Victor Fernando R. Ocampo's Blog

It was the book birthday of “The Infinite Library and Other Stories” last 28 September. If you would like to get an advanced copy, it’s available at the independent bookstore BooksActually ahead of the launch at the Singapore Writers Festival (on Tuesday, November 7 from 8.30 pm – 9.30 pm at the Gallery II of The Arts House).

Trivia time: What else shares my book birthday?

In 2015 NASA scientists announce the discovery of flowing water on Mars.

In 2008 SpaceX launches the first ever private spacecraft, the Falcon 1 into orbit.

In 1987 “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” debuts on syndicated TV

In 1965 Taal Volcano explodes in Batangas, Philippines killing around 100 people

In 1928 Juan de la Cierva completes the first helicopter flight over the English Channel

In 1901 Filipino patriots defeat 48 members of the US 9th Infantry in Balangiga, Samar

In 1066 William the Conqueror invades England, landing at Pevensey Bay, Sussex

I will be reading a short excerpt from my story “I m d 1 in 10” at Epigram’s book launch of the Best New Singapore Stories Volume 2 (editec by Jason Erik Lundberg) at the Singapore Writer’s Festival on Sunday, 1st Nov, 7-8 pm, in the Gallery at The Arts House. Please come! - http://vrocampo.com/2015/10/17/my-rea...

After a much extended wait, my first children's book “Here be Dragons” is finally finished! The illustrations were painted in oil by the neo-surrealist Jon Jaylo and the accompanying Filipino translation was by 4-time Palanca-award winning writer Rhandee Garlitos. “Here be Dragons” joins the library of children’s books by the Center for Art, New Ventures and Sustainable Development (CANVAS), a non-profit , non-government organization dedicated to promoting Filipino Art and Culture. CANVAS also provides these books to kids in hospitals and schools in underprivileged areas.

If you are in Manila on Friday 21, August 2015 please come down at 5 pm for the book launch at the Canvas Gallery and Garden, 1-C Upsilon Drive Ext., Alpha Village Diliman, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines.

More information here - http://vrocampo.com/2015/08/06/my-1st...

"My sainted aunt (God bless her fucking soul) and I didn’t get along. She tried to sell me for fertilizer..."

Another new post is up on ‪#‎WhereGhostWordsDwell‬. Please check it out (Art courtesy of Jon Jaylo)!

https://whereghostwordsdwell.wordpres...

The Aeta are the original people of the Philippines and they tell the country's oldest stories. Unfortunately, there are not many stories about them. This is sadly a reflection of how neglected they are by modern society. This week's mystery post on ‪#‎whereghostwordsdwell‬ features an Aeta mother and her unborn child - https://t.co/C2re6yHR1x

For everyone who liked my story "Blessed are the Hungry" in Apex Publications​ , please consider it for the Short Story category of the 2015 Hugos. The nominations will close soon. Thank you! If you haven't read the story here's the link - http://www.apex-magazine.com/blessed-...

My experimental Jejemon SF story “I m d 1 in 10” is now up at The Future Fire (with wonderful illustrations by Eric Asaris @MisfitToyArt).

This epistolary piece is my homage to Consolatio Philosophiae by Boethius as applied to the modern white collar migrant worker. It’s written partly in SMS speak and a Filipino-English argot called Jejemon. I have always been fascinated by how spelling drifts in orthography, particularly when mediated by new communications technologies.

Fair warning - it's not the easiest thing to read (on many levels) and it's nothing like my previous story from earlier this month - http://futurefire.net/2014.30/fiction...

Over The Effing has a review of Apex Magazine Issue 62. Thank you so much for the kind words!

"The other standout stories here for me are “Blessed are the Hungry”, in which Victor Fernando R. Ocampo puts himself pretty firmly on my map of SF authors to watch (read that story and Andrea Johnson’s author interview and tell me I’m wrong)..."

http://overtheeffingrainbow.co.uk/201...

Very excited to announce that I have a new SF short story "Blessed are the Hungry" in issue 62 of Apex Magazine - http://www.apex-magazine.com/blessed-...

It's a social realist tale set in a Generation Ship ruled by a brutal theocracy, featuring aliens, anting-antings, robot dogs, edible plastic and a cool female protagonist.

They also did a nice little interview in the same issue - http://www.apex-magazine.com/intervie...

Ever tried reading flash fiction via a QR code? - http://victorfernandorocampo.wordpres...