Keith Danielle Balceda

Keith Danielle D. Balceda Writing Portfolio CONTENTS INTRODUCTION WORK Tolentine Star Book Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (Shadows Magazine A.Y. 2014 – 2015) TV Show Review: Orphan Black (Transitions Magazine A.Y. 2015 – 2016) TV Show Review: On the Wings of Love (Transitions Magazine A.Y. 2015 – 2016) ABS-CBN “Love Is Not Blind” Story based on pre-interview (Hiligaynon) “Love Is Not Blind” Story based on pre-interview (English Translation) (OJT – Production Department) bookbed The Wizarding World Returns bookbed recommends: How to Kill a Rock Star by Tiffanie DeBartolo Generation W (An interview with Wattpad author, Leng de Chavez) bookbed recommends: Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen Keith Danielle D. Balceda Online pseudonym: Charlie Diaz I have been reading and writing as far as I can remember. It was not a surprise when I decided to shift from my first college course to pursue a program that caters more to what I love and what I believe I’m good at. During my years as a Mass Communication student, I was exposed not just to the traditional writing I was used in school papers in elementary and high school. I was exposed to a whole new world despite being attracted to different fields like production, there was one denominator to everything and yes, that’s writing. A few years ago, I had a book blog called Letter Trails. I wrote reviews about books I’ve read; not those that were personally bought but also advanced reading copies from authors and publishers. I was also a contributor to bookbed.org. Despite being a web administrator during my stay in Tolentine Star, the official student publication of my university, I was still contributing reviews to the magazine outputs. Aside from writing, I have also worked on some digital content. My visual work can be found at http://kdaniellebalceda.crevado.com/ and http://bit.ly/KDBMovingVisuals Ideally, I would love a work that would keep my mind running and avoid it being stagnant; something interesting and would break the routine. I think writing is a good place to start. Fangirl for Everybody Book Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell Originally published in Tolentine Star Magazine (Shadows) At first glance, you’d think that Fangirl is just another book about typical teenage lovey-dovey by judging the very cover, but that’s not the case. Rainbow Rowell made this book a perfect mix of familial love and romantic love and the difficulty of getting out of our safe zone without any hand to hold on to. Using a voice that fits an awkward, yet humorous freshman, Rowell lets you experience how our first day in college, how being in a crowd of strangers, and how slowly losing the person you’ve always counted on feel like. Here, we’ll see an introvert Cath deal with a new environment, friendship, a possible love interest, and a rocky relationship with her twin sister. With the emphasis on fandoms and its effects to Cath’s life, this book is truly living up to its title. Also, brownie points because of the obvious Harry Potter references Rowell used. This late-coming-of-age novel will make you feel nostalgic and make you realize that life is not just about being on the sidelines. This will surely speak not just to fangirls and fanboys, but to everyone. Into The World of Science TV Show Review: Orphan Black Originally published in Tolentine Star Magazine (Transitions) Have you ever wondered what would happen if you’ll meet someone that looks exactly like you? That happened to Sarah Manning, but instead of meeting a person, she met four of them. Orphan Black is a Canadian TV series that is packed not just with action but with some serious girl power. Premiered in 2013, this show introduced us to Sarah, a streetwise orphan with some baggage. She was thrown into a whirlwind of craziness when she witnesses a suicide of a woman who looks exactly like her. She suddenly unravels some secrets that involve cloning and discovers that there are a bunch of them that looks like her. If you feel wary because of all the science stuff, you don’t need to worry. While this tackles a lot of science, it still presents facts to its audience without information overload. You don’t have to worry about not understanding how does one clone a person or how their DNAs work —everything is still explained in layman’s terms. If you’re looking for a well-written show that can make your heart race and put you on the edge of your seat, you’ve found it. Take a plunge and discover the wonders of science through Orphan Black. Flying High with On the Wings of Love TV Show Review: On the Wings of Love