I’m Elmer Bautista Gomez, a reader focused on literary fiction, narrative structure, and the craft of storytelling. I approach books as designed systems of language, form, and intent.
How I read
I read with attention to how a work is made. Structure, pacing, point of view, and sentence-level decisions matter to me because they determine how meaning accumulates over time. Rather than beginning with theory, I start with the text—recurring patterns, shifts in narrative pressure, and decisions that guide a reader’s experience.
My background is in graphic design and information technology. Design trained me to notice composition, balance, and form; programming trained me to think in systems, dependencies, and constraints. Those habits carry into my reading. I’m interested in how novels are constructed, how parts interact, and how intention becomes visible through craft.
What I write about
At Bookish Bay, I write primarily about literary fiction, with occasional forays into nonfiction or genre works when they illuminate narrative technique or storytelling craft. Articles may include close readings, thematic explorations, discussions of structure, and curated reading lists that highlight how specific techniques are used across different works.
I’m less interested in definitive interpretations than in careful ones. When I make claims, I try to ground them in the text and to be clear about where interpretation begins. Ambiguity is part of literature’s value, and I aim to respect it rather than resolve it prematurely.
Why Bookish Bay
Bookish Bay exists as a space for attentive reading. It’s written for readers who care about how stories work, and not just what they are about. The goal is to slow down, look closely, and think about why certain books endure, how they guide attention, and what their formal choices make possible.
Where relevant, I link to sources and further reading to support transparency and continued exploration. Reading is cumulative, and no single essay stands alone.
Reading record
I keep a long-term record of my reading on Goodreads, which functions primarily as a personal reading log rather than a review platform. It reflects the range and continuity of my engagement with books over time.
Invitation
If you read closely, question interpretations, or enjoy thinking about narrative form, you’re welcome here. Bookish Bay is part of an ongoing conversation, and I’m glad to share the space with other attentive readers.