By Priyangwada Perera
Who would have thought that what started off more like a warehouse sale in Malaysia would turn out to be the most awaited book sale of each year. It has gone global. For the first time in history, Red Riding Hood’s famous villain has been transformed. The Big Bad Wolf is no longer feared. In fact it has become one of the most awaited events for book lovers.
I could not help but think of the first time I went to Big Bad Wolf; the anticipation and the excitement, the Press Passes, the privilege of sneaking in on pre-exhibition day which was nevertheless still crowded. The sheer joy of getting there and seeing a sea of books, of every genre, for the choice of everyone is a thrill. But how about this time? Can this bleak situation get any worse? No, it only gets better.
“Ahoy there mates! My paws are tired from riding these waves. But at last, I have pawsitive news! Your howls have been heard. Your favourite Big Bad Wolf is making his way back to the island.” Oh yes, you heard it right. The Big Bad Wolf is heading to our shores.
But don’t you worry about missing him this time. This time around the Big Bad Wolf is here to have the world’s biggest online book sale. There is no need for him to ask us “How ‘pawsitive’ can this news be?” Many of us have been howling loud enough to be heard. He promises us a bigger den with better technology and a new platform. This will erase the fears of violating distance.
Delighted at this, we spoke to the Co-Founder of Big Bad Wolf, Andrew Yap and he could not have been happier to talk about it. “It wasn’t actually a regional start per se. We started from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and went on to Thailand as well. It was at this point I met a friend who said we would do very well in Sri Lanka.” We can thank our lucky stars for Yap’s friend. “Anyhow, our mission was to take books to the world.
With that being in mind, we thought it would be brilliant if we could take off to an entirely different country, to a totally different reader-experience in Sri Lanka. Nishan was the Sri Lankan agent and none of this was pre-planned,” Yap explained. “We are a mission based company. We are aware of and firmly believe in the power of a book to make a difference.” Their journey has been slow but steady, yet profound. “The slower we move, the more we can grasp,” he said. They had their first sale in Sri Lanka back in 2017. “We got an amazing response. But the pandemic gave us an opportunity to go online. While the entire world is forced to go online, this would be a new chance for our customers, readers and fans. It is far reaching as well.”
The good news is that they have a lot of discounts. For those who want to purchase books and stationery and all what they have been eagerly waiting for, if costing more than Rs 9,000, shipping is totally free. Spend over Rs12,000 and get a set of three exclusive journals. There are so many other buy three get one free offers on your favourite series of books.
Andrew Yap said that they have happily discovered that the lockdowns have actually brought people back to books. “The pandemic gave them the luxury of time and freedom to stay at home and read which increased people’s interest. There were more people looking for books.” Even though so much online reading is available, there is nothing like holding a book in your hand, with a steaming cup of coffee at hand, making the most of the upcoming season of Christmas.
Do not forget that there are plenty of gifts to be given away. What would you not find at the Big Bad Wolf online sale? They remind us that from 3 to 10 November, is when you conquer your biggest hunt before your howl-i-days. Woolfies, you do not even have to come out of the den this time. You will hear the howl long and clear, once you log in. Awoooooo!
News for All Bookworms!
6 NOV 2021
Sri Lanka