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    Love Blooms Where April Lilies Grow
    Love Blooms Where April Lilies Grow
    Love Blooms Where April Lilies Grow
    Ebook101 pages56 minutes

    Love Blooms Where April Lilies Grow

    By Norbert Mercado

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    About this ebook

    An unusual love story amidst an impending nuclear threat in East Asia.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherNorbert Mercado
    Release dateMay 18, 2013
    ISBN9781301996711
    Love Blooms Where April Lilies Grow
    Author

    Norbert Mercado

    "In this age of revolution, the contemporary writer should utilize the pen for the preservation of peace," Norbert Mercado, a Filipino author, stressed. The books he has written and published, including his anthologies, unapologetically assert the indispensability of peace in a nation’s progress. The author has written more novels than any Asian writer had in just a brief period of time. In fact, he has surpassed the number of novels written by world-renowned novelists like Russian author Alexander Solzhenitsyn (winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, 1970) and American authors Ernest Hemingway (winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, 1954). Solzhenitsyn has four novels to his credit, while Hemingway has eight. His style of writing is simple and succinct, but poignant and colorful like Hemingway’s THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA, and Solzhenitsyn’s ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF IVAN DESONOVICH. "The simpler the novel, the better," he said. In line with Japanese Yasunari Kabawata’s writings about the Japanese way of life, most of Norbert’s novels focus mostly on the current situation in his country. Kabawata is the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1968. His books present hope to the Filipino, especially to the "economic exiles" in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan whom he has spent most of his time with, in their daily struggles. But most of all, his novels lucidly show the futility of war and violence in the resolution of political-economic-class conflicts in the Philippines. "War should not be used as an instrument in resolving political conflicts. Writers who abet wars and revolutions must think of the widows and the fatherless, the chaos, destruction, and suffering of the people whom they claim to be concerned about," he said. What if, like Solzhenitsyn, Hemingway, and Kabawata, he eventually wins the Nobel Prize? What will he do with the US$1,000,000 award? "I will use the prize for establishing a Peace Foundation that will assist in the formulation of policies which will resolve the current shooting conflicts in the country and help alleviate the continuing poverty of our countrymen." He will take charge of the foundation and personally campaign for a peaceful settlement of the conflicts in the Philippines. "The insurgency and the secessionist rebellion have foreign support. A Nobel title will give me the personality to approach the leaders involved in the conflicts," he explained. Born on March 25, 1955, he is the youngest among the children of Mr. and Mrs. Aurelio Mercado, Sr. of San Manuel, Tarlac. He graduated from the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, with two degrees, Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Communication. Voted Outstanding Campus Journalist in 1974, he was a columnist and associate editor of the Philippine Collegian, the campus publication of the University of the Philippines. He has also written articles for various newspapers and magazines in the Philippines, as well as abroad. He also won the 1981 National Essay Writing Contest sponsored by SIDESTREETS Magazine. Norbert is a graduate of the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP), the topmost armed forces school in the country, where he was conferred a Master’s degree in National Security Administration (MNSA) and the rank of Lt. Colonel in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). He graduated from the NDCP at the age of 32, the youngest in Class 21 which had already produced several generals in the Armed Forces, and the youngest graduate in the history of the National Defense College of the Philippines. He was elected one of the fifteen directors of Class 21. He was conferred the degree of Doctor of Divinity (Applied Servanthood), Honoris Causa, for his almost 30 years work in Christian literature. His batch mates include Senator Robert Barbers, Undersecretary of Trade and Industry and Bulletin Columnist Nelly Villafuerte, Actor and Producer Fred Galang, Rev. Peter Vasaya, and the His Royal Highness Sultan of Sulu and Sabah Ishmael Kiram. A sports lover, he was a rifle marksman in his UP ROTC days, and a winner of the 1988 and 1989 5,000 meter-run sponsored by the National Defense College Alumni Association. His sports include swimming, basketball, volleyball, boxing, karate, cycling, and marathon among others. A traveler, he has attended various international conferences and trainings in Asia and Europe. His travels have widened his insight not only of places, but also of people he has constantly observed and empathized with. He is the youngest graduate of the Singapore Haggai Institute for Third World Leaders in 1980 at the age of 24. "Let us work for peace in our country, in any way we can," Norbert stressed. Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers." Ria M. Mercado

