The Manny Pacquiao Effect and Other Stories

In the title story, The Manny Pacquiao Effect and Other Stories, author Gene P. Del Carmen writes of a Filipino heart surgeon in the United States. Just like boxer Manny Pacquiao, his colleagues have urged him to give more than he takes. When he goes home to Manila to perform charity work, the doctor discovers the conflicts in his Filipino family as he vows his sense of duty towards them.

While the rest of the collection is a diverse set of stories, the search for identity is a central theme in many of the plots. The characters' quests for love and purpose give the work a bittersweet yet optimistic tone.

In addition to his collection of short fiction, Del Carmen includes a true story about his deceased wife and the frustrating world of organ donation. "Solomon, Peter, & Joseph" seeks to educate readers about kidney donation and suggest solutions to some of the problems plaguing patients on the transplant list.

Del Carmen's stories, both real and fictional, offer a view of a wide cross section of life. Despite his characters' many differences, they share one thing in common. They are all unforgettable.