Financial status: currently broke (but happy as good ol' Alannis song)
After buying lots of books during the Manila International Book Fair 2009 held at SMX Convention, Mall of Asia, Pasay City, my wallet looks more like a very deflated balloon.
Been attending the said MIBF for the last 4 years after I joined the book industry. It is certainly a mecca for book lovers like me. Retailers like National Book Stores, Powerbooks, A Different Bookstores, Fully booked, and all other movers and shakers in the book/publishing industry are there to showcase the latest titles. Some of them are book suppliers, periodicals, religious book sellers and academic sellers (those who sells directly to the libraries).
As of this year, Powerbooks & Fullybooked has not joined the annual book fair. For Fullybooked, maybe because it already has a store in the Mall of Asia premises, near the SMX convention itself. They also put in the SALE sign in their store. So, anybody crossing the mall from SMX to have lunch or snacks willl get to see the Fullybooked branch besides rows of restaurants.
As for religious retailers like OMF literature, Shepherd's Voice, Shepherd's House Publications, Christian Strengthening Ministry, St. Paul, Philippine Christian Bookstore, and all others, its so nice to know that religious titles is still a hit for us Filipinos! There was a clamor for these books as the authors dropped by their respective publishers to graciously do book signing session, and you know how gungho book loving Pinoys are with signatures from our own version of celebrities: i.e. the authors! I passed by the booth of CSM (Christian Strengthening Ministry) and their booth was full-packed! "They had a Super Booksak Presyo! everything at 99.00" in their booth, heard they were able to reach their quota on the second day, Congratz!
I stopped by the booth of OMF literature which is personally one of my favorite publishers to check out the titles & of course the bargain section, but this year, no bargains =( They offered a discount of 20%), checking out the prices on some of the books, I couldn't help but gasp as it is more than 400++!!! I miss the times when I buy their book at 150 - 350 range. My first purchase from them was:I kissed Dating Goodbye by Joshua Harris for only Php175.00, and this was in 2006. My, my, the prices really has gone up this days. I wonder, when they're going to do a massive sale. I'm keeping my eyes on the Captivating by Stacey Eldredge and Wild at Heart by John Eldredge, they're a husband & wife team. Sad to say, that this year, I had no purchases from OMF. sigh.
Also dropped by the Shepherd's Voice to check out their latest stash, but so far, I have almost all that i wanted. Bo Sanches & Larry Gamboa also dropped by to do autograph signing. I purchased 2 Kerygma back issue for 10pesos each. These are issues the articles that discuss wealth management. hehehe
Next stop is Summit Media for their regular 3 for 100 back issues. P50 for thicker glossies (like FHM, Cosmo specials, etc.) I think this year, they have less selections of back issues to offer during the book fair unlike before where there's usually a mad rush to get the hottest back ish. Didn't end up buying anything. But, if you see it in the eyes of Summit, thats good beacuse that means, they were able to sell more during its regular month! hehehe..but bad for us customer who hounds the bargain & Filbar's section...
Frequent stop is National Book Store, customers keep piling in especially on the last day. It was so hot inside due to numerous crowds, heard that one customer fainted due to the heat (unconfirmed). Been bugging around their bargain section (as usual!) and the friendly staff (hahaha! they're friends). They sure had a lot to offer during book fair, with minimal competition on the trade books as PB & FB (Powerbooks & Fullybooked to you) has not joined; though A Different Bookstore is there. Hottest titles to check is THE LOST SYMBOL by Dan Brown and The Hunger Games (bk1) &; Catching Fire (bk2) by Suzanne Collins: check out their website: http://www.scholastic.com/thehungergames/ . Haven't bought any for myself as they're still in full price & hardbound. But they're included in my MUST READ list, looking for somebody who would let me borrow their own precious copy..hahaha!
will post here if I get to have my hands on them...hope its soon enough that i wont be left behind! posted some pictures from MIBF, my purchase & the freebie I've got from the Publisher's Representative of the Philippines...NBS pictures are courtesy of Ms. Antonette Cardona of NBS =D
Celebrity sightings: Larry Gamboa (local author of Think Rich, Pinoy), Andrew Matthews (intl. author of How to Become Happy), JC de Vera who is helping out his father promote his booth (Cambridge University Press), Senator Miriam Defensor who we saw purchasing Black's Law Dictionary at MegaTEXTS & Bayani Fernando among others...
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