Glimmer of Light by Vea Mari Villasol Canare [Review and Author Interview]
Heya, Dearies! It's time for another book review! Special thanks to the author, Missterious Dreamer / Vea Mari Villasol Canare, for giving me this book.
When the package arrived, I was blown away! The contents were so wonderful and in my aesthetic color pink. There were stickers, a tote bag, and bookmarks. I fell in love with it right away.
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| Glimmer of Light package included stickers and a tote bag! Yay! |
Glimmer of Light is a memoir of the author and it is full of encouraging real-life stories. The cover is awesome! It features a pinkish sunset with a tree in the foreground. I admired the cover so much that one look at it evoked a feeling of positivity in my heart.
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| Glimmer of Light by Vea Mari Villasol Canare |
Reading the book gave me hope. Even if I am working and not in school anymore, it reminded me of how our experiences are the same throughout life. The challenges we have may be different but in the end, they teach us the same lessons.
My favorite page in the book is on page 20 and it had that passage that goes: "You are a work in progress. Celebrate small wins." It resonated well with me until now.
I give 5/5 stars for the inspirational content of this book, and for the creative cover, too!
Wait, there's more! Here we have the author, Ms. Vea Mari Villasol Canare, for a short interview. Get to know this young author and what she hopes to convey through her book.
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| The author Vea Mari Villasol Canare (photo credits to the author) |
Angel Mariel: What made you decide to publish Glimmer of Light?
Vea Mari:
Ever since I was little, writing has always been my form of self-expression. I was not confident in sharing my thoughts and emotions with other people, so writing had become my friend. Also, I was very fond of reading and collecting different genres of books. Every time I would enter a bookstore, I would imagine my name to be on the cover of one of those books. However, this vision would always be shaken up by doubt. I used to think that for you to publish your own book, you’d need to have a wide market of readers or followers. It felt hopeless so I had to set aside that dream for a while, but it was always engraved in my heart.
I had dealt with a lot of unspoken battles. Every time I’ll read or hear about someone close to me finding those battles, I have this huge desire to reach out, to remind them that everyone and everything has a purpose. I am blessed to be surrounded by people who constantly serves as a source of hope and light, and so I wanted to share that light to other people. It was my cousin who made me see that it was possible to do so. When I saw he had published his very own book, I got inspired and thrilled to start writing again. That is when Glimmer of Light came into the picture. I wanted it to touch the hearts of people who are feeling anxious, lost, and uncertain. It may be too idealistic to give that absolute light to others and to be completely hopeful all the time, but I hoped that even in its own little and simple way, this book will help other people find even just a glimmer of hope and light.
Angel Mariel: Any inspiration for its title?
Vea Mari:
I had a lot of working titles for the book, but nothing seemed to be a perfect fit. I went onto my YouTube account and saw a song that I was listening to every day since the pandemic and since the start of online classes. It was entitled Glimmer in the Dust by Hillsong United, recommended to me by my cousin. It was perfect and it remained true to the purpose of this book, but it needed to be clear with the light that it aims to give. Thus, Glimmer of Light was made. This book may not be able to give that 100% encouragement, comfort, and peace. But I hope that through this book, people will see even just glimpses of the wonders and beauty of life, humanity, and God’s grace.
Angel Mariel: What about the cover? Why did you choose that scenery and those colors?
Vea Mari:
As for the cover, I already had a draft of what I wanted it to look like. I had this artwork we had to make as part of our school requirement, and it perfectly depicts the theme of the book. The sunset reminds us that there is always something to be thankful for and there is beauty in the unknown. I love taking photos of sunsets, especially when it shows uniquely fascinating colors. It just gives off an inexplicable peace and calmness. It seems like a reminder of how much blessed we are to witness such wonderful gift right before our very eyes. The music player-inspired cover was drawn from the source of the book’s title. I wanted the book to be picturesque, but at the same time minimalistic. I am quite familiar in editing and layout, but since this was going to be my first book, I decided to entrust it to TBC Publications’ artists. From the layout of the book, the illustrations up to the design of the bookmark and postcard, I was very keen and specific to details. We cannot judge a book by its cover, but it’s quite undeniable that what can be seen by the naked eye is what initially attracts the viewers. I wanted the visuals of the book to give off that light and hopeful feeling.
Angel Mariel: Lastly, a message for your readers.
Vea Mari:
Hello to all Mysterious Dreamers out there! First, I want to sincerely thank everyone who has been with me since the very first time I wrote and published a story on Wattpad up to this moment where my dream as a little girl has finally come into a reality. Thank you, my glimmers of light! I am beyond grateful for your love and support for “Glimmer of Light”!
I hope that this book will continue to serve its purpose- to remind you of how blessed and capable you are. Whenever you feel anxious, lost, and uncertain, may you remember that He has greater plans for us and that someday everything that we are going through now will eventually make sense. Don’t be afraid to explore your talents and capabilities. There is no harm in trying. Take that leap of faith. Believe in yourself and in Him. You are blessed and you are a blessing!
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| The author and her books! :D (photo credit: Vea Mari Villasol Canare) |
Hope you enjoyed, this review and author feature, Dearies! You may reach out to the author on the following links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vea.mari
Twitter: @vea_mari
Instagram: @vea_mari
Wattpad: @MissteriousDreamer
Feel free to comment below and give support to Vea Mari. We hope to see more published books from her soon!
See you soon, Dearies!
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