“Who writes a death journal and makes a slam book for people to fill up? I was terrified to be ridiculed. I was afraid that I wouldn't be taken seriously. Dying is a serious matter. But I told myself, Marissa, brave up. You can do this!  If ever I am antagonized, so be it.” singer-comedienne Marissa Sanchez shares her initial thoughts to Gossip Girl before publishing her slam book only to discover a strong need for such a journal. 

“I am extremely overwhelmed with the number of orders as far as my book is concerned. I never expected that it'd turn out this way," the singer-comedienne tells Gossip Girl that she had a lot of apprehensions about publishing a death journal she entitled “My Farewell Slam Book."

I asked the comedienne what gave her the idea of writing a death journal slam book. “I am a frustrated journalist. I admire people who are good at writing, like my godmother Ninang Jullie Yap Daza, Nestor Cuartero, Christine Dayrit, and you (Giselle Sanchez). The pandemic was the perfect time to write a book, which, at that time, I had no idea what to write about. I went to a popular bookstore and saw a woman looking for a book. It was evident that she had a mastectomy. I assumed she was a cancer patient. She asked the saleslady if they had a  death journal that she could avail of, and the saleslady replied they do not sell death journals. This was my lightbulb moment. Before this incident, a friend of mine fought with her family about the details of their late mother's wake. One claimed their mom liked Gerbera, while the other asserted she preferred Carnation. They all argued about what dress to put on their mother's photo to display, even money contributions(Abuloy). If only their mother filled out “My Farewell Slambook”, these problems would have been solved, and no family conflicts would have happened. This led me to devise a solution to avoid these arguments after someone passes away.”

To lessen the seriousness and morbidity of a death journal, the singer-turned-actress decided to make it into a slam book, “This is inspired by those times in the 80s where a Tirso Cruz 111 notebook would be passed on randomly to every kid in the classroom, and you'd encounter goofy questions such as "who is your crush?" etc. To make the idea of death light, why not write your dying details in a slam book.” Marissa describes her slam book as a celebration of life rather than death. It hopes to provide enlightenment and knowledge that whoever's left behind will not be hopelessly bewildered dealing with the uncertainties of the loss, “This is a practical, helpful, and valuable tool for people. Yes, death is a sad event. But let’s be realistic. We will all die. It is best if we are prepared and our loved ones know our preferences for our funerals.

We love preparing for fresh starts: baby and bridal showers are celebrated. But we never tackle endings. This book will help us. This is for cancer patients, the aging population, and the youth. Life is uncertain.” Marissa will have her grand book launch and birthday concert at the Samsung Hall, SM Aura on Dec. 8. To announce her book, dm her on her Instagram or Facebook accounts @marissasanchezgiorla or you can purchase at Shopee or Lazada, search for TCFN Books.