For Volunteers In The Manila International Book Fair :


Read Or Die needs volunteers for The 28th Manila Book Fair. If you’ve some time to spare between August 29 and September 2 (especially on September 2!), join our volunteer team. We guarantee lots of food, free shirts and maybe even a free book or two.

Duties/areas to choose from: blogging, facilitating sessions at partner booths, documentation, manning the book donations area, standing by the Activity Area during RoD slots, and programming and logistics. Take a more active part in the Manila Book Fair and help spread the love for reading and literature!

Interested? Please contact Read or Die (http://read-or-die.org/). A volunteers meeting is scheduled on August 18, 2007, venue to be announced. Thank you!

Short Story Writing Contest for Kids

Mga Kuwentong Pambata ng Papica: A Short Story Writing Contest

Have you ever wanted to be a published author? Do you love to tell stories to your family and friends? Do you have some amazing stories that you would like to share with other kids? Would you like to earnP10,000.00 as the winning prize for your story?

Write and illustrate a story and you could become a published author! One winner will be chosen from each region. All winning stories from each of the regions will be published together and available for sale to the public. Proceeds of the sale of the book will be used to purchase school supplies and children’s books to be distributed throughout the country. This project is the first of its kind, "a book for kids, by kids," designed to raise reading awareness and appreciation.


Contest Theme

There is no contest theme. Let your imagination run wild! Tell stories of interest that happened to you, your friends, or your relatives. Write imaginary stories about things you heard at home, school or your community. Tell animal stories or tales. Write about your most embarrassing moments, your funniest and saddest moments. What were you afraid of as a kid? How about spectacular events in your region that will capture your reader’s imagination? Ordinary events that you want people to know about your town, barrio or city. Write about friendships, music, weddings, funerals, sports, food, the market, careers, clothes, pets, your hobbies — the choices are endless.


Contest Rules & Judging

One winner will be selected from each region!!! Each regional winner will receive P10,000.00, a certificate, a copy of the book containing your published story and a box full of books for your reading pleasure.

- Contestants must be between ages 6-12 at the time of contest deadline

- Entries must be an original unpublished work of the author

- Length: Maximum length of 1500 words. Entries beyond the 1500 word limit will be judge only on the first 1500 words submitted

- Entries may be typewritten or handwritten. It could be in English or Tagalog but not a combination of English and Tagalog.

- Maximum six (6) illustrations (artwork) per story. It is not necessary that the stories be illustrated or contain artwork. However, illustrations would be helpful to aid in the publication. All writing and artwork must be the work of the child entering the contest. FPPFI retains the right to alter, modify, add or change the illustrations or artwork submitted with the entries

- Entries will be judged on originality, creative expression and storytelling. Structure, grammar and spelling will be taken into consideration

- All entries must have a completed entry form attached. Entries with missing or incomplete entry forms will be disqualified in event of inability to notify and gain parental release

- One story per contestant will be allowed Entries will not be returned and become a property of the Francis Padua Papica Foundation, Inc.


Contest Deadline

All entries must be RECEIVED by SEPTEMBER 15, 2006 at 5:00 P.M. Entries must be mailed to:
Mga Kwentong Pambata ng Papica
Backroom Inc.,
Unit 207 #116, CRM Bldg.,
Kamias Road cor. Kasing-Kasing St.
Quezon City, Philippines

Tel nos.
(632)435-1098, (632)435-1120, (632)435-1108,
(632)928-0717 Fax no. (632)435-3808

No faxed or emailed entries will be accepted.

UP Centennial Commission Literary Contest

UP Centennial Commission launches literary contest

The UP Centennial Commission is formally launching the Gawad Likhaan: The University of the Philippines Literary Prize on Friday, June 29, 2007, 3:45 pm at the Bulwagang Recto, Faculty Center, UP Diliman. This Contest is administered by The UP Institute of Creative Writing (UP-ICW) as part of the celebrations of the UP Centennial in 2008.

There are six awards, each one worth P200,000, for original, book-length works in 3 genres in either English or Filipino:
1.  the novel or short story,
2.  poetry, and
3.  creative nonfiction or sanaysay.

Only one prize per genre in either language will be awarded.

The complete rules are available at the UP-ICW office in UP Diliman. They will also be uploaded on the UP-ICW website and on www.panitikan.com.ph, the literary portal hosted by the UP-ICW.

All entries to the contest are to be submitted to the Board of Judges, Likhaan: The UP Institute of Creative Writing, Faculty Center, UP Diliman. Deadline for submission is Monday, March 31, 2008 at 5 pm. The names of the winners and the members of the board of judges will be announced in June 2008.

The UP-ICW is also sponsoring two other events taking place on the same day as the launch. First is the inauguration of the UP Likhaan Centennial Lecture Series, commencing with the lecture of Dr. Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo, titled “Fiction as Response to History: Philippine Fiction in English.” At 6 pm on the same day, the UP Press will launch at Balay Kalinaw, UP Diliman, among ten other titles, The Children’s Hour, a two-volume anthology of stories on childhood by Filipino writers in English, edited by Gémino H. Abad and Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo.

