Elvis A. Galasinao Jr.

What was your favorite book as a child?

Growing up in the Philippines, I was exposed to myths, folklores, fairytales, and other stories of the supernatural. There was a serialized fiction of Philippine ghost stories that I loved to read when I was in primary school. I think I was drawn to these kinds of narratives because it was my own way of making sense of my surroundings.

Do you remember the original reason or motivation why you started writing creatively?

I started writing when I was in 3^rd grade. It was more of an external motivation because I was chosen to represent my school in a poetry writing contest. I remember imitating the rhythmic pattern of the myths that I was reading at that time, and I started scribbling verses at the back of my notebooks since then.

What was the most adventurous or thrilling thing you ever did/experienced?

The most thrilling experience I’ve had was when I moved to Manila to study. It was a drastic change for me because from a rural area, I had to move to a big city and live on my own for four years. It was both stressful and exciting, and I’ve learned some of the most important life lessons from those years.

Do you listen to music while reading or writing?

It depends on my purpose. I don’t listen to music if my reading or writing has a deadline, like when I have to do academic or professional reading or writing. I only listen to music if it’s for pleasure reading or writing. Even though I don’t listen to music regularly, music still plays a role in my writing process because sometimes I draw on the rhythms and forms of different music.