BOOK NERD SPECIAL: MITCH ALBOM IN MANILA

Hello fellow MISFITS and BOOK NERDS!!! WELCOME TO ANOTHER EPISODE OF BOOK NERD SPECIALS. Tis will feature authors, characters and we'll either talk about him/ her or anything special! Got it? GOOD!

Gotta flaunt my face a bit, yes?

Back in December, Eriele, a friend of mine (whom I've been to the Gayle Forman Book Signing last January),  planned out that we meet Mitch Albom for a book signing on Februart 22, and have our books signed. We carefully deduced how much time we need and all that stuff. We were warriors ready to go on battle!

 (Photos Courtesy of Ate Joan, Armi, Joana, Cla, and Alia and National Book Store. A few are from ME)

February 22 came and boy, we were taken to a whole new world. Let me narrate the whole thing that happened before Mitch arrived.  *memory reel rewinding*

So, February 21, I set out to go to Manila, and stay at my Aunt's place, since it's basically the only place where I can go to and stay for the night. That one worked out well. I arrived at 6PM, still in my school uniform. Many people eyed me, since I wasn't really a university girl from Manila. Anyway, I arrived home at my aunt's place, said my hellos and went on Twitter to check any updates my friend Eriele had planned out. Ate Joan and a new friend Cla also joined in the convo. We went out talkin' till the weee hours. I barely had sleep. I woke up at around 4AM the next day, getting prepped, checkin' out if Eriele's online and got out of the house at 6:30AM. I arrived at Glorietta---the venue--- at around 8AM and it was PACKED! TO THE TEETH!  I met up with Cla, who had arrived early. We were first-timers in trying to get numbers and lining up very early so we had no idea how the whole process works. We ended up having to go at the end of the line to get numbers but found out it was only for the coffee. Sucks. But we were still at the top of the bunch.

Eriele arrived at the nick of time, gave us our arsenals. We got to meet with a few other book nerds in the event too! AND HOLY MOLLY WAS IT CRAZY! Every second, a group comes along and lines up, and before you know it, 9AM came along and the line was jammed. National Book Store let people in, at around 10AM and got people registered. 

There's more on the other "sides"... Everywhere I mean.

I was #274... A huge difference from my Gayle Forman gig number of #508. But when I think of how many people were there, #274 was a miraculous number. 

There were problems here and there, with the flyers and all that and how many books we get to have signed. Eriele had extras since she has an online business. It was crazy. People started lining up and before we knew it, more and more of them started to huddle along the Activity Center."


GOLLY! I didn't expect to see that many people in my life! I knew for a fact that Mitch is incredibly famous, and I am a fan, but didn't quite grasp the magnitude of the crowd that came with his visit. 

While waiting, my friends and I took photos of the crowd, ourselves. We had our lunch there and we built our infamous BANNER there too! (Money courtesy of me of course..LOL). 

From L-R: Ate Lori, Armi, ME, Cla, and Eriele

From L-R: Eriele the Mermaid, Mama Peregrine and Jayvee, The Misfit Writer/Unicorn HAHA!

 

CLA! HAHA! Eriele is BUSY!

OUT OF NOWHERE, MITCH ALBOM ARRIVES! HE WAS ON A TOP FLOOR and people started screaming out his name. FANS WENT WILD, WE WENT WILD! 

And then, we started hoisting up our banner for the whole crowd to see. To our surprise, we were the only ones with that banner. People started taking photos of us with it. HAHA! We were like rock stars. But the biggest rock star would have to be Mitch. 

He was interviewed. He was asked about his best selling novel, Tuesdays With Morrie, talked about the wonderful professor, he talked about how wonderful his Mom was and how she fought tooth and nail against a librarian who wouldn't allow a young Mitch to borrow a "difficult book to read". His Mom was sassy. We love her for that. Eriele and I were teary-eyed when he was narrating For One More Day to all of us and how his mother inspired him to be a better person.  He also started to talk about his new novel, The First Phone Call from Heaven.

READ: The First Phone Call From Heaven Review

He said that National Bookstore has been trying for a while to get him to come to the Philippines, but he had to turn them down because of his tight schedule. But with his new novel out and the relief efforts for Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda happening, he took it as a sign to come to the country and help out as much as he can. He is a beacon of good hope, Mitch. I love him.

He then told us about donating 40 boats to Tacloban for the fishermen. Each boat had a name of his novel. He joked about the fishermen laughing about calling their boats "The Time Keeper" or "Five People You Meet in Heaven". He also told everyone his project to build 10 libraries and supply each of them with enough books for the kids and adults alike to read. He has signed up Stephen King, Amy Tan, Stephen Chbosky, John Grisham, Suzanne Collins, Sophie Kinsella and many more! One of the funnest part of the interview would have to be him mentioning the "band" he has with Stephen King and John Grisham... Everybody shouted "SAMPLE, SAMPLE" to get him to sing. (He's also a musician by the way). He said he can do an Elvis impression, and started singing. HAHA! Everyone went on laughing and clapping as hard as they could!

