KOMUSTA CEBU!

Well hello Cebu! Slowly but surely, my books released in nine countries make it back to my birth land. The photos show some of the books that soon will be available at what's officially the Rizal Memorial Library and Museum but more popularly known as Cebu City Public Library. It's on Jones Avenue (the popular name of the street) but the current traffic zone calls it Osmena Boulevard. The building is home to a museum on the second floor that's hosted book launches. The library on the ground floor is now open 24 hours a day, bright, and has wifi with a MOA forged between Cebu City. A 24-hour-a-day library! Brilliant!

Here are some of the available books below (my books and other Filipino titles published through Meritage Press). And the photo of the lady below is 85-year-old Mama Doreen holding on to Reproductions of the Empty Flagpole . She's a retired teacher of English and Filipino and I'm much honored by her interest :) ).

Looking at Mama Doreen, I wonder about her reader profile. She'd be about the same age as my mother and many educated Filipinos were quite aware of Greek, U.S.-American and British literature (Reproductions opens with Greek references, and perhaps such actually was a point of access for her... just speculating). Anyway, it gladdens the heart to see new readers. And Reproductions continues to amaze me with its standing power (it is still the bestseller among all of my books (selling out its 1st printing in less than 6 months), though poetry sales relies on so many vagaries besides literary merit).

Salamat, Universe.