Jason Tanamor

Last updated
Jason Tanamor
Photo of Jason Tanamor.jpg
Born (1975-04-25) April 25, 1975 (age 47)
Iowa City, Iowa
Occupation
  • Writer
  • novelist
Alma mater Western Illinois University
Period2001–present
Genre Dark fiction, horror, psychological thriller, suspense, satirical, comedy, urban fantasy, young adult
Notable worksLove, Dance & Egg Rolls, Vampires of Portlandia, Anonymous, Drama Dolls
SpouseMarried since 2006
Children1
Signature
Jason Tanamor Signature.png
Website
tanamor.com

Jason Tanamor (born April 25, 1975) is a Filipino-American author, writer, and entertainment interviewer. He and his books have been featured in many publications such as Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Yahoo!, Esquire (Philippines), [1] CNN Philippines, [2] Daily Inquirer (Philippines), and Daily Tribune (Philippines). Tanamor also is ranked in the Favorite Filipino and Filipino-American Author poll at Ranker. [3] He was named as one of the "5 Best Modern Filipino Writers" by Pinas magazine. [4]

Contents

His novels range in genre, from dark in nature to satirical and from young adult to children's. His novel, a NA urban fantasy about Filipino folklore (aswang) called Vampires of Portlandia, touches upon his love for campy horror stories. "It’s not really a fascination but I do love the genre, but mixed with dark humor or comedy, which includes the shows 'Supernatural' and 'Grimm', and the movies 'The Lost Boys' and 'Beetlejuice'. The new novel is a mashup of these shows and movies." [5] It was recently optioned for screen and is currently in development. [6]

Tanamor's newest effort, a YA titled Love, Dance & Egg Rolls is set in Portland during the Trump Administration and follows high school sophomore, Jamie, whose sole purpose in life is to become the next Tinikling master. (Tinikling is the national dance of the Philippines.) [7] On May 10, 2022, the day it debuted, Powell's Books picked it as a "Pick of the Month."

His two novels, Anonymous and Drama Dolls, have received critical acclaim from major publications such as Publishers Weekly – who called him a "promising writer with lots of potential" and compared him to Chuck Palahniuk and Charles Bukowski [8] – and Audio Book Reviewer. [9]

Biography

Tanamor is from the Quad-Cities (Iowa/Illinois) and is the middle child of three boys of Filipino parents. Asked how he ended up in Illinois, he quipped that his parents ran out of gas. A few more dollars and he could have been from St. Louis. In regard to the diverse nature of his books, he didn't want to be known for being one-dimensional. The world doesn't need another John Grisham novel – they're all about law. [10]

He is a former contract specialist for the United States Department of Defense. [11] His former agency, Army Contracting Command at Rock Island Arsenal [12] in Rock Island, IL, was the focal point of the 2016 movie War Dogs. His former team, Field Support Directorate, won the 2016 Secretary of the Army Excellence in Contracting Award for Contingency Contracting. [13]

In his free time, he has contributed to numerous publications including Yahoo! and Cinema Blend, [14]

Tanamor also has covered President Obama when he spoke at Alcoa Davenport Works as a part of the White House Press Pool.

Prior to working for the United States Department of Defense, Tanamor grew up doing stand-up comedy idolizing Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno. He then transitioned into writing. Since then, he's been juggling full-time employment with writing novels. [10] Tanamor does this by maintaining a strict routine. "Once I start writing, I make time in the morning, usually around 3:30–5:00 am. Sometimes throughout the day on weekends, but generally I feel motivated early. I have a certain spot on the couch where I sit with my laptop, one of my cats, and coffee." [15]

Tanamor was married in 2006. [16]

He currently lives and works in the Portland, Oregon area, but still keeps a house in Illinois, [17] which was built for John Shields by Rock Island famed architect, George Stauduhar of the Stauduhar House, and was formerly owned by New York Giants football player, George Franck.

