55 Bloor Street West
Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A5

Canadian screenwriter and novelist Stephen Mateo returns home to launch
his moving and inspirational novel about his father’s miraculous escape from tyranny
- January 21 & 22, 2012 at Chapters and Indigo in Toronto –

Los Angeles-based Canadian writer Stephen Mateo returns to his hometown to launch his moving and inspirational first novel, Journey, in Canada with two free public readings in Toronto bookstores: Chapters Scarborough on Saturday January 21, and Indigo Bay & Bloor on Sunday January 22, 2012; both at 2:00pm.

Available online at amazon.ca and chapers.indigo.ca, Journey is the riveting true story about his father Tomas Mateo Castellano and his harrowing escape from Franco's fascist Spain to a new life of freedom in Canada – and the secret he kept from his family his entire life.

It’s 1946 in Franco’s fascist Spain. Tomas is 17-years-old, living on the remote Canary Islands where they are still reeling from three years of bloody civil war. Soldiers, trained by Hitler and loyal to Franco, wander the streets, unchallenged, killing anyone suspected of disloyalty to the Franco regime. Torn between his family and his dream to be free from tyranny, Tomas makes a tortuous decision that changes his life and those he loves forever. Without telling anyone, Tomas and his friend Antonio risk their lives to escape. Knowing little about sailing, they steal a small sailboat owned by a General of Franco’s Civil Guard in the middle of the night and set sail for America, handing over their lives to the uncompromising sea in search of freedom and a better life.

Journey is the story of the lengths one will go to in search of freedom, the simultaneous desire to find our place in the world, and the guilt we feel over separating ourselves from our family. Ultimately, it is about a young boy becoming a man, bravely choosing the future rather than the past and the heart-breaking consequences of that decision.

Readers rave (from amazon.com):

“5 out of 5 stars – An incredible Journey – Mr. Mateo writes with so much passion and conviction that I could feel the fear of the Spanish people under Franco and I could feel the cold of the mid-Atlantic. I know I will be recommending this book to my friends and family.” - Rolando Lira

“5 out of 5 stars – Utterly amazing! I couldn't put the book down, except to wipe some tears
from my eyes ... to realize that this book is based on a true story makes it that
much more incredible and moving.” - Nancy V

Stephen Mateo launches his novel Journey in Canada in January 2012 with two free readings:
Saturday January 21 at 2pm: Chapters Scarborough (416-335-4311), Kennedy Commons, 20 William Kitchen Road
Sunday, January 22 at 2pm: Indigo Bay-Bloor (416-925-3536), Manulife Centre, 55 Bloor Street West, Toronto
Visit www.stephenmateo.com for further information

Added by dwcommunications1 on December 16, 2011

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