MIBF 2015 Experience

I don't usually go to events on my own because I know I'll be a loner and then after some roaming, I'll go home right away. But on my first ever Manila International Book Fair experience, what I think would happen disappear into thin air. I just didn't attend the event as a reader / bibliophile / book lover, but as an author as well. Wow. The feeling is wow!

I met my co-writers for the #JustWritePH class (which is the one class I still have to share on this blog), and also some of the #StrangeLit authors at Buqo's booth at MIBF in SMX Convention Center.

At first I thought, "Oh, it will be awkward. What will I say? How will I introduce myself?" But the thing is, those thoughts were gone after we said hello to each other. There were no awkward moments (or is it just me who thought there would be an awkward moment between us authors?). I never thought I'd talk to them about random things, like hello, I just met them today. How would I know if they wanted to talk about something that happened on my way there? Right? I was just so happy that all of the worries I had never came out when I was there with them. That meant, I wasn't shy anymore? Haha. Not so sure about that one, but being able to interact with them on my own without the help of someone I completely know was something for me. I am finally working my way out of my comfort zone.

Another thing that I was looking forward to at this year's MIBF is meeting the person who introduced me to self-publishing. None other than, Freesia Lockheart, author of Like Yesterday which was just recently published under pop fiction.

I met Freesia around November or December 2012. It was a sudden conversation because I saw her post something about publishing her book, Like Yesterday. I asked her a lot of questions. Literally lots of question. She assisted me while I was preparing my novel Never Love your Best Friend for self-publishing. She was there all throughout the process and I was so, so thankful for her. If it wasn't for her, I didn't know if I was even going to be in this year's MIBF.

And the moment of the meet up (after roughly three years of just talking in facebook, wattpad and other social networking sites) happened. When I saw her, I literally fangirled like how I fangirl whenever I hear Taylor Swift on the radio or someone saying something good to her. I was shaking, really. I hugged her twice, I think(?) Nope. I think thrice(?) Or maybe four times(?). But anyway, I hugged her and I was so happy for her (for finally publishing Like Yesterday) and for myself (for meeting her).

Signed! Yey!

All in all, it was a blast, tired but happy with the way how it turned out. I came to the event alone but I went out with the people I'd be with in the long run (we belong in one community, that's why).

MIBF 2015 is my first ever event and surely, it won't be the last.