Filipina launches novel in San Francisco

MANILA, Philippines - A Filipino writer has launched her first novel in San Francisco, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced Tuesday.

The DFA said Almira Astudillo Gilles, author of various poems, short stories and picture books and an awardee of the 2012 Pamana ng Pilipino Presidential Award, launched her first novel “The Fire Beneath: Tales of Gold” last April 5.

It said that the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco said partnered with the Literacy Initiatives International Foundation (LIIF) for the event that was held at the Philippine Center in San Francisco.

Gilles' novel is inspired by a true event and tells the story of Gardo Araw, a bulldozer operator who discovered gold artifacts that would change the course of his life.

The story goes deeper into social and moral values like the demands people place on themselves, their relationships, and institutions. The weight of every decision and the effect it commands is also captured in the story.

As it is based on a true event, some of the gold described in the novel are displayed in a permanent collection at the Ayala Museum in the Philippines. Sharmaine Tan, Philstar.com Trainee