Thank you banget!

(photo by Dina Zaman)

Thanks to the estimated 1,200 of you who came to the KLAB over the weekend!

All in all, we sold over RM25,000 worth of books and it's safe to say that several friends were made.

Highlights for me: Meeting, for the first time, Lyna Usman (with whom I shared a booth); publisher Ezra Zaid of ZI; and the graphic artist-writer-filmmaker Chin Yew. Somehow I think I will continue to keep in touch with all three of them.

Lowlight: Getting interviewed by a certifiable bimbo from the mainstream press. She had the nerve to say she "received the press release but didn't read it" and expected me to rehash everything verbally. She didn't look like she'd ever picked up her book in her life and thus showed no interest in any of the titles there. No wonder her newspaper has seen far better days.

Ah well. But I digress.

Some stalls were giving out books for free. Kakiseni did that with its book of prize-winning short plays and all 300 copies they brought were snapped up by people who were patient enough to fill out the 6-page (!) questionnaire that was the prerequisite for ownership.

Special thanks must go to my co-organiser Zulhabri Supian and publicist Dina Zaman, as well as Chet Chin for manning the Book Giveaway stall so efficiently, and Uzair Sawal (check his blog for pictures of the rock kangkang devotees right outside our door) for being such a help all around.

Zulhabri and I will meet tomorrow for a 'post-mortem' but we are definitely psyched about making this an annual affair.

Other, more comprehensive accounts of KLAB can be found via Sharon Bakar & Walski & Fadz.