Conchitina Cruz
Encyclopedia
Conchitina R. Cruz is a Filipina poet who teaches creative writing
and comparative literature
at the University of the Philippines
in Diliman.
Formerly an INTARMED student, Cruz shifted to the University of the Philippines' Creative Writing
program, from which she graduated magna cum laude and College of Arts and Letters valedictorian
in 1998.
While on a Fulbright grant, she studied and taught at the University of Pittsburgh
, Pennsylvania
, where she received her MFA
in Writing.
Her works include Disappear, a chapbook
published in 2005 by High Chair, and Dark Hours, published in 2005 by The University of the Philippines Press. She is also the youngest poet in the anthology A Habit of Shores, the third part in Gémino H. Abad's three-volume collection of one hundred years of Philippine poetry and verse.
Some of her works have also appeared in Mid-American Review
, Indiana Review
, Philippine Studies and the online journal High Chair. In September 2006, Dark Hours was reviewed by Andy Brown, the creative writing program director at the University of Exeter
.
Cruz has won two Palanca Awards
to date, one in 1996 for "Second Skin" and another in 2001 for "The Shortest Distance". Her book Dark Hours won the 2006 National Book Award
for Poetry.
Creative writing
Creative writing is considered to be any writing, fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature. Works which fall into this category include novels, epics, short stories, and poems...
and comparative literature
Comparative literature
Comparative literature is an academic field dealing with the literature of two or more different linguistic, cultural or national groups...
at the University of the Philippines
University of the Philippines
The ' is the national university of the Philippines. Founded in 1908 through Act No...
in Diliman.
Formerly an INTARMED student, Cruz shifted to the University of the Philippines' Creative Writing
Creative writing
Creative writing is considered to be any writing, fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature. Works which fall into this category include novels, epics, short stories, and poems...
program, from which she graduated magna cum laude and College of Arts and Letters valedictorian
Valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
in 1998.
While on a Fulbright grant, she studied and taught at the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, where she received her MFA
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
in Writing.
Her works include Disappear, a chapbook
Chapbook
A chapbook is a pocket-sized booklet. The term chap-book was formalized by bibliophiles of the 19th century, as a variety of ephemera , popular or folk literature. It includes many kinds of printed material such as pamphlets, political and religious tracts, nursery rhymes, poetry, folk tales,...
published in 2005 by High Chair, and Dark Hours, published in 2005 by The University of the Philippines Press. She is also the youngest poet in the anthology A Habit of Shores, the third part in Gémino H. Abad's three-volume collection of one hundred years of Philippine poetry and verse.
Some of her works have also appeared in Mid-American Review
Mid-American Review
Mid-American Review is an international literary journal dedicated to publishing contemporary fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and translations. Founded in 1981, MAR is a publication of the Department of English and the College of Arts & Sciences at Bowling Green State University...
, Indiana Review
Indiana Review
Indiana Review ' is a small, student-run literary magazine at Indiana University. Founded in 1976, it has a circulation of about 2,000.A biannual review, IR publishes essays, fiction, graphic arts, interviews, poetry, and reviews...
, Philippine Studies and the online journal High Chair. In September 2006, Dark Hours was reviewed by Andy Brown, the creative writing program director at the University of Exeter
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
.
Cruz has won two Palanca Awards
Palanca Awards
The Palanca Awards or Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature is the Philippines' most prestigious and most enduring literary awards and is dubbed as the "Pulitzer Prize" of the Philippines...
to date, one in 1996 for "Second Skin" and another in 2001 for "The Shortest Distance". Her book Dark Hours won the 2006 National Book Award
Philippine National Book Awards
The Philippine National Book Awards, or simply the National Book Awards, is a Philippine literary award sponsored by the NBDB and the MCC . It is the national book award of the Philippines...
for Poetry.