Event: The Morning Rush Book Launch

And almost one month after the said event, I am finally here to blog about it.

First off, I would like to thank Summit Books for being gracious enough to invite me. And I also apologize for being a bad blogger, since it might have looked like I abandoned the blog. I haven’t. I just found it harder to take a break from all the deadlines I had to meet. But that’s all been said and done now, so let’s move on to the actual event.

The “book launch” for the The Morning Rush’s Top 10 compilation isn’t really a launch, per se. The book was already widely distributed, and at the time of the event, it was already in the bestseller’s list of National Bookstore. But still, Summit Books decided to invite some media people, as well as a few bloggers, for an intimate reading and Q&A session with the hosts of the Morning Rush; with the event being hosted by their current third co-host Gino Boy.

At the “launch”, DJs Chico and Delamar shared a few behind-the-scenes stories about the Morning Rush’s Top 10 segment–as well as how the compilation came about. Short story made shorter, Summit approached them. But if you want to hear most of the story, it’s in the video I’ve embedded in this post.

Also in the video are a couple of snippets from the readings they did. I managed to capture a lot, but thought better to include all of them in the video. If you want the funnies, you can buy the book–it’s not expensive at all, and it’s available in bookstores everywhere. In Manila anyway. I’m not completely sure if it is as widely circulated in other parts of the country though.

I’m keeping my reactions to the compilation for another post. And with that, I leave you with my video coverage of The Mornng Rush Top 10 “book launch”.

Event: Trese 4 Book Launch

October 8, 2011–who knew it would be that big? Well, we had an inkling. And I’m sure creators Budjette Tan and KaJO Baldisimo knew that it was going to be swamped. But for people like me, who have been to launches that were either populated by family and friends, or attended launches that had crickets in the audience, we had no idea it could be that big.

I’ve been exposed to Trese since college years since my days as a writer/producer for an entertainment website (why pretend I’m younger than I am? Haha,) but it took last year’s Filipino Horror challenge in this blog to actually turn me into a fan. After reading the first three volumes (especially the third one), I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the next book. And then Cadena de Amor came out online. Then, earlier this year, I got a copy of The Fight of the Year–with a note saying that Trese 4 was coming out very soon. And after a few more months of waiting, a friend tweeted about the a date that writer/creator Budjette Tan was teasing Trese fans with. Sure enough, it was the date of the fourth volume’s launch.

Of course I made sure I’d be there.

As usual, I went to the event venue early. I do this to case the joint, and then grab a bite to eat before settling down for a long wait. But when I got to the venue an hour before the event was supposed to start, people were already occupying seats. Mr. Budjette Tan and Mr. KaJO Baldisimo themselves were already mingling with the early attendees. Or their friends. Who are also fans of their work, and not just there because they’re friends. Obviously, I didn’t bother with my launch-ritual of going somewhere else to eat first. I grabbed the nearest seat to the makeshift stage and I waited.

I didn’t have to wait long. After the lengthy interview by TV5, the program proper started. Host Jiggy Cruz made small talk, revealed the Trese-fied iPad that National Bookstore is raffling off to the luckiest Trese fan, before getting on with the grilling of the creators. A short question-and-answer with the fans followed, some of which gets touched upon in the embedded video below.

An apology to the quality of the video coverage. This is only the second time I’ve done this, and since you haven’t seen the first one–it was obviously a failure. The background music’s a bit louder than intended, and some of the anecdotes/answers were cut out to keep the video short. But hey, it’s something new! Going back to the event…

The place was packed. Packed! But it wasn’t until the autograph-signing session that I actually saw how many people came out to support the launch of Trese 4. There were two lines of people snaking throughout the loft of Bestsellers’, with the people in each line hoping they were the ones in the right line. Both were, actually. The Bestsellers’ people thought to let the lines stay, with the lines merging somewhere in the middle–prior to reaching the creators’ table.

Do I even need to say that the event was very successful?

Event: Pacific Rims Book Signing

Back in October of 2010, I wrote about Pacific Rims here on my blog. I gushed about it, to be perfectly straight with you. And I felt disappointed (in myself) that I didn’t attend any of the Pacific Rims-related events that Fully Booked and National Bookstore had held during the book’s release. Then again, when said events happened, I didn’t know if I was going to like the book or not. I hadn’t read it yet.

When I found out about National Bookstore’s Book Signing event for the release of Pacific Rims’ paperback copy, I knew I was going. It wasn’t even a question. I knew I was going to make time for it.

So Saturday, May 21, found me at Booksellers in Ortigas, at the book-signing event where author Rafe Bartholomew shared what his next plans are, and how much has changed in his life since the book came out. Spoiler: not much.

Rafe Bartholomew, contrary to his acting stint in Bakekang, is fun to watch live. He conveys his thoughts well—if a bit lengthily. That’s not a criticism, it’s just an observation—by a few people at the event, including me. One attendee, in line to have her book signed, commented that it was great that Rafe was conversing with everyone in line for an autograph—if only he didn’t take 20 minutes to answer each question.

I had my chance to speak with him too. I was planning on telling him how much I enjoyed the book, even though I wasn’t a fan of basketball—and then segue into a couple of questions about his chapter on Philippine show business. But for some reason, my mind went blank. I managed to ask about his acting stint, with a bit of (what I felt was) an accusatory tone. Rafe was nice about it, but I felt like kicking myself. If, by chance, Rafe is reading this: I’m sorry if I sounded snooty. And I really like your book.

The lesson here is: if you’re having problems putting your thoughts to words, not speaking would be the best option.

What’s done is done though, so instead of wallowing, I’ll give a short summary of what was said in the event instead:

First, Rafe Bartholomew is back in the Philippines for a short series of documentaries that will be aired at National Geographic sometime soon. He’ll be in the Philippines until the end of the month, which is sometime next week.

Second, he’s been offered a job as a researcher, with the option of writing, for a sports-centric website. I forgot the website, but I do have it on video, which I will put up as soon as I can. Rafe also mentioned that he’ll continue with his own blog; and that he has sent a proposal to publishers for another book. From what wasn’t said, I think it has nothing to do with basketball, or the Philippines.

I’d still pick it up when it gets released though. Whatever it is.

Third, Rafe got to play with some of the PBA legends when he went back to the United States. And most of the feedback he’s gotten for the book has been positive. Though, he said, there were a lot of questions from people of why he chose to dog Alaska instead of Ginebra.

Honestly, I found it weird when people started asking Rafe about stuff that gets covered in the book. Like the “Why Alaska?” question. That is, until I found out that around half of the attendees haven’t read the book. Oops on my part.

Before I end this post though, I have something for my readers: a free (and autographed) copy of Pacific Rims!

Since I liked the book so much, I thought I’d buy a paperback copy to giveaway. To win the book, all you have to do is comment on this post saying you want the book. Oh, and promise than when you do win it, you’ll give me your mailing details so I can actually send the book to you. That’s pretty much all I’m asking.

So do you want the book?

I will pick a winning comment using a randomizer (or whatever you call it) on the morning of June 12.