Shine - the second book of Candy Gourlay (Tall Story's author)

 He lives his life on the front page; hers is one big secret. They both want one thing. To escape.

Rosa has lived her entire life on Mirasol, an island where the rain never stops falling. She is suddenly plunged into a new world on the dark streets of London and must find a way to survive…

Nick's mother has become a celebrity overnight. Nick is thrown into the public spotlight when he really wants nothing more than to turn back the clock…As the two teenagers' lives collide, they are given the chance to choose their own destiny for the first time. But choices are never that easy.

... it is an action-packed tale of friendship, family, bravery and betrayal...

Featured Author: Candy Gourlay - the author behind the success of Tall Story

I AM VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO INTERVIEW SOME OF THE PROMISING AUTHORS for my blogsite and indeed a nice feeling when they have a Filipino lineage like my next featured writer. CANDY GOURLAY is the author of Tall Story - a children book released in Great Britain in 2010 and got numerous international award nominations. I also chose the book as my first Read-Release World Challenge giveaway. CLICK HERE for my review which was dedicated to all the people affected by the earthquake/tsunami that struck Japan on the 11th March 2011.

I havent met Candy in person but hopefully we will meet before I go home to Manila in May. So, expect some snapshots of Candy and myself, including some updates from her forthcoming novel. Without further a do, here she is, Candy answering my few questions and to get know her. Find out more about her inspirations to write Tall Story - an amazing story that tells about Bernardo, an eight-foot tall lad.

1. When and why did you begin writing? I wanted to become a writer from the I realized that reading was cool - I was about six and the long hot summer stretched out ahead of me. My grandmother had a complete collection of a 1930s serial called the Beverley Gray Mysteries. I picked one up and realized that the words made paragraphs and the paragraphs made chapters and before you knew it, I had finished the book. I read every single book in her series that summer! Beverley Gray was a reporter who was desperate to get published as a novelist. So by the time I finished the book, I wanted to do exactly the same!

2. Who has influenced your writing? My mother aspired to become a writer when she was a teenager and as we were growing up, she often talked with great fondness about her time on her high school literary magazine and she would read to me from Horacio de la Costa's Like the Molave ("Gods walk on brown legs"). She used to buy any Filipiniana children's fiction there was and my greatest treat as a child was a trip to Erehwon bookstore in Makati. So I think it was my mother who encouraged me to think of myself as a writer.As for writing itself, in terms of technique, I read enormously but there are two authors that I carry around with me when I'm writing in cafes. I don't know why but when I dip into their books, I feel enabled to write! One is Geraldine McCaughrean who wrote the White Darkness and the other is Ray Bradbury.

3. Who is your favourite author? What a difficult question. I have a different favourite author every few months! As a child, my favourite author was Louisa May Alcott who wrote the Little Women books - but this was because I wanted to be of her characters (Jo, the writer). When I read Little Women now I wonder how I managed to get through it - the language was so archaic. As a child I also loved Samuel Clemens (The Prince and the Pauper). It was after I read Holes by Louis Sachar that I became really serious about becoming an author.

4. Why did you pick your setting for debut novel, Tall Story? Tall Story is set in the Philippines and in London. One of the reasons I did this was because I wanted to write a book for my children who have grown up in both settings. The Newbery winning author Richard Peck once said if a child can't find himself in the pages of a book, he will go looking for himself in all the wrong places. My kids will certainly find themselves in Tall Story.

5. How long did it take you to write this book? It took me ten months!

6. If you are recommending your book to a friend - how would you describe it? It's about a brother and sister getting to know each other after years of being separated by immigration paperwork, only to find that they still have to cross a gulf created by language, culture and calamity.

TALL STORY Book Trailer from Candy Gourlay on Vimeo.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING MY FEATURED AUTHOR which I'm sure that one or two or even more will be inspired by your writings and hopefully be able to grab a copy of your bestselling book, Tall Story. Good luck and hope to see you soon in London!

Note: For more info about Candy, CLICK HERE for her Facebook FanPage, and HERE for her own blogsite. Or you can even click the photo above for you to be directed to her blogsite. If you are interested to find out who is my first featured author, (who happened to be the author of the two unpublished ebooks), CLICK HERE.

Belfast remembers Dickens...

FEW WEEKS AGO, I VISITED LINEN HALL LIBRARY (Belfast) to look at the exhibitions on Charles Dickens' Literary life. It was a delight to see all Dickens first, rare and limited edition of his books, including photographs, a commemorative postage-stamp, and decorative plates featuring scenes from A Christmas Carol. I also learned that this Victorian England's greatest novelist visited Belfast in three occasions: 1858, 1867 and 1869 when he gave public readings of his work. He even described Belfast as "tremendous houses there. Curious people, too. They seem all Scotch, but quite in a state of transition." My fascination with Dickens' stories started when I read A Christmas Carol last Dec 2010 after downloading a free ebook version of the book from Manybooks.net. I also got an old hardbound book (1983) from a charity shop containing three of his popular stories: A Christmas Carol (1843), Oliver Twist (1837), and Great Expectations (1859). If you are interested to read my review about Scrooge life in A Christmas Carol, CLICK HERE. I will post a long version review about this novel very soon.

