Writer love at IMBF 2023

IF THERE is anything that the Iloilo Mega Book Fair (IMBF) 2023 has taught me, it is this: That I am loved!

I am loved as a writer.

People want to be connected with me.

And I let them.

Their love begets my love.

***

I cannot say that I am the most photographed author at the fair.

(I cannot say it, but let statistic declare it!)

The official photographers and documentors hardly took my pictures.

And I didn’t get enough minutes to be photographed onstage.

But if the visitors’ and book buyer’s selfies are to be counted, I’m pretty sure I’m in the top two, if not the No. 1, most photographed author at the fair. 

***

The reason is simple: people know me from somewhere in one way or another.

There were lots of online friends, mostly from Facebook.

They talked to me about my Hacienda Dom Pedro.

My La Choza tree house.

My sh*tpostings that stir the pot.

***

Some people follow me on Panay News.

Or may have followed me in the newspapers (in the past).

They remember me from Panay New!

***

Students mostly remember me from their 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World course in senior high school.

The entire delegation of Library Science students (IMBF volunteers) from West Visayas State University under Stephen Alayon know me from my play “Tic-Tac-Toe”.

Stephen and I watched a performance by Iloilo Prima Galaw in prepandemic times, and he even wrote a review of the play.

***

I sense a lot of fan-girling from girls.

But also from boys! Haha.

And it makes the writer in me, the famewh*re part, very, very happy.

To be recognized.

To be asked to pose for selfies.

To be treated like the celebrity writer that I am.

This is what writer love means for me.

***

And then, there is flirting.

To meet a fan, and take them on coffee dates.

Or lunch dates.

Or dinner and drinks.

***

I even ended up in Dragon Lodge with someone very young, like 21.

Before you think sexy (and you should! Haha.), let me remind you of the massive brownouts.

It’s counter-productive for me to go home to Dumangas every night for the duration of the four-day book fair.

On the first night, I ended up in 88 Plaza Hotel with a long-time friend because my usual affordable place was fully booked.

***

Since I made a killing on Day 1 of the fair, we could afford a room with aircon. Haha.

On Day 1 of the fair, I met this 21-year old student who I’ve been talking to online before I came home to Iloilo from the US.

I’ve been here since August, and still we haven’t met.

Always he’s out somewhere, or I’m out somewhere.

Looks like we weren’t destined to be.

And I don’t argue with destiny.

***

Anyway, I finally met the boy, and we agreed to meet for coffee sometime.

He said he had homework to do that night.

Then, the big brownout.

I had the mind to text him: if your accommodation isn’t good tonight, you are welcome to an aircon room at a hotel somewhere with power to charge your laptop and cellphone.

He could be thinking a threesome; he said no.

***

And I thought, Okay.

But the next day, I explained myself.

Because it’s kind of weird to be offering that generosity to a young man even if I really only meant well.

And offering it on the very same day we first met! Haha.

***

On the second night, I went home to Dumangas, and suffered the brownout because I had to get more books to sell.

We continued to text each other.

He was in Pagdugue, Dumangas! (Of all places. Haha.)

But no, power was out, and there was really no point of me entertaining since I would be rushing back to the city the next day.

But I said, I’m getting a room in the city on the third night of the fair.

***

Day 3, he texted me—

Does the offer for the room and dinner still stand?

Of course, of course.

And so it happened that we ended up getting a room at Dragon Lodge.

We checked in at 7:30pm, and availed of the 12-hour promo, with 2-hour extension.

***

I left the fair at 7pm because there weren’t many people shopping.

We took a cab, and checked out five hotels (Century 21, 88 Plaza, Fine Rock Hotel, People’s Hotel, Madison Hotel) which were all fully booked.

The taxi driver was getting tired so he suggested Dragon Lodge.

The student-fan was okay with it, so we went in. 

He knew how Dragon Lodge works, I didn’t. Bwahahah./PN