Bino Realuyo

Claim to fame: Umbrella Country (1999), published by Ballantine Reader's Circle, Random House

While most Pinoy authors often choose to take the well-trodden path of weaving narratives about our country's history, the revolution, or our colonial identity, Realuyo tackles the country's troubled memory with imagery and metaphors that set it apart from the other materials in the market. Set during the period of Martial Law, Umbrella Country tells the story of Gringo, an observant 11-year-old boy from the slums who struggles to deal with the chaos in his neighborhood, sexual abuse, and his father's dreams of America. Tackling taboo topics like abuse and sexuality is a brave act, especially for a writer's debut novel—and it was a chance that paid off for Realuyo.

His story: Born and raised in Manila, Realuyo moved to the US when he was a teenager. His father is Bataan Death March survivor and is the inspiration for much of his work and why he is also so dedicated to exploring the struggles of the Filipino. He co-founded the Asian American Writers Workshop after college and was widely published in various magazines and anthologies.

Awards: Umbrella Country was nominated for the Barnes and Noble Great Writers Award, and was part of Booklist's Top Ten First Novels of 1999. In 2000, the book was also awarded the Asian American Members Choice Literary Award Of The Year in 2000.

Melissa de la Cruz

Claim to fame: More than a dozen books to her name but most popularly known for The Au Pairs Series (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008) published by Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing

The series follows a barkada of teenage girls—all from different backgrounds—as they work as nannies for a rich family in the Hamptons. Adventure ensues.

Her story: The author grew up in Manila but moved to the US during her teen years. As proof that getting published doesn't (always) happen overnight, Melissa wrote her first novel at 22. Despite having an agent, the manuscript was never published. Five years later, however, at the age of 27, she finally got her big break and published her first book.

Now with over a dozen titles to her name, Melissa de la Cruz is living the writer's dream. Able to tap into the market of the young, hip, and chic, Melissa's works include the highly popular teen series' such as The Au Pairs, The Blue Bloods, and The Ashleys. She doesn't shy away from the world of adult literature, such as Cat's Meow and The Fashionista Files: Adventure in Four-inch Heels and Faux Pas. Her works have landed in The New York Times and USA Today best sellers list. Her most popular work,

Her previous experience as a fashion and beauty editor helped give her an edge out of the rest of the chick lit or Bridget Jones-esque pieces out there. A finger to the pulse of the public, and an understanding of what young and adult women are looking for, is a valuable asset. She regularly contributes to glossies and newsprints such as Marie Claire, Glamour, CosmoGirl!, and The New York Times, to name a few.

Miguel Syjuco

Claim to fame: Illustrado: A Novel (2010), published by Penguin, Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Arguably one of the most popular publicly profiled Pinoy authors in recent years, Miguel Syjuco was featured in Time Magazine and The New York Times—that's what happens when one writes an award-winning novel.

His debut work Illustrado takes its name from the 19th century revolutionary group known as Illustrados or “Enlightened Ones” who traveled abroad and returned to the Philippines, hoping to transform the country. The novel is about a young Filipino expatriate—also named Miguel Syjuco—who returns home to investigate the death of his mentor, Crispin Salvador, whose final literary masterpiece (an expose of the country's corruption) is missing.

His story: Miguel Syjuco's fame and glory did not come easy. Like many other struggling writers, Syjuco's work was rejected many times. On the  bright side, the professional rebuff gave him room and time to revise, rewrite, and resubmit until Illustrado finally found a home in the New York publishing house Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

He joined a creative writing program in 2001, which gave him the foundation he needed to work on a draft of the manuscript, which he completed in 2006. One year later, he submitted it to the Man Asian Prize (which still allowed the submission of unpublished works during that time). He was rejected. Syjuco kept trying, however, giving himself a deadline of 10 years before he would quit the industry. Shortly thereafter, he won.

Curretnly, Syjuco is represented by Peter Straus at the Rogers, Coleridge and White Literary Agency in London, and by Melanie Jackson in New York City. Ilustrado has been translated to several languages, including Spanish (Tusquets), Swedish (Natur och Kultur), and Dutch (Mouria), Serbian (Geopoetika), French (Editions Christian Bourgois), Catalan (Tusquets), Italian (Fazi), and Brazilian Portuguese (Compahnia das Letras).

Awards: Ilustrado won the Grand Prize in the 2008 Palanca Awards, and the Man Asian Literary Prize later that year. His work gained momentum, garnering even more awards in 2010, such as Quebec's Paragraphe Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction as well as being included in the New York Times Notable Book of 2010, to name a few.