Miracles happen every day...let us pray for earthquake/tsunami victims

THIS BOOK REVIEW IS DIFFERENT FROM the rest of my previous reviews. Honestly, I don't intend to write this review very soon but today is very important for us to offer our prayers and support (in any means) to people who are currently affected by a 8.9 magnitude earthquake (that created tsunamis/surges) in Japan (coast of Sendai City) and for those people in Christchurch (New Zealand) that suffered the same fate few weeks ago. With this journal, it is my simple way to extend my concern which could also remind people to be vigilant in times of calamities. What a coincidence that Candy Gourlay's debut novel has something to do with the human spirit when unexpected natural disasters strike. It tackles issues related to cultural indifferences, sibling relationship, belongingness (peers acceptance), and friendship. The story evolves in the personal life and family of Bernardo - a young lad, who lives in one of the towns of Metro Manila with unusual height of 8-foot tall - still growing; but for his neighbours/townmates he is a hero who has the power to stop earthquakes. Trying to live-up with the community expectation and his "humongous" structure, Bernardo (Nardo) also struggles to be just a normal kid and hoping that he finally visit his mother's family in London. On the other hand, the book also brings the life of Andi, the half-sister of Nardo who loves to play basketball! Ultimately, these young siblings meet-up and interactions are the main ingredients of the novel. The book is categorised as a children's story, but honestly, there are underlying messages that the author would like to convey, not only for those kids who love to play basketball, who believe in myths/tales, but also for adults (like me) being captivated by Filipino hero characters (like Bernardo Carpio, Darna, Ang Panday, and many others) and supertitious beliefs. And most importantly, the story rekindles the human spirit, hope, faith and courage - having them could bring miracles in our lives, especially in time of calamities and family problems. In particular, the story also provides a glimpse of Filipino culture like: the struggles among Filipinos working abroad (aka OFWs) to bring a bright future for their families left back in the Philippines. On the lighter side of it, the author shows the comical side in the lives of Bernardo and Andi with their loved ones and friends. Cultural differences and individual expectation among siblings also bring sense of humor and entertainment in the story.

"So many years I wear rubber slippers or sandals because no shoes fitting me. Timbuktu sandals good but London very too cold to have bare toes." - Nardo

After reading this book, it allows me to reflect on issues relating to natural disaster preparedness, culture shock (living, working, studying overseas) and immigration issues. It reminded me of my personal experience during the 1990 (16 July) earthquake that struck the Philippines with a magnitude of 7.8 (epicenter). I dont know but it was a death-threatening moment trying to hide myself under the office table as the whole building moved furiously. Another important highlight of the story is about the eagerness of Filipinos to work abroad. As poverty haunts them back in the Philippines, they work hard only to send remittances to their families. Referrred as Overseas Filipinos Workers (aka OFWs), they have the same fate that Nardo's has, struggling to be heroes - helping their loved ones back home despite the hardships of living/working abroad! The author is clever enough to bring some of the Filipino way of living: giving a name to a child (using best friend's name, a syllable combination from parents' name, using grandparents' name, or father name - becomes Junior/Jr). I was surprised that the author did not use "Junior" (aka Jr) for Bernardo's nickname since his first name is derived from his late father's name. Moreover, I thought that the issue on immigration is a bit outdated and doubtful considering that Bernardo's petition took a long time to process. I assumed that the parents asked a solicitor's assistance to expedite the process which was not explicitly explained in the story. Another minor situation presented in the book that I disagree is Bernardo's arrival to London, a week after his immigration papers was approved by the Home Office. Obtaining a passport, visa and plane ticket need a substantial amount of money, and with the current financial status of Nardo's parents (just bought a house) could probably requires a longer time for him to fly to London. Unless his Aunt Sofia and Uncle have savings to cover the expenses.

"And the truth is, even though I didn't know him, I have missed him just as much as he has missed me" - Amandolina aka Andi

Finally, using a best friend's name for her daughter is also unusual (not common but the name itself might came from the friend parents: Amando and Lina) Filipino custom - mostly parents mix-up with their own first names to come-up with a name like my sister got (without her consent and hated it...hahaha) - Rodyma, a combination of the first syllables of my parents' name: Rodolfo (Rudy) and Magdalena! Or another example that might give you a smile - Luzviminda, derived from the three major island groups of the Philippines - Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Overall, this is a captivating story that brings hope to everyone - having a positive outlook in life. And of course, the power of prayers that could bring miracles in our lives...God Bless every one! Note: Tall Story has been shortlisted in the following British book awards: Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize, Blue Peter Favourite Story Prize, the Leeds Children’s Book Prize and the Hillingdon Secondary School Book Prize, Branford Boase, the Redbridge Children’s Book Award, the UKLA Book Award and the Carnegie Medal. The book is now available in the US since February 08, 2011.

Im happy to give away two paperback copies of the book (maybe signed by the author). If you are interested to join my Read-Release Global Challenge 2011, CLICK HERE. Deadline: 15 March 2011 (midnite)

For updates on Japan's earthquake/tsunami, the British Foreign Office can be contacted for advice on 020 7008 0000, or from Japan on +44 20 7008 0000 +44 20 7008 0000, and can be emailed on japan.earthquake@fco.gov.uk.