Multi-hyphenate artist, Noel Alumit talks to us about his new collection of short stories “Music Heard in Hifi” (Rebel Satori Press) and the importance of creating no matter what.

INDULGE: You’re known for your novels “Letters to Montgomery Clift” and “Talking to the
Moon.” How did you end up writing short stories?

NOEL: Well, writing novels can take a long time. I wanted to write something where I felt the
satisfaction of feeling finished. Short stories did that for me. And I’ve always been a fan of the short story form. As a reader, I can also feel a writer’s voice come through.

INDULGE: What is “Music Heard in Hi-Fi and Other Stories” about?

NOEL: The “Hi-Fi” in the title refers to Historic Filipinotown in Los Angeles where I grew
up. It’s a collection about Filipino Americans I knew or heard about. All of the stories were published elsewhere and I wanted them all in one book for people to read. I also wanted to have something for people who didn’t have the time or energy for a novel. I thought of those people when compiling this book. They can read a whole story in several minutes. People have read the entire book in one sitting.

INDULGE: Your book is dedicated to Ayofemi Folayan. Can you talk about who she is and
why you dedicated this book to her?

NOEL: She was my first writing teacher. I don’t think I would have pursued writing as a career if
it weren’t for her encouragement. She passed away some time ago and I still think of her. I wanted to honor her and her work in some way.

I wanted to have something for people who didn’t have the time or energy for a novel…People have read the entire book in one sitting.

INDULGE: In your bio, you describe yourself as a “Multidisciplinary Artist.” What does that
mean?

NOEL: It’s a fancy way of saying I do a lot of creative things. Yes, I’m a writer, but my first degree was in acting. I started writing because there wasn’t enough acting work. As a writer, you can create everyday. As an actor, I needed someone to hire me to be creative. Even when I wrote my own acting work, like my one-man shows, I still needed a theatre to perform in. I didn’t find that as a writer. I engaged in other art forms where I could be creative everyday, like photography and painting. Recently, I started making jewelry.

INDULGE: What’s next for you?

NOEL: I’m still writing and trying to put my work out there. I reignited my passion for acting and
I’m auditioning again. A friend and I started a pop-gallery called OFFUS where we showcase the work of mid-career Southern California artists. We’re going to our first international art fair soon. And I’m a co-founding editor for a digital publication called “Bodhi Leaves,” dedicated to Asian American Buddhism. It came from my work as an Associate Editor for the Buddhist magazine Lion’s Roar. There’s a lot going on and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

You can find Noel Alumit on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/noelalumit/