The house is located in the Highland Park Historic District in Rock Island, Illinois. [18]

Journalism

Western Courier

In December 2001, Tanamor began writing for The Western Courier, the student newspaper at his alma mater, Western Illinois University, in Macomb, Illinois. After one of his first humor/entertainment columns appeared, a Macomb resident wrote in to the editor stating that Tanamor was embarrassing the community by writing babble, instead of contributing columns with insight. The concerned citizen said that Tanamor had an "amateurish level of writing skills." Tanamor continued to write for the paper until December 2002, when he graduated. [19]

Just Laugh

From December 2001 to September 2003, Tanamor expanded his reach by contributing to the Internet humor magazine, Just Laugh. There, he wrote comedic opinion pieces and fictitious news stories. [20]

Rock Island Argus

From April 2003 to May 2009, Tanamor contributed regularly to The Rock Island Argus newspaper. At the publication, he covered the comedy beat for the Quad-Cities. [21]

Zoiks! Online

In August 2004, Tanamor started the entertainment website, Zoiks! Online. The first edition ran for almost 18 months. However, his busy schedule put the website on the back burner. According to the Moline Dispatch, "when he went back to relaunch the site, he found he'd forgotten his password, as well as the answers to the security questions he'd made up, and the site's host, Yahoo! wouldn't reveal them, despite his efforts." Tanamor stated that although losing his password sucked, he could definitely vouch for Yahoo!'s security. Ultimately, Tanamor ended up re-launching the site later in October 2008. [21]

In May 2009, Zoiks! Online teamed up with the comedy website, The Laugh Button. While The Laugh Button was tapped to provide comedy bits via video and audio clips, Zoiks! Online would manage the website side by providing written interviews of comedians that The Laugh Button featured. Tanamor stated that both Zoiks! Online and The Laugh Button shared a passion for stand-up comedy. "When we started talking, we realized that there were a lot of synergies between Zoiks! and TLB. It was no-brainer to work together." [22]

On December 31, 2016, Tanamor resigned [23] as editor of Zoiks! Online.

Novels

Tanamor stated, in regard to his readership for his dark novels, that his books are for those who relate to unusual characters and plots, such as those found in Chuck Palahniuk, Gillian Flynn, and Charles Bukowski books. [24] Also, that he is inspired by people who are "messed up," saying that these types of individuals make his life feel normal. "I wanted to write a book with stories that people like to hear, but don't necessarily like to tell". [25] Since then, he's gone onto write lighter works.

Love, Dance & Egg Rolls

"If we can get more stories and people who can make differences, such as authors writing OwnVoices stories, I think we’ll begin to see a shift in industries that can depict people of color in a more positive light."

—Jason Tanamor [26]

The YA rom-com novel, Love, Dance & Egg Rolls, is loosely based on Tanamor’s time dancing Filipino folk dances... The novel tackles a topic that people of color go through regularly—cultural identity... “I wanted to write a story about my experience because growing up, I didn’t see characters that looked like me,” he said. “Most of the stories in the past that I’ve written were either white or faceless because I didn’t think that people of color deserved to be main characters. It was something that media and society had conditioned me growing up.” [27] Booklist reviewed the book and, in regards to the seriousness of the topic, said,"...Tanamor balances the serious subject matter with keen humor... making this book both impactful and fun."

Vampires of Portlandia

The new adult/urban fantasy novel, Vampires of Portlandia, is about a family of Filipino vampires that immigrates to the weird city of Portland, Oregon, only to discover that there are other breeds of monsters living amongst them. The novel will appeal to fans of The Twilight Saga and the television show, Grimm . The book will be published by Parliament House Press, a SFF publisher. [28] Tanamor said about the novel, "I’d always wanted to write about Filipino lore (my parents are from the Philippines), and when I moved to Portland, I discovered this entirely different world downtown. It all made sense to have the family relocate. [29] In an interview with GoodNews Pilipinas, regarding the characters, Tanamor said, "The main characters are homogenized versions of various Filipinos I know, either friends of the family or relatives. I’d based the young twin, Geena, off my niece when she was the same age as the character. Overall, I think that each character has a little bit of me in them. But, mostly Filipinos have similar traits – they point with their lips, and are always offering you food." [30] Regarding the folklore and staying true, Tanamor told Sci-Fi and Scary, "The thing with aswang folklore is that there aren’t a lot of “standards” outside their physical traits. There are so many different interpretations, different ways to become an aswang, or kill them, unlike what we see in Hollywood renditions. My hope is to introduce the folklore to the mainstream and encourage other stories about Filipino folklore and culture. Whether or not they stick to the lore." [31] Asian Journal listed the book as a "Fil-Am book to read during Summer 2020." [32] And bestselling author, John Shirley, said the novel "rocks Filipino folklore, shape shifters, vampires, and quick moving, tricksy, balls-out adventure, and it's a helluva lot of fun." [33] Publishers Weekly wrote "...creative worldbuilding of Portland’s supernatural underworld...the most devoted vampire enthusiasts will find this rewarding." [34] And Library Journal said about the book: "Those who enjoy the “Twilight” books or TV series “Grimm” may find this entertaining. Portland enthusiasts will also appreciate the references." [35]

Drama Dolls

The dark humor/psychological thriller, Drama Dolls, was born after Tanamor watched a documentary about grown men dressing up as dolls and going out in public. Tanamor said, "During the interview, it was clear that in their minds they thought everyone was staring at them because they were beautiful, but then the juxtaposition was the majority of people who were going, 'What is that?'"

