A group of us had lunch at my home with the writer Brian Ascalon Roley (author American Son) who's visiting Santa Monica, CA. Present were: Joselyn Geaga-Rosenthal, Brian Roley, Marilyn Alquizola (America is in the Heart: a Personal History revised), Jaime Geaga, Noel Alumit (author Letters to Montgomery Clift), and me. We had such great fun talking about literature, politics, being … [Read more...] about Fil Am Writers Gather in Santa Monica, CA
Old Photographs 4 — Cecilia Brainard — 6–7 Years Old
My childhood seemed to have stretched out longer than human time. Those childhood memories have a dreamlike quality. I have memories of the time when I was perhaps three, perhaps younger. I even have an infant memory, although I am not sure if this is a true memory, of me laying on the bed and a big dog entering the room and everyone getting excited. I remember being with my Yaya Yvonne in the … [Read more...] about Old Photographs 4 — Cecilia Brainard — 6–7 Years Old
Old Photographs of Cecilia Brainard — 5–6 years old
Here are more old photos. I was around 5 or 6 years old in these pictures. I just acquired the color photo from a nephew. I think this was taken near Manila de Bay. During our summer vacations, we used to visit Manila, stay in our place in Georgia Street, Malate, and from there, we kids used to walk to the Bay. We used to actually swim in the water; you can see people swimming in this photo. The … [Read more...] about Old Photographs of Cecilia Brainard — 5–6 years old
Old Photographs of Cecilia Brainard — Happy Days by the Sea
HAPPY DAYS BY THE SEA As I mentioned, I just have a handful of photos from when I was a baby and child. This was during the time when people used real cameras, with real film, that had to be developed and printed. The paper used were not necessarily archival and the pictures disintegrated; and most of the time, the rolled up negatives got lost or were destroyed. Here is one photo I found of … [Read more...] about Old Photographs of Cecilia Brainard — Happy Days by the Sea
Old Photographs — Baby Pictures of Cecilia Brainard
I thought I would post pictures of me through the years, starting with my baby pictures -- 2 of them, that's all I have. One shows me on the bed; this photo is in very poor condition (it looks almost like some kind of art). The other shows my siblings and me the baby. L-R: Vicky holding me, Ana holding a doll, and Junior or Jess holding a Brownie camera. In the back, you can catch a glimpse … [Read more...] about Old Photographs — Baby Pictures of Cecilia Brainard
Cecilia Brainard’s Selected Short Stories Wins 40th National Book Award in Short Fiction
Read CNN article "Full List: The Winners of the 40th National Book Awards" I am grateful that my Selected Short Stories was honored with the 40th National Book Award in the category of Best Book of Short Fiction in English. The book was quietly released in 2021 when Covid was still causing havoc, and like most books released during the time of pandemic, it was ignored. I am therefore happy … [Read more...] about Cecilia Brainard’s Selected Short Stories Wins 40th National Book Award in Short Fiction
GROWING UP FILIPINO 3 Book Launches and Talks 2023
Here is a summary of the GROWING UP FILIPINO 3 BOOK TALKS 2023 - To promote the young adult book GROWING UP FILIPINO 3: NEW STORIES FOR YOUNG ADULTS, the contributors and I did a series of book launches/talks in the Philippines and the United States. Here are some pictures of those events. Many thanks to the University of Santo Tomas for publishing the Philippine edition of GUF3, and to the … [Read more...] about GROWING UP FILIPINO 3 Book Launches and Talks 2023
Carlos Bulosan Book Club Launches Growing Up Filipino 3
Seated l-r: Cecilia Brainard, Ryo Alfar, Marilyn Alquizola, Joselyn Geaga-Rosental; standing l-r: James Castillo, Rachielle Scheffler, James, Jaime Geaga, Erlinda, guest, Megan The Carlos Bulosan Book Club of Los Angeles hosted a launch for the YA anthology GROWING UP FILIPINO: NEW STORIES FOR YOUNG ADULTS, at the Echo Park Branch Library in Los Angeles, on Saturday, March 18, 2023. Here is … [Read more...] about Carlos Bulosan Book Club Launches Growing Up Filipino 3
My Cat Che Jumping Over the Moon, Pastel by Cecilia Brainard
I've been busy with literary work. I picked up my pastels and just for fun made my cat Che fly over the moon. Please see also my "Cecilia Flying", a pastel I just finished. Tags: children's art, art flying girl, pastel art, pastel drawing … [Read more...] about My Cat Che Jumping Over the Moon, Pastel by Cecilia Brainard
Cecilia Flying Pastel Art by Cecilia Brainard
I used to have flying dreams. I made this pastel of a girl flying. In my dream an Evil Thing was chasing me. I would run and hide but the Evil Thing persisted. Just before the Evil Thing would catch me, I would fly. In my dreams, I learned how to control my flying. The dreams recurred for years but some time, when I was already an adult and living in the US, the dreams stopped. Please … [Read more...] about Cecilia Flying Pastel Art by Cecilia Brainard