Originally published in Tolentine Star Magazine (Transitions) Every Filipino household loves watching teleseryes, but most of the time, these shows use the same formula which tends to dissuade viewers. It’s no doubt why people got hooked on Dreamscape’s newest teleserye, On the Wings of Love. On the Wings of Love is a story of OFWs, Clark and Leah, who got married for convenience and found love unexpectedly. Leah is a hardworking woman who is willing to do anything for her family, including pursuing her mother’s American dream for her family. Clark is a Fil -Am who struggled in America at an early age. Same with Leah, he would also do anything for his two siblings left in the Philippines. With a huge part of its plot set in San Francisco, this show captured the hearts of its viewers because of its Pusong OFW feels from its pilot episode. It killed stereotypes on OFWs by showing their struggles and what they have to go through while being away from their family. What makes this show standout is how every character has its own story and not just a plot device. The characters have their own back story to watch out for, which are carefully weaved into the main plot. It also gives viewers the right mix of drama, comedy and of course, kilig. Every episode gives unpredictable twists and turns that would make you watch out for it every night. Considered as the roller-coaster show of Primetime, On the Wings of Love will make you soar with its good mix of comedy, drama and of course kilig. Love Is Not Blind Story based on the pre-interview for Mag-TV Na, Amiga (ABS-CBN Bacolod) Hiligaynon Kasami makabati kita ukon makakita sang mga quotes parti sa love. Subong naman makilala ta ang isa sa mga mag-asawa nga gapamatuod sang linya nga “true love conquers all.” Isa na ka dekada nga naga-upod si Manong Celso kag Manang Rose nga puno sang paghigugmaanay. Pero indi man mahapos ang ila gin agyan sa pulo ka tuig nga pag-updanay. Since birth, indi na makakita si Manong Celso. Isa sini sa mga nangin rason ngaa gin pamatukan sang pamilya ni Manang Rose ang ila relasyon. Sa pila ka tuig, wala sila gin baton kag pati ang pagtaliwan sang iloy ni Manang Rose, gin basol sa ila. Pero sa kadugayon, nabaton man gid sila sang nag-abot ang una nila nga bata. Pero para kay Manong Celso kag Manang Rose, ang pagpamatok sang pamilya sa ila indi pa ang pinaka dako nga pagtilaw. Nag-abot pa gid ang pinaka budlay kag pinaka sakit sang nadula sa ila ang ika duwa nila ka bata tungod sa meningitis. Ang mga pagtilaw sa ila wala gaka tapos, bisan sa ila nga pang adlaw adlaw nga pangita sang ila panginanlanon. Pero bisan ano kabudlay, wala sila gaatras kay gapati sila nga malampasan nila dyapon tanan nga paagi sa bulig sang Diyos. Si Manong Celso kag Manang Rose isa ka ehemplo sang may mabakod nga relasyon. Pila man ka pagtilaw ang naglabay kag magalabay, ila ini dyapon malampasan tungod sa ila pag-updanay indi lang nasentro sap ag higugma-anay kundi pati sa ila dako nga pagtu-o sa Diyos. Love Is Not Blind Story based on the pre-interview for Mag-TV Na, Amiga (ABS-CBN Bacolod) English translation We usually hear or see quotes about love. Now we are about to get to know a couple that personifies the line, “true love conquers all.” It has been a decade since Celso and Rose started a home full of love. But those 10 years wasn’t easy for the both of them. Celso was blind since birth. It was one of the reasons why Rose’s family stood against their relationship and weren’t accepted for several years. Even the death of Rose’s mother was blamed on them. Fortunately, their hearts were changed and moved when Rose gave birth to their first child. But that was not even the biggest challenge for the couple. The hardest and most painful came when their second child died because of meningitis. Even today, they are still challenged in finding a means of living on a daily basis. However, no matter how hard these hurdles are, the couple never back down because they believe that they can surpass everything together and through the help of God. Celso and Rose are one of the examples of a strong relationship. It doesn’t matter how many challenges came and will come in the future. They will still be able to get through anything because their relationship is not just centered on love but also in their faith. The Wizarding World Returns Originally published at bookbed.org under the online pseudonym, Charlie Diaz https://bookbed.org/2014/07/09/the-wizarding-world-returns/ For pureblooded Harry Potter fans like me, the year the final movie came out felt like a huge loss. I was resolved to read anything – I mean, anything – that would still make