He thought about why men would act out in this manner, chocking up that a death of a spouse may trigger this behavior. This kicked his thought process into gear and the result was a story about a man who grieves his wife unnaturally by dressing as cheerleaders with his friends. [11]

Anonymous

The literary/horror novel, Anonymous, was the result of an online course facilitated by Palahniuk, where students had to write a short story based on writing lessons and the Fight Club (novel) author would offer feedback at the end of each lesson. [36] Tanamor stated that each short story shared a common theme and eventually became the novel. One such story involves a man who impersonated Britney Spears' manager in order to embezzle money from restaurants. [11]

The novel received a Star Review from Publishers Weekly.

The Extraordinary Life of Shady Gray

For his young adult novel, The Extraordinary Life of Shady Gray, Tanamor referred to it as his "Oprah" story, stating that the novel will encourage readers to appreciate their own families. [37] Referring to this book as a fictional biography, whereas many of the past events in his real life are played out through the main protagonist's life, he went on to state how personal the events were in his childhood, which made writing the novel a challenge.

"When I was trying to engage myself as young Jason Tanamor it was often difficult to get back in that frame of mind or recall specific emotions that surrounded that experience." [38] He stated that the bulk of this novel was written during the DoD Furlough which resulted in United States budget sequestration in 2013. [12]

Hello Fabulous!

The satirical novella, Hello Fabulous!, is loosely based on a real life story involving Tanamor and his doppelganger. The author was continually getting confused with his twin by random people – mostly women – and even his twin's own mother. The long drawn out process resulted in the novella about a straight, boring man who was continuously being mixed up for a gay, fabulous man. Tanamor stated that writing out the story was therapeutic. The two eventually met in real life. [10]

I Heart Superhero Kid

The children's superhero themed book was illustrated by Tanamor's son. The story revolves around a battle between Superhero Kid and Evil Man, written in rhyming verse. According to a Rock Island Argus story, Tanamor said that the book surrounds a hero, his arch-enemy, talking cats, and a girl with a crush. "People are fascinated with superheroes. Me included. Since I was a child, there was this secret obsession with having super powers," Tanamor said.

In regard to the book's audience, Tanamor stated, "I love superhero stories that have real world implications... When people can relate to the storyline, it gives readers hope that they can conquer their own complex situations or battles." [39]

Tanamor stated that the inspiration behind the children's superhero book came from his work with the United States Department of the Army. [40]

Moo Moo the Serial Killer Cat

Tanamor's cat, Moo Moo, has brought in many animals for his parents to enjoy. After the cat brought in a headless bunny, Tanamor started sharing the kills on social media. "Part of the reason I started posting them was mainly to document our life in case he was practicing his craft," he said. [41]

"If Moo Moo decided to kill my wife and me, I at least wanted Facebook to know where to look first. When people say, 'It's always the boyfriend,' in this case, 'It's definitely the cat.'"

When the posts became popular, Tanamor put them together and wrote a rhyming story around it.

All the proceeds of the book go to the local shelter where Tanamor adopted Moo Moo. "I know how much help the shelters need," he said. "I figure this would be a good way to donate to an important cause and make it fun." Each book comes "paw-tographed" by Moo Moo. [41]

Awards and recognition

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vampire literature</span> Speculative literary genre

Vampire literature covers the spectrum of literary work concerned principally with the subject of vampires. The literary vampire first appeared in 18th-century poetry, before becoming one of the stock figures of gothic fiction with the publication of Polidori's The Vampyre (1819), which was inspired by the life and legend of Lord Byron. Later influential works include the penny dreadful Varney the Vampire (1847); Sheridan Le Fanu's tale of a lesbian vampire, Carmilla (1872), and the most well known: Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897). Some authors created a more "sympathetic vampire", with Varney being the first, and Anne Rice's 1976 novel Interview with the Vampire as a more recent example.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carl Reiner</span> American actor (1922–2020)

Carl Reiner was an American actor, stand-up comedian, director, screenwriter, and author whose career spanned seven decades. He was the recipient of many awards and honors, including 11 Primetime Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. He was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1999.