Articles from Behind the Walls: Life of Convent Girls in the Philippines
The following are personal essays from a book project I did in 2005, BEHIND THE WALLS: LIFE OF CONVENT GIRLS (Anvil, 2005). For more information about the book, please visit https://ceciliabrainard.com/book/behind-the-walls/ . The publisher Anvil Philippines may have a few copies left in their online store. The book has been praised by Loida Nicolas, Chair and CEO, TLC Beatrice Foods as … [Read more...] about Articles from Behind the Walls: Life of Convent Girls in the Philippines
Documentary by Cebuano Studies Center & NCAA about Cecilia Manguerra Brainard
I am sharing the link to the documentary video produced by the Cebuano Studies Center in conjunction with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts -- THE CEBUANA IN THE WORLD: CECILIA MANGUERRA BRAINARD WRITING OUT OF CEBU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLo3H-Pdy1g The video is approx. 1 hour and 40 minutes long. It includes analyses of my work by Drs. Hope Yu and Bea … [Read more...] about Documentary by Cebuano Studies Center & NCAA about Cecilia Manguerra Brainard
Sunstar Article — Cebuano Studies Center Holds Cecilia Brainard Talk
Many thanks to my friend Atty. Lyn Ocampo for sharing this picture of the Sunstar writeup re my talk sponsored by Cebuano Studies Center. Dr. Hope Sabanpan Yu, Dr. Bea Lastimos and Sunstar, many thanks for your support. Cebuano Studies Center hosted my Feb. 7 talk in Cebu and it also launched a documentary video done in conjunction with the National Commission for Culture and Arts, The … [Read more...] about Sunstar Article — Cebuano Studies Center Holds Cecilia Brainard Talk
Upcoming Book Launches Growing Up Filipino 3
UPCOMING BOOK LAUNCHES FOR GROWING UP FILIPINO 3: New Stories for Young Adults. Join us in person or via Zoom. Check flyers for details. Feb. 23, 11 a.m. Manila Time - BNSCWC Book Launch and Reading March 18, 1:30 p.m. Los Angeles - Carlos Bulosan Book Club launch March 29, 4: 30 p.m., Los Angeles Central Library Talk/Readings #filipinoteens #filipinoYAbooks #YAbooks … [Read more...] about Upcoming Book Launches Growing Up Filipino 3
Book Launch Growing Up Filipino 3 @ Fully Booked BGC Taguig Philippines
Here is a writeup by Carlos Inigo Roxas about the Jan. 28, 2023 Book Launch at Fully Booked BGC. #Filipinoteens #YAbooks #Filipinoliterature … [Read more...] about Book Launch Growing Up Filipino 3 @ Fully Booked BGC Taguig Philippines
Dr. Jenny Ortuoste Writes About Growing Up Filipino 3
Excerpt from New Year Reads on Growing Up, ‘Sudden Fiction,’ and a Past Philippines by Dr. Jenny Ortuoste, Manila Standard.net. Jan. 21, 2023 Growing Up Filipino 3 (296 pgs, pb, 2022), collected and edited by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard, are “new stories from young adults.” Among the writers are well-known names such as Oscar Peñaranda, Danton Remoto, Ian Rosales Casocot, and Nikki … [Read more...] about Dr. Jenny Ortuoste Writes About Growing Up Filipino 3
Invitation to Growing Up Filipino 3 Book Launch Jan 28, 2023, 6 p.m. Fully Booked BGC
Invitation Book Launch of GROWING UP FILIPINO 3: NEW STORIES FOR YOUNG ADULTS Date: Saturday, January 28, 2023, 6 - 8 p.m. Where: Fully Booked BGC, Metro Manila, Philippines Program: Readings by Nikki Alfar, Cecilia Brainard, George Deoso, Yvette Fernandez, Patricia Manuel Go, Sarge Lacuesta, Kannika Pena, Danton Remoto, Dom Sy, Jack Wigley Q&A, Book … [Read more...] about Invitation to Growing Up Filipino 3 Book Launch Jan 28, 2023, 6 p.m. Fully Booked BGC
A Locational Feminist Reading of Filipina American Fiction by Ma. Elena L. Paulima
Many thanks to Dr. Erlinda Alburo for calling my attention to this academic paper about Filipino American fiction published in KINAADMAN Vol, XL, 2018 (A Jounral of Southern Philippines, published by Xavier University). The study includes discussions of stories from books I edited, including Fiction by Filipinos in America, and Growing Up Filipino 2. Dr. Ma. Elena L. Paulma looks at the short … [Read more...] about A Locational Feminist Reading of Filipina American Fiction by Ma. Elena L. Paulima
SCHEDULE BOOK LAUNCHES/EVENTS for GROWING UP FILIPINO 3: New Stories for Young Adults
SCHEDULE BOOK LAUNCHES/EVENTS FOR GROWING UP FILIPINO 3: NEW STORIES FOR YOUNG ADULTS - check back for details and confirm before attending. Tags: #filipinoteens #Filipinoyoungadults #Filipinobooks #Philippinebooks #YAliterature … [Read more...] about SCHEDULE BOOK LAUNCHES/EVENTS for GROWING UP FILIPINO 3: New Stories for Young Adults
My Papyrus Painting of the Flight to Egypt
I bought this papyrus painting in Cairo. I was studying it this morning, reflecting on the Holy Family's flight to Egypt. Imagine having to pack up hurriedly, not have the chance to say goodbye to your family and friends, to leave as quickly as you can to save your child's life, your lives. To walk, ride a donkey, ask for help, hide from danger, travel far to another country to seek refuge. To … [Read more...] about My Papyrus Painting of the Flight to Egypt