The 36th MIBF Moments and Highlights

Photo with Luis Gatmaitan MD has become an MIBF tradition.

We came. We bought books. We had fun!

That is what book fairs are all about. There were good discounts on books in the Anvil and National Bookstore booths. For my library purchases, I had 20% off from Adarna House and Anvil Publishing. Even my books at the Lampara House booth were at a discounted price. Apart from this, the MIBF was a time to touch base with friends in the industry.

Augie Rivera's Alamat ng Ampalaya turns 20 this year and its bitter taste is as strong as ever. He also has a Martial Law story book, Isang Harding Papel, sold during the fair. Your library must definitely acquire it! Mailin Paterno and Ompong Remigio are both back from a long hiatus. Paterno's Mang Andoy's Signs is creating quite a stir from writer friends, earning good reviews from peers and friends in Philippine Children's Literature. Remigio's Bruhaha-Bruhihi is still a best seller after all these years. Meeting her in person was for me, a moment indeed! She was bold and large! As bold and as large as the stories she has written. I have told Bruhaha-Bruhihi many times in read aloud sessions and storytelling time and once, I put up a shadow puppet play of the book to preschoolers. Her stories are a lot of fun!

Bagay na bagay itong planner na ito sa akin!

I also managed to snag Tahanan's Chorva Planner. Rhandee Garlitos' finger prints are all over! These are perfect Christmas give-aways to friends and colleagues at work. How could you go wrong with your plans for the week with the opening Araw-arawin ang Ariba!? And you end your week with this: Rarampa na lola moh! Gay lingo may be an invention to hide meaning at the same time, assert gay pride, but its witty and humorous play on language makes it accessible to everyone.

My books, excluding the 12 stories in the STARS Kinder package

My comic book and graphic novel purchases included Russel Molina's and Ian Sta. Maria's Sixty Six and Piko, an anthology by enthusiastic and prolific comic book creators in the country today headed by Manix Abrera. Sixty Six is amazing! When is part two coming out?! Speaking of sequels, I am excited to read the next adventures of Momoy Lulumboy and Janus Silang. Soon. Very soon!

Lastly, I had my moment as an author in the MIBF when two of our books, My Daddy! My One and Only (Jomike Tejido, illustrator) and Dear Nanay (Liza Flores, illustrator) were sold out! The sales team of Lampara had to collect copies from nearby branches of Precious Pages Bookstore outside SMX to replenish. On Saturday, I was signing for Tale of Two Dreams (Bernadette Solina Wolf, illustrator) and Big Sister, our new book with Ruben "Totet" De Jesus as illustrator. It was a great experience collaborating with these talented artists of Ang INK!

This inspires me to write! More!