Christine’s new ‘baby’

I like reading letters. I read letters like I read a book. I get letters from people from all walks of life and from different places both near and far. The letters I get range from the nasty to beautiful, sad, congratulatory notes. Some letters ask for donations, sponsorships or just plain invitation to various events from Ms. Gay beauty contests to Mr. Muscle Man in Taytay, Rizal.

Christine Bersola has not stopped writing letters to me. Even with cell phones around, Tintin still writes me sweet notes. Recently, Tintin wrote a short note on the inside pages of her second book Basura Monster.

It goes: Dear Tito Boy: Remember that one afternoon while we were taping ETC., we talked about how stars achieve immortality. You said it is because actors/singers/composers/artists have a body of work. That conversation with you was a defining moment. I turned to writing books. This is my second so far. In my lifetime, I dream to become a prolific children’s book writer. It is the legacy I will leave behind for future generations. Even if I am no longer physically present in this world, someday I know I will not just fade into oblivion. These books will be the body of work I will leave behind so that people will remember me, long after I’m gone. Love, Tintin

Basura Monster is Tintin’s second children’s book in a series that she will write for Goodwill Bookstore. The first one was Bryan Learns His Lesson which she wrote when she was pregnant with daughter Antonia. Now Antonia is two years old. Tintin dedicates Basura Monster to her two- year-old daughter. Here is Tintin’s letter to Antonia (which is also found in the book’s dedication page).

Dear Antonia: When I wrote my first children’s book, Bryan Learns His Lesson, you were still in my womb. This year, you are turning two. Let this be my birthday gift for you, my dear daughter and for your future brother or sister (with God’s grace) and for all God’s children. I pray that you will grow up with a social conscience to love and protect the environment. Remember my dear daughter, that while Daddy Julius and Mommy Tintin are still alive, we’re doing our best to help save and preserve Mother Earth. With our most fervent wish that the Earth will live longer for children like you to see, to breathe, to hear and to feel its wonders. Every small human act will go a long way. We only have one Mother Earth, too precious to destroy, long after we’re gone, the earth must go on living. Love, Mommy.

Basura Monster is about two children Miguel and Anna who keep throwing garbage all over without knowing that the garbage they throw in the river was feeding a monster’s eye. And as they throw garbage into the river, the Monster grows a mouth, hands, legs, and feet! Then one day Basura Monster rises from the river, walks on the land and destroys the trees and forests. It also runs after the kids. The entire neighborhood where Anna and Miguel live gets scared and runs to the mayor who tells them that if they continue to throw garbage not in the proper places, everything will be destroyed by the Basura Monster. And so, the entire town resolves to take care of their environment by being responsible, by proper disposal of waste and by recycling.

Tintin has been documenting her life’s journey and travels through her journals. She graduated valedictorian in Grade School at OB Montessori, Greenhills. She was given community excellence awards in Assumption High School, San Lazaro, for her charity work among the poor communities as member of the Assumption. She graduated with cum laude honors from the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City where she finished a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication. Basura Monster illustrator Cdric Ryan de Guzman is a Fine Arts graduate from the University of the East. Before joining Katha Publishing he used to teach Arts in an elementary school. His talent for the arts has been discovered when he was nine years old. His grandmother signed him to join a drawing contest and he won second place. The following year, she entered him again in the drawing contest and won third. From then on, his summer vacation was spent on honing that talent. He loves music, too. While teaching Arts, on the side he was doing dj-mixing gigs. Besides drawing and designing things, he also likes riding his bike and cooking experimental dishes.

Basura Monster is available at Goodwill Bookstore, Bridges Bookstore at Gateway Mall, Legarda, V Mall, or call Katha Publishing at 413-9787 for bulk orders. Basura Monster is endorsed by DENR and DECS.

Pavi’s Bossa Sessions

Pavi is the latest Alpha Music artist catering to the bossa nova genre. She has just released her debut album entitled Bossa Sessions, a compilation of famous love songs spanning decades done the bossa nova way. In the album, she is backed by musicians collectively known as Tropicalia. She comes from a musically-inclined family where her father and siblings all sing and play various musical instruments. Pavi started singing when she was two years old. A veteran in singing competitions, her biggest break came when she won her school’s annual singing contest where one of the judges was an executive of Alpha Music who later asked her to submit a demo tape. Impressed with her voice and talent, Alpha tapped her to do the vocals of their bossa nova project.

Outstanding tracks on the album are Night and Day, I Can’t Tell You Why, Call Me, The Wind Beneath My Wings, The Look of Love, I’ll Be Back, Blues A Nova, Too Many Walls, From Me to You, Fly Me to the Moon, Sometimes When We Touch and I’ve Never Been to Me. Bossa Sessions is available in CD format at all Alpha outlets nationwide.