Surreal is an understatement on how I'll describe my first book signing experience. I still can't get over the fact that I met Lissa Price in person. She wrote one of my favorite dystopian novels of all time which is the Starters. I am so delighted to learn so much about one of the books that I've been obsessing about since this year began. Did you know that the title was supposed to be "The Body Bank" but the publisher didn't like it? I think "Starters" suits it better too because readers may get the wrong idea. If you're a fan of this book and missed the book signing or an aspiring book author (like me), I have some fun facts for you. Read on!
This is the first time that I sacrificed my Saturday for an event like this one. I am not a patient person and I have so many other things to do than to wake up at 7 AM and fall in a line for an event starting at 9 AM in the morning. So I told myself -- Oh, this is how a fan girl feels! The moral lesson of this patience test is that it pays to be "earlier". Not early, I mean literally "earlier" than early especially in book signing events.
Hey, meet my new friend Thrixy! One of the best perks that afternoon is meeting a lot of fellow bookworms who speaks my language. Finally, I spent hours talking about books without boring anyone. Haha.
Before the book signing itself, National Bookstore gave us readers the chance to hear what the writers have to say about their books and their respective writing journey. The contrast between the two authors' writing style is so evident. Jennifer E. Smith is more about serendipitous love, a plot that I usually cringe at because it isn't really my thing. On the other hand, Lissa Price writes about alternate realities with so little romance in it. That's my thing, sci-fi shit and all. Haha! Lissa mentioned that the term "dystopia" is as good as obsolete nowadays. Writers refer to it as "futuristic thrillers" already. That's the term that I'll be using from now on because she said so. As for my promised fun fact, there's a third installment for the Starters series. I am not sure how the story will progress and what the title will be, but I am more than excited to know more about it in the coming days. :)
After two hours of waiting, Lissa is finally signing my copies of Starters and Enders. They didn't inform us that we can give gifts, so I felt bad when I saw other readers giving her things. It's evident that she likes makeup too. I should have given her a lipstick or a even a lip gloss. Anyway, I told her that I love how she writes the details without leaving anything unanswered and the way she intrigues and surprises her readers without any hints.
Here she is saying "Thank you" to me and how she appreciates compliments like those. She told me that readers like me who appreciates those things makes her writing worth it and that I just made her day. Awwwww.. Oh gosh, I thought I was gonna pass out. I love her so much! :)
Hey, I met Jennifer E. Smith as well! I haven't read any of her books yet but she's just as lovely! One of her readers who came "earlier" had her books signed an hour before I did and she told us that Jennifer took a picture of her nails because she thought it was cute. Her nails reminded me of the different nail polish brands that I saw online at Zalora. You can see all the top nail polish brands available at their website. I never thought that authors who think so deep and complicated can have bubbly personality too.
If you are planning to attend a book signing event for the first time, I suggest that you come as early as possible. You'll have more chance of getting freebies like bookmarks and stickers if you come early. Also, bring a good attitude towards waiting and a bag of friendly smiles. It fascinated me on how these authors' ideas for these books just came out of nowhere. They told us that if you want to write a book someday, you just have to read a lot and never be afraid to try. At the end of the day, you may not get published but everything you write is an improvement and practice. Their writing experience taught me that I just have to believe in myself to make things happen.
Tell me about your fan moment too!
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