Lourd de Veyra

Lourd went to Quirino Elementary School for grade school, Letran for high school, and UST for college. He started his master’s in creative writing twice (once in UP, the other time in UST) but only finished two semesters for both.

His interest in writing started only on his second year in college. “Sit in lang ako sa creative writing class niya, and then the gates of heaven opened,” he reveals about the late Ophelia Dimalanta, the professor who changed his life. “She both demystifies and mystifies literature. Yun yung klase na sabi ko parang wala na akong ibang gustong gawin sa buhay ko kundi magsulat.” Until he found out later on, “ang hirap pala magsulat.” Lourd wrote an essay about her which he finished before she passed away, but was always too shy to show it to her. “She never got to read it, which is my great guilt in life.”

When asked what more he wants to achieve in his life, he says: “Super cheesy, but after age 25, tumigil na ako magplano ng buhay.”

Interview via Bianca Gonzales for philstar.com