Joseph Anthony Montecillo launches collection of horror fiction

Writer Joseph Anthony Montecillo is celebrating the release of his debut collection of short

fiction, In the Blood and Other Stories. A launch event marking the occasion is set to be held at

Palm Tree Abbey, November 24, from 4-7 PM. The launch will include a program with first

come, first served limited seating, followed by a book signing open to all attendees. Copies of

the book will also be available to purchase at the venue at a discounted rate.

Published by the University of the Philippines Press, the collection collates fourteen of

Montecillo’s short stories released over a decade of writing. This is the first time the stories have

been collected into a single volume. All the stories had previously been published in anthologies

such as the Philippine Speculative Fiction series or magazines such as Philippines Graphic or

The Sunday Times Magazine.

Included in the collection are the titular story, “In the Blood,” about a mother trying to keep her

sons from following in the steps of their serial killer father. In “Pressure and Release,” the stress

of an EDSA traffic jam finally overwhelms an everyday bus driver. In “The Forgotten Bones,” a

man who lives in a cemetery has an unexpected experience between the rows of tombs.

“I’ve been fascinated by horror for as long as I can remember,” said Montecillo. “It’s always

appealed to me and it’s no shock that my work moved in that direction through the years. I hope

that this collection makes for an exciting addition to the long tradition of horror here in the

Philippines.”

Joseph Anthony Montecillo made his first professional fiction sale at the age of 12. In the time

since, he has published over 20 short stories, many of which feature dark or macabre subject

matter. Outside of his writing ventures though, he regularly performs as a stand-up comedian

around Metro Manila.

For Montecillo, the connection between the two is natural. “I’m far from the first comedian to

work in the horror field,” he said. “Both deal in instant feedback and the goal of leaving an

intense and immediate sensation upon the audience. They go hand in hand in a lot of ways, and

sometimes that comes across in a few stories in the collection.”

In the Blood and Other Stories is now available for purchase from UP Press’ on campus and

online stores, as well as their stores on Shopee and Lazada.