the – any! – connection to the Wizarding World. I felt like I deserved to know more beyond that moment Harry’s kids boarded the Hogwarts Express. This is why when I found out Queen Rowling wrote an article about our beloved Dumbledore’s Army (and reports say she will be publishing another one about the Quidditch World Cup on Friday!), it was like winning the Triwizard Tournament! (Okay, that might seem a little overboard, but still true.) Not only that it’s a glimpse on the current lives of the gang I have since forever loved – or rather, obsessed about – but it’s also written in that Rita Skeeter trademark! I missed the Wizarding World so much I’d take her bitterness against the trio to bring me back all the nostalgic amusement. It was pure ecstasy (yes, I went there) to see Skeeter mention the Golden Trio, plus all these familiar faces: Neville, Hannah, Luna and a few of the Weasleys! But what takes the cake for me is this commentary on 30-something-year-old Harry Potter: About to turn 34, there are a couple of threads of silver in the famous Auror’s black hair, but he continues to wear the distinctive round glasses that some might say are better suited to a style-deficient twelve-year-old. The famous lightning scar has company: Potter is sporting a nasty cut over his right cheekbone. Requests for information as to its provenance merely produced the usual response from the Ministry of Magic: ‘We do not comment on the top secret work of the Auror department, as we have told you no less than 514 times, Ms. Skeeter’ So what are they hiding? Is the Chosen One embroiled in fresh mysteries that will one day explode upon us all, plunging us into a new age of terror and mayhem? I enjoyed the story terribly but somehow, I still could not get over the fact that Hermione was married to Ron! As a hardcore shipper of Dramione, it’s just that I have always seen more potential in Draco and Hermione. (Remember when she punched him in Prisoner of Azkaban? Sexual tension!!) Why, I could only hope Rowling considers that in future Harry Potter stories! bookbed recommends: How to Kill a Rock Star by Tiffanie DeBartolo Originally published at bookbed.org under the online pseudonym, Charlie Diaz https://bookbed.org/2014/08/16/bookbed-recommends-how-to-kill-a-rockstar-by-tiffanie-debarloto/ Tiffanie DeBartolo’s How to Kill a Rock Star is about Eliza, a music journalist, whose passion in music matches Paul, the front man of Bananafish. Together, sparks fly and everything seems right. However, every love story has bumps on the road and here it is Paul’s stand against commercializing music. He loves being able to write songs he loves and doesn’t want any big label to dictate his passion. Although Eliza knows and understands this, she has a sacrifice to make for the sake of the band and for them to reach their dreams. This is the only book I’m really reluctant to share because I want people who read this to appreciate its beauty. A few of you might know I am not into mainstream music. Not that I’m saying they’re bad, but they usually lack the emotion and message we all want to hear from a song. Sure, they sound nice and the tunes are catchy but that’s it. That was one of the things that made me relate to Paul. He was passionate about music that he really pours everything into it. He doesn’t care about the fame or money he can profit from it; he just wants to make good music. On Eliza’s part, it’s her view about music being a savior. I consider music as a commodity I can’t live without. For me, music is a catharsis. Both characters were far from perfect. They have epic flaws that made it hard for their relationship to grow at one point but those flaws also made them more real. “Like a benevolent god, a good song will never let you down.” Generation W (An interview with Wattpad author Leng de Chavez) Originally published at bookbed.org under the online pseudonym, Charlie Diaz https://bookbed.org/2014/10/11/generation-w-an-interview-with-wattpad-author-leng-de-chavez/ In the past, people would have to go to brick-and-mortar libraries or bookstores whenever they wanted to read a book. But in this age of Facebook and Twitter, the new breed of readers can, with just a few taps and swipes on their smartphones and tablets, immerse themselves in a new novel (or two) without even leaving the comfort of their seats. Welcome to the Wattpad era. Created by a Canada-based company, Wattpad is an online community that connects people around the world through the written word. Through the website, Wattpad users can create their own stories, get feedback and comments from their readers and directly interact with other