Imperfect Pearl – A Novel
Imperfect Pearl is a work of historical fiction. it is the story of how a young woman was influenced in her choices by events that she has no control over in order to survive them and move on, thus gaining insight, strength and resiliency in the process
I’m excited to post Imperfect Pearl, my new book, the 4th self-published book I have put out, but my first work of fiction, which I found excruciating to write, for story telling does not come naturally to me and my imagination leaves me wanting in creativity. The first 3 books are all memoirs so all I had to do was write how I remembered the event, I didn’t have to be creative to invent everything, which was so difficult for me to do. In writing this historical fiction, I did a lot of reading on Philippine history and memoirs of those who had experienced the war and whenever I could talk with someone who may have some experience of the times I wrote about, I tried to get as much authenticity about the experience of my characters this way. It was so very difficult to put everything together, since I didn’t experience the times myself, unlike a memoir where all these are there already for me to access. But that’s because I have to be accurate in the historical elements and that includes how the characters act and think. Perhaps I should write a novel about someone like me and my friends in the time frame that I live, then I could concentrate on the invention of the characters and the situation that they are facing.
Imperfect Pearl-A Novel
This is the story of Zonta, a woman raised in a convent by her widowed mother, who is very conservative and traditional in her values and who instilled in Zonta, behavioral and thinking modes that is strongly influenced by social approval and traditional concept of what is appropriate in a given circumstance. The book illustrates how these traditional values created ambivalence in her response and choices of behavior after life events that occurred during these tumultuous periods in Philippine history
This is also the story of the Philippines during the revolution and during the period of American occupation, how it acquired a sense of nationhood and how that emerging identity figured out in it becoming independent from American control. The book tells the story of many Filipino beliefs and how the religious influence still is manifest in many segments of population.
This is the stpry of deep friendships and how these friends navigated experiences that betrayed trust, and how that deep friendships survived and affirmed the relationship once again. It is the story of friendships between two girls who grew up in different circumstances but found each other as equals later in life as they navigated trust and honesty and feelings of alienation and betrayal.
It is the story of love in its many manifestations , that of carnal desire and sexual love, love between husband and wife, between friends, love of one’s children, family, love of country and love of human kind, of faith and love of god.
It is a story of hope and ambition and discipline and determination and of forgiveness and thereby finding love again.
It is a story of courage, finding one’s strength and imagination to survive what life has dealt which one had no control over.
In the end one finds hope springs eternal and survives when one opens itself to love.
About the author:
Metty Vegas Pellicer is a grandmother, mother, woman, and a doctor. She immigrated to the USA in 1967 after graduating in Medicine from the University of the Philippines College of Medicine snd was in practice until her retirement in 2008. She speaks Tagalog and Bicol and growing in proficiency in Spanish. English is her 2nd language. This is her 4th book and her first fiction, a historical novel. She has self-published 3 other works , all memoirs the last book a collaboration with Tom Godwin, his memoir about Growing UP Colored in Cape Charles,Va-as told to and written by Metty Vargas Pellicer which further evolved into a community service project of the Rotary Club, a walking tour of the Invisible History of Cape Charles, which she proposed and headed, see invizhistory.org. She moved to the tranquil Eastern Shore in 2017 and built a home with her sister Minda planning to grow in old age until the end, but now find herself restless and thinking of growing really old in the Philippines where finding good caretakers is still possible. She is thinking of finishing up the story of Dita and then Aria and the children, and hopes to find inspiration in the home country, and a focus and purpose in aging as traveling in the way she did until recently will have to be reevaluated. Aging and its limitations is slowly creeping in. So those who like to join her in the adventure with Zonta will tune in for updates Follow her on FB or find updates in her website http://mettypellicer.com, where you will also find information about her 3 memoirs and a link to purchase them.
Pre-publication Reviews
Review #1
This heart-warming story brings the reader into the life of a
young mother bearing the weight of a painful secret as she
seeks fulfillment through her creative abilities. Interwoven
throughout the story is a taste of the history of the Philippines
that will tug at your heartstrings and your curiosity. It is an
engaging read.
reviewer name: -Betty Martin, community activist, author fiction and creative non-fiction
Review #2
This tale of a woman’s resilience against adversity is lyrical
and exotic. The protagonist is endearing and makes the book
hard to put down. Lyrical, treated with sensitivity and
elegance, it is sure to please. Added to it the descriptions of
faraway Philippines add an element of adventure.
reviewer name: -Catherine Jo Chaddic, author, fiction and creative non- ficti
Review #3
Fans of romance novels will find The Imperfect Pearl to be a
compelling read. By the end of Chapter One, they will find
themselves immersed in the life of Zonta, the story’s appealing
protagonist, and eager to find out where the situation
introduced in Chapter One is going to lead her. Pellicer also
skillfully manages to infuse the narrative with historically
accurate details of Philippine history which serve both to give
the novel a palpable sense of time and place and illuminate
the place of women in the Filipino culture.
name: Helen Putre ALLES director, author fiction and creative non-fictio
Review #4
Set in the Philippines from 1898 to 1915, Imperfect Pearl is a
valuable contribution to understanding the struggle of the
people of the Philippines to achieve independence and United
States’ role in both aiding and thwarting this effort. But history
aside, what makes this book stand out from the crowd is the
author’s portrayal of a young devoted wife’s attempt to deal
with the seeming abandonment by her husband and her brutal
rape by a trusted colleague. Her internal battle to deal with
conflicting and confusing emotions of rage, sorrow, guilt, and
unexpected sexual arousal make this unique in depictions of
the long-range ramifications of sexual assault.
–Karen Gravelle, author of best-selling children and young
adult books and the popular The Period Book: A Girl’s
Guide to Growing Up.
