Samantha Mae Coyiuto's constellation of stories
My father looked like a ghost.
So begins author Samantha Mae Coyiuto’s short fiction titled “Flight to the Stars.” The words line up on the page like portents: promising something dramatic, heavy on the heart, its simile all set to haunt the rest of the story. The paragraph continues: “His skin was pale and his body was all skin and bones. His skeletal body was covered with wires and tubes. ICU equipment surrounded his bed. He was deep in slumber, his chest slowly heaving with each breath.”
We join the protagonist Mike in the hospital, looking at his father or at least a husk of who his father was. Now a fragile and helpless crumble of flesh on the hospital dead, the old man (we soon learn) used to cut a terrifying figure in the life of the son: a tennis wunderkind who quit on the sport in the middle of a match in a hail of vomit and exasperation, pissing off the dad in the process. Mike reflects, “Our whole relationship was based on my tennis career. Ever since I quit my tennis, I guess he quit being my dad as well.”
There are other star-crossed characters in the story. There is Ms. Perez, Mike’s second grade teacher. There is Wendy who appears years later and becomes the protagonist’s fiancée. There is Mike’s mom who commits suicide when her husband absconds with the teacher. There are key metaphors. There is the cliff, there are the stars, and there is the toy airplane all symbolic of space, flight, escape and transcendence.
Oh, did I tell you that the author is a girl who has barely turned 16?
She is Samantha Mae Coyiuto, a third-year high school student, and her book published by Anvil is titled Flight to the Stars & Other Stories, composed of three stories that deal with teenage life with all its doubts, troubles and maturing despairs.
Get this. Samantha began writing short stories using a laptop at the age of six. She was barely 10 years old and already had three books published by Anvil, creating illustrations herself for her own tales of fantasy and magic, teeming with knights, dragons and other fantastical beings. The fourth one’s the charmer. Flight to the Stars is Samantha’s first book for young adults. Still those stories are replete with larger-than-life themes and concerns. In the titular story, things are not as simple as they seem. In Sapphire, a girl looks into a mirror and does not love what she sees. In The Purple Box, human life proves to be more than the sum of its years, days, hours, minutes and seconds.
Samantha may seem like an ordinary girl. She digs authors Enyd Blyton, Roald Dahl, Beverly Cleary, Stephenie Meyer and J.K. Rowling. Dreams of some-
day becoming a film writer and animation artist. Calls herself a certified computer and Facebook addict; adores music; loves swimming, badminton and ping-pong. But her favorite hobby is actually doodling.
“I can just fill up a page with random lines, squiggles or funny faces,” she explains. “I have also loved reading ever since I could remember. I have a feeling that I could read even before I could talk. I loved reading and collecting Archie comics. I would even arrange my comics by color, by volume or by issue. But then, after my comic craze period, I got into real books. The kind of books that really bring you into another world full of things that you can’t even imagine. The books I’ve read as a child made me think that I could go beyond boundaries and what I knew to be limits. Reading made me believe! Writing is also one of my oldest passions. I am not the kind of person who can express well by speaking so I do it through writing. Even until now, I can write a like 10-page letter to someone but in person, the conversation would probably end in like 10 seconds.”
As a child, she played with a box of Pokemon figures and made up stories. She also ran around in circles in a room, pretending to be an explorer or a superhero. “I never told these stories out loud, but I would just play them over and over in my head. Oftentimes my mom, Elena, and my sisters would catch me just spacing out and staring into space not knowing that this was when I got the craziest ideas for stories.”
Samantha wanted to keep track of all her ideas so she decided to write them down. But she said she had really ugly handwriting so used the PowerPoint program in her mom’s computer dabbling with ClipArt, different colors and fonts, creating worlds and more wonders.
She shares, “Writing gives me hope. You can have always that perfect happy ending, and that gives me kind of hope that there’s something better for me in this world. When you write, there are no boundaries. You can make people fly and dogs talk, or (imagine) the world (as) made up of cheese. Writing makes me believe that there are certainly no limits. I love writing stories because I’m free to think of any idea think of the wildest characters and just write about them. Finishing a story and even letting someone read it makes me think that there are people who want to listen to what I have to say. People care about what I think, about my opinions. That’s one of the best feelings in the world.”