[I have to say, that I am proud to have been some sort of bridge between Mitch Albom and John Green!!! HAHA! I was extremely proud, really really.]

And he also mentioned that if the movie for The First Phone Call From Heaven becomes successful and if the 10 libraries being constructed are finished, he'd come back! That, I am excited for

Once the interview was done, Mitch got up, we flaunted our awesome banner and he waved at us! HE WAVED AT US! I remember facing Eriele and we were like "AHHHHHHHHHHHH" looked at Mitch, looked at Eriele, and "AHHHHHHHHHHH" hahaha! And he waved to his other fans, took a crowd selfie with them! He's that awesome! And then he noticed our banner again, mouthed it and shouted I LOVE YOU TOO! We didn't quite hear it, but I noticed the words coming out of him and I knew that that's what he said! I think I fainted for 10 seconds when that happened!

From L-R: Aya, Shy, Cla, Eriele, ME (looking crazy), and Armi... PEOPLE! I PRESENT TO YOU 

"THE BANNER GIRLS"

The book signing commenced. I had prepared a letter. HAHA! Well, not exactly prepared 2 months before but on the same day. I had my friends write a few words for Mitch on the back. We patiently waited, shouting as numbers were called! We supported everyone who was there. And our moment arrived. We huddled up to the line. Can I say that those 30 seconds with Mitch was one of the most magical 30 seconds of my life!?

Le Convo With Mitch Albom:

ME: *sits down next to him* Hi Mitch, how are you?

Mitch: I'm good. You?

Me: I'm fine, uhm, here's a letter for you! *hands him letter* I made it and I had my friends write a few things at the back, all for you 

*camera snaps*

Mitch: This is very sweet of you, thank you very much. And tell your friends thank you as well.

I know that it is possible to die for a couple of seconds. And I think I had that moment. Mitch was one of the sweetest, humblest, kindest people I have encountered. And it feels like, in that moment, I had an awesome best friend whom I have never seen in a while. THANK YOU MITCH! You are a constant inspiration to me, forever and always...

We finished quite early actually. I hung out with my lovely book nerd friends before heading home! I got to see Joana and Alia, (Joanacakes and A) to have dinner with them. They didn't get to come to the signing itself, but I'm so thankful that they took the time to meet with us! BOOYEAH! I love them to the last planet and back.

I want to thank Mama Peregrine (Ate Joan) for giving me a ride home and also for selling me a few of her classics! YOU LUCKY TO HAVE YOUR BOOK BAG SIGNED WITHOUT YOU-KNOW-WHO saying anything against you! BWAHAHAHA!

Mama, may I steal it? HAHAHA!

And to Eriele whom I'll always be with on book signings (as much as possible)! Even if I don't have that author's book, I'll probably still go see you if I could! We'll have cakes and coffee since you didn't get to have the free coffee we had! LOL!

Eriele, soon enough I can call you my real sister! WOW OH WOW! HAHAHA! We are greek daughters and now Peculiars!!! 

To Cla, whom I just met that day, you are the sweetest thing! You are a HEROES fan and an anime/manga geek like I am... we both love Fairy Tail. I say, you are perfect! Next time, we'll have cakes and coffee! Thank you for waiting with me on the line too! HAHAHA! We were such noobs! OH WAIT! You don't drink coffee! HAHA!

Cla is sooo pretty. Do I have the right to stand next to her!?

And to Armi, you sweet doll! You know you'll always be special and I love you! We should have cakes and
coffee too.. LOL! Tell me you drink coffee. HAHA!

Eriele says hi too! AHAHA!

And thank you to Ate Lori, Ate Kae for being such nice big sisters! It was cool having you guys there!

I also wanna thank Kayla of The Bookish Owl for being generous to include me on her RECAP for this same event and to Louisse of The Soul Sisters for being just awesome! See you girls very soon!

READ:  Recap || Mitch Albom Book Signing

ME WITH LE BOOKS SIGNED!

HAHA! MY HORRIFIC AWESOME FACIAL EXPRESSIONS! Special Thanks to Eriele for all the help with this one! *wink wink*

Miracle Book! :) You were a surprise to have been signed

AND LOOKIE! A SOUVENIR! 

So they gave out these Sharpies at the event. I don't think I'll use it ever... It may dry up from not being used. Is that even possible!? HAHA!

And so, we bid goodbye to Mitch Albom, for now! I will see him very soon. I feel it in my bones! Again, thank you to the wonderful amazing book nerds that I had to privilege to see again and meet for the first time. Our souls will intertwine again for many more times!

Thank you to National Book Store as well for allowing Mitch to come to the country! Hopefully next time,
it's more organized and more caring towards its customers! But thank you still for organizing a beautiful encounter!

Follow National Book Store on Twitter: @nbsalert

So MISFITS, if you wanna have this experience too, make sure that you can go and meet up with me, okay!? HAHA! There are more encounters like this to come, so grab yoh books and go! Till the next specials! CHEERIOS!