authors and users. And did we mention that stories from Wattpad are free and can be read whether you’re online or offline? Yep, you read that right! Recently, Wattpad has taken our country by storm. It is now becoming a platform for aspiring authors, especially young writers, to showcase their stories. And if you’re lucky, you can even get your big break through Wattpad. Some stories by Filipino Wattpad writers have been published by local publishing companies like Summit Media and PSICOM Publishing. And quite a few have also been adapted into movies and television shows. (Do Diary ng Panget and She’s Dating the Gangster ring any bells?) Leng de Chavez is among the several who have published their work and gained a substantial following. And we are glad to have been given the chance to talk to her about her passion for writing and how joining Wattpad changed her life. FAST FACTS Leng de Chavez is a 21-year-old BS Human Ecology major at the University of the Philippines Los Baños. She says: “Hindi writing-related yung course ko, HAHAHAHA! Passion ko lang talaga ang pagsusulat. (My course isn’t writing-related. But writing is really my passion.)” Published works: The Despicable Guy, If I Fall Blog: Shirleng Tearjerky Stories Facebook: shirlengtearjerky.wp Twitter: @lengsungit WORLD OF WATTPAD When did you start publishing/posting your stories on Wattpad? And what were your reasons for choosing Wattpad? December 2010! Dapat kasi sa Creative Corner ng Teentalk ako magpo-post ng story (The Despicable Guy Book 1) kaso masyado akong nahirapan sa format doon. Mas nadalian ako sa Wattpad kasi mas simple ang features niya and mas accessible sa readers dahil sa Wattpad app. (I planned on posting my stories on Teentalk’s Creative Corner but had difficulty with the format. Wattpad had easier and simpler features and was more accessible to readers with the Wattpad app.) What was the first story that gained thousands of reads and responses? Did you ever worry that your next stories won’t be as successful? The Despicable Guy Book 1 ‘yung unang pumatok sa Wattpad. Actually, no. I’m not really after the success thing ‘pag nagsusulat ako. Gusto ko lang magsulat at magpasaya (at magpaiyak minsan) ng mga tao. Lahat ng stories ko may sari-sariling success ‘yan. Of course, mahirap tibagin ang success ng TDG kasi doon ako nakilala. Hindi ko naman goal na magkaroon ng competition sa mga kwento ko. I’m beyond grateful na may mga nag-aabang at nagbabasa sa kanila. (The first story that became popular on Wattpad was The Despicable Guy Book 1. I’m not really after success when it comes to writing. All I want to do is write and make people happy [or sometimes sad]. All my stories are successful in their own right. Of course it’s hard to surpass TDG’s success because that’s what got my name out there. But it’s not my goal to have my stories compete with one another [when it comes to success]. I’m already beyond grateful that there is an audience anticipating and reading them.) Right now, some Wattpad stories have been turned into movies. Has TDG been optioned for a movie? Are you open to it? Sad to say, walang offer para gawing movie ang TDG. As of now, hindi ko masasabing open ako for a movie. Maraming factors akong kino-consider pagdating sa ganyan. (Sad to say, there haven’t been any offers. And as of now, I can’t really say I’m open to having TDG adapted into a movie. There are a bunch of factors I need to consider in terms of that.) FROM ONLINE TO BOOK STANDS Can you tell us the story of how TDG was published into a book? Si Denny (HaveYouSeenThisGirl) ang nag-recommend ng TDG sa Summit last year. Ayaw kong maniwala nung naka-receive ako ng e-mail from them. That time kasi kakaunti pa lang ang napupublish na stories so sobrang big deal pa ‘yon. (Denny or HaveYouSeenThisGirl on Wattpad, recommended TDG to Summit Media last year. I couldn’t believe it when I got an email from them. At the time, only a few [Wattpad] stories had been published so it was a pretty big deal.) When books are published, it’s inevitable that the stories will be edited, and sometimes authors are a bit protective with their original stories. Was there a moment when you had second thoughts? Sa editing naman ng TDG Book 1, ako na mismo ang nag-overhaul ng kwento. Three years old na rin kasi yung story bago siya nakuha for publishing and marami talaga akong gustong baguhin. May times na nag-hesitate ako, pero may tiwala ako sa editor ko na mapapaganda niya ang kwento. The book turned out better than I expected. Mas maganda pala siya ‘pag English! (With TDG Book 1, I overhauled the entire story myself. It was already three years old before