I first heard of Jessica Zafra while in college. My friend Ronald would rave about her and her way of writing, and one time I got to read one of her Twisted books, but wasn't able to finish it.

Fast forward to 2010 (some 10 years after)... Melo Villareal, author of the Out of Town Blog, put up a contest that would give winners a signed copy of Jessica Zafra's "Twisted 8 1/2" book. It was rather an easy contest to join in, one must just answer the question, "What's your favorite beach destination in the Philippines?" along with a picture (or two) from the said destination - which, of course, has to be their OWN picture(s). No raffles to draw, no thumbs up to click... just submit the entry, and if you're one of the first 20 people to submit an entry, you win the prize. Recalling the past memory I had with the Twisted book, I immediately submitted my entry and obviously won.

The book wasn't really funny, funny... but it was funny, especially if you could relate to the situation. The book was a collection of different little stories, each different from one another, but guaranteed to make you think and chuckle a bit. I also liked the hint of sarcasm here and there, which made go, "Oo nga naman." The book had only about 103 pages, but whenever I need some pick me up, I read the book.

The best part about owning this book? The signature of the author at the very first page. :)

*** Jenn ***