WHAT, or rather WHO, IS KANLAON?
And why did self choose that name for her blog?
The blog began as an experiment. Self wanted to give it a name that had some personal connection to herself.
Kanlaon is the name of a volcano (self thinks it is extinct) that occupies the center of the island of Negros, in the Visayan Islands of her country. She saw Kanlaon from wherever she happened to be on the island of Negros. She found its mysterious presence strangely calming. Now, many years later, she looks back to those summers on the island as some of the happiest moments of her life.
Following is self’s standard bio:
Marianne Villanueva has an M.A. in English with a concentration in Creative Writing from Stanford University, as well as an M.A. in East Asian Studies (concentration in Chinese), also from Stanford. She has been writing and publishing stories about the Philippines and Filipino Americans since the mid 1980s.
Her critically acclaimed first collection of short fiction, Ginseng and Other Tales from Manila (Calyx Books 1991) was short-listed for the Philippines’ National Book Award. Her work has been widely anthologized. Her story, “Silence,” first published in the Threepenny Review, was short-listed for the 2000 O. Henry Literature Prize. She has co-edited, with poet Virginia Cerenio, an anthology of Filipina women’s writings, Going Home to a Landscape (Calyx Books, 2003), which gathered together the writings of Filipina women from around the world. Her latest book is Mayor of the Roses: Stories (Miami University Press, 2005).
Born and raised in Manila, she now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and teaches creative writing and literature at Foothill College, Notre Dame de Namur University, and UCLA Extension.
When she had just graduated high school, she applied to the Dept of Anthropology at the University of the Philippines, Diliman and was accepted. Her mother, however, persuaded her to study at her father’s alma mater, the Ateneo de Manila, where instead of Anthropology she ended up taking many, many courses in Philippine Literature. She has never regretted the decision, since at the Ateneo she met a wonderful English teacher who would change her life: Doreen Fernandez. But she has always wondered what her life might have been like if she had taken Anthropology 
writerchick said,
January 10, 2007 at 5:53 pm
Wow Marianne, you are hot stuff! I’m very impressed - maybe you could give me some publishing tips. I’d love it. I’m glad you stumbled on my blog - great to meet you.
WC
anthropologist said,
January 11, 2007 at 2:09 pm
I can certainly give you publishing tips, but I’m not hot stuff, since I don’t regularly get paid for my stories and haven’t signed on with a big publisher!
YOU, my dear, are hot stuff. I see all the comments you get on your blog!
– Marianne
kh said,
January 30, 2007 at 7:11 pm
Since you have some problems with insomnia… would you be at all interested in blogging about your experiences trying to improve your sleep habits by following the advice in a (free) book? I have a Dutton author who’s reaching out to people who don’t have diagnosed serious sleep conditions, but who could use some help regulating their sleep habits and getting a better night’s sleep (which is about 99% of us). If you’re interested, drop me an email… thanks! p.s. i studied anthropology as an undergrad and am constantly wondering what i’d be doing now had i gone for a phD…
kh said,
January 30, 2007 at 7:51 pm
p.s. not sure if you’ll be able to see my email on your back-end, so here it is:
kristen[at]563media[dot]com
thanks! have a great day.
mariacristina said,
March 3, 2007 at 11:07 pm
What an interesting and productive life you lead.
anthropologist said,
March 4, 2007 at 3:49 am
You find my life interesting? I always thought my life was rather boring — so much of it spent: reading/ studying/ teaching!
Thanks for the comment, though . . .
I’ll check out your blog.
Connie Veneracion said,
May 17, 2007 at 3:25 pm
You mean it’s true about “starving writers”?
anthropologist said,
May 17, 2007 at 5:07 pm
Yes, it’s true. In fact, would you like to initiate a “Feed Your Local Writer” day? I am sure you would get many many starving writers sign up. I wouldn’t mind giving a (free) reading, open to the public, in exchange for food. Hey, I think that would be fun! You’d feed both the mind AND the body.
Love your blog.
ANTONIO K. JOAQUIN said,
June 18, 2007 at 8:22 pm
I congratulate you Marianne for a nicely laid out blogsite, and I uoin all the voices there in in continually cheering you to greater heights.
Speaking of great heights, Nick Joaquin, my late uncle wil soon be the subject of an extended biographpy. Who will write it? I was officially designated by my family to do the honors and I am indeed honored.