2007 NCCA Writers' Prize

2007 NCCA Writers' Prize guidelines

The NCCA Writers’ Prize is a biennial grant awarded to six (6) writers, one for each of the following categories: novel, short stories (including children’s stories), poetry, drama, essay (English) and literary biography (English/Filipino). The grant, in the amount of TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS gross, will assist the grantee during the writing stage of the project. The grant is good for one year, after which a manuscript of the writing project will be submitted to the NCCA for possible publication or staging.

The NCCA, in line with its mission to “encourage the continuing development of a pluralistic culture by the people themselves,” will be creating the opportunity to have a direct hand in the development of Filipino literature. With the grant, the NCCA Writers’ Prize winners will be freed from the demands of their work and shall be able to focus on the writing of the project for one year.

ELIGIBILITY

The grant is open to Filipino writers, of legal age, except the officers and members of the NCCA Secretariat and the officers of the NCCA Committee on Literary Arts and Committee on Dramatic Arts.

MECHANICS

For the 2007 NCCA Writers’ Prize competition, the following shall be the requirements in the submission of entries:

1. Applicants must submit an accomplished application form, available at the NCCA Project Management Division, curriculum vitae, and a 3 – 5 page concept paper discussing the rationale and significance of the project. Initial output of the project which shall be submitted in four (4) printed copies along with the concept paper. For 2007, the categories and the expected initial output are:
Category Initial Output
   1. Novel – Cebuano language First 50 pages
   2. Poetry – Bicol language 10 poems; 1 poem per page
   3. Short Stories – English/Filipino 3 short stories
   4. Drama – any of the Panay languages 1 act for a full length drama; 2 1-act plays
   5. Essay (English) 3 chapters or no less than 50 pages
   6. Literary Biography (English/Filipino) 3 chapters or no less than 50 pages

All the sample works shall be in typewritten form. Manuscript and concept paper shall not bear the name of the applicant in any of the pages.

2. Applicants are allowed to apply in only one (1) category.

3. Applications will be evaluated by an Ad Hoc Screening Committee selected by the Committee on Literary Arts and the Committee on Dramatic Arts. There will be three members of the screening committee per category.

4. The grant will be released in four tranches, with the first tranche at the beginning of the writing period and the succeeding tranches upon submission of the following:
2nd tranche - 50% of the writing project
3rd tranche - 75% of the writing project
4th tranche - 100% of the writing project

5. The writing grant is good only for one year. The NCCA will allow maximum extension of six (6) months only with written justification by the grantee.

6. Completed manuscript must be submitted in two forms: one (1) printed copy and one (1) electronic copy in MSWord format in a diskette. The project output shall be as follows:
Category Initial Output 1. Novel – Cebuano language
Minimum of 200 typewritten 2. Poetry – Bicol language
30 poems 3. Short Stories – English/Filipino
12 short stories 4. Drama – any of the Panay languages 2 or more acts for a full-length drama; 5 1-act plays 5. Essay (English) 12 chapters or no less than 200 pages 6. Literary Biography (English/Filipino) 12 chapters or no less than 200 pages

7. The grant is non-transferable. All privileges shall be enjoyed by the grantee himself/herself based on the successful evaluation of the work in progress. A reader from the screening committee of each category shall be assigned to evaluate the succeeding materials to be submitted by the grantee. Upon submission of the positive evaluation of the reader for the second and third tranches, the corresponding amounts shall be released immediately to the grantee. However, for the fourth tranche, the same will be released only upon completion of evaluation of the completed

manuscript by the Reader. Revisions, however, may be recommended by the Reader. Only upon final approval of the completed manuscript shall the final tranche be released to the grantee.

8. Deadline of submission of application together with the curriculum vitae of applicant and other requirements shall be on December 31, 2007. All applications shall be addressed to:
2007 NCCA WRITERS’ PRIZE Secretariat
Project Management Division-Special Projects
National Commission for Culture and the Arts
NCCA Building, 633 General Luna St .
Intramuros, Manila

9. Applicants shall include a self-addressed stamped kraft envelope in case the materials shall be returned to the applicants who were not selected.

COPYRIGHT AND OWNERSHIP RIGHT
1. The Grantee hereby grants the NCCA the first option to publish the output of the Grant. The NCCA will have the right to produce or authorized to be produced, for staging, telecasting, broadcasting, or cinema or other forms of exhibition from time to time any output of the writing grant. The NCCA will also be allowed to include the output of the Grant in the NCCA Website. The first option to publish of NCCA expires one year after completion of the Grant.

2. It is understood that the literary material submitted has not been submitted to any other award body or has not received any prize and is not a completed manuscript but a work in progress. Any violation of the guidelines shall mean withdrawal of the grant and any amount paid to the grantee shall be returned to the NCCA. The award then will be transferred to the person who garnered the second highest vote during the Screening of the materials.