In celebration of the 14th Philippine Book DevelopmentMonth, the National Book Development Board, in partnership with the FilipinasHeritage Library, National Book Store and Philippine Airlines, will present the1st Manila International Literary Festival.
In a three-day festival slated for November 18-20 at theIntercontinental Hotel in Makati, LOL: Literature Out Loud willbring together a large community of writers, readers, students and teachers to talk about traditional and emergingconcerns in literature. Together with local and international writers,publishing experts, teachers of literature, the NBDB hopes to create a continuousdialogue on literature and reading.
Among the foreign writers who will attend the festivalare Vikas Swarup, whose novel Q&A has been adapted into the Oscaraward-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire; Christopher Cheng, who haspublished critically acclaimed books of fiction and nonfiction for young adultsand children; Andy Mulligan, author of young adult novel Trash; literaryagents Mita Kapur (also the author of the F-Word) and Jayapriya Vasudevan; andDavid Parker, the chair of the Man Asian Literary Prize.
The festival will begin with a keynote speech from Jose Y.Dalisay Jr., award-winning novelist. Some of the local writers also joining thevarious panels ranging from the craft of writing, the importance of languageand the various aspects of publishing include National Artists for LiteratureVirgilio S. Almario and Bienvenido Lumbera, Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo, Gemino H.Abad, Alfred Yuson, Resil Mojares, Marjorie Evasco, Ricky de Ungria, J. Neil Garcia, Isagani Cruz, MerlieAlunan, Criselda Yabes, Susan Lara, Angelo Lacuesta, Jr., Ralph Semino Galan,Tara FT Sering, and many more.
There will also be several readings, book signings, booklaunches and a film showing of Slumdog Millionaire, annotated by the novelistVikas Swarup.