In this connection therefore, you may have something to share vis a vis Nick and your writings. If so, do send them to me for possible inclusion in the coming book.
Krp Yuson, Butch Dalisay, Pete Lacaba to mention some of Nick’s close friends and fellow writers are poised to see my draft for they too will be part of the “writing team” that will make sure the book is of the quality deserving of Nick and his life works.
my best to your Mom, Nena, and hope that she continues to fashion the kind of classical piano playing that I have known to admire over the years.
Much love and prayers,
Tony
anthropologist said,
June 19, 2007 at 2:31 am
Tony,
I’m honored that you checked out my blog, that you even consider me for contributing to your book about Nick Joaquin, who as you know was a real inspiration to me and to many many other Filipinos.
I don’t have any personal stories; aren’t those the kind you want? I would feel presumptuous to write something about him when I only knew him “from afar.” But I look forward to reading your book about him.
Steve Zolno said,
August 29, 2007 at 9:21 pm
Hello -
I am trying to enter a nominee for the category of 100 Most Influential Filipino Women but do not have an email address to send this to.
Thank you.
anthropologist said,
August 29, 2007 at 9:28 pm
Hi, Steve,
Here’s the contact info I have for the group that issued the call for “The 100 Most Influential Filipino Women”:
Contact Us
> email: filipina@ffwn.org
> phone: 415.278.9410
> web: http://www.ffwn.org
I know they had a deadline, but not sure if they extended it . . .
Adriano San Diego said,
December 16, 2007 at 10:52 pm
Hi,
Kanlaon Volcano is not extinct!! It erupted on 12 August 1996 and that eruption claimed the live sof 3 mountaineers.
Regards
anthropologist said,
December 17, 2007 at 4:21 am
Oh, wow! That’s interesting! Got to do more research on that incident.
Kai said,
February 22, 2008 at 6:17 am
Hello, may I invite you to join the February edition of Lasang Pinoy, which is a monthly food blogging event celebrating Filipino food. The theme for this month is coconuts. Details here, http://bucaio.blogspot.com/2008/02/lp-24-loco-over-coco.html. Thanks.
anthropologist said,
February 22, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Ooooh, yes, I would love to join this monthly food blogging event!
OK, think coconuts, think coconuts . . .
Phyl said,
March 14, 2008 at 2:45 am
Hey, I’m working on a short (hopefully humorous) article—nonfiction—to be entitled “Why I Sleep Late.” Using this “Post-a-Comment” means that I’m not usurping your private blog, right? I’m of an (ancient) generation that does not “understand” blogs. My granddaughter, on the other hand. . . .
I’m looking forward to meeting you.
anthropologist said,
March 14, 2008 at 3:19 am
Phyl,
Post away! It is fun . . .
In no way are you “usurping” anything. This blog is for sharing.
Karen said,
March 14, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Hi, Kanlaon/Ms. Marianne, sorry for this very late reply, simultaneous to my hosting Lasang Pinoy 24 I gave birth to my 3rd child, so I’m not full-time on the internet yet as much as I should.
As for Lasang Pinoy, you can post here on your blog about your entry, then let me know about it by sending me an email at sweet_bucaio@yahoo.com. I’ll also be checking your website. Thanks!
Lance said,
May 3, 2008 at 10:21 pm
I am from Canlaon City, a little city in the heart of the Negros Island, but I am working at Cebu City right now. I so much miss Canlaon, and of course our very own Kanlaon Volcano, so I did a little of tickling on google and then got stumbled on your blog. Your posts are fascinating to read, although I can’t seemingly relate to some, but the title of your blog amazed me the most.
I really miss waking up at home and then take a peek at my window. And I would then sit beside the window and blantly stare at the majestic volcano with some cold misty winds trying freezing me up. Then few minutes later, my Mom would already be screaming my name, looking for me (I am the last person to wake up every morning at the house). I love my childhood days. I just don’t know why I can’t remember all those crazy stuff I did when I was still young. I hate it when my elder sister would recall to me those happenings and then it would just irrated me more because I wouldn’t be able to recall a thing.
Anyways, I am already blabbering here. Nice Blog! I hope you could gimme a holler back! hehehehe
Lance
http://www.punkies07.blogspot.com
anthropologist said,
May 3, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Hi, Lance, and Welcome!
My father is from Bacolod. We five children spent every summer there until I was 18.
I love my relatives there and visit them as often as I can.
Thanks for leaving your comment on my blog!