The genesis of Flight to the Stars & Other Stories began in the summer of 2009.
“I had an idea and just started writing continuously despite how much I desired to start another story. And finishing the story was like winning a tournament or getting a high grade on an exam. My friends were actually more amazed at the fact that I actually finished a story than the fact that it’s going to be a book. This story turned out to be ‘The Purple Box.’ Just this summer, I (was in a) ‘writing mood’ again. I would stay up almost every day until 3 a.m. writing and writing and writing. I finished both ‘Flight to the Stars’ and ‘Sapphire.’”
It was grueling for her to write “Flight to the Stars” with its compelling pacing, its cinematic flash-backs and flash-forwards, as well as the complex familial issues confronted by the protagonist. Not only did Samantha develop a longish short story with such a complicated plot, she also tackled many experiences and situations she has never faced before.
“It was also emotionally-draining because the story deals with intense emotions that I couldn’t help but feel for the characters. This story is also my favorite one among the three. Well, aren’t the hardest things in life actually the things that you have the most fun doing? Finishing it was… well, words couldn’t even describe what I felt after writing that story. I usually could write only until three pages but I managed to write that much for this story. I think it’s the best one I’ve ever written and I hope that everyone would have as much fun reading it as I did writing it.”
Her mentors would be proud: Lara Saguisag who taught Samantha to love writing when she was nine, and Carla Pacis who taught Samantha the technical aspects of writing when she was 12.
“Lara Saguisag taught me that even though I was just a kid people do want to read what I have to say. She made me see writing as something ‘fun.’ I remember that (when) I wrote about dragons and knights, she even taught me how to draw a knight. I learned (from Carla Pacis) that I can’t just write anything on paper. There are certain technical aspects and elements that are crucial to a story. She also introduced me to so many other genres and she told me to not be afraid to go out of my comfort zone and write about something bigger. I consider myself one of the luckiest people ever to have the honor of being mentored by such experienced inspirational professionals.”
For Samantha, there is that goal to always improve and to get better ideas. “You challenge yourself to do something you’ve never done before; to write about things you’ve never experienced. You dare to do more.”
Born to serve
Samantha is a nationally-ranked junior tennis player who has already won several championships. She is ranked No. 4 in the 16-and-under age category.
She started playing at eight, began competing at 10, and is now chasing after her dream of becoming, say, the next Melissa Orteza, who is the first local tennis player to go to an Ivy League school as a tennis scholar.
“And she’s taking up medicine (as well). It’s amazing how she can balance both her training and her studies. It’s my dream to be as successful as her.”
Samantha also name-checks Roger Federer, as well as young Filipino tennis greats Nino Alcantara, Jeson Patrombon, and Regina Santiago. The young Coyiuto gets animated as she discusses the tennis coaches who have molded her into the player she is now.
“I’ve encountered a coach who would be so nice and joke around with all his students, and I’ve even met a coach who’d address all his students as, “Stupid.” But the best and my most beloved coach is Victoriano Nalus or more commonly known as “Coach Bubot.” Honestly, I was scared to death when I first met him. His voice kind of echoes throughout the whole tennis courts and he would practically be shouting more than half of the time each training. He would also curse most of the time and when you would commit a mistake he would say, ‘Anak ng…@U$#*$’ well I think you get the picture.”
The coach is also very frank and he isn’t afraid to criticize and point out one’s flaws. But after a while Samantha realized he’s not really the tough scary guy he seems to be. He actually cares for all his students. He doesn’t teach just for the money but because he really wants to see his students achieve something.
“I still remember after one of the hardest matches of my life, he went up to the court after the game, got all my stuff and gave me a hug. I’ve learned so much from him and I wouldn’t have become the player I am today without this guy. I think he’s one of the people who know the most about tennis in the Philippines! Coach Bubot has been a part of my life for almost the past five years and he is one of the most important people to me. He’s one of the craziest people I know his jokes would make you laugh until your sides hurt and I think that’s why we get along well.”
