WRITER WHO LIVES IN THE AMAZON RAINFOREST IS RELEASED IN EUROPE

Carlos Correia Santos was introduced to readers of Portugal, Africa and East Timor.

Literature can unite countries. The Brazilian writer Carlos Correia Santos proved it during his stay in Europe, last June. The artist, who was born and lives in the Amazon rainforest, went to Europe to promote her novel "Candles in the Forest". The autograph session of the book was in Lisbon, on June 6, at the FNAC Chiado bookstore. The event was supported by the Embassy of Brazil in Portugal and made part of the project "From the Amazon to the World", created by the producer and musician Fercy Nery, who is the agent of Carlos Correia in Europe. In the event, Correia showed his poems and autographed his novel. Fercy Nery and the drummer Attila Argay performed classics of Brazilian music. The book "Candles in the Forest" was included in the list of the highlights of the FNAC Chiado bookstore.

"Candles in the Forest is a novel that helps to promote the Amazon rainforest. It is also a book that strengthens the cultural ties between countries that speak Portuguese", said Fercy Nery. Rita Pestana opines: "Mindful of its reality, sensitive to social causes and committed to the culture, Carlos Correia is one of those ethical writers who become successful".

After the event at the FNAC bookstore, Correia traveled to Spain, Italy, France, Belgium, Switzerland and Austria, performing researchs for new novels, and in late June, he returned to Lisbon for two events. On June 30, the writer was in a special dinner held at the Center InterculturaCidade, directed by Mario Alves, a member of the Portuguese Association for Local Development (Animar). At the meeting, Correia spoke about his work, spoke about the cultural peculiarities of the Amazon rainforest. The writer also met European and African artists, such as the famous Portuguese actor and playwright Helder Costa and the Angolan singer and songwriter Gonçalves Correia, Chalo.

EAST TIMOR

The writer also participated in a special cultural action. Between 27-30 June, following a suggestion from Fercy Nery, the Lisbon Center of EpDAH (Association of Engineering for Development and Humanitarian Assistance), based at the Lisbon University, conducted a campaign to collect books for East Timor. The culmination of the campaign took place on July 1 with a new edition of the project "From the Amazon to the World". The event was held, this time, in the House of Brazil in Lisbon and had the support of the Embassy of Brazil, the Embassy of East Timor, the Association Immigrant Solidarity, the Association of Support for Diocese Baucau and the House of Brazil. Again, Correia showed his poems and autographed his novel. Fercy Nery and Attila Argay performed brasilian musics.

Produced with the support of the Embassy of the Democratic Republic of East Timor and the Association of Support to the Diocese of Baucau, the philanthropic project included a campaign to collect books in Portuguese, to be donated to libraries in the East Timor. With less than a week, the campaign had more than 3.000 books donated.

This was not the first time that Carlos Correia attended a solidarity action in support of Timor. In 2000, the author was one of the writers who joined the Brazilian Project “Timor Hope”, created by SHAN Publishers (Rio Grande do Sul / Brazil). The company published an anthology that was delivered by international Brazilian peacekeepers to the readers of East Timor. "It was a joy to participate, in Lisbon, of events that, above all, celebrated the Amazon rainforest. These events brought together readers from Brazil, Portugal, Africa and East Timor. All united by a common passport: our language. Our Portuguese language", said Correia.

THE NOVEL

The result of six years of research, "Candles in the Forest" has as its backdrop the true and colossal story of Fordland, a urban center built by Ford Motor Company in 1928, in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, for the production of the latex that would be used by the powerful automobile company to create tires. The project was abandoned after the rubber plantation was attacked by a plague. The place becomes a ghost town. The book's characters try to overcome the atmosphere of abandonment that covers Fordland. One of these characters is Rita Flor.

At the beginning of the narrative, the daughter of Rita, a child who was six years old, dies suddenly. After the funeral, Rita is mysteriously saved from a terrible fire in his poor house. She believes that her girl became a miracle worker and decides to build a chapel in her honor. But Rita has no money to fulfill her desire. The only way left is prostitution. The sacred and the profane are united in the same bed. In the middle of the emptiness and disenchantment of Forland, Rita sells her body to sanctify her daughter.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

EpDAH (Association of Engineering for Development and Humanitarian Assistance) - http://www.epdah.pt/