THE CENTER for Creative Writing and Literary Studies (CCWLS) of the University of Santo Tomas, with the UST Department of Literature, will hold “Writing in Exile: A Conversation with Filipino- Canadian Fictionist Miguel Syjuco” on May 4, 3-5 p.m., at the Tanghalang Teresita Quirino, G/F Benavides Bldg., UST, España, Manila.

Event is part of the CCWLS’ International Writers and Scholars Series, which consists of formal lectures and informal conversations. Past speakers include Filipino writers based abroad such as Ninotchka Rosca, Sabina Murray, Gina Apostol, Cecilia Manguerra Brainard, R. Zamora Linmark, Marivi Soliven, Lara Stapleton, M. Evelina Galang, Fidelito Cortes, Nerissa Balce, Amalia Bueno and Robert Nery. For- eign writers have also taken part in the series, such as Tim Tomlinson, Dennis Haskell and XuXi.

Syjuco is the grand prize winner of the 2008 Man Asian Literary Prize for his debut novel, “Ilustrado,” which also won the Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction. “Ilustrado” was also a finalist in the Amazon First Novel Award, Grand Prix du Livre de Montreal, Prix Jan Michalski, Prix Courrier International, PremioVon Rezzori and Commonwealth First Book Prize for the Canada and Caribbean region. It has been translated into more than 15 languages. His second novel, “I Was The President’s Mistress!! A Celebrity Tell-All Memoir,” is forthcoming.

Syjuco was a Radcliffe fellow at Harvard University, a writer-in-residence at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, and a visiting professor at New York University in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He has received fellowships from the Civitella Ranieri Foundation and the Santa Maddalena Foundation and grants from the Adelaide International Scholarship, Canada Council for the Arts and Quebec Arts Council.

Event is open to the public. Call 4061611 local 8281.