THE BOOK LAUNCH - SIGHTS & STORIES

So I haven’t really written about the book launch at all, and that is due to two things; I had been crazy occupied and I also wanted to get some feedback from others who were there as to how they thought it went. For all I know I could be the only one who thought it went okay whereas everyone else had a snoozefest!

There were in general three groups of people present – family, friends, and other avid readers/writers. We cleared the center of the MPH bookstore in One Utama, and created a little cosy area for everyone to settle in. Most of the guests had never been to a book reading event before, so we wanted to make it as nice as possible so more people would go to more book readings!
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For this purpose, I decided to interview M, a good friend of mine, who was there for the whole event. That way, you can get the feel of what it was like to be present!

What was the first thing you noticed when you arrived at the book launch?
The poster! The large poster where all guests can sign or give any well wishes.
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*We also had a big world map, with pictures of the book being all over the world. They are from readers who travel with the book. Alright the one with the pile of books is obviously mine. #narcissistic

How did I appear? Nervous? Uneasy?
You looked so happy! I also thought you were a really good host. You greeted everyone and you made sure you talked to everyone.

*The truth is I was dead nervous. I didn’t even sleep well the night before. I was anxious about everything that might go wrong – what if the mic doesn’t work? What if no one shows up? What if I have diarrhea?

Is this your first book-reading event?
Yes. Haha.

What did you think about my book reading?
Since I’ve never actually been to a book reading session before, I kind of expected it to be boring and dull. Instead I thought it was really funny! It was interactive, and everyone was in a good mood and responded well. And did you see Yu He and Ruzzana reading the book as you went on?

​Did you like the game we played? What was your general observation of the crowd?
I did! The part where everyone has a chance to read an excerpt of the book was quite fun. It was good to see everyone’s different reactions while reading it. And you elaborated the back story of each excerpt, so that it becomes relatable. Did I think it went too long? Maybe a little bit. But overall it was okay.

*Everyone who volunteered got a gift voucher. We also had a game where you submit the best breakup story you’ve ever heard, and the top three winners get a mystery gift!

Were there a lot of people during the book signing? Did you have fun mingling?
There was a line to get the book signed. I definitely had fun, but that’s probably because I know you, so it meant something a little extra.

Did you like the book? Why?
I did, but I actually haven’t even finished reading it hahaha. But so far I like it because I thought it offered a different perspective on things, and I thought it was extremely intimate the way you wrote it.

Did you talk to my family? What did they say?
Your Mom said she read it twice and your Dad said he hasn’t finished reading it.

*My cousins showed up as well! It was awesome. And aside from my friends, my friends’ parents came too! 

What was your main takeaway from the whole event?
A lot of people came, more than I expected. It was obvious that you have an amazing support system. I was also impressed to see other readers show up as well!