Jessica Hagedorn

Claim to fame: Dogeaters (1990), published by Pantheon, Penguin

The renowned novel was one of the few books that gave an international audience a chance to journey to the dark realities of a country paralyzed by its colonial past. Despite the fact that the novel was published over a decade ago, Hagedorn's unflinching observations of the Philippines still hold true today. In fact, Dogeaters as well as her other novels are often the subject of post-colonial dissection, analysis, and debate in universities in the US and the Philippines.

Her story: Known to many as one of the first contemporary Filipino writers to gain worldwide success, Hagedorn moved to the US from the Philippines at the age of 13. Growing up in the artistic hub of Manhattan's Greenwich Village, the author embraced and nurtured her creative instincts as a writer, a poet, a performance artist. As the social climate was drastically changing in America during the ‘60s and the ‘70s, the political atmosphere was also transforming in the country of her birth—the Marcos regime had taken hold. This influenced much of her writing, as evidenced by the subject matter in her most popular work. Aside from writing, Hagedorn lectures in various universities in the States and around the world, and is dedicated to exploring the Asian identity and how its literature, history, and Western influences changes and affects it.

Awards: Dogeaters won an American Book Award in 1990 and was nominated for the National Book Award in 1991.

R. Zamora Linmark

Claim to fame: Leche (2011), published by Coffeehouse Press

Linmark's latest novel follows the misadventures of Vince De Los Reyes, whose prize for winning a male beauty pagent is an all-expense trip to Manila, his home country. After living in Hawaii for 13 years, Vince's balikbayan experience is one of shock and confusion as he finds himself confronted with a colorful cast of characters in a culture whose frayed social and political atmosphere is now very strange to him.

His story: Like his title character in Leche, the Manila-born Linmark spent his adult years in Honolulu, Hawaii. A University of Hawaii alum, his previous works include two poetry books Prime Time Apparitions and The Evolution of a Sigh, as well as his highly acclaimed debut novel, Rolling The R's, which was adapted into a play. His upcoming works include another poetry collection entitled The Filipino Exiled Poet and a play titled But Beautiful. Linmark has also lived in Madrid and Tokyo, but now divides his time between Hawaii and Manila.

Distinctions: Aside from his contributions to numerous anthologies, Linmark is a two-time Fullbright Scholar as well as a recepient of a U.S.-Japan Friendship Commission and NEA fellowships.

Samantha Sotto

Claim to fame: Before Ever After (2011), published by Random House

Part-mystery, part-romance, this novel is not your run-of-the-mill Harlequin paperback—it's a story that explores the depth of human emotion and dealing with the loss of a loved one. It follows the character of Shelley, a widow who finds herself confronted by a man who claims that her dead husband is his grandfather, who is still very much alive and living in Europe.

Her story: Sam Sotto's story is just like a modern day fairy tale: bright-eyed young mother pursues her passion for the written word, writes a book, and is published—by Random House, no less. But for this business-savvy mom (read her "mompreneuer" profile), her happy ending was no accident and did not involve any fairy godmothers—getting published was a goal that she worked hard for and made the time to achieve.

After spending countless mornings typing away at Starbucks on Katipunan Ave. while her son was at school, she purchased a copy of An Idiot's Guide To Publishing, and quite simply, put in the work. Next thing she knew, the book was picked up by Random House—proof that with enough passion, perseverance, and hard work, anything is possible.

Marisa De Los Santos

Claim to fame: Love Walked In (2009), published by Plume, Penguin

Chick lit gets a bad rep these days but Marisa de los Santos novels are worthy of a second look—or several reads. While most literary efforts by Filipino authors seem to revolve around the same themes—identity crisis's, post-war traumas, and Rizal-esque romances—Marisa's work shows that Pinoys can certainly write about other topics that are universal and relatable to anyone, from any background or affiliation.

Love Walked In, published in 2006, is a novel that follows the misadventures of Cornelia Brown, a romantic and idealistic café shop owner. While it is Marisa's most famous work, the author already has two other books—a romance titled Belong To Me (2009) and a collection of poetry entitled From The Bones Out (2000)—under her belt.

Her story: Marisa grew up in Baltimore and Northern Virginia. She is Filipino-American by blood and by national affiliation. Her father is from Cebu City, her mother from Westminster, Maryland. Writing was clearly Marisa's career path: she pursued a degree in English from the University of Virginia, and later, an MFA in Poetry from Sarah Lawrence College, and finally, a Ph.D in English and Creative Writing from the University of Houston.