it got picked up for publishing and there were a lot of parts I wanted to change. There were times when I hesitated but I had faith in my editor’s ability to improve the story. The book turned out better than I expected. It’s actually better in English!) ON SELF-PUBLISHING What made you decide to self-publish If I Fall? Mas nauna kong gustong i-publish ang If I Fall kesa sa TDG. Late 2012 ko pa pinagpaplanuhan kung paano gagawin ‘yon. Compared to TDG, mas protective ako sa If I Fall kaya self-published siya. Gusto ko may pakialam ako sa covers and stuff. Tsaka nung una hindi ko nakikitang papatok ang If I Fall if ever man idaan siya sa traditional publishing like TDG. (I wanted to publish If I Fall before TDG and had been planning on how I’d do that since late 2012. I’m more protective over If I Fall than TDG which is why I decided to self-publish. I wanted to have control over the book covers and stuff. And at first, I didn’t think If I Fall would gain readers if I published it traditionally like TDG.) What’s the difference between publishing TDG and IIF? Pros? Cons? Mas madali ang publishing TDG since hawak siya ng Summit Media. Sa IIF kasi, lahat ako ang naghandle. From editing to shipping the books. Ang pros nung sa TDG, hindi ako nahirapan sa marketing, selling and branding. Mas madali siyang mahanap sa bookstores and stands. Ang cons naman nun, wala akong masyadong say sa process, especially sa book cover. Sa IIF naman, ang pros nun ay mas personalized siya. Pinag-isipan naming mabuti yung cover and layout. Kaso mas nakakapagod at matrabaho yun kasi nga ako pa rin ang nagsi-ship ng libro sa buyers. (Summit Media took care of publishing TDG so it was easier for me. With IIF, I handled everything. From editing to shipping the books. With TDG, the marketing, selling and branding was all easy peasy. It’s also easier to find in bookstores and stands. But on the flipside, I had very little say on the process, especially on the book cover. As for IIF, it’s a lot more personalized. We mulled over the cover and layout for a long time. But it was tiring and required hard work because I was still the one who shipped books to buyers.) EXTRA, EXTRA! Who are your favorite authors? Haruki Murakami, Rainbow Rowell, Stephen King and Ricky Lee What are your current favorite books? 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami, Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and Para Kay B by Ricky Lee Can you mention some of your favorite movies? “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” “Her,” “X-Men: Days of Future Past” and “Shawshank Redemption” How about your favorite TV shows? “Sherlock,” “Bones,” “House MD,” “True Detective” and “Breaking Bad” And the last book that made you cry? Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. bookbed recommends: The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen Originally published at bookbed.org under the online pseudonym, Charlie Diaz https://bookbed.org/2014/12/12/bookbed-recommends-the-little-match-girl-by-hans-christianandersen/ They say books have a way of staying with you no matter how many years it’s been since you last read it. You may not remember everything but you’ll remember the feeling it brought you when you first read it. For me, that is true. When asked what children’s book has stayed with me, I knew the answer in my heart. The problem is that I forgot the title and the author of the book! I remembered it was set in the winter and was one of those books I asked my mother to read to me at bedtime. It was also one of the first books that made me cry. See, I was already a crybaby when it comes to books even I was a kid! After a bit of Google magic, I discovered that the book was The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen. Set on New Year’s Eve, a girl was out in the cold without proper clothing, selling matches while everyone else was busy and rushing home to their families. Out of all books I’ve read when I was a kid, I never expected myself to pick this. Sure, it was top of-my-head but I tried to convince myself to think of something else, something that would make me appear a cooler kid. So why did I eventually settle with The Little Match Girl? Well, growing up wasn’t as fabulous as any other fairy tale princess but it was comfortable. Noticing and comparing that to the Match Girl as a kid was an eye opener. At an early age, I saw the plight of those less than fortunate and it affected me. In retrospect, this is probably what pushes me to support programs for unfortunate kids. I’ve had a glimpse of the extent of how they suffer so I want to help them get a better life.