TBB ▲: BOOK SIGNING: LEIGH BARDUGO IN MANILA 2015.

Warning: This post is an online proof and documentation of how I murdered capslocking and !!!!!!!ing. You've been warned!

Aheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeem, guys!!!!!! GUUUUUUYS!!! *someone hold me* Been trying to compose myself for the past several days so I could come up with a decent recap but reality hasn't sinked in yet that I met -- in person (OMG) -- one of my all time favorite authors! This fantastic New York Times Best Selling author graced the Philippine archipelago with her presence last June 21 (June 20 in Cebu) and boy it was freaking surreal!

GUUUUUYS, I FREAKING MET THE LEIGH MAGNIFICENT BARDUGO!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAH!!!!!

I was cleaning up my screen shot album (3000+ screenshots, unbelievable guys) so I could free space on my phone when I saw this tweet of mine back in 2013. I was still Kisskitkatey back then. Realizing it after a deadly lag of 20 seconds that I was referring to Leigh Bardugo! See? Dreams really do come true! Grasping how miracles happen in our lives has been so hard especially when Chad of National Bookstore told me things I will never ever be able to accept (THANK YOU FOREVER HUHUHU). I AM NOT MAKING COHERENT STORY TELLING HERE GUYS PARDON ME BECAUSE LEIGH HUHUHUHUHU. Anyway, where was I again? Okay, so I woke up early (30 minutes before Kai of Amaterasu Reads called to wake me up, love you!) and was already cramming about the event then headed straight to the Bloggers' Forum. I haven't seen my blogger friends for a while and I was excited to see them and hear all about Hazel and Louisse's extravagant BEA 2015 experiences. We talked for I think an hour about everything and as always, took selfies and fangirled about books! THEN SUDDENLY I SAW HER IN THE CORNER TALKING TO AN INTERVIEWER AND I HAVE GONE TO SOME PLACE ALL SPACIOUS AND WHITE FOR ABOUT A MINUTE AND MY HEART STARTED TO BEAT SO FAST OMG REALLY NOW!

PH YA Book Bloggers with Louie and JB.

When she was introduced, I wanted to scream but I couldn't so I squealed a little! (well, I take that back. I just watched my video of Leigh entering the forum and my scream was so embarrassingly loud!) She was so freaking beautiful and glamorous and funky and tall and her hair was perfection! She was so energetic and her enthusiasm was contagious! I recorded the entire Q and A however, it is my greatest heartbreak to announce that I couldn't transcribe it due to Mic-at-the-event-sucked issue I couldn't hear most of it.

I am among friends. :)

I learned a lot about her through the Q and A. Her accent was so girly I couldn't help but giggle! She was so hyper and her excitement in meeting us was beyond comprehension! She recognized Louisse! Eeeeeek! We talked about The Darkling, her being a Team Story, how her life has changed since being published (she was nearly in tears), writing process, Six of Crows and a lot more. Knowing I was that close to her made me love her more (in a not creepy way) and appreciated her books more! THEN HOLY FUCKING HELL SHE ANNOUNCED SHE BROUGHT SIX OF CROWS ARCS FOR ALL OF US LIKE WHAT THE HELL IS THIS LIFE REALLY!! The ARC was a beast, man and so SO beautiful! You know, being with my friends and talking to Leigh made life so so much better!

Leigh's edgy nailart!

FRIENDS.

Dianne of Oops, I Read a Book Again and I were wearing our Grisha Army pins (why didn't we take a photo?) and Leigh appreciated it as well. She did appreciate us being there to be on point. There were three things I failed miserably in this event though: No signed polaroid shot because I forgot to borrow my niece's Instax camera, I forgot to ask her to sign my Six of Crows bookmark and the worst was I DIDN'T GET TO HUG HER. Epic, epic fail, Kate!

My Queen signing my books! I was staring at her so bad HAHA sorry but not really!

PH YA Book Bloggers with Leigh! Thank you for the photo, JB!

At the public signing! YOU GUYS SHOULD SEE THE COSPLAY! IT WAS MIND-BLOWING!!

Before we went our for lunch, we did the usual. We went to the public signing to take photos. Most of us though went home right after the forum because it was father's day that day. I wasn't able to take photos of the cosplayers but I saw it on Leigh's IG. Gaaaaad, they nailed it! But still, I got to see and hug my friends and this event definitely rekindled my blogging fire. I guess, it was all I needed to be back on my feet!

Leigh's message to Filipino fans!

(At the end after I stopped filming, we all went like "AAAAAWWWWWW")

Signed books huhuhuhuhuhu!

Take home goodies! Hmmm, my signed Post-It is missing.

SIIIIIIX. OOOOOF. CROOOOOOOWS. *dies* *dies again*

I look so thin here bahahah! Thank you for snapping this one, Hazel!

WITH HER EXCELLENCY LEIGH BARDUGO!

I think I can breathe now. I can calm the fuck down, no? This day was not only a blast but a weapon of emotional destruction explosion. I couldn't thank National Book Store enough for this event. Thank you, particularly, Chad. Thank you for everything! You wouldn't believe how this meant to me! I will forever treasure this, as in. Till my last breath. Thank you ever so SO much! I wouldn't be able to repay it but THANK YOU HUHUHUHU!

Thank you, Leigh, for visiting the Philippines and for enjoying our Lechon and Pancit! Don't forget us!