A Nerve-Wracking Book Signing Adventure with the Legendary Author Sir Ricky Lee

There are days you look forward to in life: birthdays, vacations, and, if you're a book nerd like me, the chance to meet your literary idol, Ricky Lee.

Preparation... Or Lack Thereof

Before the big day, I spent hours trying to decide what to wear. Should I go for the “serious intellectual” look with a turtleneck and glasses I don’t need? Or maybe the “cool, casual fan” vibe?

But I end up wearing Red. Para litaw na litaw sa photo ops!

The Waiting Game

I arrived early, but so did everyone else in the known universe.

Naloka ako. Akala ko kasi like normal bok signing lamang na nakaupo sa booth si Sir idol! Pero hindeeee!

Jam packed ang mga celebrity friends niya na nag prepare pa ng program.

Star Studded book launch of Ricky Lee

From Left: Cedric Juan, Direk Erik Matti, Meryl Soriano, Agot Isidro and Iza Calzado

Ilang araw pa naman ako nag debate kung luluwas ako. Pero nang ma spluk sa akin ng mga amiga ko na may book signing si Sir, ah hindi puwede hindi ako pupunta!

The celebrities were just Icing to the cake. But this is Sir Ricky's day! And I can't miss it!

Sir Ricky lLee

Medyo hassle sa pagpapapila. Mukhang hindi pa masyadong experienced ang mga in charge, palibhasa mga bagets pa.

But it doesn't matter. Makakaraos din, I said to myself. Yakang yaka ko tiyagain ang pila kahit hindi masyado organisado. Mahalaga nakita ko idol ko.

To pass the time, I pretended to casually flip through my book while sneakily eavesdropping on others. Everyone sounded so articulate, praising his works with comments like, “Your exploration of human emotions in *Para Kay B* was breathtaking.”

I started panicking, realizing my planned comment of “Dude, I love your books!” might not cut it.

My Turn to Shine... Or Not

Then it happened. The moment I’d been waiting for. The assistant called me up, and suddenly, I was face-to-face with the man himself. My brain did what it does best in high-stress situations: It completely malfunctioned.

I handed over my book with what I thought was a charming smile, but in retrospect, it might have looked more like a grimace. Ricky smiled back—was it pity? Or kindness? I’ll never know. Either way, my tongue was doing the cha-cha inside my mouth, and words refused to form.

Naninigas talaga ang panga ko.

He asked me, “So, how are you today?”

Instead of responding with a normal human sentence like, "I’m great!" or "I’m so excited to meet you," I blurted out, "Big fan! You’re... words... good... writing... wow."

Yes, I said that. Out loud. To Ricky Lee.

Ricky’s Graceful Rescue

To break the ice, my intrimtida friend behind me said: galing pa po iyan Sir sa probinsya ng Quezon."

Ngali ngali ko kurutin itong si Carmilina.

But Ricky, being the kind and gracious soul he is, simply smiled warmly and said, “Thank you so much for coming all the way to Quezon.”

It was like my brain had short-circuited. I clutched my newly signed book as if it were a life preserver and managed to squeak out, "For you Sir, kahit maglakbay ako s buwan, mapuntahan lang po kita."

The smile and gesture of appreciation from Sir Ricky was awesome!

The Aftermath

As I walked out of the stage, part of me wanted to laugh, part of me wanted to hide in a cave for a century. But as the adrenaline started to fade, I realized something important: I had *met Ricky Lee*! Sure, I had failed spectacularly at human interaction, but I had *survived* the experience.

And you know what? Ricky Lee now knows I’m a fan. I mean, I told him—twice!

Lessons Learned

1. No amount of preparation can prevent you from becoming a blubbering mess when meeting your idol.

2. Always have a backup plan in case your brain decides to take a spontaneous vacation mid-conversation.

3. Ricky Lee is not only an amazing writer but also an incredibly patient human being who deserves all the awards just for putting up with my awkwardness.

Looking back, it wasn’t so bad. Sure, I could’ve done without the verbal train wreck, but I walked away with a signed book and a story to tell. Plus, now I have a funny anecdote to share about that one time I met a legendary author and temporarily forgot how to function as a human being.

Would I do it again? Absolutely.