For one week, the newly launched “Water: Reflection on Thirst, Thanks and Truth”, an anthology of short stories by eight Canadian writers is the best seller list in Winnipeg under the category of Paperback Fiction, edging out even the most popular book,”Orenda”, the current CBC Read of the Year.
The anthology, penned by eight Canadians writers, known as Writers Unblocked, including the publisher and founder of the Filipino Journal, Rod Escobar Cantiveros who wrote “Faces With Soft Edges”, as one of the short stories, has been acclaimed as one of the best read ever written by the eight writers.
“I am humbled by the warm response from our readers and I want to share this honor with my family especially to my late wife,Linda, and my two sons,Ron and John, my relatives and to my family friends who came to witness the launching of the book,” Rod E. Cantiveros said. Cantiveros has been writing since his school days in the Philippines when he started writing in Liwayway,in various comic series and magazines and being a journalist after graduating journalism at the Pontifical University of Santo Tomas in the early 60’s. To date, Rod has been working on “Yzabel: Comfort Woman” and “J” (Jewish Refugees in Manila in the late 30’s and during the 2nd world war), both are historical plays on human rights issues scheduled to be presented to coincide with the opening of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in September.
Other members of Writers Unblocked quiped: Linda Romanetz: “All smiles all week.”; Barb King: “Congrats! Enjoy the limelight.”; Kathy French: “Supercalifregilisticexpiadocious!”; Eleanor Chornoboy: “Hot Dog”; Les Rankin: “Yea Team.”; Marjorie Anderson, author and mentor: “Bravo Writers Unblocked- you have now had ALL the experiences of renowned authors, right up to #1 on the best seller list.”; Tris Loewen, editor: “What wonderful news!”
The eight Canadian writers are Rod E. Cantiveros, Roselea Young, Linda Romanetz, Les Rankin, Barbara King, Kathy French, Nancy Clendenan and Eleanor Chornoboy. The anthology is edited by Marjorie Anderson with the assistance of Trish Loewen.
The cover design is rendered by the Filipino Journal. Printed in Canada at McNally Robinson Booksellers’ EBM.
The anthology is a collection with a wide range in focus and tone: from seriously dramatic (Black Island, Thirst) to personally poignant (Faces with Soft Edges, Safe Harbour, Watercolour), to philosophical (A Little Garden, Acceptance) to humorous (A Water Fantasy).” All demonstrate how a single word can unlock a flood of associations that flow beautifully into storytelling,” writes Marjorie Anderson, author and mentor.
And who will not miss the first anthology of Writers Unblocked when Marjorie Anderson writes the first line of her foreword: “Spring is the season for the release of stories locked up in ice crystals floating in the air.”
Water: Reflections onThirst, Thanks and Truth is available at McNally Robinson Booksellers,1120 Grant Avenue. wwww.mcnallyrobinson.com
Photos by Ron Cantiveros | Filipino Journal
