Carlo Venson Peña has a job he loves – he organises writers festivals for the National Book Council of Singapore. He hopes that these festivals will help unknown writers to get their work out there for us to read. Like many of them, he grew up with a passion for reading and writing. Mr Peña shares his childhood memories of what the English language meant to him.
Q: What are you earliest memories of reading?
A: My mother says I started reading newspapers at two years old. Yes, not picture books but newspapers. She didn’t seem surprised at the time though since we hailed from a family of teachers. Also, perhaps I was attracted to newspapers because the first thing my father did every morning was to read the newspapers.
I was a scrawny little boy with very poor social skills, and reading helped me explore the world that I felt I was too weird to be a part of. Soon enough, I developed a love for literature and improved my command of English in the process. I found myself consuming the likes of Verne, Hemingway and Shelley well through primary school.
Throughout childhood, I loved to read. But, I also loved watching television. Coming from a middle class family, both my parents had to work full-time, and I was left alone with the nanny or helpful neighbours at times. The afternoons I did not spend reading, I spent watching Sesame Street, slowly absorbing catchphrases, euphemisms and conversational English. I soon emulated the enunciations and peculiarities of the language through their skits and catchy tunes.
Q: You say books were a big part of your childhood. You had lots of books at home. How did that happen?
A: Instead of toys, my aunts and uncles gave me books as presents every time
they dropped by the house. At secondary school, I became a collector of old titles and old books. I saved up my weekly pocket money to buy second-hand
compiled Reader’s Digest short stories that were sold in thrift shops.
I loved the smell of old pages, and rummaging through piles of pre-loved books was a favourite pastime. I became an avid fan of poetry and wrote some for personal consumption – a hobby that became quite useful in literature class, too. English became natural to me. I used English in casual conversations every day. Dealing with teachers in English became quite comfortable.
I eventually took up Communications in university, and pursued a similar master’s degree. I was fortunate to have had friends who were just as immersed in reading, language and literature themselves. And, although most of them studied science or mathematics in university, they continued to read short stories, novels and poetry as we grew older.
Q: When you grew up, in what ways did the English language feature in your work life?
A: I became a teacher of English and journalism in a local college. I also wrote for a community newspaper and did some radio DJ work on the side. People were surprised that I was so comfortable with English although it was a second language to me.
In the early 2000s, I started blogging my work, to record the stuff that I read and the stuff that I wrote. I blogged incessantly. And, soon discovered other online and digital platforms to express myself, including microblogging, film and even publishing my own e-books on shared sites.
Next, I taught creative writing at local primary schools. And, while I enjoyed being with young students, I equally enjoyed my other job as editor of a children’s magazine. I was able to use my English language skills, while also encouraging young students to discover the joy of crafting stories for public
consumption. English became a very important tool in getting the magazine’s message across and, at the same time, encouraging young writers to contribute stories that inspired other children to write.
Q: Your love for books has led you to where you now work, at the National Book Council. What do you do there?
A: At the Book Council, I primarily manage the All In! Young Writers Festival. The festival brings together students and professionals to share their ideas and experiences about writing and all its forms. The Festival is a great opportunity for students to learn from professionals about the workings of the different industries that involve writing. I love interacting with both students and professionals; English is the common language that binds us together in the craft.
LEARNING FROM CARLO VENSON PENA
Mr Peña remembers one of his English teacher telling him, “When you learn English, everything else follows.” Now, looking back as an adult, Mr Peña understands what that English teacher meant.
“He was right,” says Mr Peña. “Learning good English opened up entire worlds of opportunities for me, while helping others to find their own
place under the sun. I believe this begins with developing a love for
words, supported by a passion for reading, and capped with a curiosity to learn new things every day. I hope that you will find the journey just as enjoyable as I have.”
Nowadays, you do not have to save up your pocket money to buy used books. Without paying a cent, you can pick up nearly-new books at the Book Exchange corners at our public libraries. You can also drop off books you’d
like to pass on to someone else. And, if you love writing, there are festivals like All In! for young writers.