ReaderCon Report (+ giveaway!)

It’s been a week, but I still can’t believe the 3rd Filipino ReaderCon is over after many long months of preparation! There was, of course, the (now) annual Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards, which ensured our lean, mean, little machine team had more than enough work to do in the last six months, but we were totally excited for the rest of ReaderCon, too!

Arrived a little past nine, with Flipper friends Joko and Jeeves (and a cart overflowing with all my ReaderCon paraphernalia!)  in time to catch the opening remarks by Filipino Librarian and Rizal Library director Von Totanes.

(photo via Filipino ReaderCon)

And then I set to work assembling my booth for the Book Reco Fair, at the same time listening in on the panel on Kids and Their Stories, which was quite amusing, especially when the kids started piping up on their favorite books (Diary of a Wimpy Kid! Harry Potter!) and started asking questions (Is there a book called The Conjuring?).

(photo by Jeeves de Veyra)

Zarah writes about it in detail on School Librarian in Action.

Also caught a bit of the panel on Digital Readers, featuring my friend Gilbert all the way from Gen San. It was great seeing him again after last year’s MIBF meetup!

The Book Reco Fair

The story behind my booth is that I got carried away (in typical me fashion). Hehe.  A few weeks before the original date of the ReaderCon, the Flippers were planning their booth and I was getting pressured. Gege was spearheading the booth design, and the Flippers were volunteering enthusiastically, so I had to come up with something, fast!

So, here is Gege’s interpretation of hindi masyadong bongga, involving actual cushy furniture:

(photo by Jeeves de Veyra)

I had anticipated that happening, so it was a good thing I came prepared. My main priority was the book lists, because that was the main point of the book reco fair, and why I decided to join, anyway. I love foisting books on recommending books to people and I love it when they enjoy the books I recommend. I also registered under “eclectic” reading for the Book Reco Fair, so I decided to split my lists — half for young readers and half for general reading. Because I had several lists and I was doing the math, printing them out on individual bookmarks (100 pieces each list!) was out of the question (budget-wise), and so was full color. But I didn’t want to do a stack of flyers either, so after several dummies (some bloody layout work, and a few sleepless nights) I came up with this:

Downloadable!

It folds up into this itty bitty thing, so there’s some surprise factor involved (worked like a charm!):

And then I wanted something else to give away other than my lists, so I thought, bookmarks… And then I figured everyone would give out bookmarks, so suddenly, I was in full crafting mode. I had a perpetual cramp in my hand for three weeks, but it was totally worth the oohs and aahs of delight from those who dropped by my booth and walked away loaded down with freebies! :)

Squee!

(And because people have been asking, I had the printing done via YooPrint at NBS Glorietta. Fast, efficient and great print quality, plus open on weekends and after work!) 

And the postponement of the ReaderCon bought me some time, so I worked on a blue theme: handcrafted backboard, buntings, a baby blanket, decorative tin buckets (foraged at last month’s NBS warehouse sale), my Madeline doll and a little TARDIS (Well, it’s blue! And it was like a beacon to all Whovians at the ReaderCon). And while they’re not blue, I took along a small portion of my Harry Potter collection (a bunch of Book 1s, mainly paperback), which made an excellent conversation piece.

Here are some photos of my booth, all taken by other people (the sun was glaring something fierce from outside the window):

Setting up (photos by Jeeves de Veyra)

via Stories Beneath the Skies

via Anne Plaza

As you can see, the loot ran out fast! (photo by Rhett de Jesus)

And I finally met The Filipino Librarian in person! Yay!

I’ll update this post when the official ReaderCon photos are up, but meanwhile, here are a few other moments from the rest of the day:

with ReaderCon head honcho Honey, Tito Dok Luis Gatmaitan, and Flipper Joko

with the Flippers — spot Jon Snow! (photo by Rhett de Jesus)

and the ReaderCon volunteers!

And if you weren’t able to attend the ReaderCon, I’m giving away five sets of my handcrafted, limited edition Book Reco Fair loot for you, in the hopes of enticing you to attend future Filipino ReaderCons :)

Each set contains my Recommended Reads book list, a bookmark, a bookish badge, a sticker set, a magnet, and a mustachio pencil.

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