Two Memoirs and A Children's Book

By Marivir R. Montebon
New York City

Three members of the National Writers Union (NWU) will launch their books in the auspices of the NWU-NYC in mid-Manhattan on June 17, 2013 at six o'clock in the evening. "A Launching of Three Books" will feature the works of Filipino authors Marivir R. Montebon and June Pascal, both from New York and Bart Davidoff, from New Jersey.

Biting the Big Apple

Biting the Big Apple is a memoir of a journalist who came to the US to seek a new, safe life after the murder of her husband in the Philippines. It is an inspiring story of an immigrant single mom’s struggles in the city that never sleeps. Written in poignant, funny, and insightful manner, this memoir relates the personal life with the reality of Philippine diaspora and culture, as well as having a keen eye on the American life.

Author Marivir R. Montebon is currently Managing Editor of the Migrant Heritage Chronicle where she mainly writes about immigration and social issues. In March 2012, she published her own online magazine called OSM! (Awesome). She was recipient of the Woman in Media Journalism Award by the Pan-American Concerned Citizens Action League in 2012. Marivir lives in New York City with her daughter Nikki.

Momsie's Book

Momsie's Book, a children's book, is a collaborative effort of husband and wife Bart and Madonna Davidoff. The story, a book within a book, includes a memoir entitled "Natie and Me" handwritten and illustrated by Muriel Shutan-Davidoff in which she describes her childhood adventures growing up in New Haven in the late 1920's with her younger brother Nate. New Haven Connecticut was a different world in the 1920's. It had delis with real pickle barrels and gas-lit candy stores.

Bart Davidoff is the author and publisher of Momsie's Book. His mother, Muriel Shutan-Davidoff Muriel has been living with Alzheimer's disease for the past 5 years and since she is unable to write nor paint anymore, Bart decided to publish the book, not only to make it a part of Muriel's legacy but also to shed some awareness about the disease to children. He graduated from the University of California, Riverside.

Madonna Davidoff is a freelance illustrator and graphic designer who use traditional and digital methods to create her whimsical and lively children’s illustrations. She has illustrated for international publishers and one of her biggest breaks is being the illustrator of Barack the Anointed, a picture book based on President Obama's home place, published by BlackBook Press. Madonna is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, where her work was one of the 10 finalists in the SCBWI 2003 Artist Showcase Award. She graduated with a Fine Arts degree at the University of the Philippines and studied Illustration at School of Visual Arts in New York City. She lives with husband Bart and daughter, Bianca Marmy, in New Jersey, and has also lived in Switzerland, Singapore and Manila.

My Christmas Story

My Christmas Story is about a New York City artist who falls in love with a young river guide from Quebec City forty years her junior. He declares undying but purely platonic friendship. She in turn offers him a kind of love he can't refuse, agapeic love, the unconditional kind, love for love's sake. He gladly accepts, prompting the artist to sit up and find for herself what exactly that entails.

Born and raised in the Philippines, author June Pascal studied Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines. New York City has been home for more than thirty years where she has raised a family, traveled and continually functioned as an artist, a dreamer and an optimist.