Anino, a fellow blogger and writer, is writing an novel online. His blog, Mga Hiwaga Ng Kasaysayan – Bangis ng Isang Buhong was started in October 2007. Anino is from the Philippines and, at present, he is teaching English at a bilingual school from Bangkok.
“Bloodthirstiness of a Savage”
Voicu Mihnea Simandan: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Tell us a few things about yourself.
Anino: Thank you for this interview. I’ve just turned 28. I have been to six countries in South East Asia, so only five more to go.
VMS: I know that you want to remain anonymous and that you don’t want your readers to know too many details about you. But, what does your pen name mean?
Anino: Yes, it’s true. I’d like to maintain a mysterious profile. The readers don’t even know my gender! ANINO means SHADOW.
VMS: Let’s talk about your sidebar label “Hall of Fame: Filipino Blog of the Week”. As it is in Filipino, I can’t understand a thing, so please enlighten me!
Anino: Sorry if I am always pushing you to vote for me daily. The poll is about a “Blog of the Week” award. There are ten nominees which are all Filipino blogs from all over the world. The break down goes like this: 55% from the voting; 35% from Filipino bloggers who act as judges; and 10% from the Composed Gentleman, the blog owner. For an intricate explanation of this contest, you can visit the blog. I was often a winner here!
VMS: You’re in my blogroll under “Filipino horror story”. What’s the actual title of your blog? In English, please!
Anino: Ahh… “Bloodthirstiness of a Savage”
VMS: What’s the story about?
Anino: It is about a local creature called “Aswang”, the antagonist in Book 1. There are four main characters in the story: three boys and a girl, who are all first year college students. I can’t tell you any more as it will spoil the story.
VMS: What’s an “aswang”?
Anino: It is a creature that eats human flesh. There are many types of aswang, some of which lurk in cemeteries at night to dig up and eat corpses.
VMS: Where does the action take place?
Anino: The setting of the story is a university campus in Manila.
VMS: How far are you with the story? Do you know how it’s going to end?
Anino: Until now I have already posted Chapter 28 on my blog. Some characters will die…
“I had countless sleepless nights due to thinking of twist and entanglement.”
VMS: Let’s talk a little bit about your writing routine. Did you make an outline of the entire novel before you actually started writing?
Anino: Not the story per se, only the bloodline of each character. I have outlined Book 1 and Book 2 already. Right now I have so many ideas going on through my mind for Book 3. I had countless sleepless nights due to thinking of twist and entanglement. All I can tell you now is that Book 2 is more gory and bloody.
VMS: When do you write?
Anino: I write on scrap paper whenever I find an opportunity, then type it up at home.
VMS: How often do you revise or rewrite?
Anino: After I finished typing it in Microsoft Word, I read it twice to check for grammatical errors and loopholes.
“A work to be published is every writer’s dream”
VMS: Do you have any plans of finding a publisher for your story? Maybe even self-publish on lulu.com?
Anino: Thanks for mentioning Lulu. A work to be published is every writer’s dream. As of now, I am contented with what my readers say about my novel.
VMS: Why don’t you write it in English? You’ll have more readers…
Anino: I’ll have more readers, but more competitors as well. On top of that, I am more comfortable writing in my native tongue. I write in full Filipino sentences, except when there is no Filipino translation for a specific word or phrase, or when my English-speaking character is speaking. But I have English-speaking characters, like the Biology professor and one of the main characters speak Tag-lish (a mixture of Tagalog and English).
VMS: How do you promote your blog?
Anino: Lately, I have linked to a lot of new blogs and met new bloggers. I pay each blog a visit at least three or four times a week. I can’t forward my blog to my friends because I’d like to remain anonymous!
VMS: What else do you know about your readers? Are they all Filipino?
Anino: Basically, they are all Filipinos, including the ones in my blogrolls and my co-workers. Once in a while I receive comments from anonymous readers, so I really don’t know their nationality. But, I have an Austrian friend who can speak Latin and other language as well and he told me that he could understand some words.
VMS: What do the pictures from the blog head mean? Do they represent your story?
Anino: Yes…yes…yes. Mountain, trees, nature = mountaineer characters; places where aswang dwell. Skull = death; danger. Statues and monuments = Asian beliefs and tradition. Meat = flesh; food. Cat = power.
VMS: Any plans for the future?
Anino: Go back to school and do my masters. On the lighter side, I am planning to visit more of Asia.
VMS: Thank you for your time.
Anino: It was a pleasure.
The interview was “recorded” in 2009.