<i>Salems Lot</i> 1975 novel by Stephen King

'Salem's Lot is a 1975 horror novel by American author Stephen King. It was his second published novel. The story involves a writer named Ben Mears who returns to the town of Jerusalem's Lot in Maine, where he lived from the age of five through nine, only to discover that the residents are becoming vampires. The town is revisited in the short stories "Jerusalem's Lot" and "One for the Road", both from King's story collection Night Shift (1978). The novel was nominated for the World Fantasy Award in 1976 and the Locus Award for the All-Time Best Fantasy Novel in 1987.

<i>Manananggal</i> Vampire-like creature from Philippine folklore

The manananggal is a mythical creature in the Philippines that separates from their lower part of its body and their fangs and wings give it a vampire-like appearance.

<i>The Lost Boys</i> 1987 American horror comedy film

The Lost Boys is a 1987 American supernatural black comedy horror film directed by Joel Schumacher, produced by Harvey Bernhard with a screenplay written by Jeffrey Boam, Janice Fischer and James Jeremias, from a story by Fischer and Jeremias. The film's ensemble cast includes Corey Haim, Jason Patric, Kiefer Sutherland, Jami Gertz, Corey Feldman, Dianne Wiest, Edward Herrmann, Billy Wirth, Brooke McCarter, Alex Winter, Jamison Newlander, and Barnard Hughes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aswang</span> Philippine mythical creature

Aswang is an umbrella term for various shape-shifting evil creatures in Filipino folklore, such as vampires, ghouls, witches, viscera suckers, and transforming human-beast hybrids. The aswang is the subject of a wide variety of myths, stories, arts, and films, as it is well known throughout the Philippines. Spanish colonists noted that the aswang was the most feared among the mythical creatures of the Philippines, even in the 16th century. Although with no specific motive other than harming others, their behavior can be interpreted as an inversion of the traditional Filipino's values. The aswang is especially popular in southern parts of Luzon, and some parts of Mindanao and Visayas, especially the Visayan province of Capiz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine mythology</span> Body of myths, tales, and superstitions held by Filipinos

Philippine mythology is the body of stories and epics originating from, and part of, the indigenous Philippine folk religions, which include various ethnic faiths distinct from one another. Philippine mythology is incorporated from various sources, having similarities with Indonesian and Malay myths, as well as Hindu, Muslim, Shinto, Buddhist, and Christian traditions, such as the notion of heaven, hell, and the human soul. Philippine mythology attempts to explain the nature of the world through the lives and actions of heroes, deities, and mythological creatures. The majority of these myths were passed on through oral tradition, and preserved through the aid of community spiritual leaders or shamans and community elders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carrie Brownstein</span> American musician, writer, and actress

Carrie Rachel Brownstein is an American musician, actress, writer, director, and comedian. She first came to prominence as a member of the band Excuse 17 before forming the rock trio Sleater-Kinney. During a long hiatus from Sleater-Kinney, she formed the group Wild Flag. During this period, Brownstein wrote and appeared in a series of comedy sketches alongside Saturday Night Live alumnus Fred Armisen which were developed into the satirical comedy TV series Portlandia. The series went on to win Emmy and Peabody Awards. Sleater-Kinney eventually reunited; as of 2015, Brownstein was touring with the band as well as in support of her new memoir.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Armisen</span> American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and musician (born 1966)

Fereydun Robert Armisen is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and musician. With his comedy partner Carrie Brownstein, Armisen was the co-creator and co-star of the IFC sketch comedy series Portlandia. He also co-created and stars in the mockumentary IFC series Documentary Now! (2015–present) alongside Bill Hader and Seth Meyers as well as the Showtime comedy series Moonbase 8 (2020–present) alongside John C. Reilly and Tim Heidecker. He voiced Speedy Gonzales on The Looney Tunes Show (2011–2013). Armisen founded ThunderAnt.com, a website that features the comedy sketches created with Brownstein, and is the bandleader and frequent drummer for the Late Night with Seth Meyers house band, The 8G Band. Armisen is also well-known for his time on the NBC late-night comedy and variety show Saturday Night Live.

