The 1st Filipino Reader Conference

The group of Filipino Book Bloggers is hosting the first ever conference for readers in the upcoming Manila International Book Fair at the SMX Convention Center this September 14, 2011. As a new member of the group I'm proud to be a part of this noble endeavor. :-)

Filipino Readers Make It Social!

The 1st Filipino Reader Conference

When: September 14, 2011, Wednesday, 1-6 PM (during MIBF)

Where: SMX Mall of Asia, Meeting Room 2

Objectives:

1. to provide support, instruction, and social time for book club members and book bloggers

2. to celebrate readers and reading in the Philippines

3. to promote a closer connection between readers and writers and/or publishers


Expected Audience: 50-70 people

• book bloggers

• book club members (Flips Flipping Pages, Goodreads, etc.)

• authors

• publishing people

• walk-ins


Programme:

1:00 – 1:20 PM Registration

1:20 – 1:30 PM Welcome Remarks

1:30 – 2:00 PM Keynote Speech: How readers can help promote Filipino authors, publishers, and Philippine literature

Speaker: Carljoe Javier


Author of And The Geek Shall Inherit the Earth, The Kobayashi Maru of Love, and Geek Tragedies. Also published stories in anthologies and magazines, such as Free Press, Philippine Graphic, and Fudge. Taught Creative Writing at UP Diliman and was a fellow for fiction in UP and Dumaguete National Writers Workshops. Maintains a blog, Lumpen Culturati. Currently teaches in the UP Open University and is connected with UP Press.

2:00 – 3:30 PM Panel Discussion: Putting up and Running a Book Club – for the fun of ti

Panelists:

Gege Sugue (FFP)


Founder of Flips Flipping Pages, an online/offline book club based in Shelfari. FFP has been in existence since September 2007 and has been conducting monthly face-to-face book discussions since May 2008. There are 1400+ online members of FFP. Regular online discussion participants, however, number around 60, while regular offline discussion members number around 30.


Kuya Doni (Goodreads)


Kuya Doni is an administrator of the Filipino Goodreads Group, an online/offline Filipino book club based in Goodreads. Filipino Goodreads conducts several online discussions per month and has organized face-to-face meet-ups among members. There are 1200+ online members of Filipino Goodreads.


Tata Francisco (Ex Libris)

Co-founder of Ex Libris Philippines, an offline book club and NGO. The book club is now an org in UP Diliman, but original members of Ex Libris still meet regularly for book discussions. As an NGO, Ex Libris also holds yearly fundraisers to send a few scholars to UP Diliman.


Facilitator: Peter Sandico

FFP administrator in-charge of online discussions. Publishing professional and also runs a book blog called Kyusireader.

3:30 – 4:00 PM Snacks

4:00 – 5:30 PM Panel Discussion: The Why and How of Book Blogging

Panelists:

Tarie Sabido (Asia in the Heart, World on the Mind, Into the Wardrobe)

Children’s and young adult literature blogger. Judge for the 2009 Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards (CYBILS) and the 2010 Philippine National Children’s Book Awards. Panelist at the recent Asian Festival for Children’s Content in Singapore on “Building a Nation of Readers via Web 2.0: An Introduction to Kidlitosphere and YA Blogosphere”.

Charles Tan (Bibliophile Stalker)

Editor, published author, and speculative fiction blogger since 2006. Virtually the international ambassador of Philippine Speculative Fiction across the world. Compiled the Philippine Speculative Fiction Sampler and writes sharp insightful essays about the state of local and international publishing.

Chachic Fernandez (Chachic’s Book Nook)

YA and fantasy blogger. Administrator of Filipino Book Bloggers website, which is a directory of Filipino book bloggers from all over the world. Organizes and facilitates meet-ups of Filipino book bloggers around Metro Manila.

Aldrin Calimlim (Fully Booked. Me)

Literary blogger. Also one of the contributors to Pelikula Tumblr, a film blog, and Fully Booked’s magazine. Featured in Young Star Philippines as a book tweeter.

Sasha Martinez (Sasha & the Silverfish)

Literary blogger with a vast connection to foreign literary bloggers. Majored in Creative Writing and is a published author. Contributes to the Philippine Online Chronicles and does book reviews for Philippines Free Press. Finalist in Arts and Culture Category in 2010 Philippine Blog Awards.

Facilitator: Honey de Peralta (Coffeespoons)

Eclectic book blogger. Member and administrator of Flips Flipping Pages. Finalist in Arts and Culture Category in the 2009 and 2010 Philipine Blog Awards.

5:30 – 6:00 PM Socials – venue for bloggers/book club members/authors/publishers to get together and network