Note: Blogspot's app has updated and now it ain't working grrrr this is why I don't trust any blog sites!
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To say that I was terrified of Komiket is an understatement. Back in December, I got a confirmation that I'm in and knew it's a battlefield to claim a slot on this event, I acknowledged and gambled quite a large amount of money as payment for the solo artist space. I started freaking out after the exhibitor briefing. There were rules, plural, and rules and me, we're never friends.
On the actual day of the event, I realized the rules were quite exaggerated, imagine my relief, none of the worse case scenario I plotted in my head happened! HOWEVER, I started having rounds of anxiety attacks during the event proper itself when I realized the full implication of the nature of the event and type of audience it will attract.
It caters the visual arts. Drawings, comics, stickers, prints, zines yes, but 95% of zines with drawings and I AM NONE OF THAT. I roamed the place looking for works like mine, 'coz that of course is what I'm interested in and the ATM money was prepared to be distributed to my fellow lover of words, but I only found one other artist! ONE! Until I stopped for it was getting crowded, just making me dizzy.
Day 1 starts so slow my friends, imagine a logarithmic graph (idon'tknowwhati'msayingwhyistheremath). Bringing my headphones and My Chemical Romance's songs did a lot to soothe my internal turmoil. Deep inside, I was telling myself, this ain't my market until I was proven wrong. There were people like me, we who belong to the same tribe, the tribe who see and have known the magic of words, WERE THERE to support me 😭 ❤️
They're this small portion of the crowd, and few as we are, it's because of them I sold out "The Zine of Why's" "Even As Dust We Sparkle" and Reminders 4. Because of their support, I only got few copies left of the rest for my next event, GANDANG GANDA SA SARILING GAWA at CHR, UPD this March 7.
When I smiled at you at that event, know that I rarely do and that smile you've seen is true. When you let me know you like my works, they are confirmation of my purpose, that I'm on track, that risking despite of fear and worries is worth it. I would have loved for us to talk more BUT I was overwhelmed and not good at spoken words, apologies if my aura turned confusing.
One of the artists I look up to, Sir Adam David, bought 2 of my works. He was smiling while browsing, and that's a scenery I will never forget. I told him I hope to join BLTX again this year (coz people of my tribe of weirdness converge on BLTX) and he said he'll make sure to let us know and there might be an upcoming BLTX sooner than December. Please do have one! Please do! And hope it's nearby.
There was this guy who asked, "..is Sejuru here? Can I take a picture with you?" I still don't understand this particular moment but I just went with the flow lol
People pat Lila and Kell, so cute 😍 I didn't sell the preloved books but hearing those conversations about the greatness of Throne of Glass series is more than enough.
Seatmates are very kind.
I won't forget the guy who told me, "..take my money! You deserve it!" The girl who reached out thru social media to let me know she LOVE Reminders 2. There's also this girl who love My Chemical Romance so much she recommended new songs I can listen to. There are fellow readers who just surprised me by buying more than 1 of my works. Also had a nice chat with a guy from USA, this is the advantage of speaking English as required by my current work.
I went home, bought myself a bouquet of purple flowers, for just like purple, I thought it would suck but I ended up loving this. There are moments when I became teary-eyed and everything felt so right I was thankful I didn't stop and chose to fight.
With your help, the money I gambled has returned AND MORE. This writing career of mine taught me how to save when others have failed 😂 That's why, I'll never be tired of writing, THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone! Because of you, I experience what it is like to have everything, and daaaamn it is so worth living.
Send me notes, let me know. I love hearing from you.
Komiket is a success, my gratitude to its parts and whole. Until next Komiket! October, maybe?
Sincerely writing this blogpost initially posted on FB because blogger's app ain't working at that time,
SEJURU ✨❄️🌙
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