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      Book preview

      Love Blooms Where April Lilies Grow - Norbert Mercado

      LOVE BLOOMS WHERE APRIL LILIES GROW

      A Novel

      by

      NORBERT L. MERCADO

      Also by Norbert L. Mercado

      NOVELS

      72 Hours in Moscow

      After the Summer Rain

      Beyond Revolution

      The Children of Mars

      Chrysanthemum

      The Days of an Empire

      Even the Grass Bleeds

      I Don't Need A Throne

      The Last Romanov

      One Love, Three Summers

      The Protracted War and the Quest for Peace

      Some Winds Blow Forever

      Three Cornered Sun

      Unchained Melody

      Windflowers

      The Winter is Young

      The Korean War

      In The Shadow Of The Roman Empire

      Farewell Darkness!

      The Roman Governor of Judaea

      OTHER BOOKS

      Asia Health Book 1

      Asia Health Book 2

      Cambodia's Children of Sorrow

      The Future and Your Family

      Jerusalem: The City of Destiny

      Ronald Reagan: Profile of a President

      For more information on Norbert L. Mercado, visit

      http://norbertomercado.blogspot.com

      LOVE BLOOMS WHERE APRIL LILIES GROW

      Norbert L. Mercado

      Copyright © 2013 Norbert L. Mercado

      Norbert L. Mercado has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work.

      This book is a work of fiction, and except in case of historical fact, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

      This book is sold, subject to the condition that is shall not, by way of trade or otherwise be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form or binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

      ISBN: 9781301996711

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes

      This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      VERSION: 201304151400

      This historical novel is dedicated to

      Engr. Raul Ray Pelaez

      Dr. Eileen Morales Pelaez

      Sylvia Reyes, Missionary to Cambodia

      Atty. Melanio Batas Mauricio

      Atty. George Briones (Grand Archon)

      Atty. Demaree Raval

      Atty. Leo Beligan

      Atty. Pat Libo-on (Grand Archon)

      Atty. Freddie Angara

      Atty. Ronnie Cosalan

      Atty. Odi Sta. Romana

      Atty.-to-be Bubuy Mendoza

      Atty. Migz Lopez

      Atty. Jim Lopez

      Jojo and Tess Garlitos

      Miss Eloisa Hatfield

      Miss Gemma Chan

      Mrs. Beng Morales Lucido

      Miss Grace Erin Chan

      Mrs. Lourraine Morales Uy-Sison

      Sylvia Reyes

      Edith G. Capule

      Janette G. Lagarejos

      Lerie Lepuebla Canlas

      Engr. & Mrs. Benny and Arlene Gonzales

      Engr. Noni Catabui and Dr. Jesusa Catabui

      Dr. & Mrs. Alex and Lulu Brillantes

      Dr. Aida Mercado Magalong

      Dr. Mary Anne M. Pascua

      Miss Monette Mercado Magalong

      Kent and Dianne Hutcheson

      Tim and Nancy Lovestrand

      All members of the University of the Philippines System Christian Alumni Association International (UPSCAAI)

      and

      June, John Mark, Jerusalem and Joanne

      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      Prologue

      Chapter 1

      Chapter 2

      Chapter 3

      Chapter 4

      Chapter 5

      Chapter 6

      Chapter 7

      Chapter 8

      Chapter 9

      Chapter 10

      Chapter 11

      Last Chapter

      A Historical Novelist For Peace

      You Can Also Connect with Me Online:

      Discover Other Titles by Norbert L. Mercado:

      Back to Table of Contents

      THE THREAT OF ANOTHER KOREAN WAR

      "What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members. You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. And you are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask, and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures." (James 4:1-3)

      The current level of tension is very dangerous, a small incident caused by miscalculation or misjudgement may create an uncontrollable situation.

      April 10, 2013 Statement in Rome

      by the United Nations Secretary General

      Ban Ki-moon

      "North Korea has wielded the thermonuclear threat several times in recent months despite an expert opinion that it is nowhere near developing such an advanced nuclear device. The crisis on the Korean peninsula has been intensifying almost daily since the North’s nuclear test in February (2013) which toughened U.N. sanctions."

      South Korea, U.S. troops raise alert level to vital threat

      AFP Report

      Philippine Star

      April 11, 2013, pp. 1-2

      Back to Table of Contents

      CHAPTER 1

      "The combined South Korean Armed Forces and the United States’ troops stationed in South Korea raised their alert status from Watchcon 3 to Watchcon 2 due to the threat of

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