Vicky Cayetano beats the rush for 'God's Photo Album'

By Vicki Viotti
Advertiser Staff Writer

When folks call Vicky Cayetano the "first lady," they really mean "first."

As last weekend's Hawaiian Island Ministries confab got under way, author Shelly Mecum addressed the assembly at the Hawai'i Convention Center on her book, "God's Photo Album." Cayetano stood at the head of the line to buy the first copy, which had been reserved for her.

The book, which publisher HarperCollins has pegged for general release around Mother's Day, chronicles a 1999 student expedition by Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in 'Ewa Beach to find the face of God in everyday life. The "Album" has been lavished with praise from numerous literary luminaries, who tout it as a promising blockbuster. Oprah Winfrey's show is interested in featuring the book, which, knowing the talk-show maven's influence in the publishing world, is music to the ears at HarperCollins.

A limited stock of copies has been released, and last Friday at the convention, Cayetano became the first in Hawai'i to purchase one ($23 hardbound). It's quite an honor, considering with whom she shared the advance-purchase list.

Copies one and two are reserved for the pope and Oprah, respectively. Cayetano grabbed number three.

Correction: Vicky Cayetano received Hawai'i's first copy of "God's Photo Album. However, in the worldwide release, the first recipients were Pope John Paul II and TV host Oprah Winfrey. The book's first recipients were listed in the wrong order in a previous version of this story.