Filipino
First Language(s): Cebuano/Bisaya
Second Language(s):
English, Tagalog
Jee Ann Guibone is a writer and teacher from the Philippines. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in education from Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan and her Master's degree in creative writing from Teesside University. She writes stories that reflect and challenge identity and self-discovery in the Philippines and abroad.
What was your favorite book as a child?
I was a huge fan of the Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys series, as well as Goosebumps. I loved the adventure, solving mysteries around the world, and the thrill of facing the strange and unknown.
What was the original reason or motivation why you started writing creatively?
Reading wasn’t enough! I imagined my own adventures, and they soon morphed into other characters and places that I created. Also, writing was my way to “travel” to other places. I imagined stories taking place in another country, another world. It was my attempt to live a different life in a different time, different place.
What was the most adventurous or thrilling thing you ever did/experienced
Living abroad on my own in a country where the language was difficult. I learned so many other thrilling things living independently. I finally learned to ride a bicycle. I rode the roller coaster for the first time. (I do not want to go again. Like ever.) I’m an introvert with a bad sense of direction, so it really meant a lot to me to be able to survive (and thrive!) in a foreign country.
Do you listen to music while reading or writing?
Absolutely! Music pumps me up. When I’m writing an action-heavy scene, I need music to keep me going. It’s the same when I’m writing an emotional scene. I listen to really sad or melancholic songs to immerse myself in the moment.
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