Cecilia Manguerra Brainard

author and editor

Photo Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Portugal

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  I just returned from a visit to Portugal, including the Shrine of Our Lady in Fatima. I'm in the middle, standing behind our kneeling tour director. Since I am a devotee to Our Lady, I was thrilled to visit Fatima.  Fatima was not as crowded as Lourdes, Guadalupe, or Knock,  which I've visited. I did notice that churches in Portugal are not filled with people.  By contrast, Philippine … [Read more...] about Photo Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Portugal

Philippine Edition of Cecilia Brainard’s novel, When the Rainbow Goddess Wept

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Right now I'm copy editing the Philippine Edition of my first novel, When the Rainbow Goddess Wept, which will be released by the University of Santo Tomas Publishing House in 2019.  The novel which was first published as Song of Yvonne (New Day 1991), then later as When the Rainbow Goddess Wept (Dutton/Penguin, 1994). Further it was picked up by the University of Michigan Press (1999), and a … [Read more...] about Philippine Edition of Cecilia Brainard’s novel, When the Rainbow Goddess Wept

Storytelling & Sketching, Talk by Cecilia Brainard at UST Manila

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Please join us: Storytelling & Sketching Talk by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard Benavides Building University of Santo Tomas, Manila February 22, 2019, 3-5 p.m. Description: There will be a Powerpoint Presentation, Talk, and Open Forum regarding the Creative Process, by author and editor of 21 books, Cecilia Manguerra Brainard, who recently discovered the art of … [Read more...] about Storytelling & Sketching, Talk by Cecilia Brainard at UST Manila

Sister Consuelo Varela ICM Passes Away

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Our teacher at St. Theresa's College San Marcelino, Sister Consuelo Varela passed away recently. She was a big part of my life. She was from Cebu, like me. When I transferred from STC Cebu to Manila for High school, I felt out of place and lost. She was our teacher then, and she acknowledged my being Cebuana, mentioned knowing my family to me, which lifted my spirits up. Sister Consuelo was … [Read more...] about Sister Consuelo Varela ICM Passes Away

Book Review of Reine Arcache Melvin’s novel, The Betrayed

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Here is Cecilia Brainard's book review of Reine Arcache Melvin's novel, The Betrayed (Ateneo 2018). http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/…/passion-in-the-time-of-… " Reine Arcache Melvin, who has lived in Paris for years, has created a fine Filipino novel. The work is exquisitely written; the language is elegant and unpretentious. The form of her work is straightforward – we start from the … [Read more...] about Book Review of Reine Arcache Melvin’s novel, The Betrayed

Sarimanok Sketch by Cecilia Brainard

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I sketched this antique "sarimanok" silver item which I got from Zamboaga when I did a talk for USIS, around 1992. From Wikipedia: "The Sarimanok is the legendary bird that has become an ubiquitous symbol of Maranao art. It is depicted as a fowl with colorful wings and feathered tail, holding a fish on its beak or talons. The head is profusely decorated with scroll, leaf, and spiral motifs. It is … [Read more...] about Sarimanok Sketch by Cecilia Brainard

Sketches by Cecilia Brainard

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Cat Behind Curtain, by Cecilia BrainardI started sketching and am sharing some of them. Happy New Year everyone!  All sketches - copyright Cecilia Brainard. "Angel" - This is a pencil drawing of my Christmas Angel candle holder. "Oil Lamp" - This is a pencil drawing of my antique oil lamp. "Cat in Frog Vase" - This is a sketch of my cat Che nestled in my frog … [Read more...] about Sketches by Cecilia Brainard

The Class Reunion: Remembering the Salmon Run

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The Class Reunion: Remembering the Salmon Run by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard This personal essay first appeared in the Journal Tomas 12, Volume 2,  2017- 2018 (UST Center for Creative Writing and Literary Studies) Aside from the two who lived in Toronto, the women who showed up for our class reunion in Toronto travelled from the Philippines, US, UK, and even Switzerland -- twenty-four women, … [Read more...] about The Class Reunion: Remembering the Salmon Run

My Cousin, The Biz Wiz: Profile on Manny Gonzalez

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I wrote about my cousin, Manny Gonzalez, businessman and CEO of Plantation Bay Hotel and Resort in Mactan, Philippines. This appeared in Positively Filipino, November 14, 2018 - please click here to visit Positively Filipino.  The text is pasted below. My Cousin, The Biz Wiz By  Cecilia Manguerra Brainard Positively Filipino, Nov. 14, 2018  I ran into my cousin Manny Gonzalez in … [Read more...] about My Cousin, The Biz Wiz: Profile on Manny Gonzalez

Fiction: A Very Short Story by Cecilia Brainard

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I'm sharing a flash fiction or short short of mine today. This has 125 words. "A Very Short Story" is part of my second short story collection, Acapulco at Sunset and Other Stories.      A VERY SHORT STORY  by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard Your world -- or your mind -- does not allow for an afternoon walk to the museum, nor a stop at the chapel for silent prayer, a glass of halo-halo … [Read more...] about Fiction: A Very Short Story by Cecilia Brainard

Cooking with Cecilia: Filipino Barbecue Pork

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We've had a heat wave in Southern California, which is perfect weather for barbecuing. My family loves barbecue pork, so I fixed this over the weekend. Here's a recipe. To be honest with you I don't measure ingredients and just add stuff into a huge bowl. For my family of 12, I cooked 10 lbs of pork butt; my men gobbled up most of it. Ingredients: 1 lb pork (butt or belly, cut into … [Read more...] about Cooking with Cecilia: Filipino Barbecue Pork

Mactan 50 Years Ago and Now

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Mactan, 50 Years Ago And Now By Cecilia Manguerra Brainard The last time I visited Mactan, I stayed in a five-star resort with a man-made lagoon in the middle of clusters of handsome Colonial-style buildings. It felt like a picture-perfect village with well-appointed rooms, pools, tennis courts, and wonderful restaurants. The spa offered a variety of massages and had wonderful hot and … [Read more...] about Mactan 50 Years Ago and Now

WordPress Resources at SiteGround

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WordPress is an award-winning web software, used by millions of webmasters worldwide for building their website or blog. SiteGround is proud to host this particular WordPress installation and provide users with multiple resources to facilitate the management of their WP websites: Expert WordPress Hosting SiteGround provides superior WordPress hosting focused on speed, security and customer … [Read more...] about WordPress Resources at SiteGround