Shine is Launching in the Philippines



I give you, SHINE, the Philippine edition!


FIRST REVIEW


Shine's already had its first review in the Philippine papers - thanks to Ruel de Vera for liking it! 


Thanks to my classmate, Carmen Montano for sending me this photo.
You can also read the review online

COVER REVEALED


I'm extra proud of Shine's cover because the artwork was created by one of my best buddies from university, Ricky Villabona. Here is what Ricky looked like when he was a baby.

Ricky is on the right.


As teenagers working as 'gophers' for the American network
news during the turbulent events that led up to a revolution
in 1986 Philippines 
Ricky and I were teenagers together, Communication Arts majors at university (Communication Arts would be the equivalent of Media Studies, I guess). We worked together on many student film and TV projects. One of our short films even placed fourth at the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines Competition!

When we graduated, I went off to become a journalist and Ricky became a fashion photographer and then a director of TV commercials like this one:


Today, Ricky is an artist and thanks to Facebook, we're still great friends -- I can ask him to make art for my cover and he doesn't get upset when I post his baby picture on my blog.

Ricky V

BOOK LAUNCH

So if you haven't unfriended me yet on Facebook, you should have seen this invite:

I couldn't resist Photoshopping this cover from a 1930s Liwayway magazine. The translation: Candy - "Come to the launch of my new book!"  Boy - "As long as I don't have to make a book report."

So ... are you coming?


HERE'S MY SCHEDULE


13 Sept
Saturday
Afternoon
HK
SCBWI Hong KongPart One - A Writer is Just a Rabbit Staring at Rabbit Holes. Writers are like rabbits staring at rabbit holes that represent character, story and setting. We must dive in, go as far as we can go, in order for our stories to reveal themselves. Candy will talk about how there are no half measures in unfolding a story and how we are all better authors for the journey we have to take.

Part Two - If Everyone's Now Got a Platform, How are You Going to Stand Out? We are all wise to the internet now, all tweeting, blogging, Facebooking. But is anybody listening? Candy Gourlay was an early adopter of the Internet, blogging before Blogger was invented, learning web design before content management systems became ubiquitous, and trying out every new thing that came along from MySpace to Tumblr. She will be discussing the author's biggest challenge: being discovered by readers. There will be tips and tricks and strategies. But be warned. Ultimately, it will be about writing a good book.
15 Sept
Monday
Morning
HK
8.35 am
Bradbury SchoolSchool Visit
15 Sept
Monday
Afternoon
HK
12 pm
Glenealy SchoolSchool Visit
16 Sept
Tuesday
HK
8.30 am
Peak SchoolSchool Visit
20 Sept
Saturday
Pasay City
8 am
Manila International Book Fair -
Mall of Asia: Meeting Room 8, SMX Convention Centre
Why I Write for Young Readers. I will be speaking to an audience of educators - librarians and teachers who are already at the frontline of the reading battle. They already know the value of fostering a love of reading in their students. I will argue that that is not enough. Our educators must not only seek to create readers, they must also empower their pupils to become writers. 
22 Sept
Monday
Biñan, Laguna
8 am
The Beacon AcademySchool visit
22 Sept
Monday
Calamba, Laguna
12pm
Xavier NuvaliSchool visit
22 Sep
Monday
Biñan, Laguna
2 pm
Alpha Angelicum AcademySchool Visit
23 Sept
Tuesday
Mandaluyong
1 pm
PovedaSchool Visit
23 Sept
Tuesday
Quezon City
1 pm
Ateneo de ManilaSchool Visit
24 Sept
Wednesday
Makati
11am
The Beacon AcademySchool Visit
25 Sept
Thursday
Makati
8 am
Colegio de San AgustinSchool Visit
25 Sept
Thursday
Sampaloc
2 pm
University of the EastLecture
26 Sept
Friday
Quezon City
8 am
Miriam CollegeSchool Visit
26 Sept
Friday
Quezon City
3.30 pm
St Theresa's CollegeSchool Visit - my alma mater!
27 Sept
Saturday
Makati
9.30 am to 1.30 pm
Write Away Event (Where the Write Things Are, )Workshop
27 Sept
Saturday
Makati
4 pm
National Book Store, Glorietta ISHINE BOOK LAUNCH and signing. Yehey!
1 October
Wednesday
Tanauan, Batangas
Ambulong Elementary School and Janopol Elementary SchoolI will be fulfilling pledges I made to the Authors for the Philippines auction, delivering signed copies of my books, one CD set of Tall Story, and a school visit care of the Sambat Trust. I will also be opening one of the Sambat Trust's school libraries!


... and now some brazen promotion for my favourite charity:

give a car - your old car can pay for someone's education
Your old car can pay for someone's education.