A writer’s personal adventures in the Philippines

Chris DeBrie is an American publisher, cartoonist, and musician who lives in Roanoke, Virginia. In this interview he talks about his adventures in the Philippines and Siomai and Friends Fries, an enlightening and hilarious account of his visit in Cebu.

Cebu

You’re a person of many talents. How did you get into writing?

Thank you and thanks for having me. From the time I learned the alphabet, I knew I would be busy writing something for the rest of my life.

You’ve written several books as an indie author. What publishing platform do you prefer?

Probably Amazon’s CreateSpace, formerly Booksurge, covers the most bases for the independent publisher on a shoestring budget. They do the print-on-demand thing as well as anyone. I was one of the first aboard when POD appeared in the mid- and late-1990s. Back then, most POD companies charged one hundred dollars or much more, with many add-ons. Writers walked into that, wanting to hold a physical copy of all that time and work. Can’t blame those companies for making a living. The issue is a writer’s discernment. The chances of an indie author recouping the hundreds of dollars paid for printing, design and distribution is slim.

The CreateSpace online book generator takes that investment out of the equation because the service is free… so far. Like the ambulance-chasing lawyers say: They make money when you make money.

Not that it matters, because physical books are giving way to ebooks. You don’t have to pay to reach an audience. Of course, if a writer is drooling at a chance to really make it big, he should hire an agent. Pay for exposure in that way.

Cebu

Tell us more about your latest book Siomai and Friends Fries?

The main idea at first was to make a quick record for my family. Like planting a seed. “If I am blessed with children, it’s possible they will read about this trip online someday,” is what I was thinking. Then the few chapters that were published on a blog were pretty well-received. So I pressed it all into a short book. One regret is that I didn’t ask my grandparents to let me record some of their memories. I had this idea when I was a teenager, and never acted on it. Life happened. I got busy with other things. When I thought of the family book idea again, all of my grandparents were dead. Now I am after my parents, with the same idea. They are noncommittal to date.

What was the purpose of your travels in Cebu, the Philippines?

I went to Cebu to visit extended family and friends.

What were your three most favourite places in Cebu?

The hotel we rented near Toledo, a place called “Aleus”… the beach south of the hotel, where about thirty of us feasted and played… the Harvester Church services in Cebu City.

Cebu

How about Filipino food?

I knew about the Filipino culture before I went there, because of friends I have in the States. So foods like pancit, which one of my fellow Americans calls ‘little noodles,’ were familiar to me. Caldereta is one of my favorite things to eat from anywhere. It’s funny that some Filipinos thought I just started eating rice the day I met them. I just eat what’s before me, brother.

In Siomai and Friends Fries, I tell about visiting a Cebu City restaurant. Somehow I got my mind twisted because of the wall menu’s photos of the food. I thought that lumpia and eggroll were two different things. I was trying to order one of each! The cashier figured I was out of my mind: “Sir, those are the same thing.”

What travel and writing plans do you have for the future?

I will return to the Philippines, Lord willing. It may be a better trip the second time, if I have learned anything. Pack and dress lightly; stay hydrated; and get away from congested areas as much as you can, unless you love shopping….

Work-wise, I am collecting material for the cartoon series Stuffed with Lurv. Then, producing some podcasts and short documentaries. People respond to videos, music, memes and images, more than to writing alone. Trying to touch all these bases is an interesting challenge.

Author V.M. Simandan

is a Beijing-based Romanian-born counsellor, coach, psychology teacher, and former competitive archer

More posts by V.M. Simandan

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V.M. Simandan