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Listen to our conversation with Fil-American author Lysley Tenorio, author of the story collection Monstress.

Podcast season 2, episode 1 is now available for streaming and downloading.

Speaking of American authors visiting the Philippines, did you read that Wall Street Journal piece on Palawan and Boracay? We just realized it was written by Wells Tower, author of the story collection Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned. We’re surprised that the guy who wrote that badass story of Viking marauders cleaving skulls was defeated by balut. Not badass.

Our guest is Jaemark Tordecilla, sports editor (InterAksyon.com) and blogger (Fire Quinito). Listen to or download the podcast here. You can also subscribe to the podcast via iTunes.

For this week’s podcast quiz we’re giving away a copy of A Hologram for the King by Dave Eggers.

A Hologram for the King is available at National Bookstores.

During the interview Jaemark cites several things about Philippine sports that have to change. Name three of them. Post your answers in Comments.

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The winners of last week’s quiz (You need to read Chang-Rae Lee) are scientist, nativereader, rusticrouge, sunflowii and jaime. Please post your full names (They won’t be published) in Comments and we’ll alert you when your prizes are ready.

Update: The bookstore has had to reorder copies of The Surrendered by Chang-Rae Lee. Good for reading, annoying for our winners who will now have to wait for their books. Apologies. If you post your Philippine addresses, we can send them to you via Air21 when they arrive. Thank you.

Update on the update: The shipment from Penguin was delayed due to Sandy, but the books should get here within the month. We will send them to you as soon as we get them (assuming you gave us your local addresses). Thanks for waiting.

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That’s it for the first season of the weekly podcast. We’ll be back in one month.

We overcame a massive inferiority complex to talk to the novelist Chang-Rae Lee after his panel session at the Ubud festival. We covered the basics: how he writes, where he writes, when he writes and why he writes.

Listen to our weekly podcast episode 9 here. Also available for download or subscription via iTunes.

Thanks to Summa Durie of the UWRF Media Centre for arranging the interview.

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In this week’s podcast quiz we’re giving away five copies of Chang-Rae Lee’s The Surrendered courtesy of National Bookstore.

1. He majored in Literature and then he got a job on Wall Street. Why?
2. What was the first thing he ever wrote that made him think he could be a writer?
3. He compares the scale of The Surrendered to that of the work of which artist?
4. How does he know when a novel is finished?
5. Apart from his computer in a quiet room, what does he need in order to write?
6. What was his favorite compliment from a reader?
7. Why does he write?

Post your answers in Comments.

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The winner of last week’s podcast quiz is claarzero. Congratulations! Please post your full name in Comments (It won’t be published) and we’ll alert you when your prize has been delivered to National Bookstore in Rockwell.

Update: You may pick up your book at the Customer Service counter, National Bookstore, Power Plant Mall, tel (02)8974562.

We talk to InterAksyon editor-in-chief Roby Alampay about journalism from the hard copy era to the digital age.

Podcast episode 8 is here. Listen, download, or subscribe via iTunes.

Ignore the intro that says “episode 4”. This was the fourth podcast we recorded (Hence reference to the forthcoming martial law anniversary) and we ended up changing the sequence.

Oops the podcast server is having issues. Everything will be restored by day’s end. If you subscribe via iTunes you should get this week’s episode on time.

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For this week’s podcast quiz we’re giving away a hardcover first edition of J.K. Rowling’s non-Harry Potter novel, The Casual Vacancy.

Thanks to National Bookstore! The Casual Vacancy is available at their 100+ branches nationwide.

Answer the following questions in Comments for a shot at the prize.

1. What was Roby wearing during the interview?
2. What did Roby do on his first day of work as a reporter?
3. Our guest alleges that to a straight guy there are only three types of shoes. What are they?
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Alex Gilvarry, whose novel From the Memoirs of A Non-Enemy Combatant is about a Filipino fashion designer who’s set to take New York by storm…until he gets thrown into Guantanamo as a terror suspect.

Listen to the podcast here. You can also download it or subscribe to the weekly podcast via iTunes.

We’re giving away three hardcover copies of From the Memoirs of A Non-Enemy Combatant, signed by the author. To get a copy, answer these questions in Comments.

1. Where did Alex write his novel?
2. Is the character Boyet based on a real person?
3. What is his next novel about?

Thanks to National Bookstore for the signed copies! From the Memoirs of A Non-Enemy Combatant is available at National Bookstores.

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The winner of last week’s podcast quiz is top51. Congratulations! Please post your full name in Comments (It won’t be published) and we’ll alert you when your books have been delivered to NBS Rockwell.

Update: top51, we’ll send your prizes to the Rockwell branch next week when we get back from the Ubud Writers Festival. (Yes it sounds like lumpia.)

Torta Limone by Carlo Estagle. Who needs a bouquet? Walk down the aisle carrying this.

Our guest Carlo the pastry chef loves cake, but more than that he loves looooove. Why don’t you love him? Why? Why?

(Carlo has approved this message.)

Episode 6 of the weekly podcast is here. Listen, download, subscribe on iTunes.

Grand Cru Truffle Torte by Carlo Estagle, a.k.a. Death, Resurrection and Death Again by Chocolate

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The winner of last week’s podcast quiz is alex. Congratulations!

Update: Alex, you or your rep can pick up your prize at the Customer Service counter of National Bookstore at Power Plant, Rockwell, Makati.

The prize for this week’s podcast quiz is this stack of books:

A well-known French novel that was made into a movie, a guide to etiquette by the great-grandson of Emily Post, and the blockbuster erotic fiction trilogy. Because sex and cake go together. Yes we sneer at those books, but don’t you want to see what you’re sneering at? Afterwards, since it’s been called “mommy porn”, we dare you to give the set to your mom.

Just one question, essay-type: In Carlo’s world, what is the connection between pastry and love?

Optional bonus questions for readers who want to increase their chance of winning: Do you think you and Carlo would be happy together? For how long?

Thanks to National Bookstore for the books. Post your answers in Comments.