A tale of two books

In late November 2019, I received an email from Joanne, a friend who had relocated from Johor Baru to Melbourne, saying she wanted to get my books and have them autographed for her two daughters.

This was the last copy of my Book One
from the MPH bookstore in the airport!

Her younger daughter, Janet, had just completed her A-Levels and their family was planning a trip back to JB. Besides visiting family, one of her objectives was to get my books to let her daughters read about her hometown to give them a sense of where she grew up.

Joanne said since she discovered My Johor Stories online, she had been following my stories to stay in touch with the happenings here.

After we exchanged a few emails, I did not hear from her again.

Not until early December when I received a WhatsApp message from Joanne, declaring that she had just arrived in JB!

In between her family visits here and across the causeway, Joanne managed to get a copy of Book Two, My Johor Stories 2: Interesting Places and Inspirational People.

She was however, getting anxious because after visiting several bookstores, she learnt that there was no stock of Book One, My Johor Stories: True Tales, Real People, Rich Heritage.

Christopher Ling with my Book Two at the
MPH bookstore in Johor Baru City Square

Recently I was at the MPH bookstore in Johor Baru City Square with Christopher Ling, Artistic Director of Theatrethreesixty, as our heritage walk ended in the bookstore for him to get my books.

At the bookstore with Christopher, I learnt that they had run out of Book One, My Johor Stories: True Tales, Real People, Rich Heritage so I asked the staff to check on their computer system for which MPH bookstores in Kuala Lumpur which still had stock.

With a few clicks of the mouse, the system revealed the list of bookstores that still carried stock of Book One and Book Two in KL, so Christopher got on the telephone to speak to his colleague in Theatrethreesixty (based in USJ), who promptly stepped out to get my two books.

With Joanne's two daughters, Celine [Left] and
Janet [Right] holding autographed copies of my books

Recalling this experience, I quickly phoned the MPH bookstore in JB City Square to ask the staff to check on their system to find out if my Book One was still available at the nearest (other) MPH bookstore here, located in Senai International Airport.

After a few clicks, she replied, “Ada!” and it was their last copy!

She wisely asked me to wait while she called her colleague in the bookstore at the airport to do a physical check to confirm that this last (precious!) book was there, before I went all the way to the bookstore for it.

I was relieved when she called me back with a smile in her voice and the confirmation that one last copy of Book One was indeed in their bookstore at the airport!

Signing my books for Florence to present to her
family members now relocated to Perth

She also assured me that her colleague had kept this book aside – no longer on the shelf for a shopper to buy – and was there for me to collect from them.

She reassured me that they were duly informed that the author was coming over for that book.

Senai Airport was only a drive away, so I hopped into my car and made that important trip to get hold of Book One for Joanne.

I reasoned that if Joanne could come all the way from Melbourne to get autographed copies of my books, the least I could do was to track down Book One for her!

Cindy with my book in Perth,
"Received with joy!"

When I walked into the MPH bookstore at the airport, the staff probably recognised me from my avatar printed on the book cover, and they promptly whipped out Book One from a secret compartment under the counter.

Just as I reminded the staff at the MPH bookstore in JB City Square, I repeated the reminder to the airport bookstore staff, to rush for the urgent replenishment of the stocks of my book from MPH Publishing KL.

[In the next story, I discovered that stocks were indeed replenished for the festive sales.]

Meanwhile my friend Florence, was packing to leave for her year-end family visit in Perth. She told me that among the gifts she was bringing, were copies of my books which she wanted to present to family members, relocated there.

She just needed to get these books autographed.

In all her busyness of work and packing, she overlooked this until one day when I received her message that read: “Realised I forgot to ask you to sign your books. I’ll come over tomorrow for your signature, can?”

Of course. I would certainly make time to autograph my books for her.

On her arrival in Perth, Florence (didn’t wait for Christmas!) presented my books and promptly sent me a photograph of her cousin, Cindy, holding up my book, captioned “Received with joy!”

Signing my book for Mary

Unknown to me, Emily, another friend of mine, had presented Book Two, My Johor Stories 2: Interesting Places and Inspirational People to an American lady, on holiday to visit her son who’s working with a school here.

I remember it was about 8pm, after my eventful visit to the Sepang International Circuit, as our media group was travelling back to JB by coach through heavy weekend traffic, when I received a message from Emily that read: “I’m wondering if you are free for coffee Tuesday morning?”

Emily explained that she had given a copy of my Book Two to an American visitor and she loves it so much.

She also took Mary, the American lady, to visit the heritage quarter and even dropped by at the last and only handmade mattress shop in our city, featured in my book under Heritage Trades.

I couldn’t help smiling when Emily explained about how excited Mary was when she read my book and told me, “Just two days after I gave it (my book) to her, she kept on quoting from the book!”

This was both amusing and most flattering because I felt deeply honoured for a reader to not only recall my stories but also quote from my book!

She went on to say: “I would dearly like to bring her to meet you with my sister too.”

Mary [2nd from Left] with Michelle [Left] and Emily [Right]

We then arranged to meet but Emily and her sister, Michelle, who invited Mary out, deliberately refrained from saying that I would be joining them for coffee.

It turned out to be a delightful surprise for dear Mary when she saw me and easily recognised me, again probably from the avatar on my book cover!

Over brewed hot coffee, chunks of chocolate and toasted walnuts, Mary and I enjoyed a lovely chit-chat, getting to know her and discussing some of my stories from the book.

While it was most encouraging to observe how Mary appreciates My Johor Stories, I just wished that we had a copy of Book One, My Johor Stories: True Tales, Real People, Rich Heritage to present to her too.

While writing this, I received an update from Emily saying that her online order for Book One was just delivered, on time to present to Mary who was scheduled to leave next Monday!

Thank you, Emily for helping to fulfill my wish for Mary.

Now she can carry home to Colorado, not only fond memories of her experience here but also my two books to reminisce about her time in Johor each time she reads My Johor Stories!