I was there last year.

A lot has happened since then. Quite frankly, when I attended the book launch of Philippine Speculative Fiction’s fourth volume, my first publication in the anthology, I was more apprehensive than excited because I didn’t know anyone. I’ve never met the Alfars in person, and it was obvious a bunch of the writers there already knew each other, making fun of each other as they gave their speeches, and calling each other by their first names and what the hell am I doing here. Thank God Eula came with me, so I at least had someone to talk to during the event.

Compare this scene with the PSFV launch yesterday (April 24), where Kate [Aton-Osias] told Jake that she’d seen pictures of him and our dates (all hail Facebook, sorry Jake for your girlfriend’s online exhibitionism heh) and Dean Alfar gave a heartwarming speech in addition to my introduction, calling me a “hot writer”, i.e.”She’s been published practically everywhere.” (Can also be i.e. “She looks hot.”) (I’m kidding Nikki.) The book launch felt like home, so when I gave my speech I was at least coherent. I mean, I gave a public speech and actually made sense! What an accomplishment.

Also, I discovered something while I was walking around the U-View Theater shopping for autographs: PEOPLE READ MY STUFF. This is a revelation! When I post plugs for my new fiction/poetry I usually don’t get responses, but at the launch co-contributors Isa Yap and Tin Lao actually approached me and said they’ve read my poetry online and loved it. Tin even said she’s a big fan, and that she was glad to finally meet me. Me! And I’m not even wearing my fuck-me shoes! How surreal. That made me feel warm all over. :D

Thank you to Jme, Beej, Phil, Juabe and of course Jake for coming with me to the event and for not insisting on the original plan of lifting your shirts to bare your torsos painted with the letters E-L-I-Z-A.

Thanks to the other authors for signing my copy!

Much love to Nikki, Vin, and Dean for the successful event. I am in awe of all your efforts to promote the spec fic field, I really am. (I just can’t articulate that in front of a large crowd, that requires more charm and more brain cells.) And look, you got two fourteen-year-olds this year. Amazing! Can’t wait to read the book.

(Semi) group pic! Sorry for my sucky phone cam resolution. Let’s see if I can get the names correctly. Seated: Tin, Kenneth Yu, Dean Alfar, Andrew Drilon. Front row: Isa, Nikki Alfar, me!, Kate, Charles, TJ Dimacali (na boyfriend ni Ders! UJP-UP peeps? Remember Ders? Maganda hair niya. LOL.), Mia Tijam. Back row: Ejay, Alex Osias, Joseph, and Vin.

Outside the gates after the event:

After that we headed out for dinner and then had dessert at Xocolat.

“Well I didn’t know the churros would arrive on a hell plate,” Jaykie said when this appeared on the table. I said it’s not a pentagram, but a Star of David. Jewish churros!

LOL. Good times. :)