The Bones Out was her first foray into the literary limelight. However, despite being satisfied with her poetic work, Marisa says, in an interview published on Penguin's online discussion section, that she had a sudden impulse to write novel (good thing she followed her instincts!).

Distinctions: Love Walked In will soon be adapted to the big screen with Sarah Jessica Parker slated to play Cornelia.

Tess Urize Holthe

Claim to fame: When The Elephants Dance (2002), published by Penguin

Holthe's debut novel was published in 2002 to rave reviews. When The Elephants Dance explores the events that transpired in the Philippines during World War II through the eyes of three very different characters—a young boy, a stubborn and ‘non-traditional' woman, and a rebel soldier.

Her story: Holthe grew up in the United States. Like many of her fellow second generation Filipino-Americans, her experience of the Philippines was mostly through the stories relayed by her family. In this case, Holthe's inspiration for her novel came from her father's stories about his own experiences during wartime Philippines. Paying homage to the narrative techniques of our ancestors, Holthe showcased the power of weaving stories together through the use of indigenous myths and classic novellas.

Awards: The novel won The National Best-Seller Award and was picked as the Number 1 Bestseller by The San Franciso Chronicle, just to name a few. Her second book, The Five-Forty-Five to Cannes, also received rave reviews.

Noël Alumit

Claim to Fame: Letters To Montgomery Clift (2003), published by MacAdam/Cage Publishing

Alumit's award-winning novel follows the story of Bong Bong Luwad, a young boy sent to the US to escape Martial Law. His aunt advises him to write his prayers down, and so he writes them in a form of letters to Montgomery Clift—a figure that the sexually conflicted and alienated Bong Bong can relate to. When his aunt disappears, he is forced to live with a Filipino foster family harboring their own problems despite their seemingly ‘picture perfect' appearance. Thus, his letters to the long deceased Montgomery Clift become like diaries that showcase his sexual awakening, sense of social alienation, and the hope of one day finding his family again.

His story: Actor-playwright-novelist Noël Alumit is a person that one can't help but envy. Born in Baguio City and raised in Los Angeles, this fine arts grad studied Drama at the University of Southern California before studying to be a playwright. Thanks to a scholarship to UCLA's Writers Extension, he also honed his craft studying fiction and personal essay.

Since then, Alumnit's numerous plays have been shown in LA and New York, his most famous work being Mr. and Mrs. La Questa Go Dancing. His one-man show “The Rice Room: Scenes From A Bar” was chosen as one of the best solo shows by the San Francisco Bay Guardian.He has also appeared on shows popular TV soaps like Beverly Hills 90210 and The Young And The Restless.

Awards: Aside from being a critical success, Letters to Montgomery Clift was also awarded the 2003 Stonewall Book Award for literature. In 2002, Out Magazine named him one of the "100 Most Influential Gay People."

Brian Ascalon Roley

Claim to fame: American Son: A Novel (2001), published by W. W. Norton & Company

Here and abroad, most Pinoys often want to be something other than themselves. Whether it's looking more Caucasian or adopting the hip hop twang, this desire to inhabit the skin, look, or culture of another—bred from our colonial past and the power of Western media—is perfectly addressed by Fil-Am author Brian Ascalon Roley's in his book.

The novel follows two aimless Filipino-American brothers living in the fringes of society in California during the time of the 1992 Rodney King riots. Tomas, the elder brother, tries to pass himself off as a Mexican gangster while the younger brother (and narrator of the story) Gabe tries to avoid the pull of gangs, which for most teens like them occupying the urban underbelly—fatherless and with a (Filipina) mother struggling to make ends meet—offers a false sense of brotherhood, identity, and protection.

His story: The author's foray into writing wasn't something he had initially planned. In fact, Roley only began to write to loosen up while in law school. He went to Cornell University where he graduated with a degree in Creative Writing.

Roley's decision to make adolescents the subject of his book was a conscious one, when the search for an 'identity' and acceptance, especially for teens who are seen as ethnically 'different' from the rest of their peers is at its height. This sense of dislocation was one that Roley took from his own experiences: the author was born and bred in the US with a Filipina mother and an American father. For Roley, much of the Filipino experience in the US is in trying to find where one belongs.

Awards: Published in 2001, American Son was selected as a New York Times Notable Book, Los Angeles Times Best Book, was a Kiriyama Pacific Rim Prize finalist. His book is now part of the curriculum in many universities, as well as a platform to promote ‘Pinoy Pride' events and festivals throughout the US.