Upddates

Happy New Year, dear Readers! I'm off to the track today, but before I do so would like to give you some updates:

1. Re the Fund Raiser for Growing Up Filipino, John and Elizabeth Allen also made a donation. I feel gratified that just by emails these people have quickly responded to my call. Thanks to these people who believe in my work.

Sponsors' List for Growing Up Filipino II

John & Elizabeth Allen
Christopher Brainard Law Offices – www.christopherbrainard.com
Emmanuel Gonzalez
Barbara Lim
In memory of Arcadio, Maria, Sylvestre, and Celerina
Carol Ojeda-Kimbrough
Marily Y. Orosa - http://marilyo.multiply.com
Remy’s on Temple Art & Garden – www.remysontemple.com
Tony Robles – www.tony-robles.com
Studio 5

2. I must admit that that critical essay by Dr. Yu got me riled up and I updated my response/comments to her work, which can be found right before her critique (Dec. 31 blog entry). To balance out the dialogue about the novel, me, and my work, I posted a critical essay by noted critic Leonard Casper (Jan. 1 blog entry).

I wish to clarify that I am more interested in this dialogue than I'm annoyed, although I have to say that it left me breathless to read that someone would accuse me of "racist and fetishitic" writing, as well as exoticing and orientalising. These must be new buzz words, trendy accusations within the Asian American and/or Women's literature world. I'll read more on this. I'm curious to know if novelist Linda Ty Casper has received the same accusations.

All for now as I run off into this cold January morning to the race track. The question now is: Will I win? Or will I lose?

Stay tuned dear readers, stay tuned!