<i>Vampire in Brooklyn</i> 1995 American dark comedy horror film by Wes Craven

Vampire in Brooklyn is a 1995 American dark comedy horror film directed by Wes Craven. It stars Eddie Murphy, who produced and wrote with his brothers Vernon Lynch and Charles Q. Murphy. The film co-stars Angela Bassett, Allen Payne, Kadeem Hardison, John Witherspoon, Zakes Mokae, and Joanna Cassidy. Murphy also plays an alcoholic preacher, Pauly, and a foul-mouthed Italian-American mobster, Guido, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Zweibel</span> American author, playwright, screenwriter, producer, director, actor, and comedian

Alan Zweibel is an American television writer, author, playwright, and screenwriter whom TheNew York Times says has “earned a place in the pantheon of American pop culture." An original Saturday Night Live writer, Zweibel has won five Emmy Awards and two Writers Guild of America Awards for his work in television, which includes It's Garry Shandling's Show and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Rich</span> American humorist, novelist, and television writer

Simon Rich is an American humorist, novelist, and screenwriter. He has published two novels and six collections of humor pieces, several of which appeared in The New Yorker. His novels and short stories have been translated into over a dozen languages. Rich was one of the youngest writers ever hired on Saturday Night Live, and served as a staff writer for Pixar. On January 14, 2015, Man Seeking Woman, a television comedy series created by Rich premiered on the cable channel FXX.

The Tiyanak is a vampiric creature in Philippine mythology that takes on the form of a toddler or baby. Although there are various types, it typically takes the form of a newborn baby and cries in the jungle to attract unwary travelers. Once it is picked up by an unfortunate passerby, it reverts to its true form and attacks the victim. The tiyanak is also depicted to take malevolent delight in leading travelers astray, or in abducting children.

M. T. Anderson's Thrilling Tales, also known as Pals in Peril, is a series of children's novels by M. T. Anderson. They are part satire of, and part homage to, classic science fiction and action comic books and children's mystery and adventure series like The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew or Tom Swift. The black-and-white interior illustrations in the series are done by Kurt Cyrus. They are written for somewhat younger readers than Anderson's other books.

<i>Aswang</i> (1994 film) 1994 American film

Aswang, also called The Unearthing, is a 1994 American horror film directed and written Wrye Martin and Barry Poltermann. It is based on the mythical creature that feeds on the unborn in Philippine folklore, with the screenplay written following a story telling session by Frank L. Anderson, who was a friend of the filmmakers. The movie was written by amateur directors Wyre Martin and Barry Poltermann and shot with a low budget, while actors were paid just $50 a day with the expectation they would receive a cut of any future profit. Many of the actors were cast from Milwaukee theater group Theater X, most of who had never acted in a film before.

Portlandia is an American sketch comedy television series starring Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein, set in and around Portland, Oregon, and spoofing the city's reputation as a haven for eccentric hipsters. The show was produced by Broadway Video Television and IFC Original Productions. It was created by Armisen and Brownstein, along with Jonathan Krisel, who directs it. It debuted on IFC on January 21, 2011.

<i>Wildwood</i> (novel) 2011 novel by Colin Meloy

Wildwood: The Wildwood Chronicles, Book 1 is a 2011 children's fantasy novel by The Decemberists' Colin Meloy, illustrated by his wife Carson Ellis. The 541-page novel, inspired by classic fantasy novels and folk tales, is the story of two seventh-graders who are drawn into a hidden, magical forest, while trying to rescue a baby kidnapped by crows. They get caught up in an epic struggle, and learn of their connection to a magical parallel world while confronting adult authorities who are often cowardly or dishonest. The natural beauty and local color of Portland, Oregon, features prominently in the book.

The Mandurugo is a mythical being from Philippine folklore, similar to a vampire.

<i>Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles</i> 2012 Filipino film

Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles is a 2012 Filipino action comedy horror adventure film written and directed by Erik Matti. The film stars Dingdong Dantes, Lovi Poe, Joey Marquez, Janice de Belen and Roi Vinzon. Dingdong Dantes' company AgostoDos Pictures also served as one of the producers. The film is the first full-length Filipino film entirely shot on green screen chroma key. The film received mixed to positive reviews from critics who praised its visual effects while criticizing the plot. Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles was followed up with a sequel Kubot: The Aswang Chronicles 2 in 2014, which was also directed by Matti. The movie was produced by GMA Pictures.

