Filipino Flash Fiction

I remember a girl's stress-management/back-to-nature weekend with Kris and Mitz from my english block in uni.

Aside from eating healthily, breathing in countryside air, and taking long long showers, and a lot of girl talk--we actually had some time to read/write.

Kris was settling in with a book by Jostein Gaarder, which was something she hadn't had time to do in between medical residency. And our IT/Chemistry whiz Mitz, settled in with some back-to-basics reading, and even threw in a book for me. On the other hand, I took some time to figure out what would make prose poetry, prose.

The result of my kulit project to figure out that puzzle is forthcoming in the Milflores Anthology or short, short fiction or "flash fiction" in English (note: go check out the book to find out!). There is also a flash fic in Filipino language as a complimentary collection. At 750 words, realized being impressionistic in prose is tough compared to poetry, considering that I used to be a lecturer of LIT 13, Fiction, and am supposed to have a rather fair idea what makes a story, a good one!

The cover looks really interesting. Got a good look at it via email so far. And with the hectic workload here, it's a simple pleasure to get email with news on a brand spanking new anthology!

And having encouraged my students from LIT classes with some short short fiction work by A.S. Byatt, etc. realized that it's great to grapple with the form and see how Philippine realities can be represented in such few words other than poetry. Since I was awarded my first writing fellowship to a national workshop as a university freshman, I realized I had been very focused on poetry. Other than essays, I hadn't attempted to write prose - fiction seriously--other than during my own LIT 13 class.

My wonderful friend from UP and Iyas Writing Workshop, co-fellow and perpetual roommate, Anna, is there as well as co-fellows from IYAS.

Will post when it's out--I'll still be in Thailand when it gets published in the Philippines, but I'm already excited!!! You guys will need to let me in on how it is when it comes out!