“It’s Halloween. Everyone’s entitled to one good scare.” – Brackett, Halloween (1978)

 

This Halloween season, I had a wicked good time at the Haunted Reads event at Book Nook. As part of the Philippine horror author community, it’s comforting to see our love for the genre continue to thrive. When I first started in this industry many years ago, I knew my niche right from the start. It’s been my passion all along, and I’m grateful to see a growing demand for it.

 

The event, held on October 26 at The Podium, featured two incredible authors I admire: Kenneth G. Yu, an award-winning author of Mouths to Speak, Voices to Sing and Other Stories, and Douglas Candano, a Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awardee and the brilliant author of Infinite Lives, Infinite Deaths. It was organized by the superb Almira E. Manduriao from Penguin Books SEA and hosted by Yvette Tan, whom I look up to and respect as the Queen of Philippine horror fiction and author of Seek Ye Whore. It was a privilege to have conversation with fellow horror authors like Wincy Ong, a talented musician, director, and author of Tales for a Rainy Season, and Koji Arsua, known as Koji Reads, one of the country’s top book influencers. Seeing Ms. Xandra Ramos, President of Anvil, was also a pleasure. 

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One of the questions I asked was, “How do you instill fear?” I loved their answers. They emphasized that the story and characters are what truly matter. Fear should be a fundamental part of the narrative that emerges naturally, rather than something forced. The intention isn’t to simply scare; it’s about being authentic with your story. When you grasp and infuse the essence of fear into your narrative, it comes to life in the most organic way.

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Also during the event, Yvette brought up a fascinating point about how we’re still facing the same issues regarding Filipino mythological creatures that we’ve dealt with for decades. Our mythology is rich and diverse, and as someone who has a third eye, I appreciate the depth of our folklore. Yet, the fears and descriptions surrounding these creatures often remain static. It feels like we’re stuck in a time loop… here we are in the 21st century, but our mindset can feel stuck in the past. Just think about the old sayings: “Bawal buksan ang pinto kapag tig-tatlo ang katok”, “Bawal lumabas kasi may aswang”, or “Bawal tumanggap ng pagkain sa taong di mo kakilala, lalo pag nasa probinsya ka”. These words capture the fears passed down from our grandparents and parents, yet they also evolve into something deeper. Filipino mythological creatures are so much more than just metaphors; they carry layers of meaning and lessons that resonate with us over time. While new generations of authors and literary figures are pushing for progress, we as a nation also need to advocate for change. Even though society is moving forward, our pace doesn’t always keep up. The Q&A session was fantastic and inspired thoughtful reflection.

 

Events like Haunted Reads are important avenues to connect with authors and readers. I see Douglas, Kenneth, and Yvette as true champions of this genre because of their incredible talent and the wisdom they share. A huge thank you to the Book Nook team, especially Kath Dominguez, for events like these. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be interviewed during the event. You all did an amazing job!

 

To Yvette, Kenneth, Douglas, Wincy, Almira, and Koji, I truly enjoyed our dinner discussions together. I hope to do it again soon! 

 

You may get your copies of Yvette’s, Douglas’, and Kenneth’s books at the National Bookstore and select Fully Booked branches. You may also get Wincy's book at Shopee. Happy Halloween!