<i>Hello, Universe</i> 2017 novel written by Erin Entrada Kelly

Hello, Universe is a 2017 novel written by Erin Entrada Kelly. The novel is told from the perspectives of four middle school students as one of them becomes trapped in a well. Hello, Universe won the 2018 Newbery Medal.

References

  1. "A Family of Aswangs Moves to the U.S. In This Riveting Novel".
  2. "Creators' roundtable: How to make it in komiks".
  3. "Favorite Filipino and Filipino-American Author".
  4. "5 Best Modern Filipino Writers". 5 September 2020.
  5. "'Aswang' in America: Fil-American author Jason Tanamor unveils horror novel 'Vampires in Portlandia'".
  6. Star, FilAm (September 17, 2021). "Not just another lumpia story". filamstar.
  7. "Former Rock Island author pens new Filipino young-adult book". 21 September 2021.
  8. "Fiction Book Review: Fiction by H Anonymous. Jason Tanamor. Zoiks! Online Books, $12.95 paper (210p) ISBN 978-1-4348-3828-5". March 2008.
  9. "Drama Dolls by Jason Tanamor | Audio Book Reviewer". audiobookreviewer.com. Archived from the original on 2016-06-01.
  10. 1 2 3 http://www.tomboy-tarts.com/ep-28-writers-block-jason-tanamor/ [ dead link ]
  11. 1 2 3 "Author Tanamor inspired by bizarre true stories".
  12. 1 2 http://www.fedsmith.com/2013/08/19/how-one-federal-employee-used-furlough-days-to-his-advantage/ [ bare URL ]
  13. http://asc.army.mil/web/news-army-announces-excellence-in-contracting-awards/ [ dead link ]
  14. "Interview: Dollhouse's Miracle Laurie". 22 November 2009.
  15. "Write Now with Jason Tanamor". November 2020.
  16. "Martin-Tanamor".
  17. "'Like living in a 1950s neighborhood'".
  18. "Home". highlandparkri.com.
  19. "Courier columns should have insight, not confusing babble".
  20. "Jason Tanamor » Just Laugh Contributors".
  21. 1 2 "Zoiks! Local humor writer brings laughs to new site".
  22. "Moline author teams up with comedy Web site".
  23. http://bbcrecordlondon.com/live/11-world/114783-jason-tanamor-resigns-as-editor-of-zoiks-online.html [ dead link ]
  24. "BookView with Jason Tanamor, author of Drama Dolls | the IndieView".
  25. "Author Alliance – Author Resources, Writing Tools & Book Promotion". Archived from the original on 2016-08-18. Retrieved 2016-07-21.
  26. Holmes, Anton (July 12, 2021). "Creators' roundtable: How to make it in komiks". CNN Philippines. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  27. "Former Rock Island author pens new Filipino young-adult book". 21 September 2021.
  28. "Fantasy & Sci-Fi Publisher | The Parliament House". www.parliamenthousepress.com. Archived from the original on 2019-08-15.
  29. "Jason Tanamor". 7 September 2019.
  30. "Parliament House publishes Jason Tanamor's "Vampires of Portlandia", 1st novel with Filipino characters". 9 February 2020.
  31. "Jason Tanamor #Interview". 25 March 2020.
  32. "Fil-Am books to read during summer 2020 —". 20 May 2020.
  33. "Jason Tanamor - Author of "Vampires of Portlandia": Vampires of Portlandia". www.tanamor.com. Archived from the original on 2020-04-10.
  34. "Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror Book Review: Vampires of Portlandia by Jason Tanamor. The Parliament House, $6.99 e-book (422p) ISBN 978-0578-67497-1".
  35. "Library Journal".
  36. "Stream Anonymous Interview With I Was A Teenage Podcast by Jason Tanamor | Listen online for free on SoundCloud".
  37. "Jason Tanamor takes on dysfunctional family in coming-of-age novel". The Filam.
  38. "Jason Tanamor (And contest winner announcement)". 27 October 2013.
  39. "Rock Island author partners with son on children's book".
  40. "Who's in the news? Jason Tanamor | Local News | qctimes.com".
  41. 1 2 "Book about 'serial killer' cat to benefit Q-C shelter".
  42. "Favorite Filipino and Filipino-American Author".
  43. "5 Best Modern Filipino Writers". 5 September 2020.
  44. "Fil-Ams Among the Remarkable and Famous, Part 29".