Last year, I was privileged to have a blog interview with Jahric Lago, the author of the funny and nostalgic: Anong Klaseng Estudyante Ka or AKEK.
Last February 14, I had a great time interviewing Jahric with his latest book compilation before his book signing at PSICOM’s Love at First Write: The Second Time Around!
***Jahric requested that the interview would be in Filipino***
Me: Hi Jahric! Gusto ko lang sabihin na congratulations dahil best-selling ang unang libro mo na Anong Klaseng Estudyante Ka. Balita ko ay may bago ka raw na ilalabas na libro na ang pamagat ay #JahricLago Says, maari mo ba kaming bigyan ng kaunting ideya ukol sa libro?
Jahric: Booklet series siya, hindi talaga siya book. It is a compilation of quotes and essays. Compilation of quotes about love and anything under the sun na may personal essays about love encounters and everyday happenings that I write in a quote.
Me: Bakit self-published siya ulit?
Jahric: First of all, I submitted my manuscript to Psicom last September and sinabi naman nila na nakaline-up na yung BPALMS na hindi ko muna pwedeng i-reveal yung title. Medyo natagalan lang ako for my readers so I decided to self-published yung compilation of quotes. So sabi ko I wanted to produce something to my readers, why not continue it again? It’s been three years since I self-published.
Me: Ano siya parang online order?
Jahric: Yes! Exclusively distributed siya by JMD Copy and Prints, sila yung publisher ko ever since.
Me: How much siya?
Jahric: 85 pesos each but if you gonna buy the two, 150 pesos. May 20 pesos na savings.
Me: Paano nabuo ang compilation series? May pinaghugutan ka ba ng inspirasyon?
Jahric: Based on my experiences everyday life. Kaya ko ginawa yung Jahric Lago Says, wala akong time na magsulat ng novel.
Me: Napansin ko lang na mahilig ka sa puting cover para sa iyong libro, meron bang kwento ukol dito?
Jahric: Ever since, yung cover ng una kong sinelf pub na Anong Klaseng Estudyante Ka, yung puro bolpen na ginaya ko kay Bob Ong. Inaamin ko talaga na ginaya ko dahil idol ko kasi si Bob Ong. Black and white siya hanggang sa mapunta sa PSICOM, black and white pa rin. I just wanted to play one color to my book. Nilagay ko siya book store with the colorful book covers, siya yung kitang-kita at siya talaga angat. Marketing strategy kasi siya and I wanted it to be simple like me. It’s very plain, yun talaga yung unang makikita.
Me: Ideya mo talaga yung cover para sa Jahric Lago Says?
Jahric: Actually yung cover ko dito ay isa sa outtakes sa ilalabas ko sa PSICOM. Ito yung isa sa mga hindi napili. Sayang naman if this will go to waste so sabi ko gawin ko na lang cover ng Jahric Lago Says.
Me: Sa limang parte ng libro, may masasabi ka bang pinakanagustuhan mong gawin? Ano ito?
Jahric: Actually I love them all. Yung second book, 5 parts siya. Yung first 4 parts ay quotes tapos yung fifth part ay essay. Sa first book series, ang pinakanagustuhan ko ay Virgin pero medyo bastos. Sa Jahric Lago 2.0, ang pinangustuhan ko ay Bitter Ka Ngayon, Bakit Nasarapan Ka Dati? Parang ang catchy niya.
Me: Ikaw lang talaga nakaisip ng titles?
Jahric: Actually, Noringai helped me lalo na yun sa Bitter. Not personally though. I read her books kasi tapos pinagsama-sama ko. May nakita ako na title ng chapters niya from both books tapos pinagcombine ko tapos yun yung nabuo ko.
Me: Mga ilang pages ang compilation series?
Jahric: 60 pages per compilation.
Me: Ano ang mas marami sa compilation series, hugot o kapupulutan ng aral?
Jahric: Meron naman kapupulutan ng aral pero not everything. Hindi siya katulad ng AKEK, this is another side of me, this just fun and free.
Me: Ano ang pinakapaborito mong quote o statement sa Jahric Lago Says kung meron?
Jahric: May nangyari kasi sa akin a few months ago at nakagawa ako ng quote para sa kanya. Ito: “Kapag pogi, ang hirap mag-move on. Kapag pangit, may kapalit agad.”
Me: Ano ang susunod namin aasahan kay Jahric Lago, self-published man o under PSICOM?
Jahric: So this is a booklet series, asahan nyo na may lalabas pa na three and four. Lalabas din yung dalawa and the BPALMS within this year.
Me: How about yung novel mo yung She’s Still Loves Her?
Jahric: Napag-usapan na namin ng PSICOM, nasa chapter four pa lang ako. This is my first novel in Filipino kaya naman I’m so excited about this. Nahirapan ako kaya nag-aral talaga ako. It’s a challenge for me and I liked it. Ito na yung susunod pero not sure if this self-published or wattpad but isusubmit ko siya sa PSICOM directly.
It was a fun and enjoyable interview! Thank you very much Jahric and I can’t wait to have a copy of your booklet series!
Pre-order for the #JahricLagoSays (80 php) and JahricLagoSays 2.0 (both: 150 php) is open until tomorrow (March 1), no need to pay immediately! Please follow Jahric’s FB page: https://www.facebook.com/JAHRICISM or better yet contact this number: 09486766740.
The booklet series (self-published) will be out on March 25, 2016!