Dear Readers,

Welcome to the first anniversary issue of the Fully Booked Zine in its current format. In this issue, we pay tribute to literature and music at their most masculine, and in turn, recognize the importance of the male society, history and culture.

Our cover feature is on author, historian, and sports writer John Lukacs, a man who must be applauded for delving into the hitherto unknown, or in this case, the untold. His novel Escape from Davao: Forgotten Story of the Most Daring Prison Break of the Prison War is relevant to both Filipinos and American; a much deserved paean to the unsung heroes of World War II.

We also interview author Rafe Bartholomew about his mania for Philippine basketball, one that led him to write a novel entitled, Pacific Rims.

Read up on the latest titles spanning various genres, from war fiction, to business to suspense; the meanest boys of the written word; fresh music picks reviewed; the 2010 Junior Book Crew highlights; as well as book reviews from young and talented writers. We close this issue with an article on the incomparable Frank Frazetta. May he rest in peace, with the assurance that his inimitable artistic talent has rendered him immortal.

Write to us at in.print.fb@gmail.com for all zine-related matters. We always love to hear from our readers. Enjoy the read!

The Fully Booked Zine Staff

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Dear Readers,

In what is possibly the most scorching summer in years, we at the Fully Booked Zine have decided to deviate from the unusual seasonal theme and instead focus on the Filipino's creative aptitude in music and the arts.

Just recently, Neil Gaiman visited the country once more for the 3rd Philippine Graphic/Fiction Awards, which he, along with Fully Booked's Managing Director Jaime Daez, conceived during the former's first visit here in 2005. Neil talks about that and more in an interview in our AUTHOR SPEAKS section.

We also highlight the Pinoy's ability to innovate and celebrate the unconventional with profiles of some of today's emerging (and largely unsung) creative heroes in our FOCUS section.

We would also like to wholeheartedly congratulate Filipino author Miguel Syjuco for making his mark in the international and local literary arena by winning both the Man Asia Literary Prize (2008) and the Palanca Awards (2008). His winning entry Ilustrado: A Novel is due for publication in June of this year under the Macmillan Group. He divulges his thoughts on winning, among other things, in our EPILOGUE section.

We hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we did putting it together. E-mail us your thoughts at in.print.fb@gmail.com. It is always a pleasure to hear from you.

The Fully Booked Zine Staff

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Dear Readers,

This issue of the Fully Booked Zine pays tribute to womanhood in all its many forms -- most especially the role of "mother--" in keeping with International Women's Day on March 8.

In the process of creating this issue, we stumbled upon an accidental yet wonderfully apt theme, which is the evolution of females from far back as the medieval ages to today, which ties in with the worldwide celebration of Women's History Month (the month of March). This is most evident in our cover feature on bestselling author, Elizabeth Kostova (The Historian). Her writing -- steeped in history and tradition -- has garnered several awards such as the 2003 Hopwood Award, the 2005 Quill Award for Debut Author of the Year, and the 2006 Book Sense Award for Best Adult Fiction. In an exclusive interview, Yvette U. Tan, an award-winning writer herself, reveals Kostova's genius in weaving a tale that successfully merges the present with a storied past in her second novel The Swan Thieves.

Our TRAVEL BUG section offers a delightful romp in the city of Marrakech, while our FOCUS section is devoted to five of the most unforgettable femmes in literature -- heroines from 19th century England to the America of the '60s. We also highlight a group of women whose purpose in life is to help other mothers give their babies the best start in life via breastfeeding.

We would like to close by urging you all to enjoy the read. And to all the women in our lives (and yours): we salute you!

The Fully Booked Zine Staff

Dear Readers,

The holidays are right around the corner, with a new year just waiting to roll in. For many, 2009 was an eventful year with more than its fair share of negative moments. We do not wish to enumerate these. Rather, we urge you to look forward with a bright and positive outlook. Instead of dwelling on past grievances and painful memories, let us focus on lessons learned and undertake a personal mission towards positive change. Whether on a small scale (i.e. switching to organic home cleaning agents) or large scale (i.e. setting up an organization geared towards alleviating social and/or environmental ills), sincerity and resolve will go a long way.

This issue offers a number of features dedicated to aforementioned sentiment: on the cover is an upcoming book entitled Wellness on the Islands: The Philippine Spa Experience, a delightful journey towards rejuvenation, offered by local spas and resorts, written by Elizabeth Reyes and photographed by world class photographer Luca Invernizzi Tettoni; a feature on Green architecture; opinions of five professionals, on what is in need of some constructive transformation; RockEd's (and RockEd Radio) Gang Badoy, and much more.

As always, any comments, suggestions, or contributor applications are welcome. E-mail us at in.print.fb@gmail.com or fullybookedzine@fullybookedonline.com.

May you all have a meaningful Christmas, and here's to a great year ahead!

The Fully Booked Zine Staff

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Dear Readers,

This issue we pay homage to the imagination, and how, if left unfettered, can create the weird and wonderful. We celebrate literature's dark side as we exhibit the latest and best releases from the science fiction, horror, fantasy, new age, suspense, and last but not least, the graphic novel genres.

Our cover subject for this issue is brilliant painter and graphic artist Kent Williams, best known for his work on The Fountain. Be prepared to swoon while reading up on the most accomplished authors of the paranormal romance sub-genre; learn why you shouldn't hightail it from the emerging trend of zombie literature; get to know one local author with a very dark gift; take your pick from our interesting array of DVDs and CDs -- thanks to some spot-on reviews; doff your hat to a very young and talented film critic, who, although has taken leave from this life, has gifted a very important legacy to Philippine cinema, and more.

We would like to close this brief note by dedicating this issue to the victims of typhoons Ketsana and Parma. We hope and pray that such an unwarranted loss of life and livelihood will never be repeated.

The Fully Booked Zine Staff

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