Band of Brujos

After the interview with Alexander Yates at the Manila International Book Fair, Day 4 was wrapping up and I was dead tired, so I found myself wandering to the wellness fair in one of the halls upstairs, and got one of those 15-minute massages on a demo massage chair. So I kicked off my shoes and took out my copy of Moondogs and had fifteen minutes of pure reading bliss.

I’d had a very exhausting month, squeezing in some odd pages whenever I can, and I really wanted to get back to reading, so the following week, I went with my fool-proof plan of action whenever I’m in dire need of some quality reading time: I booked myself myself a massage (not reading, of course, although not for the lack of trying :p)  and mani-pedi combo (the golden opportunity!) at the spa (hair treatments at the salon work just as well)!

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The one with the “Other Yates”

One of the highlights of this year’s Manila International Book Fair for me was meeting Alexander Yates, author of the novel Moondogs.

I’d started Moondogs some days before I was scheduled to interview him, but it was quite a hectic book fair  for me (lurking in the bargain bins did not help!) and I came to over a hundred pages by the time I sat down to do the interview.

But the hundred pages were enough to capture my attention. It was quite intriguing tale thus far: a kidnapping plot involving an evil rooster, a villainous cab driver, and a rich American businessman; a US Embassy officer leading a secret life; and a highly talented (if ragtag) special operations unit — all in one very familiar setting: the Philippines.

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