Blogging is a miraculous thing. And social networks can be far-reaching and super connecting things. A while back, a lovely woman called Nadine read my book 'Pacific Tsunami-Galu Afi.' She wrote a Goodreads review about it that brought tears to my eyes. I messaged her and thanked her profusely. We each noted the other was a blogger. We connected with each other's blogs. (Check out her insightful and funny 5InABus here.) She read about my Telesa Trilogy books on here. Unbeknownst to me, she used to work as a producer at TVNZ. She wrote to her friends there and told them about my books. She may even have given them the link to this blog. TVNZ got in touch with me about the possiblity of having me on their Good Morning Show around the anniversary of the 2009 tsunami. I sent them copies of my books to check out. They said, 'cool, lets do it.'
TVNZ sent me a list of 15 questions they "might" ask me. I didnt want to sound like the nervous nitwit that I am so I spent hours and hours composing possible answers to those and every other possible question they could ask me. (and then Mr Ron Cheeseman only asked me five of the fifteen questions and I was so nervous I couldn't shut up anyway...GET THIS WOMAN A MUZZLE!)
In the days before I asked them 'umm..what do you think would be alright to wear?' A super-cool TVNZ woman with a sense of humor replied, 'Just dont wear a gold spandex onesie and you'll be fine.' I emailed back, 'Dammit, and I was getting extra glitter stuck on my bodysuit specially for the show.' It was comforting to know TVNZ people knew how to be funny and sarcastic.
So I got my hair done at the hairdresser ( which explains why I TOTALLY dont look like me at all in the video), put on my precious new MENA puletasi that I was saving to wear during the Australia book tour ( and now my five Australian readers have probably seen it and they will feel extra sorry for me that Im so poor i have to wear the same clothes everywhere I go.) And I drove myself to the city. An hour early in case I got lost. ( because we all know the statistical probability of THAT happening...)
At the TVNZ studio I got to sit in "The Green Room" where guests wait - but which is not colored green at all. They had snacks and lovely comfortable sofas. (But sadly, no Diet Coke or donuts.) I met a nice young man ( who looked alot like Liam Hemsworth by the way...I exagerate you not)He was waiting there for his girlfriend who was one of the models doing the fashion segment.
He said, "Wow, you look great."
I said, "Ugh, I cant wait to take all my clothes off."
He looked surprised. I said, "I mean, I cant wait to get comfortable and relaxed."
He looked alarmed. I said, "I mean, its very nice of you to say so, but Im not used to wearing real clothes and this outfit is killing me." I cant recollect exactly, but I may then have babbled stuff along the lines of..."I'm sorry for sounding like an idiot, but its because I have lots of children and never go anywhere and I'm nervous as heck about being on the show and did you know you look like Liam Hemsworth?!"
He exited the building very shortly after. Heaving a great sigh of relief to escape me, no doubt.
Then a nice lady took me to get my makeup done. A
I met some more very nice people from the show who do fashion, cooking and crafts. Then I did my interview with Ron Cheeseman. Talking about the tsunami stories rips me up inside, even three years later and I nearly got lost in the emotions and cried. I was glad when the interview was over. All eight minutes of it.
The relief to be done with it was so huge that I felt like hugging everyone in sight. (which is an unusual feeling for me because Im allergic to body contact and hate hugging people.)
Back in the Green-Room-thats-not-Green, I bumped into actor Rena Owen and almost fell on the ground in awe. She was gracious and friendly and was nice enough to tell me that "I saw you on the Tagata Pasifika show and I really want to read your Telesa book." Of course I gave her my copy immediately, trying not to fall on the ground in awe that Rena Owen was actually going to hold a copy of my book in her hands and take it home with her. ( Hopefully not to throw it in the rubbish.)
And then my visit to TVNZ was over. I was feeling pretty exultant after that. I had done it. I had left the cave, spoken on television, met Rena Owen, and apart from freaking out the boy who looked like Liam Hemsworth - I hadnt made a complete fool of myself, yay! My exultation lasted the entire 45 minutes that it took me to sit in the carpark and try and map my way back to the motorway. I got a little bit lost but nothing too bad.
So there you have it, to all you other hermits out there? Take heart, it's possible to break out of the cave once in a while, interact with other humans and then still safely make it back unscathed.
