Officially, multi-awarded fictionist and playwright Estrella Alfon’s literary career began with the Philippines Graphic. Born in Cebu City in 1917, Alfon’s first short story, “Grey Confetti,” was published in 1935. Over the years, she published 17 of her stories in Magnificence and Other Stories (Manila: Regal Printing Company, 1960). Of these stories, National Artist for Literature Francisco Arcellana said, “When I say that these stories are powerful as stories, I mean they are compelling. They are told with urgency. They make you think of the ancient mariner.”