PRECIOUS PAGES CORPORATION LAUNCHES “25 MOST PRECIOUS”

Press release

-       A COFFEE TABLE BOOK FEATURING THE TOP BESTSELLING, MOST PROLIFIC AND MOST PIONEERING TAGALOG ROMANCE WRITERS OF PRECIOUS HEARTS ROMANCES

            Precious Pages Corporation, publisher of the popular Tagalog romance pocketbooks ‘Precious Hearts Romances’ has recently launched

" 25 Most Precious ” -- a coffee table book featuring the top bestselling, most prolific and most pioneering Tagalog romance writers of  the last two and a half decades in a 160-page hardbound, premium limited edition.

 

Cover design by Mark Lavin

            Precious Hearts Romances is recognized as the best-selling Tagalog romance pocketbook dubbed as the best love stories of all time. The novels reinforce traditional values of commitment and a happy ending. It is an eternal escape fantasy of living out adventures and for romance readers it addresses the fantasy of falling in love with Mr. Right.

            “ 25 Most Precious ” is a must-read and must-have for all fans, readers and aspiring writers as it expounds on the 'writers' lives and the inspiring stories of the 25 women behind the stories which have captured the hearts of millions of  Filipino readers here and abroad.

            The featured writers are as follows: Martha Cecilia, Amanda, Maureen Apilado, Jinky Jamolin, Rose Tan, Vanessa, Elizabeth Mcbride, Camilla, Jasmine Esperanza, Dawn Igloria, Laurice del Rio, Noelle Arroyo, Sheena Rose, Claudia Santiago, Sofia, Sonia Francesca, Heart Yngrid, Victoria Amor, Dream Grace, Angel Bautista, Belle Feliz, Mandie Lee, Aya Myers, Maricar Dizon, and Luna King.

            “ 25 Most Precious ” is priced at P 1,499.00 and will be available at the following Precious Pages retail outlets: Fisher Mall, Puregold Paso de Blas (Valenzuela City),  Starmall (Las Pinas, EDSA Shaw, San Jose Del Monte – Bulacan), Ever Commonwealth, SM Mall of Asia, SM City (Baguio, General Santos, Davao, Pasig City, Cebu, Iloilo, Pampanga, Calamba, North EDSA, Clark, Fairview, Batangas, Lipa, Taytay, Sta. Rosa and Marilao), SM San Lazaro, SM Manila, and SM Dasmarinas.

The artistic and creative teams of “ 25 Most Precious ” are led by Segundo Matias Jr. (Publisher), Queennie B. Reyles (Project Manager), and Aleli Mae Arcete (Creative Director).

For inquiries and book reservations, email at info@phr.com.ph or visit www.phr.com.ph or call Precious Pages at 414-8191 and 414-6188.

Connect to Precious Pages online through the following social media networks:

Facebook:    www.facebook.com/pages/Precious-Pages

Twitter:          @PreciousPagesCo

YouTube:     www.youtube.com/user/PreciousPages/

Website:        www.phr.com.ph

‘THE COLORS OF MY LIFE CELIA DIAZ LAUREL – PAINTER’ COFFEE TABLE BOOK

Celia Diaz Laurel is a name synonymous to world of arts.

By virtue of imagination, talent or skill to create works of aesthetic value, especially in the field of fine arts, Celia Diaz Laurel has gained the reputation for being a prolific stage actress, painter, writer, poetess, set and costume designer for more than six decades. 

Now at 86 years of age, Celia Diaz Laurel has a record feat of chalking up hundreds of stage plays and musicals, painting a treasure trove of artworks on different subjects, and writing / publishing books.

            The first part of the book which contains five chapters is the author’s personal memoirs of her early childhood in Talisay, Negros Occidental up until she moved to Manila for secondary education at Assumption Convent. The author also shares her anecdotes as a budding artist, and her college years at the University of the Philippines - College of Fine Arts located in Padre Faura. Her intrinsic talents in painting, poetry, acting were honed and brought to the forefront. Even her extra-curricular activities were worth remembering. The author also pays tribute to the different men and women that helped shape the life she has lived. The vignettes were written unabashedly with wit and  humor which all the more makes the book easier to read. This also served as the background of the courtship of her ardent admirer Salvador Laurel Jr. Another interesting chapter was the author’s tutelage from the Masters Fernando Amorsolo and Guillermo Tolentino --- her professors who helped mold the brand of artistry that she now carries. The final chapter dealt on her life at the U.P. Diliman campus.

Part Two aptly titled “My Works in Art” chronicles the evolution of the author’s creative artistry and prolific mastery in painting as vividly executed in a variety of subjects: Portraits – from the Diaz and Laurel clan;   Personalities that continue to inspire her – like Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and her mentor Fr. James B. Reuter S.J.; foreign dignitaries;  friends, figures, still life, flowers and Mother Nature.

The creative and production team of ‘The Colors of My Life  Celia Diaz Laurel – Painter’ is composed of the following:   Efren M. Yambot (Editor); Cocoy Laurel (Art Director); Nestor A. Malgapo, Jr. (Book Design & Cover); Annie Jaramillo Gaw (Front cover photo); Miriam R. Castillo (Project Manager), Steve Bascos (Asst. Project Manager), Giant Technologies Automation, Gadgets and Solutions, Edward Go and Gilbert Dimson (Photography); and Raffy Sanz (Technical Support).   

‘The Colors of My Life  Celia Diaz Laurel – Painter’ is the first of three books which Celia Diaz Laurel  hopes to finish by the time when she is 86. The second book shall focus on her work in the theater as actress and production designer. The third book will share the colors of the eight decades of a truly blessed life she has lived.

Celia Diaz Laurel has also written ‘Days of Our Years: The Laurel Legacy -  A Compilation of Selected Writings of Jose P. Laurel (First edition in English launched in the Philippines (1989); ‘Days of Our Years : The Laurel Legacy -  Second edition in Japanese Translation launched at National Diet in Tokyo, Japan; ‘Quotes of Jose P. Laurel’ - Selected and compiled by Celia Diaz Laurel from Articles and Speeches of President Jose P. Laurel (1934- 1957) - First Edition (1991); ‘Quotes of Jose P. Laurel’

Reprinted by the Lyceum of the Philippines University - Second Edition

(2006); ‘Siniping Gintong Kaisipan ni Jose P. Laurel’ - Third Edition with Tagalog translation (2012); ‘Laurel Family Tree’ - Seven-Generation Genealogy of Laurel Family by Celia Diaz Laurel and Gloria Carandang (1991); ‘Domingo Franco’ – A mini-biography written for the 100th Anniversary of the Execution of the 13 Martyrs of Bagumbayan (1997); ‘My Lolo Domingo Franco’ - Biography of Domingo Franco, Patriot and Martyr of the Philippine Revolution (2011); ‘Doy Laurel’ - Coffee-table book about the life of Doy Laurel (2005).

Celia Diaz Laurel is the mother of eight children -- Suzie, Lynnie, Cocoy, David, Larry, Stella, Kris and Iwi – all artists in their own right, and who will be performing in a special program prepared by Cocoy.

            For book reservations and inquiries, please contact Corito Melotindos at 869-7298 and 478-0575

Photo Credits

Unless otherwise credited, all photos are from the author’s collection. Every effort has been made to identify copyright-holders; in case of oversight, corrections will be made in the next editions.

Photo of University of the Philippines Padre Faura by National Archives and Records Administration of USA Bert Brandt, ACME Staff Correspondent and John T. Pilot.