Let’s Get Specific

Driving to book launch, I was more anxious of being late than nervous of facing the crowd. Even when I was already at the venue, I was feeling nonchalant. But seeing the books and the gathering crowd and the venue slowly filling up, and the full implication of what was happening finally dawned on me. It has been a while since I last performed in front of a big crowd!

Adrenaline rush plus one and a half bottles of San Mig Lite helped keep my nerves in check.


(Photos courtesy of Von Draye.)

So when I took to the stage, I was actually stoked. My theater experience, as well as years of presenting to clients, took over. I remember just going with the flow, like improv but with a script I was reading right in front of me. (Excuse me! I was using Keynote, not Powerpoint.) And I remember enjoying myself while reading.

I also read E’s excerpt from his book, which gave me a chance to read something more serious, with more gravitas. And the excerpt that Migs and Karla read, from a letter of a mother wondering if her 7-yr old child is gay, brought the crowd to tears. The launch was truly theatrical, swinging the emotional pendulum from the funny and bawdy to the touchingly heartfelt. Plus there was music by Cookie Chua to boot!

Afterwards was the book signing. There I had an awful realization: my penmanship had deteriorated due to lack of everyday use. Sigh.

Dinnertime, we trooped to Burgoo. By that time the adrenaline rush had subsided and I was experiencing a slow but total body shut down. Still, it was one hell of a launch.

And so, here are my specific thanks.

I am thankful for being in such stellar company of my fellow first-time authors Migs and E. Ironically, even more readers will now hear their unique voices.

I thank Grey Matter Publishing, especially Gibo and Dennis, for making what was a throwaway wistful dream of mine a reality. And a special thank you to The Raymond Lee for editing and putting some sense to my mental meanderings.

I thank my other fellow Fabcasters—BaklaAko, Corporate Closet, Gibbs and Tony—for being not just great lifelong friends, but reliable sisters who care and look out for each other and whom I trust can always slap some sense into me.

I thank the wonderful people whom I met through my blog and have become friends, on- and offline. They are the colorful hues that make up the rainbow of my life.

I thank my readers, on- and offline, who continue to inspire me to always write as best as I can, and to have fun in the process. Let’s face it, The McVie Show can never be a show if there’s no audience.

A special shout-out goes to Mike. Yes you, my dear avid reader, thank you. Thanks to you, the whole room went gaga. I lost count the number of friends and acquaintances who went up to me and whispered, “At sino naman YAN, tehhhhhh?!” with matching pinch/grip on my arm, followed by, “Please introduce me to him!” and other variations of those lines. I had an inkling you’d be a hit, but had I known your effect would be like that, I’d have skipped my speech and just dragged you up onstage. Not exactly theatrical, but THAT would have been more dramatic. (Then again, you came in late. Too bad for those who left early, bwhahaha.)

And last but not least, I especially thank D for that heartfelt message that’s even better than a bouquet of flowers. =)