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“IN a very competitive book marketplace for shelf
space and book buyers’ attention, Carissa Villacorta is a P.R.
wiz, a savvy networker and the bright young thing of the Filipino
community who truly knows how to make it in New York.”
- Elda Rotor, executive editor,
Penguin Classics, Penguin Group (USA)
Twenty-seven-year-old Carissa
Villacorta launched Surreality, a book of essays about contemporary
life in New York from the perspective of a young Filipina publicist.
With a pulse on the heart of New Yorkers, her essays are completely
relatable as she writes about timeless truths—matters obscured by
our deluded quest for money, or shoved aside by mundane priorities.
Featuring titles like “Happily Ever Since,” “Time Is Gold,”
“Money Is Paper,” “Our 5-to-9 Lives” and ‘”The Largest
Rollercoaster in the World,” the book also features photos of New
York spots (under the creative direction of John Paul Su).
Published by the University of
Santo Tomas Publishing House in September 2006, the book is also a
compilation of Villacorta’s columns, also called Surreality, from
the US-wide broadsheet, Philippine News. It was first launched at
the author’s native capital, (UST and the Filipinas Heritage
Library) in September, the world’s publishing capital and the
book’s setting (New York) in October, and the US Capital
(Washington, D.C.) in December.
Over 250 guests from the Filipino
community and local New York scene attended Villacorta’s
Surreality Book Launch Party, Reading and Signing Event at
Borders’ flagship store on Park Avenue/57th Street.
“To my knowledge, Carissa is
the first Filipino author to launch at a Borders bookstore,” said
Daryl Mattson, Borders’ marketing manager for events in Manhattan.
“Borders is the world’s largest books and music retail stores,
with 1,200 branches across the United States, Asia and Europe,” he
added.
“Borders is pleased and proud
to have played a role in facilitating the emergence of an important
creative new voice from the Filipino American community,” said
Richard Doyle, launch event coordinator at Borders Park Avenue. The
Borders crew at the cash registers told guests it’s the biggest
event turnout they have ever seen. Supporters and strangers formed
‘a very long’ line which took over two hours to finish. It was
also a huge turnout for Borders in terms of book sales.
Philippine Consul General in New
York Cecilia Rebong said, “Carissa is a talented writer. I am
confident that she will make it big in this field. The very
successful book launch at Borders made us proud.”
Guests at the ‘overwhelmingly
successful, and beautiful’ event included Ambassador Romeo
Arguelles from the Philippine Embassy in The Hague and Dr. Azucena
Arguelles, Philippine Consul General in New York Cecilia Rebong,
Philippine Tourism Director in NY Emma Ruth Yulo, ABC 7 News
Reporter Nina Pineda, Bb. Pilipinas 1993 Dindi Gallardo, Richard
Grau, other Filipino personalities, as well as numerous non-Filipino
friends. The launch event was also featured in the local New York
media like AM New York and TimeOut New York and ABS-CBN
International (The Filipino Channel).
Carissa Villacorta works at the
community and cultural affairs division of the Philippine Consulate
General on New York’s Fifth Avenue. As a hobby, she writes for
Filipino newspapers and magazines in the Philippines and the United
States, where she features Filipino personalities and events. In the
past year, she has profiled Philippine Ambassador to the United
States Albert del Rosario, Broadway stars Lea Salonga and Julie
Danao-Salkin, Hollywood makeup artist Mally Roncal and PR maven
Butch Meily for publications like Filipinas Magazine, The Philippine
Daily Inquirer and GoodNewsPilipinas.com. Surreality has recently
received rave reviews from Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire magazines.
Surreality is available at
your local National Bookstores and Powerbooks, Amazon and www.carissavillacorta.com.
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