Lauren Deliria Nervosa: Private Lunch + Book Signing + Revelations

I’ll keep this post direct to the point. *breathes* Yesterday, I met the amazing, charming and very talented Lauren Oliver. My co-blogger and book sister, Kai from Amaterasu Reads, won two invites to a Private Lunch with Lauren and she invited me to come along with her! <3

Along with 18 fans, Kai and I had a private lunch with Lauren at Recipes by Café Metro in Greenbelt 3. We also got to talk with the Event Organizers from National Bookstore and subtly (or maybe not so subtly) requested that they bring Cassandra Clare, Julie Kagawa and more authors to Manila. ;)

Lauren chatting with fans

Nope not sleepy!

Lauren moved to three different seats – the last one was by my side. She signed my copy of Delirium. I told Lauren about her sending me a copy of her debut, Before I Fall, in 2010 for a blog event called Christmas Countdown. And yay – she remembers!

 

 With Kai (left) and the amazing Lauren Oliver (middle)!

 After the lunch, we headed to Powerbooks to have our other books signed. Before the signing, they projected the book trailers of Delirium, Before I Fall and Liesl and Po and some of Lauren's interviews. After watching the trailer of Liesl and Po and hearing this song - A Train with Wings - over and over, I'm absolutely addicted to it!

I'm # 81 and Kai is # 82! Texting my boyfriend before the signing (Kai must have noticed because she took this picture)

Lauren was interviewed before the signing. It was in that moment that I realized how beautiful, inspired and amazing Lauren really is. Before I Fall is one of my favorite books ever but now that I heard her talk about her books and her writing, I’ll be sure to pick up all of her future works. 


I brought three books - Before I Fall, Delirium and Pandemonium and I bought Liesl and Po at the venue. Went home with all of them signed!

In the spirit of being inspired, I’ll list down what I learned from Lauren’s interview:

Liesl and Po is semi-autobiographical because the passing of a loved one inspired Lauren to write this book. I was touched when she said that Liesl’s journey became her journey while she was writing the book. She was trying to write color back into the world.

Lauren doesn’t focus on genres. She writes them all – MG, YA and Adult. She focuses on writing the story instead.

She used to write on her Blackberry while being jostled by homeless people in New York Subway. (her words) – which means, aspiring writers can’t use the ‘I don’t have time excuse’ because Lauren literally didn’t have time. She just wrote in between.

Amor deliria nervosa was inspired by the time when people were panicking over Swine Flu. Then she researched about it and found out that in some societies (old and new,) when you’re passionate about something, you’re considered as sick. You need to be calm and things need to be regular and smooth. (Still shocked about this – need to research on that, too.)

Her work in progress is a realistic fiction entitled Panic. I think it’s an Adult book. But heck, I’m buying it as soon as it’s out!

It was also fun meeting fellow bloggers and tweeters there like Dea, Louisse, Blackplume aka Cai, Jayjay, Maria and Kwesi.

Big thanks to Kai, Lauren and National!

Oh and Lauren's next stop is Australia! So if you're in that area, make sure to meet her! :)