CANDY QUIMPO Gourlay?s ?Tall Story? was launched in London last month by Random House and David Fickling. In February next year, it will be released in the US.

Prior to becoming a renowned author, Candy was a reporter, then associate editor of Mr. & Ms. Special Edition, the groundbreaking tabloid that played a key role in the 1986 People Power Revolution. She was part of its staff, along with Fe Zamora, Francoise Joaquin, PDI?s current editor in chief, and this writer.

As a freelance journalist, she has written for Asia Magazine, Asiaweek, the New York Daily News, Toronto Star and The Yorkshire Post. Thereafter, she moved to the United Kingdom, where she became the London correspondent of the world news features agency, Inter Press Service. She now lives in London with her British husband and three children.

Zamora, a previous flatmate, once told her about a pretty girl bitten by a rabid dog. To this author, she describes her as ?Huckleberry friend, from whom she borrowed the name, Amandolina aka Andi,? the novel?s 13-year-old half-British, half-Filipino principal character.

Feel-good tale

According to Nicolette Jones, ?Tall Story? is one of the ?100 best titles of the summer.? She adds, ?It?s a feel-good tale about a basketball-mad Londoner, Andi, and her exceedingly tall Filipino half-brother, Bernardo, who?s reunited with his mother and sister after 16 years. Making use of Philippine superstitions and legends, the novel brings magic to a down-home story of earthquakes and sibling love.?

At ?Tall Story?s? recent book launching here, the author acknowledged Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc and Eugenia D. Apostol as her writing heroes. Entertainment was provided by the Gourlays and the singing Quimpo clan.

?Tall Story? is published in the Philippines by Rayvi Sunico of Cacho Publishing House and is available at Powerbooks. Visit www.tallstory.net.

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