Let’s make it tough for Samantha. Make her choose which she prefers tennis or writing?
Tennis, she says, has taught her to accept defeat.
She explains, “I used to be so terrified to just go in the tennis court but now I just think to myself that the worst possible thing that could happen is for me to lose. What’s wrong with that? We can’t all win all the time. Losing makes us stronger and wiser. If we’re afraid to lose, then we’re afraid to grow. Tennis has also taught me to forgive and forget. After a person has crushed you and toppled all your hopes of winning, you still manage to put on a smile, shake the person’s hand and say, ‘Nice game.’ The world would be a better place if anytime a person has hurt us, we would just smile and just say, ‘Nice game.’”
Writing, says Samantha, is another story, since you’re not actually competing with anyone else but yourself.
“Any one can write. It is not like a superhero ability that is only endowed to those ‘worthy.’ We all have ideas and opinions and there is always someone who wants to hear them. Do not be afraid to write because there’s nothing to be ashamed of. People have their opinions but what’s more important is that you did something meaningful.”
Samantha Mae Coyiuto concludes, “Writing is everlasting. It makes you immortal. We have books from thousands of years back and these authors have become household names. Writing can also change the world. You can educate people through writing and make a difference in this world we live in. A writer can be the savior of our society.”
Yes, Samantha. And a writer can take us on a flight path to the stars.
On being a smashing success
Samantha’s zen of tennis
Tennis teaches you the value of determination. If you want to win, you need to focus at your main goal and strive for it. It also teaches me the harsh cruelties of karma. If you’re lazy to train or to stay fit, it’s a guarantee that you’re going to fall flat on your face. You also get to accept that no matter what, there will always be someone better than you. This is why no matter how good you are, you still have to stay humble. Even if you’re the top in the whole country, there’s still going to be the top player in the whole world. Tennis isn’t only a physical sport, it is also emotionally and mentally draining. You have to work every part of your body while you’re in the court. It teaches you how to multi-task actually. You should think, run, hit, and remain calm all at the same time. It also teaches you to remain objective and look at situations from all perspectives. No matter where tennis may lead me, I would never regret taking up the sport.
On the write stuff
Samantha on why the first line is the deepest
The opening line of a story is one of the most crucial elements. Some readers would immediately stop reading once they see that the opening sentence is dragging or boring. I usually start with a precise state-
ment that actually gives the gist of the story. The first line of the story draws the readers and have them craving for more. If one starts a story with an opening line like this, “When I woke up this morning, I brushed my teeth, went back to sleep, combed my hair, went to the restroom, ate a bagel, walked to school….” I would certainly get tired of reading such a long and dragging first sentence. People’s attention spans are not that long so you need to immediately grab the readers with your opening line.
What’s in a name
For me, the hardest is the title. I usually take more time in thinking of the title than writing the story. The readers see the title first and it is their very first impression of the book. The title needs to capture the
essence of the book and at the same time must be catchy. If for example I named Sapphire, “The Girl Who is Conscious About Her Weight and Has to Deal with Peer Pressure and Bullying in High School,” I wouldn’t even consider recommending it to others because it would be so tiring to remember and to say all those words.
Getting into character
The characters in the story are not exactly based on people, or allude to anyone I really know. But I’ve encountered some people who exhibit some of the same character traits. When I thought of the characters in
a story, they’re sort of a mix of the people I know, have observed and read about. The dialogue especially in “Sapphire” is how a lot of my classmates or my friends talk. Since the characters in the story are high school students, it’s easier for me to relate to, and to (create) lines similar to our actual conversations at school. When Sapphire asks, “What’s up?” and the other character (responds by pointing up) is a (private) joke among my friends.
Advice to the young at art
My teachers introduced me to writing ever since I was just in kinder. In school, teachers usually give topics (for students to develop). This helps me focus, learn how to write consistently and to actu
ally finish what I’ve started. To every student out there, all those reflection papers, journals, compositions do pay off!
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Samantha Mae Coyiuto’s Flight to the Stars & Other Stories will be launched at National Book Store in Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center on Oct. 2.
